He glanced at his roommates to make sure they were still asleep—so far, he hadn’t been naked around them and had strived not to see them naked in return, even though they didn’t seem to care—and when he was certain they were still asleep, he quickly changed out of his pyjamas into his swimming trunks. He had a towel he used specifically for times when he went to the pool, so he pulled that out of his luggage as well. Good thing Ajiri had made him pack it.
The mansion was quiet, the men still asleep. Since he’d arrived at the mansion, apart from night one, Ejiro really hadn’t spent a lot of time at the pool. He stared out at the backyard, gently sliding the door closed behind him, eyes slightly wide.
Had it always looked this … grand?
He stood on the wide, wooden back porch. A veranda stretched out on his right, with low, comfortable-looking white chairs and equally small glass tables, an extended roof and a railing making the space look cosy and inviting.
Down the porch steps, embedded around the grassy floor of the backyard, was a standard rectangular pool with straight white lines running through its length at the bottom, as if whoever had wanted it built wished to do a race at some point. The second pool was off to the right and shaped a little bit like a peanut. There was a concrete floor bracketing both pools on the extreme left and right side of the backyard, holding deep grey pool chairs lined across their lengths, along with a fire pit in front for campfire-style barbecues and whatnot.
On the other side of the pools opposite Ejiro, up some wooden steps and enclosed in glass on all sides was a decently sized hot tub, though if one asked Ejiro what a “decent sized” hot tub was, he’d have no idea how to explain it. It looked big and the design was lovely and modern … but not so much as to be extravagant?
Surrounding the hot tub, against three of the glass walls, were white seats in the shapes of cubes, pressed up against each other to look seamless. It almost made it seem voyeuristic, Ejiro thought with amusement. Imagine using the hot tub and being surrounded by the men in the house?
On the left, beside the glass room for the hot tub, was the greenhouse. On the right was a set of outdoor showers to rinse off before or after a swim.
The backyard was closed off with a thick fence of greenery, making the space seem like a little hidden getaway. With the sun not yet up, and the backyard lights on and bathing the place in hues of white and gold, the effect of it all was startlingly romantic.
Ejiro imagined vacationing here, just him and his future girlfriend, and felt a flush climb his cheeks at the thought. The place shone with an aura of sensuality, seducing his senses and making him want.
Shaking off the desire, he padded over to the pool chairs by the left of the first pool, and placed his towel on top.
After a brief hesitation, he decided to do his pre-jogging stretches, even though he wasn’t planning on using the pool to exercise. He felt more in the mood for a leisurely swim this morning.
He was in the last bout of stretching when he heard the sliding door of the mansion come open, quiet as it was. Ejiro’s heartbeat stuttered with nerves at the thought of trying to make conversation this early morning with one of the bachelors. He’d hoped to have this space to himself for at least a little while.
“Of course you’re here.”
Ejiro sighed. Of course whoever would disturb his peace would be Obiora. Of course it would. He stood up slowly from his last stretch, raising an eyebrow.
Like Ejiro, Obiora was in just his swim trunks—a ridiculous pair of shorts that clung to his muscular thighs like a second skin. And of course the rest of his body was just as ridiculously attractive as his face; all deep, warm brown skin and broad chest, his abs toned and flat. His skin was a gorgeous deep, warm shade of brown all over.
Ejiro resisted the urge to cross his arms over his own skinny chest, suddenly hyperconscious of the fact that he had an outie belly button. Ajiri called his belly button cute—it’s an actual button, Ejiro! A cute, perfectly round button!—but right now, in the face of Obiora’s, well, everything, “cute” wasn’t precisely what he wanted to go for.
“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that?” The question came out sounding a little amused, despite his irritation. “I did get here first, after all.”
Obiora grinned, flashing the dimple on his cheek. He raised both his arms in mock-surrender. “Don’t mind me.”
“Not at all.”
Obiora dropped the towel in his hands almost distractedly on one of the pool chairs, and headed in the direction of the pool showers. Ejiro had already finished his stretching. He’d look like a confused baby deer if he just stood there, so he followed after Obiora, praying they wouldn’t have to talk.
He left a shower space between them.
It was awkward. Jesus Christ, it was freaking awkward.
He stayed longer, deliberately, just so Obiora would head to the pool first. He did, switching off his shower and making his way to the rectangular Olympic pool. Ejiro wondered if it would be too obvious if he decided to go to the other pool just to avoid him.
You won the Red Heart last night, Ejiro, the devil on his left shoulder growled, spitting flames. Don’t let him intimidate you!
Ejiro straightened his shoulders. The little devil was right. Right now, the rest of the bachelors should be seeing Ejiro as they all obviously saw Chris Wu: as their biggest competition.
With that thought, he headed for the Olympic pool, a new confidence in his stride.
Obiora was just finishing a lap.
Ejiro dived in just as Obiora came up for air. He did a casual freestyle down the length of the pool, closing his eyes and letting the slightly cool water wash over him in soothing waves. He thought about the last time he’d gone swimming—Christ, it must’ve been months now, perhaps since last summer? He’d have to get Ajiri, Blessing, and his other friends on a weekend out to chill at the pool when this was all over.
When he finished the lap and came up for air, Obiora was there, staring at him, seemingly waiting for him, a challenging glint in his eye.
