His Tiny Sun

Chapter 30 - The Beach House （Beach Saga, Part 2）

CHAPTER 30

The Beach House (Beach Saga, Part 2)

“There you are,” Eric exclaimed from the top of the stairs, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. “I was starting to think you’d found something better to do than to hang out with your friends.”

Eric, for the love of god, shut the fuck up.

Alan flinched at the harsh words his mind produced without his permission. As for Jonah, by some kind of miracle, he didn’t react to Eric’s remark at all. Alan couldn’t see him as Jonah was climbing the stairs behind him, but Alan suspected he looked like a pressure cooker about to blow up.

“I’m Marina,” Marina said, offering her hand as soon as they’d reached the top of the stairs.

Right. They never actually introduced themselves.

Jonah shook her hand. “Jonah. Nice to meet you.”

Alan tried not to think about what Jonah’s hand had been doing just a few minutes ago. Instead, he daydreamed of a world where Marina forgave Jonah for what he did to Eric. They had a lot in common; for instance, they were both highly protective of their favorite person, and they could both win a fight with a single punch. Alan had a feeling they could become great friends.

“Alright, let’s go!” Eric exclaimed. “They’re already outside.”

Without Flavien there to distract him, Alan finally noticed his surroundings as they walked across the first floor. The layout and decor reminded him of a listing they’d find on a high-end realtor website. The kind you browse just to dream—or occasionally to mock rich people’s dubious tastes.

Every single thing appeared to have been selected and angled with great care, almost like they were touring an expensive model home. Additionally—and to Alan’s horror—everything was pure white. The walls, the chairs, the sofas, the lamps, the rugs, the flowers, the piano. Even the curtains that were swaying in slow motion in front of the gigantic windows were white.

It was like a nightmare come true. With his luck, Alan would make a big stain on one of those things by the end of their stay.

Alan startled as Eric patted his back. “It’s a decorative room. We won’t be using it.”

Alan gave him a grateful smile. Eric knew him far too well.

Alan’s anxiety eased slightly, although not completely. Would he even know how to behave in the presence of a man whose secondary home had an entire room just for show?

Alan’s best bet was to be in observation mode first: watch, listen, and gather information. Once he got a good grasp of everyone—especially Flavien—and felt comfortable enough, he would morph into his social butterfly self. It was, he’d found, the most effective method to face a social gathering with too many unknowns.

Alan was confident he would be able to pull it off…on the condition that Flavien stopped being such an unpredictable variable, and that Jonah and Eric didn’t fight too much.

Wishful thinking?

As they approached the open glass wall, Alan started hearing some upbeat music that made him feel as though they were about to walk into a magical portal leading to one of those countries where people went to sunbathe for a week.

No teleportation occurred, however; instead, a vast patio greeted them as they set foot outside, and to Alan’s satisfaction, there wasn’t a single white thing in sight.

Sean, Isabel, and Flavien were taking a selfie in front of a hibiscus tree full of bright red flowers. Sean was flexing his biceps, while Isabel made peace signs with her fingers, and Flavien, who was holding the phone at a high angle, was looking at the lens like he was trying to score its number.

Like in most of his pictures

“Ah,” Flavien exclaimed as he noticed them. He put his phone in the tote he was carrying and rushed to join them. “Now that we’re all here, let me give you a little tour of my humble abode .”

Alan could almost hear Jonah’s temper boiling over, so he reached for his hand and interlaced their fingers together. It seemed to work. For now.

“This will be where we retreat when we need a break from the sun,” Flavien said as he elegantly gestured around himself, designating the patio on which they were standing. One side was occupied by a long glass table with eight chairs—where they would eat their meals, Alan presumed—and the other had three comfy-looking sofas with cute flower print cushions. There was a large pergola from which hung strings of tiny lights and beautiful flower arrangements, casting shade over the entire patio while giving the feeling of standing in a flower greenhouse.

Alan liked this view far better than the all-white, fake living room. The patio was clearly intended to be used by actual people, yet looked just as impressive, in his opinion. Or perhaps he was biased because he could see himself retreating here once the sun had set, so he could cuddle with Jonah on one of those sofas, and soak in the romantic ambiance of the hundreds of lights hanging from the pergola.

Flavien motioned for them to follow him down the stairs leading to the beach. “The bathroom is to your left. There are showers too, if the need arises.”

I’d much rather take a bath with Jonah , Alan mused, his cheeks heating up again. He needed to keep these thoughts under control if he wanted to make it through the day.

As though reading his mind, Jonah squeezed his hand gently. They exchanged a quick smile, then focused on their surroundings again as a bar came into view.

“Nicco will be with us for the day,” Flavien said, wiggling his fingers toward the bar. A blond man with an impeccable smile gave them a brief wave of his hand.

He hired a barman for the whole day?

“Anything you want,” Flavien continued. “Drinks. Snacks. He’ll be happy to serve you.”

Sean and Isabel perked up.

“Snacks?”

“Drinks?”

Flavien paused and looked over his shoulder with a bright grin. “I see I caught your attention,” he said, before turning back around. “The beach is this way, as you can clearly see. Please make yourselves at home; mi casa es su casa 13 . ”

Alan leaned close to Eric and murmured, “He speaks Spanish?”

“Yeah. He’s been teaching himself Spanish, French, and Japanese in his spare time.”

Alan sighed internally. Did Flavien really have to be better than him at every point?

“What y’all having?” Sean exclaimed, pointing enthusiastic finger guns at everyone.

“Nothing,” Jonah and Marina said simultaneously, making them share a brief glance.

“I’ll…” Eric trailed off as he looked at Jonah like he’d just challenged him to a race. “Nothing for me, thanks.”

Eric not taking advantage of free alcohol, now that was a first.

Just as Alan was about to decline as well, Isabel hooked their arms together and dragged him toward the bar. She smelled like apple pie with a side of maple ice cream. “Don’t let them ruin your fun,” she whispered. “I know you want something. It’s written all over your face.”

Alan smiled. He’d just learned something important about Isabel: she was observant.

To keep in mind for future interactions.

“The usual for me, Nicco,” Flavien said as he walked away toward the beach.

“You got it, boss!”

He brings it to him?

Alan mentally facepalmed. Of course, the barman Flavien had hired brought him his drinks. Alan needed to start thinking like a rich person if he didn’t want to make a fool of himself. He took a seat at the bar, Isabel sitting to his left, and Sean soon materializing on his right.

“I’ll have what he’s having,” Sean said as he jerked his thumb toward Alan.

Alan’s anxiety peaked at the sudden attention on his person. He hadn’t considered the possibility of Sean and Isabel not allowing him to be in observation mode. A beginner’s mistake.

“Uh…” Alan uttered, faltering under the barman’s gaze.

“Let’s narrow it down,” Nicco said with an energetic wink, his blond curls bouncing with the movement of his head. “Beer, cocktail, or wine?”

Alan smiled. He already liked the man. “Cocktail.”

“Sweet, salty, or spicy?”

“Sweet. Oh—and colorful !”

Nicco pensively rubbed his chin. “How do you feel about lime juice? ”

Alan beamed. “I love lime!”

“Coming up!” Nicco said, before spinning around like he was on a dance floor.

“Make it three!” Isabel said, looking up from her phone.

Alan tensed as Sean suddenly invaded his personal space. He smelled like drinking mint tea in Antarctica. It shrouded Sean in an air of mystery and unfamiliar…familiarity.

It made sense in Alan’s head.

“So…” Sean said as the bartender started juggling wildly with very breakable bottles.

Isabel did the same on the other side, trapping him between them. “…has he been treating you right?” she asked.

“W-who, Jonah?”

They both nodded, narrowing their eyes as though daring Alan to lie to their faces.

“I’m right her e,” Jonah said in an exasperated voice.

Alan tilted his head back to look up at Jonah—whom he had no idea was standing right behind him until now. “He has.”

Just as he said those words, a tall glass appeared in front of him. “Midori Sour,” Nicco said with an enthusiastic grin. “And for you?”

“Nothing for now, thanks,” Jonah replied.

Alan took a sip of the radioactive-looking drink, groaning in delight at the taste. It was perfect. Meanwhile, Nicco crouched down and straightened back up, making a bottle spin in the air before catching it and offering it to Jonah. “Water.”

Alan could hear the smile in Jonah’s voice as he thanked him.

Approved by Dr. Delamare.

“Could you take a picture of us?” Isabel asked as she took off her sunglasses and handed Nicco her phone.

“Of course— wait a minute …” Nicco narrowed his eyes, his gaze alternating back and forth between Isabel and Sean. “I know you. You post videos online, right?”

“That’s us!” Sean said proudly.

Nicco chuckled. “Man, I love your stuff. You guys are hilarious— cheese !”

Isabel and Sean leaned in, pressing their shoulders against Alan’s just as he felt something land on top of his head—Jonah’s chin, he presumed. The sensation swiftly disappeared as Nicco handed Isabel her phone back .

“Oh, it’s so good!” Isabel enthused, before handing Alan her phone. “I heard you have snacks?” she asked Nicco.

Alan tuned out the bartender’s voice as Nicco started listing what he had in stock. Alan picked up her phone and took a closer look at the photo. His heart fluttered at the sight of Jonah kissing the top of his head, the act immortalized in a picture forever. Three little words crossed Alan’s mind, which he wrapped into a warm blanket of bliss and stored in the safety of his heart for later exploration.

“Ha!” Sean exclaimed as he grabbed the phone from his hand. “Look at us. Ready to dominate the beach.”

Alan spun on his stool and held his glass out for Jonah. “Wanna try?”

Jonah bent down and took a sip out of his straw. “It’s good.”

“Wanna try mine?” Sean asked, offering his own drink.

“No.”

Sean blew a raspberry. “You’re such a grouch.”

“I just had some of Alan’s!”

“Yeah? And?”

“It’s the same drink!”

“Fine. Got it. You like him more than me.”

“Well, duh !”

Alan spun back around and took Isabel’s discarded smartphone to look at the picture some more, while Sean and Jonah bickered. Although they barely knew each other, the three of them appeared like old friends having a grand time together. Alan was surprised with how fast Sean and Isabel had made him feel at ease. Perhaps, today, they would help make things a little less awkward if Flavien turned out to be too confusing. After all, they both seemed immune to his eccentricity.

To be fair, they were pretty eccentric themselves.

Alan tried to hand Isabel her constantly buzzing phone back—being an internet celebrity seemed stressful as heck—but froze as he took in the sheer number of snacks she was holding in her arms.

“Uh…” Her gaze alternated between her phone, her drink, and her snacks, then back to her phone. “Put it in my mouth.”

Jonah snatched the phone from Alan. “Do you know how many bacteria the average smartphone has?”

Sean snatched it from Jonah in turn, then swiftly put it into his pocket. “Yeah, and? That’s how you strengthen your immune system.”

“No! That’s how you get sick,” Jonah exclaimed. “There’s fecal bacteria all over those things.”

Alan gave Nicco an awkward smile as he took both his and Isabel’s drinks, then followed the others as they walked toward the beach.

“What’s with you and other people’s poop?” Sean asked.

“This has nothing to do with—”

“—Just ‘cause you use the scientific term doesn’t mean I don’t understand,” Sean interrupted Jonah. “I’m not stupid.”

“ ‘Fecal’ isn’t a scientific term, idiot,” Jonah retorted.

“Enough! Ew!” Isabel shouted as they reached the spot where chairs had been placed at their disposal.

“Hey! I was taking your defense,” Sean said.

Isabel dropped her cargo onto one of the chairs, then threw a bag of what looked like gummy worms at Sean’s head. “No thanks.”

Alan waved at Marina and Eric, who were already in the water, laughing heartily as they wrestled. The sound of Marina’s laugh never failed to warm Alan’s heart. It wasn’t a frequent occurrence, so he cherished the experience every time.

Alan placed Isabel’s drink in the cupholder of the chair she’d selected, then looked at Jonah, who chose that exact moment to tap his nose three times. Alan ran to him and gave him a one-armed hug, squeezing him even harder when he felt a kiss land on top of his head.

“I’ll have strangled one of them by the end of the afternoon,” Jonah whispered.

Alan pulled away and gave him an encouraging smile. “You won’t.”

“We’ll see about that. Where do you wanna sit—ah. Never mind.”

Alan followed his gaze, swiftly understanding the reason for Jonah’s grumbling. All the chairs were taken except for two, which happened to be right next to Flavien. Alan internally scolded himself for feeling disappointed. No matter how strange Flavien was, he'd still gracefully invited them into his home and worked hard to ensure they'd all have a good time during their stay.

It didn’t matter which chairs they dropped their things on top of, anyway. Alan had no intention of staying put. Being at the beach always made him overflow with inexhaustible energy.