Noe tilted his head back, sucking the lantern into his mouth.
He looked at Curtis's back and shouted like a dork, "Curtis, where are you going?"
Jasiah immediately stuffed a sushi roll into his mouth, "Ask less, knowing too much can be dangerous."
Noe blinked in confusion.
He chewed the sushi, looking at Curtis strangely, then suddenly realized the taste was off.
Noe suddenly turned to look at Jasiah.
Then, "Ugh—"
Jasiah, who had been contemplating Curtis and Dakota's situation, was unexpectedly drenched by vomit.
He almost jumped up, "Damn it, Noe! Where the hell did you throw up!"
Noe slapped the back of Jasiah's head, frustrated, "You should ask yourself what you fed me first! I'm allergic to crab roe! Crab roe allergy!"
Noe's lips quickly swelled up like sausages.
Jasiah looked at his soiled pants, speechless, wishing he could pickle Noe's head in sake.
Dinner was suddenly cut short.
The two went straight back to their rooms to shower and change into their swim trunks, bickering the whole way.
Meanwhile, Dakota and Lailah were laughing and chatting.
Dakota changed into her swimsuit.
It was designed like a ballet dress, with a cinched waist and a short, flared skirt.
Paired with lace-trimmed triangle cups that outlined her sexy, pale form, the thin straps hung delicately on her shoulders, making her long, fair legs look like those of a proud black swan.
Lailah's eyes were nearly glued to her.
"My god..."
Her eyes were glued to Dakota, unable to look away. "Sweetie, I knew this swimsuit would look amazing on you! Come on, let's blur the gender lines a bit and give me a shot!"
Dakota stood in front of the full-length mirror and posed for a moment.
She twirled around, revealing a semi-transparent design on her side that was often the most sensual in black and transparent materials, especially when it was partially concealed.
"Just right, alluring without being overly seductive."
"It is beautiful."
Dakota winked playfully at Lailah, "You have good taste."
"That's right!" Lailah lifted her chin proudly, "This will definitely mesmerize every man in the world!"
Laughter echoed continuously in the room.
Dakota tied her hair into a bun suitable for soaking in the hot springs, exposing her beautiful, swan-like neck.
Lailah found her swimsuit, "You go ahead? I'll join you once I change."
"Alright." Dakota fluffed up her hair a bit.
She was always meticulous, checking herself in the mirror before leaving and reapplying her glossy lip gloss before finally stepping out satisfied.
The evening breeze in the outskirts of the capital during summer was also somewhat sultry.
Curtis rose from his seat and, with a languid posture, leaned against a locust tree, petals falling around him like snowflakes in July, while smoke billowed around the thick trunk.
He held a cigarette between his lips and lit it, lowering his head.
As he exhaled, the contours of his brows and eyes became even more profound, and an untouchable sexiness enveloped him.
Curtis lifted his gaze nonchalantly.
Just then, he saw a figure in the lobby that perfectly embodied both black and white, pure yet provocative.
It was blazing hot in J Curtisty in July.
Dakota wore only the swimsuit Lailah had bought her, without a cover-up, and her slender white legs shimmered under the night sky like a gun shot straight to the heart.
Curtis's eyes were dark.
He watched Dakota walking towards the hot springs and suddenly felt that smoking couldn't quell the summer heat.
Coincidentally, at that moment, there was a commotion from the lobby.
"Jasiah, if you laugh again, I'm cutting ties with you!"
"Damn, ha-ha-ha! Can't stop laughing! Noe, why the hell are you swollen like a pig?"
"You dare to take pictures with your phone!"
"Aww, how could we not take pictures? With that pig face, climb a tree, and who knows, Curtis and Dakota might get married tomorrow!"
"Get outta here! Why are you bringing up Curtis? Let's go settle this in the hot springs! Just wait, I'll dunk you under the water!"
Noe and Jasiah continued bickering.
They fought like kids playing tag, moving closer and closer to the lobby exit.
Perhaps due to hearing familiar voices behind her,
Dakota turned her head to look.
She was curious to see Noe's swollen face, but before she could focus her vision, her wrist was suddenly gripped by a warm and strong force.
Dakota's heart skipped a beat.
She hurriedly turned to look and only vaguely saw the outline of a strong male jawline under the night sky.
Then, a scent of masculine musk and crisp patchouli entered her nostrils, and a suit jacket was draped over her shoulders.
"Curtis?"
Dakota finally saw his face clearly.
She was pulled by Curtis under the locust tree, using the trunk to shield the two figures who had just come out of the lobby, still bickering and ready to fight.
Dakota nervously glanced over.
Only when she confirmed that the lush leaves could partially block the view did she half-relax and turn to look at him, "Why did you suddenly pull me?"
If he had been a second slower,
she wasn't sure if they would have spotted her!
Curtis had already extinguished his cigarette.
Perhaps afraid Dakota would smell it, he had popped a mint into his mouth.
"So what if I pulled you?"
He raised his chin slightly, watching Noe and Jasiah walk away before slowly bringing his gaze back.
His tone was lazy and languid, "If I hadn't pulled you, you were going to parade around in front of those two idiots like this?"
"So what if I wore this?" Dakota argued.
She lifted her chin and chest, standing on her tiptoes to get closer to Curtis, "Not good-looking? What's the problem?"
Curtis let his gaze fall nonchalantly.
But unexpectedly, as he lowered his gaze, the white and smooth silhouette framed by Dakota's triangle bra caught his eye abruptly.
Curtis was stunned.
Almost immediately, he nervously looked away, rubbing his burning earlobe, his Adam's apple bobbing.
Even his voice tightened, "…Beautiful, no problem, fine."
Dakota let out a satisfied, smug hum as she put her heel back down. 'Glad to see you've got good taste.
The pleasant fragrance that had just approached suddenly withdrew.
Curtis felt a tickle in his throat.
But he couldn't smoke right now, so he reached into his pocket and popped another mint into his mouth.
"I'm going to the hot springs."
Dakota informed the man in front of her, "Don't come looking for me later. We arrived here one after the other today, which must have made Lailah suspicious already!"
Curtis swallowed, "…Alright."
"Here's your jacket." As Dakota said this, she prepared to slide the suit jacket off her shoulders and return it to him.
But her wrist was suddenly gripped by Curtis again.
She turned to look at him, puzzled.
She saw that Curtis's eyes were dark as he stared at Dakota's partially exposed shoulder, and when she turned, he could even see most of her back.
Saying that, "Wear it," he said, pulling the jacket back onto her shoulders.
Dakota blinked, looking at him.
Curtis avoided her gaze, avoiding the shape in front of her, the semi-transparent black chiffon at her waist, her fragrant shoulders, and her stunning legs—all the details that made his heart race and his thoughts impure.
But taking a deep breath,
he felt he didn't have the self-control to calm this agitated and excited heart.
So he brought his gaze back to her.
"Wear it, don't take it off until you get in the water."
He repeated his demand, then pushed Dakota against the tree, leaning in close to meet her eyes. "I realized tonight, I can't be easy when it comes to you."
"Especially now, I don't want to share your beauty with any other man."
