Beach Day

“Got everything?”

“Yep,” Kal says before slamming the boot shut, slinging the duffel bag on his shoulder. He gives his head a toss to flick his blonde locks out of his eyes, adjusting himself to that glare of the summer sun.

“Excited?” I ask, pulling him in by the bicep.

“Very. But also nervous,” Kal bit his lip. “I mean, it might be safe to get in the water now, but I’m still not sure how it’s gonna be like with people seeing it.”

“People can think whatever they want, darling. Nothing should come between you and the joy of the beach,” I assure, giving his shoulder a little squeeze. “And remember, if at any point you don’t feel comfortable at all, you brought an extra shirt just in case. It’s fine being in the water with a shirt on.”

“That’s true,” he says, leaning into my chest to give me a kiss on my exposed collarbone.

It’s our first ever beach day together even though we’ve been together for a while now, but it’s a much bigger deal than that for Kal. This’ll be the first time he can get back in the water after surgery, and god knows he’s been craving the beach. That first week of bed rest was the toughest, and I can only hope my presence being by his side the whole time post-surgery helped to ease it all as much as possible. Slowly but surely the doctor started greenlighting different things he could pick up again— taking a shower with the water directly on his chest, going on walks, and soon enough he could even go back to the gym (those biceps of his didn’t just grow on trees!). And once we’d gotten the all-clear about going to the ocean for a sunny beach day, we’d immediately cleared our plans for Saturday morning for the most important celebration.

“Well come on, the ocean’s calling,” I give him a kiss on the forehead while rubbing his wispy nape.

“Right,” he perks up immediately, slinging the duffel bag over his shoulder before we set off towards the sands.

Beach day isn’t as exciting for me, to say the least. Not that I don’t enjoy the fun, leisurely time, but there just isn’t too much for me to do, personally. For one, the seawater’s not the best for my hair— it’s already been such an achievement managing the uptick of gorgeous curls after getting on E, and I didn’t want to tempt fate by having to mix in that uncertain aspect of what the water could do to my curls. Not to mention, it does get annoying how sand just gets everywhere too. But the one exciting thing I’m looking forward to the most is seeing Kal with that big smile on his face as he wades through the water, living his best life, all while I’m sitting comfortably in a nice, shady spot on the sand. That’s going to be worth every bit.

Even just walking with him I can sense that spring in his step, zealously walking to those healing waters. Through the billowing ocean breeze he squints, shaking his head from side to side as his golden locks start flying aloft into a mess. I reach over to push his hair off his face, trying to neatly tuck his hair behind his ears, but the wind proves a little unrelenting as it just tousled it about. Just as I’m about to try again amidst his giggling at my attempts, I stop short as I get a fun idea. While it might be cruel of me to keep him away from the sand and the sea for a bit, I take a slight detour toward the row of shops that’re by the grassy part of the beach.

“Uh, babe, the sea’s that way, no?” he asks, eyebrows raised as I half-drag him away from the sands.

“Maybe one little pit stop before we get to the water?” I say coyly.

He gives me a look, then goes, “oh, right, we needed some more sunscreen, didn’t we?”

Well, yes, we do, and I guess I almost forgot. But that isn’t what I had in mind. His confusion returns when I stop abruptly, though not in front of the convenience store that’s all the way at the end of the row of shops. This is a different pit stop— one with a swirling candy pole outside the shop.

‘Bay Barber’, the name was printed faintly on the long window of the shop. I turn to Kal, who’s still perplexed as ever, now facing me to find some understanding. “Haircut before the beach, babe?” I earnestly ask.

His eyes widen a little, the dots connecting. “Oh, for me?”

I pull in a bit closer to him, rubbing an exposed bicep of his warmly. “So… I know we’ve floated the idea here and there, but never really made any plans about it,” I bring up, easing him into the topic. “And I just thought, since we’re here to celebrate a milestone in this big journey, this could be a fun cherry on top? You’ve always said how much you wanted to try getting a barbershop cut.”

“I did say that,” Kal affirms, his eyes now scanning the shop in front of us. “It was a fun thought experiment.”

“But hey, it’s totally up to you. We don’t have to do this now. I only brought it up because I saw this place, but we’ll only do this if you’re comfortable,” I assure. “We can always try this out another time. Whenever you’re ready.”

A smile plays on his lips. “I mean, I do need a haircut,” he toes the line, giving his head yet another toss to shake around those blonde curtains adorning his forehead.

“And you can jump right in the water afterwards— like a shower to get rid of all the loose hair!” I feed into it with some enthusiasm.

“You make a compelling point,” he says, then his face shifts a little— a partial acceptance that’s locked in. “Oh, but I think the decision’s already been made, Vina. She’s already seen us, and I’d hate to turn her down.”

Just as I turn to look, I hear the door of the shop slide open, with a middle-aged woman taking a step out before resting against the threshold. “Good morning! Lovely day for a haircut?” she pitches in a lively tone. She’s got the bright smile and all, also dressed for the summer in her cream-coloured slip skirt and a white ribbed tank.

I’m tempted to say something to respond, but I feel Kal’s hand slip into my hand as they clasp together, his stance completely changing. “You bet,” he suavely accepts, but does that gentle squeeze of my hand like he always does when he’s a little unsure. I squeeze back tightly, giving him all that assurance he needs.

“Well come on in!” the woman slides the door open completely, beckoning us over before Kal leads the way.

We cross past the threshold of the shop into this refuge away from the scorching heat. It was a small, cosy store— narrow but sufficiently long, with one end having the workstation with its sole barber chair, and the other end having a small waiting couch that could fit two at a time.

“Oooh, it’s nice and cool in here,” Kal says as he sets down the duffel bag by the waiting area, where I go to take my place.

“Nice to beat the heat for a bit, huh?” she comments as she slides the door closed with a thud, keeping the air conditioning in just for all of us inside.

“Tell me about it. I think I’ve been surviving alright, but someone’s been complaining nonstop,” I join in, giving Kal a cheeky smile as he hears me start making up stories for a little fun.

“Those curtains aren’t doing you any favours, I bet. Don’t worry, dear, I’ll sort you out in no time,” she says as she picks up the royal blue cape that’s slung over the barber chair’s armrest. She gives a few inviting pats on the red, padded cushion of the chair, and Kal answers the call without question. He climbs the footrest and sinks himself into the chair, and with a swish and flick the barberette stylishly drapes the cape over his stocky figure, enveloping all of him save for those sandalled feet of his.

Kachunk, kachunk

She gives the pedal a few pumps as the chair rises, making it so Kal’s shorter height was better accommodated for her. Even with all that muscle he’s been gaining, it’s still an inevitable that I’m about half a head taller than him. ‘My short king’, I always call him, and in turn I get dubbed his ‘tall queen’.

“Stella, by the way,” she introduces herself as she secures the cape snugly around Kal’s neck, then gets out the comb to run through his blonde locks. Ever since the surgery, Kal’s been on a work-from-home schedule so that he could better recover, and with him staying at home more meant that I could take up a bit of a stylist role to trim his hair whenever it got too long for him to handle. I usually snipped it somewhere just above the ears, and tried my best to blend in the length behind so the back layers aren’t too long. But now his hair’s gone a little rogue, and the curtains in front are touching his brows while the sides are crowding up his ears, like a long bowlish look in the front and the sides that’s giving boyband heartthrob. And the back— oh, it’s just a party over there creeping down the back of his neck. I’m just glad we’ve finally found the time to go see a professional.

“Kal. And that’s my beautiful girlfriend, Ravina,” he introduces, and he sure as hell knows how to make me blush as I settle myself on that waiting couch.

“It’s lovely to meet you two,” Stella says. “What shall we do for you today then?”

“A shorter cut would be perfect for the summer. Something nice and cool, just in time for beach day,” he confidently says, giving me a wink that still flutters my heart to this day.

“Nothing’s better than a fresh haircut right before the beach. What were we thinking? Standard stuff? Short back and sides, longer on top?” she asks, gesturing to the relevant parts of his head as she described.

“Hmm, babe what do you think?” he catches my gaze through the reflection of the mirror. “Does that sound short enough? Or do you think I should go like, really short?” he drags out that ‘really’ with a teasing emphasis, and I could tell he eagerly wants to get me involved in this fun adventure of his. Which I’m more than happy to oblige.

“Well… you do have a lot of hikes planned this summer, don’t you?” I make up on the spot, even if it isn’t exactly a complete lie given his love for the outdoors. “I think you should get it nice and short so that it’ll be out of your face for a while. Short enough that it’s not gonna feel all icky with sweat when it’s all hot while you’re out and about,” I try hinting him in that specific direction— something we’d talked about briefly before, but I intentionally keep vague in case he’s not up to it.

“Oh, one of those. Yeah that’d be the perfect summer cut for sure— no need to comb it or fuss about it. Easy to wash too,” Stella adds as she gently combs through the floppy blonde, pulling his bangs back off his forehead only for it slide back down onto his forehead stubbornly. “Take a nice break from all this length for the summer. It’ll grow back out in no time.”

“Ooh, maybe that does sound like a good idea,” he muses, sliding his hand out from under the cape to run his fingers through those blonde curtains that adorned his forehead. Then he straightens himself up in the chair. “Yeah, let’s do it— let’s get rid of the curtains. You can take the lot off.”

“The lot off? You mean-“

“Mhm,” he pushes the envelope with a bold, “buzz cut.”

I can’t help but share a look of surprise— a pleasant one at that, hearing him ask for it that clearly. In that split moment after those words leave his mouth, his eyes find mine in the reflection of the mirror, searching for a bit of courage. I can only smile back, sparking that ember in him further to keep it kindling, because he’s gonna need it.

“Easy peasy. Just sit tight— I’ll make sure you got a much lighter head on your shoulders when you’re out of the chair,” Stella promptly announces as she immediately swivels the chair back around so that he’s backfacing the mirror.

And now the thought’s stuck in my head: just imagining the fact that once we’re out of this shop, all that hair on his head’s gonna be practically gone— the mass of floppy blonde’s just gonna be left on the cold floor of this woman’s shop, bound to be swept away. Perhaps that thought’s finally crossing Kal’s mind now after hearing Stella’s little remark. He didn’t know it just a moment ago, but that last look in the mirror before he’d been spun around is probably the last time he’s gonna see himself with all that soft blonde on his head for a long time. But now’s not the time for hesitation. Now’s the time to keep him saddled for the ride. “Smile for me babe— gotta get a good before photo.”

And it always works. Kal’s just so photogenic that he’ll always stop to pop a smile for me whenever I try to take a photo of him, and even in the barber chair he obliges. It’s such an endearing photo too— seeing him sitting in that barber chair that we’d talked about, just moments away from his biggest haircut. Even with his stocky, buff figure, the blue cape seems to be engulfing him, covering every inch of his body and the chair while just his cute blonde head and sandaled toes are visible.

“Lovely, now let’s get a video,” I announce, changing from photo mode to video. “Now give me some hair flicks, babe.” He acquiesces with a smile, giving his head a fun shake that bounces his floppy hair all over his head.

I hear Stella let out a soft chuckle seeing this happen as she’s prepping her tools. “Gotta get all that fun with the hair while you can— not gonna be able to do that for a long time,” she cheekily remarks, and I feel myself shiver just thinking about all the hair he’s gonna be losing in a moment. “Are we just doing short and simple? Number one?”

“Uhh- yeah!” Kal answers a little too quickly, still caught up in his own fun of tossing his head about for the camera and his own last-minute thrill.

I don’t say anything, but that small agreement that just came to pass means so much more than Kal even realises. I know he’s not one to know the ways of the barbershop keenly well, especially this being his first venture, but seeing Stella behind him who’s already fitted on the guard on the clippers that’s in her dominant hand. A part of me fills with some nervous glee knowing what’s going to come to pass.

“We starting with the curtains?” she asks as she combs through that hair for what might be the last time for a few months— parting it roughly down the middle. She takes her position behind his right shoulder, the wired clippers deftly in her hand while he’s still none the wiser.

“Absolutely,” I answer for him, fully settling in on the waiting couch for the show that’s about to begin. Before he can even say a word, Stella tilts his head down slightly so that those centre-parted curtains droop down and dangle off his forehead, while still giving ample vision of me on the edge of my seat in the audience, all but barely a couple meters away from him.

And right on cue, that loud pop cracks through that tiny shop followed by its notorious hum.

Bzzzzaaaaa.

My jaw immediately drops watching Stella coldly pushing those clippers down the middle where Kal’s curtains parted, and you can hear that loud shift in tone of the clippers as it catches hair. She makes a clean pass through the middle, and the clippers go zwoop a couple more times across that crown of his head on either side of that first pass, and down come the curtains as they slide down either side of Kal’s face and onto that blue cape.

Kal’s face is one of complete surprise, and his eyes pop open seeing those soft, blonde locks laying so helplessly on his lap now. But he’s hardly got any time to really think or process through it as Stella doesn’t slow down. With each pass she’s simply reducing that crown of his head to stubble, with her dominant hand guiding the clippers so assuredly while her other hand holds the wire aloft to make sure it doesn’t get in the way.

“There it all goes,” Stella commentates in a singsong voice as each pass sends a clump of blonde tumbling down onto the cape, with some of the stray locks heading straight for the floor. All that’s left in the wake of the clippers are patches of painfully short fuzz against a visibly pale scalp.

“Well the curtains are coming down, that’s for sure,” I tease, still in a shock and awe at the sheer volume of hair that’s raining down his squinting face.

She then quickly shifts over to his right side, tilting his head over to his left while keeping her hand firmly planted on that now-fuzzy crown of his. The clippers start near his cheekbone before she pushes them up that sideburn area and into the temple. It’s like a hot knife through butter, and those soft locks of his just keep raining down non-stop as Stella continues those passes across the right side of his head, letting a large clump of blonde gather on his shoulder.

“Oh that is sooo short, babe,” I can’t help but let out, seeing how his sandy blonde is getting replaced by a soft, golden glow of fuzz against his pale skin. “How short are you taking him?”

“We call this a number 1, dear. It’s practically the shortest guard, but it’s just long enough that you still get some fuzz to call it a buzz cut,” she delightfully elaborates, though this is largely for Kal’s benefit since he’s the one none the wiser about what he’d unwittingly agreed to, and not being able to see a peep as it all goes. Only those piles of loose blonde could tell him the story for now. She folds down his right ear with a finger, then lets the clippers rip into all that soft hair that’s still crowding around it— leaving that space above the ear clean. No more romantically tucking his hair behind his ear for a while now, I guess.

“I’m guessing the lower the number, the shorter it is?” I keep playing along, asking the questions I know Kal would love to ask, but he’s probably a bit too shy to ask right now as he’s getting shorn.

“Correct!” Stella seems proud, sparing me a smile before adjusting Kal’s head. She casually steps over those pieces of his hair around the chair as she takes her position behind him, now firmly pushing his head down so he was left to stare just at that cape filled with his majestic blonde. “Y’know, usually when the boys all come around for their summer haircuts, I give them a number 3 or 2. Makes it so their moms don’t get too shocked seeing their boys’ scalps,” she continues on as her clippers begin their march up Kal’s wispy nape. With every clang of the clippers’ blades comes a hefty chunk of hair shorn off, sliding down the back of his neck onto the cape. “But Kal here said he’s alright with the number one, and I think it’s going to be a splendid length for him. It’s close enough that you can see some of the scalp, but it’s got just the right amount of length that it adds the perfect dash of ruggedness and macho.”

Something about those words Stella uses seems to fill some confidence back in Kal as his face calms down a bit. That’s probably the first time anyone other than me has ever used those words with him, and I’m sure he’s extremely pleased.

“Babe, you are gonna look so handsome without all that hair,” I keep it going, trying to get that cute smile back on his face.

“Oh that’s not even a question— you’ve got a perfectly-shaped head, and your hairline’s still looking great. Not to mention that jawline too. You’re gonna pull it off better than most other men, for sure,” Stella keeps adding on. She shifts slightly, and I can catch a peep of the length (or lack thereof) that’s on the back of his head through the mirror’s reflection— that now-bare neck of his with a nape free of those pesky, overgrown blonde locks.

“He’s just a head turner. We’re gonna be on the beach later, and every guy’s gonna turn to stare, and then think to themselves ‘Could I pull that off?’” I myself am proud of that compliment, still trying my darndest to get him to feel a little more assured as he’s rather abruptly getting the shortest haircut of his life. I wonder if he woke up this morning even anticipating that he might lose all that soft hair on his head today. Won’t be seeing his bedheads for a while though, that’s for sure.

As Stella tilts Kal’s head up and over to his right so she can start on the left side, my heart tickles in a win seeing him with that adorable smile in good humours. It’s not the haircut he might’ve expected from his first barbershop trip, but I’m going to make sure it’s one he’ll remember fondly at least. We’re going the whole hog today off an honest misunderstanding, but I’ll keep reminding him how great a decision it is, because he’s gonna look absolutely dashing with such a tight buzz.

“Heading to the water after this?” Stella asks as she starts cleaning up that last, hair-filled section that is the left side of his head.

“Yep! He’s been looking forward to the beach all week,” I say. “Woke up bright and early just so we could beat the crowd.”

“Well I guess it’s perfect timing I opened up right as you two were walking by,” Stella remarks, still keenly focused on the shearing at her hands. Kal seems to finally be settling into the cut, probably getting comfortable with the touch of the clippers all over his cute head. I might even say he’s enjoying the hum and buzz on his scalp.

“And a perfect haircut for the water too,” I tease.

“Oh for sure! Gonna feel so much more refreshed having all that cool water over the scalp. Those curtains would’ve been a hassle having to keep pushing them out of the way,” Stella

“It’s very cooling on my head already, I can say that,” he speaks up for the first time since the clippers were turned on.

“Haven’t felt a breeze on that scalp for a long time, I reckon?” Stella asks.

“It might be cooling, but we’re still gonna have to make sure we get that scalp some sunscreen—  can’t you have sunburning out there,” I remind him, still remembering that small trip to the convenience store we need to make before he’s truly free to get out to the sands.

“Oh don’t worry about it, dear, I’ve got some scalp SPF here. Can’t leave him unprotected from the sun after losing all those locks sheltering his scalp,” she happily assures. Well that’s one less thing to worry about in the sun later I guess. Though we’ll still need to get some of our own anyway, especially since he’s probably gonna be out and about this summer.

“Babe, I feel like I blinked, and then all your hair’s just gone,” I tease, to which he coyly smiles in response.

“It’s incredible, isn’t it? Months and months to grow out, and then all gone in just a few minutes,” Stella muses as those clippers easily shears off that last, hefty section of blonde above Kal’s left ear, and the buzzcut is now entirely in shape. No more frilly blonde adorning his head at all— just pure fuzz on that handsome noggin of his. Years and years of living as someone he wasn’t. And then it all finally comes together, to being someone who he can truly call himself. With a cute buzzcut being the extra cherry on top.

Stella spends about a minute running those clippers all over Kal’s fuzzy head, making sure every section was evenly cut to that perfect number 1 length. There’s something so satisfying watching those blades making those smooth, uninterrupted passes over the top of his head— not a single long lock left lying on that sexy head of his. She soon flicks off the guard on the clippers, then starts gently sweeping up the bottom section of his right side to chip away at those sideburns. She works her way around the head repeating the same motion, and soon Kal’s left with a gentle taper around the sides and back that transitions from stubbly skin into dark blonde glow.

“Almost done,” Stella remarks as the loud hum finally comes to a halt, filling the room with a silent reprieve for the first time since those clippers began their stringent work. Its droning may be off, but the aftermath of its labours is everywhere to be seen, what with all those loose clumps of blonde locks that littered all over the cape and scattered around the chair. And of course, the tight fuzz it left behind all over Kal’s near-pale head that desperately needed a sun tan. Stella undoes the snug cape behind Kal’s neck, but leaves the ends of it laying loose over his shoulders before picking up a smaller pair of clippers from the dresser below the mirror. “Now I usually give a razor shave on the neckline to keep it nice and clean, but since you’re gonna be jumping into the water I’ll just stick with the trimmers so it doesn’t get any irritation from the salt water,” she elaborates as the softer whine of these clippers hums to life, carefully chipping away at the stray hairs on his neckline. “But I pride myself on giving full service, so after you two are having fun at the beach, come swing by before you head off and I’ll give you a proper neck shave— free of charge.”

“Sounds good,” Kal is quick to answer this time, and I guess it’s decided that we’re gonna be taking another trip back to Stella’s shop later today. Not that I’m that surprised though, since Kal’s never been one to turn down a sincere offer.

The whine of the smaller clippers soon shuts off, but the loud whir of a hairdryer immediately replaces it. Kal squints as the hot air goes all over the top of his head, along with Stella giving it a few dustings with the neck brush to clean off the tiny, stray hairs that’re stuck to his scalp. The hairdyer turns off after that swift cleaning session, and Stella’s already dusting away across his bare neck. She finishes off with a few sprays of SPF across the top of his head, massaging it gently into the scalp before wiping her hands clean with a towel.

“Aaaand all done!” she announces merrily as she spins the chair around, finally letting him face the mirror.

“Wow,” is the first word that leaves his lips right before Stella whisks the cape off him, flicking it off to the side to send all those poor blonde locks down to the floor. He turns his head from side to side, and his eyes are clearly torn between looking at what’s left in the mirror, and what he’s left behind on the floor. There’s a clear shock on his face, but it’s still one of wonder— one that’s still bordering some form of curiosity rather than anything unpleasant. At least I hope. I let him sit there for a bit while I quietly go up to pay. Those few moments right after a big cut, especially when you get to see it up close and with the full image— it’s an important moment. His hands soon find their way up to his head, cautiously starting from the sides as he slides them up. “Ooh,” is the next thing that escapes him as he begins to explore the tactile part of his new, handsome look. He starts with a slow caress, and soon enough he’s rubbing the buzz with a little smirk on his face.

“Careful there, tiger. Don’t wanna mess up all that styling she’s done,” I jest, finally stepping in to revel in this moment with him.

“Don’t think I could mess it up even if I wanted to,” he plays as he hops off the chair, watching his step as he realises it’s a minefield of hair left behind— hair that was on his head just a second ago. “How much do I owe you?” he asks Stella, though his gaze is still transfixed in the mirror to see this new version of him.

“Your lovely girl got it for you, don’t worry.”

“Thank you for the haircut, Stella. It looks amazing on him,” I thank, hooking my arm into Kal’s biceps.

“It’s nothing at all, dear. I’ll be seeing you two later for his

“Of course. Thank you,” Kal thanks in turn, picking up the duffel bag he’d left by the waiting area before leading the way out of the shop.

We wave goodbye after closing the door of the shop, then take a few steps off into the distance before I turn to have a good look at him. “Wow. Darling,” I start, my hands now under his chin to tilt his head around ever so slightly. “You look so fucking handsome.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely,” I say resolutely, cupping his cheek with my hand. “But oh my god, I didn’t think you were gonna go jump right in and go for a buzz— and worse, I had no idea she was going to give you a number one right off the bat!”

“It is really short,” he confesses, eyes now getting a bit uncertain.

“But it looks fantastic on you— that’s what matters.” I will admit, though: if I had known that little trip to the barbershop was gonna be this drastic, I probably might not have even recommended a haircut to him. It’s scary enough having to deal with one big change in public, and now he’s gotta deal with two big changes to show the world. “And hey, if you don’t like it, that’s okay too. It’s hair— it grows back. And we know how crazy fast your hair grows too.”

“Don’t worry, I like it,” he assures me with a warm squeeze on my forearm. “It’s a lot to take in, though. Losing so much hair just like that.”

“Quickest haircut of your life I bet? You were in and out of that chair in a heartbeat,” I take note of the time, realising we hadn’t even been twenty minutes in that shop.

“I could get used to that,” he chuckles. “I still can’t believe it’s all just- gone,” he reaches up to his head, and I love seeing that small smile playing on the edge of his lips as he caresses the fuzz. “Only makes me wonder why I didn’t do this sooner.”

“You took your time with it, and that’s okay. We’re all on our little journeys, and we can decide whenever we’re ready. What matters is that you’re happy with it. And that you look sexy as hell with a buzzcut,” I sneak in.

He sighs, nestling his face deeper in my palm. “Thank you,” he says, and I’m sure it’s not just for paying for the haircut.

“Don’t let me get all the credit— I just brought up the idea. You’re the one that asked for the buzz, and agreed to get it so short. And honestly? I think it was a perfect storm. Your first ever buzz cut, and you got it about as short as it gets. Not a lot of guys would even dare go this short, and even less can pull it off as well as you do,” I keep hammering home the compliments, and I mean every word.

He’s still a blushing mess from the barrage of his compliments, and I can only smile seeing him feel that bit more confident in himself. “Do you want to touch it?” he finally asks.

“I thought you’d never ask,” I cheekily reply, then immediately help myself. “Ooh,” I can’t help but let out after getting a touch of that prickly sensation across the back of his nape. It gets a little softer as it gradually gets that bit longer on the top of his head, but goodness me I just wanna rub his head all day. “I love the way it feels.”

“And I love it when you rub it too,” he joins in on the fun, relenting his head completely to my touch.

“Well I could do this all day, but I think I’ve kept you from the sea long enough, no?” I shift us back on task.

“Right, but sunscreen first?” he remembers.

*

Even if it was a quick trip to the store for some sunscreen, Kal was still ever the cheeky opportunist. Right as I was heading for the cashier to pay, I’d caught him taking a few peeks of himself at the little mirror that was attached to the sunglass stand. I think if I hadn’t pulled him away towards the open sea, he could’ve been distracted there just staring at his handsome self for a whole hour.

We set down all our stuff at a cosy spot that’s not too crowded— laying down the mat and pitching the beach umbrella for some shade. “Alright, sunscreen first,” I advise as I pat the empty section beside me on the mat, where he immediately sits down. I start with his face, generously applying it to all the freckle-prone areas before going for his biceps and forearms. “Wanna do your chest as well?” I then ask.

“Y-yeah,” he stammers, realising he actually needs to commit. He slowly unbuttons from the top of his large Hawaiian shirt, then carefully removes each arm to let it slip off. He pauses, looking from side to side. As if some big event’s about to happen, now that he’s bare to the world. And yet not a single eye comes this way. The world’s still spinning, and he’s at the centre of it— but only to me.

“Tell me if it hurts,” I say, starting to gently apply the sunscreen to his chest.

I guess there’s some small joys about the beach. A nice book to read, an ice cold bevvy (I strongly insisted on bringing the mini cooler box) and of course, the sight of Kal lapping up the waves. The biggest smile is on his face as he wades back and forth, delighting in the seawater and sun. And every once in a while as he surfaces, I see him instinctively reach up to his head with both hands — mimicking that movement of him pushing his hair out of his face, only to realise it isn’t there anymore. And then he looks shyly to the side,  hoping no one’s seeing it. God, he doesn’t know how adorable he is.

But even the sea can’t keep Kal away from his queen for too long, and within half an hour in the water he’s ambling back to me, his scars now fully bathed in healing waters. “Done already?” I ask playfully.

“Taking a short break. Missed you while I was in the water,” he says as he picks up a towel to wipe his head and neck. “Could get used to how quick that is,” he remarks, rubbing his now-dry head before settling down to lie his head on my lap like he always does.

My fingers start tracing the structure of his face— following those defined cheekbones of his that’ve always been such a strong feature of his, and are only more accentuated now without all that hair in the way. I carefully caress his brows, still in awe of those gorgeous hazel eyes that captivated me from the first day I’d met him. While those lashes once pushed his soft face into the realm of what he professed to be too “pretty”, now they seemed like the perfect counterbalance to the gruff fuzz and straight lines of his buzzed head— a boyish charm that made him so handsome. “It’s gonna be so much fun watching you grow this out— so many short styles we can experiment with.”

“Sounds like someone’s missing my hair already,” he teases.

“Oh I’ll miss it, for sure. But I’m gonna have a lot of fun with this fuzzy head of yours for a while,” I assure, giving his head a hefty scratch. “Ooh, look— your hair could be like that soon.

I point to a redhead that’s seated about a stone’s throw away, who’s giving their blonde partner a massage as they’re both sitting under their own umbrella shade. Their hair’s cut tight, sort of a long buzzcut with more length and texture on top compared to Kal’s. The sides are tapered down into a skin fade, where it’s nice and clean around the ears. “You think I could pull off red?” Kal jokes a little too loudly, and almost immediately the couple in question turns. “You’re such a trendsetter, Ren,” I hear the blonde joke to her partner, whipping her chin-length hair out of her face and scrunching her nose in annoyance as it flies right back in her face. And then the redhead looks a beat longer at Kal.

Kal freezes, eyes widening as he recognises. Not the person, but a feature. A similar scar, faded, but right across the chest where Kal’s was as well. Not a word is said, and all the redhead does is smile and nod, giving Kal a knowing look as they both acknowledge that part of each other they had in common.

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