15. Jogging

Morning Jog

  Villa Courtyard – Morning

    The morning air was still crisp. A gentle sea breeze swept through the lush villa grounds, rustling the leaves and carrying the salty scent of the nearby ocean.

    In the courtyard, the five members of Oblivion were gathered, dressed in matching white workout shirts and black training pants. All of them looked half-asleep… except for Hanu.

    Hanu stood at the front of the group, buzzing with uncontainable energy. His white sneakers were spotless, his hair neatly styled, and his face glowing like the moon under a spotlight.

    Zio, still yawning, eyed him suspiciously. "Seriously, why are you this excited in the morning? Is this jogging or an audition for a romantic drama?"

    Axel leaned on Leo with a smirk. "Look at Hanu's face. He's ready to meet his crush."

    Leo chuckled softly. "No doubt. This is definitely because of Robin."

    Hanu quickly looked down and pretended to tie his shoelaces. "No, I'm just… just excited to be healthy!"

    Rey patted Hanu's shoulder, barely holding back his laugh. "Excited to be healthy, or excited to see the bodyguard?"

    Just then, the security team began to emerge from the back of the villa. A few staff members followed, carrying boxes of bottled water and small towels.

    Robin appeared last, wearing a tight black workout shirt and grey training pants. He looked fresh, hair still slightly damp, with a towel draped loosely around his neck.

    Hanu stole a glance… then quickly looked away as Robin nodded at him.

    His cheeks turned red.

    Zio, catching the moment, muttered, "Well, someone just turned into a strawberry."

    Robin raised his voice to address the group. "Alright, today's route is through the forest trail to the beach, then a loop back behind the villa. Take it easy. Focus on breathing and rhythm."

    "B-Breathing?" Hanu stuttered, instantly nervous. "Oh no… please don't let me sound like a vacuum cleaner…"

    "You're already out of breath and we haven't even started," Axel whispered, amused.

---

  Forest Trail to the Beach

    Jogging began.

    Robin and two other bodyguards led the front. The Oblivion members spread out behind them, with some staff trailing while snapping occasional photos.

    Hanu tried to stay behind Robin—close enough to follow, not too close to be obvious. Just enough to admire the steady movement of Robin's broad back… and the light sheen of sweat on his shoulders.

    Zio jogged up beside Hanu. "Okay, you're totally pacing yourself just to enjoy the view, huh?"

    "Zio, please, I'm trying to focus on fitness here," Hanu replied, laughing shyly.

    They ran through a trail lined with tall trees on both sides. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a soft glow like a living painting.

    Some staff snapped candid shots along the way. Rey and Axel even paused for a quick selfie. Leo jogged easily beside one of the guards, laughing at something they said.

    As they reached a small incline, Hanu stumbled slightly, nearly tripping over a tree root.

    Suddenly, a strong hand caught his elbow, steadying him.

    Robin.

    "Take it slow," Robin said softly, his voice deep and warm.

    Hanu froze for a second.

    "Oh… r-right… thanks…" he replied quickly, then focused back on the path. But his face was burning.

    Robin glanced sideways, eyes narrowing slightly in amusement. But he said nothing.

---

  Beach – A Few Minutes Later

    The group stopped at the edge of the beach. The morning sun had begun to rise, casting golden streaks across the sea. A soft breeze played with Hanu's hair, ruffling it gently.

    Rey shouted, "Group photo, quick! The background's perfect!"

    Leo and Axel struck poses right away, while Zio plopped down on the sand to sip water.

    While everyone else got busy with photos, Robin stood quietly by the shore, his expression calm but unreadable as he gazed out at the ocean.

    Hanu, nervous but determined, stepped a little closer. He opened his phone's camera, adjusted the focus, and—

    Click.

    A photo of Robin, bathed in golden sunlight. Shadows fell softly over half his face, but his gaze remained sharp, serene.

    He hadn't noticed.

    Hanu smiled quietly to himself.

    But then… Robin turned slowly.

    Hanu instinctively lowered his phone—but it was too late. Robin had seen.

    "Did you just take a photo of me?"

    "Eh—no! I was… I was taking a picture of the ocean! You just… happened to be there!" Hanu replied quickly.

    Robin raised one eyebrow. "The ocean looks a lot like me in that shot."

    "My phone's filter does weird things," Hanu said, clearly flustered.

    Robin stepped a little closer, lowering his voice. "If you get a good photo… send it to me. But don't post the ones where I look too good. You might end up sleeping even less."

    Hanu was speechless.

    Robin chuckled quietly and walked away.

    Hanu just stood there, frozen.

    Zio, watching from afar, ran over. "HEY. WHAT WAS THAT?!"

    Hanu only lowered his head, grinning like a fool. "I… I don't know… but I think I really won't be able to sleep tonight."

---

  Back at the Villa – Around 7:30 AM

    After the jog and photo session, everyone returned to the villa. A light breakfast had been set out on the patio: whole wheat toast, omelets, sliced fruit, and hot tea.

    The members sat in a circle, chatting and wiping sweat off their faces.

    Axel threw out a suggestion, "Let's jog again tomorrow—but more like a stroll… or maybe a walk to the café."

    Leo added, "Or a virtual jog."

    Zio pointed at Hanu. "He'd be down for it every morning. Just for a glimpse of—"

    "ZIP IT, ZIO!" Hanu cut in, hurling a small cushion at him.

    Robin sat not far from them, unscrewing a water bottle. But his eyes met Hanu's—just for a second.

    But long enough to make Hanu's heart do a full flip.

    And that morning, even if it was just jogging and breakfast…

    Something had quietly started to bloom.

    Shy. Subtle.

    But very real.