You'd think the Rich party differently. You expect classy finger food, champagne, People dressed in suits and ball gowns, and an orchestra playing in the background.
I don't know, maybe I have never been to a Rich party before so I had a very different scenario in my mind.
Whatever it had been, the reality was far from it.
As I stood at the entrance of the lake house with Beomgyu on one side and San on the other, I stared at the crowd.
It was like any other typical teenage rager. Just like the movies that I watched growing up. The kind of parties San, Woojin and I thought we'd go to when we were in highschools cause it seemed like what the cool kids did.
I want to laugh at just the memory of it.
The reality of the present is so much different that I can't help but laugh at the naivety of it all.
Loud music was blaring from the speakers, bottles, and glasses of different colored alcohol adorned everyone's hands, and there were packets of chips, cheap snacks, and takeouts littering the floor and counters.
I spot a few of the guys in suits with their blazers forgotten and the sleeves of their shirts folded, but most were in designer jeans and shirts and the girls were in expensive clothes that would give idols a run for their outfits.
I look at San and then at myself. I want to laugh.
We're both probably the most underdressed people here. San is in a white hoodie and faded jeans and I am mimicking his outfit with my hoodie being a slate grey.
I am glad I brought my hoodie with me because I could hide the uniform I had underneath.
"Welcome to the best party you'll ever be in" Boemgyu extends his hands out in a grand gesture, and I stare at him while San snorts beside me.
Beomgyu glares in San's direction but quickly maps it into a smile when he directs his attention toward me.
"Not what you expected huh?" Beomgyu nudges my shoulder and I just stare at him again.
I don't think I'll ever get used to how fast he can change his expressions. When I first met him, I thought he was childish and always having fun but now, I see him in a whole new light.
"I didn't even expect to show up here" I shrug, answering honestly and he smiles, that mischief of his back in his eyes.
"I can be persuasive when I want to be" he smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"It's not like I had much of choice" I grumble and Beomgyu laughs putting an arm around my shoulder.
"I love how blatantly honest you are. It's refreshing" he smiles what I can only assume and hope to be a genuine smile.
Beeomgyu had basically blackmailed me by threatening to leak my drooling picture from the library if I didn't go with him. I thought he was joking but when he showed me the image I had no choice.
I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone so I agreed but San wouldn't let me go alone with Beomgyu so he tagged along as well.
Beomgyu didn't seem to mind San's company and I was thankful that he was with me cause I'll at least have a familiar face to rely on in a plethora of unknown people.
"Let's get you something to drink" Beomgyu hooks his arms on my elbow and starts dragging me towards what I can only assume to be the kitchen.
"Don't drink anything. You're still underaged" San warns and I roll my eyes.
"I'm not that stupid"
"And yet here you are at a party thrown by the Royals"
"Touche" I huff and look around.
I see a few familiar faces from school. Some are my classmates some are seniors and some are freshmen, out of everything, one thing is for sure, San and I are the only scholarship students here.
Maybe it wasn't a great idea to come here.
"Oh my god! San you're here?" Bahiyih comes running towards us when we reach the kitchen.
She's in a sparkly baby pink mini dress and her hair is sleeked back in a low ponytail. The way she smiles and her eyes light up, and even then she has an elegance about her that I can never have.
I inwardly coward away from her, hiding behind San. I feel absolutely underdressed.
Tonight would be embarrassing anyway. I should have called Beomgyu's bluff and let him post my drooling pictures everywhere.
Sn stiffens as he talks to her but she keeps her friendly smile and starry eyes. She definitely has a crush on him.
I mean, I wasn't sure at first because I had never heard San mention her before. I mean I am sure he has had a girlfriend or two given how popular he was at our previous school but he never really said about anyone to me.
So it was not surprising that he did not mention her but San did not seem to reciprocate Bahiyihh's feelings and that's what left me stumped.
"Here's your drink" Beomgyu handed me a glass and I kept it on the table shaking my head.
"I'm underage. I don't want to drink" another question that plagued my mind ever since I came here was how did they get this much supply of alcohol.
They were hardly legal. So who bought all this alcohol?
"Well so am I," Beomgyu says as a matter of fact and takes a swig from a bottle he's holding in his hand, maintaining eye contact with me as if to prove a point. When he sees I don't budge, he sighs and opens the fridge before throwing a can of coke toward me.
Thankfully, I was focused on him and I can catch the coke in time otherwise it would have hit my face. I glare at him and he just smiles.
"Come on, I'll show you around" he grabs my hand before I can protest and starts dragging me away from San.
I look for him but San has his back on me. I curse under my breath and follow Beomgyu in fear I'll trip and fall if I don't.
After doing a complete tour of the ground floor and showing me the lake from the porch and being stopped by n number of people who wanted to talk to Beomgyu regarding what a great performance he put up and how lit the party was, we were heading back inside.
"So how do you like it so far?" he asked as we stepped into the house and the music started blaring in my ears again. I preferred it outside, at least the music was dulled.
My honest answer to his question is that this is extremely draining.
I don't know how he does it. Repeating the same lines again and again and hearing the same superficial compliments. It is tiring as hell.
"It's definitely not what I was expecting," I say instead. Which is also true. This party was far from what I had in mind.
"Do you mind if I use your washroom?" I ask. I need to splash some cold water on my face to keep myself from passing out and the loud music didn't help the headache.
Neither did the caffeine in the coke.
"Yeah sure. The lower ones must be very busy right now. Why don't you go ahead and use the one on the second floor? The last door to the right" he instructs as he pours himself something green.
It makes my stomach turn just looking at it.
Also, he didn't give me a tour of the upper floor. I just assumed that he'll do it after we came back from outside but as I was climbing the stairs, I realized that there was no one there.
Beomgyu didn't prank me right?
Am I allowed to be here?
Even though the lights were on, the void of people kind of made the palace spooky. Even the music seemed dulled out, confirming this floor was completely secluded from the party.
The last door is to the right.
I keep repeating this in my mind as I pass each door.
Once I reach the door, I don't stop to think about what might be on the other side. I should have. Because as soon as I open the door, I am met with a repeated grunting noise that is soon followed by s female's shriek.
It takes my mind time to put a comprehensive understanding of what my eyes are seeing. It takes my body longer to react, only when the guy looks in my direction and our eyes meet.
"Oh my god! I am so sorry, I didn't know, Ahhh" I scream and run out of the room but not fast enough because I have the image of him with her burned on the inside of my eyeballs.
"Yuri wait" I hear his voice but I don't stop.
My face is burning from embarrassment and I can definitely not face him. I need to walk downstairs and probably wash my eyes out with that same green liquid Beomgyu was drinking earlier.
However, the universe has a different plan because just as I am about to take a step on the stairways a hand grabs my elbow from behind and swiftly turns me around.
I lose my balance and put my hand on his chest so that I don't plummet to the ground. He is sensible enough to hold onto my waist so that we don't fall off the stairs and probably break our bones.
All of this, but it happens pretty quickly. One flash and he has his back on the wall with his hands around my waist and me leaning on him completely with my hands on his rapidly rising and falling chest.
I do the mistake of looking up from the chest clad in a white shirt to the face that sits on top of his tall shoulders.
I didn't realize how close my face would be to his.
"Aah" I shriek again and push off him but he holds me again and brings me closer than I was before.
"Yuri wait" he rasps, his voice strained and I just stare at him with wide eyes, holding my breath.
This night was definitely not what I was expecting it to be.