"You guys are finally here. I was starting to think you were lost" Beomgyu announced as he took the bags from Soobin.
"Ooh, my favorite" he continued and took out an ice cream and then proceeded to distribute it among others.
We were currently in the quarter that was assigned to the Royals. This was no cottage, even though the cottages were huge, this was on another level.
Given how big this mansion was, I am sure at least twenty people could stay here but it was reserved for the Royals. The five of them were occupying it for the net two days.
"This has more modern architecture than the other cottages. This actually Beomgyu's summer home. Beomgyu and I have spent almost every summer here" Soobin said when he saw me gawking at the place.
"You and Beomgyu are brothers right?" I ask.
"Cousins. Our fathers are brothers. We are first cousins" he said and I nodded. I had forgotten that Beomgyu was their cousin - both Yeonjun and Soobin. I think I remember Beomgyu telling me this but honestly, it was hard keeping track of them.
They should have a Keeping up with the Royals TV show.
"Yeah, Beomgyu's father spearheads our Hotel operations. It is a subsidiary of the Choi Group. My father handles..."
"The rest of the business" I finish for him when he trails off. He nods awkwardly and I don't press the matter anymore.
There are people around scattered in little groups but I don't see Saehi or San. Even Yeonjun is missing. Beomgyu is talking to Taehyuna nd Kai. The rest of the faces are unfamiliar.
"Will I get in trouble for staying out past my curfew?" I ask even though it is a rhetorical question. Our curfew was 9:00 pm and were way past that. My cottage was a few houses down and I shared the house with eleven other people, two in each room.
Even the cottages were divided grade wise so Saehi and I were in different cottages. It made me realise I knew very few people from my class.
I couldn't keep hanging out with the Royals. I had to branch out a little make a few more friends. Not a lot but maybe enough so that in situations like this, everyone was not unfamiliar to me.
"Oh don't worry. The chaperone will not say anything. If they do, let me know, I'll talk to them. I'm their favorite" Soobin smiled at me, his dimple on display and a pink tinge to his cheeks. He looks cute.
"Are you already drunk? You are red" my hand involunbtarily goes to his cheek to check whether he is hot. His smile slips when my hand touches his skin and I realise I shouldn't have done it a second or two late.
I instantly snatch my hand away from him. "Sorry, it was jsut reflex.I didn't mean to..." mean to what? Touch his face? I mean that is not wrong right?
"Its okay. I am not drunk yet. But you will catch a cold if you don't layer. Your hand was chilly" I touch my own cheeks at his comments and my hands are a bit cold.
"Here, take this" he takes off his shirt and puts it over my shoulder. He is standing only in his jeans and tshirt.
"No, no. It's alright. I don't want it" I try to take it off but he puts his hands on both my shoulders to steady me and stop me from shrugging the shirt off.
"Don't be so stubborn. Plus, you look cute in my shirt" he chuckles.
I look at myself with his shirt over my jeans and tops. Soobin is lean but is very tall. I am not sure what his size is but his shirt comes down to my knees and I look like a scarecrow.
Yeah cute, right!
"Come on, everyone gather up, let's play a game" Beomgyu calls and I see that San and Saehi are beside him. I smile and wave at them and walk over to where they are with Soobin closely following me.
We chit chat a bit with Saehi giving me questioning looks about the shirt but she does not say anything about it. Soon enough when everyone is gathered around, we all sit in a circle, even Yeonjun and his girlfriend/ not-girlfriend/ I don't know who joins us as well.
I am thankful that Yeonjun is sitting far await from me right now because his eyes are hard and fixated on me. It makes me uncomfortable to have his heavy gaze on me but this is not the right time to talk to him.
And definitely not the right place.
"Let's play never have I ever! I'll pass along the glasses. Everyone knows the rules right? Each of us take turn saying something we have never done and those who have, take a sip. Let's start. Who wants to go first?" Beomgyu looks around the group seated with glasses in their hands.
I was not keen on this game because I didn't want to drink but Saehi joked that the chances of me doing something was called out was less so I didn't have to worry.
"Uh, you guys are boring. I'll start - never have I ever... um... gone skinny dipping" a girl seated near Beomgyu called. A few of the people drank and joked about how there was still time to do it for those who haven't.
"Never have I ever got drunk and smashed my car" a guy pointed out to Taehyun is a joking manner and he rolled his eyes before taking a drink, along with Beomgyu.
"Never have I ever gotten into a car or bike accident" Yeonjun, Beomgyu and Taehyun along with other people drank.
"Never have I done it in a public place" a girl said and there were a few snickers around the room before a few people took a sip. My gaze was fixed on Soobin and he looked at me sheepishly.
I raised an eyebrow at him challenging to take a sip. He couldn't get away with it when that image had burned itself into my retinas. He chuckled and took a sip as well.
"Oh my god, I am appalled. We need to have a talk young man. WHat kind of behavior is this?" Beomgyu jokes and Soobin flipped him off.
The game continued and I kind of zoned out. Saehi was right. There was no chance that I had done any of ther things they were talking about.
It wasn't exactly fomo that I was feeling but it made my life look very uninteresting in front of the rest. Not that any of them were paying attention to me.
I wasn't sure whether I should be happy or sad about leading an uneventful life.
"Okay this is a heavy one. I ned everyone to answer honestly okay" a guy with blonde permed hair looked around at everyon pointing his finger.
"Never have I ever gotten my heart broken" some people rolled their eyes and some people shook their head. Some of them looked sad and took a sip. What shocked me that among the people who took a sip included Saehi, Beomgyu and Soobin.
Since Saehi was sitting right next to me, my expression of shock was on fully dolby display to her.
"Close your mouth or a fly will fly in. I don't want to talk about it" Saehi muttered beside me.
I remember Beomgyu telling me went through a brake up the day we met but he didn't seem much heartbroken. I can't imagine him being heartbroken over anybody.
And Soobin - "Wow Choi, didn't think you'd be drinking on this one" another guy chuckled looking at Soobin. He just smiled at him but if I were him, I'd be frozen because even I got chills at his expression.
"Hey, let's not instigate him. You know how bad his last break up was" a girl whispered but I am not sure it was loud enough for others to hear.
"Oh come on. It's not the Choi Soobin openly admits to something likes this everyday. Don't you want to say something on it?" the guy egged him on.
I culd see the mask slipping from Soobin's face.
It was foolish of me. I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have said anything. But I am not sure whether it was the talk we had at the beach tonight or maybe I felt bad for him to see him in an uncomfortable position, i spoke up.
"Last I checked, it was only a game of never have I ever. I didn't know we shifted to truth or dare" every pair of eyes were on me. It was as if everyone saw me materialize our of thin air.
I liked it better when nobody was paying attention to me.
"Yes, let's move on. The game is getting boring. And new girl, you're the scholarship student, right? I didn't see you drink till now" the girl sitting beside Yeonjun speaks up.
Everyone's eyes ping pong between her and me.
My eyes seek Yeonjun's and then to the hand that snakes around his in a possessive hold. The girl.
"I have one. You will definitely have to take a drink then - never have I ever worked a part-time job" she snickers and Yeonjun yanks his hand out of her grip but she has a smug smile on her face.
He says something to her but she just shrugs innocently and holds my stare. Everyone is looking at me.
"Oh my god! I can never imagine working part-time. That's so menial" a girl voices out.
"Don't just dead beat people work as part-time?"
"Wow! That's brutal but I mean yes, if you have skills you can just do an internship or something" a boy laughs.
"That's definitely a public school thing" another boy joins in.
I just put on a smile and take a sip when their comments turn to hushed voices as their eyes scan me.
Saehi tries to pull my hand away so that I don't drink but I shake my head.
I study all of their expression. Soobin and Beomgyu look uncomfortable. Taehyun just has a pensive depression on his face and Kai is evaluating everyone who've participated in this conversation.
Yeonjun looks enraged. His is not staring at me but at the people who made the comments.
All of their gaze feels very heavy. To the point that it is suffocating.
"Excuse me, I'll just quickly go to the restroom. You guys continue, I'll join you shortly" I abruptly get up.and start walking away.
I feel someone coming after me but I don't care.
I need to get away from this for a few minutes to get my head together.
It feels too suffocating being under their scrutinizing microscope.
I don't go in the direction of the washroom.
I head the other way, out the door.
A/N: I kid you not when I say that even this chapter was supposed to be something very different. I have this plot in my mind but every time I start writing to build it up, my head and fingers take a very different route on the keypad and something entirely different comes out as the chapter.
When I joked in one of the comments saying that this weekend will last for 20 chapters, I didn't think it will be true. But anyway, I hope you like this chapter. I know you guys love a little bit of drama and here I also payed ode to some of the previous chapters. Do you remember which?
Let me know what you think will happen next.