Friday | December 15th, 2023 | 4:11 PM
I yawned, making sure not to move too much so as not to wake her. It just so happens that on the 3 hour train ride up north, Nakyung decided to sleep on me 20 minutes in, and I have yet to move because I'm that good of a friend. With my yawn, I looked around the somewhat empty compartment, occupied by just us and the Goobers.
Some of them were sleeping like Joy and the fashion duo. Some were peacefully in their own worlds, like Yeji and Jinho who both had their headphones in and their attention elsewhere. Others were quietly conversing, like Haechan and Saerom along with Sana and Tzuyu. And others were being louder like Wooyoung, who couldn't sit still and continued to wander about the train cart and inspect every nook and cranny.
Nakyung and I were off in our own area, seated comfortably, and we didn't bother anyone. It was peaceful, and the calm environment was nice. This was a well deserved break for everyone, and we were looking forward to having some fun at Wooyoung's cabin. I'll admit, with the layers of clothing I was wearing, I was a little hot now that there was another source of heat sleeping on me.
Then again, if I woke her up, I'd be subjected to the nonstop conversation and her never ending energy. So maybe a few beads of sweat wouldn't hurt.
"Psst, Minjae," I heard someone say. Turning my head, I saw that the noise came from Sana and Tzuyu, who both were seated a few feet away from me and Nakyung.
"What?" I replied, making sure to keep my voice low so as not to wake anyone, including Nakyung.
"We were talking about the rooming situation for the cabin," Tzuyu began. "Wooyoung let us know just earlier that his cabin only has 4 bedrooms."
I try not to do math when I'm not at school but that meant 4 bedrooms split across 12 people. That was a lot of people and not a lot of room to share. "Oh, well, how are we splitting it?"
"Well, Wooyoung insisted he get his own room," Sana explained. I nodded, "Yeah, that's fair, it's his family's place."
"And Haechan and Saerom were planning to ask Yeji and Jinho later if they could room with the two of them," Tzuyu continued. The three of us shared a look. It's not confirmed by either of them, but the rest of the group is pretty sure that Haechan and Saerom are together. The time they spend together and the way they interact says a lot, and everyone else seems to know about their relationship, despite neither confirming or denying it.
"Makes sense," I said, trying not to be too loud.
"At first, Sana and I were going to ask Joy and the others if they wanted to share a room but damn, five girls sharing one room? There'd be no space at all. We figured we'd split the remaining girls between the last two rooms," Tzuyu told me. I was getting the picture.
"Ah, so I'm sleeping by myself, probably on a couch?" I asked.
"I feel bad, but yeah, basically," Sana nodded. "Unless you wanna sleep with us, but it'd be a bit cramped." The two of them frowned at me, pitying my circumstances.
"No, it's fine. I know how much girls love their personal space, I’ll probably find a comfortable couch and call it a night. I'll survive," I joked. The girls giggled.
"Sorry again, we'll take Nakyung into our room and let Joy sleep with Jennie and Xiaoting in their room," Tzuyu explained, giving me an apologetic look.
"We'll worry about it when we get there, let's just enjoy ourselves for now," I waved it off.
"Yeah, you're right, and I'm gonna try and sleep before the train stops," Sana chuckled, stretching out on her seat and leaning back.
"Sweet dreams," I laughed, and the two went quiet. Looking at Nakyung, she was still peacefully sleeping on me, and her face was relaxed.
"I know, I'm a really good pillow," I said to no one in particular. I turned my neck to look outside the window and watch the scenery pass by. It was pretty, and the train was quiet. The gentle hum and the rocking movement was comforting and relaxing. The layer of white snow made the view seem picturesque, and the trees were decorated with a fresh coat of ice and frost.
The sky was overcast, but the sun was peeking out and providing some light. With the gentle rocking, and the soothing environment, I myself was slowly beginning to nod off. That was until I felt my side vibrate from my phone going off. Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed my phone and viewed the incoming message:
Chaewon
i just finished my first exam of the dayyy
hows the train ride
I smiled at the message. I felt bad for Chaewon, our schools had exam weeks that started a week or two differently, and so while we were able to go on our trip, Chaewon had to finish her last two exams today:
the ride is good, quiet. nakyung is sleeping on me
i cant move haha
Chaewonaww that sounds like fun though
i havent been on a train in years
how much longer is your ride?
abt 2 hours
time feels so slow right now
Chaewon
stillll enjoy ittttt
dont worry, i am
what are you gonna do after your exams
Chaewonidk yet, maybe meet up with my friends and chill
sounds good
it sucks our schedules clashed
i wouldve loved to spend a weekend in the snow with you
Chaewon
sameee
but thats alright
break gives us more time to spend together
so im excited for that
definitely
and its a lot better than spending the holidays alone
Chaewon
yeah
and its our first christmas together since high school
haha yeah, im excited
Chaewon
me toooo
but enough of that sappy crap
howre things on the train
whatre you guys doing
well
most of us are sleeping
a lot of people are resting or watching the scenery
oh shoot guess whos sleeping by himself on a couch
Chaewon
what do you mean
only 4 bedrooms in the cabin and we got 12 people
woo took a room for himself
haechan and saerom plans to room with yeji and jinho
and i didnt want to invade the girls's space so theyre splitting the last two rooms
so i get a nice couch hopefully
Chaewonwowww
you should beg wooyoung to sleep in his room hahaha
hell no
Chaewon
lmaooo thats fair
hope it all works out and you have funnnn
i mean it could be worse
itll only be for two nights
Chaewon
yup, youll be alright
im about to start studying for my last exam before it starts
update meee
send pictures
have fun for me
ofc, good luck on your exam
And the conversation ended there. It was nice getting to talk to her even if it was for a little bit, and I was excited for the trip to be over just so we could spend some time together. She was right, break is coming and we'll be able to make the most out of the holidays. For now, I'll just relax, enjoy the view, and wait.
I leaned my head back, and I was ready to pass out and sleep the remaining hours away. With one last glance at the passing scenery and a sigh, I let my eyes close and let myself fall asleep. Until my phone started to vibrate again. My eyes shot open and I scooped up my phone:
Haerinheyy minjae
I tensed up, my teeth immediately went to chewing the inside of my cheek and my palms felt clammy. It's been a while. I haven't talked to Haerin since two weeks ago at intramurals finals, and it wasn't even a conversation. It was awkward. I've been dodging her. Or has she been dodging me? I don't even know, it just felt like we both fizzled out of each other's lives.
We haven't talked in weeks and here she was:
what's up
I held my phone with both hands, staring at the screen and waiting to see the speech bubbles pop up. It was like a deer in headlights, except, the headlights was the incoming message, and the deer was the dumb, clueless kid who couldn't decide if he was terrified or excited:
Haerinhow have you been
I felt nervous. My heart was racing, and I had to read the simple question a few times over. The first thought that crossed my mind was why was I thinking so deeply about this. All that filled my mind was questions and doubt. Was she asking genuinely, or was it small talk? How am I supposed to respond, 'been alright' or 'good, how are you'? Why was this making me so sick:
ive been fine
you?
Once again, it took a while before those speech bubbles popped up and I couldn't help but fidget and tap my fingers on the back of my phone:
Haerin
ive been fineee
That was it. How do I carry this conversation, or do I end it here? What should I say? I want to talk to her. I do. But my fingers won't type, and I don't know what to say. Thankfully the conversation didn't end there. After long moments of silence, Haerin started a new topic:
Haerin
how were your exams?
I breathed a sigh of relief and was thankful for her initiative:
i dont even wanna think about it haha
it was baddd
what about you?
Haerin
mine went pretty well
no fair
Haerin
hahah sorryy
i was studying a bunch with dani and hanni
that makes sense
Haerinlol yeah
"Fuck," I whispered, my eyes going wide at the messages. Why was this so fucking hard? Was it always like this? It was awkward talking to her. There was a wall. A barrier. Something that wasn't there before, and it made everything difficult. It just felt too formal, too weird. Like we weren't even close anymore.
I felt so far apart from her now. I didn't like it:
well thats good
It was the best I felt I could've come up with at the moment. And there was silence, once again. Waiting and waiting, the suspense was killing me. It wasn't even 5 minutes, but I felt like a lot more time was passing:
Haerindid you have plans for break?
Finally, something that I could answer.
im actually going on a cabin trip with a bunch of friends
we're on the train right now actually lol
Haerinthat sounds fun
yeah it should be, im excited
what about you, got any plans
Haerin
hmm
probably nothing as exciting
im probably just spending time at home
recharge after exams
ughhh exams
Haerin
haha sorry
well the holiday is coming soon
maybe that'll take ur mind off it
yeah, hopefully
I was trying my best, I was. The conversation was awkward and stiff, and it felt like a chore to respond. It's just been so long since we've spoken, and I could feel the awkwardness and tension. I was hoping she didn't:
Haerin
wait i totally forgot
we were supposed to hang out together for the holidays with dani and hanni!
It was the first text that I felt I could sense emotion from her. A mix of shock, excitement, and remembrance. I had a vague memory of it, but I decided to let Haerin clarify for me rather than make assumptions:
right, christmas?
i cant lie, i also forgot haha
Haerin
it slipped both our minds
lol
I smiled at that, relieved that the conversation was starting to ease up and feel less awkward. It felt a little more natural now, and that's all I could ask for:
Haerin
we talked abt it when we went to eat ramen together
you mentioned you didnt celebrate christmas like that
then i suggested we hang out as a group for the holidays
yeahhh its coming back now
im down to hang out still
Haerin
me toooo
itll be nice to finally do something
it feels like it's been a while
yeah, it has
Haerin
ill organize it for us
im actually really excited
this is my first time celebrating christmas with friends
what, seriously
Haerin
yeah haha
ive never had a lot of close friends growing up
i promise ill make the hangout memorable
Haerin
ahh stop haha
this is for you too
we can both make it memorable together
I found my head nodding to her words, and a smile tugged on the corner of my lips. That was all I needed. All the doubts and thoughts in my head vanished, and I was finally feeling comfortable again. The conversation felt like it flowed smoothly, and the awkwardness was gone.
I had missed talking to her:
sounds good
im looking forward to it
Haerin
sameee
it'll be great
I can sense the conversation slowly began to fade out and die. There wasn't much more to talk about, and I was both content with that. There was no need to over extend this conversation, and there was a good point to stop at:
alright im going to try to sleep for the rest of the train ride
Haerin
okkkk
lets talk again sometime
yeah definitely
And like that, the conversation was over. My smile grew wider, and I felt relieved. It felt like there was no awkwardness or bad blood between us, and the fact that she wanted to talk to me was relieving. We hit a bit of a rough patch after it was revealed Chaewon and I started dating but this was the sign I needed to see that it wasn't the end.
That's what was important to me.
"I hope we talk soon," I mumbled under my breath. Turning my head, I glanced down at Nakyung who was still sleeping peacefully, her face in a state of tranquility. Looking around the train cart, I saw that no one else was awake. Everyone else had either fallen asleep, was quietly sitting alone or was having a quiet conversation with someone.
It was the perfect chance to sleep, and I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind. The conversation was stuck on loop in my head, and the images of Haerin kept popping into my head. With a smile and a satisfied hum, I was ready to fall asleep.
Friday | December 15th, 2023 | 6:42 PM
"Here you go, this one's yours," Wooyoung said, pulling my suitcase and duffle bag out of the trunk of our rental van. It was freezing cold, and the air was sharp. There was no breeze, but the atmosphere was dry and icy. I turned back towards the others who were already heading towards the entrance of the cabin.
You could just tell Wooyoung's family was loaded, this was no ordinary cabin, but rather, a lodge. It was a huge two story house that was surrounded by thick pine trees and had its own private ski trail and hill. The snow was freshly shoveled and cleared off the driveway, and the house was surrounded by a deck that wrapped around the entire perimeter.
"Holy shit," I said under my breath while I wheeled my bags behind me.
"Pretty fancy, isn't it?" Sana gawked from behind me.
"Yeah, a bit," I said. I made it to the front door, where the other goobers were waiting with their own bags.
"Let's get inside, it's fucking freezing," Haechan shuddered.
"Yeah, yeah, just wait a little bit," Wooyoung sighed from the driveway, carrying his own luggage. He pushed past us and stood in front of the front door.
"Alright, you guys ready?" He asked us with a grin.
"Just hurry up," Jinho rolled his eyes, rubbing Yeji's back. She was huddled close to him, trying to absorb as much body heat from him as possible.
"Right," Wooyoung pulled out a pair of keys from his pocket and inserted them into the front door. Twisting the knob, he pushed the door open and we were welcomed to a blast of warm air. My mouth opened slightly, shocked at the interior design of the cabin.
The front door opened to the living room which was a large open area. It looked even more open with one wall entirely of windows, displaying the beautiful scenery outside. On the wall adjacent to the front door was a fireplace, with a rug laid out in front. Surrounding the rug was a large U-shaped couch with a coffee table in the middle. On the wall next to the fireplace, were the stairs that led upstairs and two rooms.
On the right was a bathroom, and on the left was a huge dining room that could sit 10 people. There was a large window facing the side of the mountain behind the house, and the sun was just starting to set and tinted the sky a warm orange.
"Welcome, guys," Wooyoung spread his arms open, and we stepped inside, taking in the surroundings.
"I can't believe your family has a place like this," Jennie gaped, dropping her suitcase and bag.
"Yeah, well, we never really used it like that," Wooyoung shrugged, tossing the keys on the kitchen island and turning to look at the rest of us.
"We get the house all to ourselves," Yeji clapped, walking into the dining room and placing her bag down. I was still reeling in the beauty of the house. It was decorated with a modern but rustic vibe, and the interior was very simple and clean. The kitchen was right next to the dining room and was just as big, with a huge stainless-steel fridge and oven. There was a large island and a breakfast table that could fit four people.
"Alright, enough of gawking at the place, let's go check out the rooms!" Haechan exclaimed. Wooyoung swung his arm around Haechan's shoulder, "Yeah, let me give you the grand tour," he said, dragging Haechan towards the stairs. The rest of us followed behind with excited smiles and chatter.
Wooyoung's voice echoed off the walls, "As you can see, there's a bathroom downstairs next to the stairs, and then you have the kitchen and dining room. This staircase leads to the second floor, where there are two bedrooms and the master bedroom. And there's another bathroom down here as well,"
We made it to the top and Wooyoung led us into the first room on the left, the one closest to the stairs. The room had a king size bed with two night stands, a dresser and a closet. In the center of the room, there was a circular rug, and on the opposite side of the bed was a wall with a window that overlooked the snow-covered mountains behind the house.
"Alright, so this is the smaller bedroom, only one bed, but it's a king size," Wooyoung said, "Did we decide on the room situation yet?"
"Joy, Xiaoting, and I will take this one," Jennie chimed in, "Is that alright with you guys?"
Xiaoting and Joy nodded their heads. The three of them pushed through the door and placed their belongings on the floor and bed. Leaving them behind to settle in, we moved towards the other room, which was on the opposite side of the stairs, furthest away from the staircase.
This bedroom was slightly larger and had two queen size beds and two night stands. It also had a wall window that faced the backyard and the mountains.
"Oh, we can take this one," Yeji smiled over at Saerom who nodded her head, motioning for Haechan to help her pull her suitcase into the room. Haechan sheepishly ripped himself away from Wooyoung's arm and walked towards Saerom, who was standing by the door. Jinho laughed and patted him on the back, following Yeji into the room.
Wooyoung directed his hand over at the third and final bedroom in the hallway. It was right next to the room Yeji and Saerom took. "The last room is the master bedroom. It's got a king size bed and has an ensuite bathroom. Sorry, but I'll be taking this one for myself,"
"I'd argue but it's your place after all," I shrugged. Wooyoung chuckled, reaching down for my suitcase and duffel bag, "I'm selfish but I'm not cruel, Minjae. I know the girls are taking the last room, you can keep your stuff in my room and use my bathroom as your special privilege."
"I guess that works out," Tzuyu smiled at him, "Thank you,"
"Of course, Minjae is my buddy after all," he said, placing my stuff into his room before pushing past us to go back down the stairs. "He just can't sleep in the same bed as me."
I let out a short chuckle, turning back to look at Nakyung who hadn't said much since waking up from her nap on the ride here. We descended the stairs, and Wooyoung led us to the bedroom that would belong to Sana, Tzuyu, and Nakyung. It had a queen-sized bed and yet another wall window that showed off the scenery around, along with a walk-in closet and an ensuite bathroom.
"Alright, settle in and we'll figure out the plans later," Wooyoung told us. He left us and started back upstairs, probably to his own room. I glanced around the room, realizing it was just the four of us now.
"Wow, these rooms are huge," Tzuyu sighed, plopping down onto the bed and spreading her arms out.
"No kidding," Sana added, placing her stuff on the ground. She took a seat at the edge of the bed, leaning back on her hands. Nakyung dropped her stuff and moved towards the window, "Look how beautiful the view is," she said, looking out. Her head tilted and her neck leaned forward. She suddenly pulled the window to the side, revealing it was actually a sliding door that opened up to the deck outside.
"Woah, the whole wall is a door," Tzuyu gawked, sitting up and looking at the opening.
"We can open this whenever we want," Nakyung said.
"Nice, but it's pretty cold out, I'm not going outside right now," Sana frowned. Nakyung curiously stepped outside onto the balcony and wrapped her arms around her torso. I followed after her, wanting to feel a cold breeze again.
The cool air greeted us and I breathed out. There was a nice view of the snow-covered pine trees that surrounded the house, and the orange light that cascaded onto them made the sight even more magical.
"The view is so pretty," Nakyung commented.
"It's beautiful," I added. She gasped and walked away, sliding open another door she discovered that connected her room to the living room.
"Hey, we have a sliding door here too," she yelled.
"We can walk out here if we want to," I said, walking towards her.
"Oh, nice!" Sana's voice came from the bedroom.
"I didn't think about this when we were deciding on rooms, but maybe we should've thought this through better," I chuckled.
"Eh, it's fine," Nakyung shrugged, stepping back into the living room.
"It is," I nodded, following behind her. "At least my room is right next to yours, so you can come by whenever,"
"That's true," she turned to smile at me. There was a soft expression on her face and a certain gentleness in her eyes that I haven't seen since the beginning of the semester. In fact, I haven't seen this look since she first discovered my secret. It was a nostalgic expression. It was like she saw me as the best friend before it came out that I was into more freakish hobbies.
I wanted her to look at me like this more often.
Though, I can say the same about her. I haven't been able to see Nakyung the same way either. Not since the night when I was drunk, and she spilled trauma I never knew since we've known each other. The sweet and cute girl who loved teasing and making me smile, now had a darker past, and a different personality attached to her name.
The Nakyung I've known for years and the Nakyung from this recent semester were the same and yet different. Both are genuine, and both are her, but the recent Nakyung was so much more... horny.
But the current look on her face, I could see the Nakyung that was my childhood friend. She looked cute, innocent, and pure. A far cry from the perverse girl I've come to know, the one who's a willing accomplice to my crimes. Maybe it was the fact we were miles away from home and university. Maybe it was the fact that we were all here together on break, and that meant the two of us can just be normal and act like the friends we once were.
Maybe the trip will be good for both of us.
"I'm going to change into snow clothes," she announced. I looked her up and down, noting she was still dressed in a jacket, leggings, and a turtleneck.
"Yeah, probably a good idea," I nodded, looking down at my outfit. It wasn't suitable for being outside for long. Nakyung nodded and turned away, walking back into her shared bedroom and shutting the door closed behind her. I walked towards the stairs and walked up, hearing the chatter of the others in their own rooms.
As I neared the top, I was stopped by the sound of laughter, followed by the familiar voice of Yeji. "Hurry, before the sun gets too low." Yeji and Jinho's bedroom door opened and they came walking out, wearing heavy winter gear. Yeji had a puffy coat and thick pants, along with a hat and a scarf. Jinho had a similar coat and scarf, but had a beanie on and no gloves.
Yeji bounced past me and down the stairs, Jinho was slowly walking down the steps behind her, his hands in his pocket, "She wants to get pictures in the snow with the mountain backdrop," he explained. I laughed and nodded, stepping out of the way and letting him pass.
I made it to the second floor and stood in front of Wooyoung's room. It was slightly ajar, so I decided to push the door open, peering inside. Wooyoung was laying back on his bed with his phone in hand. He poked his head up and smiled at me, "Hey, dude, what's up?"
"I think we're about to hang outside," I said, walking towards my stuff which was placed neatly in the corner of the room. "Are you coming out with us?"
"Are we going to be snowboarding or skiing?"
"I'm not sure, everyone's just getting ready."
"Alright, I'll come join," he said, tossing his phone down onto his bed. He stretched his arms and legs and jumped off his bed, his feet making a slapping sound against the wooden floor. I pulled out some snow pants and a puffer jacket, sliding them over my clothes since I felt too lazy to fully change.
Wooyoung had the same idea and kept the pants he was wearing on, pulling a heavy winter jacket over his long-sleeve. "Are the girls coming?"
"I know Nakyung is going out, and Yeji just dragged Jinho just now," I explained, zipping my coat up and fixing the collar.
"Sana and Tzuyu?"
"Not sure, didn't check," I shrugged, pulling on some gloves.
"Alright, well, let's get downstairs," Wooyoung said, throwing the hood over his head and opening his bedroom door. The two of us went down the stairs, the sound of chatter growing louder. We stepped off the staircase and into the living room, where we were met with the sight of Xiaoting who was posing in front of the sliding window with Jennie and Joy taking her pictures.
"Why don't you guys take a break from taking photos and go outside for a bit," Wooyoung boisterously joked. Jennie and Joy both whipped their heads around, and Xiaoting looked up, smiling and waving at us.
"The snow's too good of a backdrop," Jennie retorted, lifting her camera and pointing it towards us. Instinctively, Wooyoung and I smiled and put our arms around each other, waiting for the photo to be taken.
"I better see you guys outside when you finish up here," Wooyoung told them. Jennie flashed a smirk and nodded, before turning around to focus her attention on Xiaoting.
The two of us ignored them and walked to the front door, opening it and stepping out. Yeji and Jinho were down the deck, with Jinho snapping a few photos of the view with his phone. Yeji was kneeling in the snow and throwing snow around. Nakyung was off on her own, kicking snow around with a bright smile.
I stepped down onto the porch and watched as Wooyoung approached Yeji and Jinho, greeting them with a fist bump and a hug. The two of them returned the greeting, and I turned my attention to Nakyung who had begun a small snowball fight with herself, laughing as she tossed and threw snowballs at her own feet.
I reached down and scooped some snow up, pressing it together and hurling it at Nakyung. It flew in the air and hit the side of her, exploding into pieces. She spun around and gasped, seeing me holding back a smile and chuckling. Her face lit up and she bent down, scooping up a handful of snow.
She formed a tight ball and threw it, hitting square in my chest. It burst into pieces, and I shook the remnants of snow off me, before forming my own again. She squealed and backed up, but I threw the ball, and it flew in the air and smacked her on the shoulder.
She yelped and grabbed more snow, throwing another one at me. I dodged and laughed, throwing a ball which she avoided, only to be hit on her side. She pouted and tossed a snowball, watching it sail past me and land on the railing of the deck.
"Missed," I taunted, laughing as I made another one.
"Whatever, Minjae," she grinned, reaching down and gathering another pile of snow. I held up my hands, signaling that I surrender, "I'm out, I'm out."
She didn't even bother balling up the snow, instead, she just flung it towards me, hitting me in the face and chest. The impact didn't hurt and the snow bloomed onto my clothes. I rolled with the hit and fell backwards into the snow. I can hear the sound of Nakyung crunching through the snow with an excited giggle, before she fell next to me.
"Oof," she sighed, the air pushed out of her lungs. She was laying in the snow beside me, facing up at the sky. The sky was darker now, a deep purple color as the sun was beginning to set. A few clouds were floating around, and the sky was starting to get tinted pink.
"Gosh, this view is so nice," she said, breathing out. I could see her breath turn into vapor as she spoke.
"It's so beautiful," I replied, not tearing my eyes away from the sky. We laid there, listening to the sounds of our friends behind us, enjoying the outdoors. It was a nice silence between the two of us, but there was something lingering in the back of my head.
"You've been awfully quiet the whole trip here," I told her, glancing over at her. She laughed, looking at me and nodding, "I have been, haven't I?"
"Is something wrong?"
"Not really, it's just nice to get a break. Especially now, after exams. Everything's been so crazy."
"Yeah, I know," I said. "It's been a crazy couple of months,"
"You can say that again," she sighed. I could hear Sana and Tzuyu joining in the fun behind us, with Sana's loud and distinct laugh cutting through the air.
"So how have you been, though?" Nakyung asked, turning her head towards me. "We haven't gotten the chance to talk lately. How's you and Chaewon been?"
"I've been doing well," I said, turning back to the sky, "She and I have been good."
"Mmm, that's nice," she said.
"And we've been spending more time together, we've been catching up a lot," I continued. "And it's nice, but I miss spending time with my friends."
"You mean your best friend," she teased, reaching out and pushing my shoulder.
"Of course," I laughed, shaking my head, "I miss the group, but also you. I haven't been able to sit and spend time with just you in forever."
"Right, it's been forever since we got to chill and hang out," she sighed.
"So, I've got to know. What's been up with you?" I felt bad since I never had the time to catch up with Nakyung and talk to her about her own life. And it always felt like she was the one more curious about me and what's been happening in my life.
"Hmm, well, not much," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "School, club, you. It's the same, boring thing every day."
"What do you mean 'me'?"
"You're a big part of my life, you know," she explained. "Without you, I wouldn't have anything fun to do."
"You and your little games, huh," I smirked.
"You're a big part of my life," she repeated, her voice softening. There was a tenderness and a sincerity in her tone that erased my initial thought about her statement. She was being serious and earnest, and there was a genuine smile on her face as she stared up at the sky.
"You know I don't have many friends," she confessed. "The student activities association's a nice place, and I met some good people. You're the only one I know that keeps me interested and happy."
"Oh," I breathed out. Jennie squealed from behind us, followed by a loud Wooyoung laughing. "I'm glad to hear that,"
"Of course, what would I do without my favorite boy," she smiled. We both laughed and sat up, brushing the snow off ourselves. I helped her get the rest of the snow off her back, and the two of us stood up, watching as Haechan was piling snow together with Saerom, building a makeshift snowman.
"Hey, Minjae," Yeji yelled from across the deck. I turned and looked over at her, finding her waving a camera in her hand. I smiled and grabbed Nakyung by the arm, posing up at Yeji who quickly took the photo. She looked at the screen and laughed, throwing me a thumbs up before searching for her next candid photo.
For the next hour, we were all enjoying the outdoors and each other's company. I found myself spending time gathering snow and rolling it into a horde of snowballs with Haechan and Wooyoung to pelt at the others. Jennie and Xiaoting got me to help them with their photo shoot, with me taking the pictures of them posing in the snow. Eventually, we all got together and worked to build a nice looking snowman.
As the sun setted and the sky was turning darker, we all went inside, exhausted and freezing from being out. Most of us retreated to the living room, settling down and talking amongst each other, while others like Yeji and Tzuyu went into the kitchen, getting ready to prepare dinner.
While the others were still cleaning themselves off, I decided to slip away and upstairs into Wooyoung's bedroom, taking off my wet and cold snow gear. I threw it into a pile near my suitcase and changed back into comfortable and dry clothes, before sitting back onto the bed for a bit.
I reached into the side pocket of my bag and pulled out my phone, noticing my notifications had missed text messages from Chaewon:
Chaewon
finished my last exam
how are u doing?
I frowned and unlocked my phone, typing up a response.
sorry i was outside the entire time
so youre all done with exams now right
I watched the 'read' notification pop up, and within seconds, her name flashed across my screen, followed by a jumpscare of my own face staring down at my phone, showing she was facetiming me. I answered the call and was greeted by the sight of Chaewon laying in her bed. Her hair was tied up into a messy ponytail, and she had a big blanket draped over her, covering everything besides her head and her neck.
"Hi there," she smiled, adjusting her head against her pillow.
"Hey," I replied, bringing the camera close to my face.
"So, are you at the cabin already?"
"Yeah, we got here a few hours ago,"
"Oh, wow, and you've been outside since then?"
"Yeah, we were in the snow the entire time," I said, looking back down at the wet and melting snow boots that were discarded onto the ground.
"Did you have fun?"
"I did, I didn't expect the snow to be this high and this cold, but it was fun," I told her. "What about you, how was your day?"
"It was good," she yawned, stretching her arms out. "I'm finally done with all of my exams."
"That's good."
"Mm, but now I'm sad I couldn't go," she pouted, sticking her lower lip out. I chuckled and paced across the room, flipping my phone towards a window and showing the mountainous scenery outside. "Look at the view, isn't it pretty."
"Woah," she gasped. "It looks like a winter wonderland,"
"It's great," I said, flipping the camera back towards me. "It would've been nice to see you, though."
"It would've been," she giggled. "What have you guys done so far? What's the cabin look like?"
"Let's see," I began. "We just got here and it was a whole process with getting everything together and figuring out where we should sleep. But when we got settled in, we went out and played in the snow for a while. Now we're just chilling and relaxing. And the house is great, it's beautiful. The rooms are nice, the beds are comfortable, not that I would know since I'm sleeping alone on a couch."
"Aw, well, the couch must be comfy," she laughed.
"I hope it is," I replied, smiling at the phone.
"But anyways, you said you guys played in the snow? What did you guys do?"
"Mostly just hung around, took pictures, build a snowman. All of the normal stuff like you see in those Christmas movies."
"Aww, that's cute," she said. I laughed and nodded, sitting back onto the edge of Wooyoung's bed.
"So what did you do today, since you're done with exams and all," I asked, laying back.
"Not much, honestly," she shrugged. "After I finished my last exam, for the rest of the day I was just sitting and watching Netflix. Just waiting for you to answer my text, actually."
"Sorry, sorry," I apologized. "We were too busy having fun."
"Nah, it's fine, don't worry about it," she smiled. We stared at each other through the screens for a moment. A small smile spread across her lips, and the look in her eyes was so sweet and gentle.
"Hey, Minjae, the girls finished cook-" the bedroom door opened and Wooyoung stepped into the room. I lifted my head and looked over at him, his face flinched when he saw I was on a call. I shook my head and flashed my phone towards him, "It's just Chaewon."
He beamed and stepped further into the room, leaning forward and waving his hand, "Hey! Chaewon!"
"Hi, Wooyoung," she laughed. I handed off my phone after he reached out for it. He eagerly brought it closer to his face and started speaking with her. "How are you doing? How were your exams?"
I smiled and slipped off the bed, walking around the room as they caught up and talked with each other. Wooyoung carried Chaewon over towards the window, pointing her outside and showing the view. "Sucks you had to miss out, you're missing out on such a nice view."
"Yeah, I'm a little bummed about that," she said, her FOMO evident in her voice. Wooyoung brought the camera closer to his face and smiled, "But I hope you'll enjoy your break while we're away."
"Thanks, and you guys have fun out there," she smiled, nodding her head.
"I'll give you your boyfriend back now," Wooyoung chuckled, handing me the phone. "Food's ready downstairs, let's eat." I nodded and he left the room, closing the door behind him. Turning back to the phone, I noticed Chaewon was smiling softly.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, it's just, he's so sweet," she said. "I'm so happy you have such a good group of friends with you. I'm really glad they're in your life."
"Are you getting sappy on me," I joked, raising my eyebrow. She giggled and shook her head, "No, it's nothing. Nevermind. It's nothing."
"It doesn't sound like it's nothing," I murmured, sitting back down onto the bed.
"Really, it's nothing, just the sleepiness hitting," she laughed, rolling over and covering her face. I studied her for a second, wondering what she was thinking and feeling, "C'mon, lay it on me."
"You got to go eat."
"I can always eat it cold," I retorted.
Chaewon smiled, before rolling her eyes. She adjusted herself again, sitting upright and clearing her throat. "Honestly, I was just thinking about the past, you know? You didn't exactly have a lot of friends or people you were close to back in school besides Nakyung."
"Yeah." I tensed up, sensing the dip in our conversation.
"It's nice to see how much you've grown up since then," she sighed, smiling gently.
"That's a good thing, right," I questioned, laughing lightly.
"Of course it is," she answered. "You've gotten taller, a bit more mature, a bit more outgoing. You're just a lot better and happier now. And it's so nice to see."
"Thank you," I said, bowing my head and laughing. It was concerning when I saw Chaewon didn't share the same reaction, and was instead still smiling at the camera. "Are you okay?" I asked, frowning slightly.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she waved, laughing it off.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, yeah, really, it's nothing."
"If there's something wrong, you can tell me," I urged, my suspicions only rising. She laughed, shaking her head, and the soft smile still lingering on her face.
"There's nothing wrong, I'm just a little tired, I guess. I haven't slept all day because of exams."
"Do you want me to hang up? Let you rest."
"No, no, I'll hang up, let you eat," she insisted. I sucked on the inside of my cheek, every ounce of my being telling me there was more than she was letting on. That damn smile still lingered on her face.
"Well, go and have fun," she said. "Don't think too much about me. Enjoy the trip. Talk to you later?"
"Of course," I replied. She giggled and leaned closer to the camera, blowing a kiss and a goodbye before ending the call. I stared down at my phone, watching the black screen before looking back up at the door.
The room felt heavy, and I wasn't exactly sure why. I stood up from the bed and stretched my arms, before opening the door and stepping into the hall. The sound of my friends chatting and laughing was coming from downstairs, and the smell of food was floating in the air.
I went down the stairs and found everyone had already begun eating. There was a variety of food on the table, ranging from pasta and rice, to meat and vegetables. The table was packed, and there was a seat open beside Nakyung, who waved me over.
"Sit," she insisted, patting the empty seat. "They made a lot of food."
I walked over and sat down next to her, taking a moment to take in the scene in front of me. My friends were gathered around the table, with plates filled with food, talking and laughing with each other. It was a cozy atmosphere and a familiar setting, and it made me feel content.
I never noticed it, but Chaewon was right. I did grow up since high school, and things have changed a lot. I definitely felt more outgoing and confident, and had a better hold on myself, mentally and emotionally. And I've grown so much closer with people in general, and my bond and trust with them have increased significantly.
Nakyung handed me a plate, bringing me back to reality.
"What were you doing upstairs," she asked.
"Just talking to Chaewon," I told her, taking the plate.
"Mm, how is she," she asked, scooping some pasta onto my plate.
"She's good, she's finished her exams, and she's just chilling."
"That's good, that's good."
"Hey, hey," Saerom spoke up, calling out from the head of the table. "Can you guys help pass around the rice and vegetables?"
"Sure, sure," Yeji said, passing a bowl towards the others. I helped pass it down the table, and we eventually settled down and began eating. The food was warm and delicious, and I felt full and happy as I ate and conversed with the others. I would've been indifferent but with Chaewon making me more aware, I felt more within the moment and connected to everyone.
The rest of the night was filled with fun and laughter, and by the end of dinner, everyone was full and content. That was until Wooyoung suggested a drinking game. In his hands, he held two large bottles of alcohol. He was waving it in the air, urging the group to join him. I laughed seeing everyone's initial reluctance.
"C'mon, let's have some fun," he whined, trying to get the others to join in.
"I'm tired," Sana grumbled, slumping in her seat.
"Me too," Tzuyu added, crossing her arms.
"Well, what should we do instead?" Jennie asked, looking around the room.
"Let's watch a movie," Saerom suggested.
"We can just drink tomorrow," Haechan shrugged.
"C'mon, let's just take a couple shots, loosen up and have some fun," Wooyoung pleaded, opening a bottle. His begging seemed to make waves among the few of us at the table.
"Yeah, it's our break, might as well celebrate," Xiaoting giggled.
"Why not, a little drinking game won't hurt," Jennie laughed, leaning into her friend.
"Let's do it," I cheered, clapping my hands together. Wooyoung turned and grinned, "See, this is why you're my favorite, Minjae." With my vote, the others seemed to agree and gave in. They all began to clear the table of the dishes, moving everything into the kitchen. Shot glasses were passed around and the first round was poured out by Wooyoung.
"Alright, alright," he announced, placing the bottle onto the table. He took up his glass and raised it, "Winter break, we finished exams, and now let's have fun on vacation!" We cheered and drank the first round. The alcohol was smooth going down, and I didn't mind the burning sensation in my throat.
"What kind of drinking games can we play," Joy asked, placing her shot glass down.
"Truth or dare," Haechan yelled, raising his hand.
"Too basic," Saerom snorted, rolling her eyes. The two of them snickered, and I watched as they shared a quick smile.
"That's only if we make it basic," Yeji replied. "Let's spice it up."
"Shots to not do a dare?" Sana questioned, shrugging her shoulders.
"And shots to not answer a question," Nakyung suggested. I glanced at her, feeling how integrated she felt with the group, despite only hanging out with us a few times.
"That works for me," Wooyoung replied, pouring himself another glass. He downed it and placed the glass onto the table, before smacking his lips together. "We're all good?"
"Sounds like a plan," Joy nodded her head around the room while tapping her fingers against her glass. "Who goes first?"
"You should, since you asked," Xiaoting said, leaning over and bumping her shoulder.
"Fine, Xiaoting, truth or dare," Joy smirked.
"Truth," she replied without hesitation, smiling back.
"What is the wildest thing you've ever done?"
Xiaoting pursed her lips and sat back in her seat, looking off to the side as she thought about her answer. Her eyes flickered over to Jennie, and the two of them smiled at each other, knowing the exact thing.
"There was this one time Jennie and I decided to go skinny dipping at the university pool at night," Xiaoting admitted, blushing a light shade of red. "But we almost got caught by this group of boys who had the same idea as us to swim at night."
"We had to run out of the pool as soon as we heard them," Jennie continued. "We had to leave our clothes behind and run out naked. But, thankfully, no one ever found out about it."
"Oo, spicy," Yeji whistled.
"Alright, next, next," Xiaoting chuckled, raising her hand. She tapped her fingers on her glass and hummed, her eyes wandering the room before landing on Haechan, who was sitting across from her. "Haechan, truth or dare?"
"Dare," he responded without a second thought.
"Hmm," she said, her eyes narrowing. Her gaze turned mischievous and she leaned forward, a smirk appearing on her lips. "I dare you to give a lap dance to anyone in the room."
We all laughed but Haechan's face didn't budge from his smirking look. "Easy," he snickered, getting up from his seat. He moved his hips to a rhythm only he could hear, dancing over towards Saerom, who was laughing and trying to push him away.
"Stop," she laughed, swatting her hand. "Go dance somewhere else."
"Aw, c'mon, don't be shy," Haechan said, wiggling his eyebrows. "We're all adults here." Laughter filled the air, and after a minute of dancing around Saerom, Haechan went back to his seat and poured himself another drink, probably to wash down the embarrassment.
"Tzuyu," he said, looking towards her. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"Okay, uh, let me think." He sat back in his chair, looking down at the table. "How crazy are we getting with the dares?"
"Depends, do you want to make Tzuyu drink or what?" Wooyoung answered, shrugging his shoulders. Haechan laughed and nodded, "Alright, I dare you to sit on someone's lap until your next turn."
"I can drink," she responded.
"Nah, do the dare, it'll be funny," Joy pouted but Tzuyu was already pouring herself another drink. She gracefully took her shot and wiped her lips, before standing up and looking around. Her eyes wandered the room and finally stopped, staring at the girl beside me.
"Nakyung, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
Tzuyu raised her eyebrow, and the corner of her lips lifted upwards.
"Sit on someone's lap for the next turn," she repeated Haechan's words, before taking her seat again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nakyung smile and shake her head.
"Fine, fine," she groaned, standing up and adjusting her body before dropping down onto my lap. Her legs dangled on either side of my legs and her arms rested against my chest. "Happy?"
"Very," Tzuyu smirked.
Nakyung laughed along with the group before turning her head at me, "Minjae, truth or dare?"
"Let's start easy, truth," I replied, looking into her eyes. She looked back at me and hummed, a small smirk growing on her lips.
"Have you ever wanted to kiss anyone in the room?" My mouth let out a surprised gasp followed by an awkward laugh. Nakyung laughed with me, and the rest of the group joined in as well.
"Damn, Nakyung, you really put him on the spot," Jinho called out.
"Sorry," she giggled, glancing over her shoulder at me. "Did you need to drink?"
I stared down Nakyung and grinned, shaking my head. "I'll drink," I said, reaching over the table and grabbing the bottle. Pouring myself a shot, I gulped it down and placed the glass back on the table.
"Your turn," she said, nodding her head. I looked over her head, my eyes scanning the faces before stopping at Xiaoting, who was whispering with Jennie and laughing.
"Xiaoting, truth or dare?" Her head perked up, and her laughter came to a halt. She looked at me with her big brown eyes, blinking a couple times before her lips formed a smile.
"Me again? Dare."
I returned the smirk and thought for a second, the gears in my head spinning as I tried to come up with something good. "I dare you," I started, drawing out the words, "to give a kiss to any person in the room."
She raised her eyebrows, a look of amusement crossing her face. She crossed her arms and nodded, before leaning over and pecking Jennie on the cheek.
"Cheap!" Yeji yelled, laughing.
"You should've specified," Xiaoting retorted, sticking out her tongue. "But since you want to bring it up, Yeji, truth or dare?"
Yeji leaned back and sighed, running her hands through her hair. She bit her lip and her eyes looked up at the ceiling. "I'll take a dare," she said, nodding her head. Xiaoting smiled, and a glimmer appeared in her eyes.
"I dare you to," she drawled, dragging out the syllables. "Swap underwear with Jinho."
We all let out an exclamation of excitement and laughed, as Yeji covered her face, and Jinho began to chuckle nervously. Yeji stood up from her seat, and we watched her as she tried pulling Jinho out of his chair, "Hell no, Yeji, take the shot."
"C'mon Jinho, I promise it'll be fun," she winked, continuing to try and pull him up. He didn't budge and instead began to whine and cover his face, "Jinho, come on, please."
"Yeji, just take the shot," Jinho begged, covering his face with his hands. She shook her head and laughed, before looking back at him.
"You're gonna make me drink," she sighed, reaching down and pulling his hands off his face. "Fine, I'll take the shot."
"Yes, yes, you do that," he mumbled, pulling his hands away and watching her take the shot. The group playfully booed at the missed chance to see them switch underwear, and the two of them shared an awkward laugh.
"Anyways," Yeji continued, sitting back down and looking at Jinho. "Truth or dare."
"Truth," he immediately responded, earning a couple giggles.
"Alright, I have a question," Yeji said, looking over at Jinho with a smirk. "Out of the girls in this room besides me, who would you want to date?"
Jinho's eyes narrowed, "No one."
"Oh come on," she replied, pouting. "You have to answer." I chuckled, seeing how Yeji was determined to get Jinho to answer the question.
"I'd take the shot," he calmly replied, reaching forward for his shot glass. Yeji let out a huff and crossed her arms, "Boring, boring." He shrugged and took his shot while staring at Yeji.
"Truth or dare," he said, looking over at Wooyoung.
"Mm, let's see," he mumbled, tilting his head. He ran his hand through his hair, and his eyes wandered the room. "I'm feeling adventurous today, let's go with a dare."
Jinho nodded, "Alright, I dare you to, hm, how crazy are we feeling?"
"Crazy enough to make me drink," Wooyoung joked, earning a few laughs.
"Then," Jinho paused, a smirk appearing on his lips, "I dare you to flash your ass to everyone in the room."
"Damn, that's devious, Jinho," Haechan cackled, leaning back and clapping. I chuckled, bouncing Nakyung slightly.
Wooyoung shook his head, trying to hold back his laughter. "Fuck you, Jinho," he laughed, before standing up. The entire group, including Jinho, were waiting for Wooyoung's next move. His laughter died down and he reached for the bottle and poured himself another shot. We laughed while he downed another shot and took his seat.
"My turn," he mumbled, looking at the people at the table. "Hmm, Joy, truth or dare?"
Joy looked back at him, her lips curling into a sly smile, "Dare."
"Perfect, I dare you to take a shot with everyone, c'mon everyone, we're not getting wild enough."
"Fuck," she muttered, letting out a short laugh. The bottle was passed around the table and shot glasses were filled. We held up our drinks and cheered.
"To winter break," Joy shouted.
"Cheers," we echoed back.
Our shots were downed, and the alcohol burned, going down our throats.
The game went on, with each turn getting increasingly more exciting.
Joy dared Jennie to lick the floor. Which she obviously didn't do.
Jennie dared Sana to prank call the nearest food place.
Sana dared Tzuyu to take off her shirt, which she didn't do.
Tzuyu dared Haechan to give someone a foot massage.
Haechan dared Saerom to give him a kiss, which she took two shots for before doing it anyways.
Saerom dared Nakyung to wear a blindfold and let someone feel her up.
Nakyung dared me to wear the blindfold next and make me guess who I was touching, turns out they thought it'd be funny and I had a handful of Wooyoung's ass.
The drinking game went on, and with every shot taken, our inhibitions seemed to disappear and the dares became bolder and more dangerous.
I could feel the alcohol beginning to take its effect, with my thoughts slowing down and my vision beginning to blur. My face was warm, and the room seemed a little smaller. From my side, Nakyung was softly giggling while she spectated the game, occasionally looking over her shoulder at me.
"This is going to sound a bit crazy," Haechan slurred, holding up the bottle. "But I dare you to give out a body shot to anyone in the room." He placed the bottle back down and smiled, a little too satisfied with himself.
Jennie, the victim of his dare, pursed her lips, "Really?"
"It's what the game says," Haechan shrugged. "So, you can either drink or,"
"Give a body shot," Jennie sighed, cutting him off. "Let me think, okay, wait, no, anyone?"
"Anyone," Wooyoung answered, sounding a bit more eager than expected. Jennie rolled her eyes, but a smile crept onto her face. She tapped her fingers against the table, humming a little tune.
"Okay," she nodded, a look of satisfaction on her face. She glanced in my direction, and a small smirk formed. "Come here, Minjae, let me give you a body shot."
I stared back at her, and an amused laugh escaped my mouth.
"Alright," I answered, standing up. As I walked past, Haechan and Wooyoung slapped my ass and laughed. "Make it count, Minjae," Wooyoung yelled. I could hear the others chuckling, and as I neared Jennie, they grew louder.
"How do I take a body shot," I questioned, looking around the group. Jennie was sitting up in her chair, smiling as her eyes were scanning my body.
"Well, it's simple," she started, reaching up to the top of her shirt. She pulled on her shirt, showing off her skinny collarbones. "Normally, there's some ritual with salt and lime, but I think we're fine without it. Right?"
"Right," the rest of the group answered.
Jennie smiled, looking up at me, "Come here." She grabbed a hold of my wrist and gently pulled me towards her. "Xiaoting, can you pour a shot here," Her collarbones caved in, creating a hollow crevice in her neck. Xiaoting reached over and poured some of the alcohol onto Jennie, letting the liquid fill into the curve of her collarbones.
"You ready," Jennie asked, a hint of mischief in her voice. She reached her hand behind my neck and slowly guided me towards her. "Go ahead." I felt the cool temperature of the alcohol against her skin, and I quickly pressed my mouth onto her neck. She let out a soft moan and pushed me closer, letting me suck and slurp the alcohol from her body.
I couldn't get it all, nor was it going into the right places. I felt the burning liquid choke my throat as it shot through my nose, making me gag. Jennie's giggles echoed in my ear, and the group was howling and cheering as I pulled back, spitting and coughing the remnants of the shot.
My nose burned like crazy and my eyes were teary, and as I opened them, everything was blurry. I stumbled a little and fell backwards, only for Wooyoung to catch me and hold me steady.
"Shit, I don't think you're supposed to drink the alcohol through your nose," he joked, helping me sit back down in my chair. The group was laughing and making jokes at my expense, and I could feel the heat rise on my face.
"C'mon Minjae, it's your turn," Sana yelled, her voice naturally raised as she got more and more drunk.
I sat in my seat and stared down at the table, trying to figure out who I wanted to challenge. My eyes were blurry, and I had trouble focusing. Finally, my mind was able to lock on one person, and the words came tumbling out of my mouth.
"Yeji, truth or dare," I managed to get out, glancing over at her.
She was sitting across the table, with her chin resting against the palm of her hand. She looked up and raised her eyebrows, a soft smirk forming on her lips. "Dare," she simply answered, tilting her head.
"Okay," I said, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. "I dare you," my voice trailed, as I looked at her, trying to think of something that would make her uncomfortable. She was a tough one, not budging even with the most daring of dares.
"I dare you," I started again, my gaze becoming intense. "To, um, take a shot from Jinho's mouth."
"Why me," Jinho groaned, but his eyes were on Yeji, who had a determined expression. She slapped his chest, grabbing for the bottle right after, "C'mon, we'll get this over with quickly."
Jinho let her tilt his head backwards as she poured a generous shot into his mouth, letting the alcohol flow down his lips. Yeji leaned over and pressed her lips against his, drinking and sucking the liquid from his mouth. He grabbed onto her arm, and he moaned as she swallowed the drink.
Once it was done, they parted and the group applauded.
"Nice, nice," I muttered, my mind drifting.
The alcohol was really starting to kick in, and my focus was starting to wane. My head was fuzzy and everything felt surreal.
"Okay, now, um, Sana, truth or dare," Yeji said, her voice coming out breathless.
"Dare."
"Let me think," Yeji mumbled, placing a finger on her lip. She sat back, looking around the room, her eyes scanning the area.
"I've got something good," she said, her face lighting up. "Strip down into your underwear and play in the snow for a minute."
"What," Sana's voice came out louder, her eyes growing big. "Are you crazy?" The rest of us let out a series of "ooo" and laughed, while Sana tried to get Yeji to take her dare back.
"That's the dare," Yeji snickered, nodding her head.
"Fuck," Sana cursed, but she was already unbuttoning her shirt and shimmying her jeans off her body. The group clapped for her and whistled, as she stripped down into her underwear, which was a cute baby blue set. My eyes were glued to her figure, and I couldn't help but watch her closely as she made her way towards the door.
"It's really fucking cold, okay," she warned, opening the front door and stepping outside. The group huddled near the entrance and watched as she stood there, her bare feet against the snow.
"It's so fucking cold," she yelled, stomping her feet and moving around. She moved back and forth, shaking her body to stay warm. "This is fucking torture." I pinched my thigh, watching her shake around and rub her arms. The more she did it, the harder it was to not notice how meaty every part of her was. Her boobs, her thighs, her butt, everything looked soft and plump, and I felt a tingling feeling in my crotch.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she shouted, running back inside. She slammed the door shut and collapsed onto the ground, trying to rub the warmth back into her. Her bra and panties were soaked by the time the minute was over, clinging tightly onto her figure and giving us a good show.
"Fucking, cold, oh my god," she cursed, rubbing her legs and arms. The group laughed, watching her try and warm up. Tzuyu came over with her clothes and Sana hurriedly put them back on, her skin pale and cold. I lingered about, my head still reveling in the previous moments of a half-naked Sana.
"I think we call it a night," Saerom's voice called, and we looked back to see her yawning and stretching. We were a little past midnight, and our eyes were becoming heavy.
"I agree," Tzuyu nodded, helping Sana stand up. "We've been at this game for almost two hours, it's time to sleep."
"Yeah," Jinho chimed in, helping Haechan up. The two boys were struggling to stay upright and were heavily relying on their friends for support. "I think we've had enough."
The others murmured and began to clean up the space, pushing the chairs back into place and wiping down the table. I was still a bit dizzy and confused, and my mind was clouded.
"Hey," a voice whispered, and a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. My head was pressed against the soft skin of someone's chest, and the smell of their perfume was sweet. "Do you need help, or are you going to bed?"
I blinked and tried to regain control of my vision. Looking down, I could see that a pair of hands were locked around my torso. The hands belonged to Nakyung, who was peering up at me, waiting for an answer.
"Uh, I'm not sure, I don't know," I managed to mumble, stumbling as I spoke. She grabbed a hold of me, and with a bit of struggle, helped me stand upright. Everyone dispersed, the majority of them moving upstairs to their bedrooms, while Tzuyu and Sana went into their bedroom downstairs.
Nakyung guided me towards the living room and the couches I would call a bed. She gently pushed me down onto the cushions and smiled. My head rolled back and forth, and the world was spinning.
"Hey," she whispered, leaning in front of me. I tried to focus on her face, but my vision was still a little hazy. "You feeling okay?"
I shook my head, and I felt a pair of hands touch the side of my face. The hands were small and dainty, and as the thumbs gently caressed my cheek, my mind began to slow.
"I feel slow," I mumbled, slurring the syllables. "Slow, slow, slow."
"You're a bit drunk, huh," she laughed. Staring at her face, I matched her smile and nodded.
"Yeah, just a bit," I mumbled, closing my eyes. I let myself lean forward, and when my head fell against her shoulder, I could hear her laughing even more. "I want to go to sleep," I groaned, pressing myself further against her.
"Mm," she hummed, letting her hands run down my sides. "Are you tired?"
"Yeah," I mumbled, feeling my body slowly drift off. Her hands gently shook my face, keeping me up. "Shh, not just yet," she whispered. Her fingers trailed along my jaw, and her hands wrapped around my head, cupping my cheeks. "Can you keep your eyes open?"
I grunted and slowly opened my eyes, trying to fight off the urge to sleep. I blinked a couple times and found myself staring into a pair of eyes, big and brown. They were Nakyung's, and they were watching me, filled with amusement.
"Nakyung?" I muttered, tilting my head.
"Yeah?"
"It's you," I softly spoke, blinking again. My body lost feeling, and I felt myself sink backwards, the weight of my body no longer in my control. Nakyung moved with me, letting herself fall onto the couch. She adjusted herself until she was almost straddling me, her legs spread and her body flush against mine.
"Yeah," she breathed out, her lips curving into a smirk. "It's me." Even if I was impaired, I can tell when something was a little off. I spent the better part of this day looking into Nakyung's eyes and treasuring the nostalgic feelings that came from it, but her eyes were different now. The lightness that once filled them was gone, and instead, they were darker, full of mischief and intent. I lost Nakyung somewhere in my drunken state, and I was left with someone else, someone dangerous and bold.
"What are you doing," I questioned, the words slurring from my mouth. My hands were numb, but I could feel a slight pressure on top of them. Glancing down, I saw a hand covering my own, fingers gently caressing my palm.
"I know you're a bit drunk, and probably really tired, but," her voice trailed off, and she bit her lip. I followed her actions, feeling the warmth grow in my body.
"You have a job to do," she softly whispered, her hands traveling along my body. I was barely able to understand what she meant, until her hands slid beneath my shirt and her fingers played with the lining of my sweatpants.
"No."
"We both know that's not true," she murmured, her eyes darkening. Her finger poked at my erection, and she smirked, "I bet you've been hard since you saw that Japanese bitch strip down in front of all of us."
"Yeah," I admitted, looking away. She leaned into me, and her fingers played with the hem of my shirt. "That makes you want to do something, doesn't it?" she asked, her voice low and breathy. "Doesn't it make you want to do things, dirty, bad things?"
"You won't be happy with this trip if you don't steal a pair, Minjae," She purred, her fingers teasing the elastic. "So, why don't we just do that?"
"I," My voice caught in my throat. It was so tempting, and her words were like honey, flowing sweetly into my ears. But, this was different, it was different than the usual. Sana was a close friend, someone I've closely known for years. Even if she was on my hit-list, it still felt uncomfortable to try to steal her underwear.
"Come on, just take one," she whispered, her eyes gleaming. "We're here, aren't we?"
My breath caught, and my heart raced. Nakyung's eyes were full of temptation and excitement. Her hands were gently running along my sides, and her lips were puckered, looking up at me with the most innocent expression.
"One," I muttered, closing my eyes.
"That's all you need," she smiled, leaning closer. Her face was inches from mine, and the smell of alcohol was on her breath. "She's going to take a shower. Tzuyu's going to sleep. We're here. You're hard. Just one pair of panties. Let's do it."
"Okay."
She giggled and gave me a peck on the cheek. I could feel the adrenaline rush through me, and I was ready to steal, but my mind was still hazy. Her weight was off me, and Nakyung stepped away and towards her shared bedroom, "Good boy." She opened the door and disappeared inside, closing the door quietly behind her.
My head was heavy, and my brain was throbbing.
Fuck, me.
And it starts! Minjae's finally digging into the people close around him! I'm excited to make Minjae cross his moral lines, oh I'm getting hyper just thinking about it. I would like to get a feel of the crowd for a moment, how do we feel about Minjae going into darker territories of his sexual desires? Hoping we're all adults here, I can just skip the beating around the bush. What are everyone's thoughts on Minjae potentially committing bigger crimes than breaking and entering and stealing, and more in the field of sexual harrassment/assault? I've already dipped his toes albeit when he laid loads of jizz into the Shin sister's drawers but what if for example, (This isn't an actual story plot just an example) Minjae takes advantage of drunk people? I'm not entirely uncomfortable with writing more mature things like that, I'm just wondering how the general audience would take such a "darker" turn with this story as it currently is. Thank you for reading, and please leave your feedback! - PI