Ascendio

XIV: The Room of Whatever the Hell You Want

Hanbin didn't wear his suit. Jennie gave him a bit of a briefing and clarified that game night was a very casual event—specifically, pajama attire.

Jennie and Lisa walked hand-in-hand down the Hogwarts hallways in sweatpants and hoodies. Lisa's had a giant cartoon owl on it, while Jennie favoured Lisa's Holyhead Harpies sweatshirt (and seeing Jennie wearing her team's merch made Lisa all kinds of giddy). Lisa's arms were laden down with food she had smuggled out of the kitchens and snacks from her secret stash, while Jennie's free arm was hooked around a fluffy pillow and blanket combo.

Hanbin followed a couple steps behind, the sound of glass clinking together in the bag he was carrying. Each step he took was accompanied by the sound of swishing fabric from his monogrammed satin pajamas. Lisa had clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud at the ensemble: sheeny green satin with black piping on the lapels, so crease-free it looked like Hanbin didn't even move when he slept, with two flourishing 'L's stitched above the breast pocket.

"I thought you'd be wearing your matching set, Jen," Hanbin remarked innocently, and Jennie burned with embarrassment.

"Oh, I have got to see these," Lisa chortled.

"In your dreams, Lisa Manoban," Jennie seethed, nudging Lisa's side a little too hard.

"Do you think they'll like me?" Hanbin asked, sounding a lot like a hopeful kid on his first day at school.

Lisa shot him a glowering look over her shoulder. "You antagonised us for the better part of this year; of course they're not going to like you!" she snapped.

"Fair point."

"Your little present should help win their favour, though. Especially with Jisoo," Lisa said, indicating Hanbin's bag, which contained a few bottles of elderflower wine and some firewhiskey.

They rounded a corner into the seventh-floor corridor where they were supposed to meet the others, and saw Jisoo, Rosé, Jackson, Kyungsoo, and Jongin there waiting for them, all wearing an assortment of pajamas, dressing gowns, and slippers. Kyungsoo was carrying his chess set, Jackson' arms were piled with a collection of other games they'd amassed over the years, Jongin had disappeared behind a huge pile of blankets and pillows, and it looked like Rosé and Jisoo had brought more food.

Lisa gripped Jennie's hand and quickened their pace to meet them. As they approached, Jisoo stopped talking abruptly and whirled around, her wand drawn. Next moment, all of them had their wands raised and pointed straight at them.

"Lisa, look out!" Jisoo shouted.

"What are you doing?" Lisa asked, wide-eyed as she and Jennie stuttered to a halt.

"Hanbin Kim is behind you!" Jackson exclaimed.

"Oh, right. Yeah, I invited him."

"You did what?" Jisoo's eyes threatened to bulge out of her head.

"Greetings," said Hanbin, unhelpfully.

"Did you seriously invite Hanbin Kim to game night?" Jisoo hissed, a furious glint in her eyes.

"Our most sacred of events?" Kyungsoo clutched at his chess set as he eyed Hanbin warily.

Lisa sighed, giving Jennie a long-suffering look, which she returned with a squeeze of her hand and an encouraging smile.

"Look guys," Lisa said, "I know Hanbin hasn't been very nice to us this year—"

"He entered you into the tournament," said Jisoo.

"He made Jennie cry," said Rosé.

"He called me an imp!" said Kyungsoo.

"—but we're trying to put it all behind us. Hanbin has apologised to me, and to Jennie, and we're all making the effort to get along. You know. Be the bigger people." Lisa spoke through clenched teeth, trying to subtly glare everyone into agreement. Jisoo was definitely much better at this than she was.