Hyunjae pov
"Dude you're losing by a lot right now."
I look up from my phone.
My friends are playing a dumb game. Not video games or board games, but a betting one.
"Come on, I didn't even think I was still in it." I say, swallowing hard, and the flavor of the grape lollipop hits my tongue.
"You're not getting away that easy. Seriously, it should be easy for you to catch up. Girls are flocking around the hallways when you walk through." My friend says.
"Yeah but..." I drift off. Truth is, I've been purposefully avoiding participating in their 'game.' It's bad. They're trying to see who in our group sleeps with the most people by the end of the semester.
I know, I know, you're asking why I have such ass friends. I ask that myself a lot too. But how was elementary school me supposed to know that the guys I was hanging out with would become fuckboys in high school?
"We'll make an exception for you, pretty boy." My other friend says and leans in. "All you need is one. But we get to pick."
"What so it's like... targeted?" I ask, trying to suppress the disgust in my voice.
"Come on, it'll be fun."
"Yeah Hyunjae, stop being such a wimp. I thought you were cooler than this."
I let a moment pass. I don't mean to say "yes" but I do. That's how peer pressure works, especially in high school.
"Thank god, this game was getting boring without you." He laughs. "So I'm at 9, Jihun at 11, Seokmin at 7, oh shit I forgot, did Miji join?"
"She's at fucking 13 already." Seokmin grins widely.
"No fucking way. It's only been like three months since we started??"
"Hah," I force out a laugh because that's what they're all doing, but really im barely listening. It's just registered what I've committed to do.
"So back to Hyunjae." Jihun says. "Who do we pick?"
"Not a girl who's close to us. That's too easy. But also not someone desperate for his attention, that's also easy. Dammit, any girl would go on her knees for him." Seokmin says.
I don't respond. I want to tell them that's wrong to say, I want to stand up and leave but I can't. Something is dragging me down from the inside.
"Okay let's pick randomly then." Jihun replies and they go on their phones to search through social media.
Seokmin closes his eyes. My pulse races as his finger lands on a random profile who I don't even follow.
"Her."
"Good luck, I've never seen her at any social event." Seokmin laughs.
"Wait, isn't she dating Sunwoo?" I ask, trying to grasp at anything to get out of this. I don't even know this poor girl.
"I think they're just friends." He says. "Not that it matters though, right?"
"No pain no game," jihun shrugs.
"Good luck. Actually you don't need luck, you have your face, lucky bastard." Seokmin slaps my back.
I flash a smug grin, the one that will do all the talking for me when I have nothing to say. I have literally no words. They were my friends since primary school, and now it's too late. I have nobody else to turn to.
The hard candy crushes as I chew nervously.
"Alright, bet."
