It happened to be late one January night, just after you and the boys had finished eating dinner, that it happened.
While Felix cleaned dishes in the kitchen, since it was his turn to do so, you, Chan, and Minho had decided to challenge one another to a game of Phase 10. Chan, of course, was winning, but you had a trick up your sleeve. Currently, Chan was on his tenth phase, which meant that if he won this round, he would win the game. You and Minho were both behind him, you being on the eighth phase and Minho on his ninth. However, you didn't intend to lose to the two hybrids so easily. You only needed one more red card to complete your set of seven, and then you would win the round. As long as you literally played your cards right, you could still win this.
"One set of five and one set of two," Minho said, laying out his cards. "I win this round."
"What?! No way, that's a lie! Let me see that!" You snatched the cards up from the table, refusing to believe that Minho had just gotten ahead of you again.
He smirked at your desperate expression. "What's this? Still in denial about your fate, Hyunnie?"
You narrowed your eyes at him. "I haven't lost this just yet."
"Well, you'd better hurry, because I'm about to beat Minho," Chan said, grinning at you.
"We'll see about that," Minho replied.
"Who's winning?" Felix asked in English, entering the room and sitting down next to Chan where he could see his cards.
"Me" Chan and Minho responded in Korean in unison.
Felix looked at you. "You're lose?" He asked in Korean.
"Not Yet" You said in English.
Felix's Korean had definitely gotten a lot better, even in just a few weeks, but he still wasn't there just yet. Ever since you'd bought him some study materials a few weeks prior, he had spent day and night bent over his books and his phone practicing and studying Korean. He was a fast learner, and that in combination with his diligence really pushed him and his Korean to greater heights. Personally, you found his drive inspiring, and seeing him trying to learn your language just so that he could communicate with you motivated you to refresh your memory and brush up on your English skills, hoping to be able to learn his language too. You both helped each other practice, with Chan often mediating and helping you two out.
As for your comic, the final chapter would be released in two weeks, as there were two chapters left, and your readers were all going crazy on the internet trying to predict how the story would end. You were glad that people seemed to be enjoying it so much, although the pressure from your company to come up with a new story was starting to stress you out. You were struggling with a bit of writers block, so you told them that you would be taking a hiatus for some time before you started on a new project. You would be alright money-wise for now; you would come up with something new soon.
"One set of five," Chan began, laying out his first five cards.
"DON'T YOU DARE!" You cried.
"And one set of three." He set down the second set of three cards with a smirk.
You threw down your cards and groaned dramatically. Minho set his down more gently, fighting back a grin at your childish antics. Chan and Felix, of course, were laughing.
"Alright, well, that's my cue to leave," Minho said, standing up and stretching.
"You're leaving already?" You asked.
"What do you mean 'already'? It's eight o'clock!"
"Ah... I guess your owner ought to have gotten home hours ago then, huh?"
