Paradigm | ATEEZ x Reader

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX | DON'T GO INSANE

Feathers flutter around you, crowding your vision as you try to pass Mingi, who's too busy fending off Yeosang's aggressive advances to notice. "Shortie! The sock!" You hear Jongho shout from somewhere behind you. Your eyes lock in on the target touted high above the scramble below. A sock flails about as it perilously hangs off the ceiling fan spinning around. You climb onto your bed, almost slipping on the satin, preparing to make the jump. Your decision is hastily reached as Mingi lunges for your legs. You snatch the sock off the fan, clutching it tightly to your chest as you hit the floor. Yeosang blocks Mingi's second lunge, and you clamber to get back on your feet and out of there.

"I did it!?" You exclaim, turning the sock over in disbelief. Ugh! This is one of the socks Jongho was wearing. "I thought we said only clean socks..."

"Suck it up! We ran out." Jongho smiles at you before shouting down the hall. "With the final right hall bedroom sock recovered by my team, Seonghwa's team will have no choice but to retreat to their territory downstairs!" You follow Jongho as he runs to the stair railing. Any members of Seonghwa's team still upstairs rush past you and down the steps. "The foyer remains the only territory still neutral. Whoever claims the foyer will be crowned champion!" You look behind you to see your team preparing themselves. San carries two body pillows over his shoulders, and Yeosang snaps the quilt that's been serving him well. You give an apologetic smile to Yeonjun down in the foyer, who is still tied to the base of a lamp.

While the setup of your pillow war is fairly simple, it still requires an unbiased party. That unlucky soul ended up being Yeonjun. He'd done an excellent job placing all the socks around the house. Though, he might have hidden the foyer sock a little too well, as it still remains untouched. The reason for his binding is more due to the fact that he kept getting kidnapped and interrogated by each team.

You don't even register Seonghwa giving the go-ahead as the fight breaks out quickly below. You decide that it might be best that you don't move and take a minute to survey the area. What am I missing? Everyone's picked apart this whole room... Your eyes bounce around, frantically searching for your answer. The hallway! Your feet move before your brain can catch up. The rules of the game state that the sock has to be hidden within the confines of the room, which is marked by walls or doors. Since the hallway is technically connected to the foyer, it counts within those bounds.

You're halfway down the hall when you hear footsteps gaining on you. You pull yourself around the corner, stopping as you spot it. Against the middle wall, peeking out of a potted plant, is one of Yunho's avocado socks. Hongjoong passes you, making a grab for it, but you push him back, taking it for yourself.

Before you can celebrate, he swipes it from your hand, smirking. You catch up to him, body-slamming him before he can cross into the kitchen. You sit on top of him, doing your best to pry the sock from his fingers. "Just–ugh! Give it up! You don't even care whether Hwa goes on the drop tower or not. Why are you acting like such a try-hard!?" You crumple the sock into your hand, having freed it from his palm.

"Because I can." He says, flipping you off of him and onto your back. He slams your arm to the floor, pulling at your thumb, trying to get it out of your fist.

"You're such a–" Your words are cut short as Hongjoong is knocked clean off you. You look up, expecting to see San, but instead, Seonghwa looks down on you. A look of confusion crosses his face as Hongjoong stands, steadying himself.

"What the heck! We're on the same team!" Hongjoong shouts, clutching his arm. His pent-up anger begins to boil.

"Are you okay?" You rush to Hongjoong, looking his arm over.

"I'll be fine. Just go win your stupid game." He whispers low enough for Seonghwa not to hear. You nod before darting off. You know Seonghwa is just behind you, but you have to get upstairs. Someone almost takes you out with a pillow before you make it to the first step. You see San and Yeosang coming to your guard as you reach the top step. But it's too late. Before you can find your footing, Wooyoung knocks you against the railing, the sock escaping from your hand, landing on the marble below. You slump down as Seonghwa's team easily claims the victory. So close.