Riegrow
That day, the atmosphere in the air was tense from the morning.
From the moment he stepped out of his room, the prickly air was palpable on his skin.
With nearly half of the members gone to the South America branch, the already sparsely populated branch felt even more empty, but the increasingly intense tension made it feel anything but quiet.
On his way to the bathroom, Jeong Tae-ui was slightly put off by the stern expressions on the faces of the people he encountered.
It's not like a horde of sworn enemies is coming, why do they look so grim?
Scratching his head, he entered the bathroom. There, Tou was brushing his teeth, having already finished breakfast, and mumbled a greeting with the toothbrush in his mouth.
"Hey, Tae-ui. You woke up late. Did you pack your stuff?"
"Spit that out first... It'd be nice if you talked after that."
Jeong Tae-ui muttered as he took a half-step back. Tou laughed loudly and resumed brushing his teeth.
At least this guy is better. Seeing at least one person not looking grim like the others made him feel a bit better. Jeong Tae-ui approached the sink next to Tou, turned on the hot water, and wet his throat as he spoke.
"There's not much to pack, so I'll just go later with my body."
"Mmm... But, you'll be staying for two weeks, are you sure that's okay?"
Tou spoke intermittently while rinsing his mouth.
Jeong Tae-ui had to vacate his room by this evening. He wasn't the only one in this situation; several other members were in the same boat. When members from the European branch arrived, those from rooms with fewer people had to temporarily move to other rooms to accommodate them.
Early Saturday morning, the members assigned to the South American branch left for the airport, leaving only those who would stay behind.
And then Sunday arrived. Normally, they would leisurely enjoy their weekend, but the atmosphere was far from relaxed. In just a few hours, a horde of people, no different from sworn enemies, would arrive.
Jeong Tae-ui was set to stay in Tou's room. One of Tou's roommates was also going to South America, so he decided to move there.
Despite grumbling, "Why the hell do I have to give my room to those damn bastards," the members started packing their belongings and moving one by one. Some even went so far as to prepare for a complete move, unwilling to let "those damn bastards" touch any of their belongings.
Wiping his damp face a few times with a towel, Jeong Tae-ui shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Tou reflected in the mirror.
"If I realize I need something later, I can just drop by and grab it."
"Don't. If you run into one of those European guys using the room, it won't end well."
"Why? It's originally my room."
"That doesn't matter. It could cause a commotion akin to trespassing."
"Seriously..."
Jeong Tae-ui muttered "seriously" for what felt like the hundredth time. It was a shorthand for, 'Seriously, it's hard to understand why the relationship is so hostile.'
The electronic clock on the bathroom wall showed a time that was late for morning but early for lunch.
Jeong Tae-ui took a dry towel from the shelf stacked high with them and wiped his face. His complexion didn't look good in the mirror. He had forgotten upon waking, but it seemed he had a restless night filled with unsettling dreams.
