GOING BOARDING HOUSE | SEVENTEEN group chat. (Editing)

'Bonding'.

"Ugh, I thought we'd be in a five-star hotel, not some creepy shack in the middle of nowhere," Minghao grumbled, checking his phone for service.

Seungcheol rolled his eyes, but the grin remained, his amusement unwavering. "Come on, let's explore."

"You're not getting service, Hao," Jeonghan commented, his voice soft.

Minghao huffed, "I can see that, Jeonghan."

Jeonghan laughed, nudging him. "I can't believe you even thought you'd have a signal."

"Oh, shut up," Minghao replied, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"So we're really staying here?" Soonyoung asked, looking around at the dark, dusty rooms. The place looked like it hadn't been touched in years.

Jeonghan smiled, clearly loving every minute of this. "Looks like it, Soonyoung."

Jihoon, on the other hand, couldn't shake the growing uneasiness in his stomach. He glanced around the musty room, feeling the sense of dread settle deeper. "This is weird, Cheol," he muttered, keeping his voice low.

Seungcheol's eyes softened as he looked down at Jihoon. "You knew this was a creepy old shack when you brought us here, didn't you?"

Seungcheol shrugged, feigning innocence. "Maybe."

"Fuck you," Jihoon replied.

"You know, I didn't bring you here just to scare you."

Jihoon arched an eyebrow, clearly not believing him. "Right."

"Okay, maybe a little." Seungcheol smirked. "But this is the kind of place where friends can go to bond, right?"

Jihoon laughed, the ridiculousness of the statement sinking in. "We don't need to be locked in a creepy cabin for that."

Seungcheol chuckled, nudging him playfully. "Maybe not, but it makes things more interesting, doesn't it?"

Jihoon shook his head, for a second he smiled. "Only you would think that."

"Yeah, well, you're stuck with me now." Seungcheol turned to the rest of the group. "Alright, who's up for a tour?"

Soonyoung groaned dramatically, eyeing the dusty furniture. "As long as there's no basement involved, I'm good."

Minghao shot him a knowing glance. "There's always a basement."

"Great," Soonyoung muttered, looking even more on edge.

"Stop being babies," Jeonghan chimed in, thoroughly entertained by their discomfort. "It's just an old house. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Famous last words," Joshua added under his breath, glancing at Seungcheol. "You didn't, like, set up anything freaky in here, did you?"

Seungcheol smirked but didn't answer, leaving the question hanging in the air. "Guess you'll have to wait and see."

Jeonghan, always the instigator, whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "What if someone... never leaves?"

"Shut up, Jeonghan," Seungkwan groaned, pushing past him. "You're not helping."

Jeonghan just laughed, trailing behind with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

The man led them down further to what looked like an old dining room. Dust motes danced in the air as the sunlight streamed through the grimy windows, illuminating the remnants of what was once a cozy gathering place.

"This is nice," Wonwoo commented, glancing around with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "Very... rustic."

Seungcheol nodded in agreement, his eyes drifting to the large fireplace in the corner, the hearth filled with old ashes. "It is, isn't it?"