The Whispers (Underworld 6) VK

22: House Party

Seungkwan stood in front of the mirror, turning slightly to the side as he assessed his outfit for the night. He had opted for something casual but stylish: a fitted black turtleneck paired with dark jeans and his favorite leather jacket. It was simple but effective, the kind of look that made him feel confident without trying too hard. And judging by the way Moonbin kept shooting him appreciative glances from across the room, Seungkwan knew he'd made the right choice.

"Damn, Seungkwan," Moonbin said for what felt like the hundredth time, leaning against the doorframe with a playful smirk. "You're going to break some hearts tonight. You look incredible."

Seungkwan rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Please, you've been saying that since we left the dorm. Are you sure you're not the one trying to hit on me tonight?"

"Hey, if no one else steps up, I might have to," Moonbin teased, tossing Seungkwan a wink. "But seriously, I'm just trying to mentally prepare you for all the attention you're about to get. You look like you just walked off a magazine cover."

Seungkwan's cheeks flushed slightly, though he tried to play it cool. "Yeah, well, it's Minhyuk's birthday party, not a fashion show. Let's not get too carried away."

Moonbin chuckled as they made their way out of the dorm, but he didn't stop his stream of compliments. Every few minutes, he'd throw in another comment like, "You're definitely turning heads tonight," or "I bet half the party will be staring at you."

By the time they arrived at Minhyuk's house, Seungkwan was thoroughly flustered and desperately trying to convince himself that no one would be paying that much attention to him. He was just here for a casual night out, to celebrate Minhyuk's birthday, nothing more. Right?

But the moment they stepped through the front door, Seungkwan's heart skipped a beat. As he navigated his way through the crowd of partygoers, he suddenly bumped into someone—and when he looked up, his breath caught in his throat.

It was Jinyoung.

"Oh! Jinyoung?" Seungkwan blurted, his eyes widening in surprise. He hadn't expected to see him here, and now that he had, Seungkwan's heart was racing for reasons he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to unpack.

Jinyoung grinned, looking equally surprised but pleased to see Seungkwan. "Seungkwan? Hey! I didn't know you were coming to this party."

"Yeah, I mean," Seungkwan stammered, trying to sound casual. "Minhyuk's on the basketball team, so I figured I'd stop by. You know, just to, uh, support."

Moonbin, who had been hovering nearby, couldn't help but smirk at Seungkwan's awkwardness. "Support," he repeated, snickering under his breath.

Seungkwan shot him a warning look, but Jinyoung didn't seem to notice the awkward tension. Instead, he smiled warmly at Seungkwan and gestured around the room. "Well, I'm glad you're here. It's nice to see a familiar face. This party's a bit wild, huh?"

"Yeah, totally," Seungkwan agreed, though he could hardly focus on the conversation. Jinyoung looked effortlessly cool, as always, with his relaxed smile and that confident ease he seemed to carry with him everywhere he went. Seungkwan couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious under his gaze, even though Jinyoung had been nothing but sweet to him so far.

As they chatted, Seungkwan felt the energy in the room shift slightly. It was subtle at first—just a few lingering glances from some of the other partygoers, some whispers—but soon, it became clear why. The cause of the sudden change was walking through the door, and he commanded attention with every step.

Hansol.

Seungkwan's heart sank as he saw Hansol enter the party. Of course, he had to show up, looking effortlessly hot and drawing everyone's attention. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt and ripped jeans, but somehow, he made even the most basic outfit look like a runway piece. His hair was tousled in that perfect way that made it seem like he hadn't tried at all, and yet every detail was perfectly in place.