"cheers!"
18 glasses filled with everything from soda to vodka energy and beer clinked together, the crackling fire next to the group spread warmth and lit up the dusk spreading across the country like a blanket.
"why don't we have a little introduction round? i know some of you have already met, but we're all pretty much strangers at this point, right? i'll go first. i'm chan, 21 and i'm a primary school teacher."
he spun an empty bottle of champagne, it stopping in front of a short haired girl.
"uhm.. i'm miyun, 20 and i'm a nutrition major at uni."
the group greeted her, her girl friends and woojin looking at her with heart eyes. for miyun to open up like this was a huge step into the right direction after what had happened to her during her adolescence in japan.
she smiled a little, her braces making her look extra cute, at least in woojin's eyes.
the bottle spun again, landing on a tipsy boy.
"i'm jeongin! 18 and i don't fucking know what i'm doing with my life."
laughter erupted, everyone in the group could relate at least a bit to him, who spun the bottle with a little too much vigor.
it slid across the table, knocking down a glass in the process, the content spilling over the white t-shirt dress of yedam, who was too involved in a heated conversation with a tipsy jisung and felix about pouring milk before cereal, to notice.
"i'm telling you, if you pour milk first the cereal stays crunchy for longer. society just brainwashed y'all into putting cereal first, it doesn't make any sense!"
only once jisung started blushing and pointing at her breast area she noticed the sheer top and realized that everyone had a rather inviting view onto her hot pink lace bralette.
"ah shit. my favorite dress."
she pouted, but when she stood up the alcohol hit her bloodstream and she immediately plopped back onto the bench.
"here..."
jisung tried playing it cool and handed her his jacket, but he couldn't deny his racing heart and the knot in his stomach.
"thanks, you're a godsend."
she looked up into his eyes, the campfire seemingly igniting them, turning them into sparkling pots of honey.
he truly tried his best to stay calm, but the sight of this beautiful girl with his jacket on combined with the alcohol in his system messed him up real good.
"yedam! you're supposed to introduce yourself to everyone not just to him."
naeun protested and slammed her cup down onto the seat.
"oh damn, i'm yedam! hi, hello. i'm from the us, so i'm pretty cool, kinda dumb, but mostly cool."
the group nodded in unison, agreeing that yedam was, in fact, pretty cool. next up was areum, who was the only one who still waited for minho to finish grilling their food. she was about to scold her friends for drinking without having eaten beforehand, when the bottleneck pointed at her.
"i'm areum. and i'm an art student at snu."
right when she was about to spin, minho finally brought the barbecued goods. everyone but liv was cheering, ready to fight over the huge platter of meat.
"i don't-"
liv couldn't finish her sentence, minho had already placed the biggest piece onto her plate.
liv went pale and froze. she wanted to avoid making a scene and just went along with the flow, but once everyone had their food and started digging in, all she could do was nibble on her lower lip, nervous to get unwanted attention.
"why won't you eat?"
woojin smiled warmly, until his eyes met minho's, who was staring at her untouched food, obviously mad.
"i-i don't eat meat.."
liv retorted, embarrassed, before standing up and excusing herself to the tent. this was more than embarrassing to her, it was almost humiliating. all her insecurities washed over her at once and she dropped onto the thin mattress, trying to ignore the laughter and chatter that was going on outside.
minho rolled his eyes, took the piece off her plate and placed it onto danbi's plate instead.
"whose turn is it? i wanna go next!"
chaehwa remarked loudly and areum spun the bottle once again, giggling quietly, almost giving chan a heart attack with the sweet sound.
much to chaehwa's disappointment the bottle pointed to jeongin instead of her.
"that's unfair! he already had his turn."
she grabbed her glass and downed the beer in it easily. jeongin gaped at her and slyly turned the bottle towards her.
"here. you better make it fun."
chaehwa's expression changed in seconds as she jumped up and struck a pose.
"i'm chaehwa! and we're gathered here tonight because of jeongin and i, so be thankful. i hope y'all find love and friendship along the way... or, i don't know, cats."
she sent a stare in seongmi's and felix' direction, who blushed and scattered, felix' phone still in seongmi's hand.
"i love you two, you're adorable."
she giggled and spun the bottle, which now pointed at minho.
"i'm minho."
he looked up from his phone screen to nod as a greeting, before turning his attention back to his device.
an awkward silence washed over the group, the fire crackling and crickets chirping along.
"why don't the two of you get some more snacks and alcohol? i think we need some more."
danbi nudged areum and chan, who were still sitting next to each other with one meter safe distance between the two.
it took a while for them to react, but with constant nagging of danbi, they finally gave in and left the scene. seungmin patted her head.
"you kept your promise, huh? i'm proud of you."
he handed her a shot-glass filled with vodka and was about to cheers her, when hyunjin chimed in and stole the glass from seungmin.
"how dare you drink alone with my bambi."
danbi's jaw dropped, heat rising to her ears. she wanted to blame it on the alcohol but deep down she knew it was because of hyunjin calling her his.
sua avoided seungmin with her eyes, she still had a mild grudge against him and was honestly not up for another witch hunt against her. she was more than glad that his focus was on danbi, she could at least drink her soda in peace. she was honestly lost at this point and just leaned back and enjoyed listening to half-drunken stories and attempts at flirting. she could've fallen asleep right then and there when,
"let's all just drink together, yes?"
a drunk naeun screamed at the triple who were still bickering. naeun stood up, stumbling towards her tent in which she kept alcohol and glasses, when a hand touched her back. she twirled around, almost losing balance when a strong arm held her.
"need some help?"
