"why are you so gloomy all of a sudden?"
yedam cocked her head, staring at jisung, whose eyes were dull, a pout on his lips. the girl was sad at the sight, she missed the sparkles in his eyes already, even after just one minute of a sulky jisung.
before he answered, he downed his fourth shot in a row, liquid courage suddenly washing over his body.
"because i like you and you can't even bare the thought of kissing me?!"
the boy said, thirteen heads snapping in their direction, staring at the two in shock.
"ji-jisung... why would you say something this personal in front of everyone?"
she whispered, standing up. this wasn't what she expected from jisung. it wasn't like she didn't like him, but this all was a bit much to comprehend. especially at 3 in the morning and still tipsy.
"i think you should sleep off your buzz."
the girl stated, before sighing and leaving the group.
"what's going on?"
naeun questioned, hair messy and lips plump.
she grabbed a beer, sitting down next to the small group that was left.
"um.. jisung kinda confessed to yedam, but now she's mad? i don't get it either."
chan remarked, shrugging and waving at jisung, who was sitting across from them, nibbling his lower lip.
"ugh, boys."
naeun spat, turning to danbi, who was known as the medium of their group, unofficially that is.
"yo, sweetie, what's going on?"
the younger girl smiled at naeun, slyly pointing her finger towards the tent, where yedam had disappeared in minutes ago.
"jisung confessed to yedam and she's currently losing her shit over it in there, but she's also super confused. she doesn't really know how to handle him just confessing like that."
danbi shrugged and leaned forward, chin resting on her hands.
"and what about you? are you okay?"
naeun looked at her friend, seeing her this quiet and lost in thought was a rarity. and if it happened, it always happened for a reason.
"yeah.. i just don't really know how to interpret hyunjin's actions. it's messing with me."
she heaved a sigh and leaned back again, arms stretching over her head.
"he traced your freckles, girl. do you need any more confirmation?"
naeun snorted, crossing her legs and staring at the girl next to her.
"yeah, but.. ugh i don't know what to do. but enough of me. so you and changbin, huh?"
her eyes suddenly seemed to sparkle even more than they did before, a knowing grin spread across her lips.
"w-what?! no! why would you think that?"
naeun almost fell of the bench, a red blush creeping onto her face, heat spreading all over her body.
"well, for starters, you and him were gone for forever after completing the dare, second of all your hair's a mess and that never happens unless you're absolutely hammered-"
"which i am, by the way!"
naeun interrupted, trying to untangle her hair frantically, looking to buy time and think of other excuses.
"as i was saying,"
danbi carried on, unbothered by her friends embarrassment.
"your lips are all swollen, but lastly and i want you to do this with me now,"
danbi softly turned naeun's head in changbin's direction, who was staring at the girl, the hickeys on his neck and the sparkle in his eyes were illuminated by the mere campfire.
"look at him. he's absolutely lovestruck. get ready, he might propose tomorrow."
she winked and giggled, naeun baffled at the sight of the boy and danbi, who knew her so well, it was almost scaring her.
"i don't want him to propose. this was just a one time thing. he'll forget about me tomorrow and gawk at every other girl down at the beach."
a sudden wave of sadness washed over her, this wasn't what she had hoped for. she was supposed to hate this guy.
"don't get jealous now, nana. this is your chance to make major headway!"
areum chimed in, listening in on their conversation from the very beginning, her hand clenched around chan's, who was busy trying to look as if he hadn't just heard their every word.
"chan and i were thinking, just sit down next to him at breakfast tomorrow and release your magic."
she blabbered, until her hand got squeezed for a quick second, chan trying to control the damage his fling had done, but it was too late.
"oh so chan and you are a thing now? or why do you eavesdrop on others conversations?"
naeun had jumped up, staring down at her friends and the boys, who looked more than confused at the sudden change of mood.
"calm down, naeun."
chan spoke, earning a snort from naeun, who was swamped by the sudden attention and everyone trying to give her advice. it wasn't like she was inexperienced or not capable of making her own decisions. people didn't have to help her to sort things out, especially not now when the only one who could decide between right and wrong was herself.
"you can't tell me shit, chan. i don't even know you like that, neither do you areum."
she growled, guilt-tripping areum, making her jaw drop, a gasp escaping her throat.
"he was trying to help naeun. don't blame him for the chaos in your head."
"oh taking sides now? i see how it is."
she shook her head, before storming off, throwing her body onto the thin mattress inside a tent.
"did she just-"
changbin, whose eyes were now stuck to the tent tarp, exhaled.
"this isn't-"
before hyunjin could finish his sentence, changbin ran after the girl who made his head spin and heart race.
"why won't anyone ever listen to me..."
the tall boy whined, stomping his feet as though a kindergartener had just taken control of his brain and body.
"i'll listen."
there it was again, that warm feeling in hyunjin's heart that he felt every time danbi's name was mentioned, let alone her voice when could be heard or he when was able to admire her beautiful aura up close.
"this all turned so messy so quickly. and i wasn't even a part of it. our party's a flop."
he mumbled, fingers ghosting over danbi's thigh from time to time, sending electric shocks through her body every time.
"don't say that. we got so many people to kiss and do whatever else tonight. we're the cupid masterminds. i'm proud of us."
a warm smile was shot hyunjin's way and he almost fell backwards, her beauty so overwhelming and ever-present.
"we missed one chance, though."
danbi spoke up again, before whipping her head away from hyunjin and stuttering something inaudible.
"what?"
he giggled, but deep down in his heart he knew what she was implying. he knew exactly what to do, even though now might not be the right time to make his final move.
"i'm tired, let's talk more tomorrow, okay?"
danbi was about to leave, when hyunjin and her spotted changbin, carrying a sleeping naeun bridal style, his eyes glued to her face.
"chief said that this is it."
danbi squealed, squeezing hyunjin's bizeps tightly.
"how can there be such strength in such a tiny body?"
hyunjin ruminated, eyebrows furrowed.
"i know right... but he does have a really great body."
danbi aspirated, head falling into her hand as she watched changbin carry naeun from the boy's tent into theirs.
"i have a better body, though, right? right?!"
"sure. you have the best body."
