PROJECT: SEVENTEEN. seventeen au

THE CLOWNS.

why did everything always have to go wrong?

seungcheol really didn't understand why their missions were always bound to go a little haywire even after thorough review and practice. it wasn't that the boys did badly, no— everything went wrong because there always had to be someone to see them and destroy the whole process.

just like now, where minghao's relaying seungcheol what jihoon and hansol saw in the cameras. which was apparently a lot of things, because by the end of minghao's storytelling session seungcheol's already sweating buckets and bouncing his knee like a madman.

"...and that's why we need a distraction," minghao finished simply. he eyed the preoccupied audience, who were too amused at seungkwan's post-dinner games. "let's say the person who caught the boys uploaded the video online. everything's going to be a mess, it's a trending topic, whatever— but if we divert people's attention and stir a little trouble, well...we'd be able to catch the person without any eyes on us. plus, that would be an even hotter topic than the first and would definitely bury it under the newer news."

seungcheol stares minghao dead in the eye. "you're serious. as in. right now."

minghao shrugged, sipping on his iced tea. "i'm serious. we just have to get the boys, do some of the plans in advance, and return like nothing happened at all."

seungcheol filled his lungs with much air as possible, then exhales. what the fuck was happening right now. he looks at the remaining members of the team at the table— jun, wonwoo, yanan, jieqiong, and nayoung— who slyly looked at him in return, having listened to their conversation and were definitely all nervous about what to do.

"...alright, then." he said. "we're going to be toured around the hotel anyway. it's best to escape in a few minutes."

wonwoo climbs up the ballroom stairs and lounges around in the balcony, a glass of iced tea in hand. pretends to, at least, because he's actually panicking inwardly and already about to burn the building down if he can't find one of his friends.

"dk, where are you?" wonwoo speaks into his earpiece. the guests below were already mingling around, dancing, and dispersing to the exhibition halls. "we need to do the thing."

"already?" came a huff from the other end. "wait, i'm– kinda in a– sticky situation right now!"

"i know, i know," wonwoo said. "seungcheol's going to come over there."

a clang. seokmin groans, then another clang comes through again. wonwoo's eyebrows are scrunched together, deep in thought as to what the hell they're probably doing on the other side. "i can't go! tell seungcheol to s—"

and he's cut off with static. wonwoo exhales sharply through his nose and eyes the ballroom below.

he sees junhui raise an eyebrow at him from their table. wonwoo lingers around for a few more minutes, then swiftly moves down the stairs. he's by junhui's side in an instant, whispering something in jun's ear.

"we're pulling off the diamond heist now." wonwoo said. jun gives him a look, but wonwoo only continues further. "go do it."

jun huffs. "why me?"

"because people are looking, probably wondering why the same people from table number thirteen are constantly going in and out of the venue," wonwoo softly hisses. "come on, jun, fuck shit up."