cold | junhao

三十七

"Are you sure this isn't done up too tightly?"

Minghao frowns, trying to pull the laser-tag vest away from his chest and breathe deeply through the pressure sitting on his chest.

Jun nods with a light chuckle. "It's the biggest size they have." He pulls another over his head, the centre lighting up a different colour to Minghao's. Six other people crowd around the racks—a group of teenagers who are thankfully only a couple of years younger than Jun. He was convinced they'd be playing with a bunch of little children.

Minghao huffs, still fiddling with the straps and trying to pull them loose. "Have you done this before?"

Nodding as they walk into the room where they'll be told how to play, Jun leans over to speak lowly in Minghao's ear. "Back when we were all in High school, Chan, Jeonghan, Seokmin and I used to play at least twice a month." He chuckles fondly, "It hasn't happened for a while, since Jeonghan started competing just after he graduated."

"So you're going to thrash me?"

A smirk slowly appearing on his face, Jun nudges Minghao with his arm. "You want me to answer that?"

"No."

Face flaming red, Minghao refuses to look at Jun and instead concentrates on the staff member stood at the front of the small room, going over safety procedures and the rules in a dull, empty toned voice. Once she's finished, the group of eight split into two teams, and Minghao ends up with two girls, one with long dark braids and a lip piercing who introduces herself as Ria, and the other with a short bob and wearing a pair of platform boots that Minghao's sure would break his toes with the littlest amount of pressure.

After quickly introducing himself to them as well as the other boy—Minsoo—on their team, the four of them are let through a double door while Jun's group disappear through a different entrance.

The lack of solid lighting messes with Minghao's eyes at first, but eventually he gets used to how he can only just see outlines of 'buildings' around him, yet his pale overalls are glowing under the blacklight.

The three others drag Minghao off to a far corner, ready and waiting for when the game starts.

As soon as they hear the alarm sound, the others disappear and Minghao is left to run round the back of one of the buildings. He crouches as low as he can, running up a ramp and stopping where he's mostly hidden—save for a window that gives him view of an open area.

The game is supposed to last for fifteen minutes, and for the first half Minghao stays in his hiding spot, managing to snipe member's of Jun's team in the chest, leaving them to stare in a circle in confusion as their vest goes dark for thirty seconds. When he doesn't see Jun once during that time, Minghao leaves the safety of his cover and wanders around the arena, his feet padding silently against the floor.

He makes it about ten feet before a hand grabs his arm, yanking him back, and Minghao just meets Jun's eyes before he crashes their lips together.

Although it's short-lived, there's something feverish about the way Jun's fist grips Minghao's jumper as he presses him further into a corner.

When they pull apart, Minghao barely has time to open his mouth and question him before Jun shoots him square in the chest and sprints off, a devilish grin just visible on his face under the low lighting.

Listening to the elder's loud, cackling laugh, Minghao's mouth hangs open as he stares after him for a few seconds. His thoughts finally returning to him, Minghao closes his mouth and bolts after Jun, chasing the glowing coral top through the expanse of the arena.