Here I Lie // ATEEZ ✔

- 2 -

Gathering on a Saturday morning in front of the company building is never a happy occasion for the young men and today is no different, except that their luggage and backpacks are dropped at their feet. Yeosang and Seonghwa seem to be the most eager ones at the thought of going on the trip, seeing how they seem to have packed heavy, the only two who brought lugagge with them. These two are the most fashionable too, and Hongjoong tries to hide his surprise as it's the first time he sees his assistant walking up the pavement with a dark blue jacket on his shoulders, thrown over a printed sleeveless shirt tucked into a pair of faded jeans. Yeosang, pink-haired, dons on a choker, the point of his look, while he wears a short-sleeved shirt and pants that hugs his thighs a bit too tightly.

"They look like they're going to the runway and not to the beach," Mingi comments as he scratches his head. "It doesn't help that the two of them are known as statues in the company."

"Statues?" Hongjoong says, a little bit amused by the fact. "Why?"

"Because they look like one?" Yunho offers, and Mingi nods.

The rest are a bit dressed down, wearing flip-flops and having their sunglasses hooked to the collars of their polo shirts. Yunho and Hongjoong opt for shorts, while Jongho and Mingi chose longer pants. Winter is approaching, so the atmosphere is starting to get cold and people passing by are wondering what business do they have wearing attires like they are ready for the beach in front of the company. They ignore the weird stares they get as Yeosang and Seonghwa join them. Yeosang brushes out strands of hair that cover his eyes while Seonghwa takes off the jacket that he has been shouldering and lays it on top of his luggage.

"You know we're only staying there for one night?" Hongjoong asks. "Park Seonghwa, what on earth did you bring?"

"It's none of your business, Mr. Kim."

The rest snicker when they see his expression of disbelief when his assistant answers back to him, but Hongjoong reminds himself that they are going on a trip together and there would be no use fighting back against him. He only glares at his assistant, who seems to already snap out of it, realizing that he had said something that he shouldn't, and shy away from his boss. Seonghwa dares not think about the consequences of his sharp reply, and he feels relief as Yunho starts getting their attention by clapping his hands enthusiastically. He will think about it later, maybe when he sits by the beach and think about how his life is basically a spiraling staircase that is going deeper down into the abyss.

"Since everyone is here it's best that we start our journey now since it's going to take around two hours to reach there. Choi Jongho will be our driver for today."

Yunho throws over the keys to the minivan parked by the road to his own assistant, and the latter grabs it swiftly before dashing off to get comfortable in the driver's seat. The youngest adjusts the seat, checks the mirrors and makes sure that he knows where everything is. The rest help with loading the luggage and backpacks in the carboot, then they file into the vehicle one by one, with Hongjoong and Seonghwa quietly fighting on who gets the seat near the window behind the driver. Yeosang sidesteps them and plops there instead, leaving the two grown men grumbling and taking whatever seats that are left. Yunho gets on the passenger seat in front, and he passes a paper with an address to Jongho. He punches in the address into the navigator, with it telling them it will take around 2 hours.

Before Jongho is about to release the handbrake, Yunho turns to the others behind and utters, "Is it fine if during this trip we drop all the honorifics and talk casually with each other? We can address each other by our first names, since we are all around the same age anyway."

Hongjoong seems like he is about to protest, but sinks back in his seat with a forced agreement when the rest gives their approval in unison. Yunho smiles as he hears this before turning back to the front and eyeing the navigator. "Alright then, let's get going."