nightfall || minsung

Epilogue 4

~ 2010, Hyunjin's POV ~

"A little over, Channie."

Chan moved the blanket to the left.

"That's too far — back to the right."

He moved the blanket an itty-bitty inch to the right.

I tilted my head, holding my fingers up in front of my face. "Why doesn't it look right?"

"Because Jisung made it," Seungmin called. "It looks like a square chewed up and shitted out."

"I don't think it was a square to begin with," Jeongin added.

"Quit making fun of my sewing," Jisung snapped. "Hyunjin, is this enough balloons yet?"

"You've only done, like, forty-seven. Keep going. Think of the greater good."

"What greater good?"

I rolled my eyes, dropping my head back. "The aesthetic, Bert. Today is magical — can't you feel it in the air?" I paused for effect. "It's your wedding day! I've been waiting for this for literally years!"

"A little weird," Jisung murmured, "but I don't wanna piss you off since you're in charge of the thing."

"Good plan. Alrighty, Chan, fold Jisung's blanket into something square. Jisung, Changbin, Seungmin, keep on top of the balloons — oh my God, someone grab Kokoa before she gets fur all over the blankets!"

Jeongin scooped her up into his arms. I admit it was sweet that Minho and Jisung brought their cat-child to the wedding, but the sheer number of times she had sent me into a panic today was making me wish they had left her behind.

"You know she's still gonna get fur on the blankets however many times you stop her," Changbin said.

"If anything, you're just giving her a challenge." Jisung let a half-filled balloon whiz away as the cat climbed into his lap.

"Unfortunately for her, I like a challenge, too." I hunkered down to her height. "Are you listening to me? I will never give up. I will destroy you."

"You're talking to an animal," Haseong said.

"She gets it." I straightened out. "Everyone, hold still, I wanna take a picture." I held the camera to my eye, clicked the button. Changbin's eyes were closed and Chan had a balloon stuck on his face. Good enough.

"Haseong, Jeongin," I said, "c'mere."

The three of us trekked into the trees and crouched behind a bush. I peeked out to make sure Minho wasn't spying on us before I spoke.

"You mind running over to get the surprise now? I hid it in Changbin's watchtower. We shouldn't wait any longer — someone might miss the beginning of the ceremony." I shuddered.

"We'll run over," said Haseong. "Do we really need to be this secretive? Jisung's in the know."

"Jisung is nosy and couldn't butt out. At least it'll be a surprise for Minho and the guests. Lord thundering Jesus, I'm so nervous to see his parents again. Is that weird?"

"Yes," said Jeongin.

"Did you leave the boombox in the turret, too? And the CD?" Haseong chewed on his upper lip. "I'm not really, you know, with it when it comes to the youths' music."

"But you know what a CD looks like, right?"

"Do I? I don't even know anymore."

"Jeongin, you should go with him," I said. "Don't worry yourselves — nothing's gone wrong yet."