It was weird. Seeing Jeongin with Felix prancing around him. It was like the impossible had suddenly come true. Sure, Jeongin only lived an hour away, but before he had existed in his own little bubble away from all of Hyunjin's other friends, and now? Hyunjin wasn't sure how to feel. His two worlds were being smashed together against his will and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Hyunjin watched as Chan wrapped an arm around Jeongin and began to lead him through the house. An internal tug caused Hyunjin to dash forward and grab Jeongin's hand, claiming the young boy with bear ears. Chan loosened his hold but continued to lead them through different rooms, introducing people along the way.
Hyunjin wasn't sure why this was happening. He was very capable of telling Jeongin who was who. He also knew Jeongin could easily introduce himself. He was good at things like that. Hyunjin had never figured out how he could just walk up and start talking to people, but it was amazing, that's for sure.
However, not doing the talking gave Hyunjin a chance to watch all of Jeongin's reactions. Hyunjin had shown him pictures of Felix and the others from Felix's Instagram, but some of them Jeongin had never seen. They were also dressed up, so Changbin didn't really fit Jeongin's perception of him, let alone Seungmin. Jeongin seemed bewildered by the experience since he kept glancing at Hyunjin to confirm who he was talking to based on all the stories he had heard.
Thankfully the ordeal didn't last long and Chan left Jeongin to Hyunjin beside the TV.
"You weren't kidding. Everything makes sense now." Jeongin lifted his eyebrows at the couple across the room that was stacked again, Minho feeding Jisung gummy eyeballs. He leaned against the doorframe, an amused smile on his face.
"There's no way I could make all of that up and you know it."
"But to see them literally on top of each other, and I didn't expect Seungmin to be cute! You always make him out to be some monster while you squeal on and on about his nephew." Jeongin rolled his eyes and pushed off the doorframe and walked towards the food, Hyunjin following behind.
"His appearance isn't important when he's being annoying."
"I think we'd get along." Jeongin dipped a serving spoon into the popcorn while sending a smug grin at Hyunjin.
"I already told you that you would." Hyunjin scowled.
"But the confirmation makes it even better. You have no idea what you've done by introducing us." Jeongin winked and walked his way over to the couch with his cup of popcorn.
"If I wake up to worms in my bed again, I will kill you!" Jeongin threw his head back in laughter.
"Who are we killing?" Minho piped up.
"No one as long as people behave," Hyunjin said, glaring in Jeongin's direction.
"Oh, darn. I was gonna join." Jisung slapped Minho, but they still shared a silly set of smiles.
Jeongin's eyes widened as he made a show of shuffling on the couch and scrunching himself into the side. Jisung rolled off his boyfriend and into Jeongin's space.
"I promise he won't actually kill you, 'cause then I'd have to kill him and he wouldn't like that very much."
"Oh look, a bug."
Jisung and Hyunjin squealed at Minho's monotone words. Jisung climbed fully onto the couch and into a small ball as he yelled at Minho to kill it. Hyunjin jumped onto the arm of the couch, wrapping his arms and legs around Jeongin.
The two boys looked around frantically, trying to locate the insect until Minho's high-pitched laughter caught their attention. Jisung groaned and uncurled from his ball while Hyunjin just relaxed into Jeongin.
"Babe, that's not funny!"
Minho shrugged, "You were talking about killing me."
"So you brought up bugs? You know how much I hate bugs!"
"Well, I hate death."
"How dare you say such a thing at a Halloween party!" Chan spoke seemingly out of thin air, making the two scaredy cats jump again. "The ice cream bar is set up-"
"Channie! I have cookies!" Felix waltzed into the room, cookies sliding all over a serving plate. Chan was quick to grab it and place it safely on the table.
"Phew! Thanks, Lixie. Now go get Binnie and Minnie so I can tell everyone that things are ready."
"Okay!" The boy grabbed his wings and 'flew' back to the kitchen, appearing moments later with not only Changbin and Seungmin but also the children in tow.
"Alright, welcome everyone. Anything goes while you're here. The only thing you must do is vote for best costume," Chan pointed to a jar to the left of the food, "and the only thing you must not do is wake the ghost of my great grandmother that lives upstairs."
"But-" Soonbin tried to interrupt, but Chan put a quick finger to his lips.
"So...let the games begin." Chan raised his eyebrows and dimmed the lights.
And then chaos broke loose. How could one sentence make it this loud? Since when did Minho want to carve a pumpkin so bad he had to scream it in Jeongin's ear? Didn't he know that would make Felix scream and Changbin panic? And was Chan an idiot? They were trying to contain Felix and he chooses to put on Just Dance? Not to mention the children running around the living room growling and meowing.
Hyunjin shook his head and curled closer to Jeongin as he watched Jisung get dragged out of the house by his boyfriend. He then watched a similar situation with Felix dragging Changbin. The sight of Felix with a knife was a bit alarming, but at least now it was quieter. Hyunjin sighed and placed his head on Jeongin's shoulder.
"How much you wanna bet I can get a perfect score on that?" Jeongin asked the koala behind him, nodding to the TV screen that was showing the album cover for the Ghostbusters theme song.
"50 bucks." Came Seungmin's voice from beside the couch. Hyunjin jumped for the third time that night.
"Really?" Jeongin gave his new acquaintance wide eyes.
"You're not gonna succeed, so sure."
"What does that mean?"
Seungmin shrugged, "I'll believe it when I see it."
A glint came into Jeongin's eyes. One that didn't really match his tan bear ears and honey pot, and one that Hyunjin knew the boy would regret.
"You're on!" Jeongin said as he untangled himself from Hyunjin and stumbled his way to the TV.
Hyunjin slid down the arm of the couch and took Jeongin's spot while Seungmin plopped himself beside him.
"Look at him. He can't even walk straight." Seungmin's words were directed at Hyunjin, but he didn't try to muffle them.
"That's 'cause that bean pole was attached to me!" Jeongin retorted, slipping the controller strap onto his wrist and sending Seungmin a glare. Maybe getting along wouldn't happen right away.
"Yeah, yeah. Excuses." Jeongin scowled again but turned away from Seungmin to start his first attempt.
Hyunjin was honestly curious about how well Jeongin would do. Since he wasn't much of a dancer himself, he had no room to judge. But he knew Jeongin, and Jeongin struggled in the coordination department. The number of times Hyunjin had watched him trip over air couldn't be counted.
That's why it wasn't surprising when the 5000 flashed on the screen. He hadn't fallen over, but Jeongin just couldn't keep up. He huffed and puffed from exhaustion and annoyance.
"That's what I thought." Seungmin climbed off the couch and strutted to the screen, pushing Jeongin to the side. "Let me show you how it's done."
Now that was unexpected. Jeongin and Hyunjin looked at each other with wide eyes. Seungmin had never shown interest in anything that required movement. Hyunjin had never heard of him playing sports, and he usually read when he brought Jeongwoo to the park. Not that Hyunjin had mentioned dance class to him nor was the video game overly complicated. It was just weird.
His giddy smile lit up the dim room and his angelic voice made silly exclamations along with the song. However, despite the silliness, he got every move right. It was almost like he had memorized it.
When the 12000 made its appearance, Jeongin was beyond annoyed.
"That's not a perfect score either!"
"I didn't say it was." Seungmin shrugged, eyebrows raised in a teasing manner.
Jeongin stuck his hand out and gestured for Seungmin to give him the controller.
"I will do it. By the end of the night, it will happen." His tone made it sound like he somehow had control of the future. However, even with control of the future, he didn't have control of Seungmin who kept pestering him each time he tried to start the dance. So much so that the poor boy sent Hyunjin a pleading gaze a few minutes later. Hyunjin rolled his eyes, but still got off the couch and dragged Seungmin away.
"Thank you! I understand now!" Jeongin called after them.
Seungmin glanced at Hyunjin, who avoided eye contact and just pulled the other boy down on the couch with him.
"What does that mean?" There was no way to tell Seungmin that his cuteness didn't cover any part of his annoying personality without him getting mad, so Hyunjin decided to steer the conversation in a different direction.
"I was telling him that you are like a puppy and he didn't believe me."
"Out of everything you could tell him about me, that's what you chose?"
"That and Jeongwoo."
"Ah, right. Can't forget that you like my nephew more than me."
"Sorry, you're not as cute." Hyunjin grimaced, expecting a harsh comeback, but it never came. Instead, Seungmin shrugged.
"Cute was never my goal."
"Having fun?" Once again, Hyunjin jumped and clung onto the nearest human. Seungmin let out a weird sound as Chan popped his head up from behind the couch.
"Can you stop doing that?"
"It's a Halloween party!" Chan protested.
"Then scare Jisung or something, not me!" Hyunjin felt there was enough chaos as it was. He didn't need Chan doing more on purpose.
"Yo, whoever is in charge of Dark Boy, you need to go collect him. He's ruining the mood out there." Chan's new target rounded the corner, wiping his slimy hands on some paper towels.
"What is he doing?" It could be any number of things. Hyunjin wouldn't be surprised if he started a fight.
"He won't freakin' let Felix carve his own pumpkin!" Jisung complained, nearing the couch. "I get the running around with a knife thing-"
"The what?" Chan exclaimed, shooting up from his hiding spot. Jisung spazzed, holding a hand to his chest.
"What the heck, dude? Don't do that!"
"You said Felix was running with a knife?" Jisung rolled his eyes and walked over to the ice cream bar.
"Calm down, Dad. He didn't get hurt. But now Changbin won't let him hold the knife at all!"
Chan leaned on the back of the couch. "I wouldn't either."
Jisung slapped some ice cream into an orange bowl and sighed.
"Then you better find something else for him to do, because there's only so much whining Minho and I can endure." Jisung doused his ice cream in sprinkles and set the container down harshly, causing the sprinkles to jump up and make a mess on the table. Jisung acted like he didn't notice and moved on to the chocolate syrup.
"Just give him a sharpie." Seungmin piped up from the couch. Jisung side-eyed him as he plopped a few gummy bears on the top of his chocolate mountain.
"How will that help?" He asked, turning around and stirring his ice cream so the chocolate was mixed in and the sprinkles created colorful designs.
"He can draw on a pumpkin and make it look cool while Changbin carves. It'll distract him."
"But permanent marker?" Chan looked wary.
"Better permanent marker than permanent knife."
"You have a point." And with that, Chan picked up the sharpie by the cups and headed outside.
Jisung trailed along behind him, eying Jeongin who was breathing heavily at the glowing 7500 on the screen. He didn't say anything, but the raised eyebrows and light scoff he gave before leaving the room told it all.
Jeongin rolled his tongue around in his mouth and clicked the song again. Not everyone at this party could be better at this than him!
The music cued, and this time, the children ran into the room and joined Jeongin. Hyunjin didn't know where they had been or what they had been doing, but after the song and the flashing 8000, Minsoo hopped over to Hyunjin and poured some skeleton bones on his lap.
"What is this?"
"The bones we're collecting! There are 16 pieces in this house and we have 8." Hyunjin nodded along to Minsoo's excitement.
"What happens when you find them all?"
"Well we have to put them together, then we get a special prize! Soonie's mom won't let us see it though." Soonbin came up behind her and growled. She looked behind her, unfazed by the weird noise. They seemed to communicate telepathically as no sounds or gestures were made that Hyunjin could see.
"It seems my partner has found something. Can I leave these with you?" Hyunjin nodded with an amused smile and watched the children run out of the room.
"You really like kids, don't you?" And there it was. The creepy whisper. Hyunjin squealed for at least the fourth time that night. "I've literally been beside you this whole time. Why did that scare you?"
"If you weren't so sleazy about it, it wouldn't matter!"
"I was try-"
"Okay, everyone shut up and get me a towel!" Jisung yelled through the house, stomping into the living room, Minho close behind. Hyunjin fought the urge to laugh. Crazy things happened so fast around here.
The ice cream that had once been in Jisung's bowl was now all over his face. It dripped unceremoniously onto his poodle skirt, the sprinkles making random designs on his cheeks and forehead.
"Ji, I offered to get it for you." Minho placed a hand on Jisung's arm but was quickly shrugged off. He sighed and moved around the boy and towards the kitchen.
"What was that sound? Was it the wind? Maybe it was my jerk of a boyfriend trying to apologize again after he DUNKED MY HEAD IN ICE CREAM."
"I already said I was sorry!" Minho reiterated from the entrance to the kitchen.
"Never mind. It was just the wind." Jisung said to the TV. He crossed his arms and froze as if waiting for something. "Why is nobody moving? And is the bear still trying to win this song? Can't you just give up?"
Minho came back into the room with a damp towel, cautiously approaching Jisung. He whispered something before gently leading Jisung by the elbow and guiding him to sit on the coffee table. Jisung hummed in contentment when the towel brushed over his face. Minho smiled and folded the towel over before continuing his task. All was well and good until Minho frowned.
"Babe, did you bring your lipstick?"
"No."
"Oh."
"What?"
"Um, I may have found a really good makeup remover." He was right. The warm towel and ice cream had smoothly removed every ounce of makeup from Jisung's face. Jisung's eyebrows scrunched together.
"Did you do that on purpose?" Minho looked away and scratched his nape.
"What do you mean?"
"So you dunked my head in ice cream just so you could take off my makeup because apparently you think I'm prettier without it?" Hyunjin choked on his spit from a few feet away.
"So what if I did?"
"We were trying to win the costume contest!"
"What does your lipstick have to do with that?"
"It completes the outfit! Duh!"
"Then why am I not wearing lipstick?"
"Because you're a greaser, you don't wear lipstick! How many times do I have to explain this?"
"Okay, fine. If you're so upset about it, I bet Chan has something you can borrow."
"You think so?"
"He turned himself green, so maybe." Jisung's face turned mischievous as he glanced over at the stairs.
"Let's find out." He stood up from the table and instead of going to find Chan, he beelined up the stairs. Minho just smirked and walked over to the drinks, pouring himself some punch. Hyunjin and Seungmin shared a look, not sure what was happening.
"Bleh! What the heck is this stuff?" The pair turned to see Minho choking on his drink, "Is Chan trying to kill us?"
"Is it really that bad?"
"You come try it! It tastes like straight blood! I can feel the iron seeping into my veins."
"There's no way," Seungmin stood up in a cocky manner and made his way over to the bowl.
"I'm telling the truth when I say it's bad." Minho watched with curious eyes as Seungmin poured himself a drink. Seungmin grinned and knocked his cup on Minho's head.
"Cheers." He said before tipping the cup and downing half of it. A grimace came over his features as he stuck out his tongue. "Yeah, no."
"I told you!"
"You guys are a bunch of babies," Hyunjin said as he strode over to the drinks now. He shook his head and filled a cup, determined to prove he wasn't scared of everything. However, the moment the beverage hit his tongue, he tasted it. The onion. He squirmed but took another sip. His shoulders wiggled, but he swallowed again. He rubbed his tongue on the top of his mouth to get rid of the taste, but for some reason still downed the rest of the drink. He set down the cup and grinned proudly at the other two.
"Well, we know who the vampire is."
Hyunjin wanted to retort but didn't get time as Felix ran inside with his pumpkin.
"Jinnie!!! Look at my pumpkin! It looks like Binnie!" Felix skipped up to him and put the small pumpkin in his face. The drawing was of a triangle with hair and a smile. The eyes were squinty and the nose was just a little line in the center. Hyunjin giggled at the drawing and patted Felix's head.
"It's cute, Lixie." Felix nuzzled into Hyunjin's hand but soon skipped away to find a place for his pumpkin Binnie to live.
A disheveled Changbin came in soon after, blonde wig tangled and the tips of his dress dyed brown. He glanced at Jeongin's sweaty face and beelined for the kitchen.
The rest of the night was a bit of a blur for Hyunjin. He remembered a huge scream from upstairs and Minho laughing his tail off. He remembered Felix finding some skeleton bones with the kids and them putting the pieces together on the couch. He remembered Minho kicking Jeongin away from the TV when he had gotten annoyed with the repetitious music, but not before proving he could dance by getting that perfect score Jeongin had so wanted. And lastly, he remembered somehow voting for best costume before curling up into Jeongin and watching a scary movie with everyone else.
Why these specific events stood out, Hyunjin couldn't tell you. Maybe they were significant enough that his brain found them worth remembering, the movie did make it hard to sleep after all. But the following day, he found out he didn't notice quite a lot.
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Wow, that was long!
Anyway, I'm not dead, and I still love you all!