⚊ chapter two
There were seven of them, of course.
His older friends would always be a step behind him. I recognized them all for being in the same school and it didn't help they were all popular along the girl beside Ni-ki.
He rested up the tall lifeguard's chair while still talking to the cutest girl in school. To my knowledge, the sister of his bestfriend, Kim Sunhee and the girl he hugged in front of the whole school at that one game, where everybody speculated that he may or may not have feelings for her.
It was a controversial gossip since we all know she's the girlfriend of Lee Heeseung.
How cliche it is to have a crush on your friend's girl.
Sunhee said something to him, causing him to look down at her. He grinned happily.
"Think there's up to that grin of his?", I asked Rei.
"You're at it again", she said, "You're joining the gossip you shouldn't even be caring about when you could focus on the fun here"
She motioned to the crowd of students surrounding us. They were most likely the same people who watched things go down if a drama were to happen between the three.
There's nothing a school population liked than a scandalous fights of two boys over one girl. It rarely happens though, so any scoop they could get, they were reveling in it.
I snorted, taking an unopened beer from Rei's hand.
"Here's your chance to fight for me, Dongpyo", I said, but he was already off on the prowl.
We spotted him on the other side of the fire pit, smiling his best smile to some members of the basketball team this time. He's popular to being one of the gossip prince in our school.
It's no surprise he's a part of the school newspaper, not an editor but one of the reporters, always there to spread around in order to broadcast something news. Sometimes we were even the ones worried for him.
What if one caught the wind of him and confront him about it?
He doesn't have to worry though, he just need to tell me the name and I would show the taste of why I'd been going to the gym lately.
We took our place beside him and he introduced us to his new friends.
The guys was cute, but nobody I would be willing to associate myself to. I have my crush on someone in the newspaper club anyway.
"Do you think they have a sister my age? Or a female friend?", Rei whispered, causing me to almost choke on my beer.
"Are you not vibing with any of them?", I asked.
She shrugged, "No one look my type. I'm just going to find Liz", she said and disappeared with Chenle.
I didn't blame Rei for being true to herself.
But if I had to choose any of the boys in our year, only one caught my attention. His name was Jungwon, also a friend of Ni-ki. He had red hair a few days ago and his dimpled smile was rather welcoming.
If I had to guess, he was on the higher section, so I couldn't share any classes with him.
Throughout the conversation of Dongpyo to the basketball team, I kept glancing to the shore where Jungwon is playing around with Jay and Sunghoon, a beach volleyball minus for the net.
When he would catch me staring for being near them, I averted my eyes like I didn't care or wasn't interested. Although it made my stomach flutter to see him noticing, I didn't let my emotions show on my face.
I knew he would try to talk to me to see if there's something wrong because it worked every time.
As predicted after Sunghoon calls for a break, he finally turned and spoke, "I didn't know the ex-student council president is one to party"
I simply furrowed my brows at the reminder, "I'm still a human, I knew how to have some fun"
"Does your cousin knows you're here?", he asked. I peered over his shoulder to see Sunghoon is too busy dumping a mixed-up alcohol down the water to notice me.
I tipped my almost empty beer towards Jungwon, "You? Why are you here? The last time I talked to you, you said you're not one to drink"
"I'm here to have fun with my friends", he said as a matter of fact and I formed my mouth into 'O' shape.
He stared in silence. The lapping waves made much more aware of my current mental state - tipsy. My aunt would find me vomiting in the bathroom by the time she came from work.
I couldn't tell what Jungwon is getting at, or if he wanted me to speak. He scanned the beach while I rocked back and fort in my heels, finishing my drink.
"So bloody girl, I heard you had another encounter with our Ni-ki?"
"For the record, it's his fault", I corrected.
"Wow, I would've never guessed", he shows his pretty teeth, looking like a cat, "What made you come to this party? Him?"
I pretend to choke at his meaning as he laughed, "I'm here to forget"
"To forget huh? To forget about the ball in your face or about what you did to him after?"
I snorted at the irony, "He deserves it for not saying a single apology", I said sarcastically, neglecting to mentioned that Ni-ki did.
He did after I give him a bloody nose in return.
The memory of it caused me to look at Ni-ki. The girl he might like is now on Heeseung's lap at their own small fire and he looked upset of the two. My expression contorted into a disgust.
Why am I even watching his own dilemmas?
I tossed my bottle into the trash can, which was a few feet away from us. It fell into the can with a clank and Jungwon gaped, "Oh shit, you've got a good throw. You should be my partner at our beach ball game"
Nervous laughter poured out of me, "I don't pla -"
"She would be honored to", Dongpyo placed his hands on my shoulders, squeezing, "You can get closer to him this way", he whispered, "Here's your felix felicis"
Felix felicis. In regards to my love for Harry Potter, the liquid luck.
He placed a red solo cup, brimming with alcohol in my hand. I tried casting a deadpan look at him, but a smile was forming in my face.
Is he my wingman now? Not that I'm serious about Yang Jungwon. I just find him cute. That's it.
Jungwon held his hand out. An inviting grin danced on his lips.
I looked at his palm, then give in. He guided me towards the spot they managed to get for themselves alone where his friends are looking up at our arrival.
For one, Sunhee is giving me a smile as I caught her eyes. She really is cute, I can't blame that annoying boy if he likes her.
"We're totally going to win this", Jungwon said as we approached, "Let me see if they were ready for another round"
He left my side, walking to where Kim Sunoo sat at a plastic chair and working to ignite the fire some more. Jungwon leaned in, whisperimg. I observed as the guy looked in my direction, and then nodded.
An awkward feeling bubbled inside of me, I remembered this one was dying out of laughters after the pool incident.
Jungwon returned, "We just have to wait for the others who'd like to join"
I was sub par at playing any sport games, so I don't know why the hell he even asked me. However despite of my short comings, I'm good at hand coordination and could fake it to be good in this beach volleyball.
"We need a team name", he rested a hand on my shoulder.
I resisted the laugh to come out at what he said, "Is that even a thing?"
"How about...", Jungwon paused, staring down at me, "...we named ourselved the nose busters?"
I knew I would regret this decision to play with him.
"Oh fuck no", he suddenly swore after looking behind me, "We're up against that boy"
My eyes followed his gaze to the ones walking up to us. I blinked at the sight of the familiar annoying face, you've got to be kidding me, I thought and prayed I would be safe for tonight.
Ni-ki didn't seem remotely interested on who he was up against.
He just wore the biggest smirk on his face upon seeing me. Smooth, Minji, very smooth.
Despite of him not saying anything, he could always command the attention of the others.
I hated the way it made my stomach quiver to see him this close.
⚊ next chapter
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