AS SOON AS CHOI MISO'S BODY WAS SUBMERGED INTO THE BLUE WATER, SHE FELT AS IF HER LIFE HAD BEEN SUCKED FROM HER.
The mix of the warm and cold temperatures made Miso's heartbeat pound against her chest, her lungs felt tight — almost like she was starved of air — and her ears muffled all sounds around her. For a moment, she had forgotten where she was. She felt relaxed and at peace with her eyes shut tightly, though that was snatched away from her as she was pulled back up for air.
Immediately, she heard the laughter of her friends and she let out a long gasp, desperate to take in the fresh air. She reached up and rubbed the salty water from her eyes before looking around for Niki, who had pulled her up.
He was beside her with a wide, boxy smile on his lips as he watched her let out a few coughs. His hair was wet, and hanging loosely in front of his eyes, his collarbones were prominent above the surface, and he had droplets of water slipping down his neck.
He looked attractive, and Miso found herself at a loss for words as stated back at him. He really was perfect.
She was pulled from her trance as Niki wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him, her arms instantly wrapping around his neck and the same for her legs, which went around his waist.
"Fun, right?" Niki chuckled, looking at her as he moved a few wet strands of hair from Miso's face.
"I guess," Miso scoffed out a laugh, a smile tugging at her lips as the excitement from being around the Nishimura boy sunk in. "Apart from the thought of possibly dying though." She shrugged, and Niki rolled his eyes, leaning in a kissing her cheek, lovingly.
"Chicken time!" The couple heard Ria exclaim, and without any say, Miso was quickly hauled up onto Niki's shoulders.
Her eyes widened and a squeal left her lips as her body was now out of the water and exposed to everyone else — but she didn't care. She was having the time of her life with her friends.
"You're going down, Choi." Ria, who was now on Sunghoon's shoulders, glared her eyes at Miso with a warning tone lacing her voice. All the younger girl could do was chuckle and shake her head.
"The only thing going down after this is your ego, and that's after your shoved back into the water." Miso shrugged, smirking slightly at Ria.
Miso couldn't help but feel herself cringe at her own words, but she quickly ignored it as she focused on the boys' 'ooos' and cheers, and before anyone knew it, the game had begun.
Never in Choi Miso's seventeen years of living, did she think she would have as much fun as she was having now, but as she felt Niki's grip on her thighs tighten the more she pushed at the Sim girl, and she heard the groups laughter surrounding her ears and felt Jungwon and Jake splash water at them, she no longer thought like that. She was having the time of her life, and she didn't want that to change.
Once Ria's body submerged into the water, and everyone cheered for Miso's victory, the group played around for a little while longer, splashing each other and dunking one another under water, they eventually got out and headed back up to the cliff top.
They listened to the radio they brought that was playing the latest hits as they lounged around on their towels, trying to dry off. Miso had her head resting on Niki's thighs, whilst he had his hands running through her damp hair, joining in on the jokes that were thrown about constantly.
"We should do something fun." Sunoo suggested, sitting up from his towel. His jet black hair was no longer wet, nor was his lean body, and he had his black sunglasses resting on the top of his head.
"This is fun, Sunoo." Jay spoke up from his spot on his towel that was by a tree that provided shade from the hot sunlight. He was also wearing a pair of sunglasses, however unlike Sunoo's ones, they were covering his eyes and he had his arms resting behind the back of his head as he sunbathed. "This is the life."
"For you it is," Sunoo huffed, rolling his eyes, before turning away from Jay and over to his other friends with a wide grin on his lips. "We should go to the arcade!"
Immediately, Miso sat up from Niki's lap, nodding her eyes with a smile on her face, agreeing with the Kim boy. "We should, it'll be fun!"
After managing to persuade Jay Park, who was adamant on staying and getting a tan, the group of Greasers got back into the cars once packing away their things and headed towards the shopping centers arcade.
Once arriving and getting inside of the room filled with games, Miso instantly interlocked her fingers with Niki's fingers and began dragging him throughout the arcade, taking him to one game to the next.
It was fun and it felt like they were on a date as they kept with one another, which they liked.
They didn't manage to go on dates often, and so as Niki won one of the games, he made a promise to take Choi Miso on many more dates in the future.
"Oh, Niki, let's have a go at Spacewar!" Miso excitedly suggested, pointing over to the game with the hand that wasn't holding onto Niki's one.
Without a doubt, the Nishimura boy nodded his head in agreement, laughing at her excitment and they began to head over in the direction of it. Anything to make Choi Miso happy.
However, as they walked hand in hand, minding their business, Miso failed to notice the tall figure before her, causing her to walk into their back.
A grunt escaped past Miso's lips as she took a step up and reached her hand up to inspect her now pained nose.
"I'm sorry." The Choi girl apologized, looking up at the person that had turned around in anger, and as soon as their eyes locked, she felt her breathing hitch and her hand squeeze Niki's hand in fear.
"Miso?" Choi Beomgyu questioned with furrowed brows and a look of disgust. "What the hell?" He scoffed, and his eyes glanced over at Niki, looking him up and down, his eyes landing on their held hands, instantly making his eyes enlarge in fury.
"You're dating this lowlife?"
"Shut your trap, Beomgyu," Miso spat, fed up of her brothers attitude. She could date whoever she wanted without him having an opinion on it. "Go do one."
"I thought you changed, Miso." Beomgyu stated in disappointment. "Clearly not." He shook his head, clenching his jaw as he continued to look his sister up and down.
By now, the couple had been joined by their friends and almost everyone else who had decided to visit the arcade that summer afternoon. Beomgyu was causing a scene as usual, and Miso hated it.
The Choi boy reached his hand forward and angrily latched it onto Miso's wrist, attempting to pull her out of Niki's grasp and away from the Greasers all together. He despised seeing her with them. He was a Soc, and she was his sister — therefore meaning she was also a Soc, not some greasy, lowlife criminal.
"Back off." Niki demanded, a glint of anger in his dark eyes as he pulled Miso back towards him and away from her brother. "She ain't going anywhere with a Bitch like you."
Straight away, as soon as the words left Niki's mouth, Beomgyu's eyes widened in rage and his nostrils flared and he took a step towards Niki. "What did you call me, Punk? Huh?"
Beomgyu reached his hands out, about to grip the collar Niki's jacket and pull the younger boy closer to him in a threatening manner, though before he had the chance to, Miso stepped in front of Niki and shoved Beomgyu back by pushing his chest.
"Just go, Beomgyu," Miso ordered, fed up of her brother always ruining everything. She couldn't deal with him any longer. "I never want to see you again!"
A scoff passed the Choi boys lips as he stumbled back in shock. His sister had never stuck up for herself like that before... and he knew for definite that he didn't like it.
Angered, Beomgyu shook his head in defeat and hurriedly left the arcade, his friends following behind him.
Once he was out of sight, Miso felt her shoulders slump. It felt as if she was mentally and physically drained.
"Are you okay, Mi?" She heard Ria question as Niki lifted up her hand and inspected her now reddened wrist.
Miso nodded her head, letting out a sigh and glancing at Niki, who looked back at her with worry consuming his eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine... I just hate Choi Beomgyu."
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