(Flashback)
"We did try our best to find your resort but it's not famous. As much as we wanted to get this over with and go on with our lives, we couldn't find you." Hojung said, glancing at Mino to get moral support but he's already asleep.
He fell asleep in such a short time. Just a minute ago, he's just singing.
Jinwoo suddenly started laughing hysterically, stealing Hojung's attention.
"We don't have a resort. We just have a pool in the backyard." he explained, making Hojung laugh as well. Now she feels utterly stupid. But it's ok, both her and Mino didn't thought of that.
As soon as they got there, everybody's already drinking. They didn't mind that there's no food. They're all here for the drinks.
Hojung frowned as soon as she saw her worse enemy—Seulhyun. The school's 'Miss Natural Beauty. She's on her swimsuit, a top and a skirt, blue with yellow lining. She's wearing her long, healthy, black, straight hair. You can guess the rest.
She's frowning at Hojung as well. There's no reason that they can remember, it's just that since first grade, they already dislike each other.
"Look who's here." Seulhyun smirked at her but Hojung has no time to argue. She needs to sleep.
She followed Jinwoo and Mino towards the kitchen. The two started cleaning a lot of fish, that she became impatient in waiting for Jinwoo's attention.
Maybe it'll be more productive to change into her swimsuit, then use a pullover as a cover up. It's more helpful than sit there watching them slice fish.
"Jinwoo, where can I change?" she asked and finally, Jinwoo glanced her way.
"Go straight and then left door." he answered before focusing on the fish. She somehow wished that she should've been a fish.
She wore this cute peach swimsuit, topping it with a black pullover. Then went back to the kitchen.
Honey's already there, trying talking to Jinwoo. Honey's friends with her, but left her this morning without any notice. They've been friends since preschool, so it doesn't matter.
"Yah! Hojung! How did you get here?" she asked in surprise. It's like she's seen a ghost.
"She's with us." Jinwoo answered.
"With you? You drove her?" Honey asked in disbelief.
"Not funny when you left me and didn't even answered my calls." Hojung whined.
Honey chuckled, pulling her into a hug.
"Let's swim." she invited Hojung, but she had to turn it down because she really needed to get some sleep. Honey didn't mind and left.
"Where's Mino?" Hojung asked as soon as she noticed that Jinwoo's alone.
"The poor guy is sleeping upstairs in my room. I'm not even sure why you're still awake. You guys walked around, asking people for direction while the rest of us slept five hours straight." he responded.
So Mino is gone now. No more interruption.
Through her eyes are already tired, she forced to stay awake, volunteering to clean fished with Jinwoo.
The two of them have been making funny jokes about fishes and shellfish when Jinwoo suddenly stared at her neck. Her long white neck has always been Hojung's asset. She knew how tempting it is to men.
Just knowing that Jinwoo's staring at it, it makes her skin tingle.
"Hojung, why do you always wear a choker?" he suddenly asked. She was nervous and frozen.
Out of all the questions out there, it has to be that question.
Why?
"I-it's a style." she stuttered, pulling her hair clip to wear her hair back to cover her neck. Her confidence was gone all of a sudden.
"Like a signature?" Jinwoo asked.
She snapped her neck at him, nodding with a smile, knowing that he still doesn't know her secret. The real reason behind the chokers.
"Cute." he remarked before carrying the fish to grill them outside.
Hojung was pissed of herself. Is she could turn back time, she would change one thing. One little mistake she did that made her start to wear choker.
She hates that she had to wear it, and think she looks stupid. But she'll look more stupid if she takes it off.
Right now that she's all alone, she wanted to pull her hair out.
That's when....
"Your sweating like a pig!" Seulhyun stated, just in case she didn't notice.
Coming from her, Hojung felt embarrassed to be seen by her enemy like a grilled fish. She wiped her sweat in a rush, hiding her face at Seulhyun.
"Must be your stupid pullover, or your damaged hair." she mocked her.
"Or maybe a devil walked in the kitchen to give a taste of eternal flames of hell." Hojung tried to fight back.
"Or maybe I'm just too hot." Seulhyun came back with another winning remark.
Hojung walked out in defeat, Seulhyun only smiled in victory. She walked around to look for somewhere quiet but there's no such place. It's a party, of course there's loud music.
She's even holding on to her bag until now. She didn't know if there's a guest's room for them to put their things into while partying.
"Hojung! Join us!" her friend Honey called her at this gazebo where they're drinking and playing Uno cards.
At first, she was just sitting there. There's only beer, she can't tolerate beer. As a matter a fact, three sips of beer can turn her into a monster.
She can only stand hard drinks.
"Hojung! Loosen up. Have some beer." this school's numero uno fuckboy offered her a beer. But she's not falling for that. He doesn't this every time and take advantage on every girl who would pass out. Thought nobody was sober enough to tell the tale.
So far, 12 girls have been his victim, but after they report him, nothing was ever proven because they're too wasted to remember everything.
There's no other than Wenhan. Actually, their group has that reputation.
Nothing was proven but there's no harm in taking precautions. People believe that a guy this good looking won't take advantage of girls, because girls would be willing to spread their legs for him.
"Nahh! I don't drink beer. I'm more on hard drinks." she said, making Wenhan smirk.
"Tequila shots for the beautiful lady." he requested at the bartender on duty. It was Seunghoon. Some Busan guy who transferred 2 years a go but can't lose his strong accent.
Seunghoon glanced at Wenhan, then at Hojung who's beside him. He also heard about the rumors that he made the shots were purposely smaller than the regular shots.
Wenhan noticed that. Of course Seunghoon's trying to be a gentleman. Some guys are just too good. He thought, rolling his eyes, before grabbing a bottle of Jack on the shelf.
"Hey!" Seunghoon protested but there's nothing much that he can do.
"Here, let's drink this after you're finished with the tequila shots." Wenhan offered. Hojung clapped her hands as soon as she saw the bottle. Maybe this will make her night comfortable, without any interruptions.
She and her best friend Sol-bin used to drink three bottles of Jack's from her fsther's mini bar, when they can't sleep. Now she started to miss her best friend.
As soon as they started drinking, Wenhan started telling these funny jokes cracking everybody in laughter. Well, except for Hojung. She's too bored hearing some fuckboy stories that all she wanted was to find a bed, or a couch and just sleep this night out.
But Honey's still not standing up. She's happy talking to them. The difference between Honey and Hojung is, Honey's more sociable and friendly. Hojung will not have any friends if it wasn't for her.
"Yah! Hojung! Take that pullover off and show of your swimsuit." Honey started cheering, until the whole gazebo started persuading her. It's how everybody is if you the pageant queen. They love to see you in skimpy outfits to see if you can pull it off, or maybe they're getting rid of your clothes.
"Nah!" she refused, taking another shot. There's no exaggeration that Hojung can drink hard drinks as if they're just water.
Though it doesn't seem like does. She's a pretty girl after all.
More and more shots, Wenhan started to get more and more excited. She's getting a really hot girl tonight.
After finishing a whole bottle, Wenhan felt a little sick. Crazy thing he does to get laid. Everybody already left the two of them, even Honey.
"Get some air and swim." Seulhyun invited Hojung, fanning her hand, gesturing her to come.
But why would Hojung do as she say? She might get drowned by this evil thing for all she knows.
"Nahh!" Hojung rejected, standing up to find a place to sleep. She's not even affected by the alcohol. Because when she's with her best friend Sol-bin, three bottles of Jack wasn't enough.
While walking, she saw Wenhan vomiting on the plants. Shit! Poor Jinwoo would flip out when he sees this.
With that thought, Hojung pulled Wenhan towards the bathroom near the pool to lessen disgusting vomits on the poor plants.
"Hojung, you're so pretty." he mumbled before vomiting again.
It was an 'eye-roll-worthy' remark. All the guys say that.
Standing up, he washed his mouth to get rid of the taste of alcohol. But it just doesn't work like that. He grabbed her arms, pinning her on the corner. "You're so hot." he said, brushing her hair to the side.
Hojung struggled but Wenhan was stronger than expected. "Get away from me Wenhan or I'll scream." she warned.
But it only turned him on, rubbing himself on her. He's already hard, which was pathetic. "If you really want to scream, you should've done it by now. The truth is, you want me." he whispered.
Hojung rolled her eyes, taking off her choker, revealing the most disgusting thing Wenhan has ever seen. It's a scar on the side of her neck. It looks ugly and deep, that he jolted back, cursing under his breath.
"Fuck! The fuck is that?" he asked in horror. That always does the trick. That's how much of a freak she is. A guy sees her scar and she turns into the most disgusting creature that ever existed.
"It's why Kai sunbae told us to take off your choker before saying that you're perfect." he muttered.
Kai was a senior that she dated few years back. But after he saw that scar, he changed his mind dating another girl.
He graduated few years ago that she thought that her secret is safe. But it's not.
What if the reason Jinwoo asked about her choker earlier was because he also heard about Kai's little tip?
She only smirked, before walking away. She heard Wenhan vomiting again as soon as she's out of the bathroom. Might be because of how disgusted he is at her scar, or that he's totally wasted.
Regretting when she turned down Seulhyun's offer, she went to the pool, removing her pullover, throwing it beside the pool.
"If you did it with him, don't even think of getting any closer." Seulhyun said in disgust.
"I didn't. He's currently vomiting his guts out." Hojung said with an evil laugh. Such a shame that he thought he'd get her wasted with just a single bottle of alcohol.
He underestimated her too much.
"Hey where's everybody?" Bobby interrupted, holding a bottle of scotch.
"Probably screwing on the guests' room, or at the bushes." she pointed at the shaking bush not too far from them.
"Oooh! That's painful." Bobby made face before going to the pool.
"Is that a tattoo?" Seulhyun pointed at his back. "What does it say?" she asked.
Bobby smiled, clearly he's in love with his tattoo to get excited that much. You can almost count all his teeth.
"It says, 'Fear only God. Hate only sins'." he said, showing it to them.
"Why'd you have to get it tattooed? You can just print it on a shirt and wear it. It's easier for people read. Unlike now, it's tattooed on your back, wearing any top would cover it. No one even know it exists unless they go for a swim with you." Seulhyun ranted.
"I didn't get it tattooed for people to read it. It's for me. A virtue that my family taught me." he answered.
"You're religious!" Seulhyun said in so much sarcasm. "Well that's one hypocritical tattoo. So you go to church every Sunday and pray every night, you want people to know that? I haven't even seen you hold a Bible." she questioned.
Now Hojung just wanted to shut her up for being judgemental without putting herself on Bobby's shoes.
"If I printed a shirt, that's hypocritical. I'd purposely want to make everybody assume that I go to church every Sunday. Like bringing the Bible at school, reading the gospel in everybody else's faces. I got it tattooed because it's a mark of something I believe in, on my own skin. Not for everybody to look at, and read but for myself. It's such a beautiful quote that describes my family that I thought, It should be on me permanently. I want to walk around with it. And even if I die now from drowning, I'll die with it." he said, making it seem like getting a tattoo is something beautiful.
"Who made it?" Hojung asked, planning to get a tattoo of her own.
"Mino." Bobby chuckled. "It's a funny story actually, we snuck into his uncle's tattoo studio and thought we should get ourselves tattoos. I'm lucky he's good in arts. He's unlucky that I suck at it." he said, followed by a chuckle.
And then this crazy person dived on the pool, slashing on their faces. It's Hanbin, but he's different. He's smiling. He has an actual emotion.
"What the fuck, you coward! I told you to get the expensive wine, not that cheap thing." he remarked, grabbing the bottle of scotch chugging it like it's just water and he's thirsty.
Hojung gasped when she saw his tattoo. "Mino did that as well?" she asked pointing at Hanbin's tattoo.
"Yes." he muttered, going back to his old self. The cold hearted Hanbin that they all know.
"It's nothing compared to Mino's. His tattoos tell are entirely the story of his life." Hanbin added.
"Oh stop making it sound so beautiful. It's a tattoo! Look, you have a permanent drawing on your chest. It can't be erased and you can't donate blood." Seulhyun argued.
Hanbin laughed genuinely, as if that remark didn't insult him one bit. "It can't be erased, just more I like it. And I don't have to donate blood. Even if I had to." he wiggled his brows. "What's fucking wrong with that?" he asks.
"I don't get you people." Seulhyun said, swimming away. "You're only hurting yourselves." it was her last remark before joining Choa on the grill.
And speaking of which, "Does it hurt?" Hojung asked.
"Nahh!" Hanbin answered. Bobby also shook his head.
"Getting hit by your mother is more painful." Bobby confessed.
"Oooh!" Hanbin flinched, "I remember that time when it's already 11PM and you're still playing video games at my place when we were 9 years old. You mother was really furious." he reminded Bobby.
"That's the one." Bobby confirmed.
"But they said it's like a bite of a bee. Except, it's never stops until your tattoo is finished." she said, sharing what she heard about getting a tattoo.
"One question, does the person who told you that has a tattoo?" Bobby asked.
Hojung didn't even try to recall because that person said she won't have a tattoo ever. It means she doesn't have one. With that, Hojung shook her head.
"Then that person doesn't know how painful it is. People do that. Assume what fits on what they believe in." Hanbin said.
"They're right though it's painful." he continues. "It depends on the reason why you wanted to get one. If you want to look tough, it would be painful. Because you believe that you'd have to bare pain to be able to be tough." he said, looking Hojung in the eyes.
"Mine was the end of pain. I told myself that when I get a tattoo, I'd finally stop caring so much and I wouldn't let myself get hurt the way I did before. So I closed that part of me, and it's my very first tattoo. It was refreshing, like brushing your teeth before sleeping." he said and both him and Bobby chuckled.
Though he made it seem like a joke, Hojung finally saw a soul on Hanbin.
"To me, it's a story." a guy laid on the side of the pool joined. It was clearly Song Mino. The way his wavy hair was laid flat on the ground. "The real version of a story." he rephrased, still not facing them.
How did he even get here without anyone noticing? He's like a ghost or a ninja.
"Like what Hanbin said. People add theories that suit what they believe in.When you're no longer breathing, when it's the end of your life, you'd be the greatest fucking person, beating all the saints. They'd be talking about how much of hard worker you are, how nice you've been with everybody and all the fake bullshit they would say just to contribute on the lies they want to believe in."
He finally sat up, "When you can no longer talk, and disagree on how people describe you when you're dead, these things..." he pointed at his tattoo on his chest. "Will be the only written story of you, and it's written all over you. And it says that you're in pain. That before you released your final breath, you had a fucking amazing life." he finished before diving in the water.
It was beautiful.
But...
Tragic..
"He sounds like Nam Taehyun." A girl behind them remarked, interrupting the three of them. It was Honey, chuckling. "Remember the poem he wrote back in fourth grade? What was it again? 'Dying With The Sound of The Bass'?" she recalled.
The three were silent, because they knew the reason behind that Poem that Taehyun wrote.
(End of Flashback)
...
A/N: To make things clear, I am not targeting any religion in this chapter. I'm not even a fan of debating which religion is real, so excuse me, I just want to put some characters on the story to make it seem real.