THE HALLOWEEN sun hadn't fully set and already the candy wrappers blew over the leaf-strewn sidewalk. with the sun so low in the sky the scene reminds seolmin of years ago, the picture in her mind almost sepia toned, like the movies her grandma watches. only the new-model cars parked in the school parking lot gave it away that this wasn't nineteen sixty something. next to her walks heejin, the most important "vampire" in the world, eighteen years old and still doesn't know how to wear fake fangs like a pro.
"when will you learn to wear fake fangs? youtube makeup tutorials are free." seolmin snorts indicating at heejin's crooked fangs. she quickly covers her mouth in embarrassment, "when will you remember to wear long earrings?" heejin laughs at seolmin's attempt at being a 70s diva.
the girls stopped infront of the hall room, the huge banner hanging at the door saying 'welcome to halloween party!' bass boosted loud music could be heard from inside, fake spider webs, balloons and badly carved pumpkins scattered all around the hallway replacing the important notices on the notice boards. the party looks more like a toddler's birthday party than a halloween party. heejin nudges seolmin, "who decorated this?" earning a whisper from seolmin, "how would i know?"
"hey! how's the decoration?" chenle dressed as a detective suddenly came from the back, a proud smile plastered on his face, making two of the girls flinch. "its great...but the pumpkins" seolmin looked over at the pumpkins scattered on the floor, badly curved. chenle had carved the scariest faces he could into the pumpkins, they weren't nearly frightening enough. he wanted them to make those trick-or-treaters jump, because only then would they laugh and cling to one another all the way to the main entrance. he huffed and stuck his hands on his hips, "yeah that was a failure, the pumpkins weren't ripe enough."
there weren't many familiar faces inside, seolmin assumes no one showed up, obviously because the time says seven which pretty much means no one's going to arrive before eight. the table and chairs only filled with a few people dressed as zombies and anime characters, the buffet table filled with stacks plates and cups which is going to end up on the tables in a few hours. the interior decoration is particularly not very different from the exterior one, the excessive amount of jack o lanterns just makes the difference.
"are we too early? you should've listened to me, i said we should get out at six forty." heejin sits on one of the chairs, complaining about how her makeup's going to "melt" and literally how no one has showed up yet. seolmin quickly spots renjun dressed up as a gryffindor talking to the dj who she also recognises as one of players from the soccer team. "stop complaining, renjun's literally there!"
the girls walk over to renjun with seolmin making sure she doesn't trip on the long sparkly black dress she's wearing paired with the high heels. heejin quickly hugs renjun, "i literally thought no one came yet! this girl here made me start doing my makeup at five thirty." renjun's heart skips a beat when he finally looks over at the petite girl next to heejin, "oh hi you look really good, i genuinely mean it!" he gives her the sweetest smile without even realising. "thanks! i actually stole the dress from my mom's closet." seolmin chuckles.
heejin coughs to gain back their attention, "sorry to interrupt but where's everyone?" renjun looks back at heejin again "we are having a sleep over tonight at my place becomes hyuck insisted so jeno's taking time convincing his dad, donghyuck's doing some zombie makeover and i don't know about jaemin. i assume he's dressing up as a pirate, saw him buying some eye patches."
the hallway starts littering with people, dressed in hundreds of different costumes, from dull black costumes to glittery costumes to fancy hair colours. the crowd keeps getting bigger and bigger, making temperature rise in the room. the song blasting on the speakers isn't the chill rnb song anymore; instead the popular songs which plays on the radio 24/7 makes a cameo. the skeletons danced on plasma screen closer and further away again. hana, who finally showed up as a mermaid giggled, "did you notice these skeletons' dance matches with the beat."
the group was interrupted by a loud donghyuck, dripped in green paint all around his face and his hair an absolute mess. he really does the most for halloween every year. seolmin's never going to forget how donghyuck spent hundreds of dollars on a spiderman costume few years back. everyone notices the hydro flasks in his hand and the smirk on his face. he finally comes near and rests his arm on jeno's shoulder and other on hyejoo's, "so if anyone wants alcohol i have it, but no snitching fam!" hyeojoo playfully hits donghyuck's head making him lean forward, she whispers "did you really sneak alcohol in? i'm not complaining though!" donghyuck looks at her and winks "girl, it's our last year in this shithole lets have fun. i have weed in car too."
the midst of everyone having fun the thought of jaemin being late is still at the back of seolmin's head. she quickly excuses herself and goes outside, faux fur scarf around her neck couldn't stop the cool breeze from hitting her exposed shoulders and neck. she dials jaemin's number and calls him, but he hangs up on her. the girl sighs in frustration and just when she's about to go inside, a hand pulls her by the arm.
"hi- woah you look hot as fuck but what are you supposed to be?" jaemin scans her from the top to bottom. "fuck it, what are you?" seolmin points at jaemin. "well i'm a vampire without fangs, couldn't find any in the stores. apparently they were out of stock." seolmin chuckles at the way jaemin pouts after reasoning. "fine you look good but let's go inside someone's gonna see us." he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer, "give me a kiss or else i won't go in, the music already sounds wack." he giggles. "i can't, i'm wearing red lipstick oops!" seolmin pinches his cheeks and runs back inside leaving jaemin behind smiling like an idiot.
____
the night filled with loud music, different kinds of chocolate and candies, cupcakes and cakes and not to mention sneaked in alcohol is gonna end in an hour. the dance floor now occupied by sophomores and juniors. this might be a few seniors best night of their school life and worse for a few. everyone gathered around the round table talking about their future, colleges and universities. renjun talks about how he's planning to go china with a scholarship, heejin jokes about her being a ceo which earns a good laughter from everyone. "seolmin so which college?" jeno asks and everyone's attention goes back to seolmin. "i'm trying for yonsei in seoul. the only struggle is gonna be trying to find an affordable apartment! i'll finally relate to the broke college student memes."
"we heard everyone's plans now na jaemin, what about you?" hana jokingly holds an imaginary mic infront of jaemin. he clears his throat, going along with hana. "well i'm actually going to seoul too but to seoul national university!" everyone's attention goes to heejin when she dramatically face palms and says, "fuck it i'm the only one staying in busan then."
jeno chuckles, "jaemin, what else are you gonna do to impress seolmin? it's becoming kinda annoying now." jaemin looks at him, a confused look on his face. "what do you mean?" jeno sits back comfortably back on the chair. "you're being a dumb fuck, seolmin's your classmate and you guys aren't even in a platonic relationship anymore." renjun tries to pull jeno's arms and whispers yells a few stop jeno. "shut the fuck up you're not being yourself anymore." jaemin finally stands up, still confused from what's happening. "jaemin i'm sorry i'm saying this infront of everyone, but no ones gonna be in a relationship with you if you keep cheating on them."
white knuckles from clenching jaemin fist too hard, and gritted teeth from effort to remain silent, his hunched form exuded an animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, potent. his face was red with suppressed rage, and when seolmin set a finger on his shoulder, he swung around and mentally snapped. "don't touch me!"
"you don't know anything about me, don't assume anything and make me look like a piece of shit." jaemin's face now red due to anger. "well i wasn't the one who did shit like these. you're just being an annoying piece of shit and i cant just keep quiet while you ruin seolmin's life!" jeno snaps, the entire crowd stopping their activities and looking at them now. "i'm tired, i can't see you hurt people anymore. this is why your dad fucking left you when you were eleven." jeno adds and the latter words stung straight into jaemin's heart. "yeah, you're right." jaemin whispers and looks down at his feet.
"jeno shut the fuck up and leave." heejin gives jeno a suggestion. "we aren't cancelling the sleepover because of one person." jeno retorts pushing renjun and donghyuck away with him. seolmin notices how gloomy jaemin looks in the midst of everyone whispering about him. "hey look at me, you're gonna be fine. i'll drive you home."
jaemin was broken now, shattered really, robbed early of the tape and glue necessary to put his soul back together. memories of his dad keeps flashing back. the fights which took place everyday downstairs while he hid under his covers keeps rushing back as memories. he's desperate for a good, warm, welcoming memory, one he could smile to.
the trees disappearing into the horizon while seolmin drives. "what's your address?" seolmin asks, resting her hand on his thighs. "i cant- can't go home. i told my mom and brother i'll be at renjun's. what am i gonna tell them if i show up at home looking like this?" he yells making seolmin flinch.
"it's completely okay! do you wanna go to mine? my parents are in seoul, my brother's home but he's too busy being a college student. you can come over." she smiles at him waiting for a response. "fine." he whispers and seolmin quickly makes a turn down the street.
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