Jo-Ee's squad were sitting silently on the bus to the largest amusement park in town. It was like the calm before the storm.
The leader was sitting next to her favorite member whose face was now almost fully covered with a hat and a mask, a typical disguise for celebrities. He wanted to wear his sunglasses too but his leader didn't approve it. He was almost swarmed by a group of teenagers when he was waiting for the bus earlier but his sister's best friend chased them away. He couldn't care less about his image. Today was his private time and he had the rights to decide whom he could share it with.
Sual turned back to look at Dorami and her male friend who were sitting behind him. He thought he could spend more time staying close to his little sister the whole day but that guy, Kenyu, had to come in between them. He started to sulk by himself but immediately felt better when Jo-Ee handed a lollipop to him.
Behind Jo-Ee and Sual, the two colleagues were sitting next to each other awkwardly. They were too close. They were too conscious of each other that even the sound of their breath echoed loudly in their ears. No, perhaps it was only Dorami.
"Dodo, are you feeling awkward?"
Kenyu whispered into her ears and Dorami suddenly felt goose bumps on her skin. His hot breath next to her cheek almost made her tremble. She gulped.
"N-No, not at all!"
Ah, she really hated it when she stuttered in a moment like this. She heard him chuckle. He didn't know how much he made her heart flutter. Damn, Kenyu.
"I thought you started to warm up to me again after a week of seeing each other in the workplace. I guess 11 years is really a long time for distancing. Even our appearances have changed so much since then, you are a grown up woman now. You look cool."
Kenyu said in his low tone voice while his eyes were fixed on hers. Dorami couldn't say anything back to him. She could only look into his eyes and almost drowned in there if the bus didn't stop and Jo-Ee didn't announce that they had arrived.
The quartet walked from the bus stop to the ticket booth and Sual insisted on paying for the other three. He finally acted like a big brother. A minute later, he went back to his child mode again after stepping into the land of amusement. He suggested that they went on the choo-choo train ride first but Jo-Ee opposed. She wanted to go on the Viking ride instead. Both of them started going on their own ways to their preferred rides. Kenyu stood still next to Dorami who later turned to look at him apologetically.
"Sorry, Kenyu. Could you go and ride with my brother? The Viking here is too strong. You will puke if you are not used to it. I will go with Jo-Ee."
Dorami then walked sullenly to where her female best friend was. She never liked amusement parks because she was not good with crowds to begin with but she was dragged there several times by her brother and Jo-Ee. They had the same opposition every time and were only able to resolve after a few rock-paper-scissors games. It might have been because Kenyu was with them today that they didn't care to resolve like they did. They knew either her or him would join and ride together with them. Dorami sighed when she got on the Viking with Jo-Ee. The later snickered.
"Don't worry, you will get to ride the Ferris wheel with him."
Dorami blushed because of what her friend just said. Ferris wheel is a must ride if you go on a date at an amusement park. She smiled when she knew she would have some alone time with the handsome pilot. She then noticed the grocery bag which Jo-Ee still had with her. What if the cucumbers flew out from the bag and hit the others who were riding with them? She could have kept them in the locker near the entrance. Geeze…
On another side of the park, Sual was buying two cones of ice cream and shared one with Kenyu. The receiver was not a fan of cold sweet treats but accepted it out of politeness. The two big men then proceeded to where the choo-choo train was. They were not allowed to ride at first because they were too big for the poor train but Sual went down on his knees to beg the guard to let them ride it. Kenyu could only face palm himself. He wished he had something to cover his face too.
The four adults gathered together again in front of a spine-chilling haunted house which both Jo-Ee and Sual liked very much. Dorami who was standing behind them had a grim expression on her face. She didn't have any energy left after going on so many traumatizing rides with her gung ho best friend, she now had been dragged along to the most hated place in her dictionary. Going to the amusement park was really not a good idea.
Kenyu watched the grown up woman next to him and smiled in amusement. She had her weak sides too.
"You can hold my hand."
The man said and extended his big hand to her. Dorami tried to act strong and didn't want to accept his offer. She stood still while thinking of whatever possible ways to not pee herself because of being frightened by the acting ghosts.
Kenyu was not patient enough to wait for her to give him her hand, he grabbed it and held tight. His thumb brushed gently on her smooth skin. Dorami held her breath because of the physical contact. She almost forgot that she was going to enter the scary haunted house.
In front of them, Sual was making serious eye contact with Jo-Ee. Both conversed through their telepathy. 'Let's hunt the ghosts down!' was what they planned. For the strategy of hunting the poor ghosts, let them come up by themselves.
After a few minutes which felt like a decade, Sual finally signaled Jo-Ee to start the hunt. She nodded.
"Gooooooooooooooooooo!"
Jo-Ee screeched and ran into the house, followed by Sual who growled like he was a lion. The two of them startled the bystanders and even the ghosts inside. They were really going to hunt their prey.
Kenyu chuckled and dragged Dorami with him inside too.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ajsfnsdofspsjterdjfmgmd!!!"