The last day of the Interdepartmental and SRC celebrations dawned, filled with a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation. The girls, having practiced catwalking and modeling the previous day, were ready to showcase their skills. They had half a day to themselves, a precious window of time before their 7pm rendezvous for dressing up and rehearsal ahead of Aecha's fashion competition, the highlight of the day's festivities.
Chin-sun, her eyes still heavy with sleep, ambled into the room in the mid-morning hours. She yawned, stretching languidly as she made her way to the bathroom. Her hair, a tangled mess and her face was creased with fatigue, her eyes still droopy with sleep.
Chin-sun took her time brushing her teeth, her phone buzzing with a notification.
'I'm waiting,' it read. She quickly typed back, 'I'll be ready in five minutes,' before placing her phone down to continue her routine. An hour later, what felt like an eternity of bathroom rituals, she finally emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her and another drying her damp hair. She entered her room to find her sister lounging on her bed, engrossed in a magazine.
"You sure took your time," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Chin-sun ignored her sister's grumbling, choosing to focus on her own preparations. She slipped into a beautiful blue and white dress, pairing it with caramel sandals. Her hair, neatly pulled back in a stylish ponytail, framed her face. She carefully cleaned her glasses, perched them on her button nose, and added simple jewelry and a subtle spritz of perfume.
Chin-sun twirled and spun before the mirror, admiring her reflection. She was satisfied with her look, a sense of confidence blooming within her. But as she turned to leave, her sister's voice pierced through the air, "Since when did you become a spineless bimbo?"
Chin's sister's taunts were a familiar sting, but she'd grown adept at ignoring them. Walking into the living room, she found her mother and aunt buzzing with pre-business energy. "Remember to come early and help at the bakery," her mother reminded her. Chin nodded, and hurried out before her mother could change her mind.
She walked several blocks. Finally, she spotted Min-sun's car,
"You took long," Min-sun said, his tone light but laced with a hint of concern. Chin hummed in agreement as the chauffeur pulled away. "Where are we going?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"A friend's," he replied, keeping his destination vague.
Twenty-five minutes later, they arrived at a hostel, a weathered but decent building. Chin-sun tucked her bag under her arm, her gaze lingering on the building's facade. They walked a few steps, before reaching a door. Min-sun was about to knock when it opened, revealing a man with a broad smile.
"Hey, Min my man, what's up?"
Min-sun offered a subtle nod as the latter made way for them. The place wasn't terrible, but it was cluttered—clothes haphazardly thrown in one corner, video games strewn across the center, and a small kitchen that looked like a snack war had taken place. It was home to four boys and had the unmistakable scent of male sweat.
"Hey champ, you didn't mention you were bringing your girlfriend," Bomin said sarcastically, a grin spreading across his face.
"Yeah, we would've tidied up a bit," Kangmin added, rising from the couch and casually offering Chin a can of beer.
"She doesn't drink," Min-sun said, snatching the can and tossing it back to him. Kangmin shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. "My bad."
"Scoot over," Min-sun said, nudging aside his friends to make room for Chin and himself.
"Hey, hey!" Woohyun protested as Min-sun snatched the game console from his hands.
"Bruh, you're just too bad at this," Min-sun chuckled, diving into a game against Bomin.
"And who is the lovely lady?" Daeyeon asked, plopping down on the floor next to Chin. He was shirtless, wearing only an apron, and flashed her a toothy smile.
As Daeyeon shoved a mouthful of shrimp fried rice, Min-sun interjected, "Get away from my girlfriend."
"Scared she'll like me better?" Daeyeon laughed, playfully shifting to the other side of the couch. Though each of them had their unique appeal—definitely eye candy—their goofy antics often left them single.
"You wish," Min-sun shot back, glancing at Chin, who hid her laughter behind her hand.
"Where are the rest?" Min-sun asked, scanning the room.
Right on cue, a series of loud bangs echoed from the entrance.
"I'm coming, you animals!" Kangmin called out in irritation as he stood up to open the door.
"Hey, hey! We brought the party!" three new boys exclaimed as they burst in. Their appearances starkly contrasted with those of the others in the room. One had striking features and a keen sense of fashion, exuding an air of wealth. The second was lanky and tall, looking rather ordinary but with an approachable vibe. The third was short and unassuming, with an understated presence that seemed to blend into the background.
Hyo-seong, the lanky one, stared intently at Chin, his expression unreadable. Suddenly, he stepped toward her and extended his hand. "Hi, I'm Hyo-seong. What's yours?" he asked, flashing a crooked smile.
"Chin-sun," she replied, shaking his hand briefly. Hyo-seong noted the softness and warmth of her palm as she withdrew it, offering him a polite smile. Min-sun, snapping out of his game, shot Hyo-seong a warning glare.
"Hey, hey, relax," Hyo-seong replied, raising his hands in mock defense. His laid-back demeanor brought an off vibe that made Min-sun wary. Hyo-seong seemed to have a knack for trying to one-up him in every situation, much to the amusement of the others.
"Wanna catch a game with me?" Hyo-seong asked, a hint of challenge in his tone.
"He's just gonna beat you, and you'll end up mad about it," Jae-Hyun, the rich-looking one, chimed in as he settled onto the couch.
"Yeah, Hyo-seong, cut it out," the others joined in, chuckling. "I would, unless he's too chicken to lose in front of his girlfriend," Hyu-seong added provocatively.
"Whatever. I could beat you with my eyes closed," Min-sun bragged casually, gently pulling Chin deeper into his embrace.
Hyo-seong bristled at their display of PDA, irritation flickering across his face. "Boy, you're on," he shot back, his competitive spirit ignited.
After defeating Hyo-seong in several rounds, Min-sun settled further away from his friends, holding Chin in his arms. He nuzzled his cheek affectionately against hers and cooed, "I love you so much."
Chin felt increasingly uncomfortable. His friends were nearby, and he was getting a little too familiar—his hands wandering up her skirt. "Min-sun, please stop," she whispered, her voice barely audible. He ignored her, his other hand occasionally squeezing her breast, which felt too soft and bountiful to him.
Suddenly, Gyu-hyun chimed in, "Our department is having a contest for the elite engineering students against the computer science department."
"Yeah, that's gonna be funny," the others joked, jostling each other with excitement as they prepared to leave. Kangmin shot a mysterious wink as they exited, leaving Min-sun and Chin behind.As soon as the lock clicked shut, Min-sun flipped over, pushing Chin onto the couch and leaning in to kiss her. His lips met hers with a sudden urgency, the moment pressing in around them.