That night, the atmosphere in Theresia and James' backyard grew warmer with laughter and banter. The delicious aroma from the BBQ grill filled the air, while light conversations flowed among the guests.
In the midst of the cheerfulness, Frans quietly reached for Viona's hand under the table, giving a gentle touch that made Viona smile shyly. They exchanged meaningful glances, enjoying an intimate moment together amidst the crowd.
Meanwhile, Steve, sitting across from them, was engrossed in conversation with James. Accidentally, the chopsticks he held slipped from his grip and fell to the floor. "Ah, sorry," he said while bending down to pick them up.
As he was under the table, his gaze landed on the hands of Frans and Viona, which were holding each other. Steve's eyes went wide, and his expression changed. He quickly returned to his seat, but his mind was now filled with the sight he had just seen.
Sharone, who was sitting next to Steve, noticed the change in her boyfriend's expression. "Are you okay?" she asked with a worried tone.
Steve was jolted from his reverie. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile.
However, his mind continued to spin, contemplating the relationship between Frans and Viona. Feelings of jealousy and confusion began to cloud his heart, making it difficult for him to refocus on the conversations around him.
What should have been a joyful night was now hiding a tension beneath the surface among them.
In the warm atmosphere of the BBQ party in Theresia and James' backyard, laughter and banter flowed among the guests. James, affectionately, held Theresia's hand and occasionally kissed her cheek, openly displaying their closeness and love.
Meanwhile, Steve, sitting across from them, couldn't take his eyes off the couple's intimacy. His thoughts drifted back to the earlier moment when he had accidentally seen Frans and Viona holding hands under the table. Feelings of jealousy and confusion increasingly overtook his heart, making him feel alienated amidst the night's cheer.
Sharone, sitting next to Steve, noticed the change in her boyfriend's demeanor. "Steve, you seem uncomfortable. What's wrong?" she asked gently.
Steve snapped out of his daze and tried to smile. "Oh, it's nothing. I might just be tired," he replied briefly, trying to hide his feelings.
However, Sharone wasn't entirely convinced by his answer. She sensed that something was bothering Steve but chose not to press him further amid the crowd.
The night continued with laughter and banter, but for Steve, feelings of jealousy and uncertainty haunted his thoughts, making it hard for him to enjoy the gathering that was supposed to be fun.
That night, the atmosphere in Theresia and James' backyard became even livelier. After enjoying the delicious BBQ dishes, James suggested the idea of adding excitement by drinking together and playing some games.
"How about we continue the night with some drinks and fun games?" James suggested while raising his glass.
Theresia smiled and nodded in agreement. "Great idea! It will be fun."
Frans and Viona exchanged glances and then let out a small laugh. "We're in," said Frans.
However, Sharone seemed hesitant. "Actually, we were planning to leave soon," she said while glancing at Steve.
Steve, who had been feeling jealous watching the closeness of Frans and Viona, suddenly changed his mind. "It's fine, Sharone. We can stay longer. After all, it's been a while since we had fun like this," he said with a forced smile.
Sharone looked at Steve, confused, but finally nodded in agreement. "Okay, if you say so."
James quickly grabbed some bottles of drinks and set up games for them to play together. The night continued with laughter, fun, and games that drew them closer to one another.
After enjoying the BBQ dishes, James suggested playing "Truth or Dare" to add excitement to the night. Everyone agreed, and the game began.
When it was Steve's turn and he chose "truth," James asked jokingly, "Steve, who do you think is the most attractive among us?"
Steve smiled faintly and replied, "Of course, Sharone, my girlfriend."
Everyone laughed, but Sharone noticed a lack of sincerity in Steve's answer.
The game continued, and when it was Steve's turn again to choose "truth," Viona asked, "Steve, is there something you want to say to someone here?"
Steve shook his head, smiling, "No, everything is fine."
Despite the cheerful atmosphere, Sharone increasingly felt there was something being hidden by Steve. She decided not to press him in front of their friends, but doubts began to grow in her heart.
The night continued with laughter and banter, but behind the merriment, there was tension felt by some among them.
After several rounds of "Truth or Dare," it was Frans' turn to choose. With a confident smile, he chose "truth."
James, sitting across from him, smiled mischievously and asked, "Frans, how much do you love Viona?"
Frans looked at Viona lovingly and answered, "I love Viona very much. Even though sometimes my work makes me busy and I have less time for her, I always try to improve myself. I know she's been upset because of that, but we always try to understand each other."
Viona smiled sweetly at Frans' answer, while the others applauded and cheered lightly.
Sharone, sitting next to Steve, gazed at the couple with a faint smile, then glanced at Steve, who seemed lost in thought.
"That was very sweet, Frans," Theresia said. "I hope you always stay happy."
"Thank you," Frans replied while holding Viona's hand tightly.
The game continued with laughter and banter, but beneath the cheerfulness, some hearts began to ponder their own relationships and feelings.
James, feeling that the game was getting too monotonous as everyone kept choosing "truth," suddenly clapped his hands enthusiastically.
"Oh, this is starting to get boring!" he said with a laugh. "We're all too honest and sweet. How about we change the game?"
Theresia, sitting next to him, furrowed her brow. "Change to what?"
James grinned cunningly. "From now on, if you choose truth, you still have to drink. If you choose dare, and you don't dare to do it, you also have to drink. The point is we need to drink more!"
Viona laughed lightly while glancing at Frans. "So the point is we're still going to get drunk, right?"
"Exactly!" James replied, raising his glass. "We're here to have fun, right? Plus, Steve and Sharone almost left earlier. If we don't make this exciting, they might really ditch us!"
Steve, who had been quiet while sipping his drink, glanced at Sharone for a moment before smiling slightly. "Alright, I'll join in."
Sharone looked at him with a puzzled expression, but finally just sighed and took her glass. "Okay, as long as we don't overdo it."
James laughed in satisfaction. "Great! Okay, I'll start!"
He grabbed a bottle of drinks, poured it into their glasses, and started spinning the bottle in the center of the circle. The bottle spun several times before finally stopping, pointing at Frans.
"Frans! Truth or dare?"
Frans took a breath and smiled slightly. "Dare."
James cheered. "Finally, someone chooses dare! Okay, you have to—" He thought for a moment, then grinned. "—kiss Viona's hand for ten seconds."
Viona turned to Frans, slightly surprised, while the others laughed teasingly.
Frans shook his head and without hesitation took Viona's hand, gently kissing it, then holding it to his lips for a full ten seconds.
Theresia exclaimed, "Awww, so sweet!"
Viona blushed, while Steve remained silent, his fingers lightly tapping his glass without a sound.
The game continued with increasingly bizarre challenges and drinks being downed. The tension among them became more palpable, especially for someone who was secretly harboring feelings that shouldn't be there.
Theresia grinned as she saw the bottle stop pointing at her sister, Sharone. With enthusiasm, she straightened up and looked at her sister with a challenging gaze.
"Okay, Sharone! Truth or dare?" she asked playfully.
Sharone, who had mostly been quiet, glanced at Steve before finally smiling casually. "Dare."
Theresia immediately laughed with delight. "Finally, someone is brave! Okay, I'll give you an easy challenge. Kiss your boyfriend's cheek!"
James, sitting next to her, chuckled. "Good thing you didn't give her a weird dare; I almost forgot she's your sister."
Everyone looked at Sharone and Steve, waiting for their reaction. Sharone smiled and turned to Steve, who looked a bit surprised. Without much fuss, she leaned in and lightly kissed Steve's cheek.
"Done," she said casually, then returned to sit quietly.
Viona, sitting across from them, couldn't avoid seeing that moment, but she maintained a neutral expression. Meanwhile, Frans easily wrapped his arm around her shoulder, as if to remind her that he was there.
Steve, on the other hand, smiled faintly, yet there was something in his gaze that couldn't be explained. It was as if there was a strange feeling he was still trying to understand.
James clapped his hands. "Okay, let's continue!"
Theresia grabbed the bottle again and spun it once more, making the tension among them slowly dissolve with the increasingly exciting game. However, beneath the laughter and the challenges they played, there were feelings still hanging in the air, waiting for the moment to be revealed.