[drama] the game
Title: The Game
Chapter 26: The Party
Rate: PG13
Features: Kang In, Heechul, Hankyung, Siwon, Kibum, SuJu
Genre: Drama
[Shiwon’s POV]
I couldn’t stop glancing to the both of them when I saw them talking, hand squeezing another and it makes my heart felt warm inside. Heechul leaned in to Kibum, whispering, probably wishing the younger a happy birthday as smiled spread across their face. I’m glad they had made up; no longer avoiding each other and I could finally see Kibum with his shimmering eyes again.
But it was different on my case as I turned my attention to Hankyung. He was sitting at the table beside Ryeowook, staring at his own hands, not talking, not even listening to the group conversation. He seems like out of place for this past two days and I wondered what was wrong. I’ve asked him several times but he didn’t want to talk about it. No, it was more like he didn’t know what about it. I found it was a waste of time because he will wore the same stare and told me over and over again that he was all right. He didn’t realize that his smile didn’t match with his grief-full eyes.
‘Here you go.’ I placed the cup of coffee in front of him. He nodded without thanking and I just couldn’t hold back the urge to ask him again. ‘What’s bothering you?’
‘Ah, nothing.’ He lied, straightening his posture.
I heaved a frustration sigh. I really wanted to just shout at him; make him realize that I’m all here to listen to him; I’m all here to offer my shoulder if he wants to cry on. And all he did was putting his fake smile and said he was fine.
‘You’re going back?’
‘What?’ He raised his eye brows.
‘... to China.’
I overheard his conversation on the phone with his manager. He was asking if he can took some time off to go back home - his real home. Yes, he grumbled about going back home all the time, whining on how much he missed his family and all. But he rarely demands for it, really, it always because of work. He will act differently even though his eyes were shimmering with delight to be with his family again. I’ll miss out work if I go back, he always said. So when he insist for it, something must have gone wrong.
‘I... no, I don’t think...’
‘But you just went back last month.’ I protested, even though I know I didn’t have the right to feel inequitable, not with him.
‘I know. That’s why I don’t think they will let me but I’m just asking, maybe...’
‘What’s wrong hyung?’ I asked, trying to keep my voice down. I can always see what was behind that smile. And I want him to know that he can never fool me. I understand him too much than he can understand himself. ‘Something is bothering you.’
And again, he throws me the same stare. ‘I’m fine. I just miss my mum, that’s all. Stop worrying.’
I tried not to think much about it, although this really has begun to affect me. I wished I can just leave this place, taking him to somewhere, anywhere to make him smile. But it was Kibum’s birthday and everyone was here to celebrate. Besides, I don’t think he wanted to leave either, even though I’m pretty much sure that his soul was not even here.
‘You know what will happen, why didn’t you get him anything?’ I whispered, slightly amused by his sudden panic state. I really should raise this matter earlier when I saw him walked to my car empty handed. It has become another one of our ridiculous traditions that coming to a party with bare hands will have something in return. A wonderful memory, some might say. But it has never been pretty.
Hankyung bite his lower lips before he was dragged to the middle of the room. Everyone clapped their hands together, pleased and excited to decide his fate. Hankyung blushed, mumbling nervously the words of apology to Kibum, stating that he had bought something but no one really believed him. As much as I was enjoying this kind of torture - it’s amusing when he just give up explaining and gives in to their ridiculous wish - I strolled forward, shouting at Kibum to at least go easy on him. And Kibum just gave me a meaningful smile.
I was relaxed a bit when I saw Hankyung laugh at the tease, his ears reddened over the dirty deed they were trying to convince him to do. Maybe this is what he needs, to ease off his mind from whatever is there to bother him. Someone shouted over, demanding a high class seductive dance and I was surprised to learn such request comes from our naive Kyuhyun.
‘Strip!!’ The words managed to escape from Yehsung’s lips even though Sungmin had his hand over that filthy mouth.
‘Either you behave yourself, or I’ll make someone to make you.’ Leeteuk warned as he pulled Kibum to the front. ‘Now, birthday boy? What do you want him to do?’
Kibum glanced at me once again and smiled, a very weird one and I started to get edgy. Knowing Kibum, he always has this unreadable nature within him. He can be the most of everything in the group - the funniest, the coolest, the cutest, the meanest, whatever - if he wanted to. So seriously, when he smiled like that, I couldn’t imagine what he had on his mind. He took a step forward and set his eyes on Hankyung, wearing the same smile across his face.
‘Hyung...’
‘Strip!’ Yehsung yelled again and this time Ryeowook really helped Sungmin to keep the older down. ‘Kibum, make him strrrrrrriiiippppp....’
‘Kang In, will you?’ Leeteuk gestured with his eyes and Kang In nodded. And everyone gave their consent as Kang In dragged Yehsung out of the room.
‘Hyung...’ Kibum started again, looking amused before he forced himself into a serious expression. ‘No present for me? Don’t you care?’
Hankyung, who obviously know that his fate won’t get any better; just smirked and waved his hand carelessly. ‘Yah, no need for drama. Just tell me what to do. Hurry up.’
The rest chuckled like crazy when Kibum closed his eyes and clutched his own neck, trying to embrace his phoney annoyance as his attempt for being emotional fall short. Although almost everyone has a soft spot for the foreigner, I was sure that Kibum won’t be any forgiving, definitely not today. I turned my attention to Hankyung, who was now giggling nervously, looking apologetic for his earlier manner. But I found it cute though; Hankyung acting all cocky; because that soft voice and that introvert appearance totally didn’t go with such attitude.
‘Hyung, are you sure you didn’t forget my present on purpose? You seem to enjoy this, really.’ Hankyung grinned and Kibum laughed before he finally speaks. ‘Fine. Kiss Shiwon.’
Heechul choked on his drink, Hankyung gaped and I turned to Kibum. ‘What?’
‘I want him to kiss you, don’t you want it?’
‘I...’ I think Kibum is genius but I couldn’t say that. I heard Heechul cursed at the drink that he accidentally spilled over his white shirt before he dashed out of the room. ‘... don’t know?’
No, what I mean was, I didn’t mind kissing him, or getting a kiss from him, or whatever. But I wasn’t too sure if that what Hankyung wanted. After all, I know how he felt about all this affection with boys. My heart was pounding like mad, I couldn’t think straight. I could feel my cheeks turning red, which making the members laughed even harder, making fun of me. Kibum darted his gaze away, nodding like he expected the answer already.
‘Do you mind?’ Kibum looked over his shoulder to the Chinese man. ‘Kissing him?’
Much to my surprise, Hankyung shook his head slightly. I prayed hard that he wasn’t joking or in the state of drunkenness of too much coffee.
‘Make it on the lips!’ Yehsung howled making his comeback into the group. Kang In followed from behind, taking a while to catch up with what was going on.
‘Cheeks.’ Hankyung looked up from Yehsung to Kibum, worried.
Kibum chuckled before he throws his gaze towards others, allowing the decision making with Suju’s style - of course, the majority. Are you kidding me? I want lips - Eunhyuk; Hell yeah, lips all the way! - Donghae; I prefer lips but really, it’s up to him - Ryeowook; Cut the crap Ryeo, you want it on the lips. I go for lips too - Shindong; Don’t care, this is stupid - Kang In; This is not stupid, this is fantastic. I go for lips - Sungmin; Same here. Lips. Where’s Heechul? Someone go find Heechul - Leeteuk; Can we have tongues too? - Kyunhyun.
‘What do you say, Shiwon?’
‘I...’ I saw Hankyung licked his lower lip and I definitely want to taste it, to have it against mine. ‘Cheeks.’
Kibum let go a sigh, probably disappointed with me. Hell, I’m disappointed with myself too. Why am I too afraid to let it show?
‘Fine, I’ll let Hankyung hyung have his way.’ Kibum said, motioning Hankyung to fulfil his appeal.
It was really awkward standing in the middle of the room, waiting. My heart was pounding way too loudly; I was scared that it might leap out of my ribcage. Hankyung smiled shyly as he made his way towards me, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Standing in front of me, he put his hands on my shoulder and paused. I angled my head a bit, giving him the side of my right cheek. He then giggled as he shook his head slightly.
‘Thank God, it was you.’ He murmured before he cupped my face and kissed me.
I can hardly think of what he meant by that because I really couldn’t tell if I was in the state of consciousness when I feel he pressed his lips against mine. It was just a brief kiss, lasting only in a mere second. It was really an innocent one, nothing more than just a brotherly kiss, but enough to grant me the bliss that can makes my soul floated for many days ahead.
‘Hyung...’ I wasn’t about to complain, I’m way too content to even thank him.
‘Aww... he did it!’ Sungmin exclaimed, hugging Kang In from behind. ‘They were cute together, right?’
Kang In shoved Sungmin away.
I bite my lower lip; eyes throw at the kisser who was yanked away from me. He was trying to explain his action to others but he could never vocal it out. His words slipped in and out in Chinese and Korean, working his sentences to deny the blame hurled over him.
‘Yah, hyung, you said you’re going to do it on the cheek! You’re slick!’ Donghae pointed at him, laughing.
‘I thought you guys said on the lips!’
I laughed hard, watching Hankyung chased Donghae with the whipped cream spray in his hand. Soon enough, the room filled with screaming and laughing and cursing when Donghae was trying to get Eunhyuk involve too. And Leeteuk shrieked in one of the corner, trying to get himself free from those two when Sungmin started to use him as a refuge, getting away from Kibum and his cake. And I saw Kang In was trying to pull Yehsung out from under the table when the older accidentally tossed a cake to his face. Meanwhile Shindong was trying to calm everyone down, stating that the whipped cream and the cake are too delicious to get wasted. It was Kyuhyun who aimed for Ryeowook who was trying get away from the scene, but the cake hit on Heechul who appeared out of nowhere and I quickly handed him with a whipped cream spray before he reached for something else and hunt after the youngest.
‘Hey, be careful.’ Leeteuk said as he grabbed my jacket. ‘The floor is getting slippery, don’t run too much.’
I nodded, looking around. The floor is getting messy - with cakes, cream, jelly, snacks and pretzel all over the place. I wondered if the rest of the guys noticed the changes they had made for the room, but I guess they were pretty busy getting their revenge on each other. I looked around, eyes searching for the foreigner before finally caught him just a few crawl away from me. My lips curved into a smile, watching him, filling my sight of him smiling and giggling. I don’t wish him to ever pout again.
‘What?’ He asked, frowning a bit when he realized that he was being observed.
‘I don’t know hyung, but it’s nice to see you smiling like this.’
‘I don’t... can you hand me over the cake?’ He said, pointing at the table behind me. ‘Let’s get Yehsung, then Kibum, shall we? They both really deserve this.’
No hyung, I should thank them.
But I just nodded.
Thank you.