─────── 𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑    𝟐𝟗 ───────

[06 | 03 | 23 , 7:42am]

"Jake man," Heeseung greeted the Aussie with a hug. "Good to have you back."

"Good to be back," Jake grinned.

"Come on now Jake, don't lie," Hari chuckled, side-eyeing him.

"I know what he's gonna say," Jongseong whispered to Jungwon.

"Actually, I'm not lying. I've missed out on a lot of school work and I have to catch up otherwise my academic results will definitely be impacted. Especially now since exams are in two weeks time."

"Told you," Jongseong tsked.

"Oh yeah, I forgot we had those shitty exams," Riki groaned.

The spring semester entry exams were in fact beginning the week after next, and it was very important as it counts as 20% of your finals.

"Someone say exams?" a voice behind them chirped.

Jookyung appeared in between Heeseung and Jake, draping each of her arms around their shoulders. "I'm trusting you all revised?"

She smiled coyly at Heeseung, raising her eyebrow. "Well, bambi? How's physics looking?"

His face soured, most definitely, but he wasn't one to admit to his weaknesses.

"Better than your face for sure."

Howls of laughter went around the boys whilst the girls just shared looks.

"Oh snap, that one was personal," Riki snickered.

"Stop trying to instigate shit Nishimura Riki," Jookyung scowled, flicking her long acrylic nail on his forehead.

He rubbed the spot she hit that was now becoming red from the force, "Ow, that lowkey hurt."

"Good!" she crossed her arms, feeling proud of herself.

Riki turned to Heeseung, "Hyung, please teach your girl some manners."

Even though the question was directed towards him, Heeseung remained quiet with a smirk plastered on his face whilst Jookyung did the talking.

"First of all Riki, I do have manners," she argued. "Just your incapable of deserving them," she made sure to glower at him. "Second, you need to stop trying to instigate so much. And third I am not 'Heeseung's girl'."

This earned her another round of sniggers. From everyone this time.

Jookyung put her hands on her slim waist, confused. "What's funny?"

Yeram stepped forward, shaking her head. She rested her hand on Jookyung's sharply defined shoulder. "It's nothing girl, the boys are just being dickheads," she stuck her tongue out at them playfully before leading Jookyung away from them a bit. "And we don't have time to be wasting on dickheads so let's go."

The other girls too joined, leading Jookyung further and further from the chaos.

The boys watched them strut away in semi-disbelief, exchanging glances every now and then.

[5:27pm]

Hari was on the phone with Yeram and Aera as she found it incompetent to be sitting at the town hall garden in silence as her parents continued finalizing the venue for her father's party tomorrow.

"So how's the prep going?" Aera asked.

"Good I guess," Hari hummed, beginning to pick on her nails.

"Aren't you excited? You should be!" Yeram tried picking up the dampened mood.

Hari thought about it, debating in her mind whether she should tell her friends yet or not. She hated the fact that she was keeping secrets from them because the more time that goes by the harder it becomes to reveal.

In the end, she sighed- giving up. "No, you're right. I am excited," she looked around for an excuse. "And my dad is calling me over, I have to go."

"Oh, ok that's fine," Yeram replied.

"Yep, talk to you later," Aera said, hanging up after.

"Bye, good luck," Yeram whispered before leaving too.

Hari set her phone down, feeling heavy in the chest. She was just going to have to wait and see how tomorrow is to play out.

[07 | 03 | 23 , 11:28pm]

The following day there was no school as the 7th of March had been booked for teacher training day. That was also one of the reasons why Mr. Shin chose today to be the day- not only could he begin his program earlier in the day but he could also invite more families.

The rush hour for guests was definitely from 11, as the majority of the seats in the outside venue were already filled by half past.

Mr. Shin however was waiting for one family in particular though - the Chois.

Hari nervously fiddled with the slippery material on her floor-length vintage Chanel dress. Looking up, her eyes met the ones of Becca.

Her father left her side, rushing to greet the new guests.

"Mr. Choi! How delightful it is to have you here!"

"Pleasure to be here," Mr. Choi nodded.

"Ah, Ariana- this is Mr. Choi, my latest business sponsor. Mr. Choi, this is my wife and daughter."

Hari and her mother bowed their heads politely, mumbling welcoming greetings.

"Nice to meet you all, this is my wife Jisoo," his wife stepped forward, curtly bowing back. "And my son, Jaejun and daughter, Becca."

"I believe Hari and Becca are in the same year. Do you know her?"

Hari turned to her father, smiling. "Yeah, we do. We're good friends."

The fathers chuckled.

"Well, there's one good thing," Mr. Choi remarked before Mr. Shin spoke up again.

"Well, do come in. I'll take you to your seats."

Everyone left to follow Hari's father in, whilst the two girls waited behind.

"You look beautiful," Becca complimented.

Hari brushed the hair out of her face, "Thanks. Let's get going shall we?"

Becca frowned at the sudden urge to speed things up but saw her parents waiting for her, "Yeah, let's go."

[12:02pm]

Another familiar presence at the party was Nishimura Riki, who was keeping himself company and busy, at the side of one of the gazebos, with some drinks.

He didn't have much to do since his parents were here and there having conversations with other rich couples.

Riki just finished texting Aera, asking her when she was arriving, when a figure tapped his shoulder from behind. He turned around, bewildered..

Having to sustain a gasp, Riki's lips pressed together instantly. "K-Kaito?"

His brother turned both their figures around so that they're backs were facing everyone else.

"Surprise," he half-heartedly said.

Riki on the other hand was panicked. "What are you doing?? How did you even come in??!"

Kaito shrugged, "I have my ways."

It was a moment of silence before the older brother spoke up again. "So have you decided on my offer?"

Riki's frown deepened upon hearing the question he dreaded ever so much.

His brother was quick to catch on, adding, "The thing is Riki, I've had some emergencies back home and that means I have to leave much earlier than planned. Maybe even by the end of next week."

This only added more pressure on the latter's plate.

"Look hyung, I don't have an answer right now but I promise I'll let you know as soon as I do."

"This is my issue Riki, I don't have much time," Kaito retorted. "You're going to have to tell me within the next three days. It's not as simple as it looks, there's so many things we need to do before we can even leave. Book tickets, pack-"

"Yeah, I know," Riki gritted through his teeth. "Just give me a bit more time. I promise I'll have an answer for you by Monday."

Kaito patted his brother's head proudly, "Hm, good. Now that I have that I have to leave." He peered over Riki's shoulder, "I don't want to be caught."

He made distance between the two again, beginning to take small steps forwards and into the vast garden that was interlinked to the back of the woods at the end.

"I'll see you soon brother," he saluted to a still-stood Riki, grinning before turning back and walking off with his hands stuck into his pockets.

Riki sighed in relief, turning from one messy situation, to be met with Aera in front of him, another confusion.

She stopped forward in a hurry, "Was that who I think it was?!"

"Depends who you thought," Riki's expression was bland.

Aera tsked, scowling. "Your brother. That was Kaito, wasn't it?"

He contemplated whether he should tell her not.

"And don't even think about lying to me Riki."

"Ah fine. It was him," he admitted.

"Well what does he want? Why's he even here?"

Riki gulped, "I don't know if I've told you this before-"

"You haven't."

"Kaito wants me to leave with him for Japan."

Aera's pink lips formed an 'o' shape in shock. "What?" she reiterated in a quiet mumble.

"He wants to take me to Japan with him."

"Why though?"

"Because he knows I don't want to stay here with my dad."

"And are you.. going to go?" Aera was scared for his answer.

He avoided eye contact, turning his head away and shrugging. "I don't know yet."

"Oh," Aera brushed her hand through her hair. "I wish you good luck whatever you decided to do."

Riki looked up, "Aera..." He tried reaching for her hand, but she brushed it away.

"I'm happy for you Riki, I really am. I hope you have a good life."

Maybe a part of Aera knew what Riki's answer was most likely to be when she walked away from him. And maybe she hated that and couldn't bear to face the reality of it.

The answer isn't maybe, she did.

Aera wiped her tears as she approached and took her seat.

"What wrong Aera, are you ok?" her mom asked.

"No, I'm fine," she replied, stripped of emotions.

———

hmm dk how to feel about this chapter🙃

but how did yall find it? alsoo what do u think is gonna happen nextt😏