After a nine and a half hour flight from Incheon into Los Angeles and a relatively miniscule two hour jaunt from there to Denver International Airport, they had finally arrived at their destination. Changjo's nerves had been tight with tension and caffeine the entire time, so sleep had evaded him, but he didn't mind. It gave him time to think about their mission. The Project had cleverly made their headquarters in Denver: a city large enough for their operations to go unnoticed, but one that was also located in the center of the country. When and if they decided to release the Virus into the United States, it would spread quickly and in all directions. The nearby mountains also provided the ideal (if not slightly clichéd) location for their high security underground laboratories. It was in one of those laboratories that the Cure currently resided, but thankfully they wouldn't have to infiltrate the Project to retrieve it. Bom, Onew's contact within Headquarters and one of the lead scientists on the Project, would bring the Cure to them. Their task was merely to arrive in the right place at the right time and then leave the country as quickly as possible without raising suspicion or attracting attention. The Project had eyes everywhere in America and it would be difficult to avoid their watchful gaze.

Changjo was brought out of his daydream as Minsoo tugged on his arm, leading him towards the open doors of the airport's subway train. All six of them quickly filed in amongst the crowd, sticking together in a bunch as the train quickly filled with passengers. Changjo gripped a cold metal bar in the center of the car for balance and glanced around at the foreign looking faces all around him. He had never seen so much blonde hair or as many light eyes all at once in his life. He squinted at the posters covered in unfamiliar English plastered all over any section of free space, trying to ordain what they said by studying the pictures that went with them. A man's voice sounded over the loudspeaker before the subway lurched into action, hurtling through lighted underground tunnels as they made their way to the main section of the airport. 

Chunji clung to Byunghun like a lost child, pointing to everything and asking what it meant or said. Sometimes Byunghun could answer, other times he was as lost as any of the others. He had only lived in the United States for a short time when he was younger, and much of the English he had learned during that time had already escaped his memory. Minsoo nonchalantly leaned against the same metal rod Changjo that gripped, observing everything with a blank face. Niel gaped around with eyes full of wonder, as did Ricky. They spoke in hushed voices together, and Changjo could only hear snippets of their conversation. He soon realized that they were talking about the girls on the train and rolled his eyes. He kept his own gaze fixed on the ground, not allowing himself to look at the faces that matched the tempting smells of blood that surrounded him. At least, that was his plan until Niel grabbed him and pulled him over into a small huddle composed of everyone except Minsoo and Chunji. 

"Look at your two o' clock," he whispered quickly. Changjo noticed Byunghun also looking in that direction, a shy smile on his face. Confused, Changjo glanced up as well. There was a group of four girls huddled together, all looking to be in their late teens, giggling together and casting glances towards him and his friends every so often. His gaze immediately met with the grey blue eyes of the shortest of the group, a pale girl with vibrantly orange hair and a peppering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Before he could blink she had already turned away, her shoulders shaking slightly with nervous laughter.

"You'd better not be looking at the one in the middle," Niel said, "I already have dibs on her." Changjo looked at the girl Niel was talking about. She was only slightly taller than the redhead, but where the other girl had been small, her body was gorgeously curvaceous. Her short light brown hair curled down just to her jawline and her stunning green-brown eyes were accentuated by her glasses, which were black and thick rimmed on top but thin gold wire on bottom. 

"Fair enough," Changjo replied, looking at Ricky, "which one do you like?" Ricky nodded to the one on the far right. She was tallest of the group and had long black hair streaked here and there with red. Her eyes were a warm dark brown and shone brightly as she glanced at Ricky. Her smile was just as warm as her eyes and lit up her already pretty face.

"The one on the far left is Byunghun's," Ricky said, "the other one has only been looking at you, so that's why we called you over here." Changjo peered over Niel's shoulder at the final girl, who was just as short as short as the first. She had shoulder-length brown hair and beautiful light blue eyes. She returned Byunghun's small, shy grin before turning back to her friends.                

"So...now what?" Changjo asked, his gaze slipping to the back of the orange-haired girl's head, wishing she would turn around. 

"We send Byunghun to talk to them," Niel answered, clapping the former on the back. Byunghun coughed and shook his head.

"I don't really know that much English though!" he protested.

"Well you can't be any worse than Niel. If we left it up to him, all he'd be able to say would be 'Herro! My name ish Nier'," Ricky replied, swatting Niel's hand away as the other boy tried to poke him in the side.

"If I go, we all go," Byunghun reasoned, "of course I'll do most of the talking, but I don't want to be by myself!"

"Sounds good to me," Changjo said with a nod. The words had just left his mouth when the train began to slow. The male voice sounded over the loudspeaker again and Byunghun tilted his head slightly to focus on the words. He shook his head. 

"Not our stop, but we might wanna get over there before it gets too crowded to around move on here," he said, and without a moment's hesitation Niel his heel and approached the girls. Changjo was right behind him as Ricky and Byunghun trailed a little behind, nervous. The girls noticed their approach, and quickly quieted their giggling. The redhead turned back around, a small smile on her lips but her eyes on the floor. Byunghun pushed forward to the front.

"Hi," he began brightly, smiling at all of them but his eyes lingering on the one on the left, "we're from Korea, and this is my friends' first time in America. I'm Byunghun, this is Niel, this is Changjo, and that's Ricky. What are your names?" The one on the right spoke first. 

"I'm Whitney," she replied, smiling unabashedly at Ricky, who was beginning to blush.

"I'm Jaci," said the one in the middle, glancing quickly at Niel before turning her attention to the girl who spoke next.

"Kristin," answered the one on the left. Byunghun's eyes lit up a little. 

"And I'm Ella," said the shortest, raising her eyes nervously to meet Changjo's. He smiled reassuringly at her, but she quickly glanced away, biting her lip and looking towards her friends.  

"We guessed you were from Korea, actually," Jaci began in practically flawless Korean, "we overheard you talking and, well, you obviously noticed us noticing you."

"We're all Korean majors at University. We're on vacation right now and came here for a ski trip. We'd be more than happy to show you guys around, since it's your first time here in America," Whitney continued, speaking Korean as well. Ricky and Changjo looked at each other, eyebrows raised and grins widening across their faces. 

"What are the odds?" Ricky mouthed, and Changjo shrugged, turning his attention back to Ella as Ricky exchanged flirtatious smiles with Whitney.

"We'd love that," Niel replied, nodding over at Chunji and Minsoo, "they're with us too. That's Minsoo and that's Chunji. They can come, right?"

"Of course! The more the merrier," Kristin answered, "where are you guys staying?"

"Um, Magnolia Hotel on 17th, I think," Byunghun said, never taking his eyes off of her as the train lurched to a start again, upsetting his balance and causing him to grab onto the handrail beside her.

"Really? We're staying at the downtown Sheraton! They're practically right next to each other," Ella said excitedly, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet and clapping her hands together.

"You guys don't have anything important going on tomorrow, do you?" Jaci asked, pushing her glasses up a bit.

"Nope. We're free till Sunday," Niel replied. 

"Perfect!" Whitney exclaimed, "we don't head up to the resort until Monday anyway, so until then we'll have plenty of time to show you around." The train began to slow once more, and the voice rang out once again. 

"This is our stop," Byunghun murmured to the boys.

"How convenient. Ours too," Kristin said, gripping the handrail as the train lurched, her hand brushing against his for a moment.

"Let's see, it's about five o' clock now," Ella said, checking her phone, "so how does this sound? We'll meet you in the lobby of your hotel at about eight thirty and we'll all go out for dinner. Then we'll se what happens after." She looked at Changjo out of the corner of her eyes as she said the last part, a mischevious grin breaking through her previous shyness.

"Sounds good," he said, keeping his eyes locked on hers. The doors of the train slid open on both sides.

"We're going left," Niel mused, looking down at his boarding pass.

"We're going right," Jaci replied, looking down at hers, "well, I guess we'll see you guys later!" They all parted ways then, everyone casting glances over their shoulders occasionally until both groups were lost in the crowd. 

"What was that all about?" Chunji asked, his voice sounding a bit stung, as he and Minsoo ran up behind the others as they stepped onto the escalator. 

"Looks like we're going to have a little fun tonight," Niel said, a faint smile still on his face.

"We're here for business, not pleasure," Minsoo reminded them sternly.

"Business doesn't even start until Sunday," Byunghun reasoned, "besides, I think we could all use a little distraction. Everyone's been on edge for so long, it'll be healthy to let off a little steam and have some fun." Minsoo sighed heavily.

"I suppose you're right. They didn't happen to mention having any other friends here, did they?" Changjo shook his head.

"No, but I'm sure we can find someone for you and Chunji tonight. Now let's hurry up, grab our luggage, and get a taxi. We're meeting them at the hotel in a few hours and the 'I just sat on a plane for 15 hours' look isn't really that attractive on any of us."

xxx

Changjo scrutinized himself in the mirror for the nth time, ing the cuffs to his black dress shirt and rolling them up to his elbows. He'd borrowed some of Ricky's gel and swept his hair up in a style that was half faux hawk, half Elvis swoosh. Ricky and Niel crowded around the mirror with him, everyone nervously adjusting their hair and making sure their cologne wasn't too strong. The clock read 8:21. Ricky wore a black blazer with a wife beater and skinny jeans of the same color, while Niel went with an all-white ensemble almost identical to Changjo's. Just then a knock sounded at the door, and Byunghun's voice drifted through it.

"Come on, we're heading down now," he called.

"Just a sec!" Changjo replied, running his hands over the pockets of his black skinny jeans, making sure he had his room key. After nodding to the others, they  proceeded out of the room, Ricky shutting the lights off and the door closed behind them.

"Come here," Minsoo said, beckoning Changjo with a finger as eh came into the hall. Minsoo was wearing a tight, long-sleeved black thermal shirt, dark jeans, and sunglasses, his hair pulled back in it's usual bun at the back of his head. When Changjo reached him, Minsoo quickly unfastened the top few buttons of the other boy's shirt and pointed to the bottom of it, "Tuck it in." Changjo obeyed. 

Byunghun was dressed in a pale blue button down shirt and faded jeans. Chunji wore black jeans and a black wife beater like Ricky, but his jacket had leopard print on the inside. After Changjo had finished tucking in his shirt, they headed off down the hallway towards the elevator. 

"Does everyone have money? Room keys? Phones?" Minsoo asked, eyeing them all in turn. Everyone nodded or grunted in response. "Good. Because we're not coming back if you forgot anything." All six of them crammed into the elevator and Niel hit the button for the lobby.

"So...any idea where we're going tonight?" Chunji questioned, his voice still clipped with a little annoyance.

"Somewhere fun," Changjo replied, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, "and don't worry, we'll find you a girl." Chunji raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. The elevator came to a stop with a ding, and as the doors slid open Changjo spotted the girls from across the lobby.

"Oh. Wow," he breathed. If they had looked good before, it was nothing compared to how they looked now. His eyes quickly found Ella, her short, bright orange hair flipped out in layers around her face and making her easy to spot in the crowd. Her dress was short and black, with long sleeves and a completely open back.

Ricky looked like his jaw was about to fall off of his face. Whitney was wearing a short and stunning emerald strapless dress that hugged her body and made her legs look a mile long. Her dark hair cascaded down to her shoulders in elegant curls, the streaks of red standing out sharply and contrasting perfectly with her dress. Byunghun stopped in his tracks, causing Chunji to run into him. Kristin's hair was pulled up in a simple bun held in place by chopsticks, a single strand of loose hair framing the right side of her face. She wore a short-sleeved white silk dress with a pattern of pale blue flowers that made her eyes stand out. It had a high keyhole collar that clasped together beneath her chin with a silver leaf and a hem that ended just above her knees. Niel's eyes widened to twice their usual size and he absently his lips. Jaci was in a bright red halter dress that hugged her curves in just the right way, bringing out her brilliant green eyes which were now on full display without her glasses. Her hair was straightened into a chic bob that made her cheekbones stand out. 

"Well this is just fantastic," Chunji grumbled, "are you sure none of you want to share?"

"If you even try I will punch you so hard in the face that...I can't even come up with words right now. Let's just go," Niel said, leading the way across the lobby. Whitney was the first to notice them and waved them over enthusiastically. 

"Hey guys! Are you all ready to go?" she asked, smiling broadly at Ricky, who came to stand next to her. 

"Wait wait wait! Before we go, everyone needs to have a sip from the Fun Flask," Ella said, giggling as she produced a small silver flask from her black clutch. She handed it to Changjo first, who unscrewed the lid and took a quick sip without a second thought. As expected, his throat burned with the sudden warmth of alcohol. He swallowed and passed it on to Ricky, who looked a little frightened. Whitney touched his arm reassuringly and he took a swig, his eyes bulging a little when he tasted the drink, but he played off his surprise well as he passed it to Chunji. Once the boys had all taken a swig, Ella discreetly put the flask back in her purse.

"So what's the plan?" Byunghun asked, hesitantly placing his hand on the small of Kristin's back as they walked towards the front doors. She shot him a quick, soft smile to show him she didn't mind before answering. 

"We're going to The Cheesecake Factory, which is only a few blocks from here. You can't get much more 'fancy American food' than that! We'll walk through the 16th Street Mall on our way." Minsoo and Chunji held the doors for everyone, their eyes desperately searching the crowds outside for possible dates. It was chilly, but there was only a hint of a breeze and their destination wasn't very far. Changjo's mind was still buzzing from the Fun Flask; whatever they had in there was strong. Ella walked beside him, a little taller now thanks to the sleek black pumps she was wearing. Following Byunghun's lead, he wrapped his right arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer to him. As much as he tried to ignore it, the smell of her blood as almost as intoxicating as the alcohol he just drank. He pushed those thoughts down and instead focused on the conversation.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Whitney asked as Ricky s his arm around her waist. 

"We're just taking a little vacation," Minsoo replied without skipping a beat, personally ensuring none of the others had a slip of the tongue. 

"And out of all the places in America, you chose to come to Denver?" Ella said with a laugh, "I mean, I grew up here and I love this city to death, but it's not really your typical U.S. tourist destination. Most people go to New York for something like that."

"Which is exactly why we came here," Niel explained, his arm around Jaci as well. "we're not really big on the whole tourist thing. We'd rather get a feeling for the local stuff."

"Well then you're in luck!" Jaci said, beaming at him. They turned the corner and came to a wide square, filled with pedestrians and troubadours, restaurants and art galleries, lights and music. The boys stared around in wonder as the girls led the way. They quickly ran across two shallow bus lanes, Ella and Whitney clinging to Changjo and Ricky and they tried to move quickly in their high heels. Their laughter echoed off the buildings around them and mingled with the other sounds of the square. They made their way up the bright street until they reached the corner.

"We're here!" Kristin announced, leading the way with Byunghun into the restaurant. It was completely packed, the chatter of people and the clatter of plates mingling with the wonderful aromas in the air.

"Thank God I called ahead and got reservations!" Ella said as they were approached by the hostess. She quickly led them to their table, a u-shaped booth near the back of the restaurant, and everyone took their seats. Minsoo and Chunji's heads were still on their constant swivel, but the others kept their gazes fixed on their dates. The conversation drifted in all directions, though the boys tried as hard as they could to avoid questions about their pasts. As soon as their waitress left after filling their glasses with water, Ella produced a second flask from her bag, this one bigger and black. She passed it down to Minsoo, who sat at the left edge of the table and motioned for him to sneakily pour it into his glass. He did so, the clear liquid indiscernible in his water, before handing it to Niel, who did the same. Soon the flask had made its way around the table and back into Ella's purse. Whitney lifted her glass for a toast.

"To exploring exciting new places and meeting exciting new friends," she said, shifting her eyes from the group to Ricky with a smirk and back again. Everyone lifted their glasses to the center of the table, clinking them together all at once. Changjo took a long sip, the vodka (which was all he could assume it to be) gliding down his throat and filling him with warmth. He put rested his arm on the back of the seat behind Ella, who had clearly had a few pre-cocktail party cocktails. Her eyes twinkled brightly and her cheeks were growing pink, but she was finally losing her shyness. She glanced up at him and caught him staring. A wicked smile cut across her face. 

"Enjoying the view?" she asked, taking another small sip from her glass. Changjo laughed softly.

"Yes. This certainly beats any tourist attraction by far," he said, leaning in a little closer. His head was whirring pleasantly now, and he had never felt so happy in his life. A year ago he never would've imagined himself in a foreign country, surrounded by close friends, going on an adventure with beautiful girls they had just met, drinking and going to fancy restaurants like it was an everyday event. He felt like he was living in some sort of movie or TV show. Ella took another sip of her drink.

"Well I'm glad to know I'm better looking than the Grand Canyon," she said, patting Changjo's leg and setting her drink down with a thumbs up. Changjo laughed again, taking another swig of is 'vater'. Everyone then turned their attention to the menus before them, the girls translating the items for the boys. Changjo went straight for the salad section, knowing it would be the easiest on his blood-dependant stomach. He didn't want to throw up anything too heavy later. It seemed like all the others were doing the same, except for Chunji and (as usual) Niel. He was already almost thoroughly tipsy and had practically drained his glass. He was currently leaning close to Jaci, whispering something in her ear that made her laugh. Minsoo took a long draw from his glass before placing it back down on the table with a loud clunk.

"You know what?" he announced, looking around at them all, "I don't need a girl tonight. Chunji, you're my date. And might I add that you look lovely tonight, my dear." Everyone burst into laughter, especially Chunji.

"Thank you, darling!" he said through snickers, reaching across the table to pat Minsoo's hand. The 'vater' was working it's magic, and the group slowly descended into a warm, cheerful, and slightly loud haze. The waitress returned shortly after, taking their orders and clearing the table of menus. 

"So Niel," Ella began, taking a hearty drink of her vater, "have you ever eaten 'ringueni in remon cleam sauce' before?" The table erupted into laughter once more, though Niel tried as hard as he could to keep a straight face as he shook his head. Everyone had become quite cozy with one another; Niel had his arm tight around Jaci's waist and pulled her so close she was leaning on his shoulder, Kristin and Byunghun were holding hands beneath the table, and Ricky's hand was slowly making it's way from Whitney's knee up to the hem of her dress. Even Minsoo and Chunji would occasionally clasp hands across the table, exchanging overly-cheesy glances and making kissy faces at one another. Changjo felt himself slowly scooting closer to Ella, his arm moving from the back of the seat to her shoulders, slipping down to her back and brushing his fingers across her bare skin. A small grin of satisfaction spread across his face as she shivered slightly when his fingers traced down her spine, but she made no real acknowledgement of what he was doing. 

Their food arrived shortly after in a flurry of plates and bowls, everyone already muddled as to what exactly they had ordered. The waitress refilled their glasses, but Ella shook her head when Niel motioned for her to bring out the Fun Flask.

"You need a filler in-between. We're getting pleasantly intoxicated, not completely plastered," she explained, sliding her clutch behind her as an extra measure. Everyone dug into their food, the girls and Chunji a bit more enthusiastically than the others. The conversation dwindled for a little bit, but as soon as the boys had taken enough bites to temporarily avoid suspicion, they were at it again. Ricky's hand had successfully reached Whitney's dress, his pinky finger slipping up underneath the fabric, causing her to jolt slightly. They both laughed then, leaning so close to one another their foreheads touched. He didn't, however, move his hand. 

"So what's the deal with you?" Ella asked, poking a finger against Changjo's bare chest, "are you some kind a vegetarian or what?" He shook his head with a smile.

"Not even close," he said, tilting his face closer to hers. His eyes roamed her face, trying to play connect-the-dots with her freckles, but there were too many. 

"Good. I don't put up with that leafy-greens-only bull," she replied, tapping her finger against his collarbone. He grabbed her hand and entwined it with his. She raised an eyebrow. "Smooth."

"Thank you," he said with a smug grin, placing their hands in his lap. Meanwhile, Kristin and Byunghun remained the most chaste of the group, sitting shoulder to shoulder with their hands placed between them. They were talking quietly amongst themselves at the moment, Byunghun's face broken out into a smile and his eyes bright. Kristin switched between looking shyly down at their hands and up at him, beaming the whole time. Niel, however, appeared to be taking the opposite route. While one hand was wrapped around Jaci's waist, the other rested on her knee. He leaned close to her ear from time to time, but it was unclear if he was actually whispering in it or doing something else.

"Alright, this is getting boring. We'll have one more round and then we hit the town!" Ella cried, breaking everyone out of their stupor and pulling the Fun Flask from her purse, "Hey. That almost rhymed." She poured a generous portion in Changjo's glass before filling her own and passing the flask down.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Changjo asked playfully, taking a huge sip of his fresh vater.

"You caught me," Ella said, holding her hands up in surrender, "but it doesn't seem to be working all that well." She frowned and took a swig. Changjo leaned in so close and so suddenly that their lips almost touched. 

"Or maybe I just have really good at self-control," he whispered, pulling back to enjoy the surprise in her eyes. Ella cleared nervously and turned away.

"Nobody's that good," she said, sitting up straight in an attempt to regain her composure, but Changjo could see the flush in her cheeks that wasn't from the alcohol. With a smirk he leaned close again, his lips grazing the back of her neck. 

"I am." A shiver ran down her spine and she momentarily tightened her grip on his hand.

"Uh-uh mister, none of that yet," she tsked, pushing back on his chest with her free hand. She slowly let it slide down his exposed skin and flicked the first fastened button before taking her hand away and grabbing her glass once more. Her message was clear: two could play at this game. Whitney handed Ella the Fun Flask, which was now running low. The hem of her dress was a bit higher up her leg than before, and Ricky's hand still rested on her thigh. He had slid his ring finger beneath the fabric as well. His cheeks were pink with the effects of the vater and his speech was slowly becoming more and more slurred. Whitney didn't look too steady either, and her voice had been raising slightly with each sip she took. Minsoo and Chunji were well on their way to being entirely drunk, secretly sneaking sips from Kristin and Byunghun's glasses. 

Despite their individual interactions, the group talked and joked together as a whole, often breaking out into raucous laughter and poking fun at one another as if they'd known each other for years. The atmosphere, while a little fuzzy, was pleasant and fun, and before they knew it it was already 10:00.

"Alright! Here's the plan," Whitney said, smacking the table a little too vigorously, "we're going to sneak into some clubs." She broke out into a ridiculous fit of contagious giggles, and it took everyone a moment to return to normal. "We all have fake IDs, if necessary, BUT," she raised a single finger high in the air, "Ella's cousin owns one of the clubs downtown...what is it again? Fuzzy Buddha Lingerie?" Ella snorted before she could reply.

"Funky Buddha Lounge," she corrected, draining the last remnants in her glass.  

"I'm Buddhist!" Changjo cried, throwing his arms in the air as if he had just scored a goal.

"Good for you. Have a cookie," Whitney said, waving a dismissive hand in his direction, "the point is we can get into there until some of the other clubs open up if we want a change of venue. How's that sound?" Everyone raised their glasses in agreement.

"Now where's my cookie?" Changjo asked with a pout. Ella patted his cheek.

"You don't really get a cookie," she said, scooting sideways as they made their way out of the booth. The expression that crossed Changjo's face was one that resembled a kicked puppy.

"I don't get a cookie?!?" he cried, grabbing onto Ella's wrist. She laughed and tried to tug her arm free.

"If you really want a cookie that badly we can get you one!" she said, "but you have to get up first!" 

"Standing. Not sounding too great right now," he replied, slowly sliding out of his seat. Kristin and Byunghun were the only stable ones, though they leaned on each other as if they weren't. Ricky and Whitney were currently engaged in some sort of stumbling tickle fight while Niel tried to convince Jaci to race him to the front of the restaurant. Minsoo and Chunji had went ahead to take care of the bill, though they didn't look much more sober than the rest of them.

Within five minutes they were all outside, shivering slightly in the cold and clinging to one another for warmth. They walked in an unsteady pack down the street, laughing and yelling the whole time. Thankfully, they weren't they only drunk group roaming the streets. Kristin and Byunghun led the way, their clasped hands swinging between them. Chunji and Minsoo followed, their arms around each other's shoulders, singing "Don't Stop Believing" in heavy Engrish at the top of their lungs. The rest of them were a tangled mess: Ricky waddled along, his arms wrapped around Whitney's waist from behind, the latter of whom was holding hands with Ella, whose other hand was entwined with Changjo's. Jaci and Niel took up the rear as they tried to skip arm in arm, unfortunately without much success.

xxx

Changjo had completely lost track of time. He couldn't remember when they had arrived at the club or how long it'd been since then, but he didn't really care either. The ten of them stuck together in a group at the center of the room, dancing to the heavy electro beat. Well, most of them were dancing. Whitney and Ricky had been entangled in a hardcore makeout session for the past five minutes, but they still swayed with the music. His hands roamed her sides freely as hers slid his jacket off his shoulders, pushing it down to his forearms. Kristin's arms were wrapped tight around the back of Byunghun's neck, their foreheads pressed together as they danced, the smiles they'd had plastered to their faces all night still there, never weakening. Chunji and Minsoo had finally found girls and kept weaving between the thick crowd from the dance floor to the bar and back again. Niel and Jaci appeared to be having a cheesy dance moves competition, both laughing so hard that they could barely keep going.

Changjo and Ella were in the center of the group, his hands holding her hips from behind, both of them moving to the beat in perfect synch. He'd become an exceptional dancer thanks to all the time he'd spent at the clubs back home, and it was clear to him that this wasn't Ella's first time at a one either. He pulled her as close to his body as he could, completely engrossed in the music and the way they moved. When she s her hand up to grip the back of his neck, a shiver ran through his body. It'd been too long since he'd been close to a girl, attracted to one, for something other than her blood. Without thinking, he leaned down and softly kissed her shoulder. She turned to look at him then, her face bright with a sheen of sweat, her bangs sticking to her forehand and temples, neon lights reflected in her eyes, and he didn't hesitate. He pressed his mouth against hers, kissing her as he'd never kissed anyone before. It wasn't a lie to get her blood; it was genuine. Thanks to her and the others, he'd been able to forget everything that had happened in the past few weeks. He'd been happier than he'd ever been before and he'd made memories that he'd keep for the rest of his life. He felt her gasp in surprise, which only drove him on more. Her fingers slowly became tangled in his hair and his arms slid around her waist, completely encircling her body and wrapping her up against him. Slowly, surely, and gently, he persuaded her to part her lips. As his tongue met hers, she turned in his grip, pressing their chests together and deepening their kiss.

They weren't the only ones caught up in the moment. Ricky's blazer was now lost somewhere on the floor, and if things continued at their current rate it seemed like his tank top would be too. Whitney had the hem of it balled up in her fists, her head tilted back as Ricky trailed kisses down her neck and across her collarbones. Her dress was now hiked up to the top of her thighs, with Ricky's thumbs rubbing slow circles beneath the fabric on the sides of her legs. Kristin and Byunghun were exchanging their first nervous kisses, though slowly they were becoming more and more confident with one another. He pulled her closer to him, his arms tight around her shoulders and back. Niel and Jaci had left the dance floor at some point, and he now had her pinned against a wall, his hands developing a mind of their own as he kissed along her jawline.    

Changjo began to let his own hands roam, slipping down from Ella's waist to her legs, his fingers hesitant at first. They slid across her skin, leaving goose bumps in their wake, drawing invisible patterns there that only she could know. Her own hands left his neck, trailing down across his chest. She slowly undid another button on his shirt, to which he responded with a low growl. She was driving him insane, for despite their descension into kissing, neither of them had stopped dancing. Their bodies ground together, her hips swaying against his. Ella drew back, nipping his bottom lip gently, gyrating as she dropped gradually to the floor, her hands sliding down across his chest and stomach and finally coming to rest on his belt, which she gripped tightly and used to pull herself back up. Changjo crashed his lips against hers so forcefully they staggered back a few steps, almost knocking into Ricky and Whitney. He felt her laughing into their kiss and he couldn't help but smile too. Placing his hands on either side of her neck he took the opportunity to twine his tongue with hers, and together they began dancing once more. 

xxx

They probably made quite a scene, twelve teenagers sprinting down the street at 1am, all holding hands, yelling and laughing at the top of their lungs. Whitney and Ella carried their shoes in their hands in order to keep up with the others, and Changjo's shirt was fully ed and flying back away from his bare skin. Minsoo and Chunji brought with them the girls from the club, and together they made their way back to the Magnolia. They slowed as they approached it, everyone catching their breath. Byunghun and Kristin, who had finally and fully gotten over their shyness, immediately locked lips, entwining both of their hands together. Whitney had a line of dark hickies down her neck, and Jaci's dress was more than slightly askew.

"I don't want to leave you yet," Changjo breathed, resting his forehead against Ella's. She shook her head.

"Me either." Minsoo began laughing, his arms wrapped around the girl he'd brought back from the club.

"So I have a crazy idea," he announced, laughing again.

"What is it?" asked Niel, who was absently playing with the strap of Jaci's dress.

"There's twelve of us. We have two rooms at this hotel and you guys have how man at yours...?"

"Two," Ella answered, as she was currently the only member of her group that didn't have preoccupied.

"What if we split up and got one more room at each hotel?" he said with a devilish wink. Ricky surfaced long enough to reply.

"I'm in," he said before returning his attention to Whitney. Byunghun merely held up a thumbs up, and Niel nodded slightly, trying not to break away from Jaci. Changjo looked at Ella, his eyes searching her face for an answer. She smiled.

"Hell yeah!" she yelled, throwing a fist into the air, "but first we all need some more of the Fun Flasks." Both were passed around again and emptied. 

"So who's going where?" Minsoo asked, looking around at the group as he pulled his wallet from his back pocket, "and who needs one of these? Never mind, you're all getting one because you're all drunk and you're all teenagers and you're all probably going to make some poor decisions tonight. But try not to get into a situation where you have to use one, there's plenty of other fun stuff you can do. Like play board games."  

xxx

As soon as the elevator doors slid shut, Ricky and Whitney were on each other. He slammed her up against the wall, his hand trailing down the back of her thigh and stopping at the knee, lifting up her leg and wrapping it around his waist. They melted together, their lips parting only for air. Her hands ran across his body beneath the inside of his shirt, pushing it up and almost completely removing it.

"Not yet," he whispered, his voice raw and low. The elevator came to a stop and they were off as soon as the doors opened, stumbling quickly down the long hallway to their hotel room. He pushed her up against the door, nipping softly at her neck. "We could start now, if you wanted," he murmured, his tumbs rubbing slow circles over her shoulderblades. She laughed and reached around him into his back pocket, pulling out the room key. She slid it into the lock as he slid his tongue across her neck, his hands gripping her hips tightly. Whitney pulled down on the door handle and they stumbled backwards into the room, his grip on her remaining firm.

"Now we start," she said breathlessly, and with that he kicked the door shut behind them. He guided her towards the bed, his lips on hers again, their tongues fighting against each other. He pushed her back down onto the mattress and crawled quickly on top of her, positioning himself between her legs. He pushed her dress all the way up, his hands sliding across her thighs and grabbing her now bare hips. Just as eager, she gripped the bottom of his shirt and pulled, removing it in one clean and tossing it against the wall. Her hands explored his skin, wandering from his back to his chest and back again, grazing across his stomach and arms as well. He pushed up against her, deepening their kiss even further as his hands slipped beneath her and found the zipper of her dress. Ricky pulled it slowly, his fingers leaving trails of heat all the way down her back. Once he was finished, he gripped the bottom of her dress and pulled it off in a single movement, stepping off the bed as he did so. He stood there for a moment, dropping the dress to the floor and tilting his head to the side, taking her all in. 

"God, you're beautiful," he murmured, his hands leisurely undoing his belt. He let it fall on top of the dress before ing and ping his jeans. He paused. "Say my name."

"Ricky," she purred, her eyes shining. With a smirk, Ricky reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small foil square.

"You're going to have to help me with this," he whispered, slinking back onto the bed, "it's my first time."

xxx

Jaci paused and pulled back, biting her lower lip and averting her gaze from Niel's face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice husky and cracking. He cleared his throat. They sat together on her bed, her back against the headboard and his legs straddling her hips. 

"It's just...I don't know..." she said quickly, still not looking at him. His long fingers fell on either side of her face and turned her towards him.

"What's the matter?" he asked again, his eyes meeting hers.

"I just don't understand," she breathed, blinking fast, "why you chose me. I mean, look at you. You're perfect, your body is perfect, and well...mine's not." Niel looked shocked.

"What?"

"My bo--"

"No," he interjected, "don't you ever say that again. You are one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen in my entire life." He kissed her forehead lightly, her eyes fluttering shut. "Your body is perfect." He kissed her eyelids. "You are gorgeous." He kissed the tip of her nose. "And I wouldn't rather be spending this night with anybody other than you." He kissed her lips gently, his hands finding hers and winding their fingers together. After several moments he pulled back again, just enough so that he could speak one last time. "I mean that, Jaci, I really do. And I'm going to prove it to you."

xxx

"Kristin," Byunghun panted, his bare chest rising and falling with his quick breaths. He returned to their kiss, their lips burning with a passion neither of them had experienced before. He pressed his body against hers, pinning her to the wall with his hips. Her fingers hooked into his belt loops, her thumbs grazing across his exposed hipbones. He moaned softly into their kiss, his hands cupping either side of her face. Byunghun reached up and slowly pulled out the chopsticks in her hair, dropping them each on the floor with a quiet clink. Her soft brown locks fell around their faces, tickling their cheeks. Slowly, he pulled her away from the wall, still keeping their bodies as close together as possible, gradually steering her towards the bed. When the back of her legs hit it, she sat down, looking up at him with shining eyes. He ran his long fingers gently through her hair, pushing it back away from her face. She took his hands in hers and guided them to the clasp at her neck, which he undid, his index finger tracing the outline of the keyhole. Kristin wordlessly led his free hand to the zipper that ran down her side. He ped it, slowly lowering himself to his knees as he did. He softly kissed her thighs where the hem of her dress ended, keeping his eyes locked on hers.

"Are...are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, gazing up at her with a hint of apprehension. She brushed his pale hair out of his eyes with a smile.

"Of course I am," she said, pausing slightly, "are you?" Byunghun turned his face so her hand rested against his cheek and closed his eyes.

"More than anything. But...I just...I know I'm not the manliest-looking guy. I seem so small and frail and-" Kristin cut him off before he could finish.

"You can't be serious." His eyes snapped open. "You are so perfect," she whispered, shaking her head and leaning forward so their foreheads touched. He let out a sigh and a small smile played across his lips.

"I wouldn't say that but...as long as you don't mind how I look..."

"I love how you look," she corrected, grabbing his hands and guiding him up onto the bed. He caught in a kiss halfway there and pushed her gently back against the mattress.

"Then let's get this dress off of you, gorgeous," he murmured, smirking as he began to pull it up off her legs.

xxx 

Changjo shivered as the smooth fabric of his shirt fell away from his shoulders, slipping softly off of his arms and crumpling soundlessly on the floor. He shivered even more as Ella's lips gently pressed against his back, leaving a trail of kisses across his shoulders. He turned around to face her, catching her small wrists in his hands.

"God, you drive me crazy," he mumbled, reaching up and twining his fingers with hers. She grinned up at him dangerously, her eyes bright.

"I haven't even started yet," she hissed, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him so fleetingly he barely felt her lips against his. Freeing her hands from his, she pushed him backwards into the desk chair so that he was sitting down. Without skipping a beat she straddled him, her feet dangling on either side of the chair, inches from the ground. Ella kissed him briefly once more, pulling away just as he placed his hands on her hips. She began kissing down the left side of his jaw, nipping softly at his earlobe before continuing to his neck. Her fingers traced across his chest and down his arms, exploring and memorizing every part of his skin. He shifted his hands to the small of her back and pulled her closer to him, his thumbs pressed against her sides. Changjo's breathing became faster and heavier as she reached his collarbones, her fingers migrating down across his stomach and lingering just beneath the waistband of his jeans.

Before she could react he shot up, wrapping her legs around his waist and slamming her down onto the bed, locking his lips onto hers. He pinched her thigh hard, making her part her lips in shock. Changjo slipped his tongue into , quickly dominating hers as he pressed their bodies closer together. 

"You are such a little tease," he growled, biting her lower lip and sliding his hands up under her dress to clutch her waist. Ella laughed into their kiss.

"So that's really all it took to get you going, huh?" she smirked, looking at him with satisfaction as he pulled back for a moment. She slipped her fingers into his hair. Changjo closed his eyes for a moment. Then, a sinful smile slowly broke across his face. 

"But it's going to take a lot more before I'm ready to stop," he whispered, his eyes darkening, "I don't think you know what you got yourself into." As his mouth crashed against hers once more, the sound of ripping fabric filled the room.    

---------------------------------------------

Author's Note: Whew! This chapter was suuuuuuuuuper long! Sorry~ ^^;; I guess I got a little carried away, but to be fair this is probably going to be the last lighthearted chapter before I delve into the main plot of the story. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you guys for sticking with me for so long~ You are all so supportive and patient, and it really means a lot to me <3 Hopefully I'll be able to finish up this story soon!

Also, I wanted to let you guys know that all of the people and places mentioned in this chapter are real! I've been to Denver before and I can honestly say that it is one of the most fun and amazing cities I've ever visited. The 16th Street Mall and downtown areas are soooooo fun much, and even DIA is really cool too! Also, Whitney, Kristin, and Jaci are three of my closest friends and biggest supporters ; ; they've helped me with this fic a lot, so it's only right that I wrote them in it~ I've linked their names to their tumblrs, so please follow them!! :D