CHAPTER 13

Tension –a feeling or nervousness that disables one from relaxing. It filled the air; almost everyone was at the edge of their seats, eager to know who was going to prevail. Would it be Kris, Kai or Xiumin?

No one knew. Their fates and the fate of Hana's lips on their cheeks could only be determined with their fists. Kris looked closely at his opponents. I can take Kai... but Xiumin. Agh, he's hard to beat. Kai glances at Kris. I can take him... he then diverts his gaze to Xiumin. But you... are one tough opponent.

Aish... I'm hungry again. Xiumin quietly thinks to himself.

“So... who wants to go first?” Sehun asks, taking a can of beer and pops it open. Kai quietly slips off from his seat and takes his place on one side of the table, kneeling on the floor. Not a second later, Kris also takes his place and soon enough, he grabs Kai's hand giving it a firm squeeze.

Everyone did what they did best –as in the business world: poker face. It was quiet for awhile then Tao clears his throat “Hana” he calls out to the girl and she turns to look at him; he gives her a small smile “Let's start?”

“O-oh... right” she places her hand on top of their fists. Kris could feel the coldness of her palm and he was pretty sure she was nervous, he was too. There was no way that he was going to see her lips against Kai's cheek.

“Ready.” she pauses for a second “Start”

And as her hand leaves; the two don't move. Neither seemed to be applying any force; Kai glanced at him and questioned himself as to why Kris was not doing anything. He was just gripping on his hand.

What is he doing? Kai swallows hard and begins to apply force; slowly, Kris's arm goes back and everyone's eyes widened. Kai was going to be the victor.

But it stops halfway.

Kris kept it from landing on the flat surface. Kai looks up at him and sees the blank look on his hyung's face. Despite the straight line on implanted on the chairman's lips and the expressionless face, Kai swore he saw a glint of betrayal in his friend's eyes.

THUD. The game ends.

Both hands were down on one side; one on top of the other. Kris being the one on the bottom. Everyone's eyes widens except for Suho –who looked away and gave an almost unnoticeable shake of his head. Chanyeol blinks his eyes for a moment, hesitating to announce the winner but does so “Winner: Kai”

Kris quietly gets up and slips back on the couch beside Hana; he gives her a small apologetic smile “Sorry Hana, I grew tired” she smiles back brightly “It's fine”

“Okay! Xiumin and Kai, last round!” Chen announces, breaking the silence and everyone begins to make noise. Xiumin stretches his arms over his head as he gets up from his seat and settles on the floor “Ah, I'm really tired... I don't think I can win this” he mumbles.

Hana places her hand on the adjoined fists and utters the same words then let's go.

THUD.

Kai didn't even fight back. “Woh?!” Xiumin's eyes widened as he finds his hand on top of Kai's and everyone in the room –except for Kris and a startled Kai- busted into laughter.

“WAAAAH! I won!” Xiumin exclaims covering his now flustering cheeks at the thought of the prize. Everyone was throwing words everywhere “As a promised prize” Chen says standing up. “A kiss from the damsel in distress”

The bedroom door flies open and everyone turns to see Kyungsoo –who had spent an awfully long time in the bathroom after he had to hold in his bladder because of Chen- “What'd I miss?” he asks. Chen walks over to him “You owe Xiumin a kiss on the cheek” he tells him, slinging his arm around Kyungsoo's shoulder.

His already wide eyes, widen some more and the two –the victor and Chen's dubbed 'Damsel in Distress'- exclaim “WHAT?!” everyone then gets succumbed into confusion. Lay rises from behind the couch, letting out a yawn and catches everyone's attention for a moment.

Rubbing his eye of sleep, he asks “What'd I miss?” he had been asleep after his loss to Kris.

“Wait, wait, wait, Hana's suppose to give Xiumin the kiss” Suho speaks out but Chen raises his index finger and smiles “I said: damsel in distress, I mentioned no names and as far as the story goes, Kyungsoo has been in distress because of his bladder which makes him the damsel”

“But he played too!” Chanyeol whines. Chen chuckles “Yep, he did so prior to the beginning of the game, there was no damsel in distress meaning, there's no kiss to receive since there's no damsel in distress but” he turns to Kyungsoo “You just had to bear with your bladder, didn't you?”

Sehun pouts and slams down his can on the table “Aish! We played for nothing!” he says irritably, as moans and groans of complaint from the others followed while Chen satisfactorily sniggers at his trolling ways. Kyungsoo gives himself a face palm while Xiumin shook his head in great disapproval.

“Really Chen... geez” Tao mumbles.

The night ends.

Kris accompanies his colleagues down while Hana stays behind to clean up so they could then go to bed and rest since he had an early flight tomorrow.

As soon as the group exit through the glass doors of the building, they bid each other goodbye, thanking their host as well for the dinner and the good time they had. “Have a safe flight tomorrow, Gege” Tao smiles at Kris before entering his car and drives off.

“Hyung...” Kris turns to the side and saw Kai; he pockets his hands “Yeah?” he casually pipes up. Kai looks around them for a moment and after sensing that all the rest had gone off their ways, he turns his attention to Kris “I wanted to ask you something...”

Kris keeps a blank face on “Sure”

“You could've easily beaten me at arm wrestling... why?”

Kris's brows raise “Why didn't I fight back?” and Kai nods his head. Kris looks at him for a moment in silence and swallows hard then opens his mouth to speak “Why did you?” Kai frowns “Because you weren't fighting back”

“That's the logic of it, isn't it? Pursuing victory just because the other side isn't fighting back... in some cases, a man pursues a woman who is taken and they think it's alright because the boyfriend is unable to do anything given certain uncontrollable circumstances; it's taking advantage of the situation”

Kai falls silent at his friend's words. So he does know... Kris puffs out a breath and clicks his tongue; “You made me a promise, Kai”

“Hyung, I'm not doing any --”

“I'm not saying you are... on purpose, you aren't but the least I expected from you was to be a man in control of his actions. We've been friends for a long time now and the last thing I want is a fight so please... don't give me any reason at all. You're better than this, Kai... much much better”

Kris walks past him while he stood rooted on the ground. The tall guy stops halfway but doesn't turn, instead he speaks loud enough for Kai to hear “If by any chance you pull something on her again while I'm gone, make sure that I never find out, otherwise...”

Kris turns his head to the side “I might kill you”