[CONTENTID1]GUMMY FANGS AND FULL MOONS[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]A SELECTION OF CHOCOLATE BOYS[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

That weekend, the Sweety gang decided to celebrate their reunion by camping out the wilderness. Of course, they had to first make Baekhyun solemnly swear that he would refrain from eating wild mushrooms. Sungyeol couldn’t come because he was still recovering but Jongin pushed himself back into the gang, with Suzy there to back him up. No one bothered to ask Myungsoo, simply because everyone knew his answer already.

Secretly, Suzy texted Myungsoo to ask him. It would be good to help alleviate the tension between him and the rest of his friends. Myungsoo replied back with a curt ‘No’. Suzy stared at the screen for a long time, glaring at his lack of etiquette in the bonds of friendship. She sighed in dismay, because she knew that nothing could thwart Myungsoo’s decision in this matter. The boy was Sungyeol’s friend and no one else’s.

However, a sneaky voice whispered inside her that she would love to be in Myungsoo’s good books as well. She had witnessed him break apart like a withered butterfly. His heart collapsed inside her palms and he cried into her knees. She shook those memories aside because it only embarrassed her, and she was certain that Myungsoo was embarrassed by it too.

The woods were thick with foliage and trees. In the dawn of January, the days ended quicker and the world was wrapped in a thick, icy and dark blanket by the time it was five in the evening.

As the sky bled into a crepuscular glow, the girls got ready to set up camp while the boys set out to search for twigs and leaves to start a fire.

Taekwoon walked in circles in the vicinity, oddly resembling a vampire in the misty darkness.

“So…” Nana said, throwing her curtain of hair behind her shoulder. “You kissed my brother.”

Suzy paused with opening the zipper of the tent, and felt all her muscles freeze in her face. Her heart suddenly panged against her chest like a firework that had no escape. Her insides squirmed with agitation. She gulped audibly, aware that Krystal and Jieun watched her like a pair of spectators.

“Umh…” Suzy fumbled for words. “He...I...umh…”

Nana snorted. “I couldn’t believe it. Like, I just couldn’t believe it. Since when did you like Jaejoong? Isn’t he...too old for you.”

Suzy was certain that her face flushed a crimson hue. Krystal sent her a twisted smirk. Now that she thought of it, she forgot that Krystal and Nana were fighting over their siblings breaking up.

“Gosh,” Krystal whistled, “Jaejoong kept whining about Jess cheating on him, but that hypocrite went off and kissed his sister’s best friend.”

“I can’t believe he’d do that,” Jieun piped in, eyebrows strained with contemplation.

“Hey!” Suzy frowned indignantly. She didn’t know why but her chest burned upon hearing Jaejoong being spoken of in such a manner. “Jaejoong was drunk. He wouldn’t have done it if he wasn’t drunk.”

“But you kissed him back,” Krystal chuckled, and Suzy wished she could disappear from the spot.

"Hold it!" Nana snapped. "My brother isn't a bad man."

Suzy hated the way they eyed her like a group of vultures. She knew that there was still a stringent tension that pulled between them, and the bond of their friendship was as fragile when revived.

“B-but...I…” She didn’t know what to say. It was bad enough that she could barely form her words. It was as if she never spoke Korean at all. She needed to slap some sense into herself.

Boldly, Suzy lifted her chin and faced them. “It was my mistake, and I feel bad about it...I shouldn’t have kissed him back, but Krystal, you knew that I crushed on him for a long time.”

Nana’s jaw hung open. “You-- what? Minnie mouse! You crushed on my brother? Since when?”

“Since I freakin’ started puberty,” Suzy blurted. That shut them up.

The memories were spilling out like water from a broken dam. That dreaded night flowed back into her veins and the bliss of Jaejoong’s kisses with them. Desire and shame raged within her, and she mentally cursed herself for what happened that fated day. If she had a time machine, she would travel back and prevent Jaejoong from kissing her in the first place.

“Like...wow,” Nana breathed. She shook her head. “I’m so imagining you as my sis-in-law, ya know?”

Suzy blushed furiously. She didn’t need any more suggestive hints that would remind her of Jaejoong.

“Do you think we should've asked Myungsoo to come?” Jieun said, diverting the topic.

She winked at Suzy because Krystal and Nana’s features changed expression. Suzy wanted to throw her arms around the girl and squeeze her into a tight hug. Jieun was there to pull her out of a sticky situation. She missed that aspect of the girl.

Nana and Krystal were prying and curious, but Jieun only listened when it mattered. Her indifference to girly situations was admirable. If she was not interested in the topic, she refused to listen. This was not the first time that Jieun aided Suzy against the former two.

Suzy guessed that Krystal and Nana must have become friends again back when they learned that she and Jaejoong kissed each other.

“Eew, Myungsoo just annoys the hell outta me,” Nana spat. She grabbed a can of beans and forced it open, ignoring the dirty glare from Krystal.

The latter warned everyone not to eat the canned food unless it was necessary. Like always, Nana was ignorant to anyone who ogled her.

“Yeah,” Krystal sighed. “I still can’t believe he said all those things. He’s such a pr**k.”

“He’s an idiot. He doesn’t deserve any friends. Like, he can go and rot in hell for all I care. Kid’s got serious mental issues.”

“I don’t know what Sungyeol sees in him,” Jieun added. “You’d think someone as friendly as Sungyeol would pick up those emo vibes off Myungsoo.”

Nana threw her head back and laughed. “Emo-- that’s the perfect word to describe that jerkaholic. He so messes with my head. Sungyeollie is too nice for his own good.”

“It’s strange, but Sungyeol’s the only one that Myungsoo likes,” Krystal stated, and then she glanced at Suzy. “Although he seems to be comfortable around you too.”

Suzy almost tasted the venom in her words.

She gulped again, not knowing why Krystal was bitter over this but her recent attitude over Myungsoo made Suzy question whether Krystal harboured any feelings for him. The way she stared at him, or the hurt in her voice only alluded to Suzy’s suspicions.

“Gosh Suzy,” Krystal continued, though with a tone of sentimentality, “How do you do it? How do you make cruel guys like you?”

“Myungsoo doesn’t like me,” Suzy said, albeit a bit too forced.

“It’s not only Myungsoo. There’s Changmin and your hunk of a bodyguard too.”

“What? Taekwoon isn’t cruel, and Changmin-nim is my tutor.”

“But they’re mean.”

“Now that I think about it,” Jieun intercepted, rubbing her chin, “Myungsoo does seem to be nicer towards you, Suzy.”

“Umh...I dunno,” Suzy croaked.

The last thing she wanted to tell them was about Myungsoo’s suicide attempt. That was a secret just for herself, and she respected Myungsoo. Revealing his inner thoughts to others would break that bond of trust that bloomed between them.

To her luck, a scream howled through the air, startling them all. Nana shrieked back, arms flailing in the air until Krystal had to pinch her arm to stop her from making a further fool of herself.

Taekwoon rushed towards the girls, his stance defensive and alert. He surveyed the area like a determined hawk. The scream sounded like a man in extreme pain. It reverberated throughout the woods. Suzy only prayed that it was not one of her friends.

Everyone sighed in relief when the boys instantly appeared out of the darkness, unharmed. Jongin grinned at Krystal who only rolled her eyes. Just then there was more rustling in the bushes. Suzy’s heart picked up pace until she was afraid that it would break through her ribcage.

Everything was dark now, save for the torches in Joonmyun and Baekhyun’s hands. The light from the devices quivered as it traced across hedges and overgrown bushes. Just then, three figures popped out from close by, pale faces oddly resembling a horde of thronging ghosts. Suzy held her breath to prevent herself from screaming out loud.

However, when the figures stepped closer, they were not insubstantial beings out of horror stories, but Halla, Chanyeol, and-- to Suzy’s surprise-- Jungkook. She didn’t know why but seeing Jungkook among the duo of best friends made disappointment mushroom deep inside her. Also, seeing Chanyeol there didn’t help either. She still didn’t find it in her to forgive him for what he did.

What happened between him and Sungyeol was past now, and the boy would often visit Sungyeol with coffee and bubble tea prepared just for him. It was as if they were never enemies to begin with. A spark of friendship now existed between them, and this tied them together like brothers of different worlds.

The Sweety gang didn’t know how it happened but it was if Chanyeol had tackled his inner demons and was now trying to gain Sungyeol’s trust. Of course, people knew that Chanyeol was in dire need of money for unknown reasons. Suzy was certain that there was a clause to Chanyeol’s friendship, the boy would never befriend anyone without ulterior motives in mind.

“Hey!” Halla exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly. “It’s Suzy and co! Look Kook, it’s your noona.”

“H-hello noona,” Jungkook added, a prominent blush on his cheeks.

Suzy forced herself to strain a smile. “Why hello, Jungkook.”

“You guys know each other?” Chanyeol asked.

His eyes flickered with restive flares, igniting what he once was before, and it reminded Suzy of that night that he tried taking advantage of her. The memories caused her to shiver as if someone had poured ice cubes down her back.

“Noona's my friend,” Jungkook replied, a bit indignantly.

“Were you the guys who were screaming just then?” Baekhyun said, interrupting them. He scratched a spot on his nose. The two friends were still not on good terms.

“We thought it was you,” Chanyeol countered.

Halla waved her arms to catch their attention. “If it’s okay with you guys, could we set up camp? I’m scared for Kook’s chicken heart.”

“Awww,” Nana giggled when Jungkook’s face flushed a crimson hue.

“I’m not a chicken!” Jungkook retorted. “I watched The Exorcist when I was seven, and guess what? I was on my own.”

“So, is it okay?” Halla flashed them all a wide smile.

The Sweety gang sent each other apprehensive looks. It wasn’t that they were mean and reclusive but having Chanyeol next to them was like removing a temperamental bear from a trap. It was risky and unpredictable. Although Chanyeol’s recent demeanour did promise a better person, they were still afraid that he’d try something fishy behind their backs, and Suzy had branded him an eternal liar.

“Sure why not?” Jongin broke the silence.

“Thank you!”

The Sweety gang glared at Suzy as if it was her fault that she invited her belligerent cousin along. Suzy chuckled nervously. She caught Taekwoon staring at her and the weight inside her chest diminished. With her bodyguard back beside her, she felt safer again.

Their eyes connected over an ocean of distance, tracing each other’s worries in that moment frozen in time. Suzy knew that Taekwoon would never leave like before in that instance. An invisible knot tied them together, intertwining their lives so that they could not escape the other at all.

-

The crowd split to set up camp and start a fire in the middle. Suzy struggled with her tent. The girls were roasting marshmallows and kebab near the fire so she was handed the task of fixing the tent  The material waved about like a curtain in the breeze, adamant on making her job more miserable.

Footsteps crunched over twigs and leaves. Someone appeared by her side, held the falling tent up with her and gave her a grin that had the capacity to light up the planet.

"Let me help you, noona," Jungkook offered.

Suzy gifted him a smile. "Awh, you don't have to."

He shook his head. "No, I want to."

She didn't have to do much after that. Jungkook, with cov