It became a pattern. Minji would study and work hard during the week, sometimes on Saturdays too, but after that she would go to a party. It didn't matter where it was or who was running it, they were always there. It seemed Chanyeol had a connection in the university's party network, so he and Baekhyun always had the locations and inventory. All she had to do was show up and they would find her. They got drunk, the two boys would get high, and then they would do something crazy. Sometimes it was just laying under the stars behind the agricultural greenhouses, sometimes it was sitting atop high rises and water towers to drink in the cold air. Once Baekhyun had gotten the idea to jump in the pool the swimming majors used to practice. Chanyeol had dragged Minji into the pool as well, and dropped her off at her apartment three hours later soaking wet. 

           But they never met outside of a party. Part of it was geological, the Chemistry department was on the western side of campus while the Music department was on the eastern side. The other part lay in their motto. The partying, the whispered words and soft brushes of hands and sharing of cups, it wasn't real life. It was a break from reality, a moment to gain back the strength lost during the week. They abused their weaknesses and then returned to real life. Real life was chemistry three times a week plus a lab, math twice a week, biology online, and fitness once a week. And she loved real life, but she loved this too. 

            The problem was she loved it too much. When she wasn't studying, working, or exercising, she was thinking about Chanyeol and Baekhyun. She thought about the way Chanyeol leaned down to talk to her so she didn't feel so short, the way Baekhyun sang in her ear when he wasn't quite high enough to forget the songs he knew. The way both of them cushioned the danger of their crazy plots when they thought she wouldn't notice. 

             She didn't need the weed they smoked, she was addicted enough as it was.

             She wondered if she was the only one that was ostracized outside of parties. Did Chanyeol and Baekhyun talk in real life? Did they see each other every day? Did they smile knowingly at each other when they heard about an upcoming party? Did they think about her? Did they talk about her? 

              Was it bad that she wanted real life to have them in it too?

**************************

             Jonghyun's parties always got out of hand. Chanyeol knew it, Baekhyun knew it, hell everyone in the party scene knew it. As soon as they walked into the house, they knew it was going to be one of the crazy ones. Girls were dancing on tables, seven different songs were playing at the same time, and cups were being passed around with random drugs taped to the sides. It was like a drug grab-bag. 

             But they were okay with that. Baekhyun and Chanyeol knew their limits, knew what they were willing and unwilling to do. They never did anything harder than and alcohol because they didn't want to, and they never had with the girls around because who knows what they were doing. They partied to relax, not to get strung out and laid. 

             "Minji's not coming right?" Baekhyun asked, eyes turned down on the joint he was rolling. He and Chanyeol had found a good spot to hang out on the second floor of the house, right by the stairs. Chanyeol took in a mouthful of beer. 

             "Not sure." He responded when he'd swallowed. He peeked down the stairs and only saw throngs of people smoking and drinking. "I heard Namjoon saying they had a final on Monday."

             "Hopefully she won't come then." 

             Minji wasn't the kind of girl that partied. She was a science-nut, and lab worker. When she walked into a party, she looked like a lost duckling, too innocent to know what to do. Chanyeol had seen it that first night, when her friend had handed her a cup of beer and left her to the wolves. She'd gotten drunk because people kept refilling the gorgeous girl's cup. She probably hadn't even noticed how many cups had been traded that night. Her moment of weakness was when he'd talked to her, and he couldn't have just left her there. They needed her. 

               When they weren't studying, they were thinking about Minji. She was like them. She didn't do anything she knew she didn't want to do, even if Baekhyun used his cutest face. She wouldn't smoke their weed, wouldn't let Chanyeol drive if he couldn't walk in a straight line, wouldn't let Baekhyun smoke more than his body could handle. But she still partied. She still managed to be fun even while looking out for them. Even though they had to hold her back from slipping off roofs, from drowning in the deep end of the pool, from taking a cup from some unknown guy, she still thought about their safety too. 

             Baekhyun couldn't stop thinking about her perfume, dark and sweet in every intimate crevice of her skin. At so many parties he'd leaned in to the crook of her neck and had been met with the addicting scent. Chanyeol loved listening to her talk about anything from turtles to tshirts. He loved the way her face lit up when she thought of a random fact, and it was something he looked forward to throughout the week.

             But if she came to this party, something bad might happen. Jonghyun's parties were notorious for overdoses, , and fights. They started out fine, but deteriorated over the night. It wasn't a party for cute little ducks like Minji, and they hoped she would stay home and study even if that meant they wouldn't see her for another week. 

             "I'm having withdrawal." Chanyeol grumbled into his cup. Baekhyun laughed and lit up the joint, taking a drag. 

             "Here. Take the edge off." He offered playfully, holding out the joint. They both knew the withdrawal they felt wasn't drug related. They were craving sweet giggles, soft brown hair, and smooth skin brushing against their hands. They wanted to hear some nerdy joke about the wall paint, or a scolding about the alcohol that Chanyeol had chosen. She was suppose to be whispering drunk things into their ears, not studying in her apartment. 

              Chanyeol sighed and took the joint, in the drugged smoke and passing it back. He held it in for a moment before slowly exhaling, chasing it with a sip from his beer. Baekhyun laid back on the walkway with the joint between his lips and a cup of beer in his hand. 

**********************

               The sheer amount of people packed into the small house made nerves tingle in Minji's stomach. She'd heard Kim Jonghyun was popular, but she wasn't expecting this. People spilled from every orifice of the house, tumbling from doors, hanging from windows. She almost tripped over someone in the yard only to stumble over someone else's shoe. 

              "You okay?" Chohee caught her by the arm, a smirk pulling at her lips. "We can still bail."

              "I'm good." She responded, rolling her eyes. "Unless you want to bail?"

              Hesitance flickered in her best friend's eyes for a split second. They’d heard things about Kim Jonghyun's parties, and it wasn't anything good. They even knew a girl who'd gotten drugged and at his last party. They were stupid for even thinking about going to this party, but they had their reasons.

              "Nah, we're already here." She shrugged. "Just don't walk off, okay?"

              Minji snorted. She was usually dragged away by Chanyeol, not walking off. Leading them up to the door of the house, Minji pushed it open and jumped back as a man fell onto the porch, foam dripping from his lips. They stepped over him and into a tightly knit crowd of erratic dancers, tossing alcohol in every direction. 

              "Jay!" Chohee chirped, grabbing a familiar shoulder. Jaebum's handsome smile  lit up as his eyes fell on them, and he shook off a giggling girl. He scooped Chohee up in a hug, careful not to spill his drink on her silky top. 

              "I didn't think you were coming!" He yelled over the music. Minji was pretty sure there were seven different songs playing, but somehow everyone was dancing anyway. "Don't you have finals tomorrow?"

              "Next Monday!" Minji yelled back, jumping when a hand slid across her . She hadn't wanted to give off a vibe, and had dressed in a soft gray tunic and short shorts. Apparently some people couldn't read the message. 

              It was unlikely that Jaebum heard her, as he was busy nudging his nose along Chohee's neck, mumbling something under the music, so Minji looked away to glance around for a trace of the two men she wanted to see. It was only when Chohee tensed and her eyes widened that she looked back at them. 

             "Damn, it's Namjoon." She tsked. Jay and Minji followed her gaze across the house, where they could just make out a puff of blond hair heading toward them. Minji wrinkled her nose at the pleading look her best friend gave her. 

             "No."

             Chohee pouted, looking adorable cuddled in Jay's arms. She had to admit, the tattooed Music Application major was pretty perfect for her friend. Minji could only hope that he stuck. Sighing, she shrugged and delved into the crowd, waving irritably at the thank you that was yelled over the music. 

             Finding Namjoon was easy, he tripped over everything so he made a split in whatever crowd he was walking through. He smiled when he saw her. 

             "Hey! Have you seen Chohee?" 

             Minji frowned and shook her head. "She went out with her boyfriend tonight. It's just me." Her heart broke a bit at the sad look on his face. Namjoon wanted to be with Chohee, they just didn't suit each other. It wasn't meant to be. Looking to change the subject, she asked what she'd been wondering since she walked in. "Have you seen the Twins?"

              That was the nickname that partiers had given Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Of course it wasn't because they looked the same, rather the fact that they were always together and would finish each other's thoughts and sentences. A few people had started calling them Triplets, as they noticed Minji beginning to show the same behaviors. 

              Namjoon's face went blank. "No, but I know they're around. Do you want me to help you find them?"

              "Would you? Thanks Namjoon!" She smiled and he mirrored her. His hand lifted in an offer of the drink he had. 

              "Here, it was for Chohee but I guess you can have it."

********************

              Being high made keeping track of time extremely difficult, so the two lost track of how long they were up on the stairs smoking and drinking and thinking about Minji. Did she think about them like they thought about her? Did she talk about them to her friends? Did she smile when she remembered things they'd said? Or were they just two random guys she partied with? They never saw Minji outside of parties, but they wanted to. Chanyeol had even gotten the idea for them to eat dinner across campus, just so they might catch a glimpse of her, but they hadn't had any luck.

              Eventually, their cups were empty and it became a mission for both liquor and snacks. Jonghyun was usually the only party around that actually included food, or at least something better than chip bags. 

               "Roll another one." Chanyeol groaned as he stood up. "I'll go get refills."

               "What about snacks?" His best friend whined. 

               "Good point. Team trip." Helping Baekhyun up, Chanyeol led the way downstairs and into the party. He was tall enough to intimidate most people, so they naturally moved out of the way for him to pass. Baekhyun trailed behind, mostly because he was hitting that point in his high where he had tunnel vision, which wasn't good since he had to climb stairs and what not. This was exactly the reason Chanyeol was the one that usually ran for refills. 

               The kitchen was filled with the stoners, picking apart the food on the counters and eyeing the array of alcohol options on the table. There was a group in the corner holding up some guy over a keg and chanting. Chanyeol brushed passed them and plucked a few sandwiches and bags of chips off of the counter, then shoved them into Baekhyun's arms. Once that was done, he moved to the table of liquor and picked up a cup, ripping off the small bag of white powder attached to it and tossing it onto the table. 

               Just as he tipped a bottle of whiskey over the cup, a familiar giggle hit his ears, despite the pounding music and drunk chanting. Snapping up his head, he turned and looked at Baekhyun. The shorter man was frowning and looking around, his eyes squinting to focus. Maybe they were paranoid, or maybe they were just so tuned to beautiful sounds. Patting his shoulder, Chanyeol  set down the cup and walked to the door to the back of the house, where the giggles were trickling in. Wrinkling his nose, Chanyeol pushed the door open fully and looked outside. His stomach dropped. 

              Groups were crowded around outside, but one was right next to the door in a dark corner. Chanyeol saw the chipped gray nail polish he knew too well stretched over a distinctly male shoulder. A slender leg shifted into the light, and Chanyeol recognized the shoes. 

              Minji always work beat up black sneakers. 

              "Minji?" He called uncertainly. The man in front of her tensed and looked over his shoulder. Chanyeol's jaw went slack. "Namjoon?"

              "Oh ." Namjoon deadpanned. "I-I didn't know man. I just-"

              "Chanyeol?" The tall man shifted his eyes to the ruffled girl against the wall. Her lips were swollen and red, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide. She lurched toward him, her giggles increasing. "Oh my gosh! You're here!"

              "I've been here all night." He growled, anger suddenly filling him. What the hell was she doing with Namjoon? "What are you doing with-" He looked up, but the tan man had disappeared into the party. 

              Another giggle spilled from the girl's lips, and she wrapped her arms around Chanyeol's waist, curling her fingers into his Tshirt. Red flags rose in his mind. She was never this touchy, even dead drunk. He and Baekhyun always had to sneak in touches. For the moment, his anger and jealousy pushed to the back of his mind. Tugging her close, he slid back into the kitchen, where Baekhyun stood with arms full of food and a stoned look on his face. When he saw Minji though, his eyes widened in surprise and the snacks tumbled to the ground. 

              He stumbled behind the two as Chanyeol dragged Minji through the party and out the front door. "What's going on?" He slurred. 

              "She was with Namjoon." Chanyeol huffed, pulling Minji down until she was sitting on the grassy lawn. She hadn't stopped giggling, and crossed her eyes cutely when he cupped her cheeks. "Are you okay baby girl? Who brought you here?"

              She smiled at the nickname. "Mhmm. Cho-ah said it would be fun." Her lower lip pushed out in a pout. "But she left and then I couldn't find you and Baek."

              Despite his jealousy over seeing Namjoon all over her, Chanyeol's heart melted. She'd looked for them.

              "Why were you with Namjoon, sweetheart?" Baekhyun murmured, kneeling down next to them. Minji squealed. 

             "Baekhyun! You're here too!" She jerked out of Chanyeol's hands and launched into Baekhyun's arms. The man chuckled. 

             "Of course I am." He patted her head.

             Chanyeol grunted and placed a hand on her cheek, turning her face back toward him. Her eyes were glassy. "Why were you with Namjoon?" He asked slowly. 

             "He said he would help my find you." She giggled. Chanyeol looked up at Baekhyun and sighed. 

             "She's high right now."

             Baekhyun arched an eyebrow and pressed his nose to her hair. "It's not weed." He mumbled. 

              "Baby girl, what did you take?" Chanyeol asked worriedly, her cheek with his thumb. Her eyes closed at the touch, a content hum vibrating . 

              "You feel good." She whispered. Both men's eyes widened at the statement. Chanyeol flicked his eyes up to Baekhyun, who looked like he'd just opened a present he hadn't known he was going to get. 

              "Namjoon must have dropped ecstasy into her drink." Baekhyun bit his lip as Minji shifted, knocking him back onto his back and snuggling into his chest.  

              Her fingers rubbed his shirt between themselves. "This material is amazing Baek. Where did you buy this shirt?" She moaned, burying her nose in his chest. "You smell good."

             "Okay I might be high as a kite but this is really cute." Baekhyun laughed breathlessly. Chanyeol wrinkled his forehead with a frown. 

             "Did you have a drink tonight baby girl?" He asked. A shiver ran through the girl's body, and she peeked at him shyly, covering her giggles with her fingers. 

             "Say that again."

             "Say what?"

             Minji pouted and sat up on Baekhyun's hips. The high boy's eyes bugged as he looked up at the beautiful girl straddling him, her s peeking out slightly from the scoop neck of her soft gray tunic and her cheeks flushed. He willed his jeans not to tighten. 

             "Say it or I won't tell you." She folded her arms over her chest and pouted harder. The hair on the back of Chanyeol's neck stood up as he realized what she was talking about. A block of heat settled in his stomach. 

             "Anything you want, baby girl." He said slowly, knowing his voice had dropped an octave. Another shiver rocked through her. "Did Namjoon give you a drink?"

             Touching her lips lightly, she nodded. Chanyeol looked to Baekhyun, who was covering his eyes and breathing harshly. 

             "You okay Baek?"

             "If I look at her, I'm gonna get hard." He peeked at Chanyeol through his fingers. "And we're all too high to have ."

             "?" Innocent surprise softened Minji's mouth and she forced Baekhyun's hands away from his face. "You want to have ?"

             Baekhyun looked like a deer caught in headlights, caught between wanting to say yes and needing to say no. They'd agreed on not having with Minji until they got with her in real life, even if they got like this. But the swimming in his head wasn't agreeing with him. She just looked so…

             He only had a split second to widen his eyes as Minji swooped down and connected their mouths. Her lips were soft and urgent against his, pulling a reluctant groan from his throat as her tongue lapped at his bottom lip. Her fingers left his wrists and combed through his hair, tugging gently at the roots. She shifted on his lap again, a small mewl parting her lips when her hips ground down onto his tightening jeans. 

             "We can't baby girl." Suddenly Chanyeol was there, pulling Minji off of Baekhyun's lap and up onto her feet. She made a noise of annoyance but followed him, clutching his hand in an iron tight grip. Baekhyun sat up shakily, releasing a nervous breath. His heart was beating like horse hooves in his chest, and his body felt like it was burning from the inside, out. His jeans were uncomfortably tight around his groin. "Let's get you out of here."

             Minji whined as Chanyeol dragged her to the SUV and helped her into the backseat. Her mood immediately changed when her skin touched the leather, however, and she stretched out on the seat. He turned and traded looks with Baekhyun, who bit his lip. 

              "Don't even think about it." Chanyeol sighed, closing the door and folding his arms over his chest. Baekhyun groaned and shoved his hands through his hair.

              "Oh come on, Chan! We can't take her to her place!" His best friend raised an eyebrow. "Who wants to deal with a girl hopped up on ecstasy? She'll be as hell and won't shut up the rest of the night. Her roommates will probably kick her out."

               When Chanyeol still didn't break, Baekhyun growled and planted his feet firmly on the ground. 

               "I call hyung status."

               Chanyeol's jaw dropped, and anger flared in his eyes. "You can't call that for this!"

                "It's already been called."

                They glared at each other for a long moment. Baekhyun knew the key to this was to hold his ground, but Chanyeol really did look scary when he wanted to. Nevertheless, there was no way they could take Minji back to her apartment. They needed to take care of her and make sure she got through the high without hurting herself or doing something stupid. 

                Finally, Chanyeol's shoulders sagged and he growled. 

                "Get in the car."