chaser : college musical 2, summer edition
풀어 ( POUR UP ) : school has officially started!RAVES & RESEARCH
RAVES & RESEARCH
HARD SUMMER 2K1...
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number one
hazel’s fbi must be so disappointed in her
bc you know
Drugs™
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and ur mom must be disappointed bc you know Ugly™ son like u
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number two
Holy , get ing rekt as hell, D Jeon.
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edward, our lord and savior
Landon wants me to tell you to stop bullying his children, Hazel.
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i wanted an A+ in mrs sharpuzio's class but we don't always get what we want
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number one
WOW U hazel
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so minus jeon everybody wants a pill or is sharing one bc he wants to act like he doesn’t disappoint his mom and dad on the daily? LOOOOOL
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number one
u know words sting sometimes?
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havhannah, oh na na
HAHAHAHAH I'M DEAD
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August 4, 5:48 AM
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havhannah, oh na na
guys i'm so assed out but holy LOL
edward picked us up and ryan is knocked the out in the back and edward is like "who makes the oldest drive first it should be the maknae" and downs an espresso shot LOL
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August 4, 12:22 PM
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ok i got the pills
and also holy 6 am LOL u know i could never :< norcal is so far
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(suz) ay bae bae
Ryan has been rapping non-stop for like an hour. I'm going to kill this kid.
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number two
Not my fault you can't handle my beautiful voice, noona.
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(suz) ay bae bae
Hazelnut, how's your side?
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djeon won't shut the up about conspiracy theories like who the actually cares i'm tryna sleep here?? ?
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number one
ok FIRST OF ALL
i'm only going to say this once but like think about it bc the dark web exists FOR A REASON
i'm pretty sure the government is spying on us and i think my fbi and i get along pretty well
hey Chad Bro <3
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he in named his fbi agent CHAD like that is the whitest thing on the planet smfh frat boys :<
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President Landon xD
How far are you guys? We're almost there so we're going to pitch our tents. Do you know what time you guys are getting here? I know Ed mentioned something about 2?
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havhannah, oh na na
ed says eta is 2:18 pm and he also says he's gunna power nap before we start
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President Landon xD
Okay, that's fine. Just tell him that the good stuff happens later in the evening anyways but we also have to pre-game. This fireball isn't drinking itself.
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(suz) ay bae bae
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August 4, 6:12 PM
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(suz) ay bae bae
OK HAZEL AND I ARE BOUNCING TO TRITONAL NOW SO PEACE OUT if you need us just message
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August 4, 7:37 PM
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President Landon xD
Daniel and Ryan, raise Chu-sama higher so I can find you guys.
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August 4, 8:02 PM
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HANNAH UNNIE MEET US AT AXWELL LEFT SIDE OF THE STAGE THAT'S WHERE SUZY UNNIE AND I ARE
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havhannah, oh na na
alright might take a while tho since i have to push thru drunk ppl
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August 4, 9:59 PM
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IN RYAN
WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?? ??
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number two
@ porter robinson xD
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edward, our lord and savior
Ryan
Did we not agree to meet at Yellow Claw's stage right before it started so we can go to Martin Garrix together?
I don't want to be that person but isn't it your responsibility and I know you're having fun but we came to Hard together?
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hAHAHAHAHAHH RYAN IN GOT TOLD AT HARD EVEN EDWARD IS MAD AT U LMFAO
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number two
sorry hyung i'm omw
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jus hurry up we're all here waiting for u >:(
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number two
OK OK I'M ON MY WAY SPEED WALKING TO U GUYS RIGHT NOW!!!!
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warnings: recreational drug use, binge drinking, fratty behavior
NOW PLAYING IN LANDON'S 2010 BLACK BMW X5
There are worse ways to wake up than hearing the disgruntled pitch of Hazel’s Morning Voice™ — like waking up face down on the hardwood floor of the Pineapple house, face sticky with an unidentifiable and sticky substance (alcohol? vomit? Daniel grimaces) — but it’s no less blaring. He groans, mumbling something incoherently before snuggling back into his sleeping bag, letting the crisp morning air knock gently at his crow’s nest of bedhair.
“Daniel Jeon I swear on my Urban Decay palette – actually that’s too expensive, more like my crusty Revlon one from high school – if you don’t ing get up right now I’m gonna pour your handle of Amsterdam on your face."
He blinks his eyes open blearily, weakly spurting in protest as he tries to block out the flash of sunlight behind Hazel’s unamused figure standing over him, a handle of Amsterdam threatening to tip over in her hands.
There are nightmares, and then there are nightmares.
“Holy , Hazel.” He scrambles back as he simultaneously tries to deal with the splitting headache jostled from the sudden movement. He feels like an old piece of gum left on the sidewalk — going shot for shot with Landon will do that to you, because ugh, if there isn’t any other reason that man is frat president it’s his ability to outdrink everyone — and if the immense amount of light streaming through the tent opening isn’t going to kill him, it’s Hazel.
“I really didn’t think that you could look any uglier, but early morning you is a legend, Jeon. No wonder you never stay the night after your hookups.” Hazel just shrugs as Daniel sputters.
“Don’t be mean, Hazel,” a voice pops up next to them. Daniel hadn’t even noticed Suzy being in the tent during the whole exchange. “It’s not entirely his fault all the PAPhi boys went overdrive with their alc last night.” She offers him an amused smile before turning back to pack what looks like granola bars and some cash into a holographic fanny pack.
Now that Daniel’s vision isn’t blurred with drowsiness, he notices how she’s already fully dressed, in a white lace bralette, ripped high waisted jean shorts and ivory skin decorated with a gold body chain and gold flash tattoos, and he begins to wonder if he’d really woken up that late.
“Well, either way,” Daniel blearily turns back to Hazel, who also already seemed ready to head out. She taps at the mouth of the Amsterdam with a perfectly manicured fingernail, letting an obscene amount of bracelets clink against the glass. She’s wearing a shimmery rose gold iridescent low cut halter and ripped jean shorts, the Adidas logo shining proudly across the white windbreaker carelessly shrugged on. Is he really that late? She tucks a lock of her wavy brown hair out of her eyes as the sprinkle of freckles and sparkles across her cheeks and nose scrunch with her facial movement. “If you don’t come out and help with breakfast I’m not saving you from the absolute thirst fest later.”
Daniel can’t help the smug little snicker. “What, you telling me I’m hot, Hazel?”
“Can you frat boys get over yourself for a total of five minutes?” She looks utterly unimpressed, taking the handle of Amsterdam with her as she turns to step out of the tent. “But I’m serious, if you’re not out and ready in ten I’m letting you rot and die during Yellow Claw and I’m drawing a on your forehead. I’m sure your soulmate will forgive you for that one.”
It's that what gets him rustling out of his sleeping bag and hurrying to wash up, only Suzy is there to laugh about it.
“Is that...a pikachu head on a stick?” Hannah raises an eyebrow as she nibbles at the McDonald’s breakfast sausage Landon had gone to pick up an hour before (“It’s to go along with our small stash of alc. We can’t all be vomiting at 10 am can we?” He had explained as he brought out 8 bags of fast food from the backseat of his truck.” “‘Small,’ what the we have ing 10 handles of Bacardi and Smirnoff” “Mmm”).
Ryan hugs the totem protectively. “Hannah, we never disrespect Chu-Sama by calling him just any pikachu.”
“Here we go again.” Hazel rolls her eyes as she pokes at her breakfast burrito.
“Here,” Ryan sweeps open his arms dramatically, ignoring Suzy’s call of Ryan can you please put on a shirt as he clutches the totem, “we have the tradition of fifteen years of UCM Pi Alpha Phi, all shown by our single representative Chu-Sama. Every group that goes to EDC or Hard Summer takes this symbol with pride!” He thumps his chest as Landon hoots from his place behind the beer keg.
The group falls into a low, comfortable hum of activity as they tend to their last bites of food, red Solo cups starting to make their appearance around their makeshift tables (if you consider overturned cardboard boxes table-worthy).
The harsh warmth of the alcohol is a welcome one, and Ryan smacks his lips as he downs the last drops of Suzy’s Bacardi and orange juice mix in tandem with the bass drop thumping on Edward’s bluetooth speaker (“Can you play Do You Like Bass” “No” “Why not” “I don’t serve bass heads like you” “Don’t you clean up after Landon hyung he’s a bass head too” “...No”). If the ratio is 80-20, then no one’s the wiser.
Ryan groans a little happily as he leans back on his arms, uncrossing his legs to stretch them out across the grass and soak up the sunlight. It’s a cloudless day, and it’s almost painful how perfect the weather seems for a music festival. The sky’s blues are tinged a little brighter, the palm trees standing a little taller. If the rising heat isn’t an indicator of the day’s start it’s the increasing level of screaming and cheers and blasting speakers from under the horizon where the main stages are located.
And his soulmate had offered a have fun at the festival! with a cute little smiley face, so really, the day couldn’t get anymore Perfect™.
“Ah, the dead man finally rises.” Landon shouts in amusement as he shoves a sloshing red cup into the hands of an uncoordinated Daniel as he finally stumbles out of one of the two tents set up in their little camping space. He rubs at his eyes as he throws back the shot messily — how someone transitions from sleeping to drinking with such finesse is a huge question mark — narrowly avoiding alcohol dripping onto the front of his white Nikes.
“An extra for log in shot, you ! Thanks for waking up early like the rest of us.” Ryan cups his mouth to shout at his best friend, eyes curving in mirth as Daniel shoots him a glare. He pulls up a bit of the yellowed grass around him to play with it.
His best friend looks worn out, sleep still dancing in his eyes as he devours a hash brown and an egg McMuffin, and well, Ryan shrugs away the extra tickle of guilt for egging Daniel on to go shot for shot with their PAPhi president last night. He’d known full well who’d die first. Oh well. He’d live.
Especially considering how they’d conspired what sets would have the cutest girls (secret, it was all of them).
“I’d protect you if you ever stopped Stussy’s , but I digress.” Suzy looks Daniel up and down meaningfully, zeroing in on the white Stussy tank top and red bandana around his bicep as the rest of the group roars in laughter.
“Rude, noona.” Daniel sniffs before pouring an obscene amount of peach Amsterdam into Suzy’s cup, all traces of tiredness or a hangover forgotten as he clinks the plastic cups together as if in challenge. Suzy laughs before throwing back the shot with him.
Hazel rolls her eyes before turning to fix the last minute touches on Hannah’s eye makeup, smudging a bit of gold shimmer onto the inner corners of the KASA vice president’s lids. “Cheat Codes has a day set in like 30 minutes let’s move the out,” she calls behind her, moving onto working blush into Hannah’s cheeks after hearing the low grunts of assent and Suzy’s melodic “of course.”
“Frat boys at raves, right?” Hazel pauses to see Hannah’s eyes curling in laughter before shaking her head.
“Why we decided to subject ourselves to this I have no idea.”
To say their group is a bit of a mess is a bit of an understatement, considering Hazel doesn’t know where some of them are half the ing time. It becomes an unspoken agreement between her and Edward to “round the kids up” and do a head check every ten minutes or so because the last time Hazel had turned around to tell Ryan to not run off, he’d disappeared. For all her rendezvousing back on campus, Hazel really wasn’t too keen on becoming a mom anytime soon, but this group was really testing her patience.
When she drags Ryan back by the ear away from a group of giggling Asian sorority girls decked out in, quite frankly, very little clothes and matching blonde ombres, no one even bats an eye.
It’s no surprise that the boy had gained attention, prime boy content in his heather gray UCM muscle tee, black Supreme hydration pack, and red, white, and blue bandana (“You’re literally the least patriotic out of all of us” “Hyung let me live my American second-gen life in peace”). Really, the group in general had turned quite a few heads — huddled together in their shimmering crop tops and rippling tank tops, tanned golden by their Californian roots and practiced confidence. If Landon had to act the Rave Dad part and tell a few sloshed drunk boys to off, it's expected.
It doesn’t make it any less annoying.
“Okay so the plan is Cash Cash, Tritonal, Alan Walker, Axwell, Yellow Claw, and then Martin Garrix?” Hannah and Suzy look expectantly towards the rest of the group as Edward leans over to take a sip out of Landon’s North Face hydration backpack and Daniel draws Ryan and Landon into a selfie for his Snapstory (“PAPhi out on this gang ? Really?” Hazel shoots Daniel a look as she checks the Snap that pings on her phone).
“Hold on, I thought we were hitting up Zeds Dead and Rezz?” Landon frowns as his PAPhi protégés nod simultaneously next to him. “I want to feel the bass so hard my brain gains enough brain cells to last next school year.”
“I really, really don’t think that’s how it works, bass head.” Hazel raises an eyebrow as Ryan and Daniel both simultaneously clutch their chests in mock offense for their hyung. “Okay one and two you need to stop doing that it’s creepy as hell.”
“And I wanted to see Petit Biscuit.” Edward speaks up, looking up from tapping away at his phone as he tugs at his black muscle tank to fan out some of the heat.
It’s frustrating, with how big their group is and how different their musical interests are. The sweltering heat of the afternoon sun does nothing to relax them as they wipe the sweat dripping down their foreheads and the bridges of their noses. Even as they hug the corner of a small hot dog tent for the shade, it’s hot enough that the swirl of people around them are frantically fanning themselves with mini fans and dousing themselves in sunscreen.
“And I can’t handle this heat” Ryan mutters, as Landon hits him behind the head despite fanning himself, lecturing about how you live in California bro, man the up.
Suzy sighs, pulling down her lavender sunnies as she pulls Ryan over to her to write down the names of all the artists, ignoring the younger boy’s indignant protests on why they had to use his arm. “A lot of these sets overlap so I’m not sure what we should do.”
“Okay but can we talk about how there’s no room for me to write for my soulmate now.”
“We could always split up and reconvene at the main stage when there’s a set that we all want to see?” Hannah suggests, picking at the holes in her high waisted shorts and readjusting her maroon tube top. “Just make sure to have your phones on you.”
“Okay but literally how am I supposed to find my rave bae now?” Ryan complains as the girls pointedly ignore him, continuing to scribble down set times and circling overlaps in requests.
No one notices the small LOL that’s a lot of music!! stay safe~ decorating the inside of his elbow — Ryan will later complain that it was the only piece of bare skin left for any sort of writing — as they cap their pens and move out of their small shady paradise, yelling see you laters and don’t get too drugged over thumping bass.
It’s summer, and it’s time to go hard.
Finding your soulmate at a music festival is rare considering the sheer amount of people and the fact that most if not all the audience members are on some type of substance, but it has happened — if the little markers on lanyards they get alongside their tickets with Hard Summer 2018 embossed on the sides aren’t indication enough.
That’s why Hazel is more than surprised to see hope Hard is fun!! scribbled onto her arm as she moves her body to a Zeds Dead remix, laughter bubbling up as she yells “SOULMATE TALK!” as everyone around her cheers. It’d become a sort of trend throughout the festival amongst the crowd, to proclaim out loud when that signature penmanship ghosted across skin. It’s cute, if not a little cheesy, to see so many young adults boasting over such small conversations. She’d made fun of Daniel on the way to the main stage for the omg!!!!! stay safe pls o___o decorating his forearm next to the faded drug inventory Hazel had done the night before.
But with that rarity is also an open invitation for uninhibited freedom, for well, living life with no worry of consequences. Hazel does little but raise an eyebrow when she sees Daniel snake his hands around a small Asian girl’s waist, letting his chest press against her back as she looks up and smiles before turning back towards the stage. She’s cute, Hazel notes, and looks much like all of Daniel’s hookups do so there’s no surprise.
The bigger eyebrow raise is when she sees Suzy and Edward semi-grind up on each other a little to Hazel’s left, and she quickly darts her gaze towards Landon who gives her the same what the flying look before the alcohol in their systems deems the situation too miniscule to deal with now.
She sends a mass snap with Landon cheesing in the back before posting a Snapstory of the stage captioned tfw it’s hot as hell but 🙌🏼🙌🏼zeDS DEAD. The crowd is hyped, insatiably so for a 3 pm set with little to no shade, and Hazel can’t help singing along as she moves with the crowd, bass turned up so loud she can feel it reverberating through her veins. It’s loud and sweaty as people scream and shout at the dj in equal measure, but at some point the heat is almost unbearable.
“I’m hungry,” she shouts into Landon’s ear as he puts a well-muscled arm around her shoulders, sweat making their skin stick together. It’s not really true — the churro she’d shared with Edward earlier is still comfortably sitting her stomach — but when Landon runs out of water in his North Face and Daniel face long enough that she doesn’t want to deal with asking him, she knows it’s time to #replenish.
“Lowkey same,” he shouts back, nodding towards the people around them, “Get the crew and let’s head out. The set’s almost done anyway.”
Hazel grabs at Daniel’s arm with a bit of difficulty (if someone pushed her one more time the white girls behind her were about to catch some hands) just as the girl from before slots a thigh between his legs, hands pulling at Daniel’s dark hair as they draw tongue and teeth together roughly. The force of the pull makes Daniel stumble back a little as he looks at Hazel, eyes wide in a drunken haze as he lets go of the girl in front of him.
“Play time’s over we’re going.” She calls back unapologetically as he gives a little shrug to the girl helplessly before following Hazel out of the crowd.
“You know I could’ve been getting some. She was kinda cute.” Daniel has a pout laced into his words as Hazel leads him out of the crowd, her hands locked between Edward’s and Daniel’s.
“Exactly. She was too cute for you.” Hazel snickers as she turns back to stick out her tongue at Daniel, who sputters in protest.
“What the Hazel, that’s not fair!”
“Yeah we can’t all get what we want, ugly.”
“HAZEL.”
It feels a lot like babysitting a crew of irresponsible younger siblings, Edward mutters to Hazel later when they’re sitting in a small circle with tacos dripping in hot sauce and open cans of Sprite. They’d fought over what type of food to get, with the “Mexican food truck” option gaining an extra point at the end for its close proximity. It’s the mix of adrenaline and binge drinking, Hazel’s sure, but she can’t help but agree.
Especially when Landon and Daniel start holding a funeral and singing hymns for the taco Daniel accidentally drops mid-bite.
It’s night when everyone finally reconvenes.
The last rays of sun shed a glorious golden hue on the quickly darkening sky as string lights and spotlights brighten up the venue, the low hum of steady conversation and laughter in tune with a light tropical house mix playing from the speakers of a nearby stage. It’s summer at its finest, with the dip of the sun yielding to the rise of a signature summer night. The smoke from sizzling meat and way-too-much-barbecue-sauce (“You can never have enough barbecue sauce, Hazel”) wafts over from a line of food trucks, handwritten menus highlighted by the glow of flickering fires, as the group continues walking towards the main stage. It’s a muted sort of excitement, much like the critical moments before a roller coaster drop.
Suzy and Hazel stick close to each other as they let the boys push through the growing crowd in front of them, offering light sorry!s to particularly disgruntled looking people as they follow along rather unapologetically with positive beams despite their words.
“Oh my god poor Eliza,” Hazel laughs as she shows Suzy a Snapchat of Derek and Eliza making TT signs with their fingers on Kale Lawn as a reply to her Snapchat of Hazel, Edward, and Landon jumping in a crowd. “Major fomo? Must to still be at school too.”
“Just looks like we’ll have to have extra fun for everyone missing out!” Suzy lets out a happy whoop as they continue to following the rest of their group.
“Ryan says they’re next to a Naruto totem. Chu-Sama’s having a battle with it.” Daniel calls excitedly from the front of the train, iPhone waving in the air as he clenches his jaw, chewing on a piece of gum Edward had distributed to all of them after taking their pills.
And by the time the first notes of a haunting electronic melody echo through the crisp night air, causing the previous lull in noise to escalate to straight up screaming — Hazel swears she heard Landon sob from behind her, but she’s not too akin to check at this point — Hazel has her arms around Daniel’s neck as he boosts her onto his shoulders, and she lets out a breathless laugh, basking in the extra height as lurid lights shoot across the crowd in an amalgamation of bright fuschias and ocean blues.
She raises her arms, throwing giddy peace signs at Suzy shoulder-riding Edward and Hannah shoulder-riding Landon (“The utter disrespect,” Ryan mutters as he sulks about no one wanting to ride on his shoulders, much to Hannah’s amusement, “Koo your shoulders look like they’re...delicate. Noona’s just looking out for you!”) before glancing at her arm.
so lucky...make sure to take lots of videos so i can see them if we ever meet!
you mean when we meet?! !!
right HAHA who's playin
martin garrix!!!!!!!
major fomo... tfti LOOOL
come thru next yr
haha will do... have fun for me!
ofc xoxo!!
She’s jostled out of her conversation, mind buzzing with adrenaline and ecstasy, when Daniel sways to the music, hollering at the top of his lungs some PAPhi chant that Landon and Ryan echo with equal enthusiasm from somewhere below her.
While she’d normally roll her eyes with an ugh, she just laughs, overwhelmed by the pure feeling of happiness that pushes all rational thought from her head — she pulls out her phone to Instastory the view, muffling her screams to yield a decent video (or as decent as she could get while high) as one of her favorite songs starts its opening notes.
“Hazel,” she peers down at Daniel as he starts to let her down. She would’ve complained otherwise if she wasn’t so happy — and well, thirsty. She steals the mouthpiece of Daniel’s black and red North Face hydration pack as she raises an eyebrow at him.
“HAZEL,” he begins again a little louder to match the rising volume as the bass drops, throwing an arm around her as he pulls her into his chest, “YOU’RE MY FAVORITE NOONA OKAY I KNOW WE GIVE EACH OTHER BUT REALLY YOU’RE THE BEST.”
He positively beams, childishly shooting a heart sign with his index finger and thumb. She pauses, mouth open in surprise before reaching over to ruffle his hair.
“DANIEL THANKS YOU’RE GREAT TOO SERIOUSLY.” She shouts back with a grin as he pulls her into a hug at the praise.
“CAN WE TAKE A SNAP?” Daniel scrambles to pull out his phone, sipping at his hydration pack before offering the mouthpiece to Hazel as a telltale yellow background and ghost icon light up his face. They get bumped by a few hazardly drunk — or high? At this point in the night it’s hard to tell — people before they squish their faces together to fit the screen, cheesing with a quick Fave! caption before shooting it to his Snapstory and all of his Best Friends.
They don’t notice the look of utter shock passed between Ryan and Edward in their drunken haze as the former doubles over in laughter. “Yo who're these.. drugged up versions you guys are way too nice to each other oh my god it’s ing weird.” Edward tries to hold back his laughter as Suzy sways on his shoulders, looking down eyes wide in surprise at the words.
Because really, Daniel and Hazel and affection never really sit together in the same sentence.
But in that moment, it doesn’t matter. It’s the way the light seems to shimmer on each of their faces, it’s the way the lyrics croon about there being somebody like you, it’s the way, despite being packed together like sardines, the closeness seems to create an unadulterated connectedness past the physical proximity.
It’s the hype, the adrenaline, the freedom.
“I’m really, really glad I have friends like you guys to spend this summer with,” Landon bursts out above the extra heavy thrumming. The rest of the group turns, moving their bodies to the rhythm while shooting curious glances at their eldest. “Like , I’m aboutta get emotional and I don’t know if it’s because I’m high but you guys are the best, really.”
Underneath the fluorescent lights, they sway to the melody of the song, throwing their hands up in the air with cheers as the bass drops into something heavy. Let loose — after all, that's what summer is about.
warnings: moderate drinking, skipping class & other shenanigans
NOW PLAYING IN ELIJAH'S 2006 WHITE TOYOTA SIENNA
When most people take the last few moments looking over their last final, skimming the pages with truthfully very little care because this I’m outta here, they’re usually not concerned with being back on school grounds until at least September. Textbooks are burned, bedsheets are thrown out, “HAGS ” “ OFF WITH THAT HAGS LOL” are yelled. It’s summer, and no one — not even Professor Nguyen and his ty Chemistry 101 final — could possibly stop UC Malibu students from a much-needed break.
That’s why Eliza can’t help the small sigh that escapes her lips as she strolls out of Bendy Straw back to the Radius after delivering a book package to one of the Literature professors. She holds her hand above her eyes to shield from the glaring sun. The temperature is unforgiving in its 90 degrees of retribution, and a quick peek at her reddening complexion is indicative of her grade-A sunburn.
Because while it’s summer, Eliza Sehwa Kim had a mere two and a half weeks at home to sleep in until 2 pm and cruise around Melrose Avenue with her back-home friends before she was unceremoniously shipped back to campus to, bless her soul, take summer classes.
Introduction to Computer Systems was known to be an absolute GPA murderer during the school year with a slightly (very slightly) lighter workload during the summer, so it seemed like a good idea at the time. But with class ending at 10 am, her first few days back on campus had been a collection of burrito rolling around her sublet in her blanket and binge watching 12 hours worth of Pokemon movies. Needless to say, the job posting tacked in front of the Radian seemed like a much coveted booty call.
“Did you drop off the book?” James doesn’t look up from his phone — mindlessly scrolling through his Snapchat notifications as he leans back in his desk chair with his feet propped up on the library front desk: James’s Everyday Position™ — as Eliza scans her student ID at the door and shrugs off her book bag into her chair.
“Mhm! I also picked up coffee from WBB because it was on the way,” she waves a plastic cup as he finally looks up from his screen to break into a smile, making a grabby hand as he pulls at the front of his t-shirt to fan himself with the other.
“Holy , iced almond milk latte with a shot of caramel sauce and whip cream?”
“The one and only,” she quirks an eyebrow in amusement, “but who would believe this is your actual coffee order?” James shrugs unapologetically, screeching how it tastes good, okay (much to the chagrin of Mrs. Binch the librarian, who’s already threatened to fire him four times — “Mrs. Binch I’m too hot to be fired”).
“Dude, you’re the . If I didn’t have the biggest ing thing for my soulmate I’d have a crush on you.” James quirks a grin as he sips at his drink, laughing when Eliza scrunches her nose in distaste. But she can understand the sentiment — ever since the AC broke down two hours ago it’d felt more like heat therapy than a library.
“But yo, did you see Hazel’s Instastory?” James swivels around in his chair, coffee in hand as he swipes through his phone to find it again.
They’d fallen into a routine much like this. James would constantly bother Eliza with a funny Snapchat or a game of League, saying that boredom was no for him and that he needed to do something, else rot in the Radian (“My corpse will be picked off by evil grad students with 4.0 GPAs”). Eliza, ever the friendly social butterfly, had just laughed before winning three times.
“The one of Landon oppa pouring alcohol into people’s mouths at 9 am?” she picks up a stack of books for reshelving, “Or the one from yesterday with Devon – is that his name? – Jeon saying he's great?”
“Daniel. He’s my pbro,” James corrects. “And the second one holy I’m getting so much fomo. Why did we subject ourselves to misery? Why am I still at school? I could be drinking in Ktown right now, shotgunning hookah from a cute girl,” he wails as he drapes himself across his chair — just as someone walks up to the front desk to check out a book.
“I don’t know, maybe if you didn’t fail Physics 103 you wouldn’t be.”
James immediately scrambles up properly to bow his head slightly, shamefully scanning the book. “Holy that was my TA.” James mumbles as the man leaves, and Eliza muffles a bright laugh as she starts off towards the shelves with her stack.
“Make sure not to fall asleep at the desk again!”
“And this, my boys, is why we can’t have nice things.” Elijah sighs as he uses a pair of tongs to replace the charred grill for what feels like the tenth time as Joseph and Derek look up sheepishly.
“If it’s all you can eat, we’ll ing eat all we can,” Joseph protests before happily accepting their 19th plate of meat, coughing back a laugh when Elijah grimaces.
“Not if you eat away my paycheck,” he calls back while wiping his left hand on the front of his So Dwe Mul apron before returning to the kitchen.
It’d become an every other day thing — to visit Elijah at his part-time job during their lunch breaks, at a time of day probably much too early for an all-you-can-eat meat deal. But considering how Derek is suffering in a Dorms data science lab (“I’m a professor favorite so they asked me to do research lol” “Man, how does it feel to say that with your own mouth”) and Joseph is holed up in the school’s medical center as an intern, Elijah’s jabs at their hearty appetites is at 30% strength at best.
At least they had jobs. Say hello to Mr. “all my internships fell through so I’m just gonna work minimum wage and play Overwatch lol.”
The happy sizzling of pork belly is soon in tune with Joseph’s happy humming as a Red Velvet song starts playing overhead, and he uses his chopsticks to grab a strand of kimchi as Derek turns the meat over with his tongs. They’re halfway through the platter when Elijah slides in next to Derek, picking meat off of his plate to steal.
“I swear,” he says between mouthfuls. “Who eats KBBQ for lunch?”
“You literally work a lunch shift at a KBBQ restaurant,” Joseph deadpans as he takes another piece of crispy pork belly off the grill. “And is it okay for you to be here? Shouldn’t you be doing your ing job.”
Elijah waves him off, mentioning something about slow business at 11 am and Hyunjoo ahjumma loves me anyway it’s okay.
“The more important thing is, are we actually roadtripping tonight?”
Derek shrugs, “I mean, I’m down. It’s a Thursday anyway — and knowing the group it’s not like we have anyone who hasn’t made bad decisions on Thirsty Thursday,” he pauses. “Actually maybe except Eliza. But either way she said she watched enough TV to burn through her eyeballs so I’m sure she’s down.”
“Not like she really ever says no, but I’m chill with that.” Joseph happily places a piece of garlic on top of his lettuce-pork-belly-rice-onion combination as he stuffs it into his mouth. “Lethgethlith!”
Here’s a breakdown of their roadtrip.
They pile into Elijah’s 2006 Toyota Sienna at 8 pm (“You drive an old soccer mom van oh my god” “Can you not judge Seolhyun she’s sensitive” “The fact that you ing named your car Seolhyun is in itself worth judgment day”) after everyone gets off work — even Susan, who flies over in a flurry of papers after her late shift at the Malibu Daily paper — and fight over the aux cord before Joseph proclaims himself the winner since he’s shotgun.
The next fifteen minutes are a mix of 2000s ballads and the Sailor Moon theme song, much to the chagrin of James as he bemoans how he just wants some Childish Gambino.
They drive to, well, H Mart.
“How is this a roadtrip?” Susan raises an eyebrow as the first few moments of exhilaration fade once she realizes that her surroundings are much too familiar to be far off from campus. Her skepticism does nothing but peak when she watches Elijah squeakily break into a parking spot, turning off his engine and shooing all the passengers out.
“Our plan B,” Joseph turns back from shotgun, “is just to eat meat – even though Derek and I had it for lunch but whatever – and drink soju and play games on Kale Lawn.”
“We can’t actually take a road trip lol I ing got class at 8 am tomorrow,” James’s voice is muffled as he pulls on his navy Champion hoodie once he steps out onto the concrete. Derek stumbles as he trips over the edge of the door, raising a finger when Joseph snickers.
“When did that ever stop you before though.” Elijah scoffs at his PAPhi underclassman as he twirls his UCM lanyard before manually locking the door once everyone steps out. “May I remind you that you were always the one that insisted we throw our parties on Thursdays?”
“I’m a new person. I’m a great student. I never skip class. 4.0 forever,” James sniffs.
“You skipped yesterday!” James whips his head over to Eliza and narrows his eyes as she shrugs innocently, running into the store as he yells you can’t expose me LIKE THIS OUR RADIAN FRIENDSHIP IS IN JEOPARDY after her.
Later she offers him a box of strawberry pocky as a peace offering, one he takes happily, as Susan walks by with a why are boys so easy dear lord.
As for their grocery shopping, it’s not much better.
After arguing over which types of snacks to get, even going as far as asking Eliza’s soulmate whether shrimp crackers are better than Banana Kick before just getting both, they go around taking samples from every sample booth in their vicinity. If the Korean ladies serving seem frazzled by the crowd of college kids coming to steal free food, they don’t even bat an eye — instead lecturing Elijah and Derek (as the rest escape) on how important it is to settle down as soon as possible.
It’s ten minutes of bowing and listening with their two hands carefully held together in front of them, eyes flickering to one another in silent screams for help before they’re let go with a “Now go find your pretty wives!” and a hard slap.
Korean ahjumma lectures would never die.
Their return to the group is welcomed by a unanimous decision to keep track of their ingredients on Derek’s arm (“Dude she’s going to judge me so hard,” he wails. “She already knows I ate kbbq for lunch. These ingredients are so telling”), checking off meat, lettuce, garlic, green onion, ssamjang, microwavable rice, ramen, plastic cups, and disposable chopsticks.
“Are we missing anything?” Susan looks up from studying the list expectantly as she scans the faces of her companions. “And before you say it James, we’re not going to buy the squeezable fruit jelly set just because the container is shaped like a dog. Nice try.”
They all scrunch their eyebrows before Joseph snaps his fingers, scoffing as he shakes his head in disappointment, “I can’t believe we ing forgot the most important part.” He strides off without another word, still hugging a pack of cup ramen, as the rest trace his movements in confusion. It’s only moments later when he sticks his head out from three aisles down.
“Peach soju? Or apple?” Joseph shouts as he holds up the two bottles.
Eliza walks over with a six-pack of Milkis and some Korean popsicles — Elijah had shoved the items into her arms earlier, talking about how “if we’re going to eat like Koreans, we gotta have chasers like Koreans.”
“Are we not getting the grapefruit flavor?” Eliza peers at the labels curiously.
“I agree. Are we even college students if we don’t get grapefruit soju?” Susan says, walking over with eight packs of pork belly.
Joseph nods to himself before picking up one, two, ten bottles (“Holy we’re aboutta get trashed” James whispers with glee) and calling Derek over to pick up a six-pack of Kloud beer.
Kale Lawn in July is every bit a midsummer night’s dream. The deciduous and palm trees that hug the parameter cast dancing shadows under the brilliant pinks and yellows of the dipping sun, and there’s no shortage of people laying out blankets and small bluetooth speakers across the grass. The low hum of relaxed conversation floats like a second layer of air as professors and students alike settle in.
It’s warmth, it’s contentment, it’s summer.
But perhaps setting up a makeshift beer pong table with two spaced out cardboard boxes and mounting a small portable grill on top of a mountain of textbooks is still just a little weird. But it’d have to do, considering their circumstances. No one can resist the prospect of playing beer pong on Kale Lawn — when else would they be able to say they did that?
Elijah carefully places six red Solo cups in a pyramid formation, biting his lip in concentration, ignoring Eliza’s it’s really not that deep oppa. If he wanted the perfect triangle he was damn going to get that triangle.
“I brought the rice my dudes!” Joseph hollers as he balances five plastic microwavable rice bowls in his hands. “And my fingers are about to burn off so take yours please.” He unceremoniously drops them (albeit gently) onto the Pikachu blanket Elijah had set out.
It’s after five tries at turning on the portable grill (lots of screaming is involved, with Joseph cursing his ex-girlfriend for leaving him with a faulty grill) that the group is settled around lazily, meat in their systems and beer cans open.
Joseph takes the freedom to open the fourth bottle of soju — apple flavored this time — after the first and second are used to start the night off tipsy and as penalty shots for losing beer pong (given to Eliza and Derek in round one and Elijah and Susan in round two) and the third is finished off with their meal.
Susan turns to throw away the trash as she thumbs at her phone, changing the song to some Sik-K track. It’s a lull in activity, where everyone is slowly transitioning to their post-meal selves, and the quiet is welcome if not comfortable. Eliza takes an Insta boomerang of their setup for her story just as Derek stands up to grab their attention.
“So,” Derek starts in between bites of pork belly, “I’d love to sing Kumbayah with y’all and act wholesome, but these bottles aren’t going to finish themselves.”
James waves his hand as Elijah shrugs off his Nike windbreaker to offer to Eliza who shivers as the night settles, “I propose truth or dare!” His words are slightly slurred but the excitement is still there as he takes one of the empty soju bottles Susan had thrown away back out of the trash and sets it in the middle of the blanket.
“Okay but can we play with soulmate rules,” Elijah mentions blandly, “like as much as I love everyone I’m not drunk enough nor have any intention to Derek’s or kiss Eliza. Like that’s kinda gross. If anything we can play Ktown rules and take a shot every round but an extra if you refuse to answer.”
There’s a low wave of agreement before James just shrugs and leans forward to give the bottle a hearty spin, five pairs of eyes trained on the blurry silhouette of green — before it lands on Derek.
“Truth or dare?” James wiggles his eyebrows.
“Uh, truth.” Derek quirks a grin at James’s muttered old people are boring before taking a shot of soju.
“What’s the meanest thing you’ve said or done to your soulmate?” James asks. Elijah snickers, pulling up a bit of the grass around him as he sits on the edge of the blanket. It’s a basic question, one that’s asked almost every game of truth or dare in the history of truth or dare, but it’s always interesting. Derek widens his already humongous eyes into intimidating proportions.
“Freshman year I had a girlfriend — yo Elijah and Joseph you remember Jordan, right? — and I don’t know, Jordan was just super stickler about soulmates and and when I got my first soulmate mark she just kinda freaked out and broke up with me.”
“Yeah but Jordan was also kind of a ,” Joseph speaks through a mouthful of rice as Susan glares, telling him to be nice. Joseph just shrugs, muttering under his breath, “It’s true though.”
“But yeah I just got super angry and freshman year I just kinda thought I was the , so I just kinda angry scribble ‘ you I had to break up with my gf because of you’ to this poor girl.”
Eliza grimaces, “Yikes.”
“Yeah, not my proudest moment. We’re chill now though! Hella chill, she’s the greatest,” Derek wiggles his eyebrows before leaning over to spin the soju bottle.
The game continues like that, with everyone getting tipsier as the night progresses and laughter ringing a little louder and vision a little blurrier. The crisp night air helps to fan out their flushed cheeks (or as Joseph likes to call it, “our drinking meter. The redder you get the more you should drink, duh”). Eliza ends up being picked on more than anyone else as she yelps truth! on every turn — enough turns that Elijah holds up a hand and points an accusing finger at her asking how many times she’d said truth. To her slurred but reluctant “three” James shouts a little groggily that, new rule, three would be the max for the same thing.
“I dare you to message any of the numbers on your arm with ' off',” Elijah wiggles his eyebrows as Susan huffs in laughter. Eliza can’t help the little betrayal, betrayal that flashes in her head in big neon letters as she gapes at the two of them, glancing down with furrowed eyebrows at the scatter of phone numbers scrawled on her forearm.
It'd been a constant throughout the day, accompanied with such things as "cutie @ rezz" or "girl who gave free smoothie." Eliza doesn't want to say she was a little disappointed when she first got the scribbles (read, she was pretty ing disappointed), but she hadn't really expected anything else from the boy she talked to maybe once a week.
Joseph and Derek hoot in laughter as Eliza reddens before fake punching the closer of the two. The former leans over, peering at Eliza's arm as to study the markings. "I vote for the 'call me babe, xoxo' one that one is extra spicy."
If everyone dies a little that that even existed on her arm, it's plain obvious.
“Relax, it's not like he's ever gonna know.” Elijah waves his hand as if it’s no big deal. “And didn’t you tell me your soulmate’s some frat boy that’s not sober half the time? Better yet he won’t get laid tonight.” Elijah and James snicker, as though the former hadn’t just described themselves as well.
“I mean, you're probably right," Eliza sighs before shrugging as she reluctantly pulls out her iPhone to open a familiar blue messaging app. "I think he's at a rave? So he probably won't message them anyway..." If she got an angry message on her body tomorrow, she wasn’t going to be all too surprised.
“Ooh, so is Daniel, Ryan and Landon hyung! Maybe they met your soulmate,” James supplies unhelpfully before pouring another shot for himself and throwing it back. He ignores Elijah’s yo if you skip class tomorrow I’m charging you extra in dues before gasping, muttering a ing exec privileges.
“Okay, done." Eliza lets a grin play on the curve of her lips as she flashes her phone at the rest of the group, the familiar whoosh! indicating the message having been sent.
To: Unknown Number
off 1111!!!!!!1!11!!1!!
There’s a fire ignited in her eyes as she leans over to grasp at the tipped soju bottle, looking up at her companions with determination.
“We’re on.”
Round two is to be expected, and when Joseph opens up his home “even though it’s hella dirty and I think William Byun left week old pizza crust on the living room floor” due to its close proximity and large size, everyone piles in a little tipsy.
Eliza and Susan lock arms as they sit on Joseph’s couch (more like sink into — were there even springs left in this thing?), pointedly ignoring the unidentifiable stains on the rough material as Joseph brings out three more handles. Eliza inwardly groans, knowing all too well from the little glint in Elijah’s eye she’d be downing more shots before the end of the night.
Derek thumbs through a karaoke song book as he shouts, “Yo Joseph, why hasn’t your karaoke machine been updated since like, 2011? The latest song is legit Infinite’s Be Mine.”
James guffaws from his position eagle spread on the floor as Joseph rolls his eyes from the kitchen (where had the chopsticks in his hand come from? When had he even started making ramen? What?). “Natasha doesn’t need you commenting on her old age.”
“One names their car, the other names their karaoke machine,” Susan mutters under her breath much to Eliza’s amusement, scrolling through her Instagram feed.
By 1 am, it’s this — screaming old school Big Bang into janky microphones before versing each other in Mario Kart, stealing bites of ramen from each other and finishing Joseph’s mango pineapple Svedka. It’s this — knowing that despite suffering on campus during the summer, their unlikely personalities and quirks would blend together into an unforgettable combination of laughter and excitement.
Elijah snaps a picture of the setting from an armchair and grins: Derek and Joseph betting kbbq over the next game, James falling asleep lying on the floor, Eliza intently starting at the screen as she navigates Princess Peach, and Susan watching the game while scrolling through her phone. It’s an odd group, for sure, but it’s home for the summer.
WHY ARE WE HERE @ UC...
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lmk why i'm here spending my summers at ucm instead of being at hard like just lmk,,, ;;;;;
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d in derek is for delicious™
all i can say is same
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e in elijah is for excellent™
When you got that bad fomo from watching Hazel and Daniel's stories on both snap and insta?
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j in james is for juicy™
ok but LOL as hell
djeon: hazel is the best
hazel: djeon is so great who knew i'd live to see the day that hazel ISN'T roasting jeon
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d in derek is for delicious™
it's the Molly xDD
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ok but can we do something too so i don't feel too loserish just going to summer classes? :<<<
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j in james is for juicy™
ok but like what
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August 5, 1:25 PM
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s in susan is for sensual™
Sorry for the late reply.
I'd be down to do something today though. I have a bit of free time this week since the Professor is letting me take a break from correcting.
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j in james is for juicy™
when susan noona is the only one that replies you're all sus and dead 2 me
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August 5, 2:01 PM
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j in james is for juicy™
I SEE HOW IT IS
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j in joseph is for jazzy™
elijah and i are at work rn tho so like??? L O L
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when james expects an answer in the gc BUT HE'S STILL AT WORK SLACKING OFF
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j in james is for juicy™
can you like, idk eliza, not expose me today?
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d in derek is for delicious™
road trip with everybody in this groupchat today?
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cAll!! !
YES elijah oppa bring your grill so we can cook gogi and drink lotsa jamong iseul yes? ^______^
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August 5, 3:11 PM
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j in joseph is for jazzy™
Ok but i just saw prof stevenson walk into sdm with a girl LMK WHY HE CAN PULL SOMEONE WITH HIS BALD SPOT BUT MY CUTE FACE STILL HASN'T MET MY SOULMATE? ??
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j in joseph is for jazzy™
i know
why are we cursed with all this bad luck
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August 5, 3:30 PM
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d in derek is for delicious™
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August 5, 3:45 PM
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s in susan is for sensual™
I'm done a bit early so I'm coming to Rad with boba.
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 hehe i love u unnie
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August 5, 6:12 PM
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DEREK OPPA AND ELJIAH OPPA WE ARE OUTSIDE PLEASE HURRY AND GET YOUR BUTTS OVER HERE!!
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j in james is for juicy™
susan noona said she has to drop off her car tho so elijah hyung saranghae
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e in eljiah is for excellent™
????
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August 5, 6:37 PM
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omg elijah where are u james and i are so close to the cashier i'm sweatin
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j in james is for juicy™
THIS IS THE STUFF NIGHTMARES ARE MADE OF HYUNG
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e in elijah is for excellent™
Do you guys want apple cheoeum cheoreom or jamong iseul?
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are we truly koreans if we don't get the 6 pack of jamong iseul? 🤔🤔
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d in derek is for delicious™
a big Mood™
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August 5, 8:49 PM
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d in derek is for delicious™
smy name is derek parqk fand i owe a wish tho evbyerody in htis ngroup chat i swewar on ym soulmate! !!!!
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August 6, 7:12 AM
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my head is killing me
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j in joseph is for jazzy™
pho?
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s in susan is for sensual™
I'm never drinking with you guys ever again.
But very down for pho. Meet at Bento to walk together?
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e in eljiah is for excellent™
See you all there.
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풀어 ( POUR UP ) : hi also! we just updated our main cast page (chpt2). twitters scroll vertically, scroll horizontal on twitter for apple playlist (6 songs each, vertical scroll) and scroll horizontally outside of said twitter/playlist for the whole shebang!!
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