Chapter 2

 

It only took five minutes for Minki to arrive at the source of the whistling. He stared through the open gates of the mini mansion, similar in size to his family’s home, the sound of loud music drifting his way. It struck Minki that this must be the house party Minhyun and Baekho had been telling him about. 

 

The whistling had stopped at some point, and now it was only curiosity that urged him forward. Before he could ring the bell, the doors opened, revealing the face of a stunning woman, who scanned him over before a smirk alighting on her face. 

 

Leaning into him, she purred, “Got lost on the way, love?”, the music nearly drowning out her voice. Minki could feel his face turn red, but didn’t have time to respond before he heard a familiar voice shout his name.

 

“MINKI MY MAN,” Baekho shouted, swaying over to the door. It was clear that he’d already had a few drinks, as he slung an arm over Minki’s shoulders. “Thought you weren’t coming,” he slurred, dragging him away. Minki glanced over his shoulder at the woman who’d let him in, who was staring after him, an unreadable look on her face.

 

A much more sober Minhyun joined them fairly quickly, a questioning look in his eyes. 

 

“What happened to your curfew?” he asked, concern lacing his voice. Minhyun alone knew the strictness of the curfew Minki’s family had, as well as what the possible consequences would be. The one time Minki had almost missed his curfew, Minhyun had been the one dropping him off, and had witnessed his uncle laying down the punishment. 

 

Minki could only shrug. He really had no explanation. How could he say he heard a weird whistling sound that compelled him to come here? It made no sense. As for his curfew, that was already broken, so there was no point in thinking about it anymore.

 

Minhyun seemed to understand that Minki didn’t have an answer, so he let it go. “Well, you’re here now, might as well get a drink. Come on,” he said, leading the way to the kitchen where various different bottles of alcohol, soda and juice were scattered on the counters and island. Two people already occupied a corner of the kitchen, their bodies plastered to each other in an intense make-out session. 

 

The two broke up apart to look at the intruders, and Minki recognized the guy as Aaron Kwak, an exchange student at the local university. He was two years older than Minki’s groups of friends, but they knew him mainly because he was being housed by Jonghyun’s family, whom Minki had grown up with. 

 

Aaron raised his hand in greeting, his other hand wrapping around the waist of the girl he was with, whom Minkinow recognized as Raina, one of the hosts of the party. “Yo, didn’t know you were coming,” he said. The girl next to him nudged him, and when he looked down at her, she gave him a pointed stare. “Ah, right. Raina, Minki and Minhyun, Minki and Minhyun, Raina,” he introduced them, though Raina needed no introduction, as a relatively popular idol. “My girlfriend,” he tacked on, pointedly looking at the two boys.

 

Raina bounced over to the two with a “Hi, nice to meet you!” and grabbed Minhyun in a hug (that Minhyun awkwardly reciprocated before busying himself with making him and Minki drinks), then Minki. However, she stiffened as soon as she made contact with Minki, withdrawing immediately. She gave him a once over again, before a smile appeared on her face again. Minki couldn’t help but feel that it looked very fake, masking something unpleasant underneath.

 

Raina backed up until she was next to Aaron, then grabbed Aaron’s ear and pulled it down to her level. “Ah, noona!” he screeched in pain, but shut up when she whispered into his ear. She giggled lightly as she let go of his ear and patted his cheek as he straightened, and tugged him out of the kitchen. Aaron called over his shoulder, “Have fun, don’t get too ed up!”

 

Minki could only shake his head, slightly weirded out by the awkward meeting. Minhyun shoved a red Solo cup into his hand, muttering, “Of course Aaron would be dating a celebrity. No wonder Jonghyun was able to get us invites.”

 

Minki stared down at the cup, and Minhyun hurriedly said, “It’s just soda, no alcohol.” Minki was infamous for having a terrible alcohol tolerance, usually gone after just one drink. As a result, Minki usually just avoided it altogether. 

 

At least an hour went by with no sign of the whistling that had drawn him here in the first place. Just past 1am, Minki had decided he’d had enough of the party. He’d come to find the source of the whistling, not to party, so there was no point in staying. He bid goodbye to Baekho and Minhyun, the latter murmuring a short “Good luck” to him, and then made his way to the door. 

 

He had just opened the door when a firm hand grasped his wrist and twirled him around, shut the door and trapped him against it. He found himself inches away from the woman who had