flirting

you had snacks after yongsun and byulyi arrived.

although this is the first time you all have gathered and talked, your conversation came out natural. the mood had lightened up with the help of byulyi's sweet-talking and demonstration of 'flirt-back method', which yongsun had responded to eagerly each in every time.

with your apprehension slowly subsiding, you are finally getting the hang of talking to irene spontaneously. unlike byulyi, you are not making moves, like doing simple flirts or whatever. it's just plain and platonic conversation and you are happy with this progress.

the few shots of tequila you had for 'dessert' is finally taking its toll on you. byulyi had the same dizzy look in her eyes. yongsun and irene, although they've admitted that they were tipsy, still look okay.

the dj changed the music to something more of an electric mix which made the crowd go wild, altering the dance floor to a rave party. the combination of the tequila effect and the loud noise took over and you end up hitting the dance floor.

you don't know how you got there. the last thing you remember is yongsun and byulyi standing up. irene followed them, pulling you. you refused but she keeps pulling you up until you gave up.

and now, here you are, surrounded by mad-like people, dancing frenzy like there's no tomorrow.

what about you? well...

you surely can dance but you're not into drunk dancing.

you hate it.

especially now that you feel like the whole place is spinning around and around and around.

but how can you help yourself from not dancing along when irene is just right in front of you, slowly swaying her hips to the melody?

you don't even know if you're doing it right or if you look like an idiot but you're letting the music take control of your body, dancing like anything goes, just moving to the beat. irene looks so natural with it, and she looks damn y.

. what the hell were you thinking?

you closed your eyes for a second and shook your head to regain your sanity.

must be the drinks.

the crowd cheered again when the music changed to a techno-funk song. people began jumping and dancing at the same time. irene and yongsun started playing, hitting each other with those y moves again.

you stood there with your mouth opened, admiring how the duo is so freaking hot.

byulyi nudged you. you can tell from her lopsided smile that she's thinking the same thing. she joined the duo. you were thinking of doing the same but you changed your mind when yongsun and byulyi started some slightly sensual steps.

no. you're not joining that.

feeling a little left out with the thing happening with the two, irene went back to you.

"those two are having a good night, huh?" you said, striking a conversation.

yeah, way to go, seulgi!

irene stood staring at you, a little open. gesturing a finger to her ear. "what?"

"i said those two are having a good night," you raised your voice a bit, pointing at byulyi and yongsun. the noisy dance floor isn't helping.

irene smiles and shakes her head. she tiptoed towards your ear. "can't hear you."

you had goosebumps on the back of your neck when you felt her warm breath on your skin.

that's when you realised what you need to do. you leaned forward to her ear. "your friend and my friend are having a great night."

irene turned to the byulyi, smiling before going back to you. "too bad, yongsun's over you."

you closed your eyes and laughed. you gestured towards irene again. "byulyi took my pringles away."

irene's beautiful eyes formed crescent moons as she laughs with her hand on her chest. "don't worry. i'd convince her to keep sending it," she said to your ear again.

one crazy dancer bumped into irene's back accidentally, making her slightly lose her balance towards you.

knowing she's tipsy, you instinctively grabbed her arm to keep her from falling.

you felt your heart getting warm with the skin contact. you are standing still amidst the crowd of drunken dancers while the other person apologises to the two of you.

but instead of letting her go after she regained composure, you stood there holding her, not sure where did you get the courage to still hold her like this.

the drinks? probably.

before you could even let go of her arm, she faced you, stepping closer until your bodies are touching. she looped her arms loosely around your neck and your hands automatically found their way around her waist.

you began swaying slowly back and forth even though the music and the heavy drumbeat were fast.

there's a lingering warm and fuzzy feeling in your chest. you don't know who told you what to do next but your body acted on its own. you leaned in even closer to her ear, your cheeks against each other. there was no any form of protest from her so you continued swaying in that position.

having the tequila as your brave potion, you whispered something in her ear, something you know you wouldn't be able to say in your complete sober state.

"you look wonderful tonight."

you felt her smile against your cheek.

"thank you. so do you, as always," she whispered back. one of her hands gripped the back of your neck and started rubbing it. "and i love your smell."

you closed your eyes as the fragments of the night in your room flashed on your mind. everything felt like it was happening again, like irene is not in control of herself again. her scent is filling your senses. her hand on your neck is subduing your consciousness and awareness.

"can we stop jumping like the others for now? i'm feeling dizzy," you softly said to her.

she chuckles. "sure. but in one condition..."

"hmm?"

"can we stay like this for a little while?"

you nodded in response. you don't care about your surroundings anymore. your bodies were moving in rhythm as you keep swaying slowly.

you always loved this sweet side of irene, unpredictable yet sweet. already drowned in emotions, you gently pulled her even closer to your body and she responded by tightening her arms around your neck.

"how are you feeling?" she asked against your ear.

"perfect. just perfect."

she leaned into you and put her head in the crook of your neck. you stayed like that for a while.

unlike what happened before, she's neither high nor baked this time. you're both tipsy, yes, but you're also half sober. whatever she is doing now is done with her full consent.

will it be a sin to make yourself believe that for once, even just for this brief moment, she likes you too?

you don't care if it's just driven by alcohol or the hype of the dance floor.

because if there's one thing you are sure of at this very moment, irene's definitely flirting back with you.

---

"i brought something for us, guys."

you all turned your attention to byulyi who just came back after talking to some of her guests. yongsun, irene and you are in the vip room.

"what's that?" asked yongsun.

byulyi raised a small odd-looking box for you to see. "we're gonna play a card game."

"a card game?" you said as you watch her sit down and pull her legs into a pretzel. "i don't know any games, dude."

"don't worry. this is not a typical card," said byulyi. "you'll enjoy this for sure." she pulled out the cards from the box and you saw texts written on it instead of the four suits.

"'pull out one strand of an eyebrow from the person to your right'," said yongsun, reading the content of the card shown to you. "what the hell is this?"

"this will be a fun game, guys," said byulyi, putting one bottle of tequila and a shot glass on the table. "each of us gets a chance to pull out a card. you'll read the instruction by yourself and perform it. failure to execute will cost a shot of this masterpiece."

your jaw dropped when you saw the bottle still unopened. you haven't even fully recovered from the previous one you had and here's another one.

yongsun rubbed her palms together. "i like it! it sounds exciting!"

"it'll be fun for sure," said byulyi. she turned to you and irene. "are you guys ready?"

irene glances at you before turning to byulyi. "yeah. sure."

you sat in a circle around the low table. irene is on your left while byulyi is on your right. yongsun is in front of you.

"all right. so who should pick first?" asked byulyi, shuffling the cards in her hands.

"why don't you give us a sample?" suggested yongsun.

byulyi placed the cards facing down at the table and picked the one on top. she read it privately. you were waiting for her to do something when she filled her shot glass with tequila and drank it straight.

"what? why did you drink?" you asked.

"yeah. what's in the instruction?" yongsun took the card from byulyi's hand and read it. "' your elbow?'" she laughed.

"you should have at least tried, you know," said irene, laughing too.

byulyi shook her head. "c'mon, girls. there's no point in trying. it's too impossible."

yongsun attempted to her elbow first before giving in. "fine. you're next, seulgi."

you swallowed something in your throat as you pick up a card. you slowly flip it and read the instructions with your eyes.

'pick the nose of the person to your right.'

you glanced at byulyi, your eyebrows furrowing.

you filled the shot glass with tequila and drank it fast. "there's no way in the world you could make me do this," you said, smashing the card on the table.

byulyi picked the card and started laughing. she leaned over and showed you her nostrils. "hahaha! c'mon, seul. i'm ready!"

"no way!" you pushed her head away. "gross!"

"i'm willing to do it with my thumbs," said yongsun.

byulyi just laugh at it. "now, who's next?"

"me." irene pulled out a card and chuckled after reading it. like you and byulyi, she went straight to take a shot.

"why? what's that?" asked yongsun. irene handed out the card. yongsun smirked when she read it aloud, "'take off your lower undergarment'."

your eyes widened when your imagination started working on its own.

. your brain should stop being imaginative for once.

"i wouldn't do that," said irene, rolling her eyes.

"why won't you?" yongsun threw the card on the table. "if i got that one i'll surely do it instead of drinking. anyway, it's my turn now." she turned to the table and took out the next card. she bit her lip after reading it.

you curiously watch as yongsun went over to you.

"could you give a little space for me?" yongsun asked you.

and before you could even move, she already straddled you with her legs and started dancing y in front of you.

you angled your body away from yongsun's, feeling awkward. "yah. stop it now. i already get it."

"'perform a on the person in front of you'," you heard irene's y-low voice read the instruction.

"dammit! i'm so jealous now!" byulyi lightly smacked a hand on the table.

yongsun, who's still on your lap, turned to byulyi. "don't worry. you're gonna get your chance later," she said with a wink. she went back to you and held your chin. "i hope you enjoyed it..."

you blinked at her, unsure if you should thank her or not.

"eee! you're so cute!" yongsun pinched your cheeks before going back to her place.

"yah. seulgi's not the only one cute here," byulyi protested, still playing to be jealous.

"don't worry, byul. i'll make it up to you," said yongsun, biting her lower lip.

irene stretched out her arm to get the shot glass and fill it with tequila.

"hey. you're drinking? your turn's over, right?" asked yongsun, bringing her hand to irene's leg.

irene drank it and put down the empty shot glass back on the table. "i know. i just feel like drinking. this one's different from what we had earlier. it tastes much better."

yongsun said nothing and just rubbed her thumb on her friend's leg.

"my turn," said byulyi, picking up a card. she grinned after reading it. "it's your lucky day, baby," she said, scooting over to yongsun to quickly plant a kiss on her forehead.

"ah?" came yongsun's response. she was unprepared for that. "that was it?"

"yeah." byulyi showed the card as proof. it says 'kiss the person to your right on the forehead'. "why, you're craving for more?"

yongsun playfully hit byulyi in the arm. "i didn't say that."

and so the game went on. you're not sure why but you've been getting a lot of weird instructions, some possible and some are not, like asking to byulyi's foot or kiss yongsun in her navel--which she's willing to take part into but you decided not to do it.

byulyi got more of the sensual instructions. she didn't perform the tasks that are meant for you or irene, just yongsun's. you're now thinking this is just byulyi's way of scoring.

yongsun is the one who got the easier tasks, or should you say she's the one who's more willing to do those even though they are kinda awkward. she bit byulyi's ear, put a hickey on irene's neck, took off her shirt--she's wearing a sports bra so don't worry.

on the other hand, irene was betting with bad luck. all the cards she got were weird foolish tasks like doing a backflip out the door, perform a headstand for two minutes, put a finger in yongsun's butthole, chew your sock, and even carry byulyi bridal style. she always ends up drinking as a consequence, making her consume more than half of the tequila.

you are now nearing the end of the game. the bottle's almost empty and everyone is drunk. you're not even sure if you could finish this game without passing out. everyone is flushed, especially irene who's like a cabbage now leaning on yongsun's shoulder.

"it's irene's turn now..." said byulyi, slurred.

yongsun slid the shot glass away from them. "no. irene had enough already. she can't take another shot."

you wanted to agree with yongsun but you're too drunk to say something. you just keep nodding.

byulyi raised both her hands in the air. "fine. i guess this is the end of the game."

"no..." irene sat straight. "i can still play..." she reached over for the shot glass.

"nah uh-uh," said yongsun, stopping irene. "you've had enough, rene. do you wanna throw up soon?"

"just one last card, sun-ah. one last card," said irene, raising an index finger. "just let me see if this one is doable."

"if it's not then i'll take your drink, okay?"

"okay. if that's what you want." irene reached out to get a card.

your mind wasn't focused on the game any longer. you knew that whatever irene's gonna get, yongsun will end up drinking the last shot of tequila.

this is the first time in your life you got so drunk. the entire room has been spinning nonstop. you're not even sure if you could still stand up. you remember struggling to hard to go to the restroom earlier to take a pee, and that was like five shots of tequila ago.

"what did you get, irene?"

you turned to byulyi trying to understand what she said. was she saying things slurry or are your ears not functioning well at the moment?

agh. whatever.

after this game, you're gonna retire to bed. you surely had a great night. what happened on the dancefloor with irene is something you'll treasure again.

you turned your attention lazily to your left when you felt a hand clutched the back of your neck. you knew it was irene. you can tell from the way she held you.

she is smiling at you. she pulled your collar and inserted the card in the pocket of your dress shirt. after that, she leaned in closer to whisper something to you.

or that's what you thought she would do.

because she didn't lean over to your ear. instead, she dragged your head towards her.

and then for a fraction of a second, before your mind could even comprehend it, she is already kissing you.