The next afternoon, the group of friends, decked out in paintball gear (including goggles, protective vests, and gloves) gathered at an empty paintball field. Kibum, Junghee, Jinki, Taemin, and Minjung were joined by Kim Heemi and Park Jungsoo. Minjung smiled nervously at Kibum and proceeded to introduce the new additions to their troop, recruited for this paintball game. “Kibum Sunbaenim, Junghee-yah, Jinki Hyung, and Taeminnie, this is Kim Heemi and Park Jungsoo. Heemi-nim will be joining the girls’ team with myself and Junghee. Jungsoo Hyung will be our impartial referee. Make sure to stay impartial, Jungsoo Hyung,” Minjung said pointedly. Kibum couldn’t help but stare at Heemi, confused that Minjung had selected her for the game. Heemi reminded Kibum of a delicate porcelain flower. She was pale with cherry red hair and long slender legs.

Jungsoo nodded and clapped his hands. He pulled out cue cards and read from them in an authoritative tone. “Okay, as you can see, we have the blue team, led by Choi Minjung, which consists of Kim Heemi and Kim Junghee. Their paintballs will be blue. For the pink team, which will of course shoot pink paintballs, we have the brothers Lee, Taemin and Jinki, along with their team captain Kim Kibum!” Taemin nudged Jinki and whispered to him, “Why does it seem like this Hyung is hosting to an audience?” Jinki just smiled and shushed him.

Jungsoo continued, “The boundaries of this paintball field have been marked out in black. The starting base for the blue team on my right and the starting base for the pink team is on my left. The dead zone is the area with the benches a few feet behind us. This is the area players go when they are eliminated.” Jungsoo paused and looked up from his cue cards, “Any questions so far?”

Jinki, not caring much for paintball, became lost in thought as Jungsoo gave instructions. He was only here because Kibum promised him chicken after the game. As soon as this game is over, I’m ordering a chicken. He smiled brightly to himself and his lips at the thought. Win or lose, I deserve a participation chicken, right? He stole a glance at Junghee and quickly looked away when they momentarily locked eyes. I’ll share the chicken with Junghee this time…

Junghee sighed while gazing at Jinki. Was he looking at me just now? No way. I’m 99 percent certain that he’s thinking about chicken right now. I wish he would think of me half as often. If he likes me, then why did he reject me when I confessed? Is it because of Bummie? After Taemin interrupted Jinki’s sudden confession that he liked her more than chicken, they’d had an awkward first rehearsal. They hadn’t spoken privately since. This isn’t a date, but I’m glad to be doing something with Chicken Oppa. It would’ve been nice if we were teammates though. I would hate to be forced to shoot him.

When both teams shook their heads, he continued, flipping to the next cue card, “This is a simple elimination game. It begins when both teams are set at their respective bases. One team calls out that they are ready. The second team responds that they are also ready. Then the first team calls "Game on.” The game ends when one of the teams has zero players left. There’s also a 30-minute time limit. At the end of the 30 minutes, if neither team is eliminated completely, then the team with more players wins.” Jungsoo opened his arms wide excitedly.

Taemin pouted and yawned. He tapped his foot impatiently. The Hyungs and Noonas told me that I would have fun running and shooting paint. Listening to rules is no fun at all. I want to be free! He absentmindedly began to fiddle with his paintball gun out of boredom.

Heemi tied her hair in a ponytail and looked at Jungsoo. She resisted the urge to jump up and down with excitement. I’m going to win this. I’ll prove to Jungsoo and the others that I can play just as well as everyone else. I’ll win my way, without running and without having to shoot a single person.

Jungsoo paused and pursed his lips as he flipped to the next card, “Players are eliminated if a paintball strikes them and leaves a solid paint splatter the size of a coin on them or their equipment. Once players are hit, they must raise their guns over their heads, shout that they are hit, and get to the dead zone as quickly as possible. Any questions?” Jungsoo resisted the urge to sigh. I wish Minjung were playing with the regular gang. Then I wouldn’t have to recite all these rules.

Kibum looked over at Minjung. So this is the kind of game she likes to play with her 99 Hyungs, huh? There are so many rules! Listening to this Hyung recite the rules would probably last longer than the game itself! Kibum sighed and glanced down at his watch. How much longer is this going to take?

Minjung could feel Kibum looking at her, so she anxiously glanced over at him. She mouthed to him, “The game will start soon.” She then noticed him glancing down at his watch. I hope he isn’t bored listening to all the rules… He’ll surely have fun once the game starts, right? The blue team is going to win this! Heemi-nim is our ace in the hole.

“I have a question!” Junghee said thoughtfully. “What if the players aren’t sure if they are shot?” “Very good question, Kim Junghee! In that case, the player would shout, “Paint check!” I will come and check the player. If the player were hit, they would leave the field as usual. If they were not hit, everyone returns to their previous position and the game resumes when the player who requested the spot check shots “Game on!”

“I have one,” Jinki interjected suddenly. “What happens if players shoot each other at the same time and it’s unknown who shot first?” “Interesting question. In that situation, there would be a double elimination. Any other questions?” Minjung glanced around, hoping that there were no more questions so that the game would start quickly.

“I also have a question,” Taemin said, raising his hand high. “Yes, Lee Taemin?” “Is it possible to be eliminated by friendly fire?” Jungsoo nodded, “Yes, that kind of elimination is unfortunate, but even eliminating yourself is possible.” The six players chuckled at the possibility of one of them eliminating themselves from the game.

Jungsoo cleared his throat before flipping to the final cue card to read the final set of rules. “Always follow these simple rules. Always wear your goggles. No alcohol, which goes without saying. No blind firing. Barrel covers must be used in the dead zone and anywhere where there are people not wearing paintball goggles. Finally, and most importantly, use common sense. Any final questions?” Everyone shook their heads no, hoping the rules would soon end and the actual game would start. “In that case, once I blow my whistle, each team should head to their bases!” Jungsoo blew his whistle and the teams scattered to their bases.

***

The boys reached the pink base first. Fully aware of how competitive Minjung could be and how unmotivated Jinki was at winning, Kibum doubted that they would beat the blue team. Still, he high fived Taemin and Jinki and told them, “Win or lose, let’s try our best and have fun!” After they nodded in agreement, he called out, “Pink team is ready!”

Meanwhile, the girls also reached the blue base. “We’re definitely going to win this! I have a plan,” Minjung excitedly told Junghee and Heemi. “Heemi-nim, you will hide to avoid getting eliminated while Junghee and I work on eliminating the boy team.” Heemi and Junghee both nodded in agreement. “Blue team is ready,” Minjung called out. Then Kibum yelled, “Game on!”

The boys dispersed in different directions. Heemi hid behind a few barrels and bushes and waited patiently. Minjung and Junghee separately run off in search of the boys. Junghee found Jinki absentmindedly staring at wildflowers in an open area of the paintball field. Although I’m only a few feet away, he can’t see me because he’s wholly focused on the flowers. Does he ever see me? Junghee frowned as she raised her paintball gun to shoot Jinki in the back, freezing when he turned around.

Jinki stared blankly at Junghee. He stood frozen and did not attempt to raise his own paintball gun to defend himself, which upset Junghee. With her gun still trained on him, she demanded, “Did you mean what you told me yesterday?” Jinki nodded solemnly, “Yes, every word.” She pouted and asked, “Then why did you say “no” when I first confessed to you?!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jinki could see Kibum approaching them from behind Junghee. Kibum had traveled toward the sound of her voice but wasn’t able to make out what she’d said. He was closing in on Junghee, who was too focused on Jinki to notice. “Answer me, Chicken Oppa!” she demanded. Jinki’s eyes widened when he saw Kibum raising his gun and taking aim at Junghee. Jinki shocked Junghee by suddenly lurching forward, grabbing her, and spinning her around. Hugging her from behind, Jinki became Junghee’s human shield, so that Kibum’s pink paint splattered him instead of her. Kibum glared at Jinki and ran away muttering under his breath, “Stupid Old Man! Treacherous Lee Jinki!”

Junghee’s face flushed as she realized that Jinki had saved her from Kibum. She tried to turn to look at his face but couldn’t because he was still tightly hugging her from behind. “Before, I had been a coward, worried that liking you would affect my friendship with Bummie. But just now, I impulsively saved you and betrayed Bummie. I chose you. I choose you. I will choose you.” Junghee’s eyes widened, “Oppa, does that mean…?” “Yes, I mean, if you would still accept this cowardly Oppa,” Jinki said nervously.

Before Junghee could respond, Jinki suddenly remembered that they were in the middle of a paintball game. He quickly released Junghee and raised his paintball gun over his head and shouted out, “Lee Jinki has been hit. Jinki’s hit,” as he made his way to the dead zone. Junghee was left standing in the field bewildered by what had just happened.

Meanwhile, Taemin sprinted across Kibum’s path and the two would have collided into one another if Kibum hadn’t noticed him and stopped in time. “Yah, Taemin-ah, be careful!” Kibum nagged. “It’s just the two of us right now. Your stupid Hyung turned traitor and saved Junghee,” he ranted. Taemin’s eyes widened. “So, Hyung finally decided to stop being a coward?!” “Huh? What do you mean?” a confused Kibum asked. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it,” Taemin said quickly with a smile.

Kibum sighed in frustration. “I’m having second thoughts about paying for that stupid Old Man’s chicken. Taeminnie, could you eliminate Junghee for me?” Taemin nodded and beamed. “Sure, Kibummie Hyung. Leave Junghee Noona to me.” “Okay. I last saw Junghee over there,” Kibum said, pointing toward the open area he had come from. “I’ll try to find Choi and Kim Heemi.” Taemin nodded and hurried off to eliminate Junghee.

Taemin found Junghee standing in the same spot Jinki had left her. Noona’s gun is lying on the ground! I almost feel bad for this. “Junghee Noona, hello!” he called out. He walked out from behind a tree a couple of feet away from Junghee and, while holding his paintball gun behind his back with one hand, he waved at her with his free hand. She glanced up at Taemin and absentmindedly waved back, still replaying her Chicken Oppa’s words in her mind. “Junghee Noona is so pretty! Noona neomu yeppeo!” he called out to her while making a finger heart and beaming angelically. Junghee smiled widely and made two finger hearts for Taemin. While Junghee was busy shooting finger hearts, Taemin quickly aimed his paintball gun and fired it at Junghee’s chest. Her jaw dropped as his pink paint splattered on her vest. She pouted but picked up her gun and held it over her head. “Junghee has been hit! Junghee is out. Junghee was hit while fangirling,” she exclaimed as she raced to the dead zone.

“Assa! Mission accomplished!” Taemin exclaimed as he pumped his fist in the air. He eagerly sprinted off, looking for Kibum to tell him the good news when he tripped over a tree’s aerial roots. He landed on his gun when he fell, shooting himself in the left leg. Taemin carefully stood. He frowned seeing the pink paint on his pants and sighed with relief when a cursory inspection revealed the paintball gun wasn’t broken. Kibummie Hyung is on his own now. Hyung, fighting! Taemin pouted and called out, “Taeminnie was hit! Taeminnie accidently eliminated himself,” while carefully making his way to the dead zone.

Jungsoo blew his whistle and announced through a blow horn, “The paintball game ends in 15 minutes! For the pink team, Captain Kim Kibum is the only active player! For the blue team, Kim Heemi and Captain Choi Minjung remain! Which side will win? It’s still anyone’s game!”

Kibum was beginning to feel tired after jogging around the field looking for Minjung and Heemi. I can’t find them anywhere. Is hiding their strategy? If I can’t find them, they would automatically win just by running out the clock. Just when he was about to accept that defeat was inevitable, he and Minjung spotted one another. They stood facing one another with their paintball guns locked on each other.

“Choi Minjung! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you and Kim Heemi!” Kibum exclaimed. Minjung smirked and asked, “Oh, really? Are you ready to surrender, Oppa? You’re outnumbered two to one, and you’ll never find Heemi-nim before the game ends. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t shoot you right now and end this!”

“I have a proposition for you, a challenge, so to speak. As a rookie, I would prefer to face off against Kim Heemi first. If she eliminates me, so be it, your team wins. Otherwise, then you and I will have our duel to determine the winning team,” Kibum suggested. Minjung asked and shook her head, “Why should I make this deal and give up an almost guaranteed win?” He bit his lip and quickly added, “If you win, I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I’ll answer any one question that you have, at the time and place of your choosing.”

Minjung smiled and quickly said, “Deal,” before he could change his mind. “I’ll go get Heemi-nim. Wait here!” While she ran off to get Heemi, Kibum was left standing there wondering if he would have been better off surrendering. Why do I care so much about winning this stupid game anyway? Kibum was still reevaluating the wisdom of his challenge when Minjung arrived with a nervous Heemi in tow.

Heemi and Kibum stood facing each other with Minjung off to the side halfway between the two. “You two could play rock, paper, scissors to decide who shoots first, but shooting at the same time is probably most efficient given time constraints.” Both Heemi and Kibum nodded, so Minjung clasped her hands together. “Okay, at the count of three.” They raised their paintball guns and took aim. “One, two, three,” she said. Two paintballs went whirling by. Kibum’s paintball hit the tree over Heemi’s right shoulder. Heemi’s paintball landed on the ground besides Kibum’s foot.

Minjung giggled that the outcome of Kibum’s challenge resulted in neither Kibum nor Heemi getting eliminated. “My turn,” she said mirthfully. “But…,” Kibum protested with a pout. “A deal’s a deal,” Minjung said with a smirk. She switched places with Heemi and told her to do the countdown this time. Kibum muttered under his breath and took aim. At the count of three, both Minjung and Kibum closed their eyes and fired.

They both open their eyes as Heemi gasps. They look down to see that they were each hit in the heart with the other’s paint splatter, a double elimination. After exchanging an amused glance, they burst out laughing. Heemi jumps up and down excitedly, “The blue team won!” Jungsoo runs over and blows his whistle. He announced through his blow horn, “The captains have eliminated one another in an exciting double elimination! The blue team has won this game, with Kim Heemi as the last player standing!”

Following his announcement, they all walked over to the dead zone to join Jinki, Junghee, and Taemin. “Junghee-yah, we won!” Minjung exclaimed. “Really, that’s great,” Junghee said as she stood and absentmindedly high-fived Minjung and Heemi. “Taemin-ah, how could you fall and eliminate yourself?! I told you to be careful! Were you injured?” Kibum nagged while quickly inspecting Taemin for injuries. “Stop worrying, Hyung! I’m fine,” Taemin said with a smile. “I did a good job eliminating Junghee Noona, right?” Junghee pouted, but Kibum nodded and said, “Taeminnie did well.”

Taemin beamed at Kibum, but Kibum had turned his attention to Jinki. Wagging his right index finger at Jinki, he ranted, “Yah, old man! How could you be such a traitor?!” Jinki glanced at Kibum with a sad pout and said, “Kibammie, I’m so sorry! Please forgive me! I promise to make it up to you, Kibammie.” Junghee rolled her eyes, and Kibum sighed and said, “Fine! Just stop pouting!”

Jinki smiled sheepishly, “I know this probably isn’t the best time to ask, but are you still buying chicken? I’m famished…” Kibum sighed and said, “Since I’m a man of my word, I’ll send you the money to buy chicken for yourself and whomever wants it. I’m going to have pizza. Who wants pizza, and who wants chicken?” Heemi grabbed Jungsoo by the arm, “Jungsoo promised to cook for me if I won, so we’ll be leaving now.” Jungsoo nodded and added, “We’ll see you around,” before Heemi pulled him away.

“I want chicken!” Junghee suddenly said. “And I want pizza,” Minjung added. “Me too! I want pizza, too,” Taemin said excitedly. Kibum shot Taemin with a laser glare. Taemin glanced down and said, “On second thought, I’ll eat chicken with Hyung and Junghee Noona.” Kibum took out his phone and quickly wired Jinki money for the chicken. Taemin glanced back and forth between his Hyungs and Noonas as they exchanged furtive glances with one another. When will these Hyungs and Noonas admit that they like each other?