CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Partners

{ She sighed, trying to find the right words to say. } * Click for BGM!

That same Friday evening, Kai stepped into the Kim household, lightly bowing his head to the quiet maid who had let him in. An array of loud chatter and guffaws came from the direction of the den, where Kai strode into to find his friends. Junk food and soda was spread about on the coffee table.

Three of the boys' eyes were completely focused on the television screen while speedily shifting their fingers about on their video game controllers. Baekhyun chuckled as he watched his friends whilst sitting on the sofa.

Suho, who was watching the other boys enjoy themselves as well, turned his head to the new addition. "Oh, you're here!"

"Wow. It's about time," Chanyeol snorted, the reflection of the TV screen in his brown orbs. "Sehun thought you died or something."

"I did not!" Sehun protested, shooting down a couple of bad guys. "Liar." the maknae pouted.

D.O. glanced over at Chanyeol whilst fighting the interactive enemies. "Now, now you two. Enough with the bickering."

"Yeah. Or else Umma D.O. will have to give us a good whooping," Chanyeol joked, grinning from ear to ear. The boys laughed, nudging each other about with their arms. However, D.O. muttered incoherently in disapproval.

Hyejung strolled into the den from her bedroom, dressed up in sweatpants and a baggy hoodie. 

"Ayo, waddup Haejungeh?" Chanyeol hollered in broken English, his attention still completely focused on the screen.

Striding over to the curly-haired boy, Hyejung playfully punched him on the shoulder before taking a seat on the sofa beside Baekhyun.

Hyejung let out a tiring huff, her eyes fluttering close whilst her head leaned against the head rest. 'What a day' was definitely an understatement.

As the rambunctious noise of the boys continued, Kai slowly approached the silent tomboy. Deftly taking a seat beside her, he tried to avoid on disturbing her.

But alas, that didn't work out to well.

"If you're going to offer me a trip to Costa Rica in order to be your partner, I refuse," Hyejung muttered, lazily opening her eyes. "Y'know, just like all the other times I declined.

Kai scoffed, "You really thought I was gonna say that?" He crossed his arms, revealing a skeptic facial expression. "I'm hurt. You make me sound like some sorta creeper."

Her eyes fully opened, Hyejung shifted her gaze over to the boy beside her. Disbelief was plastered upon her face; an eyebrow slowly cocking up. "Oh dear God," she groaned. "Leave me alone, you idiot." she scooted away from Kai, leaning her head against the couch once more. 

"Not until you say yes," Kai cooed, persistent. "I can go as long as it takes, but I feel like it'll end soon."

"Man. Thank God," Hyejung scoffed tiredly. "''Bout time you gave up."

Kai shook his head, chuckling to himself as he gazed up at the TV. "Well, that's not quite it," he mumbled.

Taking a quick, curious glance at Kai from the TV screen, Hyejung shrugged. What he could have possibly meant didn't matter to her at the moment.

Relaxing was her favorite word at the moment. Although, it was kind of hard to do that when the boys will be chortling and even protesting at the television. It went on like that for an hour.

Throughout the time, Hyejung and Kai surprisingly didn't say much to each other.

Hyejung was starting to get suspicious. She looked at the quiet Kai beside her, her arms folded upon her chest. 

*What can possibly be going through his mind right now? He's been silent the whole time.* she blew her tangled bangs as she turned her head. *By his expression, it looks like he's planning to destroy the world.*

"Oh, Oh, OH! DAMN IT!" Chanyeol lightly tossed his controller to the side. "Aish! I almost freaking had you there Sehun!" he blatantly proclaimed, reaching out to roughly ruffle the maknae's brownish locks.

"But you were the one who shot me first, hyung!" Sehun rebuked. "And I'm on your team!" he jokingly shoved Chanyeol.

D.O.'s eyes rounded even the more as he stood up, trying to break up the innocent fight between the two. "Hey, hey! Cut it out you two! Someone's going to get hurt! Are you guys even listening to me?!" 

Hyejung rolled her eyes, chortling at the sight. 

Suho came into the den from the kitchen after throwing away the many junk food wrappers. He insisted to the maid earlier that he would take care of everything. 

"All right, enough with the video games. Let's play a real game!" Suho beamed, standing while facing the boys. To be honest, Hyejung had no freaking idea why a bunch of teenage guys wanted to play childish games all the time. It was definitely obscure, but if they enjoyed it, hey, by all means.

Chanyeol playfully huffed, turning off the television. "Okay, daddy." 

"So! What game should we play this time?" Suho pleasantly grinned, looking at each of his friends in the eyes.

All the boys exchanged glances, shrugging with thoughtful expressions. 

"Oh!" Sehun brightly raised his hand, just like a third grade student in class. "I wanna play hide-&-seek!"

"Yah, that's a kiddie game!" Chanyeol bellowed, running his fingers through his own auburn locks. "I don't want to play that."

Kai shrugged. "Yeol, we us