Chapter 2

The Game Begins

The bright colours so fascinate the younger members that they are soon gulping down the drinks despite the bizarre taste and sometimes, smell.

“My uncle got it from his trip to Europe,” says Rockhyun glibly. “They are one of a kind.”

To C.A.P.’s mild surprise, L.Joe joins the other four Teen Top members with equal enthusiasm. As he watches his fellow rapper smack his lips in satisfaction, C.A.P. remembers that L.Joe is twenty-one and his only drinking experience was a single shot of soju. C.A.P. has a strict policy of not getting drunk since he works out so much, so he stays in the background with his iPad. It is not as if he NEEDS to get drunk, anyway.

“Game!” squeals Ricky, dragging in his favourite pumpkin bean bag from his room. “Let us play a game!”

“What game do we play with THAT?” demands Changjo, frowning at him.

“Not with this, silly,” Ricky scolds him, pushing his bean bag in between Minwoo and Rockhyun and settling down. “Hyung! Let us play a game!”

Minwoo leans over to caress his face, his eyes a bit glassy. “Sure! Anything Ricky baby says!”

Ricky giggles, and much to Changjo’s chagrin, the two are soon lost in a world of their own.

“Truth or Dare!” pipes up Niel suddenly, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the living room. “Let us play truth or dare.”

C.A.P. is the only one who glances over at him from his corner of the sofa but Niel is busy commanding everyone to sit in a circle, even if they have no idea why. However, he must still be somewhat sober because he has sense enough to not ask C.A.P. to join in.

Rockhyun, who is the only other person who hasn’t touched the ‘exotic’ drinks, quickly volunteers to be the one who plays the music.

“Musical chair?” asks L.Joe, blinking.

“Truth or Dare!” insists Niel, thumping his fist on the ground.

“Look at my plushie!” Chunji grins happily as he returns from his room with a Pororo plushie. “Look!”

Rockhyun’s eyes sparkle as he snatches the plushie from a confused Chunji.

“Throw this plushie at each other – anyone – when I play music!” he orders the group.

“Why?” Minwoo finally tears his eyes away from Ricky and looks at his fellow member.

“The one who holds the plushie when music ends has to choose between Truth or Dare – and the guy who threw it at him... he gets to order.”

The TOP brothers don’t look like they understood anything but everyone did get the part about throwing the plushie at each other and THAT sounds fun enough to them.

Rockhyun hands the plushie to Changjo, who has gone to sit in the furthest corner away from Ricky. He then turns his back to the group and exclaims “Okay, start!” and turns on the music in his phone.

“Musical chair?” Chunji questions L.Joe, giggling, as Changjo hands him over the plushie.

L.Joe nods. “Throw Pororo!”

Chunji giggles again as he flings it at Ricky – Niel – Minwoo – Niel – L.Joe – Niel...

“So, Niel, you get to choose first!” says Rockhyun, turning around.

“Truth!” declares the boy, hugging Pororo and looking at L.Joe.

Rockhyun turns to L.Joe. “Okay, ask a question, Byunghun!”

“What?” L.Joe stares blankly at the older boy.

“Musical chair!” says Chunji happily, leaning back and sipping his drink.

“Truth or Dare,” yells Rockhyun. “L.Joe, ask Niel a question for Truth.”

“Dare!” slurs out L.Joe, falling down limply on the floor. “Dare! Dare! I dare the world!” he insists, stamping one foot against Niel’s side.

Watching his best friend throw a ‘dare’ fit, Chunji is overcome with yet another attack of giggling.

“Truth!” counters Niel, taking hold of L.Joe’s ankle to stop him from kicking. “L.Joe-hyung’s dares are stupid.”

“Dare! Dare! Dare!” Even though he has no energy to sit straight, L.Joe is vociferous about Niel picking ‘dare’. However, the younger boy resists. “Truth! Truth! Truth!” he yells, throwing the plushie at L.Joe.

They yell back and forth in the same manner for another five minutes – that is how long the leader can take the noise, anyway.

“Ya!” he yells out from his couch. “Shut up, you morons!”

“I want truth,” pouts Niel, his lips trembling as he looks at his leader. “I want truth! Truth! Truth!”

“Give him truth,” decides C.A.P. and throws a pillow at L.Joe. However, he instantly regrets the loss of his favourite pillow but whatever, he will have to sleep without it