↷chapter o4;                                                                                                                              

“Omo! Is that the 64 building?”

“SUNGHEE!” Everyone chided as Sunghee glanced behind her, seeing her fellow member’s incredulous expressions. Sunghee sighed for the umpteenth time.

“Guys, it’s not my fault you can’t see the 64 building-“

“It’s because there is no 64 building, Hee! It’s the 63 building,” Jiyoung explained slowly, as if she was speaking to a child. Jiyoung was used to Sunghee’s confused manner, but really? 64 building? This girl needed to stay in school for a day.

The girls laughed at Jiyoung’s explanation, Sunghee blushing red.

“Well no one told me there was a 63 building already!”

“Aigoo, Sunghee-ah,” Dayoon muttered playfully, shaking her head noticeably to make Sunghee see. Sunghee put her hands on her hips, glaring at her younger.

“YAH! How dare you talk informally?”

“Eh, we’re still a long way from 63 building. We’ve got around fifteen minutes to spare. Why don’t the newcomers introduce their selves?” Jiyoung, the oldest as of now, suggested wisely while gesturing to the new girls they have just found and met.

“Sounds good to me.” Eunmi shrugged as Jiyoung smiled gratefully at the younger. It was rare that they agreed on one thing.

“I don’t mind,” Daichi spoke up, nudging Dayoon on the shoulder to wake her up.

“Can I go first?” Aixing asked everyone as they all nodded. Aixing smiled purely, blinking in a bit of confusion. It was her first time that the spotlight was on her.

“I’m Liang Aixing, a Chinese-Tibetan. I speak Mandarin and Tibetan, but I only speak a small amount of Korean. I hope we be good friends and lead our name to victory!” Aixing pumped her fist in the air energetically. The girls hooted for her exciting introduction, talking to her immediately.

“What would you like to be called?” Dayoon asked somewhat tiredly (for she was just awoken by Daichi a few minutes ago). Aixing put on her thinking cap, not really used to being asked this. Usually, she lets people choose her nickname for her. She really didn’t mind, as long her nickname wasn’t bad.

“Well, I’m pretty unlucky sometimes. How about XingXing? Xing means ‘lucky’ in Chinese,” Aixing suggested shyly, blushing bright red as the atmosphere lightened, almost everyone agreeing.

“XingXing unnie! Sounds good.” Dayoon gave her a thumbs up, giving Aixing a large smile. Daichi frowned, not knowing why Dayoon never smiled like that to her. Fuming, Daichi decided to chat with the window beside her.

Aixing, after accepting the compliments of getting in the industry despite being Chinese-Tibetan, nudged Youya beside her. Youya glanced up, frightened in introducing herself. She wasn’t the outgoing type, nor the funny type. She was Wu You Ya, the quiet Chinese who strives to be the best.

“H-Hello, I’m Wu You Ya. Nice to meet you all.” Youya inclined her head slightly before tucking her head behind Aixing cutely.

“Awww,” the girls cooed at Youya’s cute personality. Eunmi then spoke up cheerfully, “Sujub-eunni!” making Youya peek from behind Aixing’s shoulder a bit, blinking at the younger.

“W-What does that mean?” Youya questioned meekly as Eunmi blew the bangs off her face, rolling her eyes.

“Sujub-eun means ‘shy’ in Korean. I just combined ‘eonni’ and ‘eun’ to make it sound as one,” Eunmi explained wisely, smirking as Jiyoung clucked her tongue playfully, patting Eunmi’s head, which Eunmi liked very much.

Youya chuckled, slipping a small smile on, enough to make everyone coo again before shifting towards the next new member, who was beside Sunghee.

“Hello everyone! I’m Kiana Ohrel, and please bear with me if I’m stubborn or annoying.” Kiana blushed as everyone told encouragements to her, which made her smile again. She started to like being a Zero member more and more.

“What’s you Korean name?” Daichi asked interestedly, ignoring Dayoon’s amused eyebrow that was raised at her. Kiana was hesitant for a moment, before blurting out, “Noh Su Yeon. But I prefer if you call me Kiana.”

Daichi nodded, smiling at her like how Dayoon smiled at Aixing. And in Dayoon’s case, she didn’t like it.

“Next, next!” Eunmi cheered childishly as the next new member cleared , facing everyone’s interested expressions.

“Hello everyone! I’m Daichi Chiwa! You can call me Daichi, Chihuahua-“

“How about ‘absolutely crazy’?” Dayoon suggested casually, which Daichi expertly ignored.

“And I’m Japanese-Korean. I speak fluent Korean though,” Daichi boasted, smiling victoriously as everyone greeted her warmly.

“Oh, stop bragging Chihuahua,” Dayoon muttered as Daichi giggled, ruffling up Dayoon’s hair, making Dayoon grow irritated by the minute.

“Oh Dayoonie, you are so going to-“

“We’re here everyone. Please get off the bus and walk inside the building!” Tokki PD announced, grinning as she heard loud chatter and shouts.

“My bag! Where’s my bag?!”

“MY SHOES ARE MISSING!”

“You’re holding them, Sunghee.”

Soon enough, the eight girls were out of the bus, walking inside the building and commenting, wondering what would happen inside. Jiyoung and Eunmi stood by each other, holding each other’s hands as they led the group. Youya clung on Aixing’s arm, which Aixing didn’t mind. Daichi and Dayoon were bickering (and by this rate, it looks like they will bicker endlessly). Sunghee and Kiana were sharing ideas on what was inside the building.

The eight entered the large and tall building, seeing a table with two flags on either side of it. Sunghee quickly rushed to it like a happy child she was, grabbing the flag and waving it around happily.

”You’re not supposed to touch that,” a cameraman told her quietly as Sunghee’s blissful smile faded as she bowed in apology, putting back the flag. The rest approached the table, Eunmi grabbing the mission card that was on the table.

“Oh! The card says: The black vests are for you to wear, and it is located behind the table, in the box. Take one vest and put it on,” Eunmi read out loud as the girls bustled around, getting the vests. Jiyoung and Aixing both distributed the vests as Youya helped everyone wear it.

Daichi and Dayoon were fighting over one vest (which Eunmi settled quickly because of her loud and commanding voice). Sunghee and Kiana were both done wearing their black vests.

Eunmi picked up the second mission card as soon as everyone had their vests on.

“Second Instruction: Pick whether you’ll be the attacking group or the hiders. The attacking group will get to have loaded water guns with green paint on it. If you spray it on a hider, the hider is eliminated. If you are the hider, you will have to hide from the attacking group and find different hint cards that will give you the hint to who’s coming today, as a special guest,” Eunmi read, faltering as she glanced at Jiyoung. Everyone looked at Jiyoung because she was the oldest, closely followed by Kiana and Daichi, but they weren’t experienced with missions.

The thing with Ryu Jiyoung is that if you give her a task and tell her to complete it in a week, and she doesn’t like that task, she will probably do it last minute. She’s lazy like that. But, if it’s a task or a mission that involves things she likes, she’s as hyper as a bunny on ten cups on caffeine.

“Well, I guess it would be better if we were the attackers. We have the higher advantage of winning than finding cards. Is everyone okay with being an attacker?” Jiyoung asked curiously as most of them shook their head

“Well, I’m quiet small-“ Eunmi started to object when Jiyoung covered with her free hand.

“Great! Kiana, please read the third card,” Jiyoung requested as Kiana nodded, getting the card off the table.

“It says: You have chosen to be the attacking group. Please collect your loaded guns with green paint in the box behind this table. If you run out of green paint, there is lots of green paint in small bottles lying around for you to get. If you have accidentally sprayed your teammate, both you and your teammate will be out of the game. The floors you guys can only go to is from this floor, to the 7^th floor. Your goal is to eliminate the hiders. But there’s a catch,” Kiana said as she gave the card for Sunghee to read.

“The catch is, before you can find the hiders and spray them, you have to find a partner and attach yourselves with them by wearing bands that will hold your wrist and your partner’s wrist together. A hider can eliminate you if they break the band that holds your wrist and your partner’s wrists,” Sunghee read as she immediately glanced at Tokki PD.

“Who are our partners?” Sunghee asked excitedly, looking around in hopes of seeing them. The PD gave them all bond papers with faces on them.

“Ah, what is this?! He looks weird!”

“Is his nose really this big?”

“I’m going to die of embarrassment if he’s shorter than me,”

“Okay everyone! Let’s not get caught up. Let’s just find our partners and eliminate Sookyung’s team, since they’re the hiders. Everyone get your guns and lets move out!” Jiyoung shouted positively as everyone cheered back in approval and excitement.

This is why they chose also to be an idol. They get to play.

The group quickly got their loaded guns and went to different paths. Jiyoung and Eunmi decided to stick together, as with Aixing and Youya. Daichi and Dayoon went their separate ways (expected), Sunghee and Kiana went different ways. Sunghee immediately bounded for the escalator, waiting for it to take her up. She glanced behind her and widened her eyes.

“We’re here!” Sookyung’s loud and booming voice echoed throughout the 63 building, nearly shocking Sunghee. Sunghee quickly bounded off the escalator, leaning on the railing to watch the group approach the table they approached awhile back.

“Ah, they’re already here?” Rainy asked Tokki PD who nodded.

“They chose to be attackers, so you will be hiders. Your goal is to find hint cards around the place without getting sprayed by their green paint. You will also have to find a partner. Once you find them, we will put a band on you two, to join your wrist and your partner’s wrist. You can also break the bands of the attackers if they're with their partner. Wear these black vests and be on your way,” Tokki PD explained briefly, watching the dawning expression on Sookyung.

“But who are our partn-“ Jadyn started to ask Tokki PD who gave them all bond papers with pictures.

“Oh, we have to find them?” Jarin asked excitedly, bouncing on her heels as Yijun raised her eyebrows. Tokki PD nodded. Sookyung’s eyes traveled upwards to see Sunghee waving at her, looking smug.

”Hi General Choi! You can’t ‘deux’ me here!” Sunghee joked as Sookyung burst out laughing, along with the other members.

“Deux?!” Sookyung repeated, still laughing and hoping to confirm what Sunghee said. She was either really funny, or really stupid. Sunghee tried to hold in her smile.

“Yeah! Why do you keep ‘deux’ing me?!” Sunghee screamed as Sookyung started dancing to one of the famous song of 90’s group, Deux. Everyone following Sookyung, they started dancing as the music played from the speakers around the 63 building.

The music ended as Sookyung pointed at Sunghee, smirking.

“You will lose!”

“Good luck with that, General!” Sunghee winked, saluting her friend before running away. Sookyung chuckled before putting on her vest, Jarin and Yijun distributing and helping the others.

Soon, Sookyung’s group moved out. Jadyn stuck with Miyasha, who was annoyed but couldn’t do anything about it. Sookyung, of course, went solo. Saebyul immediately linked arms with Jarin, dragging her off to the escalator as Rainy went with Yijun.

Soon, the first floor was free of girls, but then, another mysterious group of people went in. They were loud, but also respectful. They were already used to the cameras on them. They approached the table, joking with each other as Doogi PD appeared beside Tokki PD.

“So, who’s up for a game?” Doogi PD asked Seventeen who of course cheered in approval.

“What’s our mission?” Seunggwan asked Doogi PD excitedly, looking around to see if anyone was her. Doogi said nothing, giving the boys slips of paper with names on them.

“Geum Jarin? That’s a weird name.”

“Dayoon? Yoo Dayoon? What’s that?”

“Liang Aixing. I like that name.”

And with that, Doogi PD explained the game rules and what they would be facing, Tokki PD enjoying the surprised and shocked expressions on Seventeen’s faces.

Seventeen and Zero will finally meet. 

author's note; sorry (i guess) for leaving you all hanging here :) please anticipate the next chapter ^^;;