↷chapter 19;                                                                                                                              

“What’s the punishment PD-nim?” Seokmin asked politely, smiling on the outside, but dreading the punishment really. The winning team of ZERO and SEVENTEEN were sitting together in one group, side by side. Samuel glanced backwards discreetly, eyeing Eunmi who was picking on her shoe laces, looking down.

Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. He didn’t understand Eunmi at all. Awhile ago, he saw her laughing and smiling with her eonnis, and because of that, Samuel can smile comfortably too. He finally saw Eunmi happy. But why was Eunmi frowning again?

Samuel sighed sadly, pursing his lips together before turning front. He needed to think of something. Fast.

“The punishment is: y dance! Since all of you e too stiff, just try the body wave!” Doogi PD suggested as Hansol rushed to the stereo, putting on one of his favorite songs.

“Sekshie back, YEAH!” Seokmin sang in his perfect Engrish as the boys formed a semi-circle in front of SEVENTEEN and ZERO. Samuel took a deep breathe and stepped out first, his hyungs cheering him on.

“GO MUEL-AH!”

“Maknae, not anything too explicit!”

“Give it your all!”

“Shush, Seunggwan!”

Samuel met Eunmi’s eyes first, which were wide in shock. Samuel winked before doing two perfect body rolls, ZERO and SEVENTEEN cheering him on enthusiastically.

“Omo, I don’t think I can take it!” Jarin exclaimed as she hid behind Youya who just chuckled at her dongsaeng. Samuel did another body wave, the hyungs cheering along with ZERO. Samuel then scurried back in line, hiding behind Hansol.

“Whoo! Go Hansol!”

Hansol blushed as he went to the dance floor, doing Brian Puspos’ Wet the Bed choreography, his eyes locked on Jarin’s. Jarin peeked from behind Youya, blushing as she saw Hansol.

“Yah! Rated 19!” Jarin shouted as she buried her face behind Youya’s shoulder. Hansol chuckled at Jarin’s cuteness, going back in line and nudging Ming Ming who was just clapping to the beat, occasionally looking at Youya to see her reaction. He would smile when she smiled, and he would ponder when she didn’t.

He’s not one of those stalkers, alright? Just someone who cares too much about a person who he doesn’t know cares for him.

“Hyung – now’s your chance to show her what you’ve got,” Hansol whispered as Ming Ming nodded importantly, flipping his bangs to one side nervously before stepping to the front.

“No! NO! NOT MY INNOCENT MING MING!” Junhui exclaimed loudly, trying to get to Ming Ming when Seungcheol held his fellow Chinese member back.

Ming Ming swiped his thumb over his bottom lip slowly, looking only at Youya whose mouth was wide open in surprise.

Ming Ming started doing body rolls, but they were slow, unlike Samuel’s.

ZERO and SEVENTEEN immediately cheered for Ming Ming, seeing this side of him today. Ming Ming bowed in embarrassment, running back in line in nervousness. He looked at Youya who was clapping for him, grinning. Ming Ming felt at peace.

Seokmin and Chan came out, doing some explicit moves that could be put in a music video.

“YAH! Cover your eyes!” Seungcheol instructed his team as they all covered their eyes playfully, except Mingyu who covered his ears and watched Seokmin and Chan attentively.

Wonwoo and Doyoon came to the front, Seungcheol and Mingyu’s eyes bulging.

“Whoo! SEKSHI BECK!” Doyoon shouted, making ZERO and SEVENTEEN collapse in laughter. Doyoon danced like Hansol and Wonwoo did body rolls, Mingyu looking away in embarrassment.

Kiana was thinking how to use this against Doyoon as Miyasha had to hide behind Youya and Jarin to cover the reddish tint on her face.

“Cha! All of you worked hard!” Tokki PD complimented as she stopped the music, the losing team of SEVENTEEN cheering for themselves. They sat down as the losing team of ZERO came up, forming a semi-circle, waiting for the punishment.

“You have a choice. 1 or 2,” Tokki PD told them slyly as the group turned towards Jiyoung, who was thinking what number should she pick.

“2!” Jiyoung decided as the group clapped in approval. Doogi PD then signaled someone to bring a box in front of them. Doogi PD opened the box and revealed six lemons inside.

“AISH! I DON’T WANT TO DIE YET!” Sunghee exclaimed dramatically, draping herself over Yijun’s back. The group groaned as Jiyoung blushed at her poor decision skills.

“Under one minute, the lemon should be peeled already and eaten. Who’s first?”

“JIYOUNG!” Sunghee suggested immediately, ducking behind Yijun. Jiyoung glared at her, but accepted the challenge. She got one lemon and pulled her sleeves up. The losing team made a semi-circle, Jiyoung in the middle and facing SEVENTEEN and ZERO.

“3 – 2 – 1 – START!”

“RYU JIYOUNG! RYU JIYOUNG!” Her teammates roared as Jiyoung started to peel the lemon. In ten seconds, the lemon was peeled and Jiyoung was about to put it in when she hesitated, laughing.

She couldn’t believe she was doing this.

She finally mustered up the courage and put it in . Immediately, the sourness kicked in, making her drop the lemon, putting a hand on to cover the saliva that started to drip out.

“FAIL!” SEVENTEEN chanted as Jiyoung’s team shot death glares at SEVENTEEN.

“Cha, who’s next?” Tokki PD asked happily.

Sunghee raised her hand, raising Yijun’s hand too, shocking Yijun.

“We have an offer!” Sunghee announced in a business-like tone as Seunggwan smacked a palm on his forehead.

“What is it?” Doogi PD asked Sunghee as she pointed to the lemons.

“Under 30 seconds, I and Yijun and finish two lemons,” Sunghee offered as Doogi PD nodded in approval.

“Okay. In 3 – 2 – 1 – START!”

“AHN SUNGHEE! GEUM YIJUN!” ZERO chanted for their teammates as Yijun and Sunghee peeled the lemon. After they peeled it, they bit into it, not knowing how sour it would be.

“OMO!” Yijun instantly spit out the lemon in the box, coughing as Sunghee made a sour face, the rest of SEVENTEEN and ZERO cracking up in laughter.

“FAIL!” ZERO chanted as Sunghee and Yijun shuffled off, wiping the saliva off the side of their mouths.

Rainy was about to step up when Seungcheol cut in, standing up and shouting, “Wait!”

“Yes?” Doogi PD questioned him, pondering why Seungcheol was acting strange.

“Rainy’s allergic to lemons,” Seungcheol stated as ZERO looked at Rainy, the latter blushing.

“Yah Cheol, it’s alright. I just get rashes-“

“No, it’s not. PD-nim, is it alright if I do the punishment for her?” Seungcheol asked breathlessly, ZERO and SEVENTEEN hooting and cat-calling.

“Yah! We didn’t know!”

“Since when, hyung?”

“Are you guys dat-“ Hansol covered Samuel’s mouth.

“Sure. In 3 – 2 – 1 – START!”

Seungcheol peeled the lemon as fast as lightning, biting into it. The sourness hit him hard, but he forced himself to think about Rainy’s smile. Rainy’s jaw dropped open at his request, but now her eyes bulged at what Seungcheol was doing. He was doing it for her.

“CHOI SEUNGCHEOL! POWER CHEOL!” SEVENTEEN chanted for their hyung. They couldn’t believe their eyes too. Seungcheol finished the lemon under a minute, collapsing on the floor playfully because of the taste.

“Wah! Since a member completed the mission, the others won’t do the mission anymore!” Tokki PD announced happily as Jadyn and Aixing hugged each other happily. Just in time, Jisoo and Soonyoung burst in the practice room with Daichi and Saebyul on their backs and the grocery in hand.

“We’re here,” Soonyoung stated miserably as Daichi poked his ear with her index finger.

“We got the ingredients!” Saebyul announced, looking down at Jisoo who was smiling up at her.

“And I guess we’re ready to cook!”

author's note; did you guys liked this chapter? :)