Chapter Thirty Six

*BAG*
*BAG*
*BAG*

I was knocking at Room 25J at the end of the hallway on the right with my fist that actually didn’t sound like a knock at all. I was so eager to hand the grocery supplies, which were settled beside my foot now on the ground, to that lazy derp, and because I couldn’t wait to 'interrogate' Kim Joonmyeon. Also, I am not using the door buzzer because I just have the urge to knock so loud to create a more dramatic effect. Call it PMS-ing…because my arm muscles are indeed PMS-ing because I had to carry all of these extremely heavy plastic bags in hand all the way

I knocked once more repetitively, much forceful and louder than the first ones because no one seemed to be answering the door. The faint David Guetta music coming from the inside of this room wasn’t helping at all. A party, indeed. It’s Thursday anyway, what are they partying about?

*BAG*
*BAG*
*BAG-

My fist wasn’t about to come into contact with the polished wooden door when it suddenly opened, with the music being much clearer and more evident to be heard.

It was Jongin, and he was shirtless again, only wearing loose swimming trunks.

Why does this guy always go shirtless?

“Oh hey, Myunj-”

I cut him off as I spoke fastly, slightly enraged. “Give this freaking fermented cabbage…” I pushed the plastic bag with the kimchi in it to his chest, “...and diabetes-in-bottles to Chanyeol…” I dropped the bag containing the said goods at Jongin’s foot, half on purpose, and half on purpose, and he was now grunting in pain…I don’t care…

“...and I need to speak with your captain right now." I finished my speech without even pausing to take a breath.

I shoved Jongin to my side and went past the door. I don’t care if I am looking like a party crasher now. Actually, they should thank me for bringing in some delicacies to their party.

I heard Jongin closing the door behind him, still clutching onto his ‘damaged’ foot. 

I started storming into the living room after passing through the small hallway, however, I suddenly stopped, realizing that I wasn’t that completely familiar with the blueprint of the room. Actually, it’s my first time visiting a room at the end of a floor. The administration said that such rooms are the fanciest ones for every floor, as mentioned during the time we were checking out some units for me to stay at.

There were stuff all over the place, although this unit was slightly smaller than the penthouse-level room at the thirty fifth floor. Various backpacks and folded clothes were settled on the beige-colored couches in the middle of the huge white-walled living room situated at the right side of the room. As in really huge. It was bigger than ours back at our own house. Rich kids. On the left side of the unit was the kitchen. I could see delectable food, drinks, and liquor arranged on top of the luxurious-looking black-marble-ish counter in the middle, with artistically crafted fluorescent lamps lighting not only the kitchen, but the whole place as well. The pumping David Guetta music…with the words ‘where them girls at’ being sung over and over again…like J.Lo’s Dance Again…continued playing in background.

I thought this was a party, but where the heck was the ‘partying’ soccer team?

“Uh…where are the others?” I faced Kim Jongin once again, who was taking out the contents of the plastic bags, placing them onto the counter alongside the other food. Why the Richard Simmons did they make me buy kimchi and soda…and who eats kimchi during parties nowadays?

“…no, leave those milk tetrapacks alone, they’re mine.” I spat at Jongin after realizing I also gave my groceries to him.

“What the…” I heard Jongin express when he took out that blue-colored pack of my feminine sanitary supplies. 
“Hey. Leave those alone.” I walked towards him, grabbed my ‘rightful’ grocery bag, tied the handle in knots and settled it beside the counter, on the ground.

“Uh…where?” I repeated asking Jongin.
“Huh?”
“Your other teammates.” I meant the other bums.
“Oh...they’re at the patio. Just walk there.”

“Where?”
“There.” He pointed at the glass doors, leading to the spacious patio outside, covered in fake lawn.
Seriously, this is really a cool room. Aish. But so expensive.
“Why do you sound unsure anyway? This is your unit.” I uttered at him.
“No. This is Kris’ unit.” He replied.

Oh. It’s Kris’ unit….

I don’t give a darn.

I walked towards the patio, and with every step I took closer the said area, I was already hearing those familiar deep voices, talking and laughing. I carefully pried the glass doors open, walked through the fake lawn...and where are they? 

I followed the trail of voices. I faced towards the right side…holy mother of Pete…

Kris has a huge Jacuzzi on his patio? Rich kid.

Actually, I didn’t express holy mother of Pete because of the huge Jacuzzi with crystal blue clear waters….
…it was because of the whole bunch of soccer team in the Jacuzzi.

Half-.

Why? Why? Why?
Why do I always see them half-?

I my heels to go back inside, however…
“Myunjjang! You’re here.” I heard Baekhyun call me, as if delighted.

Aish. Why does he have to notice?

I lowered my cap once again down my face. I breathed deeply and faced them. Courage. I need courage.

“He…hey.” I stuttered, faking a grin.

They were all just looking at me and they were not embarrassed in any way. Actually, I was the only one who was seemingly feeling such right now.

Each of them had a glass of colourful liquor in hand, while some of them holding bottled ones. Though it was the onset of the cold winter, with the patio in an open area, giving a perfect view of the partially starry winter night, it looked like they were really comfortable and having a ‘blast’ in the Jacuzzi because I could obviously see the seemingly soothing and hot steam emanating from the water. The lifestyle of rich people…aish. Looks like I need to find a good job later on so I can afford such. Anyway, I’m satisfied with my life. I have a loving family. Yes. Really…not. But no. Seriously. I’m proud to be middle-class.

“Did you get the stuff?” Chanyeol asked with that usual smile of his before taking a sip of the blue-colored fluid in his hand like a boss. Lazy. Goliath.
“Uh…yes.” I answered with all the composure I could present, looking at Chanyeol. You really owe me big time, derp. 

This is awkward, really. 

However, after a number of seconds, they proceeded with their boisterous conversation and laughter.
Phew. Good thing. Good thing. Now, I can get out of here.

I tugged at my cap down once more, turning on my heels to walk towards the glass door once again…
…when I heard another familiar voice.

“Why don’t you join us, Seo Myunjae?” 

The noise at the Jacuzzi subsided once more. As I turned my head back to the Jacuzzi area, I noticed that the rodents were looking at me once again.

Then I shifted my gaze to the owner of the voice.

Kim Joonmyeon, who was situated at the other end of the large rectangular Jacuzzi, just directly opposite of where I was standing, started giving me a smirk before taking a drink from the bottle of liquor in his hand. With half of his body submerged into the Jacuzzi, I could clearly see his upper body, glistening with...I don’t know…water or sweat (because the Jacuzzi looks like it is way hot with all the steam)…and his hair, still dry, yet his flawless, smooth face was partially moistened, with some of his dark-brown-dyed hair clinging onto his forehead and temple….

Aish…why does he have to be that…teasing…and tempting…and….
What…what am I thinking…stop with such kind of thoughts, Myunjae.
Think of lasagna…yes…think of happy, ‘appropriate’ thoughts.

He traced the palm of his left hand on the edge of the Jacuzzi beside him, still giving me a taunting smug. “I think there’s room for one more.”

This brat. He always knows how to get onto my nerves.

The other soccer members just looked at each other, scrunching up their eyebrows...and noses…giving a ‘whut?’ expression to each other.

Tch. That won’t work on me, Hulck.
Just because you know that I know that you did something.
I know it, puh-lease.

“Excuse me, Hulck.” I uttered. Hoping that I look serious as of the moment. “You’ve got some serious explanation to do.”
“Have I?” He mocked me once again calmly.

“Fine…then we can do it right here.” He continued plastering that smirk on his lips, patting that edge of the Jacuzzi beside him again. And he was using that seductive yet teasing tone on me. He really knows how to drive me away…and drive me nuts.

“No.” I spat at him. “You’ll get out of that steaming water and talk right here.” That’s right. I’m the boss. Nah. Not really. Just trying to act cool here.

I heard Sehun whispering to Kris beside him, since they were nearer my spot. “Are the two of them…”
Kris just gave a ‘duh’ face.

“Hey. I can see you two. Stop it.” I warned them, shooting them a glare. Actually, I don’t really know what he and I are. But I simply don’t care right now. I want him out out of that Jacuzzi and talk. Or scold him. Aish…I’m not really making any sense right now because of that distracting view of him…why, oh why…patron of hotness....crap. Sighs.

“And no. We’re  not that.” I retorted at the two rodent bums.

I glared at Kim Joonmyeon once again, while he just continued flashing that mocking, closed smile of his.

One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.

Now, Kim Joonmyeon and I were in a staring game. Waiting which one of us would budge first. And no. I’m not going into that Jacuzzi. Like ew. I’m a girl, goodness sakes’, and that artificial body of water is swarming with erted creeps if I didn’t know better, with immature cartoon-watching creeps also, if I might add.

I’m gonna win this. I’ve been doing this staring game with my sister.
I’m trained, Hulck.

But my eyes started watering…aish.

“Myunjae, I’m waiting.” Kim Joonmyeon uttered once again, with that intense gaze of his, patting that empty spot beside him.

You’re not gonna distract me, Joonmyeon.

However, his smirk slowly turned into a shock expression.
He pointed at my foot. “Lizard.”

Not gonna work, Joonmyeon.

“Seo Myunjae. Lizard, near your foot.” He was now giving a serious-shocked expression much more.

Right. Still not gonna move.
And lizard in this expensive unit? Like I’m gonna believe that.

“Oh shi.t. Shi.t.” Kris was the one now pointing at my foot with enlarged eyes, distancing away from the edge near my spot in the middle of the lawn.

“Shoot.”
“Kill that thing.”
“Insect.”
“Fudge.”

The rest of the soccer members were now scrambling backwards like shrieking perky cheerleaders, though with their manly, deep voices.

Oh no…don’t tell me…

“There is really one, isn’t it?” I asked them as I completely froze in my spot, still not looking at my feet, glancing at the soccer members.

They just nodded quietly.

“Holy fu-” Jongin leaped back as he walked through the glass doors, looking at my feet.

I leaped, screaming. And I blinked.

I looked at my foot.
Then all of them started laughing.

There was nothing at my foot.

New saying should be invented: Great jerks think alike.

They started hi-fiving each other at the Jacuzzi, including the two derps. Well yeah, that’s what they all normally do. Pranking is as natural as breathing for them. Kim Jongin just went past me, still laughing, walking towards the Jacuzzi to join the other rodent jerks.

“Sorry. The army’s loyalty is to their captain.” Joonmyeon spoke arrogantly, with his taunting smile yet again, taking a drink from his bottle, still eyeing me.

Ugh!
Cheater.

“No. I’m not gonna leave this place until you get out of that Jacuzzi!”

“What did I tell you…” Joonmyeon uttered at his teammates. “…she likes seeing half- guys.”

Laughter followed…yet again.

Aaaargh! I shot insi