The creaking of shoes echoed through the house as friends bustled about, each with their own task.
Some were engrossed in a heated discussion about the perfect food menu, while others darted back and forth, ensuring every detail was perfect for the celebration.
Today marked a special occasion – Joshua's birthday party. Despite it being his special day, his friends had unanimously decided to host the party at Hoshi's spacious house.
The location was convenient, with a nearby store for last-minute supplies, and most importantly, it saved them from dealing with Hoshi's unpredictable behavior when he had too much to drink.
Mingyu was in charge of ordering an assortment of food and snacks, while others were busy decorating the space, cleaning up, and making a trip to the convenience store for additional supplies.
Jeonghan's birthday had recently passed, but this gathering was more about reconnecting with each other after a long time apart. The guys were eager to make the most of the night, and Hoshi's house was buzzing with activity.
Haechan, however, seemed less enthused about the cleaning efforts. "What's the point of cleaning if it's just going to get messy again?" he muttered, questioning the need to tidy up the kitchen counter when it would likely end up dirty after the party.
The house was a whirlwind of activity, with friends working together to create a memorable night for Joshua.
Amidst the chaos, the excitement and anticipation for the party were palpable, and everyone was looking forward to a fun-filled evening.
"Say that to Taeyong and Hoshi hyung," Renjun retorted, equally annoyed, as he and Haechan were paired up to clean the kitchen.
"Don't act sassy; you're not the only one suffering," Haechan shot back, both of them standing with their backs to each other. Haechan didn't notice the curse Renjun mouthed at him.
Just then, S.Coups, who was on the phone, turned around when he heard Taeyong calling out for help.
Taeyong was struggling to inflate balloons and waved at S.Coups, who sighed before hanging up and joining his friend. As S.Coups started helping, Taeyong let out a sigh of relief and patted his shoulder.
"What can I do without you?" Taeyong said with a smile, making S.Coups chuckle. "Nothing," S.Coups replied, earning a playful punch from Taeyong.
Meanwhile, the noise level in the house continued to rise. Hoshi had been blasting a K-pop birthday playlist on repeat for over an hour, and Seungkwan, DK, Haechan, and Hoshi were singing along at the top of their lungs.
Jungwoo, who was sweeping the floor alongside Dino hit Dino multiple times with the broom, but Dino's patienceful demeanor prevented any conflict.
Renjun was still grumbling about Haechan dropping utensils, but his expression quickly shifted to a fake smile when he noticed Taeyong looking his way. He bent down to pick up the utensils and gave Haechan a not-so-gentle punch on the arm, making Haechan wince.
Just as it seemed things couldn't get any more chaotic, Doyoung accidentally dropped a wine bottle, shattering it on the floor.
The sudden noise and his panicked screech caught everyone's attention. Ten quickly pulled out his phone to capture the moment, while Dino and Jungwoo shot Doyoung disapproving looks.
The room fell silent for a moment, until Hoshi's playlist kicked in again, blasting a certain line of the song Make a wish.
I CAN DO THIS ALL DAY~~~ BACK IT UP, BACK IT UP!!!!!!
The absurdity of the situation and the lyrics made everyone burst into laughter, including Dino and Jungwoo. The tension was broken, and the party continued with renewed energy.
The scene unfolded with the group of friends singing along to the music in perfect sync, with Ten recording the moment on his camera. This fleeting instant would be etched in their memories forever.
"These brats!" Taeyong exclaimed, chuckling as he regained composure. Meanwhile, Seungcheol was still laughing while continuing his work.
Taeyong quickly navigated through the crowd and headed towards Doyoung, leaving Seungcheol to finish the task alone and assist the poor guy.
Despite the chaos, the work was surprisingly completed to perfection. Exhausted, the males craved a long break to unwind before enjoying the night.
After double-checking that everything was in place, those living in the building—except for S.Coups, Ten, and Mingyu—headed back to their homes to freshen up and take a nap.
Given Hoshi's notorious behavior, it was no surprise that he wouldn't let the three males linger. Ten tagged along with Dino, Mingyu joined DK, and S.Coups followed Taeyong to his apartment, which was conveniently located at the 5th floor, one floor down to Hoshi's.
Hoshi surveyed his transformed home with satisfaction. The decorations, lighting, and balloons filled him with excitement. However, feeling drained, he decided to take a nap to recharge.
"Hosh will never let me stay there," Taeyong chuckled at S.Coups's comment before tossing a clean towel at him.
The towel landed on S.Coups's face as he lay comfortably on Taeyong's bed, still in his dirty and sweaty clothes. Taeyong, accustomed to S.Coups's habits, didn't say a word.
"Go take a shower. I'll change the bedsheet," Taeyong ordered, handing S.Coups a pair of oversized clothes. S.Coups lazily got up, commenting, "You and Hoshi are the same, neat and clean freaks."
S.Coups headed to the bathroom, and Taeyong began changing the bedsheet.
After a while, S.Coups emerged, towel-wrapped and looking relaxed. He explored Taeyong's room, admiring the cleanliness and organization.
Taeyong entered just as S.Coups was gazing at a childhood photo, and he smiled. "If you're done looking at the picture, get dressed and have a meal," Taeyong said, placing a pair of clothes on the bed.
S.Coups chuckled and began getting dressed. "You scared me," he said, and Taeyong apologized with a laugh.
"Wait you already took a bath?"
"Well it's a two-room apartment, if you forget," Taeyong said before heading to the living room, leaving S.Coups to get ready.
The two sat on the couch, eating ramyeon and enjoying each other's company.
[]
"This much would be enough?" S.Coups asked, to which Hoshi replied, "Are you trying to save money or something, Coups?"
S.Coups retorted, "When I have to be the one to pay, then definitely."
Hoshi persisted, "Come on, go buy a few more snacks."
S.Coups hesitated, "But it's not needed; we already bought a lot, Hosh."
Hoshi explained, "I know, but for future, you know."
S.Coups teased, "Tsk, for future or for your hungry self!"
Hoshi's response was cut off by S.Coups's sudden departure to buy more snacks.
"You are the best!" Hoshi called out after him.
After half an hour, they finished shopping and headed back to Hoshi's apartment.
As they settled the groceries, Hoshi asked, "It's still an hour left; what should we do?" S.Coups stood up from the couch, saying, "I'm going to get changed." Hoshi hummed in response
[]
"Finally!!!! Been so long!" Joshua yelled as soon as he entered, but His friends surprised him with a loud "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!"
S.Coups commented, "I thought it would take you forever to get here!"
Joshua explained his tardiness, "Treat me nicely; it's my birthday celebration, Cheol. Moreover, I had to treat some close colleagues to a snack party, that's why I'm late." S.Coups joked, "Yeah, sure, Mr. Rich."
The group decided to have drinks, but Doyoung suggested enjoying the cake first. Ten protested, "No drinks first; dying to eat cake is childish."
The debate between Ten and Doyoung escalated into a chaotic argument.
"Well, I am dying to eat it; if you're this thirsty, then go enjoy drinking alone,"
Doyoung said.
Ten retorted, "I can say the same for you."
The conversation quickly devolved, with Doyoung saying, "Shut up!" and Ten responding, "You shut up, rabbit!"
Doyoung shot back, "Who in the world are you saying that to?"
Ten replied, "Of course, to you, who else?"
Haechan, Mingyu, Hoshi, and DK supported Ten, cheering loudly. Meanwhile, Renjun, Jungwoo, Joshua, and Seungkwan sided with Doyoung, creating a chaotic atmosphere.
S.Coups was entertained, laughing at the commotion, while Taeyong, Minghao, and Woozi looked on with disappointment.
Jeonghan grew frustrated, wanting to make an announcement but unable to speak due to the noise.
Finally, Jeonghan screamed, "Shut up you ALL!!" The room fell silent, with everyone looking at him.
Jeonghan's glare was enough to make everyone stop fighting and offer innocent smiles. Vernon chuckled, amused by the drama.
"I want to make an announcement, and you guys are not letting me speak," Jeonghan said, looking at each of them, especially Ten, who gave him a sheepish smile.
Joshua commented, "I am not interested in listening about your gf/bf," earning an 'ohh' from some members.
Jeonghan's expression turned stern, but he quickly retorted, "Of course, you will not, after all, you have not even introduced your boyfriend to us yet, coward."
Joshua defended himself, "I don't have a boyfriend." Jeonghan threw his friends under the bus, "Of course, we believe you, especially Ten. Isn't it, Chittaphon?"
Both Ten and Joshua were flushed red, and their friends mistook their close relationship for something more.
"We are not boyfriend!" Ten and Joshua defended themselves in unison. Doyoung couldn't help but smile at Ten's predicament.
S.Coups exclaimed, "Sure!!" and others chimed in.
Joshua counter-attacked, "Oh really? Then how about you and Taeyong, huh?" The attention shifted to Taeyong and S.Coups, who looked uncomfortable and flustered.
Taeyong intervened, "Alright, stop this there. Han, you were going to say something."
Jeonghan said, "Guess our ship is not sailing this soon," earning scoffs and chuckles from the group. It was clear that everyone present shipped Taeyong and S.Coups.
Jeonghan continued, "As it's Shua's birthday, I have invited some of my other friends."
Hoshi blurted out, "But we don't have extra stock," making Haechan, DK, and Mingyu laugh.
"Shut up, Hosh," Woozi ordered, making the male pout. Hoshi replied, "I was just saying," and Woozi sighed, visibly tired of the chaos.
"Just call them inside already," Woozi said, and others agreed. Jeonghan said, "They will be here in any minute," and everyone looked at him with mixed expressions of disappointment and annoyance.
"Whatever, then let's party!!!!" Haechan shouted, raising his packet of snacks high in the air, but earned questionable looks from others.
"Until they don't come, let's dance!!!" Haechan said again, and this sparked the night into wild mode.
Hoshi happily said to Vernon and Hao, who were having drinks nearby, "I am excited to meet his friends."
And Before anyone could discuss further, Hoshi's loud voice echoed through the room.
"Hey, you two! It's inappropriate to not join us here in the drinking battle. Stop sitting there talking like old persons, even though you guys are getting old; that's disrespectful toward the drinking battle."
Hoshi's comment made Jeonghan and S.Coups look at him with anger. Jeonghan defended himself, standing up from the couch and moving towards Hoshi.
"Excuse me, I look the youngest among the 95z." Joshua and S.Coups exchanged disbelieving looks, while Taeyong silently enjoyed the drama.
S.Coups and Joshua chimed in, "Hey, I look the youngest among us," prompting Seungkwan to comment, "Only because of the makeup," which earned loud cheers from others.
Joshua counter-attacked, "You look the oldest among all of us," making Seungkwan scoff.
The group continued throwing shades at each other's age, fueled by Hoshi's initial comment. Meanwhile, Hoshi was busy getting drunk with Ten, Mingyu, and DK by his side.
"Nice," Hoshi said, completely wasted amidst the loud chaos, where no one heard what he said.
To be continued...