|fifty-three|

|JuHee's POV|

"Somi!" I tug the door open and throw myself into the arms of one of my best friends.

"Baby JuHee!" Somi chirps as she returns my embrace.

"Come on—HongJoong is here!" I drag Somi back towards the others. We sit down on the couch behind HongJoong.

"What are they playing?" Somi asks as she rests her head on my shoulder.

"Mafia. JongHo is the narrator. SeongHwa was the first victim." I fill Somi in on everything she missed.

"How does it work?" Somi asks as SunMi gets to her feet after hearing her name.

"There's mafia, police, citizens, and a doctor. The mafia kill people during the night and the doctor can heal someone. The citizens are just innocent people in all of it, while the police guess who the mafia are during the night." I explain quickly, not wanting to take my eyes off HongJoong for too long.

"Where's the others?" Somi asks as she glances around the room in search of the girls.

"I think NaHee went swimming. JiSu came out here to talk to SunMi, but disappeared again. I think Aera went out." I try to recall everyone's movements as I scratch at my head.

"Swimming?" HongJoong tilts his head back to see me.

"Yeah. We have a pool out back." I motion toward the back door.

"You have a pool and we're playing this game that we can never play properly?" HongJoong turns his focus from me to JongHo.

"Why? Do you guys want to go swimming?" JongHo questions as he glances at the others.

"Are you really asking that? Of course we want to go swimming." HongJoong slaps JongHo's leg before getting to his feet.

"No one has bathing suits." JongHo narrows his eyes at them.

"We came here after practice, we have a change of clothes in the van." HongJoong states confidently as he gets to his feet.

"We can go swimming, it's no big deal. I'll just have to go get my swimsuit. Are you guys coming with? I probably have another bathing suit in my room if you need one Somi. I have a bunch I haven't even worn yet." SunMi asks as she gets up.

"I actually have one here already. Last time I came over, JuHee put my extra bathing suit in her closet." Somi smiles as I tug her toward the bedroom.

"Hurry! We have to beat them out there. I want to see HongJoong." I push Somi into the bedroom and shut the door before hurrying toward my closet. I toss her bathing suit at her and dig for mine.

We both change quickly and slip out of the room. I run to the bathroom and grab two towels before claiming Somi's hand. I lead her toward the back foot and push it open.

"What are you guys doing, NaHee?" I ask as I plop down in one of the chairs.

"We were just swimming, nothing special." NaHee quickly brushes me off as ChanYeol climbs out. He sits on the edge of the pool and stares up at the barely visible stars.

"We all know you two are dating. You can just state the obvious. You two were making out out here." I chuckle as Somi sits down beside me.

"If that's the case, I'll give you all the juicy details." NaHee hurries toward me as I cover my ears.

"I'm good. I don't need the details." I hide behind Somi as NaHee comes up behind me.

"You clearly came out to swim, so let me help you out." NaHee grabs my arm and pulls me onto my feet.

"I don't need help. I was just going to stick my feet in." I shake my head as I struggle to escape her.

"Here, let me help." Somi hops up and grabs onto my other arm.

"HongJoong!" I scream for help as the door opens again.

"Hang on, don't throw her yet. I'll hop in and catch her so she can't come after you." HongJoong hurries to my rescue as he tosses a towel onto one of the empty chairs. He hurries toward the pool and hops in while the others make their way outside.

"Okay, you can throw me." I smile contently as my eyes watch HongJoong's every movement. I never imagined I'd be able to see him shirtless in person. He does not disappoint.

"You're worse than SunMi and JongHo." NaHee shakes her head as she and Somi toss me into the water.

I close my eyes and hold my breath, prepared to go underwater. My back hits the water, but I don't go completely under. I open my eyes to see HongJoong holding me. He chuckles as gulp.

"I told you I'd catch you. Did you think I was lying?" HongJoong sets me on my feet and smiles at me.

"Even I wouldn't have caught her. I would've let her go under." Somi teases as she jumps in next to us.

"HongJoong isn't like you. He's nice." I stick my tongue out at Somi as the others start to climb into the pool.

"He has to be nice to you. SunMi would beat him if he wasn't." Somi points out the obvious as HongJoong slips away to join the other Ateez boys.

"Not exactly. I mean—yeah—he has to be nice, but he didn't have to catch me. I would've been fine if he didn't. He offered, too. So he at least kind of likes me. I'm not all that bad, either." I pout as Somi and I swim toward the edge of the pool.

"I'm just teasing you. Everyone loves you. You're just too cute." Somi pinches my cheeks as I press my back to the wall of the pool.

"Ugh—you're worse than my grandma when you pinch my cheeks. She stopped doing it when I was like six." I swat her hands away and glare at her.

"Can I ask you something?" Somi mumbles as she stands beside me. We both stare out at the others as I nod.

"Of course you can. You can ask me anything." I reassure her as I turn to look at her. Her eyes seem distance as she watches the girls longingly.

"What's it like living with group members? I mean I was with ioi, but that didn't last long. We didn't even live together. I just want to know what I'm missing out on." Somi turns toward me with a sigh.

"Trust me, you're not missing as much as you'd think. It's a lot like you and Evelyn—just times four for us. It's got it's good and it's bad. So far, it's been mostly good, but that can change pretty quick. The more we're together the more stressful it can be. We all just need alone time sometimes. Besides, if you want to experience it, you're always welcome to stay here." I shrug as rest my head on her shoulder and glance over at SunMi and JongHo.

"You're amazing, JuHee." Somi rests her head on mine as she chuckles softly.