CHAPTER 27 : "Midnight Whispers, Tangled Hearts"

As they finished eating, the members got into the bus and the girls even went with them. As the van started to move, some members were drunk. Scoups and Mingyu were hugging each other, and Scoups was saying his worries to him while Mingyu was comforting him and gently patting his head. Hoshi was clingy to DK and said, "DK~~ I am a tiger, you know it right~" DK looked at him awkwardly and tapped his cheeks to wake him up, but suddenly Hoshi leaned back and showed his Horanghae and said, "I am tiger, not a hamster..." then he fell onto Boo's lap. Boo was drinking water at that exact moment—he nearly spilled the water on his face but managed to avoid it. He shot an annoyed look at Hoshi and said, "Even in sleep, you're not leaving me peacefully." DK laughed and said, "Boo~ he's your annoying partner, so he would annoy you even in dreams," and he laughed like crazy. Boo sulked and dramatically grabbed Hoshi's cheeks, pulling them gently. Hoshi smiled widely in his sleep and murmured, "Don't~~ then my skin will be like Boo~~" DK kicked his legs in laughter while Boo slapped Hoshi's cheek playfully and said, "You look like a child but act like a tiger, huh~"

Woozi was doing his work as usual, writing lyrics. Wonwon was playing games, Jeonghan was scrolling his phone, and Joshua and Vernon were playing games. Jun, Minghao, and Xuanye were sitting in a row. Jun and Minghao were talking seriously about their schedule, but Xuanye was asleep and kept falling forward and backward. Eventually, she leaned on Jun's shoulder. Jun was stunned and saw Xuanye sleeping on him. Minghao peeked at Xuanye and became jealous. He looked at Jun with pity-filled eyes. Jun looked at Minghao and said in a trembling voice, "Hey, can you sit here? I feel like throwing up after drinking." Minghao nodded and replied, "Now you can throw up freely," smiling happily as he looked at Xuanye. He gently grabbed Xuanye's head with his hands and swapped seats with Jun. Jun pouted, leaned to the window, placed his hand on his cheek, and mumbled, "Huh~ I helped you but you're mocking me."

Minghao blushed as Xuanye cuddled closer in her sleep, resting on his shoulder like a clingy cat. He covered his face with his hands and then moved them to his chest, feeling his heartbeat. Jun leaned over and whispered, "Yay~~ this is called love~" Minghao looked at him with a fake confused face, and Jun nodded with a wide smile. Minghao slowly turned his head to Xuanye, frozen, and she grabbed his arm in her sleep. He couldn't control his blush and leaned back, closing his eyes.

Meanwhile, Nian was sitting in the front row laughing at her phone. Her seat was shaking from her laughter. DK noticed, stood up slowly, and saw it was Nian. He smiled in relief, but when he leaned back to sit, he noticed she was messaging someone. DK's eyes widened as he leaned forward and peeked—he saw the name Yichen. DK looked like he wanted to punch the phone. As he murmured while staring at the screen, Dino, who was sitting beside Nian, fell asleep on her shoulder. Nian looked shocked, then chuckled at how peacefully Dino slept.

DK saw this and scowled. He reached over, grabbed Dino's head, and pushed it onto Woozi's arms. Nian opened her mouth wide in shock as Dino crashed into Woozi, who was deep in lyric writing and had just come up with some new ideas. Woozi glared at DK and said, "DK, in the next song, you'll be the one writing lyrics," and turned away like an annoyed chick. Nian turned back and saw DK near her—just one inch away. She was flustered, her mouth trembling, and she started to sweat. DK locked his gaze on her and asked in a deep voice, "Who were you messaging at this hour?"

Nian's eyes widened, and she replied in a trembling voice, "I... I was talking to Yichen... Why are you asking me this now?" DK leaned closer and asked, "Why are you messaging him now?" Nian tilted her head in confusion and said, "Wait... I was just talking to him, why are you asking questions like you're my boyfriend?" Boo stood up, witnessing the drama, and said, "Why are these humans in love so dramatic~" Nian chuckled.

DK trembled and muttered, "Don't talk to unknown people late at night. It's not good," then returned to his seat and crossed his arms, adding under his breath, "She's right—I'm not her boyfriend, but why is she saying that…"

Nian laughed and turned to do her work. Boo looked at DK and said, "DK~ why are you acting like a protective boyfriend~ Are you making singles like us jealous, huh~" then he pushed Hoshi into DK's lap and said, "Take care of him for me~ I want to sleep~" then turned with a bombastic side eye.

DK looked at Hoshi, who clung to him like a plushie. DK sighed and slid down in his seat, closing his face with his hand.