Reality Quest: Questism

"Jihan, you sure you don't want to come with?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and leaning against the wall like I was trying to convince him to join some exclusive club.

He shot me a deadpan look, like he was immune to my charm. "Dowan... I'm not joining your gang."

I grinned. "C'mon, it'll be fun! You'll get to meet all the cool kids!"

He didn't even flinch. "...No."

I threw my hands up in mock defeat. "Fine, leave your only friend and go home. See if I care."

Jihan had already started to turn away, but I could see the hesitation in his step, even from behind. It was like a slow-motion scene from a drama. I had him.

He turned back slowly, eyes narrowing at me with a look that clearly said, Seriously? Like I'd just asked him to eat an entire bowl of worms for lunch.

I shrugged, putting on my best innocent expression.

He sighed, defeated. "Fine. I'll come to your gang meeting."

"HAHA YESS!" I punched the air like I'd just won a gold medal at the Olympics. "Victory is mine!"

Jihan just stared at me, shaking his head, muttering something about "what did I just agree to?" as he walked off. Ha, sucker.

I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and we trudged along the path along with the other second years on their way out of the school. He tried to escape my hold but thankfully I was mighty.

And that's how Jihan met Siyeon, bundled up underneath my unfortunately-not-muscular arm. 

We spotted her leaning against the wall next to the school gates, doing her best impression of someone who didn't care about the group of guys on the other side ogling her like she was the main character in a bad romance novel.

Spoiler alert: it didn't work.

I could already tell what was coming. A guy from the group stepped forward, chest puffed out like he thought he was about to drop some profound pickup line that would make her swoon.

"Hey," he said, putting on his best smooth voice. "I just wanted to say that you look—"

"Fuck off."

I almost choked on my own spit trying to stifle my laugh. Jihan gave me a confused look, but I couldn't stop watching the absolute trainwreck unfold in front of us.

The guy was visibly taken aback, like he'd just been slapped with a wet towel. He stammered for a second, but his confidence wasn't done yet. "Nah, nah, it's all good. My friend here is super loyal so—"

"I said fuck off." She didn't even look up from her phone, her voice cutting through his nonsense. Her tone was deadpan, but the power behind it could've probably leveled a building.

The guy froze, blinking in disbelief, like he couldn't fathom being rejected that fast, that effortlessly. The other guys behind him exchanged glances, unsure if they should back him up or just pretend they didn't know him.

This time I didn't bother stifling it, I just laughed out loud whilst Jihan looked at me weirdly and Siyeon looked up from her phone.

"Finally," she said, like she was exhausted from the whole process. "I told you not to take too long."

I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, still laughing. "My bad. Had to make Jihan over here agree to come with me."

Siyeon raised an eyebrow and gave Jihan a slow, assessing look, her gaze taking in his shy posture, the slight annoyance on his face. She didn't even try to hide her interest. "...Sure."

Then we all started walking, I tried to slide Jihan's arm over Siyeon's shoulders but she shot me a death glare, so I immediately took it back, grinning cheekily.

"Anyways," I said. "Did Sehun decide to join my crew?"

"He didn't say. He's quieter these days."

Jihan frowned, still under my arm. "Join your… crew? Is that another name for your gang?"

Siyeon sighed. "What's he been telling you? It's not a gang, more like…"

"Patriotism?" I offered.

"You. Stay silent."

I mimed closing a zipper on my mouth and we walked on while Siyeon and Jihan took turns making fun of my very being.

The audacity.

"A gang leader with no muscles," Siyeon mused, eyeing my arm like it personally offended her. "You should be arrested for fraud."

Jihan, ever the enabler, hummed in agreement. "It is pretty weird. Shouldn't you, like… work out?"

I scowled. "I do work out!"

Siyeon didn't even blink. "Do you?"

"Yes!"

"Then why do you look like that?"

"Genetics."

Jihan chuckled, but Siyeon just rolled her eyes. We turned the corner, the streets quieter now, most students having already gone home. The restaurant wasn't too far, one of those places that was way too fancy to be a high school hangout but somehow still ended up being ours. Probably because nobody else wanted to be there.

As we reached the entrance, a familiar ding echoed in my head.

New Quest!

Recruit 3 more members to your crew [0/3]

Rewards: 5 moderate Level Up cards

I blinked. I hadn't gotten those in a while, it was good timing.

Three more? Well, two were obvious. Jihan was already here, Sehee was inside, and Sehun… I still needed a proper answer from him.

Easy.

The restaurant was empty, as expected. It wasn't exactly a popular spot, especially not at this hour. The only two people inside were Kang Sehun and Shin Sehee, sitting across from each other at a booth.

Sehun looked as closed-off as ever, staring out the window like he was contemplating the meaning of life. Sehee, on the other hand, was dressed funny. He was wearing the same uniform as Siyeon… oh yeah they went to the same school, didn't they.

He looked like a middle aged man with all that stubble and those shades, the Hawaiian shirt too. It was like a martial arts master who'd aged down.

Nonetheless he brightened when we entered.

"Over here sir!" he said, standing up slightly before blinking at Jihan. "And you brought a friend?"

Sehun frowned. "Sir?" And then he turned over and scowled when he saw my grin.

"Huh? Why's that punk here?!"

Siyeon, still acting disinterested, went towards her seat and sat. "He's the representative of Boramae. What's the problem?"

"But he's basically a figurehead?! Just why is a loser like hi–"

"I'm sorry? Loser? Did you forget who beat your ass into the ground?!"

"You pretended to be weak and tricked me!"

"Huh?! A fight's a fight! If you lose then you lose you bastard!"

Siyeon's voice cut through our verbal torment. "Both of you are an embarrassment…"

"…Just shut up and sit down."

A beat of silence.

Sehun swallowed whatever he was about to say next and then quietly sat down. Damn, she has him well trained.

I grinned, sliding into the booth like I owned the place. "Jihan, meet Sehun. Sehun, Jihan."

Jihan nodded, looking a little awkward. "Hey."

Sehun scowled in his general direction. And then Sehee introduced himself. "Hello sirs! I'm Shin Sehee, year 1."

Siyeon took a seat next to him while Jihan hesitated before sitting across from me, next to Sehun. The air between them was a little tense, but I ignored it for now.

Instead, I leaned forward, lacing my fingers together. "Alright, business first. Sehee, Jihan, join my crew."

Jihan immediately frowned. "You didn't even ask."

"I am asking."

"That sounded more like a demand."

"…A very polite demand?"

Siyeon sighed, rubbing her temples. "You're awful at this."

I ignored her and turned to Sehee, who seemed to actually be considering it. "What exactly do I have to do?" he asked.

"Just be cool," I said. "And, you know… fight if you want to."

Jihan's frown deepened. "You just described a gang."

I held my thumbs up. "And yet it's still not a gang."

Siyeon sighed again. "Jihan, just say no and move on."

Sehee, however, laughed. "I don't mind if fighting's optional. I'll join."

[1/3 Members Recruited!]

Nice.

Before he could argue, I turned to Sehun, who still hadn't said a word after Siyeon told him to sit down.

I leaned in. "So. You never answered me last time."

Silence.

Sehun's gaze was unreadable, but I could tell he was actually thinking about it this time. He didn't immediately say no.

Progress.

Now, all that was left was Jihan.

I clapped my hands together, grinning. "Jihan, buddy, pal—"

"No."

I pretended not to hear that. "Think about it. What if one day you're in trouble and need a powerful crew backing you up?"

"I'll call the police."

Sehee snickered.

I sighed dramatically, leaning back. "Fine, I won't pressure you… yet."

He eyed me warily but didn't argue.

Siyeon sighed. "Anyways, I only initially recruited Dowan just to be a figurehead but… situations change. As of now, he is the actual Representative of Boramae."

I smiled a cheeky smile and waved. I could see Sehun's forearm trembling on the table as he grit his teeth. Scary.

"Sehun will be the Deputy of Boramae."

I turned to him with a shit-eating grin. "What's good, Deputy? Bring me some coffee."

His fist thudded into the table as he shot up, growling. "I'm going to–"

"Sehun, sit down." 

Once again listening to Siyeon, he sat down again. Ha.

Siyeon rubbed her temples. "And Dowan, stop being annoying. While we're on that topic actually, you haven't gotten into any trouble, right?"

I scratched my chin. "What counts as trouble?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Hmm, getting involved with Eunsung, provoking an Iljin of another region… starting fights… that kinda thing."

Jihan turned sharply to my direction and I winced. "Um."

Siyeon groaned. "Never mind, I shouldn't have asked…"

Sehun scoffed over from the corner of the table. "And what's wrong with provoking another Iljin? I can take on at least one region by myself."

I burst out laughing.

Hearing a small thud, I saw Siyeon collapsing her head into her arms, her groan getting louder by the minute. I faintly heard her mutter something like we're fucked.

Sehee as usual was oblivious. "May I order chilli shrimp Siyeon?"

What a funny guy.

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Hey guys, for a later chapter I have in mind, I'm going to need to choose a piece of music so if you could please leave your favourite song on here, I shall take my pick from one of them to be used. Thank you.

And as usual, comments reviews and stones satiate my hunger.