This chapter was such a hassle! It posed so many problems and it's been ready for DAYS!

chapter eleven;
a geisha dinner
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"Ah, they're so pretty!" Chenle cooed while the group entered the buzzing restaurant. There were Japanese women dressed in their beautiful summer yukatas, dancing with brilliant precision, serving enclosed rooms parted with sliding doors, and in general, guests wandering around a more communal area where drinks were present and the dancers were performing. The usual carpets were woven underfoot, the temporary residents' sandals soundless upon them. The walls were paper in most places, yet wooden in more secure areas. The smell of green tea, sake, food and flowers wafted across the air, enticing everyone inside.

"They're geishas, aren't they?" Renjun murmured. "Or at least, they're impersonating them. They don't really exist anymore in that form."

"Mhm, the white makeup and severe colours are a dead-giveaway. Their hair as well," Jeno motioned to one of the girls laughing politely with a guest. "The black is necessary so that the clips and pins all hold it up nicely...it shines."

"Woah, someone's coming. Act natural," Mark demanded, pulling his yukata further over his chest with discomfort.

"Konichiwa, everyone. How many?" The raven-haired female asked with a brilliant smile.

"Oh, seven," Jaemin responded quickly. "And we're pretty late, but we had a reservation."

"Yes, the TTN tour, right?"

Her Korean is good, they all thought, straightening their postures. "That's us."

"Well, it's busy as you can see. But I can offer a private room with more peace and quiet, or perhaps you like the buzzing vibes of this space," she stretched her hand towards the large room of chatty people. "Your choice."

"Um, what do you guys think?" The blonde asked. "Anyone into geishas?"

"Na Jaemin, shut up," Donghyuck begged. "You can't just say that!"

"It was a joke," the driver insisted. "Obviously they aren't prostitutes like the real ones!"

"This conversation has ended," Jisung clapped his hands together. "We'll take a private room so that we can avoid all embarrassment, please."

The lady nodded with a chuckle and proceeded to guide them towards a small hallway of numerous paper doors. Shadows and silhouettes shifted and moved behind them, and loud laughter could be heard due to the thinness of the barriers. Donghyuck's eyes watched everything carefully, and he tried not to bump into the pretty staff members when they brushed by.

They eventually arrived at their given destination, and the woman pulled the door back to produce an empty space apart from its low table with eight mats aligned around it, the candles along the corners where the floor met the walls and bowls of water containing lotus petals, as well as the dim shower of light bathing it all.

"I like it," Jisung smiled, walking in first and hopping onto the delicate mat at one end. The table must've barely reached his abdomen, yet that was the tradition of it. "Come on!"

"Don't knock over any candles, whatever you do," Renjun reminded them. "It's so aesthetic, right?"

They all crowded around the solitary piece of furniture and looked expectantly at the Japanese girl again.

"I'll be back with water," she explained. "Please make yourselves comfortable, choose your drinks, and I shall return shortly."

"Kay," Jaemin waved like an oblivious child, to which Chenle smacked his hand down from beside him.

Now alone, the seven all eyed each other with excited expressions and a newfound giddiness that had been established now that the fatigue had mostly washed away. The atmosphere was quite chill, and they were glad that they had finally reached this level of comfort with each other two days into the journey.

"Sorry to be a pain, but I'm gonna head to the toilet," Mark hummed. "When the girl comes back, order something flat for me, alright? I'm never going to drink alcohol in your company again."

"Worried Hyuck will do more than drop you down the stairs?" Jaemin teased, then annoyingly started moaning some sexy noises. The blonde who'd been mentioned smacked his head from across the table, muttering 'I'm a bottom, Dickhead' before letting Renjun elbow him for poisoning his ears.

"You're such an ass," the oldest grumbled before heading to the door and sliding it open, wandering out unsurely before closing it and hoping he'd find his way. The other boys all relaxed with the warmth of the room and either leaned against their elbows on the table or back on their hands.

"I'm not an ass," Jaemin pouted, "I'm a piece of ass...."

The others could hardly believe what they were hearing.

Okay, but seriously. He's straight, right?" The once dejected boy suddenly perked up again. "Who's gonna bet he's eyeing up the geishas?"

"You're insufferable," Jeno frowned. "And no, he seems like a career-driven sort of guy. I can't imagine him slinking off for that type of thing..."

"We've known him all of two days," Chenle hummed. "We don't really know anything about each other. I certainly wouldn't assume anything about you guys."

"I mean..." Donghyuck played with his fingers on his lap, the yukata loose against his legs, "He wouldn't, would he?"

"Wouldn't what?" Jisung arched his brow?" You mean the whole 'checking out girls' thing?"

"Mhm. Like...nobody is all straight, y'know? He could be interested in guys."

"You're a weirdo," Renjun scoffed as he flopped back to lay against the carpet. "Straight, gay, bi...We're labelling our group member here. Please tell me you lot haven't talked about me this way. If he likes girls, he's entitled to like girls. Let him look at the geishas."

"He isn't though, is he?" The young Korean insisted.

The five all sat up properly to look at Hyuck with confused expressions...until Chenle raised their growing suspicions. "You seem adamant about it, Dude. Why so curious?"

"No reason."

"Sure?" The youngest pressed. "I think you're lying~"

"Oh please, you're all hanging out with Jaemin too much," the blonde hissed before standing up suddenly and dusting down his attire. "I'm heading to the bathroom too."

"I won't address that attack," their driver poked his tongue out. "Go get some, Kiddo."

"I'm using the toilet!"

"And I'm joining the local church when this month ends."

This guy, the boy seethed, though didn't let it get to him and instead exited the room as quickly as possible. He looked left and right down both ends of the hall, seeing the shadows of other customers laughing and chatting within their own rooms. His heart picked up in speed for no discernible reason while he walked along the passage he had come through to get here initially. The noise grew louder and he eventually made it to the main room again.

The dancers had their fans out, stepping in pivotal motions, dark eyes glimmering under the artificial lights overhead. Hyuck suddenly felt quite self-conscious as he placed his hand over his slightly exposed chest, pulling his fringe over his eyes carefully before looking over a few signs directing to various areas. The toilets weren't too hidden, thankfully, and he made his way over to the door as quickly as possible. It wasn't a paper sliding door at least, but a regular, western wooden door.

While pulling it open, a familiar voice somewhere behind him drew the male from his thoughts. He peered over his shoulder to see none other than Mark wandering around aimlessly...unfortunately holding a little unwanted attention due to that nice face of his. There were a couple of ladies with him, neither members of staff...but customers.

Damn it, he was right, Donghyuck immediately leapt onto the conclusion, gritting his teeth and holding the door open a little longer. A sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach arose when this sort of confirmed that the fun relationship he'd formed with the businessman was in fact doomed to remain the way it was now. That's fine, he sighed inwardly, I came here in search for a pretty Japanese boy anyway.

"Oh, this is my friend," he could suddenly hear the older awkwardly chuckle, and sure enough; Mark raced towards the blonde tour member and slung his arm around his shoulder. "Can we head back to the table? I got confused with the halls, and these girls were, um, helping me?" The look in his eyes didn't match the words falling out...he was desperate for an easy escape, and Hyuck was just that.

"We can help you find your way, though," they beamed with gross smiles, "Why don't you sit with us for a while though? Hm? Both of you."

"Actually, we have a group we're sticking with," the younger boy pursed his lips and shrugged his way out from under Mark's arm in order to tug his wrist and lead him away. "Thanks though."

"But-"

"See ya around!" And with that, the pair were dashing back to the hallway they'd come from to hide, the younger pressing his back against the wall once out of sight and secretly surveying the communal area in hopes that the girls would piss off. "Ugh, so painful."

"Did you...come looking for me?" The ravenette asked from beside him, tapping the male's shoulder.

"Psh, nothing that valiant," he didn't spare him a glance, holding on strong to get to that bathroom. "I've gotta pee."

"Oh."

"Mhm. Ah," Hyuck finally turned to him, "If you're lost, ours is the fifth room down on the right, okay? I'll see you guys soon." He sprinted off to fulfill his original mission, leaving Mark alone and a little baffled. He tilted his head all the same and followed the directions he'd been given. Thankfully, the door he pulled along its runner was the right one, and there sat five excited men who were all eating appetisers (mostly rice) and had their drinks.

"Bro, you took ages," Jaemin chuckled. "Come eat."

He did as he was told and took his seat, looking around at the small amount of food around to keep them going until they ordered dinner. "Where's Donghyuck?" Chenle blinked innocently. "He went after you, didn't he?"

"Hm? No, just went to the toilet."

"Right," Jisung snickered. "Just for the toilet."

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