❦ ♪

CHAPTER THIRTEEN : gossip

"i'm not petty."

❦ ♪

— hao pov.

dad

What rank did you get?

first

Only you?

yeah

Good. How's the girl?

what girl

Mirae.

what about her

Is she smart? What rank is she?

second with renjun

Ok.
Was her score 99?

yeah

Ok. Make sure she doesn't get first.
We're coming back next week, so we
can see your rank next month.

oh okay

You better stay at the top Hao.
Youngjae's family can't keep paying
your university life if you don't stay
first and beat that girl.

alright

Don't disappoint us. Don't talk
to her anymore, focus on studying.

ok

We'll be checking your phone when
we get back, and we can ask other
professors about you and Mirae.

why are you doing so much though

You can't be distracted. You know
how a wealthy girl like her can be,
she can do horrible things to you.

what do you mean

Just don't be nice to her. If you
were already, then it has to stop.
She's only your partner in lectures
there should be nothing between you.

there wasn't anything in the first place

Good. Don't be a disappointment
to this family.
seen

❦ ♪

ricky

are you going to that mei thing yet

i'm literally her neighbour it
starts in 30 mins i have nothing
to worry about, why?

my dad contacted me and i'm sure that
he thinks i'm talking to mei

oh shit what did you say?

*send multiple attachments*

OH SHIT what u gonna do cause
yk hanbin...

ik💀it's not like i want to be friends
with mei but i don't want everyone
against her bc i am

are u sure abt this

you know how my parents are

yeah.. so what are you going to
do about mei

delete her number but keep her insta
and delete our messages

why keep her insta.. to stalk??

no shit sherlock as long as they know
we don't talk then i'll be fine

so you're going against her now

i've always been against her she's
fucking annoying but now i just won't
be too nice to her

bro you were actually kinda getting
along sometimes too..

well fuck that i'm not making my
parents hate me more than they
already do

fair enough.. but don't be too harsh

idk about that

hao😭remember what i said when it
was first said you were being paired
with her

well she's already fucking beat me and if
she does it against next month and my
parents see that i'm dead

... okay fine but don't try cheat it
out just for your parent's validation

whatever
i hate that fucking weirdo

she literally probably likes you

she's doing it to distract me

did you suddenly just turn into
your dad or something tf

i'm not stupid ricky i've now realised
she's just acting all flirty to make me
distracted then she goes on with hanbin
to make me jealous

that's a big assumption considering
you met a few weeks ago but okay!

alr
have fun then

i will
don't forget you're going out for a
meal with hanbin and mei tomorrow
too

ffs ricky

have fun!! 😎❤️
seen

❦ ♪

— ricky pov.
- 3rd person.

one girl, nine boys, a dozen bottles of alcohol and no shame were currently in the huang party room. the main reason being to celebrate their first evaluation exams being done but another reason was to gossip, mostly about each other's love lives.

it wasn't exactly a party, it was really just everybody sat on comfortable and long sofas with bottles and cups in their hand with some the weeknd playing in the background.

"you're fucking hurting me!!" renjun complains as donghyuck was almost choking him with his arms, strangling his neck with tears falling down his face.

"renjun don't you ever leave me." donghyuck slurs. "like i know you're in love with me but-"

"ew you sound like mei talking to hao." jaemin laughs, pointing at the girl who had her head on ricky's shoulder.

"please don't bring my boyfriend up like that we're in a heated argument right now." she giggles, taking another sip straight from the vodka bottle.

"so i'm curious, do you actually like him or not?" a slightly sober ricky asks, tapping the girl. "and don't finish the whole bottle jesus christ."

mei exhales and pushes ricky's head. "does everyone really have to ask me a question like this about a boy i've known for a short time?"

"yeah." yangyang shrugs. "you're partners forever now, you have a future ahead of yourselves."

mei rolls her eyes. "we had a bad first impression, and now he probably hates me."

"well it's not like you're actually going to date him anyway." haknyeon snickers. "his parents are bum fuck strict."

"yeah, hao's basically had no dating life." ricky snickers, "compared to mei it's really nothing."

"are you really calling me a whore when your kiss count is higher than mine?" mei scoffs. "you're in college and you've done more than me."

"that's because ricky is hot." jeno says, "i'm not surprised that his kiss count is higher than yours."

"speaking of kiss count, i want to hear about your guys' love lives." jaemin suggests, taking the bottle from mei's hand. "and stop fucking drinking that." he passes it to ricky.

she hiccups. "bro i was almost done with that" she complains, trying to take it off of him. "ricky give me it!"

ricky shakes his head. "stay still oh my god." he turns away from her to avoid her hands getting onto the forbidden bottle again.

mei huffs as she falls down, head on ricky's shoulder again. "you're so fucking mean, i'm uninviting you from my birthday party."

ricky rolls his eyes and finishes the bottle himself. "let's play spin the bottle with this, for each other's love lives."

"you really just chugged the last bit of that drink? what happened to our youngest ricky?" chenle says dramatically.

ricky scoffs. "shut up, let's gossip now. get on the fucking floor."

jaemin gets up in excitement. "i'm down!"

"spin the bottle at every party is crazy, last time i had to facetime hao." mei whines as ricky gets up, making her head fall onto the edge of the sofa. "FUCK THAT HURT."

the boys all drunkenly managed to get on the floor in a circle, leaving mei lying on the sofa after ricky got up and left. "mei get down here." haknyeon calls the girl.

"noooooooooooo" she whines, straggling on the sofa like some sort of woman on crack. "give me a rest, i've been stressed these days." she slurs.

"girl get down here!" renjun shouts, stumbling up from his seat and walking towards the girl. "get down we're here to gossip to your new friends." he slurs.

he accidentally falls on top of mei, making them both shout frantically in pain and annoyance. jeno sighs and gets up, dragging renjun off of her and pushing him onto the floor. he grabs mei by the legs and pulls her down.

ricky and chenle snort at jeno as he sat back down. "i wanna play, they're annoying."

"uh huh.." yangyang wiggles his eyebrows.

"oh my god." she wails. "this is like an interrogation session."

"shut up let's play the game or else you're going first." chenle rolls his eyes, taking the bottle from jaemin's hand and putting it on the floor in the middle.

mei sighs. "you bumfuck boys, i hate all of you. i miss xiaot-"

xiaojun covers her mouth with his hand. "spin it, chenle."

"wait, how about whoever it lands on has to ask a question and everyone here has to answer it or take a shot." jaemin says, stopping chenle.

"oh my god yes that would be so fucking funny." yangyang laughs, "okay, chenle. spin it."

the younger boy nods and spins it (really fucking slowly) as the group waited in anticipation. soon enough, it lands on jaemin who gets up in happines. "let's start easy, how many people you've all dated and who. one shot for each."

"i've never dated, only had situationships." yangyang says, "so i literally can't say anything."

"imagine." mei snickers. "commitment issues?" yangyang sticks up his middle finger towards the girl.

"three." jeno shrugs. "they were all irrelevant people from college, so you won't know them. but i got played like twice."

"aww poor you.." jaemin slurs, attempting to comfort jeno by patting his back.

"i'm not telling you guys who i dated." xiaojun shakes his head, drinking two shots worth from his red cup. "that's too traumatising to talk about.

"i've dated two but i am NOT telling you who." haknyeon takes one shot.

"you're all boring, i've dated like five people.." he then lists the people (i am so fucking lazy) and it causes the others to gasp.

"chenle ew! you dated the same amount as me." donghyuck shakes his head. "all i can tell you is that i dated someone here though.."

"fucking two." renjun complains. "they're both here aswell. sooo regretful."

"HEY!" both donghyuck and mei shout at the same time.

"you dated... mei and donghyuck?" ricky asks, flabbergasted.

"i dated mei when we were like, fifteen. then i dated donghyuck in college." renjun laughs.

"dating renjun was so balls he was such a pussy back then." mei laughs, pointing at renjun. "but then you know we made out like a few months ag-"

"this is why i hate drinking with mei. i swear." renjun rolls his eyes. "she just said 'she's bored and wanted to make youngjae come to her.' and kissed me. i'm forever traumatised."

mei snickers. "shut up, i had a fat crush on youngjae back then, you were my only source of creating jealousy."

"you really used renjun to get your crush jealous, damn.." yangyang chuckles. "that's one way."

"donghyuck just gives me college trauma, he wouldn't leave me alone."

"my sister got a boyfriend before me, i was jealous." donghyuck giggles. "i was just obsessed with you."

"i swear.. poor renjun." ricky says, patting the boy's back.

"there's so much shit in my life. i need someone." he sighs. "anyways, mei tell us about derogatory ex boyfriend."

she hiccups. "dickhead. he used me for money, sexualised me and stole from my father. and yet i was madly in love with him." she sighs.

haknyeon raises a brow. "i always thought you two dating was a joke.."

"NO haknyeon he broke my heart. now i need a hot chinese man who plays violin and hates my guts to heal me." she complains in frustration.

ricky snorts at her describing hao. "damn, that was specific."

"okay, next. i'll spin it." jaemin announces, taking the empty bottle and placing it in the middle, spinning it and it quickly landed onto haknyeon who cheered. "thank fuck. okay, kiss count."

jeno and yangyang were soon to take an unopened bottle from the side and they each pour a shot's worth into their red cups.

"mines literally four." donghyuck scoffs. "these two are pussies for not sharing."

"three, mei UNFORTUNATELY being one of them." renjun sighs, causing jeno to almost spit out his drink.

"you two kissed??? like for real???? i thought you were joking."

"yeah man, we dated when were like fifteen, didn't we say that already." mei laughs, her head still laying on ricky's shoulder.

"regrets." he sighs again.

"mines like five, i don't remember if there's more." donghyuck laughs. "but i bet there's more."

"mines like seven. perks of having connections with rich women." he winks, making mei burst out laughing.

"oh my god you've kissed random people at business parties too?" she giggles. "i think mine's six, a couple were drunk– OH MY GOD LET ME TELL YOU A FUCKING STORY." she sits up in excitement.

"oh god.." xiaojun laughs. "here she goes.."

"no listen!" mei says, reverting all of the boys' attention back on her. "i remember the day i broke up with youngjae, i went to a club, i forgot the name but it's next to that performing arts college."

"the one like two blocks from sspac?" ricky asks, making mei nod. "wait, when was this?"

"like the end of february.." she says. "but anyway, i was there and it was really dim and there was this HOT ASS GUY there and we made out for like half an hour."

"half a fucking hour? the fuck?" haknyeon says in bewilderment. "how hurt were you?"

"i was very hurt but he lowkey healed me. he gave me his number after too but we haven't texted since." she whines. "i could barely see his face but he was FINE. so tall."

donghyuck snorts. "wow, you sound like you're in love."

ricky pauses and turns to her. "wait, was this february 28th?"

"how the fuck did you know?" renjun asks in surprise. "oh my god were you the one who–"

"no! oh my god no!" ricky denies. "mei, was he wearing all black, had messy hair and he ghosted you after?"

mei looks at ricky with wide eyes. "how the fuck..."

"did you end up kissing in the bathroom at one point? and he walked you home?" ricky asks again.

the rest of the boys just listened in disbelief. how the fuck did ricky know all of this?

"i think i know who you kissed..." he says, hand over his mouth. "oh my god everything makes sense now."

mei sits up properly. "you do? oh my god tell me who!! i miss him, he might be my man. hao already betrayed me."

"no, mei. you kissed ha–"

"OH MY GOD!" she shouts. "you're right. oh fuck." she turns to renjun.

"guys i think i'm going to run around in happiness, i fucking kissed him!" she giggles. "ricky how the fuck did you know all the details you silly one!?"

"he told me.." ricky shrugs. "i didn't know it was you he made out with.."

mei was all smiley now. "okay let's stop with the kiss count, too boring let's spin it again." she says. "haknyeon spin it."

haknyeon nods and spins it, it quickly landed onto mei who cheered. "okay, crushes. spill it all, now."

"i say renjun should start." she winks.

"mei i'm going to kill you." he says, taking the new vodka bottle (mei was clearly an addict) and pouring it in his cup.

"BOOO BORING." jaemin hollers. "anyways, jeno!"

"STOP BEING PUSSIES!!!" mei shouts. "i did not invite you all here to not spill about your life."

❦ ♪

— mei's pov.

timeskip: saturday afternoon.

— mei made a groupchat.

— mei added ricky and gyuvin

— mei named the group 'rickroll+gooby'

rickroll+gooby
3 members

hi little Friends
i have a question

ricky:
hi alcohol addict what do you
need?

why did hao block my number

gyuvin:
HE WHAT

I'M FUCKING BLOCKED GUYS

ricky:
UMMMMMM WHAT ARE WE
SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT THAT

idk either
but IM SAD what happened💔💔

gyuvin:
you see him tonight so it's
okay just ask him then

OH RIGHTTTTTTT
fucking slag blocking me wtf

gyuvin:
did u do something when you
were drunk or smt..

I have no recollection❤️
ricky do you

ricky:
ummm yea
a little

gyuvin:
WAIT TELL US

YES

ricky:
you were just talking about youngjae
that's it

gyuvin:
she must've texted hao or smt

Kills self
gonna text hanbin to pick me up now🔥

❦ ♪

bin🔥🔥🔥🚮

LOL I FORGOT I CHANGED YOUR
CONTWCT NAME IM WEIENT

.. hi to you too?

hi xx when are you picking me up

i'm outside your house already
hao is with me btw

OH ok give me a sec

❦ ♪

— 3rd person.

the 7 minute drive to the restaurant was like a death for hao; listening to hanbin and mei nonstop talk about friday night when mei got drunk. he didn't talk the whole ride, even when hanbin tried to get him into the conversation.

anyways, once the trio arrived, they were allowed to sit in a circular booth, hanbin at the back middle in between the two who were basically forced to look at each other.

"wait, i'm going to the bathroom." hanbin says, making mei stand up to let him get past. he sent her a sweet smile and walked away, leaving the two alone.

mei, who wasn't really bothered if hao was mad or not decided to break the silence. "why did you block me?"

hao looks up from his phone and looks back down straight after. "i didn't."

"it literally says you blocked me. are you that petty?" she scoffs.

"i'm not petty." hao says sarcastically. "i just didn't want to talk to you."

"are you still mad that i beat you or something?" she laughs. "get over it, the results were two days ago."

he rolls his eyes. "you didn't beat me, we got the same score."

"yeah, whatever. i still did really well without studying." she snorts.

he cringes. "literally no one cares, mei. trust me."

she was definitely taken aback at the fact they're talking like this again. "damn, you must be pissed cause what the fuck did i do to be blocked?"

he sighs. "just stop talking about it, mei. you're pissing me off."

"i'm pissing you off?" she mocks. "i just asked why you fucking blocked me."

"cause i don't fucking like you." he sighs, putting his phone down and looking at her. "just stop talking to me like why we're friends."

"i wasn't in the first place?? i was-"

"trying to distract me by flirting with me? i know already." he rolls his eyes.

mei scoffs in disbelief by what bullshit he just said. "you can't be fucking serious, i was literally being nice to you earlier that day. i said i supported you or whatever."

"okay?? i'm not stupid to not notice why you're constantly trying to talk to me and flirt." he shrugs.

"bro." she runs a hand through her hair in stress. "that was not a distraction that's literally how i am."

"yeah sure, flirting with hanbin all the time is how you are, isn't it?" he glares at her.

mei was about to argue back but a cheery hanbin arrived back at the table. "i have to order at the front, have you decided what you wanted yet?" he smiles.

the two nod, yet not actually deciding anything. the two just gave him anything they saw and ordered their drinks. hanbin quickly tried to remember it in his head. "okay, thanks! i'll be back soon." he smiles and walks away.

as his figure disappeared round the corner, the two 'geniuses' go back in another death stare contestant. "as i was going to say, when the fuck have i ever flirted with hanbin?"

"everytime you fucking breathe, it's annoying. are you trying to play us or something?" he sneers, "don't act all clueless."

mei was beyond speechless. there was no way he thinks mei is a player of some sort. "do you think i'm stupid? i would never do that."

"yeah, sure." he chuckles in disgust.

"what the fuck has happened for you to all of a sudden go all grumpy and bitchy on me?"

he shrugs. "you just pissed me off, and it got worse when you decided to get full marks."

this pissed her off, "that wasn't my fucking decision. do you know how evaluation exams work?" she scoffs.

"i don't know, maybe you bought your way at the top." he says, amused. "what would i expect from a nepo baby like you."

mei slams her hand on the table. "zhanghao you may be the most hardworking out of both of us but i would never. and i do mean never, buy my way into anything."

hao puts his hands in the air and feigns an intimidated look. "oh noo what are you going to do if i say anything more?"

she knew he was purposely trying to rile her up, and she almost lost her shit. but the poor, poor hanbin who was still smiling walked back. "i'm back, sorry the line was quite long."

mei gives him a small smile as she lets him sit back down in between the two who acted like they weren't just at each other's throats. hanbin takes his phone out. "i think we should take some pictures, this will be a cute memory for us!"

"umm do you really want to?" mei asks with a soft, forced chuckle.

hanbin nods. "please guys??" he begs. who could ever say no to hanbin?

"yeah, fine." hao says, avoiding eye contact with the girl.

hanbin grins and pats the spaces next to him, "okay, come sit next to me." he says, forcing the two to both move closer to him.

he passed hao the phone, "you take it."

the older boy nods, putting hanbin's phone on its side and managing to take a few pictures with the two. after it was finished, hanbin thanks the boy and takes his phone back. "these are so cute!"

mei chuckles and swiftly goes back to her seat when a hot ass waiter walks towards them with their drinks, with three zero colas and glasses with ice in them. "here you go." he smiles.

mei reads his nametag, hyunjae. what a fucking FITTY. "thank you." mei smiles up at him, in which he reciprocates before walking away.

"yo wasn't he hot as fuck?" mei asks the two boys who stared at her in utter disbelief.

"really? the waiter?" hanbin laughs, looking in front of him to spot the waiter. "yeah, he's good looking."

mei looks to the side to stare at him. "should i ask for his number?"

"NO! i mean- no. he seems older than you." hanbin says hesitantly.

mei sighs and rests her head on her palm. "so what? i could do an older guy."

"ew, you're weird." hao says mockingly, causing her to look at him in violation.

"shut up you probably can't even ask for someone's number." she scoffs.

"i could, but i never want to." he shrugs. "it's usually the other way round."

"i couldn't give a shit. just cause you're like a campus crush or whatever.." she crosses her arms.

hao smirks. "jealous?"

"god don't be stupid, i'm 100% the new campus crush." she rolls her eyes.

"not when you're shouting at everyone all of the bloody time, they think you're crazy."

she shrugs. "i'm still hot so what matters?"

"your ego is skyrocketing, who's going to humble you besides me?" he chuckles.

she glares at him. "says you, you're the one who has to be humbled."

"okay the girl with 'prettymirae' as her email." he laughs.

she shoots up her middle finger at him. "i hope your computer gets hacked one day."

"what? you gonna pay hackers for me or something?" he scoffs.

"i would never spend that amount of money, i hope you know that." she raises a brow.

soon enough, the same waiter comes over and sets their food onto the table. once he finally makes eye contact with the whole table, he gasps. "wait, hwang mirae and zhang hao?"

mei smirks. "you know me- us?"

he nods. "i follow both of you on instagram, i never knew you were both so attractive in real life!!"

"that's sweet, thank you hyunjae." hao smiles sweetly, making hyunjae almost blush as he bows with a smile.

mei scoffs, "hyunjae after we finish our meal can it be you bringing our check?" she asks smiling.

he nods enthusiastically, but mei uses her hand to get him closer. he tilts his head on confusion as she chuckles, "i have to say something." she says.

hyunjae nods and looks around him before leaning forward closer to mei's face, she smirks, "when you bring it, put your number on too." she whispers. as he pulls back he gulps and nods.

"ummmmm enjoy y-your meal!! you too hanbin!" he awkwardly smiles before walking away with a pink face.

"i meant it when i said you just love to flirt." hao scoffs. "what did you even say?"

"don't worry, why don't you eat your meal and shut the fuck up?" she smiles.

hanbin chuckles at their arguing. "no really, what did you say to him? he looked so nervous, especially since he knew you."

she shrugs, picking up her chopsticks, "i just asked for his number."

"why?" both hanbin and hao ask.

she chuckles. "he's cute."

"i got him first." hao says, "he literally stares at me as if he was in love with me."

"no one cares." she sticks her tongue out. "i got his number."

"watch me." he rolls her eyes, pointing his chopsticks at her. "i don't want no nepo baby beating me again."

"shut up, you're just mad cause of the rankings." she takes a sip of her drink after pouring it out. "jealous and petty cunt."

"yeah i am mad." he scoffs. "next month you better go down to second."

"you better go down to second." she mocks his voice. "i can't control my score bimbo, get a grip."

their soft arguing soon became pretty heated. "well fucking control it, just get a mark down already."

"oh my god you're so annoying, i can't just decide what mark i'm getting." she plays with her noodles, avoiding his eyes.

he snorts. "yeah you buy them, how sad."

"stop bringing that up, i don't do that. you're just being unreasonable now. why the fuck would i buy marks?"

"it's happened before with the people who recently left, it could happen to you too." he shrugs.

"well i'm not?? i'm just naturally amazing."

he scoffs. "naturally amazing at what exactly? using your family's privileges to get you placed? you would never be in this university if it wasn't for your status." he suddenly fires.

mei was very evidently offended, and she was so ready to argue back but hanbin saved the day again, stopping her. "okay, enough. eat your food. it'll be cold."

the two glare at each other again before going quiet to eat their food until a familiar boy walks to their table again, with the check. "sorry, i'm on break soon. so i'm just going to give it to you now."

"can i have it too?" hao asks, his eyes pleading.

hyunjae nervously gulps and nods.. "umm.. give me your phone." he says awkwardly.

hao smirks and gives hyunjae his phone as mei adding hyunjae's onto hers already. "thanks cutie." she says. "but first, how old are you?"

hyunjae finishes up putting his number on hao's phone and looks at the girl. "umm, i'm born in 1997.."

she smiles. "perfect. see you later."

hao cringed at her and taps hyunjae. "i'll text you" he smiles.

hyunjae smiles and bows before running off with his flushed cheeks.

"i knew you were rivals but you're out here fighting for a waiter?" hanbin chuckles.

"i'd prefer fighting for you hanbin." she chuckles, "but hyunjae's a cute one too."

"i'm cuter right?" hanbin says, turning to her. not noticing hao's dirty look from the side.

she chuckles. "of course, cuter than hao. for sure." she looks forward to the guy who glared at her. "right, hao?"

he scoffs. "fuck off. nepo baby."

❦ ♪

this is so bad i kept taking breaks bc of writer's block but HEYYYY there's probs a lot of mistakes sorry