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Chapter 13
“Twelfth floor!”
As Sian shouted the number, Jeffrey, who had been holding the bottom, pulled his hand out and stacked it on top.
One after another, they pulled their hands and placed them back on top. Finally, someone got caught at the twelfth floor.
The loser got their back slapped mercilessly as punishment, which made the atmosphere even livelier.
“Again!”
“Yeah, this time you call out the number.”
Since the rules were fairly simple, Janice quickly learned the game, contrary to Sian’s initial worries.
Now, they could play on their own without Sian’s help.
“This guy cheated! He pulled his hand out when it wasn’t his turn!”
“Hundred and third floor!”
“How the hell are we supposed to do that?”
Sian, dumbfounded, watched as the chaos escalated.
Standing on the sofa wasn’t enough—they even rode piggyback on each other’s shoulders, carefully stacking hands up to the 103rd floor. It was pure madness.
“…Guess it works because the ceiling’s high.”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Sian suddenly felt thirsty and looked around for his cup.
But his fruit punch had long been emptied.
“Janice, I’m going to the kitchen to grab a drink. Want to come with me?”
He asked, remembering her plea earlier not to leave her alone. But Janice shook her head, cheeks flushed as she stayed immersed in the game.
“You’ll be okay by yourself?”
“Yeah.”
Truthfully, it wasn’t the game itself that she found fun—it was the joy of being included, laughing with others after so long.
Rather than disturbing her, Sian quietly slipped away toward the kitchen.
He only meant to quench his thirst quickly and return, but this time, someone else stopped him.
“You’re different from Ian. You actually know how to have fun.”
“You were the one who taught everyone that apartment game, right?”
Whether “different from Ian” was meant as praise or not, Sian couldn’t tell. He let it slide without responding.
While he was chatting in the kitchen, a boy he only vaguely recognized from school approached him.
“We’re about to do a quick-call challenge. Wanna join?”
“Right now?”
Sian glanced toward the living room. Janice was still playing happily.
‘It’ll be fine if it’s just for a moment.’
Relieved, he joined the new group. Including him, there were three boys and three girls.
“The rules are simple. Whoever gets the fastest callback from the last person they contacted wins.”
The boy who had brought Sian over explained. Another boy groaned, holding his forehead.
“The last person I called was my mom.”
“Get lost, mama’s boy!”
As if rehearsed, everyone booed.
Sian laughed with them—until he realized he shouldn’t be laughing.
Because the last person he had contacted was Aaron.
‘Aaron’s probably buried in a book right now. He won’t even notice his phone.’
Suddenly worried about the punishment, Sian asked,
“What happens to the last person who doesn’t get a callback?”
In response, a sly smile spread across their faces.
A chill ran down Sian’s spine. He shook his head quickly.
“Never mind. Don’t tell me. I don’t even want to know.”
“Smart choice.”
“Alright then, phones out, everyone.”
The six of them huddled in a circle, each dialing their most recent contact, then hanging up immediately.
Now, it was a waiting game until someone called back.
“Who’s yours? Oh my god, that’s your ex, isn’t it?”
“I couldn’t help it—we still share a class.”
“What about you, Sienna?”
“Me? …Aaron.”
“Aaron Simmons?”
The moment she said his name, everyone shot her pitying looks.
“Of all people…”
“Well, thanks to you, at least the rest of us aren’t going to be dead last.”
“That’s a bit harsh.”
Still, since she herself expected to lose, Sian laughed along with them.
But unexpectedly, her phone rang first.
“Huh?”
“No way! This has to be a dream.”
“There’s no way that’s the real Aaron Simmons!”
Against everyone’s predictions, Sian had come in first. Grinning, she snatched up her phone and leapt to her feet.
“Whoever ends up last—good luck with that punishment!”
Basking in her victory, she stepped out into the garden to answer.
It was quieter there, better for a phone call.
—“Sienna?”
“Hi, Aaron.”
A sigh came through the receiver. Apparently, he’d been worried since it was her first time going to a party.
—“Why’d you call? Did something happen?”
“Well… actually, it was a game. A quick-call challenge.”
Aaron sighed louder.
—“So? How’d you place?”
“First! Thanks for calling me back so quickly.”
—“Good. At least you avoided the punishment.”
His stiff voice softened.
Sian laughed out loud.
“This party’s really fun. You should’ve come too.”
—“It’s fun because I’m not there.”
So cold. Sian chuckled inwardly.
—“What about Janice? You with her?”
She turned her head toward the glass wall of the living room. Inside, Janice was still playing with the others, completely at ease.
“She’s fine on her own. Guess this is what parents feel like when their kid adjusts to kindergarten? I’m weirdly proud.”
As expected, Aaron wasn’t amused.
He didn’t even snort, so Sian protested.
“Oh, come on. At least laugh a little.”
—“Shut up. You didn’t drink, did you?”
“Drink?”
Her heart sank. Had she somehow drunk alcohol without realizing?
She sniffed her empty plastic cup—no, there was no trace of alcohol.
“Nope. Haven’t seen anyone drinking either.”
—“If minors drink at a party, the cops would show up. No one’s dumb enough to do it openly.”
As his nagging continued, Sian pouted.
Not even her foster parents lectured her this much.
—“Anyway, be careful. Don’t just take drinks people hand you.”
“If you’re that worried, you should’ve just come along.”
—“Who said I was worried…”
Pretending not to care. Sian laughed quietly—then froze.
Across the way, a light flickered on in the other building.
“Huh?”
The villa was shaped like a “ㄷ”, with only the lower wing open to guests while the upper wing was off-limits—a private space for the owner.
Maybe there were traces of Ian there, since he and Blay had been friends since childhood.
—“What’s wrong?”
“Uh… I should check on Janice. I’ll call you later.”
Without waiting for Aaron’s reply, she hung up.
Drawn like a moth, she crossed the garden toward the forbidden building.
Had Janice been struggling, Sian would never have left her.
But Janice was having the time of her life—and Sian still regretted not seeing her brother tonight.
“Is anyone here?”
She peered inside. The lights were on, but the place looked empty.
“Hello?”
She gently pushed the door—it opened without resistance.
If they really wanted to keep people out, they’d have locked it.
Boldly stepping in, Sian scanned the interior.
Her eyes caught on a framed photo on the wall.
“This is…”
It was a picture of young Ian and Blay together.
Ian looked even younger than he had in that photo from the Pi-memorization clubroom.
“Cute.”
Coming all this way was worth it.
She couldn’t take her eyes off the picture—until a shadow fell across her.
“I am pretty cute, aren’t I?”
The owner of the room had arrived.
No doubt—it was Blay.
There was no mistaking his voice, his presence, his scent.
And yet, Sian couldn’t help but jump every time.
He was too skilled at hiding his presence. And this time, she was trespassing, which made it worse.
“Y-you scared me!”
Startled, she jumped back, putting distance between them.
“Hm.”
Unbothered, Blay looked relaxed.
‘Well, of course. This is his house.’
Her palms were damp with sweat as she fumbled for an apology.
Before she could speak, Blay brushed a strand of her wavy hair between his fingers and asked softly,
“Your hair’s different.”
So he wasn’t staring to think of a punishment?
Sian nodded, watching his expression carefully.
His observations continued.
“You’re wearing mascara too.”
“Yes…”
“And something on your cheeks?”
He tilted his head, trying to figure out whether her flushed face was from makeup—or the heat of the party.
His gaze burned into her until she turned an even deeper shade of red.
‘I can’t take this anymore.’
Around Blay, every cell in her body tensed. Even breathing or swallowing felt painfully awkward.
“I’m sorry for barging in. I got lost looking for the bathroom…”
Her excuse sounded flimsy, but Blay didn’t seem to care.
He simply glanced at the clock on the wall and nodded knowingly.
Following his gaze, Sian looked too.
It wasn’t a normal clock—it looked more like a piece of modern art.
‘How much would something like that even cost?’
While she was distracted, Blay remarked,
“At this hour, all the bathrooms are probably occupied by couples making out.”
“…What?”
Sian’s face twisted in disgust.
“Why would anyone do that in a bathroom?”
Gross.
He caught her unspoken thought easily and laughed aloud.
‘Did I say something stupid?’
It wasn’t that funny.
But Blay clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he teared up.
Finally calming down, he wiped his eyes.
“Because doing it in secret makes it more exciting. Not that I’d know, personally.”
He shrugged, then gestured toward one corner of the room.
“You were looking for a bathroom, right? Use the one in here.”
She couldn’t refuse—not after using that as her excuse.
If she turned back now, it would look suspicious.
Reluctantly, she accepted his offer.
