Chapter 9: Hidden Motive

Chapter 9: Hidden Motive

***

The next morning, Sunday, the group found themselves standing before the opulent residence of Saejin and Seung. Yeonjun, SiO, and Daemon couldn't help but gawk at the grandeur of the house, their eyes drawn to the striking centerpiece fountain and the meticulously maintained flower gardens on both sides.

Simon, the butler, was caught off guard by the unexpected arrival of the group. In all the years of serving the brothers, he couldn't recall a single instance where they had invited friends or classmates over. Intrigued by this unprecedented occurrence, Simon happily ushered them inside. Saejin and Seung, anticipating their guests, were already seated in the expansive living room area.

Awe and wonder washed over the boys as they took in their extravagant surroundings. They tilted their heads back to admire the magnificent chandelier suspended overhead, their gaze tracing the intricate golden designs that adorned the edges of the walls. Paintings adorned the walls, adding a touch of refined elegance to the space. The plush couch, paired with a set of wide screen TV, spoke of luxury and affluence.

"Whoa! Saejin, your house is seriously huge!" SiO exclaimed enthusiastically upon noticing the brothers seated on the expansive couch. His curiosity piqued, he inquired, "Do you guys have a pool? And how about a game room?" The thought of such amenities in their already lavish home sent his imagination into overdrive.

Eugene's thoughts were consumed by uncertainty. He tried to recall if there was a pool area or game room in the expansive house, but his memories were fuzzy. During his brief stays as Saejin, he hadn't bothered to explore the residence fully. His recollections were limited to the hallways on the second floor, and he hadn't paid much attention to the rooms on either floor. The only rooms that stood out in his mind were their shared bedroom and the kitchen. Little did Eugene know that the house held an additional secret basement.

Daemon chided SiO jokingly, "Hey, buddy, stop being so nosy!" The lighthearted nature of the reprimand was evident in Daemon's tone, playful banter echoing in his words.

Rather than satisfying SiO's curiosity, Eugene steered the conversation towards their project. "How about we get started on our project?" he suggested.

Seung, sitting nearby, couldn't help but suppress a smirk at SiO's questions left unanswered. The group gathered their laptops to input the result of their surveys from the other day.

"Let's divide the work amongst us," Daemon proposed thoughtfully.

The group echoed their agreement in unison, their voices blending together effortlessly. Seung, however, remained silent, offering no response.

Daemon carefully distributed the tasks amongst them, assigning each member specific sections to focus on. The workload included an abstract, an introduction, methods, data gathering, data analysis, results, a discussion, a conclusion, and a references. Everyone buckled down to their respective tasks, diligently working at their own pace with a serious and determined demeanor.

While the group was engrossed in their project tasks, Simon, the butler, busied himself in the kitchen preparing food for their sustenance. The savory aromas wafting through the air hinted at the delicious fare awaiting them.

SiO let out a sigh, resting his hand. "Ugh, can we take a quick break?" he griped, his attention span reaching its limit.

Eugene sighed, frustration seeping into his voice. "I'm completely drained," he declared, the weight of the project taking a toll on his stamina.

Simon chimed in, addressing the group with a warm smile. "Why don't you all take a break and have some food first?" he suggested, waving them towards the kitchen area.

As they made their way to the kitchen, SiO posed an eager question. "Can we play games after we finish this?" he pleaded.

Yeonjun responded, "Only if everyone's okay with it."

Eugene chimed in, "I'm fine with it."

Seung, in his nonchalant manner, shrugged, "I don't care."

"We could play computer games, board games, or even do sports like basketball," Yeonjun offered.

SiO, a sly smirk playing on his lips, interjected with an alternative suggestion, "No, that sounds boring. Let's spice things up and play truth or dare."

"Just admit you're a sore loser at those games," Daemon fired back, a hint of playful mockery in his eyes.

"Hey! I know basketball," SiO protested, determined to defend his abilities.

Seung couldn't resist joining in, tossing a challenge at SiO, "Oh really? Let's play later and put that claim to the test."

"How about you guys play a 2-on-2 match?" Eugene suggested. "I'll just sit on the sidelines and cheer for everyone." Eugene presented his reasoning, all while concealing the secret that he had no basketball skills. Little did Eugene know that the real Saejin had a hidden talent for the sport, having excelled in their previous school's basketball team.

Seung was taken aback, puzzled by Saejin's unexpected attitude. He knew Saejin all too well and was aware that he wouldn't back down from a sporting challenge. Therefore, his confusion was palpable as he tried to make sense of Saejin's actions.

Simon's voice broke the air, redirecting the conversation. "Enough talk, come and dig in," he said, gesturing towards the spread of food.

Eugene's eyes lit up with excitement at the sight of Simon's creations. He was already imagining the delectable taste and savoring every morsel, his mouth watering in anticipation.

As they all busied themselves with the delicious food, Yeonjun directed a question. "Saejin, Seung, where are your parents?"

Eugene froze for a fraction of a second, his mind racing to find a suitable response. The absence of familial information for Saejin and Seung only added to his already growing list of challenges.

Eugene found himself stuck, unable to respond to Yeonjun's question. His mind raced with anxiety, realizing he didn't know the answer. He hadn't expected Yeonjun to be so interested in their personal lives. In that moment, Eugene silently chastised himself for not having gathered more information about Saejin's family background earlier.

Seung, perceptive as always, saw Saejin's discomfort and decided to answer on his behalf. "They died together in a car accident," he responded, his tone tinged with a hint of darkness.

The words hit Eugene like a ton of bricks, shock coursing through him as he absorbed the unexpected information.

"Oh, sorry.... I didn't know," Yeonjun apologized and Eugene only nodded, sympathetic of Saejin's and Seung's parents.

"Talking about accidents," SiO interjected, his tone light yet filled with morbid interest. "Did you know we had a classmate once, named Eugene? He friggin' fell from the rooftop! Can you imagine the height from up there?" he exclaimed casually to Yeonjun.

Eugene's body went rigid in his seat, his blood running cold at the memory. Sensing his discomfort, Seung slammed his hand on the table with a forceful thud, the impact nearly tipping over the food and causing everyone to flinch.

Seung broke the tension with a firm instruction, "Let's just focus on eating." He then comforted his younger brother, Saejin, by rubbing his back. Little did Seung know that Eugene secretly yearned for the conversation to continue.

"Yeah," Eugene continued, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "I heard someone pushed him."

Yeonjun's interest was piqued, his mind diligently recording the piece of information.

Daemon intervened, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous territory. "Guys, let's drop it," he pleaded, aware of Seung's volatile moods. Having grown accustomed to Seung's unpredictable moods, Yeonjun pressed on without hesitation.

"But really? Someone actually pushed him?" Yeonjun pressed on, eager for more information. "Where did you get this info from?"

"Ah, that's right!" SiO added, remembering something else. "I saw Eugene being given a note by a girl that day."

"What note?" Yeonjun asked intently.

"I'm not sure." SiO shrugged. "Maybe it was a love confession or something."

Eugene chimed in. "Maybe it said something like 'come to the rooftop'?"

"Come to think of it," SiO murmured, his mind sifting through past memories. "Eugene was constantly getting bullied."

Yeonjun's expression was one of genuine surprise. "Hold up, what? Eugene was bullied?"

"Yeah, it's true," SiO confirmed, a tinge of sympathy in his voice. "Eugene was the target of bullying. Not only that, he was the target of pranks too."

Eugene's face twisted into a forced expression of sympathy as he relived the painful memories of being tormented by his bullies. Despite the anger and resentment he harbored inside, he knew he had to put on a facade of compassion towards himself.

"Hopefully he wakes up soon and makes a full recovery," Eugene chimed in, his words laced with concern. Seung, sitting beside him, couldn't help but furrow his brow at the statement. While others hoped for Eugene's swift awakening and recovery, Seung's hopes veered in the opposite direction.

Daemon picked up on the darkening aura emanating from Seung and decided to intervene. "Hey, let's drop this topic, alright?" he requested, not wanting to provoke Seung further.

Despite Daemon's attempt at redirection, Eugene persisted, relishing the chance to delve deeper into the details of his accident. SiO was a potential eye-witness, and witnessing his childhood friend Yeonjun's intrigue, Eugene paid no heed to Seung's mounting irritation.

Eugene held his tongue momentarily, musing over whether to reveal the truth or not. If he named the transfer student, both him and Seung might appear suspicious.

"Well," he began, his voice a whisper. "There's a rumor circulating about who pushed him."

Yeonjun eagerly leaned in, his curiosity piqued. "What? Who was it?"

Before Eugene could utter another word, Simon's firm voice intervened. "Alright, enough of these rumors. Let's get back to eating," he said with a commanding tone.

Eugene closed his mouth, realizing the implications of what he was about to say. He knew he couldn't risk revealing too much without causing suspicion to fall upon himself and Seung.

Eugene excused himself, breaking from the group and heading towards the bathroom. He closed the door behind him, sighing inwardly as he turned on the faucet. He splashed some water on his face, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.

Eugene closed his eyes as he pondered his predicament. He had originally intended to seek justice for what had happened to him, hadn't he? Then why was he reluctant to share the information with his classmates?

Lost in his thoughts, Eugene was caught completely off guard when Seung appeared behind him, his hands gently caressing his stomach, his breath warm against his neck. The unexpected touch sent a jolting shiver through Eugene's body, and he instinctively attempted to break free, alarmed at the thought of someone walking in on them.

Seung's voice was low, his breath warm against Eugene's skin as he planted soft kisses along his jaw. His cold fingers traced a slow path upwards, sending a shiver down Eugene's spine.

"You were being reckless earlier," Seung scolded him gently, his words a mix of concern and affection.

Eugene, however, was defiant, his tone blunt. "I don't care, you can rot in jail for all I care," he snapped back, his words betraying his frustration and indifference.

Seung spoke softly, his voice tinged with a hint of concern. "I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about you." He continued to shower kisses along Saejin's neck, his touch gentle and affectionate.

Eugene protested weakly, his voice barely audible. "Please... stop that."

Seung responded, his voice laced with worry. "Please, baby, I'm just trying to protect you. Don't make things more difficult for me, alright?"

Seung slowly moved his hands to Saejin's nipples, gently caressing them as his lips moved along his younger brother's neck. He longed to mark his neck with a hickey, but with their groupmates nearby, it would be a foolish risk. Instead, he settled for a soft kiss on his lips, feeling a wave of calm wash over him. It was as if Saejin was his own personal soothing remedy.

A knock on the bathroom door echoed through the room, and Daemon's voice called out from the other side. "Saejin, are you okay?"

Caught completely off guard by Seung's lips sealing his own, Eugene found himself unable to respond to Daemon. A soft moan escaped his lips, a sound he could neither prevent nor control.

"Hmm..."

From the other side of the bathroom door, Daemon's voice reached them. "Alright, we'll be in the living room," he stated, leaving them alone once more.

Seung continued to pleasure his younger brother for a while longer, but eventually, he reluctantly decided to set aside their intimate moment for later, during the privacy of the night.

Leaving the bathroom separately, Seung waited for a few minutes before following a short distance behind his brother, keeping a discreet but watchful eye on him.

Yeonjun looked up as Saejin rejoined the group, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he inquired.

"Yeah, just my stomach was upset," Eugene responded, his lie about the cause of his upset stomach flowing effortlessly. "I'm fine now."

They continued with their work, diligently finishing the research paper within mere hours. It was an impressive feat, the quickest they had ever completed a project together throughout high school. It usually took a week or two to wrap up such research, but they had managed to do it in just two days. Each member held a copy of their research in their hands, and they printed an additional copy for their professor. With the work done, a collective sigh of relief filled the air as they realized they were free from additional school obligations for the time being.

"Now that our work is done, let's play a game!" SiO's excitement was palpable.

"Basketball?"

"No, how about truth or dare?" SiO suggested.

Daemon immediately tried to steer the conversation away from the risky suggestion. "Seems like you're not keen on breaking a sweat. How about some board games?"

But Eugene surprised everyone by speaking up, "I'd actually like to give truth or dare a try."

Everyone nodded in agreement, all of them well aware of the rules of the game that lay ahead. The group assembled around the carpeted floor of the living room, forming a tight circle, ready to embark on a game of truth or dare. There was a sense of anticipation in the air as they waited for the game to begin.

The tension mounted as the bottle spinning commenced. Finally, the bottle came to a stop, pointing directly at Yeonjun.

"Yeonjun, truth or dare?" Daemon asked.

"Truth," Yeonjun replied.

Daemon's gaze fixated on Yeonjun and he asked, "Why did you transfer schools?"

Yeonjun paused for a moment before responding with honesty, "There's something I need to do here," he confessed.

With the next spin, the bottle came to a halt, pointing directly at SiO.

Gathering his courage for the challenge, SiO exclaimed, "Dare!"

Yeonjun and Daemon exchanged a conspiratorial glance, before Yeonjun spoke up, "I dare you to..." There was a momentary pause as Yeonjun considered his options, before Daemon whispered something in his ear. A smirk tugged at Yeonjun's lips as he repeated the dare aloud.

"To write your name using your butt."

SiO stood up confidently, his tone nonchalant. "Easy peasy," he proclaimed before beginning the dare.

Eugene found himself unable to contain his giggles, the sight of SiO writing his name with his butt was absolutely hilarious. It was his first time playing the game with his classmates like this.

As the bottle spun once more, all eyes turned to Saejin as the bottle landed on him.

"Saejin, truth or dare?" the group asked.

For a moment, Eugene weighed his options. He really didn't want to risk embarrassing himself with any potential dares, but at the same time, he worried about what truths he might be forced to reveal if he chose truth. Nevertheless, he decided to take a chance.

"Truth," he answered.

SiO chuckled as he asked his question, "What's your most embarrassing moment?"

Eugene drew a blank face. With minimal knowledge of Saejin's past, he decided to play it safe and shared his own embarrassing moment from his childhood.

"When I was a kid, I accidentally peed my pants in front of the whole class," he confessed, a hint of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. "I cried because I was so embarrassed."

Everyone laughed at Eugene's confession, and Seung couldn't help but chuckle as well, knowing full well that his younger brother was lying. After all, Saejin had been home-schooled throughout his elementary years, never having set foot inside a school before high school.

Still, they all played along, teasing him good-naturedly about his childhood mishap.

"Ah, that's pretty normal for little kids," Yeonjun said with a smile. "Mine is definitely worse than that." Yeonjun chuckled as he remembered his own embarrassing story.

The bottle spun once more, landing on Daemon. He opted for "dare," feeling a mix of trepidation and determination. The room fell silent as everyone waited to hear the dare.

"Hug SiO," Eugene declared. SiO beamed with eagerness, ready to embrace Daemon. However, Daemon hesitated, a sense of awkwardness overshadowing his excitement. Still, he knew he had to follow through with the dare and reluctantly reciprocated the hug.

The bottle came to a halt once more, pointing directly at Saejin again. This time, he decided to choose "dare."

SiO paused, letting a tense silence fill the air before finally speaking again. "I dare you," he started, the room holding its breath in anticipation, "to sit in Yeonjun's lap for 5 seconds."

Confusion etched over Saejin's face as he glanced around, caught off guard by the unexpected dare.

Seung's ears perked up, a sense of tension filling the air. He didn't like where this was going, his protective instincts flaring up at the thought of his younger brother sitting in another man's lap.

However, Eugene found himself caught in a tight spot. He didn't want to partake in this challenge, but he'd look like a spoilsport if he declined. After all, it was just 5 seconds. No harm could come from that.

Saejin, although reluctantly, prepared himself for the dare, unaware of the possessiveness surging through his older brother.

Eugene sighed in resignation. "Alright, I'll do it," he conceded, reluctantly standing up and slowly seating himself in Yeonjun's lap.

Yeonjun was surprised by Saejin's shyness, his heart racing from the sensation of their skin touching. He found himself secretly wishing for more, but the brief encounter came to an end as Eugene quickly pulled away when the allotted five seconds had lapsed.

As the game went on, SiO's creative dares kept everyone on edge. Some tried to avoid choosing "dare" now, not wanting to risk embarrassing situations. Meanwhile, others had mixed feelings about opting for "truth," fearing how their truths might be received.

When the bottle pointed to Seung, he quickly selected "truth," seeking to avoid any dares that might lead to uncomfortable moments, especially considering how some of the group had a tendency to tease and make fun of everyone.

All eyes focused on Seung as SiO posed his question, "What's a secret you've never told anyone?"

Seung's demeanor shifted, his expression darkening as if the room had suddenly become overcast. Eugene couldn't help but smirk at the question, knowing exactly what secret he wanted to reveal.

However, Seung surprised them all when he suddenly requested, "Can I switch to dare instead?"

SiO giggled, clearly enjoying himself. "Alright, for your dare, I want you..." SiO paused and everyone was holding their breath in anticipation, "to kiss your brother," he suggested with a cheerful expression.

The room fell silent as everyone was taken aback by the unexpected request.

Daemon intervened with a disapproving tone, "Hey, isn't that a bit too much? Can we draw the line somewhere?"

Seung didn't hesitate for a moment. He seized his younger brother, pulled him into his lap, and gripped his neck firmly. Before anyone could protest, Seung kissed his younger brother full on the lips, in front of the rest of the group.

Everyone held their breath in shock, watching two brothers sharing an intimate kiss. SiO hadn't specified where the kiss should land, and everyone assumed it would merely be on the cheeks or forehead. But on the lips? That was a different story altogether.

Eugene was utterly mortified. His body shook in response to the intense display.

"Hey!" he protested, quickly pulling away and hastily wiping away the trail of saliva still connecting them. The intimate moment had left him feeling flustered and embarrassed.

'Unbelievable,' Eugene thought to himself.

Eugene's mind raced with anger and confusion. 'You pushed me off the rooftop because I witnessed you kissing your brother, and now you show no hesitation in flaunting your twisted affection in front of everyone?' he thought, trying his best to keep his emotions in check.

Seung smirked, a smug expression on his face as if he was basking in a sense of triumph. It was as if he had claimed some sort of victory, asserting his ownership over his brother in front of everyone.

Little did anyone know that this would be their final moment together. Suddenly, the effects of the drugs took hold, causing everyone to experience dizziness and blurring of vision.

"Wait, I'm feeling nauseous," SiO exclaimed, clutching his stomach in distress.

One by one, the others began to scream in pain, their bodies unable to withstand the overwhelming sensations.

Simon stood there, silently witnessing the unfolding chaos before him.

Eugene's thoughts were muddled as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. The room spun around him, and his eyes grew heavy, threatening to shut any second.

Before oblivion could claim him, he caught a glimpse of Seung's smirk, and heard the words that escaped his lips, uttered in a tone laced with wickedness.

"Sleep well, my little brother," Seung said, his voice dripping with deliberate malevolence.

***

Hello guys! Have you ever played truth or dare? If yes, tell me your experience. See you again in the next chapter! 🥰