We finally made it to dinner… thirty minutes late.

All eyes turned to us like we had just walked in wearing clown makeup. Judging stares, raised eyebrows—especially from the queen of gossip herself: Aki. She was practically vibrating in her seat from excitement.

“You guys are thirty minutes late,” Ruka squinted suspiciously. “Did something happen?”

My heart dropped. I tried to play it cool, acting like I wasn’t blushing like a sunburned tomato.

Before we could even open our mouths, Miko added, “Wait… why is your hair damp and kind of messy?”

Oh no. We’re doomed.

“I—I rushed out of the shower after I heard you yelling outside,” I blurted quickly. That was the best I could come up with. Not Oscar-worthy, but hopefully enough to survive the night.

Aki gave me a look so sharp it could slice butter. “Hmm… okay.”

But then Miko turned to Keiko. “Were you rushing from the shower too?”

Abort mission. ABORT.

Keiko’s face turned red faster than a kettle boiling. “W-Well, the hairdryer in our room was broken, so…”

“Okay, okay, save it, you vultures,” Manna interrupted, clearly enjoying this a little too much but merciful enough to change the topic. “Let them eat. They’re probably starving.”

Bless her.

I sighed in relief and hurried toward the hotel buffet like it was a safe zone in a zombie game.

I was finally breathing again, calmly browsing the sushi section, when suddenly a whisper blew hot against my ear.

“You’re a naughty girl.”

“GAAHH!” I yelped, nearly flinging a tempura shrimp across the room.

I turned—and of course—it was Aki, grinning like she had just discovered state secrets.

“Relax,” she said, wagging her brows. “No need to be shy with me. I know what you did.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to keep my voice cool, but my ears were heating up like a rice cooker.

She leaned closer, eyes gleaming. “I heard Keiko’s scream earlier. I know what kind of scream that was. Khe khe khe~”

I’m going to die. I’m really going to die. Is that scream really that loud?!

I blushed so hard I thought steam was coming out of my ears. I tried to walk away like nothing happened, but Aki followed me like an annoying conscience.

“Anyway, congrats! You finally got her. Was it your first time?”

My soul left my body for a second.

“I’ll just… let you guess,” I mumbled and bolted with my plate like I was escaping a crime scene.

---

After dinner, the group started discussing the plan for the night. Miko clapped her hands.

“Let’s do a movie night together!”

I wanted to scream.

I really, really just wanted to curl up with Keiko under the covers, eat snacks, and maybe—okay, definitely—cuddle all night.

But of course, fate (and Aki) had other plans.

“Sorry,” Keiko said, putting on her Professional Keiko Voice. “I need to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting.”

Manna nodded with respect. “Thank you for working so hard, Keiko.”

Keiko glanced at me and subtly smirked. I smiled back. Nice one, babe.

Manna added, “You kids enjoy the movie night. I’m gonna rest.”

Ruka stretched and yawned, “Me too. I’m tired.”

Yes! My turn—

“I—” I started.

“No excuse for you, Ryuko,” Aki snapped.

“Yeah! We already lost three people! You’re coming,” Miko chimed in, linking arms with Aki.

Oh no. I’ve been captured.

Suzuka, Kiana, Moana, and Nani all nodded in agreement.

“But—but I want to rest too…”

“Come on,” Miko said. “Just one movie! You’ll be fine!”

And before I could resist, Aki and Miko were dragging me off like I was a child being taken to daycare against my will.

I glanced back longingly. Keiko looked at me, pouting playfully from the hallway like a romcom heroine. I reached out with my hand like I was in a tragic war film.

Noooooo!

Now I was sitting in Aki and Suzuka’s room with the movie gang. And they hadn’t even picked a movie yet. They’d been debating for thirty minutes already.

“Let’s watch Squid Game,” Suzuka said.

“Noooo it’s too violent!” said Moana.

“But it’s cool!”

“I’m scared of blood!”

“We can skip the gory parts.”

“How? It’s 80% gore!”

I sighed loudly, resting my head against the wall. I was losing precious Keiko time. I was going to start aging.

I sneakily messaged Keiko:

They haven’t picked a movie in 30 mins… please save me.

Ten minutes passed and they were still arguing. I was already yawning. I wasn’t even acting anymore. I was exhausted.

“Guys, I’m really sleepy… I’ll head back now,” I said.

The group groaned and whined like I was betraying the nation.

“Nooooo!”

“Just ONE movie!”

“You traitor!”

But I stood up anyway, determined.

“Bye, bye, enjoy, enjoy~” I waved dramatically like a true diva and ran out before Aki could cling to me like a koala again.

Victory.

Or so I thought.

I run to my door and reached into my pocket—nothing.

Panic hit.

I forgot the room key.

I stared at the door like it had betrayed me.

I knocked softly.

No response.

I texted Keiko. No read.

I called her.

Nothing.

I knocked again.

I sat on the floor, dramatically leaning against the door like some tragic anime girl in the rain. Ten minutes passed. I was almost ready to accept my fate as a hallway ghost.

Then I heard a voice.

“What are you doing?”

I looked up. Keiko stood there, holding a mug of hot chocolate, looking amused.

“I thought you were asleep and left me to die out here,” I said, hugging her like she was my savior.

She giggled, “Okay, drama queen, come inside before someone noticed.”

Once inside, I dramatically retold my entire tale—how I was captured, interrogated, and how my life flashed before my eyes during the Squid Game debate.

Keiko couldn’t stop laughing. “You’re so ridiculous.”

“I am a victim of chaos,” I said, collapsing onto the bed.

She just smiled and handed me her hot chocolate. I took a sip and snuggled beside her.

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep mid-rant, buried in Keiko’s warmth, as the chaos of the day finally melted away.