criminals°nct dream [slow updates]

four: "'friendly gesture'"

  "What happened? Everyone's buzzing about how Dream bullied you," Nari asks when she and her teammates regroup at the cafeteria.

  Iseul leisurely stuffs a rice cake into her mouth. "Bully? Now, that's an overstatement. They were entertaining me like the clowns they are."

  "I'm serious."

  "Well, so am I!" Iseul exclaims and lets out restrained, bitter laughs.

  Aera glances at her. "Someone's angry."

  The youngest takes a long sip of her yoghurt smoothie to cool herself down while her right leg violently shakes up and down, up and down.

  "Why aren't you doing anything?" Aera asks.

  Iseul inhales and exhales deep breaths- meditating. "It's a new environment so I'm trying to keep calm, stay patient and be niceㅡ"

  "Oops!" An exclaim interrupts.

  Iseul's eyes widen at the catastrophic state of her sisters with rice sticking on their hair and blazers while soup and sauce drip down their faces to their shirt- staining their pure white fabric.

  Dream cackle vainly in satisfaction as Jisung and Chenle toss their empty trays on the table presumptuously, creating a ruckus.

  The seven of the boys watch smugly at their scheme while the three girls are all frozen in their seats utterly shock.

  Not a single peep is made in the cafeteria now that all eyes are fixed on them- like they're a freak show.

  Maybe, they are.

  "Ah, right," Jeno suddenly, sounds and he picks up Iseul's food tray before flicking it towards her- splattering all the contents on her.

  "Ohhh, Jeno-yah! Nice!" Jaemin pats his back at his impactful decision.

  Nari wipes the salty, sticky sauce of her eyes. "What the fuxk was that all about??"

  He mockingly tilts his head while a mischievous smile plays on his rosy lips. "Ah, of course, you wouldn't know. This is considered a 'friendly gesture' in our school so we're using it as a welcome gift."

  His sarcasm infuriates and he teasingly pulls out a napkin from his pocket before offering it to Nari.

  Her gaze burns holes through it and he chuckles.

  "Calm down, it's just a piece of fabric."

  The girl hesitates but the sticky and heavy sauce oil that's starting to dry on her lashes is pestering her.

  She lifts her hand and just an inch more to grabbing the cloth, it slips of Jaemin's fingers.

  He and his group snicker after making a fool out of the girls.

  "Enjoy cleaning up~" Donghyuck vexes as he leaves with the others and the three glare with piercing eyes.

  Nari's fists clench and she glares down at the white handkerchief- aggressively stomping on it with flames in her eyes.
"We just came here and this happens! This isn't some basic 'enemies to lovers' teen movie!"

  "Ugh, more like 'enemies to war,'" Aera groans in disgust and pushes her moist, soup-soaked hair away from her face when she notices the absence of a member. "Hey, where'd Iseul go?"

  The Dream members are already laughing at their table, chatting as always until Renjun espies a nearing girl.

  He tells his friends with a gesture of his head towards her and they all turn.

  Jeno puts down his drink at the presence standing beside him and he spins- raising his slit brow at Iseul.
"What do you want?"

  She doesn't answer and the other boys smirk at her soundless state.

  "Something kind of smells here, don't you think so?" Chenle mocks and the rest guffaw, completely amused.

  Jeno however, only has his lips pulled into a cold, sarcastic grin. "What's the problem? Cat got yourㅡ"

  SPLASH!

  Sticky, sugary smoothie slaps him in his pretty face and its viscous consistency sticks on his porcelain skin.

  Loud gasps emit from all directions as people watch them attentively.

  Donghyuck rises on his feet. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

  The girl shrugs with an innocent, sweet stretch of her lips. "It's a thank you from me to you for your kind welcome. I figured doing it with this school's 'friendly gesture' would be nice."

  They scowl, speechless.

  "Ah, right," Iseul copies Jeno's words and picks up his beverage- turning it over his head and letting the Sprite soak his dark hair.

  The liquid washes off the smoothie from his face but it doesn't make anything better as the carbonated drink travels uncomfortably down to his pants.

  She then, takes off her dirty coat and haughtily throws it at Donghyuck. With a teasing, puckish wave of her delicate fingers, she sings- just like he did before,
"Enjoy cleaning up~"