Love & Hate (Moonsun)

Thirty-Seven

"Expecto Patronum!"

Byul glances into the rearview mirror at Wheein in the backseat who, dressed in her Gryffindor robes, waves her wand majestically and speaks in an awful British accent. In the seat beside her, Sam Kim holds his own wand with Byul's glasses perched on his nose and a lightening bolt drawn by Wheein on his forehead.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouts with a flick of his wrist. Then, as an afterthought, he adds, "Mate!"

The couple had been shouting nonsensical spells for the entire duration of the ride and what was once slightly amusing quickly had become extremely tiresome.

They were running late. Sam apparently was so invested in his guitar practice that he forgot about the Halloween party and was confused when she and Wheein pulled up to his house. They'd wasted half an hour with him getting dressed and begging for Byul's circular glasses while she complained that she sort of needed them to see. In the end, the costume was more important than their safety and Byul had accepted the fact that she might kill them all in a car wreck tonight. But whatever. 

Harry fucking Potter, right?

Veronica's house is in the upper middle class suburbs of the city, just a few tens of thousands of dollars further into the neighborhood than Yong's house. Byul can already spot the line of cars parked on the side of the road before she even turns down the street. 

"I'll drop you two off at the door and find a place to park." Byul says as she slows down in front of the house with the bass-heavy music and drunk teenagers milling about on the lawn.

"You're the best, Byulyi!" Sam grins, waving his wand at her. "Crucio!"

Wheein gives Byul an apologetic look. "You sure you want to walk that far alone? It's getting dark." 

Byul waves her hand dismissively. "I'll be fine. I think the worst thing that'll happen is someone trying to sell me weed." 

The couple gets out of the backseat and heads down the path towards the two-and-a-half story home. Byul lets out a breath and rubs her strained eyes. If it weren't for Yong and Seulgi expecting her, she'd be at home right now beginning her article that's due Monday. 

Byul finds a parking spot the next street over in front of some unknown person's yard and hopes that they don't mind. She looks over the face makeup Wheein did for her in the mirror. 

Heavy, black makeup surrounds her already dark eyes, giving them a sunken appearance and the darker blush against her cheekbones gives her face the illusion of gauntness. A tiny stream of 'blood' trickles down the corner of her lips onto her chin and she runs a tongue over the extended canines glued to her own.

Wheein was good. She hardly looked like herself and with her thick cloak over the cheesy vampire suit she looked authentic enough to show up in on of those weird 'vampire Halloween costume' Google searches. At least Wheein and Sam are at the party dressed as Hogwarts students, hopefully making her own costume standout less. 

She leaves her car and uses the walk to Veronica's house as a means of mentally preparing herself. She's never gone to a party quite like this one with all of the popular students mingling in one secluded area. Seulgi had invited her to quite a few parties she or the other cheerleaders hosted but Byul could always somehow find an excuse to tell her. With Yong's stubbornness however, it proved a more difficult feat. 

A few guys wearing fraternity shirts she doesn't recognize are on the lawn drinking from keg stands. Byul eyes them in confusion. College students are here too?  

The answer of her question comes as soon as she spots two familiar figures leaning against the side of the house, holding red Solo cups. Byul freezes when she sees Krystal laughing with Lacy, the waitress from Vic's.