The sound of clinking glass and soft indie R&B spilled through the open balcony door. Soft fairy lights draped across the ceiling gave the rented apartment a warm, almost magical glow. The floor cushions were mismatched, a few blankets were already strewn across the couch, and a growing pile of snacks sat between an empty pizza box and a half-finished bottle of peach soju.

Livi raised her glass. “To spring. To this night. And to the bad decisions we probably won’t remember.”

“Speak for yourself,” Sora said, already sipping his drink quietly from the corner.

“Speak louder,” Ren teased, nudging him. “Didn’t think you’d even show up to this.”

“I was promised free food,” Sora replied. “And chaos.”

“You’ll get both,” Livi grinned.

Dylan sat near the edge of the circle, a cold beer in one hand, watching the group with quiet amusement. He wasn’t used to this version of them — tipsy, barefoot, wild-eyed under string lights. Even Hikari had her hair tied up messily and her cheeks were flushed from her second drink. He caught himself smiling.

And then the front door opened.

“Hope I’m not late,” came a voice — light, confident, teasing.

“Mina!” Livi squealed, jumping up to hug her.

Mina Arai stepped inside with a bag of strawberry soju and a spark in her eye. Her hair was loose and glossy, her oversized sweater hanging just right off one shoulder. She gave a dramatic bow to the group. “Evening, Peeps.”

“You brought reinforcements,” Ren muttered to Livi.

“Yup,” she said with a smirk. “She’s chaos personified.”

“I like her already,” Ren said.

Mina flashed a look around the room. “So this is the famous Spring Five, huh?”

“We’re six now,” Livi said, raising her cup.

Ren tilted his head. “Depends how the night goes.”

Mina smirked. “I like you.”

Truth Shots & Tension

The game began with laughter.

Livi’s rules were simple: answer a question, or drink. Add dares if you're feeling bold. First person to back out had to perform an embarrassing song. The bottle spun. The drinks flowed.

Thirty minutes later, they were halfway into a drinking game Livi called “Truth Shots.” The rules were simple: answer honestly, or take a shot. The dares had been added midway, courtesy of Mina.

Mina leaned back, swirling her drink. “Okay, Dylan. Truth: Who would you kiss in this room if you had to pick one person?”

All eyes turned. Dylan blinked.

Livi grinned. “C’mon, photo boy. Spill.”

Hikari gave a tiny laugh and looked down at her glass, saying nothing.

Dylan opened his mouth. Closed it. Then wordlessly took a shot.

“Ooooooh!” Ren howled. “That’s a diplomatic drink.”

“Ren,” Mina called on her second turn, grinning like a fox. “Truth or dare?”

He leaned back, cocky. “Dare.”

“Kiss me,” she said without hesitation.

Livi froze for half a second.

Dylan’s eyes flicked to Hikari, who was already looking at Livi.

Ren blinked, then smirked. “That’s it?”

He leaned forward and kissed Mina—not a peck, not aggressive, but just slow enough to make the air shift.

When they pulled apart, Mina whispered, “Not bad.”

Ren took a slow sip of his drink to hide the red creeping up his neck. Sora blinked once and muttered, “That escalated.”

Livi laughed too quickly, tossing a popcorn kernel at Ren. “Okay, show-off. Next.”

But something in her eyes flickered. Dylan noticed.

The Final Round

As the night deepened and the bottle emptied, Mina spun it one last time.

“It’s final round,” she said. “But no dares. Just this: tell a secret. Something no one else here knows. No drinks. No jokes.”

Everyone blinked. No one moved.

Then Sora spoke, voice quiet but sure.
 “I write down conversations… because I’m afraid I’ll forget the sound of people I love.”

Silence.

Mina’s grin softened. “That’s beautiful.”

Ren scoffed, but his voice cracked.
 “I make fun of everything because if I don’t, I’ll take it too seriously. And that scares the hell out of me.”

Livi took a breath. Her smile trembled.
 “I always act like I have it all figured out. But some nights… I panic about being the one who ends up left behind.”

No one spoke. Even the music had faded now.

Hikari’s turn came. She didn’t flinch.
 “I’ve been loved before… but I’m scared of being forgotten after.”

Dylan couldn’t look away from her.
 Then:
 “I’ve taken thousands of pictures. And still… nothing’s ever felt as real as this moment. Right now.”

The room sat in thick silence after Dylan’s words. No one moved. No one laughed. There was nothing left to drink, nothing clever left to say.

Eventually, someone reached for the remote. The soft music started again, barely filling the silence. One by one, the group scattered—some to the kitchen, some to the blankets, some pretending they weren’t suddenly too full of feelings to sit still.

Dylan stood up quietly, stepping toward the balcony. He didn’t see that Hikari hesitated before following him.

The skyline stretched wide and glowing. Cold wind played with the ends of her hair.

Dylan stood near the railing, arms folded, gaze lost in the light.

“I was ten when I saw lanterns like this,” Hikari said quietly, stepping up beside him. “It was summer. My mom let me stay up late. I remember thinking… if I could freeze that night, I’d never grow up.”

He smiled faintly. “I think that’s why I started taking pictures. I wanted time to slow down.”

She looked at him.

“You can’t stop time,” she said.

“I know,” he replied. “But maybe I can stay in it… long enough to remember how it felt.”

They stood in silence. City noise in the distance. Footsteps far below.

Hikari almost reached for his hand…Almost…But didn’t. Dylan never noticed. And maybe that was better….

Back inside, the energy had quieted. The apartment had become a landscape of pillows, blankets, and soft breathing.

Mina was curled up on the couch, wearing Ren’s hoodie, one leg tucked beneath her. She peeked at him from across the room, then rolled over with a small, private smile.

Ren sat against the wall, quietly nursing water and pretending he wasn’t thinking about anything at all.

Sora lay on his stomach, a pencil still in hand, passed out halfway through scribbling something poetic in his notebook.

Livi had retreated to the far corner, cocooned in a blanket. Her phone screen glowed briefly, a list half-written in her notes before she locked the screen and placed it against her chest.

Dylan was already asleep on the futon—curled slightly on his side, one arm resting across the edge of the blanket. His camera bag remained zipped beside him. For once, there were no shutter clicks. Just quiet.

Hikari entered last, barefoot, hoodie sleeves pulled over her hands. She stopped when she reached Dylan.

For a moment, she stood over him.

Then she knelt slowly, brushing her fingers against his hand—softly, barely enough to stir.

“Don’t leave us, ever, don’t leave me…please” she whispered, her voice barely audible above the hum of the city outside.

Dylan didn’t stir.

She sat there for another second longer, then stood, quietly walking across the room. Livi’s blanket lifted slightly as Hikari slipped in beside her, their backs pressed gently together.

She let out a breath, eyes heavy now, and let herself fall into sleep.

The projector flickered its last frame. The lights dimmed.

And for one fleeting night, everything was still.