[M] Haunted Drunks (1/1)

Chapter Four

Haunted Drunks

It is a significantly warm night, with the stars out to splash themselves against a clear black sky. There is a slight breeze, but is so infrequent that its impact is hardly noticeable, just an occasional rustling of leaves. The sidewalks are obscured by constant pedestrian traffic, masses of costumed humans sticking close together and seemingly lining every street. It is not often that this tiny town is so lively, not often that one can stare out the window and truthfully sight anything other than the eerie shadows that trees cast over looming buildings and bumpy roads.Kyungsoo steps away from his window to pace over to the mirror. He cocks his head this way and that, sticks his backside out uncomfortably and makes hissing sounds, chuckling at his reflection afterwards. His complexion has been paled with excessive dabs of concealing powder and his eyes, usually a rich chocolatey brown, are menacing. The irises are as red as flames, burning and rimmed by a thick line of black, which accentuates the colour within. Fake blood drizzles from one corner of his mouth, from behind glistening red lips. Admittedly, this is due to an unwarranted amount of layers of lipstick, something Kyungsoo doesn’t think he ever wants to experience applying again.In an attempt to appear moderately more mature, his hair has been trimmed and pushed back a little, fully exposing a smooth forehead. This hairstyle radiates a certain kind of coolness and indisputably allows him to seem his actual age, moving far past the strands fluttering over his eyes, forcing his teenage days to become a distant memory. He smiles broadly, heart-shaped lips stretching to reveal freshly whitened teeth.‘I can’t believe you talked me into this,’ Chanyeol whines, moseying out of the bathroom as he fiddles with the zipper on his leather jacket.Like Kyungsoo, Chanyeol’s face has been attacked with cosmetics. He is clothed similarly and his hair is combed, exaggerating the pretty curves of his ears and the unique features of his face. Sporting a wholly leather outfit, with the exception of a white t-shirt, he makes quite an attractive demon.Sniggering, Kyungsoo laces up his boots, ensuring they are nice and tight. ‘I’m sure Baekhyun will adore you,’ he says, coughing to hide the laughter stuck in his throat.‘He’ll probably think I’m an idiot,’ Chanyeol exclaims, stomping his feet, ‘and that my demon outfit is extremely uninspired.’Kyungsoo nudges his tall whinging roommate outside and shuts the door behind them. With a sigh, he takes off down the hallway and begins the descent, fingers gripping onto the railing as the staircase winds around and around. No matter how many times he walks this way, he always feels dizzy once he reaches the conclusion, eyes spinning around in their sockets. This time, the unsteadiness is stupendously worse than usual, because his vision has already been skewed by the absence of glasses and the addition of foreboding contacts. He blinks a few times once he pounces off the final step and pretends that he is waiting for Chanyeol, whilst he is truly just struggling to breathe.Chanyeol takes a moment to pant severely too, before he drags Kyungsoo towards the front of the building. Moonlight filters down onto them, causing the faint sprinkles of glitter over their skin to glisten and sparkle, dashes of silver against the darkness of night.‘You’ve secured a ride to the party, right?’ Chanyeol quizzes, squinting.Kyungsoo nods, fiddling with his fingers. ‘He should be here any second now,’ he says as he gazes around, ‘you should head off to pick up Baekhyun. Don’t keep him waiting if you want to make a good impression.’As Chanyeol scurries away, waving happily, another figure replaces him. At first their features are indistinguishable, clouded by blackness, but Kyungsoo’s mouth goes dry as they begin to properly materialise in front of him.Jongin’s face is decorated in a blue and red lightning bolt, beginning from his hairline and extending across his eyelid to stop along the side of his sharp jaw. His silver hair is heavily gelled, raked back in the middle to disclose the sides, which have been cut shorter and made spikier. He is clothed in a chequered black and white button down, tucked into tight black pants. Though this is all quite interesting, the most fantastic thing he wears is a bright smile, his eyes shimmering as he peers up at Kyungsoo who stands motionless a few steps higher.‘Are you…David Bowie?’ Kyungsoo asks shyly, coming closer.Jongin’s cheeks suddenly turn pink. ‘I guess I’m stuck in the eighties.’‘You weren’t even alive in the eighties,’ Kyungsoo states as a knowing eyebrow shoots up.‘My mother was an avid fan of eighties music,’ Jongin says, avoiding eye contact, ‘I guess my love for the classics comes from her.’Kyungsoo giggles and follows Jongin towards his car, but something inside him seriously believes that the mother mentioned is just a figment being cleverly concocted as time goes on. Jinki’s house is the largest in the town, and should more accurately be referred to as a mansion. It sits on a gigantic lot, towering steel fences safeguarding it from the access of any stragglers and the view of lesser neighbours. There are countless windows, most constructed of colourful stained-glass or patterns along the sills, and a majestic entrance with a golden knocker. Like a home fit for a king, red carpet rolls over the floorboards and up the winding staircase, which leads to an infinite stretch of spacious rooms. Tonight, the classical music that usually plays is replaced with a heavy beat, and the cleanliness of the entire vicinity is no longer existent. People dressed in odd costumes flock around in every direction.Feeling nervous and jittery, Kyungsoo stops just before walking inside to dab his forehead with the back of his hand, drying the tiny droplets of sweat starting to prickle his skin. He sighs loudly and tugs at the cuffs of his shirt, fiddles with the top button until it pops open. His trembling fingers reach up and run through his hair, flattening it atop his head and ensuring that the strands stick together. When he drops his head, he realises that the perspiration over his clammy palms is now mixed with an uncomfortable amount of gel and hairspray. He nibbles his lower lip and casts his eyes down. Suddenly, his boots are incredibly interesting.Eventually, Jongin takes Kyungsoo’s hand in his own and yanks him inside, immersing them both in a bouncing crowd. Kyungsoo’s shoulders are knocked and