6 Bonding
What's the point of thinking about this now? I'm stuck with a humiliating task of growing my hair for reasons unknown. I set the piece on the study table and grab my camouflage shorts and black vest from my bag and head to the bathroom in our room.
Ciara: Hahh, that felt good.
I change into my night clothes and start braiding my hair in front of the bathroom mirror.
*Click*
Hm? That was the sound of the front door opening. Did Momo already come back? Crap, I forgot to get my bra but, since she's a girl, it wouldn't be too awkward to grab it from my bag in front of her. I open the door and head straight for my bag.
???: Umm..
Ciara:???
That definitely isn't Momo's voice, it's.... I slowly turn around to face...
Ciara: What're you doing here?!
Marques: The guys told me to call you over... We're having a 'bonding party' apparently.
Ciara: I see but, how did you get in?
Marques: I met Xia outside, she told me to get you; 'gave me the key too.
Ciara: Oh.
Marques:... So, you plan to cover up?
Ciara: Hm?
What does that mean? And that's when I realize something very important.... I'm wearing only a vest over my top half and that means... I look down at my chest. Heat rises to my cheeks.
Ciara:...
Marques:...
I fold my hands over my chest.
Ciara:... Get out!!
Marques:.. Sorry.
He quickly turns around and leaves, shutting the door. I can't believe that just happened!! Is this day supposed to make me embarrassed all the while?! I fan my cheeks to cool them down and quickly wear some inner wear ALONG WITH a jacket.
I timidly open the door and peek outside to see him absentmindedly leaning against the wall. Unlike me, he doesn't seem affected at all. Maybe he really is experienced about... this stuff. He notices me and stands up straight.
Marques: They hijacked my room so that's where we're hanging out.
Ciara:.. Uh huh.
He pays little mind to my response and starts walking towards the end of the corridor where his room is and I follow after him. Should I tell him something?
Ciara: About what happened-
Marques: It's fine.
Ciara: Huh?
'It's fine'?! It's not fine with me at all!
Marques: You're a kid after all and it's not like I haven't seen that stuff before.
... I don't know what part of that statement was supposed to make me feel better.
Ciara: Firstly, I'm NOT a kid. And secondly, whenever you want to enter a girl's room, you should knock.
Marques: I don't know about knockin'.
Ciara: What?
Marques: It's usually the ladies banging on my door, y'know what I mean?
Ciara:... Hahh, Just how shameless are you?
Marques: You have no idea.
Before I know it, we're standing in front of his room.
*Ker- Clack*
He opens the door and I peep inside to see that the guys have made themselves at home there.
Jake: What took you so long?
Marques: 'Somethin" came up.
He glances at me.
Hanley: Hey Ciara, are you not feeling well?
Ryan: Yeah, your face is pretty red.
It's still red?! Wait, what was with that suggestive tone?! Have they figured out that something happened between us?!
B-But that's not possible!... Right? I guess I'll just stick to the being sick act. I take a seat on a chair and Marques sits down on the bottom bunk.
Jake: Mmhmm, and you're wearing such a thick jacket.
Kwan: A pretty hideous one too- Ow! What was that for?!
Ryan, who's sitting beside Kwan, pinches him as if to tell him to stop talking.
Ciara: Yeah, I have a slight cold.
I reply them with an awkward smile.
Marques: What have you people done to my room?
Marques irritably asks, looking around all the clutter in his room.
Hanley: You mean this mess? Just consider it as... our way of livening your sad and lonely room.
Marques: I don't think that that 'sad and lonely' was necessary.
Kwan: Don't be so depressed, Mr. Loner.
Kwan pats Marques shoulder, teasing him with fake sympathy, but Marques grabs the hold of his arm.
Marques: I'll break your hand if you call me that again.
He says with a death glare. It's so scary that I'm getting goosebumps. But...
Kwan: Eh?! If you do that, how will I sketch?! You're SOOO bad!
He says in an over exaggerated tone and Marques freezes, speechless. Woah, the look on his face is priceless!!
A few minutes later, Momo enters the room, her expression dull.
Ciara: What happened to you?
Momo: Guess who I met on the way...
Ryan: Was it 'him'?
She nods. Huh? Who do they mean?
Momo: He was all like 'If you have any trouble reading the textbooks, use this app'.
She sits down next to me and pulls out her phone.
Hanley: What a jerk, I guess catcallers never know when to stop.
Momo: Tell me about it.
Jake: I had no idea he was like this. What's that 'Jackass- Juggler' up to?
Ciara: 'Jackass-Juggler'?
Kwan: Yeah, suits him, don't you think? After all, he's going to be handling the Jackass Team.
Wait, they mean Instructor Johnson? I guess they gave him a nickname. I don't like the fact that he teased Momo but, he's quite handsome regardless.
Ciara: I don't think he'll be THAT bad.
Everyone:...
Ciara:???
Why are they all staring at me? Did I say something wrong?
Ciara: W-What is it?
Jake: Don't tell me...
Ciara: Huh?
Ryan: You're not crushing on him, are you?
Ciara:..! What?! Of course not!
Hanley: You sure?
Ciara: Yes!
Crushing on him?! Where did they get that idea from?!
Momo:...
Momo looks up from her phone, glances at me and sighs.
Momo: Do you people have no other work?
Kwan: Nope.
Momo:... Aren't you going to butt in?
She looks at Marques.
Marques: Do you think these idiots would listen to me?
Kwan: Aw, don't call me an idiot, Mr. Loner.
Kwan teases him again and he sighs.
Marques:.. How did get stuck here?
Looks like they're getting along..? We chat idly for a while and the topic slowly shifts to what pushed us to join NDIA.
Jake: Me? I just got bored in car racing so I figured that I might as well do something interesting.
Ciara: You were a car racer?! That's impressive!
Jake: Yeah, I guess. I never got to race in the big races though. Anyway, my cute, little roomie is next.
Kwan: You're giving me the creeps right now, referring to me that way.
Marques: Look who's talking.
Marques comments in an irked tone.
Kwan:... So, I dropped out of fashion designing school and opened a boutique with a friend. But then, one day I got a customer who happened to be a spy. She became a regular there and soon her agency hired me as their undercover stylist. In one of our conversations, I just made a point on a case they were solving and that cracked it. So, I thought I should do something I'm good at... and ended up doing the stylist thing and being a lowkey detective as a part-time job.
These two are really talented but chose to quit what they're good at and decided to become a detective, huh.
Kwan: What about you, Mr. Loner?
He turns to Marques but, he doesn't answer. Something tells me that it's not his teasing that's keeping quiet. I can sense hesitation in his eyes. Why is he behaving this way? Is there something that he doesn't want to tell us?
