The bottle cap rolled once across the tent floor.
Then it stopped with a quiet clink.
The warmth from the drink had settled in — not loud, not wild… just enough to gently blur the sharp edges of everything around them.
Kai was the most obvious one affected.
He kept leaning back, then forward again, as if his body still hadn't decided where it wanted to stay.
Rui sat cross-legged on the floor, but nothing about him was still — his knee bounced restlessly, his fingers tapped against his leg, and his eyes moved too quickly from one person to another.
Dev looked almost normal at first glance.
Until you noticed his face.
It was red.
Far too red.
Chen, Jian, and Wei remained mostly still.
Almost unchanged.
Chen exhaled quietly, breaking the hazy silence.
"…We need to hide this," he said, his voice low and serious.
The words landed heavily in the warm tent.
Kai blinked slowly, trying to process them.
"…What?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused.
Chen looked down at the two empty bottles, then scanned across all of them.
"…This," he repeated, gesturing at the bottles and scattered caps. "All of it. We can't leave any evidence behind."
A short pause followed.
Rui followed Chen's gaze and suddenly understood.
"…Oh," he said softly.
Dev rubbed his face with both hands, clearly feeling the effects. "…We can't just leave it here in the tent."
Kai suddenly sat up straighter, a little too quickly.
"I'll take care of it," he announced.
"No," Chen cut in immediately, his tone leaving no room for discussion.
Kai frowned, looking offended. "Why not?"
"…Because you can't even sit straight right now," Chen replied bluntly.
"I am sitting straight," Kai insisted.
He wasn't.
A small silence stretched between them.
Chen didn't argue any further.
He just looked at Kai steadily.
"…You're not coming with us," he said finally.
That statement landed harder than anything else he had said.
Kai blinked once in surprise.
Then he laughed, though it came out a little unsteady.
"…What?" he asked, still laughing. "You're serious?"
"You'll get us caught," Chen said plainly.
"I won't."
"You will."
Kai leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to focus.
"…You don't get to decide that for me," he challenged.
Chen didn't raise his voice at all.
He stayed calm and firm.
"…I already did," he said quietly.
A tense beat passed.
The air inside the tent shifted noticeably.
Then Kai stood up.
A little too fast.
He steadied himself against the center pole of the tent.
"…I'm coming," he declared stubbornly.
Chen exhaled slowly.
Not surprised.
Just… quietly accepting it.
"…Fine," he said at last. "Then don't talk. Not a single word."
Kai grinned widely, clearly pleased with himself.
"…Can't promise that," he replied.
Rui let out a quiet laugh from the side.
"Yeah, we're definitely getting caught tonight," he muttered.
Jian was already standing up quietly.
"…Finish it," he said in a low, steady voice.
The last of the drink was passed around quickly.
No one took their time now.
The caps were wiped clean.
The bottles were closed tightly.
"Let's go," Chen said, already moving toward the entrance.
This time —
he moved first.
The others followed him out.
The night hit them colder and sharper the moment they stepped outside the tent.
Kai stumbled once on the way out.
He caught himself quickly against the side of the tent.
"I'm fine," he said automatically.
No one responded.
Chen led the way.
Not too fast.
Not too slow.
Just… controlled and careful.
Jian stayed close behind him.
Watching everything.
Wei walked quietly somewhere between them.
Rui and Dev followed, trying — and mostly failing — to stay completely silent.
Kai drifted around the group.
Too close to others at times.
Too loud.
Too unsteady on his feet.
"…Walk straight," Chen said without even turning his head.
"I am walking straight," Kai whispered back, though his voice came out much louder than intended.
"You're not," Chen replied flatly.
Leaves crunched loudly under their feet with every step.
Too loud.
Every single time.
Then —
voices.
Close.
All six of them froze at once.
Not far away.
Not far at all.
A beam of light cut faintly through the trees.
A teacher.
Kai inhaled sharply —
about to speak.
Jian's hand shot out and caught his arm.
Tight.
Immediate.
"Don't," Jian whispered under his breath, his grip firm.
Kai went completely still.
Chen stepped forward just a little.
Just enough.
His voice changed completely when he spoke.
Casual.
Almost bored.
"…Sir?" he called out calmly.
The light shifted toward them.
"What are you boys doing out here at this hour?" the teacher asked.
Chen didn't hesitate for even a second.
"…Bathroom," he answered smoothly. "The line at the camp toilets was too long."
A pause followed.
The teacher's light moved across all six of them now.
Six silhouettes standing together.
Too many for a simple bathroom trip.
"…All of you?" the teacher asked, sounding suspicious.
Chen shrugged lightly, keeping his voice relaxed.
"…Yeah. The line was really long."
A tense beat passed.
Rui almost laughed out loud.
He barely managed to choke it down.
The light stayed on them for a second longer.
Then —
it finally shifted away.
"…Don't wander too far," the teacher warned.
"Yes, sir," Chen replied politely.
The footsteps faded into the night.
The light disappeared completely.
Silence returned.
Kai exhaled first, relief flooding his voice.
"…That was close."
Chen turned slightly toward him.
"…I said don't talk."
Kai grinned in the darkness.
"…I didn't," he whispered.
Jian slowly let go of his arm.
They started moving again.
Closer together now.
Much more careful.
No one spoke this time.
The forest thickened ahead of them.
Darker.
Quieter.
Chen stopped after a while, looking around.
"…Here," he said quietly.
No lights.
No voices.
Just trees.
And them.
They stood there for a second, catching their breath.
Listening carefully to the night.
The bottles still held tightly in their hands.
They had made it.
Barely.