Chapter 34: Part 5
The fluorescent lights of the JYP studio hummed, casting a sterile glow on the eight members of Stray Kids. Today, practice had been flawless. The choreography for their new track was tight, the vocals powerful, and the overall synergy was electrifying. Namjoon, observing from the corner, nodded approvingly. He had to admit, Bangchan had built something truly special with these guys.
But outside the studio, things were… different. Ever since the leader swap program kicked off – an insane idea proposed by their agencies as a team-building exercise – chaos had reigned. Five days in, and cracks were appearing in the carefully constructed façade of normalcy.
Tonight was Friday. Game night. A tradition sacred to Stray Kids, usually involving board games and playful banter. But tonight, with Namjoon in charge, the game of choice took a decidedly different turn. It was Han Jisung's fault, really.
"Never have I ever… done BDSM," Han announced, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
The air in the room thickened. Lee Know, Han himself, I.N., and Hyunjin all raised their glasses and took a swig. Namjoon's eyebrows shot up. He knew they were all adults, but this level of… openness was unexpected.
The game continued, escalating with each round. "Never have I ever had a quickie somewhere public..." Everyone drank. "Never have I ever bottomed..." I.N., Hyunjin, Han, Felix, and Changbin all sheepishly sipped their drinks, while the others exchanged knowing smirks.
Namjoon cleared his throat. "Okay, maybe we should…"
"Never have I ever had a threesome." Felix cut him off, grinning mischievously.
Lee Know, Han, I.N., Felix, Seungmin and Changbin drank. The others, including Namjoon, looked on in disbelief.
Across town, at the BTS mansion, Bangchan was experiencing a different kind of chaos. Their game night of "Truth or Dare: Adult Unhinged Edition" was living up to its name. Clothes were coming off (literally), embarrassing childhood stories were being revealed, and even a few unexpected make-out sessions had occurred. Bangchan, a usually unflappable leader, was struggling to maintain order amidst the swirling vortex of hormones and alcohol. J-Hope, with his usual boundless energy, was the ringleader, egging everyone on. Suga, surprisingly, was right there with him, sporting a wicked grin.
Back at the Stray Kids dorm the game of "Never have I ever" was paused, due to Namjoon being beyond uncomfortable. He couldn't even begin to wrap his head around what he had found out about the group.
Later that night, both leaders, exhausted and bewildered, retreated to their respective rooms and pulled out their phones.
Bangchan: Dude. You will NOT believe what just happened.
Namjoon: Tell me about it. I think I need therapy after tonight.
Bangchan: Truth or Dare… turned into something I can't even describe. Let's just say there were a lot of missing articles of clothing and a LOT of unexpected kissing. Jimin and Jungkook almost tore each other's clothes off. Like, full-on making out on the kitchen counter.
Namjoon: WHAT?!
Bangchan: Yeah. And Jin dared Taehyung to give jungkook a lap dance. I'm scarred for life.
Namjoon: Okay, that's… intense. But trust me, my night was equally disturbing. We played 'Never Have I Ever,' and I learned things about Stray Kids I never wanted to know. Apparently, BDSM is a popular hobby.
Bangchan: BDSM?! Really? Who?
Namjoon: Lee Know, Han, I.N., and Hyunjin.
Bangchan: Wow. OK. I did not see that one coming. But I'm not surprised about Hyunjin.
Namjoon: And apparently, most of them have had threesomes! I'm starting to think your group is secretly a hedonistic cult.
Bangchan: A hedonistic cult that writes bangers, apparently. At least the music is still good.
Namjoon: Speaking of which, I've been so impressed with their work ethic. They're all so talented and dedicated.
Bangchan: Yeah, they are. I miss them.
Namjoon: I miss BTS too. I feel like I'm babysitting a bunch of hyperactive teenagers.
Bangchan: Tell me about it. I had to break up a pillow fight between Suga and Jungkook... in the middle of the night.
Namjoon: So, the real question is… why is everyone suddenly so horny?
Bangchan: I have no explanation. Maybe it's the water? Or the stress of the swap?
Namjoon: Suga and J-Hope got caught yesterday experimenting with… restraints.
Bangchan: Seriously, What the hell is going on?!
Namjoon: And I.N. and Lee Know have been glued to each other like magnets. I walked in on them making out in the practice room earlier.
Bangchan: I.N., who is usually the shyest member? Oh my God.
Namjoon: This is insane. We need to fix this before someone gets hurt. Or worse... before they decide to record a concept album about their newfound kinks.
Bangchan: You know what? I'm going to try to implement a mandatory "chill time" tomorrow. No games, no alcohol, just… relaxation.
Namjoon: I'll try to do the same. Maybe some meditation? A mandatory movie night with Disney films?
Bangchan: We're grasping at straws here, Namjoon.
Namjoon: I know. But we have to try. This is getting out of control.
Bangchan: Agreed. Good luck, my friend. May the odds be ever in your favor.
Namjoon: And to you as well Bangchan. We will win this war against hormones.