Lie Again! Chapter 24

<Chapter 24. Homecoming (2)>

 

Inside the gray Jeep, the loud music and the voices singing along created a noisy atmosphere. The song playing from the audio was almost drowned out by the voices. 

 

The playlist Joey had put on was made up of well-known songs that Jin had heard many times before. The love songs sung by captivating voices filled the car. 

 

“Let’s listen to hip-hop, hip-hop.”

 

“Metal!”

 

“Oh, you both want to walk?”

 

Ruth and Dustin complained for a moment, saying that it was music that only girls listen to, but they were quieted by Joey’s natural, innocent face. It was a conversation pattern that always occurred when they were riding in the car together, but the appearances of the people who brought it up were quite different from usual.

 

Ruth and Dustin had stepped away from their typical ‘American high school boy’ style—where they just threw on anything—and were now dressed in neat suits. Dustin, who had usually tied his long curly hair in a messy knot, now had it neatly swept back into a half-ponytail, and Ruth, with her forehead exposed, looked taller and more polished than usual. 

 

Sitting indifferently in the front passenger seat, Amanda wore a black dress that clung to her form and featured a deep back cut, while her low bun hairstyle attractively highlighted her firm, bronze shoulders and back.

 

Joey also looked even more lively, thanks to her yellow mini tube-top dress and high ponytail. 

 

‘It’s awkward.’

 

And Jin carefully touched her face, which felt slightly suffocating. It was Joey and Amanda’s handiwork. 

 

‘Complete!’

 

At Joey’s confident voice, Jin carefully opened her eyes. Joey quickly held up a mirror in front of her. 

 

Jin carefully examined her face. 

 

Her reflection revealed a calm yet lively girl. The mysterious mix of orange and pink on her smooth skin gave her a lively look, and her facial features, which she had thought were dull, became much clearer.

 

Her smooth black hair was left mostly untouched, with only a light curl added, creating a natural look rather than an overly styled appearance. 

 

‘Get dressed quickly, hurry up!’

 

Before Jin could even admire the two’s skills, Joey hurriedly dressed her in the gown. When Jin stepped out wearing the dress and shoes, the compliments that had been held back finally poured out. 

 

‘You’re so pretty, Jin!’

 

‘You look great in it. You’ll be drawing attention today.’

 

The dress she had painstakingly chosen during their shopping trip a few days ago was a deep green satin dress that flared into an A-line just below the knees. 

 

The fabric that gently wrapped around her body like water reflected the light gently as she moved, and the off-shoulder that crossed her chest in an X shape emphasized Jin’s shoulders and collarbone. 

 

The dark green color contrasting with her white skin made Jin’s face look even brighter.

 

Ruth and Dustin, who had been waiting on the first floor, joined in and gave compliments to Jin one by one. Feeling embarrassed, she hurriedly got into the car as if trying to escape. 

 

“Excuse me, where did the people who said they hated this song go?”

 

Joey was shocked to see Ruth and Dustin, who had forgotten that they had insisted on changing the song, screaming the loudest when the highlight came on. 

 

When Ruth, who was driving, responded by simply turning up the volume, Joey leaned forward from the back seat, sticking her face toward the front.

 

“Huh? Did you see where they went?”

 

“Be quiet, Joey!”

 

“You’re the loudest here!”

 

The kids, dressed in suits and dresses, noisily bickered as they drove through the night, looking completely mismatched with their elegant attire. 

 

Jin laughed pleasantly as she listened to the endless useless chatter. The summer breeze coming in through the open car window blew her hair coolly. 

 

* * *

 

As the scorching sunlight of the day faded away, a cool darkness settled in, and the psychedelic lights flickered chaotically in the space. 

 

EDM, hip-hop remixes, and other music blasted through the party venue as if ready to make bodies explode. Over the flushed faces of those dancing or holding onto the shoulders of the person in front of them in a conga line, colorful lights flashed by in rapid streaks. 

 

Jin leaned against the table stocked with snacks and drinks, massaging her calves. After spending the entire day in unfamiliar heels, her legs were screaming that this was their limit. 

 

She had tried to endure until the party wrapped up, but with no end in sight, she eventually retreated to the refreshment table. 

 

“Jin!”

 

Ruth came to Jin from afar, waving his hand. Jin frowned when she saw Ruth.

 

Shortly after entering the party, the friends she had arrived with were swept away by their homeroom or club members, scattering in different directions. Before she knew it, she found herself standing alone among unfamiliar faces. 

 

Thanks to that, Jin had to muster every ounce of her social skills to endure the long hours. “Wow, Jin! I almost didn’t recognize you!”, “Thanks, Amy. You look really pretty tonight too.” She repeated the same conversation at least ten times before Ruth finally returned.

 

“Are you having fun?”

 

“…To be honest, I’m at my limit now.”

 

Jin muttered in a tired voice. From the moment she had submitted her entry ticket until now, she had been swept up in the crowd, barely getting a moment to herself. 

 

She was introduced to Amanda’s partner, Dawn, took group photos, went to the photo booth for more pictures, danced for a while—only to take even more pictures. Pictures, pictures, and more pictures. 

 

Jin realized all too well that Homecoming consisted of music, small talk, and an overwhelming number of photo sessions. It felt like she had taken a year’s worth of pictures in a single night. She was utterly sick of cameras by now. 

 

“Looks like we’ll be heading to the after-party soon. I’ll take you home after stopping by for a bit.”

 

“After-party?” 

 

Jin groaned at Ruth’s words. Ruth shrugged his shoulders, saying, “What can I do?” Jin hesitated and eventually nodded.

 

The clock had already passed midnight. Riley had told her to call anytime if she wanted to come home, but by now, mother and daughter were surely fast asleep. She didn’t want to wake them up and make them come all the way here. 

 

‘When will I do it again?’

 

Ignoring the growing numbness in her legs, Jin tried to convince herself. The thought of a refreshing shower, comfortable pajamas, and the cool breeze of the air conditioner had been on her mind for the past hour, but she quickly brushed those thoughts aside. 

 

“Oh, sorry.”

 

Startled, Jin quickly shut the bedroom door. The two figures pressed closely together didn’t seem to care who walked in. 

 

‘Go home and do it…’

 

Jin, with her back to the door, held back a sincere comment and let out a deep sigh. 

 

This was already the fourth time. Every time she opened a door looking for a place to rest, there was a high chance she’d find a pair of kids tangled up inside.

 

The bathroom, the kitchen, the bedrooms—it was all the same. If a place was even slightly secluded or had the slightest hint of privacy, it was already occupied by earlier guests. 

 

Crawford’s love life was interesting at first, but as it kept repeating, it became not just tiresome but exhausting. 

 

Jin, leaning her arms on the second-floor staircase railing, swept a resentful gaze over the mansion, where the after-party was in full swing. How could there not be a single quiet place to rest in such a large house? 

 

This place, said to belong to one of the seniors, was more fittingly called a mansion than a house. The interior, lavishly adorned with marble and high-end wood, exuded grandeur to the point of being overwhelming. 

 

The expansive living room, kitchen, and various spots around the pool—large enough to make one wonder how many hours it would take to clean—were packed with Crawford students who seemed like they would never run out of energy. 

 

It was hard to believe these were the same kids who had already been through one party, yet their energy was even higher than at school. The main culprit was alcohol. The forbidden liquid was meticulously placed throughout the house, ensuring that anyone could drink, enjoy, and lose themselves at any moment. 

 

Thanks to this, the students, who had played meekly under the sharp watch of their strict teachers, were now running wild like untamed colts. 

 

And Jin, who had committed the “sin” of not drinking a single sip of alcohol and was therefore still sober, looked down at the first floor—where dancing and singing were in full swing—with a look of utter disdain as she searched for the whereabouts of the scattered students. 

 

To be exact, she was searching for Ruth, whom she had lost not long after arriving at the mansion. After all, Ruth was the one responsible for making sure she got home safely. 

 

“Let’s go home now…”

 

Jin muttered weakly and went down the stairs.

 

And after pushing through the crowd, again and again, Jin finally found Ruth—at the ping-pong table in front of the pool, the very person she had been searching for.

 

“Evan Ruth!”

 

When Jin squeezed through the crowd and barely made it to the ping-pong table, Ruth was just about to bounce a ping-pong ball into the cup and roar.

 

The well-dressed gentleman Jin had seen in the evening was nowhere to be found, and Ruth, having lost his tie, was happily playing ping-pong ball.

 

“Oh, Jin! You want to do it too?”

 

Ruth greeted Jin warmly as she approached and invited her to join the game. Jin followed Ruth’s hand and looked at the golden liquid sloshing inside the red cup with trembling eyes.

 

Jin politely declined the enthusiastic encouragement from the game members—all unfamiliar faces—to throw the ball and instead watched Ruth with concern.

 

“Are you even allowed to drink? What about driving?”

 

“It’s not alcohol, it’s vinegar.”

 

As soon as he answered, the opposing team’s ping pong ball fell into the cup in front of Ruth across the table. Ruth picked up the cup, took the ball out, drank the contents, and vomited.

 

Ruth, scowling and spitting out in disgust, emanated a sour smell from his mouth. Jin took a step back from Ruth. 

 

“Why on earth are you drinking vinegar?”

 

“It’s because everyone here has a miserable fate.”

 

“….” 

 

“I have to drive.”

 

Ruth kindly added another word to Jin’s expression, which seemed completely unaware.

 

“I see… So, when are we going home?”

 

So he was acting like this without even drinking? Jin’s gaze toward him grew even more bewildered.

 

“Uh…A little later!”

 

Jin doubted whether Ruth, who seemed so absorbed in the game, was actually listening to her. But what could she do? With no real way to get home, she had no choice but to nod.

 

The only silver lining was that he at least intended to drive. Surely, this game of vinegar pong will end sometime tonight… right?

 

Jin left the table of masochists who were drinking vinegar again and headed toward the garden where darkness had fallen.

 

Fortunately, the garden, with its soft grass, was empty. It seemed no one was eager to enjoy their own thrill even outdoors.

 

Jin loosened the straps tightening around her feet and took off her heels, holding them in her hand. As the familiar sensation of the ground met her bare feet, she let out a sigh. Finally, she could breathe. 

 

Feeling the damp, soft grass brushing against her feet, Jin tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. 

 

The night sky in Florida wasn’t all that different from the one in Seoul. Artificial satellites gleamed brightly, pretending to be stars, while the real ones shimmered faintly, barely visible unless she squinted. 

 

Because of the lights coming from the mansion that had forgotten the night, Jin felt like she couldn’t see the stars anymore, so she moved her feet to find a darker place. With her heels in hand, she walked leisurely, her hands behind her back and her gaze fixed on the sky. 

 

It was almost inevitable that Jin, preoccupied with the sky, failed to notice the garden’s earlier occupant and ended up bumping into them with a thud. 

 

“H, huh.” 

 

She tried to brace herself by tightening the muscles in her legs to avoid falling, but her feet, exhausted from standing for so long, struggled to find balance. 

 

Jin, who was swaying and shaking, eventually fell down on someone.

 

“That’s such a rough greeting, Jin.” 

 

It was a familiar voice.