Planning

Author’s POV

The afternoon sun spilled through the sliding windows of Hyrine’s living room, glowing warm against the white floor tiles. Shoes were scattered everywhere—thanks to Kat, who claimed she “had to remove them dramatically for the vibe.” Mae groaned about it. Janna filmed it. Bing laughed. And Menggay? She quietly folded her jacket and placed it neatly on the couch like the responsible lesbian she was.

Wenalin, the eldest and naturally stood near the window sipping cold coke .

Today was the start of their summer vacation month, and they all gathered here to plan where they were going.

And right now?

Chaos.

Absolute chaos.

---

“Okay, listen!” Hyrine shouted dramatically, opening her laptop like she was about to hack NASA. “We need a place where we can camp, do bonfire, roast marshmallows, and lay on grass while existential crisis.”

Mae rolled her eyes, arms crossed. “Hyrine, we are not doing existential crisis! We are doing RELAXATION. I swear to God—”

“You relax your attitude first,” Hyrine shot back.

“EXCUSE ME?”

“Excused you!”

Kat clapped loudly. “Yeheeeey round one! Ding ding ding!”

Menggay quietly pressed her lips together to stop herself from smiling too much. She glanced at Wenalin—who met her eyes for a second before looking away calmly. Just that tiny eye contact made Menggay’s heart do a full-on gymnastics routine.

Meanwhile, Bing sat beside Janna, trying to peek at her phone.

“Janna, stop scrolling TikTok. We’re choosing a place.”

“Wait, wait, I’m watching a cat fall from a table. Hahahaha—hold on—HAHAHAHAHA—okay wait—hehe—okay, done.”

“Are you done?” Bing asked.

“No.”

Of course.

---

Mae snatched the laptop from hyrine and sit beside hyrine. Mae’s Turn on the Laptop

“Let me search properly,” Mae said, grabbing the laptop from Hyrine like she was retrieving a baby from danger.

Hyrine gasped. “MY LAPTOP!”

“It’s OUR VACATION, So you behave.”

Kat leaned toward Wenalin dramatically. “Do they argue for fun or…?”

“They always do,” Wenalin answered calmly, taking another sip of her coke.

“That’s their love language,” Bing whispered.

Menggay quietly smiled at them all, her eyes drifting to Wenalin again. Wenalin’s simple posture, her soft but mature aura—it was enough to make Menggay’s heart flip. She didn’t show it; she never did. But her eyes always gave her away.

“Okay,” Mae said, typing loudly. “We need a place with nature, mountains or rivers, maybe a field where we can set a bonfire.”

“And a nice view!” Hyrine added.

“And a cool breeze,” kat said.

“And a cute girl,” bing joked.

Wenalin gave Kat a blank stare. “bing. I don't know if thiers a cute girl.”

“Sorry, sorry, just joking,” bing said while dramatically wiping fake tears. “This is why I’m always third wheel. No one loves me.”

“You can love yourself,” Wenalin said.

“OUCH!” bing clutched her heart. “

Even Wenalin cracked a tiny chuckle.

Menggay melted inside. That smile is illegal.

---

The Discovery of the Mansion

“GUYS!” Mae suddenly shouted.

Everyone froze—except Janna, who was watching another TikTok about a dancing from her favourite kpop boygroup.

Mae turned the laptop around like she was presenting treasure.

“I found a place. It’s an OLD MANSION.”

Hyrine gasped. “A WHAT?!”

“A mansion? Like… sosyal?” Bing asked.

“Yes! And guess what—IT’S SO CHEAP!”

Kat’s eyes widened. “Cheap? Why? Is it haunted? is thier a ghost? ? tax evasion?”

“It’s NOT scary!” Mae strictly said. “It’s just old. Like vintage. Old wood. Old design. Old everything.”

“Like bing love life,” wenalin added.

“HEY!”

Mae scrolled through the pictures.

The girls gathered around.

And the mansion?

It was… beautiful. Wide front yard, tall trees, a huge field behind, and a small forest nearby. Perfect for camping and bonfire.

“It looks peaceful,” Wenalin commented.

Menggay stared at Wenalin instead of the screen. If you’re here, anywhere is peaceful, she thought but would rather die than say it out loud.

“It’s pretty,” Bing said.

“It’s aesthetic,” Hyrine nodded.

“It’s TikTok-able,” Kat added.

“TIKTOK?!” Janna suddenly stood up. “Where? Show me the picture!”

Everyone laughed.

---

“Should we go?” Maeasked.

“Yes!” Hyrine said instantly.

“No,” Kat said. “I’ll be third wheel again.”

“You ALWAYS are,” Bing replied.

Kat dramatically collapsed on the floor. “I’m tired of suffering!”

Wenalin shook her head slowly. “Kat, you’re dramatic.”

“I LEARNED FROM THE BEST,” Kat pointed at Hyrine and Mae.

Menggay spoke softly, “I think it’s perfect… the nature looks nice.”

Everyone turned to her.

Hyrine gasped. “MENGGAY SPOKE MORE THAN FIVE WORDS??!”

Menggay’s cheeks burned. “I speak.”

“We know,” Wenalin said gently, giving her a small smile.

Menggay almost melted onto the couch.

Janna zoomed into the mansion picture. “Guys, we can do transitions here. And dance videos. And POVs—”

“Janna,” Hyrine said. “We’re going on vacation, not TikTok career launching.”

“It’s the same thing.” janna

---

Mae stood up suddenly. “Okay! I’m booking it!”

“WITHOUT DEMOCRACY?!” Kat shouted.

“This is dictatorship,” Bing whispered.

“This is LOVE,” Hyrine corrected, pulling Mae into a side hug.

“Ew,” Kat mumbled.

Wenalin sighed, “Book it . Before someone else rents it.”

Menggay nodded quietly in agreement.

And that was it.

The room erupted in screams, giggles, and Janna shouting, “GUYS LET’S DO A COUNTDOWN VIDEO FOR THIS!”

Kat:okay okay

Bing :let me join

Hyrine and Mae argued over who should hold the laptop.

Janna recorded everything for TikTok.

And Wenalin just smiled at the chaos—soft, calm, the smile that Menggay secretly adored.

Their vacation hadn’t even started.

But already…

It felt like the trip they would truly never forget.

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