The idea came from Bonnie — sudden, impulsive, and entirely her. Inside the elevator, right after the group wrapped up their schedule together, she spun around and declared:

“Everyone, come over to my place tonight! Bring whatever you have — we’ll make a small party out of it. It’s our first time all seven of us are actually together. It would be a crime not to celebrate.”

The suggestion stunned everyone for a beat, but not one person objected. Emi hesitated, worried about imposing, but Bonnie grabbed her hand and refused to let go. June was caught off guard, but when she saw Film nod without hesitation, she agreed right away too.

---

That evening, Bonnie’s apartment glowed brighter than usual. The moment the door opened, the scent of fried chicken and sweet pastries filled the room. On the coffee table lay their makeshift feast — steaming pizza brought by Milk, snack bags from Emi, fruit juice bottles cradled by Namtan, and a last-minute bag of candy June had grabbed from a nearby convenience store.

“Perfect!” Bonnie beamed as she spread a fluffy carpet across the living room floor.

“Sit on the ground! No rules tonight — total freestyle!”

Laughter broke out as everyone took a seat. At first, the atmosphere was a little stiff. June kept herself small, smiling politely whenever someone spoke to her.

Fortunately, Namtan and Milk were quick to break the ice.

“We can’t just sit here and chew like mummies,” Milk grinned, popping open a can.

“Truth or dare,” Namtan chimed in. “Winner gets a bigger bite, loser… pours drinks for the person next to them.”

“Adorable punishment,” Love snorted. “I approve. Let’s go.”

Bonnie clapped excitedly. “First round!”

Film drew a dare.

“I dare you to sing a love song. Right here. Right now,” Bonnie declared, merciless.

“W-What, here?” Film sputtered.

“Right here,” Namtan smirked, resting her chin on her hand. “No escaping.”

Film hesitated, then began to sing. Just a short verse — but her voice was so clear and tender that the entire room fell silent before erupting in applause.

“Wow, I’m developing feelings,” Milk teased.

“Stop it!” Film covered her face, cheeks blazing red.

Beside her, Namtan chuckled softly, gaze gentle — which only made Film sink lower into her seat.

Next came Emi — truth. Love leaned forward with a sly smile.

“Have you ever been jealous of Bonnie?”

The room froze, all eyes turning to Emi. Her cheeks warmed as she muttered,

“…Of course. But jealousy comes from caring.”

“Aaah, that’s so sweet!” Bonnie squealed, pulling Emi into her arms, sending the whole group into a chorus of whistles.

June’s turn brought a dare — to share her most embarrassing memory abroad. After a moment’s hesitation, she confessed to slipping and falling in the middle of the cafeteria while carrying her lunch tray.

“Did everything spill?” Bonnie gasped.

“Head to toe,” June winced.

Laughter exploded. The tension eased even more.

Then it was Milk’s turn. Her slip read: “Give a heartfelt compliment to the person on your left.”

Her left — was June.

Milk tapped her chin, then smiled softly.

“June’s only just returned to Thailand, but she’s already keeping up with everything. She looks confident, but I bet she’s worked really, really hard.”

June froze, lips parting slightly. “Ah. Th-Thank you,” she whispered, bowing her head instead of saying more.

Love, sitting to Milk’s right, let out the faintest exhale. A near-invisible flicker passed through her eyes.

---

At nine o’clock, the entire apartment complex suddenly went dark. The lights blinked out, plunging the room into shadows.

“Ah!” Bonnie squeaked, immediately switching on her flashlight.

“Well, that’s timing,” Milk laughed.

One by one, they turned on their phone lights. In the dim glow, their faces felt closer. The game faded away, replaced by murmured stories.

“When I first got popular… I was completely lost,” Film whispered.

“But you’re stronger now,” Namtan said softly, taking her hand.

“I want to open my own film studio someday. Something small, but mine,” Milk mused.

“You already have a photo studio. Planning to start another empire?” Love teased, leaning her head on Milk’s shoulder.

Bonnie sighed. “I hate being compared to Film all the time. Sometimes I feel like I’m not good enough.”

Emi took her hand. “Don’t say that. To me, you’re one of a kind.”

The faint light glowed across June’s face. She didn’t interrupt — she simply watched them all, silent, listening. And in that moment… she felt like she was sitting in a home.

---

The lights flickered back on. Everyone squinted — but no one moved from their circle.

“Let’s call this our first official gathering,” Bonnie raised her cup.

“And a welcome,” Milk added, nodding toward June.

Cups of soda and juice clinked under a chorus of laughter.

---

At eleven, they finally began to pack up. Before stepping out the door, Film turned to Namtan and whispered,

“It’s been a while since I felt this light.”

“Mmm,” Namtan smiled. “Feels like we just found ourselves a home.”

From the corner, June slung her bag over her shoulder, her eyes lingering on each of them. She didn’t say much — only smiled. Warm… yet quietly guarded.

That night, each of them went home carrying the same feeling — as if they had just discovered a second family.