Moments later, everyone seems well-rested and slightly more civilized, except for Seungkwan, who's still picking grass from his hair. They gather around the stone table again, water bottles and leftover snacks scattered between them.
"So, what now?" Vernon asks, leaning back with his arms behind his head.
"Should we tell our parents?" DK suggests, brows furrowed in concern.
The reaction is instant.
Joshua nearly chokes on his drink. "You think we'd get one step further if they knew?"
Minghao lets out a humorless chuckle. "There's a reason they never told us anything. If we go running to them now, they'll bury this deeper than the vaults under the academy."
"Also," Hoshi adds, "pretty sure my mom would drag me home and make me study law."
"She should," Woozi mutters. "You'd make a terrifying prosecutor."
"I'd object to that," Hoshi grins.
Groans and eye-rolls ripple through the table.
Jeonghan taps the map they've spread out. "We follow this trail ourselves. Quietly. We're already in deep, might as well go all in."
Just then, Wonwoo's phone buzzes.
He glances at it. But ignores it.
Then it rings again.
Seungcheol, seated beside him, snatches it. "If you're gonna ignore it, at least mute it."
Before Wonwoo can stop him, Seungcheol swipes to answer.
"Babe, where are you?" says a voice on the other end. Sweet, sultry, and unmistakably annoyed.
Seungcheol freezes for a split second, then a slow, devilish grin spreads across his face.
"Hm?" he says, copying Wonwoo's voice.
Then, puts her on speaker.
"Babe! Where the hell are you?"
The table goes silent.
Everyone knows that voice.
Camille.
Jeonghan instantly perks up. Mingyu chokes on air. Joshua hides his amused smile behind his cup. Hoshi looks like Christmas came early.
"Hey. Are you there?" Camille's voice is sharper now.
Seungcheol bites his lips to prevent himself from laughing. "Yes, babe. I'm still here. Never left."
The boys lose it. Everyone is covering their mouths or pinching their noses not to burst out laughing.
Vernon nearly falls off his chair.
Seungkwan wheezes. DK smacks the table. Minghao clutches his stomach.
But nothing's funnier than the look on Wonwoo's face.
Utter horror! Like he's watching his social life implode in slow motion.
"Wait—Seungcheol?!" Camille's voice spikes. "Are you KIDDING ME?!"
And then—click.
Call ended.
A beat of stunned silence.
Then chaos.
"Oh my god, that was art," DK gasps between wheezes, wiping tears from his eyes. "Seungcheol, how are you not an actor?"
"Thank you, thank you," Seungcheol says, bowing his head like he just won an award. "I accept tips and gossip as payment."
"Wait, again?" Hoshi gasps
dramatically, almost knocking over his drink. "You two were literally done-done last time!"
"Wasn't there crying?" Woozi squints at Jun. "There was crying, right?"
Jun nods. "She threw his sweater off the balcony."
"Wonwoo," Dino sings, eyes glittering with mischief. "Be honest. When did you two get back together?"
"We're not—" Wonwoo begins.
"Ha!" Seungkwan interjects, pointing.
"That was too quick. Defensive and suspicious."
Minghao leans in, grinning. "When did it happen this time? Be honest. Midnight text? A meme? Did she send the cat with the sad eyes again?"
"Or was it the old 'I miss your hoodie' move?" Joshua gasps.
"She didn't even say anything,"
Wonwoo mutters, flustered. "She just showed up with takeout and my cat, and—ugh, why am I even explaining to you?"
"Wrong," Jeonghan says smoothly.
"You owe us details, receipts, and possibly screenshots."
"I need to know if I'm supposed to start pretending to like her again,"
Seungkwan adds, already pulling out his phone. "This is like, the fifth time. I need a cheat sheet."
"Preach!" Dino pipes in. "I'm tired of adjusting my emotional investment."
"We didn't even get a soft launch this time," Woozi says.
"She literally called him 'babe' on speaker," Seungcheol snorts. "I'd call that a full-blown relaunch with fireworks."
They all burst out laughing again.
Seungcheol clears his throat, straightening in his seat. "Alright. Fun's over. Let's get back to it."
"Right," Joshua nods, serious again.
"We've got the map. We know the archive's sealed for a reason. And if what we found is real—"
"—then our families have been lying to us," Woozi finishes. "For generations."
A silence settles over the table.
Seungkwan says flatly. "If we tell them, they'll either cover it up, erase us from existence, or lock us in the wine cellar."
"I wouldn't mind the wine cellar,"
Vernon shrugs. "It's peaceful."
"And climate-controlled," Mingyu adds.
"Focus," Jun says, smacking both of them lightly with a napkin.
"I agree with Seungkwan," Joshua says. "Our parents kept this hidden for a reason. And not a good one. If we go to them, the whole plan's done."
"We do this ourselves," Jeonghan says simply.
"I agree," Seungcheol rolls a shoulder, his grin half-feral. "Wouldn't it be more fun if we find it ourselves?"
Excitement grows among them like a live wire.
"So… what's the plan?" Vernon asks, pulling his hoodie over his head as he leans in. "We play detectives now?"
Minghao flips open his sketchpad, revealing pages filled with diagrams and annotations. "If we track where the missing pages were torn, maybe we can trace the originals."
"Oooh! Can't wait," Seungkwan mutters, hands clasped with excitement. "If I disappear, tell my mom it was for a noble cause."
"We're really doing this," Hoshi grins.
"Split up—library, old record rooms, archive vaults. Anything tied to the original pact. Regroup before curfew."
Mingyu nods. "We've already broken in once. We can do it again."
"But smarter this time," Woozi says, raising a brow at Hoshi. "No dramatic acrobatics."
"I make no promises," Hoshi beams.
Seungcheol spreads the old academy blueprint out on the table, anchoring the corners with juice bottles and someone's phone.
"Tomorrow night. We go in deeper. Same entrance, but we follow the tunnel under the west wing."
"If we get caught, we get expelled," Minghao points out, arms crossed.
"If we don't go," Joshua counters, "we stay blind."
"Besides," Dino says, voice quieter now, "this isn't just about us. If what we suspect is true, everything the Thirteen are built on... could be a lie."
They exchange looks—some nervous, others resolute.
Then, from under his arms, Wonwoo groans, "Can we please finish planning before Camille FaceTimes?"
"Too late," Jeonghan sings, waving his phone. "She's texting me now."
"Oh, shit!" Wonwoo exclaims.
Mingyu shoves his brother sharply. "Go. Call her before she comes flying here."
Wonwoo stumbles slightly, caught off guard. "I'm going, I'm going!"
"We really can't afford another pair of ears on this," Jeonghan mutters while leaning on Seungcheol's back. "Not when we're already dodging landmines and cannonballs."
And then—
"Haaaaiiiiiiiiii~!"
The entire table freezes.
The sing-song voice echoes like a warning bell down the hall, deceptively sweet and unmistakably familiar.
Even Wonwoo stops on his track and turns towards them.
"What are you doing here?" Joshua asks, startled, half-standing from his seat.
Yraiza and Jeimyka exchange a look before breaking into excited giggles.
"Our transfer got finalized this morning," Yraiza beams.
"Oh no," Seungkwan whispers like he's watching a horror movie.
The Thirteen glance at one another, trying to keep their expressions neutral.
Inside? Chaos. Absolute, screaming chaos.
Jeimyka claps her hands together.
"Which means… we're officially enrolled here now!"
They both squeal and hold hands in delight.
We're doomed, they think collectively.
"So, what were you guys talking about before we got here?" Yraiza asks, her tone airy, but her eyes razor-sharp as she leans into the chair beside Minghao, like a queen settling in for a full briefing.
"Nothing important!" Seungkwan jumps in too fast. "Just… you know. Health stuff. Vitamins. Fiber."
"Fiber?" Jeimyka echoes with a perfectly arched brow.
Yraiza's eyes flick toward the partially hidden rolled-up blueprint on the table. "And I suppose that's your high-fiber diet?"
"My project!" Hoshi blurts, almost too loud. He snatches the blueprint and clutches it to his chest like a lifeline.
"Architecture elective. You know… load-bearing walls and stuff!"
Sweat gathers at his brow. Jeimyka doesn't blink. Yraiza tilts her head, unconvinced.
They're not buying it.
Before the mood can fully spiral into interrogation territory, a familiar voice slices through the garden like a siren call.
"Having a little party without me?"
All heads snap toward the garden entrance.
Nikki.
Cool, poised, and clearly enjoying every eye on her. She strides in and walks straight to Jun, who rises without hesitation to greet her. He wraps his arms around her waist, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Hey," she says sweetly, brushing his hair from his forehead. "Missed me?"
"You know I did," Jun replies.
"Who's next?" he mutters under his breath. "Our mothers?"
Meanwhile, the girls greet Nikki with excited squeals and open arms, already exchanging pleasantries and updates.
Then—
"You'll never guess the good news!" Yraiza grins, grabbing Nikki's arm.
Jeimyka bounces on the balls of her feet. "We're officially transferring in!"
Nikki gasps. "Wait, seriously? Here?"
"Uh-huh!" Yraiza nods. "Just finalized it this morning."
"Oh, Rory will freak when she hears," Nikki beams, clapping her hands.
"She's going to be so happy to have you both around!"
Jeimyka turns, her expression soft with fondness. "Speaking of… where is Rory?"