บท 72: Musical Chairs

Everyone already cleared up the floor to make way for the second part of the game that they were expecting for Game Night.

"Let's now have our second game!"

With just the snap of Ivar's fingers, eight chairs formed in a large circle with huge gaps in between appeared in front of them.

"We are going to play Musical Chairs!"

Hearing the familiar name of the game, everyone grinned excitedly as they listened to Ivar explain the mechanics of the game.

"There are nine members playing, but there are only eight chairs present. For those unfamiliar of the game, Musical Chairs is a game of elimination involving players, chairs, and music," Ivar said enthusiastically as he connected his phone to the speaker beside him.

"So it means as the music plays, we have to move around and when the music stops, we sit on a chair, right," Edwin clarified, making Gwen beside him nod.

"Yups! And the person who was left standing is out of the game! We reduce one chair for each round, too," Gwen added, making Martha, who is unfamiliar of the game, understand the mechanics of it.

"How much is the cash prize," Frey asked loudly, making Ivar raise the envelope he was holding.

"$5,000 for the one and only winner!"

Devin's eyebrows twitched the moment he heard the annoying Dominion.

'Is he planning to annoy me to death as his pay back for ordering him around!?'

Ivar already chose a music for him to play then he spoke one last time before he hit play.

"Remember... you are not only to walk around the chairs when the music plays... but you also have to DANCE!"

Hearing this reminder, everyone looked at Devin with playful eyes, expectant that he would dance along to the music as he plays along with them.

He scoffed then gave everyone a scary look.

"I may have said to drop the formalities... but remember who took you in to live in this mansion," he said coldly, making them avert their eyes from him.

'So boring!'

"Okay! Here we go," Ivar said as he pressed play and the music that played was "More Than You Know" by Axwell ^ Ingrosso.

I just need to get it off my chest

Yeah, more than you know

You should know that baby you're the best

Yeah, more than you know

Everyone already started moving and dancing the moment the music played. The ones who were confidently dancing, however, were Gwen, Arvid, Frey, and Edwin.

For Martha, Angeal, Ava, and Gladios, they weren't good dancers so they just moved along with the beat, bobbing their heads and swaying their bodies as they moved around.

The Soul Eater, on the other hand just had both of his arms crossed in front of his chest, as he walked around nonchalantly.

Seeing this, Ivar rolled his eyes at him from afar then thought to himself, 'Wait until you get competitive! I know you too well!'

I saw it coming, from miles away

I better speak up if I got something to say

'Cause it ain't over, until she sings

You had your reasons, you had a few

But you knew that I would go anywhere for you

'Cause it ain't over, until she sings

When the song played part of the chorus already, Ivar unexpectedly stopped the music, making everyone panic. Angeal pushed Frey to the side as she sat on the chair nearest her.

"Hey!"

Frey on the other hand panicked as she forcefully shoved Arvid to the side, surprising him.

'How can this girl be this strong!?'

After a few seconds, everyone already found their seats, and the one left standing was poor old man Gladios.

"Aw! Our best man is out," Ivar reacted as Gladios chuckled then proceeded to sit on the couch.

"Oh, my legs couldn't keep up with me anymore," the old man said and hearing this made Angeal run up to him then she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, to comfort him.

"How sweet our lil Angeal is... saying to his gramps that he did his best joining the game," Ivar commented as he put aside one chair with his magic. "Now let's continue!"

Your good intentions are sweet and pure

But they can never tame a fire like yours

No it ain't over, until she sings

Right where you wanted, down on my knees

You got me begging, pretty baby set me free

'Cause it ain't over, until she sings

Ivar played the song longer than they thought. He was doing this on purpose as he danced along with them from where he stood.

What he was doing was rather effective. The participants were on up on their toes as they looked at Ivar expectantly.

Some of them would sit on the chair, thinking that he would stop the music, but alas, he laughed as he waved his phone to tease them.

"The music is still playing, guys! Keep going!"

Come a little closer, let me taste your smile

Until the morning lights

Ain't no going back the way you look tonight

I see it in your eyes

"Oopsie!"

Just after the last line of that song and the moment he exclaimed, he unexpectedly hit pause, making the participants run to the chairs nearest to them.

Arvid and Edwin noticed that everyone already sat down on their respective chairs and the vacant seat was the one farthest from them.

Both of them looked at each other as they started running towards the chair near Martha.

"Ah!"

The head housekeeper shouted when Edwin jumped rather aggressively on the chair, destroying it.

Seeing this, everyone laughed their hearts out, especially his son who had witnessed how his father bounced on his stomach on the floor.

"You're so childish, dad," Arvid commented as tears started escaping from his eyes due to too much laughter.

Ivar on the other hand, held his stomach as he witnessed how the father and son duo were so competitive on one single chair.

"Okay, okay," Ivar started to speak as he tried his best to stop laughing. "Destroying the chair is not part of the game, Edwin," he added, making the Unmovable God laugh in embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head.

Seeing how everyone was laughing this evening, Devin couldn't help but laugh along with them.

Looking at Angeal from where he is, he saw her have a different expression on her face. It was an expression on her face that he never saw.

It was an expression of sheer joy.

Angeal was seen laughing silently on her chair, as she clapped with joy at the little competition Edwin and Arvid had.

There was happiness soaking right into Angeal's face, as her eyes became smaller, and her smile widen due to her excitement.

Seeing this, Devin unknowingly smiled at her from afar as he savored the moment. For the first time in forever, his body and mind relaxed... knowing that the girl he worried about a while ago seemed to be feeling better.

In that moment as he watched the human girl from where he was, he smiled at her as he no longer felt worry. The deadliness in his surrounding aura escaped from his body as the Soul Eater, too, showed them an expression that he never showed them even when he was in their realm.

He was having fun with the people he was with indeed.