1.

The first day of school is never easy, Chanwoo thinks, scuffing his new shoes on the sidewalk. The black leather winks at him, shined to perfection.

YG Academy looms in the distance, foreboding, despite the gentle blue skies and sleepy clouds. Summer is in the air: Chanwoo can smell it in the cherry blossoms, see it in the rolling green fields. Home to some of the greatest international stars, Chanwoo can't help but feel out of place.

There was no reason for him to feel that way. He had gotten in through a scholarship, ahead of hundreds of other applicants - he had, by all means, earned his spot. Still, looking around, the Academy's crest on the lapel of every uniform blazer seems to taunt him. It's a grim reminder that if he wants to stay, he better fight.

No point dwelling on it though. There are a lot more pressing matters. Like what about his height? Isn't he way too tall? Or maybe his hairstyle, as conservative as it is, is way too noticeable? Do people think he has a baby face?

Chanwoo groans. He doesn't notice the way he hunches into himself, or the way his hands make their way over his mouth. He folds into himself, like he's afraid to take up anymore space than he absolutely has to.

The first day of school is never easy.

A shout, followed by some raucous laughter, draws his attention to a basketball court twice the size of the one at his old middle-school. It's obvious that its location was chosen for the sole purpose of displaying its capacities to anyone passing by. There's already a gaggle of boys stripping off their blazers, tossing them over their discarded bags, sleeves rolled up to their elbows. Chanwoo spots a tall blond dribbling a basketball with one hand, pointing at the hoop with his other.

The basketball club, probably. Or potential members.

That reminds him. He should find a club to join. Chanwoo walks past the court, mind already elsewhere. Someone whistles but he doesn't hear. The basketball club would take him for sure, but he isn't so interested in ball. Maybe drama? He has experience as an actor. There was also music, or maybe dance - 

A cool breeze from an air conditioner greets him as he finally crosses the threshold of the building's entrance. He turns in his spot, momentarily pulled out of his thoughts, and gapes. It's exactly as big as he'd been expecting, the ceiling actually high enough that he doesn't need to duck. 

The floors are polished so bright that he can see his reflection, the light from the rectangle windows giving the air a dreamy feel. As big as the corridor is, however, the students choke up the space in their groups. The lockers lining the walls are almost all occupied: some wide open, already crammed with books, others closed and waiting for an owner.

Chanwoo feels a spark of excitement. Once he manages to find the student office and receive his timetable, he'll get one of those lockers all to himself. That would really seal the deal, wouldn't it? He'll finally be a real student at -

The thought is cut off abruptly as he feels himself collide with someone. Shock shoots through him, fear following right on its tail. Whoever the poor soul that ran into him is, they're a lot smaller (and lighter) than Chanwoo. They bounce off his chest and go sprawling to the ground on their back. Several notebooks, a novel, and a folder goes flying. Chanwoo only stumbles a step, and realises with mounting horror that the boy he's collided with isn't moving.

'Oh my god,' a girl behind him says. Several students turn to see the unfolding commotion. 'Is he okay?'

'I'm so sorry!'

Flustered, Chanwoo kneels by the prone figure. He doesn't want to touch him, but he has to make sure the guy is alive.

'Please be alive,' he mutters.

Then the boy groans and Chanwoo breathes. His victim, a small blond with sweet curls and a beauty mark under his eye, sits up slowly. Winces. He holds a hand up to his head and groans again. He looks around at the crowd beginning to form, eyes narrowing, until his gaze finally lands on Chanwoo.

He squints.

'Who are you?'

Chanwoo bows his head, mortified. How did his first day turn out like this? He's not even clumsy.

'I'm so, so sorry. My name's Jung Chanwoo.'

'You new?'

'Yes.'

'Alright.' The boy sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. 'Okay. I'm Jinhwan. A senior."

A senior! Chanwoo bites back a groan of his own. He almost brained a senior on his first day at a new school. If this is any indication of the year to come, he can't think of a worse omen.

'I'm sorry,' he repeats.

He holds out a hand to Jinhwan (who eyes his palm warily before taking it). The size difference is hard to ignore and Chanwoo takes care not to pull on Jinhwan with too much force. Knowing his luck, he'd probably send the senior flying.

Jinhwan dusts himself off as he stands, staring dismally at his scattered belongings. Chanwoo bends quickly to pick them up, apologising profusely with each step. He knows everyone is staring at him. There's no way they can miss him with his height.

A whisper from a passing student lets him know that his face has been recognised: not only does the new kid appear to be a lumbering giant, but he's also the new kid on the scholarship. Chanwoo thinks his face must be burning. It sure feels like it. God, he's never been so embarrassed in his life.

He's vaguely aware that Jinhwan has been trying to say something to him for the past thirty seconds. Chanwoo looks up, mid-bend, eyes wide.

'Have you been listening to me?' Jinhwan purses his lips.

'…Yes?'

Jinhwan crouches to pick up his folder. A plastic bit of rectangle that had skidded near Chanwoo's current spot. Chanwoo only gets a brief glance at its surface:  there's part of a sticker-photo barely surviving on its red, worn face. Chanwoo tries to make it out. But then Jinhwan flicks some invisible dust off it, and tucks it under his arm. 

'I said you don't have to keep saying sorry. Just walk me to the infirmary. I want to see if I'm concussed.'

'Oh.' Chanwoo glances behind him, then back at Jinhwan. He points at himself. 'You want me to come with you?'

'Did someone else knock me out?'

He flushes. 'No.'

'Then yes, I want you to come with me.' Jinhwan takes the last of his possessions from Chanwoo. When the taller boy finally brings himself to meet his eye, Jinhwan smiles. It's a warm smile, a kind one.

It's enough to make Chanwoo smile back.

The expression is a little tight, but Jinhwan takes it. 'I'll take you to the student office after.'

'Thank you.' Chanwoo says. He refuses to admit that maybe he's getting a little teary.

Just a little.

2. 

'Hey, did you guys see that?'

'See what?'

Bobby tosses the basketball up into the air, catches it, then tosses it into the hoop with barely a glance. It drops through without even touching the rim. Hanbin picks it up as it rolls towards him and spins it on his forefinger. He nods towards the fence running round the perimeter of the court.

'That kid. New kid, I think. He was super tall.'

'Didn't see him.' Yunhyeong turns in the direction Hanbin has his gaze trained raises a hand to his eyes. The sunshine makes the parade of white shirts almost blinding but he scrutinises the crowd anyway. He shakes his head. 'What'd he look like?'

Hanbin shrugs. 'Tall.'

'Thanks.'

Junhoe snatches the ball from Hanbin and passes it to Donghyuk who waves at him from the three-pointer line. 'Was he taller than me?'

'Maybe the same height.'

'That is tall.' Bobby says cheerfully. He doesn't bother searching for whoever it is Hanbin has his eyes set on this time. He claps when Donghyuk makes the shot, the ball circling the rim twice before dropping through the centre.

The sound of rubber hitting the court draws Yunhyeong's attention back away from the fence and he grins.

'Well, we'll probably see him again soon enough.'
 

3.

People are still tittering by the time Chanwoo and Jinhwan reach the infirmary. Chanwoo's not surprised to find that word spreads fast in a place like YG Academy. He had hoped, though.
Jinhwan walks ahead of him, stride confident. If he hears the whispers, he doesn't show it. Chanwoo his head, admiring Jinhwan's unflappable attitude. It's hard to tell that he'd been floored just minutes ago.

The infirmary is much more spartan that the rest of the school: white walls, sharp-edged and sterile. But there is a nice stained-glass window over the beds, tossing a kaleidescope of colours over the wall. There are six beds in total, each neat and made up with entirely white sheets that look crisp enough to snap. A nurse stands from her spot behind a desk when she sees the two boys enter, voices hushed.

'Can I help you with something?'

'Yes, I was just wondering if you had something for a headache.' Jinhwan bows neatly from his waist and Chanwoo follows suit.

The nurse crosses over to a high cupboard with a mirror on its doors. She pulls them open and rummages. 'What happened?'

'I…' Jinhwan glances at Chanwoo. 'I tripped and hit my head.'

Chanwoo averts his gaze sheepishly. The nurse clucks her tongue.

'How awful. And it's the first day back at school, too.'

Jinhwan makes a non-committal sound and downs the two tablets the nurse hands him. When they leave, they bow once more, and step back into the corridors of the Academy. The students hanging about have already begun to dwindle, the time for classes to start fast approaching.

Chanwoo glances at his watch twice before Jinhwan manages to calm him down.

'Hey, we'll just go get your timetable and your locker number.' He places a gentle hand on Chanwoo's arm, leading him down a less crowded hallway. 'I'll even walk you to your class so you don't get lost.'

'Won't you be late?'

Jinhwan laughs. 'Who cares?'

This time, Chanwoo's the one to grasp Jinhwan's fingers. He does it out of habit before he can stop himself (he always does) and squeezes the slender digits. Jinhwan stares but says nothing.

'But I can't ask you to be late just because-'

Jinhwan squeezes his fingers back. 'You didn't ask. I told you that I'd walk you to the office, and I'm telling you I'll walk you to class.' He pauses. 'Unless you don't want me to.'

The dejected look on his face is almost too much. Chanwoo pulls away, flustered.

'No!' A group of students glance at them as they pass and Chanwoo lowers his voice. 'No, I'm really thankful that you're being so nice to me.'

'Good.' Jinhwan smiles and shoves his hands in his pockets. 'Then let's go. If we move fast enough, both of us can get to class in time.'
 

4.

'Yo, B.I. I think I saw him.'

'Ow, Junhoe.'

Hanbin winces. His arm stings where Junhoe, in his urgency for Hanbin's attention, had smacked him. He returns the blow by punching Junhoe's shoulder. He doesn't think the other boy notices.

'Junhoe? Earth to Junhoe, what are you talking about?'

'That tall new kid you were talking about.' Junhoe turns to Hanbin and raises his hand to the top of his head. 'My height, brown hair, big eyes? Actually wears the school uniform properly?'

'Yeah, that's him.'

Yunhyeong appears beside Hanbin. 'Where is he?'

'He just passed by.' Junhoe points down the hallway where he'd seen the brunette. Hanbin's right: the kid is tall but he might also be a disaster on the basketball court. He hadn't seen an ounce of swagger in the guy's walk, no implication of outstanding grace. Maybe he wasn't a klutz, but he didn't look like he had any bite in him. 

But spying the new kid was more coincidence than anything else. What really caught his eye was the short senior by New Kid's side. Junhoe recognises the blond. Of course he does.

He'd know Kim Jinhwan anywhere, even with his hair dyed.

'I keep missing him.' Yunghyeong moans in faux distress. 'I want to see Hanbin's new eye-candy.'

'He's been making those dreamy faces for the past few minutes.' Donghyuk agrees. 'We should keep him away from Hanbin.'

'I'm not going to do anything to him.' Hanbin says defensively.

'He's not that big of a deal.' Junhoe adds. He's still staring down the hallway when Bobby waves a hand in front of his face.

Yunhyeong grabs Donghyuk by the shoulders and shakes him. 'I want to see him!'

'Stop! Stop!' Donghyuk laughs, trying to pry Yunhyeong's fingers off his blazer. 'I'll bet you five thousand won he's in our class.'

'I don't have any money.'

'Filthy liar.' Donghyuk says and shoves Yunhyeong forward. 'Keep moving, will you?'

5.

Chanwoo's staring out the window when Yunhyeong walks into the classroom, Donghyuk half-hanging off his shoulders, laughing over some joke from Bobby. Even from Chanwoo's spot all the way in the back corner, Yunhyeong can tell that it's the new kid that Hanbin had seen on the court.

The leaves outside throw shadows over Chanwoo's face. His chin is resting on his open palm, an elbow propped up on the desk. His legs are so long he has to stretch them out, his trousers riding up to expose an ankle.

Yunhyeong reaches into his back pocket and fishes for a five thousand won note. He slaps it into Donghyuk's hand.

Donghyuk looks at him, confused, and follows Yunhyeong's gaze.

His mouth opens.

Closes.

Then he starts to laugh so hard Chanwoo turns.

When they catch each other's eye, Yunhyeong feels something in him stutter.

6.

Laughter from the doorway draws Chanwoo's attention from the clouds back to reality.

A couple of other students look up at the same time as he does, and Chanwoo vaguely recognises the group of boys as the ones on the basketball courts. Five of them, he counts. From the expression on everyone's face, all popular too. He's not surprised about that either.

It's hard to miss the palpable confidence they exude. They're handsome and each of them knows it. Chanwoo almost smiles, a little rueful. What he'd give for confidence like that.

'Yunhyeong,' one of the boys says eagerly. He's startlingly pretty. 'The seat next to him is free.'

Yunhyeong, Chanwoo presumes is the one he'd made eye contact with a second ago, turns and gives his friend a push that rocks him off balance. 'Shut up, Donghyuk.'

'Can you guys move already?' Another voice whines from behind them. 'I want to sit.'

'I want to sit,' a voice mimics. 'Move it, Yunhyeong.'

Yunhyeong grumbles but he obliges, moving forward to let the rest of his teammates trickle in. The last of the boys to cross the threshold of the classroom stands beside Yunhyeong. He glances at Chanwoo nonchalantly, then whispers something in Yunhyeong's ear.

Whatever it is he says, Yunhyeong agrees with a nod.

'Sure, Hanbin.'

Chanwoo watches, first with some detachment. The detachment gives way to a nagging anxiety as the group begins to pick their way through the tables.

Towards him.

Some incomprehensible part of him shouts a warning in his head. The other part keeps him frozen, wide-eyed.

'Oh no,' he whispers.

He doesn't know why.

Not yet.