A figure stood around the corner, watching the two recognizable figures standing in the center of the performing arts building. His hands were clenched tight around his phone, music playing through his headphones, but he was too much of a coward to do anything but watch.

Unable to bear it anymore, he did the one thing he knew best. He turned and ran.

When Kwon Soonyoung collapsed face first into the couch in the radio station classroom, Seokmin pulled his phones down around his neck and gave his friend a strange glance. “Everything alright?”

Soonyoung didn’t respond, unable to get the sight of linked hands out of his mind. He closed his eyes and sighed.

“No.”

When Jihoon walked into the classroom the next day, if he expected anything to be different it wasn’t. Even though they had gotten him a new desk to replace the broken one, people had still vandalized it, leaving angry scrawled messages inked across the surface. Jihoon hd gotten tired of looking at it, so whenever he entered the room he had just throws his books onto the tabletop and rested his head.

He hadn’t been sleeping well, he hadn’t gotten a good night's rest in a while, but it seemed the exhaustion was finally catching up with him. He didn’t usually pay attention in class anyway, preferring to study on his own, but he still feet bad for sleeping. He should be trying his best to keep his scholarship but he just couldn’t bring himself to try.

Maybe I should visit home this weekend, Jihoon mused. It would be a good break to escape for couple of days.

Just as Jihoon was drifting off again, the teacher clapped her hands, gathering the attention of her students.

“Alright everyone, I would like you all to get into your groups so you can discuss your project. Spend the rest of the class working on it, I will be going around to see your progress.”

Chairs squeaked as students all stood up to get into their groups. Jihoon let out a mental groan, resisting the urge to bury his head into his hands. Definitely not how he wanted to start his day.

A desk was loudly pulled next to his and a reluctant Kwon Soonyoung dropped into his chair, looking none too happy at the prospect. He had a chronic sour look on his face which made Jihoon want to reach out and smooth down the wrinkles on his forehead. He hadn’t seen Hoshi smile in so long. He always looked so sad.

No. Not Hoshi. Kwon Soonyoung.

“I spoke to Mrs. Kim again but she’s very resolute about keeping our partners,” Soonyoung said as he took out his notes, looking rather annoyed at the fact. “We’re just going to have to work together.” He pulled out a folder filled with papers and diagrams, looking like he had already researched some information for the project. “I decided to look at the anatomy of the heart, like you said.”

Jihoon resisted a sigh. The heart, what a fickle, broken thing.

Jihoon reached out and took some of the sheets, looking at the information Soonyoung had already researched. His notes were very thorough and organized precisely, important parts highlighted in different colors and an entire heart drawn out in pencil.

Soonyoung coughed awkwardly. “I don’t have time to work on this outside of class, so we’re going to have to split the work and then put it together during class.”

Jihoon thought he looked hopeful, like he was hoping Jihoon would just let him do the project by himself. But Jihoon was stubborn too and he would never let someone do the work for him in school. Whatever happened between them didn’t matter, they were going to do this project together if it killed them.

“Fine with me. You work on the poster part of it and the anatomy aspect and I will start on the written aspect of the worksheet.”

Before Soonyoung could probably complain, Jihoon took out his notebook and began creating an outline for the paper. He thought he heard Soonyoung grumble something similar to ‘bossy’ under his breath, but he quieted down as he began sketching out a general poster idea.

By the end of class, Jihoon was editing the last parts of the outline and Soonyoung had created a sketch of the poster. Jihoon had to admit it looked good, Soonyoung was clearly intelligent and studious. Bitterly, Jihoon couldn’t help but think they made a good team.

“Alright, that will be all for class today,” Mrs. Kim said as the students began packing up their things. “Next week I would like to meet with each team to go over progress on their projects. You’re dismissed.”

Jihoon sighed in relief, sitting up and stretching his limbs before he began putting away his papers. Soonyoung was finishing a final touch on poster idea. He held it up to the light before showing it to Jihoon. “What do you think?” He asked seriously.

Taken aback that Soonyoung was actually talking to him, Jihoon leaned over to take a closer look. The overall aspect of the poster looked good, though there could be some improvements. “Probably move the picture of the heart to the middle to fit more information around the sides, and center the heading. I would suggest making everything black and white and then coloring the arteries and veins red and blue to show blood flow.”

Soonyoung’s eyes lit up and Jihoon was momentarily stunned. Not seeming to notice, Soonyoung leaned back over the paper, writing a few notes on the side. Jihoon quickly shoved his things into his bag, cursing his quickly beating heart in his chest.

“Okay, by next class I’ll bring the poster board so I can start on it…” His voice trailed off. Jihoon paused, halfway out of his seat, and followed his gaze. It fell on his desk, which was marred with cruel black words in dark ink.

Jihoon quickly stood up, standing in between Soonyoung’s gaze and the desk. “I’m leaving,” he said, almost hesitant.

The initial shock had left Soonyoung’s face, instead being left with a cold, blank stare. “Who wrote that?”

“It’s nothing,” Jihoon snapped, embarrassment burning his face. He hadn’t wanted Soonyoung to know about the bullying.

Before Jihoon could run Soonyoung reached out, grabbing him by the wrist. “Jihoon, that is not okay,” he hissed, disgust lacing his tone. He could sense the anger simmering just beneath the surface. 

Jihoon ripped his wrist out of his grip, like his touch burned. “It’s none of your business, Kwon Soonyoung,” Jihoon snapped back, his annoyance flaring. 

Soonyoung’s eyebrows furrowed, looking frustrated. He breathed out a sigh, closing his eyes momentarily. “They can’t say those things about you-”

“But it’s true, isn’t it?” Jihoon interrupted. The room went cold but Jihoon continued, stepping closer with each word . “Aren’t I just a beggar? A worthless Bronze?” Their gaze connected. “Just a scholarship student?”

There was nothing Soonyoung could say and Jihoon knew it.

“Stay out of my life.” Jihoon finally said. A rift had settled between them. They stood only a foot away but it felt like miles.

For a second Soonyoung almost looked like Hoshi. There was a sad, soft look in his eyes. He lifted his hand out, almost like he was trying to cross the rift for him. “Jihoon,” he said, but there was nothing to be said.

Before he could continue, the door to the classroom slammed open. Choi Seungcheol strode in, in his usual messy uniform and a backpack slung over one shoulder. He grinned when he spotted the pink haired boy, lifting a hand to wave. Jihoon was surprised. He hadn’t seen Seungcheol since the day before and he hadn’t thought he knew about his class schedule.

“I’ve been looking for you, Lee Jihoon,” Seungcheol said, striding over. “I went to your math class but Kim Mingyu said you hadn’t arrived yet. You must really love science, huh?”

Jihoon glanced over at Soonyoung. Any trace of Hoshi left was gone. The mask that Jihoon was getting used to seeing was back. 

“Yeah, sure,” Jihoon said, absentmindedly. He needed to leave. He grabbed his things and made to leave but Seungcheol gently blocked his way. 

“Always running,” Seungcheol laughed lightly and Jihoon visibly flinched. “Before you go…” Seungcheol reached into his bag and pulled out small container. He placed it in the other boys hands and grinned playfully. “Some vitamins, make sure you take them.”

Jihoon didn’t know what to do so he just took them. Seungcheol laughed and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Run along, you’re going to be late,” he said jokingly.

Jihoon was at a loss for words. Mutely, he bowed politely before brushing past him.

When Jihoon got to his math class, he was still in a daze as Mingyu pulled him into his chair and asked why Seungcheol had stopped by looking for him.

“He had to give me this,” Jihoon said, finally looking at the present given to him. It was a pack of gummy vitamins with an obnoxious pink bow on top. A winky face had been drawn on the side and Jihoon repressed a cringe.

“Really? Wow. Seungcheol seems to be really interested in you,” Mingyu said, though he didn’t look like he thought that was a good thing. “You need to be careful. The initial backlash has finally started to slow but if Seungcheol keeps pursuing you, you may get into a lot of trouble.”

Jihoon sighed, stuffing the bottle of vitamins into his backpack and pulling out his notes. He stayed silent as the teacher began to teach, staring blankly at his books. He knew he was probably thinking about it too much, Seungcheol had given him presents before to try to antagonize the student body, but after the conversation with him in the performing arts center… He had seen farther below the surface than the flirty and obnoxious Golden Boy that strode around the school like he owned the place.

It almost scared him because he had liked that side of Seungcheol.

Could Seungcheol really like him?

The door closed quietly behind Jihoon and Choi Seungcheol turned to the remaining person in the room.

Kwon Soonyoung was staring at him with thinly veiled anger in his gaze. Seungcheol cocked an eyebrow in interest, leaning up against a nearby desk. “Nice to see you back, Kwon,” Seungcheol said languidly. “You’ll be coming to dinner this weekend, won’t you?”

Soonyoung looked undisturbed, but from knowing the other since their childhood Seungcheol could pick up on the tense form of his shoulders and the slightly narrowed gaze that he was furious. Very interesting.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Soonyoung said through clenched teeth.

Seungcheol let a pleased smile slide onto his face. “Fantastic. Now I know we have an agreement between the two of us, don’t we?” He leaned forward, just to antagonize the other a bit. “I’d like to make it clear. Lee Jihoon is mine.”

Soonyoung visibly tensed up. “... What game are you playing, Choi?” He snarled.

It was Seungcheol that laughed. “I could ask you the same thing,” he said slyly. “I don’t know what ‘troubled past’ you have with Jihoon, but you really need to learn to hide your emotions better. I’m sure your father wouldn’t be happy with how you’re acting... Trailing after a Bronze when you’re engaged.”

Before he could continue Soonyoung grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. The anger was clear in his gaze now and his hands were shaking. “You don’t know anything, Choi Seungcheol,” Soonyoung growled, shaking him harshly.

But Seungcheol just continued to smile. He half hoped the other would punch him, he had wanted to punch Kwon Soonyoung in his pretty face for years. “Maybe I don’t. But you’re not on vacation anymore. You’re at Pledis now, right in the middle of the jungle. And you may be a Golden Boy but you’re not at the top of the food chain.”

There was a long stretch of silence, the two glaring at each other heatedly. Soonyoung’s grip tightened on his collar. “Stay away from Lee Jihoon,” he finally said, voice icy cold. “It’s my final warning.”

“I think you seem to be forgetting something,” Seungcheol said, and wrenched his shirt out of Soonyoung’s grip. He straightened his clothing, a ghost of a smile on his lips. 

“I always get what I want.”