“The accumulation of stress along the boundaries of…” Jongin has been trying to recite a certain passage in his book. Baekhyun’s head is laid on his lap, the brightness in his eyes veiled by blankness as he gazes distantly at the littered students from afar. “of…lithospheric plates results in…earthquake…Baek, are you sure you’re alright…?”

Since they sat under this tree an hour ago, Baekhyun has been awfully clammed up. Jongin attempts to search for something in his best friend’s eyes, but those inexpressive orbs show him nothing. Seven days and still, Baekhyun is slumped in deep dejection.

“How many times have you asked me that today?” Baekhyun offers his friend a faint smirk, though it lacks the mischief that always comes with it. Jongin releases a soft sigh, dropping his textbook on the verdant grass.

“I’ve already lost count of it.” Jongin combs his fingers through Baekhyun’s soft golden brown hair, pity washing over him. He’s well aware of Baekhyun’s plight, he knows that the other is trying his best to withhold the hammering pain in his chest by keeping up a happy front. A front which is well on its way to being fragmented. “Baekkie…”

“I’m okay, Jongin,” Baekhyun closes his eyes, patting his best friend’s arm. It feels assuring that Jongin is very concerned about him, but he shouldn’t worry himself over this all the time.

“No, you’re not…” Jongin frowns, almost whining. Baekhyun lets slip a light chuckle. He inclines his neck, meeting Jongin’s droopy eyes.

“Okay, I’m not. But I will be. Just…give me time.” Baekhyun closes his eyes again, relishing in the peacefulness of the area and the lulling sound the huge tree’s rustling leaves as the wind breezes by. “You know what, I really want to eat something right now. Since you’re my slave, get me some food.”

The concern in Jongin’s face is quickly replaced by an affronted one. “Excuse me? You’re the one who lost the game yesterday! You’re supposed to be my slave!”

“If you wanna make your best bud feel better, tend to his every want and need,” Baekhyun counters with a teasing smile.

A pout wends its way on Jongin’s lips, but then a thoughtful look crosses over his annoyed features. Baekhyun’s smiling right now and he doesn’t want that to fade away.

“Fine,” Jongin sighs begrudgingly, admitting defeat. Baekhyun’s grin stretches further and he does a little victory clap. He springs up to allow Jongin to move from his position. “I will only do this because I love you and I don’t want that sad look on your ugly face. You owe me!”

“Nah. We both know my face is the real deal!” Baekhyun poses a cute look and Jongin makes an act of gagging. Soon, all Jongin can hear are Baekhyun’s faint snorts of laughter as he descends down the knoll to buy Baekhyun’s snack.

As Jongin makes his way to the nearest vending machine, thoughts start streaming into his mind. Mostly, about what all went down last week.

Secretly witnessing something they shouldn’t have did a lot of damage. For starters, Baekhyun can’t even participate in his club activities anymore—not while Kyungsoo’s around. All Baekhyun can visualize is Kyungsoo shoving his tongue down Luna’s throat and that isn’t exactly something his best friend wants to think about. His close relationship with Kyungsoo becomes strained and Jongin knows that Kyungsoo has already began to notice. Every time the both of them cross paths with the older guy, Baekhyun is always the first to turn and flee. His evasiveness is obviously beginning to bother Kyungsoo.

Not that Jongin hates the older, but his respect for Kyungsoo has dwindled down after catching that unwanted information of him having an illicit affair with his stepsister; a girl who is currently in a relationship with someone else. And this said someone, Jongin happens to know all too well.

That’s another thing. Jongin knows that it isn’t in any way his business, but seeing Sehun date Luna without having the knowledge that his girlfriend is actually cheating him behind his back prods at his conscience. Something in him wants to enlighten Sehun about all of this, but chances are, the other won’t even believe a word at all. Aside from that, it would be his word against Luna’s and Kyungsoo’s. He doesn’t want any trouble and he’s not planning on getting himself involved in something so complicated and serious.

Thankfully, Kyungsoo isn't asking him yet about Baekhyun’s constant avoidance towards him. But Jongin has a hunch that sometime soon, Kyungsoo would. He’s already preparing himself for the possibilities.

Jongin takes his time picking out his choices from the vending machine. It's to his utmost delight even, when he buys Skittles and instead of one, two packs drop down. He decides to buy another one and the same thing happens.

“Waahh…” He almost giggles. Apparently, the vending machine is malfunctioning, and he’s going to take advantage of it. Considering the pig his best friend is, Baekhyun is so going to be thrilled about all the snacks, Jongin can already tell.

Jongin is in the middle of inserting another bill when a deafening crash resounds just inside the door near him. The harsh sound startles him and he jumps, eyes darting towards the source of the noise. He almost forgets to take the chocolate bar when it drops down the takeout port.

The teenager’s eyes are just as wide as saucers when a girl storms out of the door, slamming it shut. Her eyes are clouded with anger and it terrifies him. Jongin inches close to the vending machine, his arm almost sticking on the chilly glass as the girl bypasses him with a furious huff. Jongin cranes his head, eyes following the girl’s retreating figure.

“What was that…” Jongin mumbles to himself, eyes still fairly round. His startled heart is beginning to calm down again, though. Sometimes, students in this campus can’t quite take their temper down a notch, it’s scary.

With hands full of snacks, Jongin decides it's enough. But just right when he is about to leave, someone walks out from the same door the girl recently stormed out from, causing the boy to halt in his tracks. Jongin almost drops the treats from his hands.

“Chan…Chanyeol hyung…?” Jongin’s eyes are blinking a little too fast after he stammers the older guy’s name. Chanyeol looks back at him with the same amount of surprise in his face.

Well…a face that has an embarrassing, glowing red handprint on it, at that.

Chanyeol, who seems to have noticed Jongin staring at a certain area of his face with a stunned expression, manages to let out a gruff, “Hey, kiddo.”

No words are said after that. They are drowning in the uncomfortable and awkward silence that befalls them. Even with his alarmed eyes, Jongin looks adorable standing there with all those sweet treats while there is Chanyeol, looking even more ridiculous than a girl who has overdone her blush-on.

“Erm…what happened…?” Jongin shyly questions, pertaining to the red mark across Chanyeol’s cheek. The older sighs and leans against the door frame with a mild scowl on his face.

“Someone got a little too upset because I broke up with her,” Chanyeol shakes his head, smirking. His last ex can slap the out of someone, he’ll give her that. “Damn girls these days…”

Jongin is a bit uneasy with the other’s answer. Having Sehun as his crush, he’s also well-informed about Chanyeol’s casanova-like reputation. He has never had a steady relationship being the notoriously fickle person that he is, unlike his best friend.

Well…it’s not really a relationship at all, truthfully speaking…Jongin thinks, remembering that Luna is just with Sehun to please her parents. Sehun is doomed to a one-sided love. Just like me—oh stop it now, Jongin…

“Aren’t you going to share some of that?” Chanyeol teases, eyeing the snacks Jongin’s holding. An embarrassed blush faintly taints the younger’s cheeks. Jongin hands Chanyeol a random pack, before they start walking. Chanyeol tears the cover open with his teeth and starts munching on the chocolate bar while Jongin gazes straight ahead.

“Haven’t seen you in a while,” Chanyeol begins, inserting one hand in his pocket. The last time he shared a conversation with Jongin was at the mini Mathematics convention the junior high school department held three months back. As they walk side by side, Chanyeol notices how Jongin’s head has already passed his shoulders, unlike before when the crown barely reached his biceps. “Well, well. Look