Until recently, Doyoung had realized he had been ignoring the sky. The sun that had been persistent this week with temperatures over the 80s consistently with not a single cloud in sight almost felt a strange dream to him, but a dream that confuses you with reality. Yet somehow, despite the sky promising summer, he still felt cold – as he sat in the empty music room near the window cracked just a bit open where he can already feel the immense morning humidity but the cold shivers he felt were deeper than the surface of his skin, it flowed in his blood stream. The air conditioner muffled the summer rays illuminating the windows beside him, encircling him into his own cold tundra.

Doyoung always came early to school. He was one of the first students to arrive and always lurked in the music room. Some days he would do homework he couldn't get done the evening before, but you would most likely catch him practicing his flute. He was extremely diligent this week with his playing – despite all the recent distractions – because he had his first recital this week. And the first of anything is always the scariest. Although, Doyoung never got anything less than the top 3 in recitals so to anyone else, it would be accustomed at this point to no longer break a sweat. But he had the bad habit of second guessing himself to the point of self-destruction in most cases.

He straightened his back and fixed his feet on the floor properly after he had a good break staring out to the empty front yard of the school. He lifted his flute – holding it with no diagonal but completely straight –but before he could blow and make a note, a loud crash comes from behind him and he turns around.

"Yuta?" The name rolls out of his mouth unwarily when he sees the Japanese boy stumble into the room, failing to open the door countless times because of his butter fingers after eating that delicious sweet bread.

"Doyoung!" Yuta cries dramatically and he runs over to the other, "I'm sorry!"

Yuta pulls the other to a death tightening hug and his breath tickles his neck, making him squirm out of his grip. The third year looks hurt but Doyoung pats his shoulder in reconciliation. Although the confused expression never leaves his face and he only stares blank faced at the other as he tries to process what just happened. Yuta had never apologized first in the entirety of knowing him. He knew something was up.

"What was that?" Doyoung chokes out when Yuta pulls the other into a chokehold and throws him more compliments and apologies.

"I'm sorry Doyoung," Yuta cries, "I was a bad friend for doing that to you. I've noticed my mistakes. Forgive me?"

If it weren't for the Japanese's signature heart throbbing smile given right afterwards, Doyoung would have left the other. But instead, Doyoung simply sighs and pats the other's head, despite the itching nerve in the pit of his stomach that by forgiving him would bring him something uninviting.

Yuta sighs in relief and releases Doyoung out of his grip when his flute was jabbing into his chest (purposely) and sat down on the table. Doyoung figured while watching Yuta get comfortable by crossing his legs and leaning on his arms coolly he had no plans on leaving – so he put away his flute rather grimly.

"You don't have to stop practicing, I'm just going to chill here," Yuta says.

"I know you won't shut up."

Yuta laughs and nods, clasping his hands together and taking a deep breath so he can ramble on.

"So while you were being petty – Ten has been a y hoe and ditched me. And guess for who?"

Doyoung bites his lip and furrows his eyebrows. He hates the fact that he has to say his name, "... Jaehyun?"

Yuta scoffs but suddenly goes silent – his face getting in deep thought with his eyebrows exposing him – and then suddenly a small smile crosses his lips.

"I see you've been thinking about him a lot~ "

"Shut the hell up. Is it Taeyong?"

Yuta pouts slightly but nods afterwards, "How'd you guess?"

Doyoung shrugs, "Gut feeling. You wouldn't be this upset if it were anyone else."

Yuta sighs and frowns right after, "Can you believe that little snake did that? After all those times he's hurt him – he chooses to leave me and run off with him. I just don't ing understand."

"Aren't you assuming things too quickly?" Doyoung argued, "Also, you seem to be forgetting that Ten hurt him too. Who knows? Maybe after making it even, Taeyong and Ten could have made up – since they'll be spending a lot of time together now for sure."

"... Maybe but – I don't know..." Yuta runs a hand through his hair frustrated, "Has he apologized to you?"

Doyoung shook his head, "I haven't even seen him actually."

"We all should make up. There's the game on Friday Johnny and I wanted to go to and – "

"I can't. I have a recital."

Yuta gasps, "And you didn't plan to invite us?!"

Doyoung sinks into his chair and clutches onto his flute case while memories from the last time he's invited them rush into his head. "You guys are embarrassing..."

"We're supportive."

"Yelling ' It Up!' in the middle of my solo in a concert hall is embarrassing. And did Johnny and Ten really have to stand on their chairs and start swinging their jackets in their air when I received my prize?"

"Everyone was asleep! We had to liven it up, y'know – "

Seeing the disappointed look of Doyoung's, he decided to stop talking before Doyoung got upset with him again. He pouted cutely – more like disgustingly in Doyoung's eyes – and smacked Doyoung's shoulder playfully, "We promise not to do that again. Can we please go, please?"

"Are you willing to pay?"

Yuta frowned but nodded anyway.

"Fine. You can go. And so can Johnny and Ten – but if I hear any of you holler in the middle of my performance I will choke you with my flute with no second thought."

Yuta smiled and nodded, ruffling his hair before hopping off the desk and pulling Doyoung off the chair and out of the room. Doyoung had no other choice but to follow, with no idea where he was going until they were walking to the student council room. Yuta swung the door open shamelessly, slamming against the wall but that was no importance. The room was filled with committee members fooling around and a few glanced over but none were shocked – as if this was an ordinary ordeal to them – and Yuta pushed Doyoung forward. Yuta then led Doyoung to where Johnny was – alone surprisingly in his seat whilst staring at his phone. Yuta shook his shoulders and the taller male let out a deep yelp.

", dude!" Johnny laughed nervously, his eyes instantly falling down on Doyoung, "Oh, 'sup!"

Doyoung smiled at the other and figured a formal apology to him wasn't necessary. Johnny was the type to shrug things off and not make a big deal about it, something Doyoung can appreciate with incidents like this.

"What brings you here?" Johnny asked.

"Doyoung is having a recital and we're going – no exceptions."

Johnny smiled, "Oh, really? That's so awesome! But... as the handsome, perfect, tall –" He stopped for a moment when the two shorter boys glared at him repulsively, "Er... Student council president, I have to be at the football game."

Yuta groaned and nodded, "You're right, because your is still student president somehow. What time is the recital anyway?"

"It's an early one – right after school I have to be there. Why do you ask?"

"When will it be done?" Johnny asked as he fumbled with the pen in his hands.

"Around... 6 or 7 maybe?"

"That's enough time, isn't it?" Yuta smiled when Johnny cheered.

"We can make it in time since games don't usually start until 7:30."

"Then it's settled! Doyoung – you're coming with us to the football game!"

Doyoung sighed, knowing he had no choice other than to agree. Then the door prompted open again and Taeil entered slowly – his eyes falling to the ground and slowly walking in. The committee members pay no attention to the vice president and Taeil glances up when he's beside his seat. Before he sinks into it, he looks at Doyoung and Yuta who both stand around Johnny like they're his guards and he smiles faintly at them. It's shaky and falls down immediately when he looks away and plops down on his seat next to Johnny. His head instantly bobs down when his cheek rests on his hands and Johnny shakes the elder.

"Woah – are you okay?"

Taeil flimsily nodded, "I'm fine. Hey, Yuta, can I see the homework for third?"

Yuta's face couldn't hide the shock from hearing Taeil ask to copy his homework because it was unheard of for the other to copy other's works. He was always the one being copied and Yuta couldn't believe he would even be asking him. When the shock passed his head, he rapidly nodded and started digging in his backpack. Doyoung frowned and patted Taeil's shoulder in attempts to soothe the other – but to no avail because Taeil's body continued swaying side to side when his hand was off of him. It was scary to see Taeil like this – so out of it and dazed as if he were a zombie.

Johnny watched the vice prez in silence, trying to see if he can scope anything that revealed what was wrong with the stubborn boy but the boy was just as good concealing his feelings even if he was clearly sleep deprived.

Yuta handed Taeil his homework and Taeil thanked him, digging into his backpack as well but suddenly his eyes widened.

"What the - ...?" Taeil's voice was soft and decreased in volume the more he spoke, "Where's my...? Did I leave my...?"

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked as he tried to peak into his backpack, "Did you leave something?"

"Yeah, I left my binder at home..." Taeil sighed and his head fell forward and rested on the table. The three boys glanced at each other – unsure what to do – and then Johnny glanced at Yuta and got a good idea.

"Hey, dude, don't sweat it," Johnny smiled as he lifted Taeil's head, "We can take Yuta's car and pick it up before school starts. There's still what – another hour or so before first period? We can make it in time."

"No, it's fine – "

"Yuta, give me your keys – "

"Johnny, please – "

"I haven't cleaned my car in six months so – "

"You really don't have to – "

"It's fine – you probably haven't washed it since you got it anyway – "

"Please –"

Doyoung smacked the back of his two friend's head and scolded them, "Listen to Taeil!"

Taeil smiled softly at him and spoke now that he had their full attention, "You don't have to. I'll be fine without it, honestly."

"You're an AP, honors student," Johnny scoffs, "You can't live without it."

Johnny jingled the keys in his hands and stood up, lifting Taeil up despite his denial. Johnny pushed Taeil out of the room and behind them he could hear Yuta yell, "Don't crash my baby!"

Taeil gulped nervously – wondering what kind of driver Johnny was, and basing it off his personality he could guess he wasn't a safe one. But he could commemorate the other for at least knowing how to drive – he had yet to even put his hands on a wheel.

They were out of the school premises in no time and Johnny flicked a button on the keys and a sleek, jet black car's headlights flashed. Taeil could see how much this car had endured – there was a slight dent on the car door and the back corner was dented as well. The car's rims were impressive but the dust on them brought down the factor. In fact, the whole car seemed to not have been polished in months and Taeil could see this really was Yuta's car.

When Johnny opened the passenger seat door for Taeil, he could already smell the reek of masculinity coming from it. He gruelingly entered and the smell intoxicated his nose of Axe spray and morning breath. He then took a look at the backseat. Nothing unordinary regarding the uncomfortable situation – there were two duffel bags, several different, vibrant cleats, clothes tossed everywhere, worn out shin guards, several McDonalds bags and cups, and... A blow dryer?

"Yuta uses the 'mountain man' card to excuse the fact that he's just a pig. You might find a dead cat under all that mess if you looked through that tragedy."

"His appearance doesn't' match this..." Taeil mumbles unconsciously as he turned away to face forward. Then he flinched when he saw his feet were stepping on a pair of - what appeared to be - boxer briefs and he brought his feet up to his chest.

"W-Why does he have – "

Johnny started cracking up and whipped out his phone nonchalantly to snap a pic – most likely to blackmail the other – and shrugged it off nonchalantly. He reached over and picked them up as if they were his, tossing them to the back and still snickering.

"He probably forgot to put them on after practice. What a nasty rat."

Taeil chuckled softly – mostly out of overwhelming nerves – then peered to the cup holder. Under it, there were a box of condoms and lube. He flushed instantly and turned to look to the street instead. Johnny glanced at him confusedly and asked, "Did you really see a dead cat?"

"N-No..." Taeil stuttered as his fingers tap away on his lap, his foot moving at rabbit speed, "It was nothing."

"No, tell me!" Johnny laughed as he stopped at a red light.

"It's too much," Taeil whispered as he fanned himself subtly.

Johnny noticed and laughed even harder, leaning over to see. Johnny leaned across from Taeil, his hand falling between his legs unknowingly and his side profile the only thing visible to his eyes. Taeil bit his lip and before he could shove Johnny off of him and tell him to focus on the road – Johnny snorted and reached down.

"What the – these are mine!"

Johnny picked up the box and shook it – the noise indicating there were still packets inside and he laughed even harder, "Of course he hasn't used any – what a !"

"Johnny, the road!" Taeil snapped, making the other jump and toss the box to the back as well.

"My bad," Johnny laughed softly as he drove smoothly. Taeil took a deep breath and stared out the window, hoping his face would stop being so hot right now – it was humid enough with the sweat stuck on Yuta's uniform and the AC cranked all the way up.

This whole situation was confusing and baffling to the other sad, lonely . Why the hell would Johnny's condoms be inside Yuta's car? Unless... 'No, Taeil,' he slapped his cheeks and shook his head, 'Don't let your imagination get ahead of you.'

"They're just condoms," Johnny laughs and then asks for the directions. Taeil gestured him which way with his pointer finger.

"I know, but..." Taeil gulped, unsure himself why he would get flustered over something so trivial, but when he glances around the car again and spots a few wrinkled papers with phone numbers written, the seat he's sitting on suddenly feels dirtier and uncomfortable.

"It's a normal thing," Johnny chuckled, "You never know when you need to wrap it up."

Taeil choked up suddenly and struggled to sustain his cough down his throat. He somehow musters out a (weak) response, "Of course it is."

Johnny rose a suggestive brow at the other but questioned no more – the prominent blush on the other's tanned skin was enough to explain everything. Johnny couldn't help but chuckle again – this time for Taeil's cute innonence.

"Don't worry – I assure you Yuta has done nothing dirty in this car. He's lucky if the girl even agrees to let him take her home. But I will be honest, maybe Ten has, but the stuff he's into only happen on the back seat."

"T-That's nice," Taeil squeaked out as his eyes helplessly look back again and shudders. In his head he can't help but think, 'But I'm concerned about what you've done in here...'

They finally enter his neighborhood and Johnny drives slower now, asking over and over, "This house? This house? This house?"

"No. No. No."

Finally, after the umpteenth time, Taeil tells Johnny to pull over. The house is nearly identical to all the others but Johnny still compliments it, "You have