DONGHYUCK

"So I was thinking the backdrop should be slowly lower during the second act of the show," Soona suggested.

Everyone is finished with the necessary props for the shows but we needed to organize everything to its proper place. Individual's props are being stored in the backstage while the background settings are being organized in the order of the acts. Soona and I were in charge of the background settings. The two of us are doing this at lunch so we won't get in the way of practicing after school.

"I think that's good," I agreed. "Let move on to the ballroom background."

"Ok," The helper students lifted the background and attached it to the hooks that would lift it up. 

"Hey Donghyuck," Sonna elbowed me. "Isn't that kid from your class?"

"Who?" I turned around to see Renjun, the Chinese transferee, wandering outside the auditorium. He looks completely lost. "Yeah, is he part of our club?"

"No, maybe you should talk to him. To make sure he doesn't wander to dangerous places."

"Really Sonna? What part of the school is dangerous?"

"Chemical labs, chemical storages, the classroom 127-"

"Alright alright, I got it," I covered my ears. "RENJUN!"

Hearing his name, Renjun turns around and looks surprised to see me. "H-Hi."

I pushed my clipboard to Sonna and ran up to the Chinese boy. "What are you doing here? Are you lost?"

"I-I'm t-t-trying to-to find the caf-cafeteria," He struggled to verbally speak Korean. Poor thing looks so helpless that I wanna protect him. "C-Can you h-help me?"

"Of course," I smiled. "YO! SONNA, I'm gonna go to lunch."

"Fine, leave me," She rolled her eyes.

", we're already done anyway," I replied sassily.

I grabbed Renjun's hand and pull him toward the direction of the cafeteria. He followed me without saying anything. If I remember correctly, Renjun is the little brother of Winwin, one of Taeyong's friend. It's been a while since I've seen them since I spent so much time with Mark. With his brother in a higher class, Renjun couldn't get any help. Wait a minute...

"Why didn't you ask my friends for help?" I made sure to speak slower than I usually do so Renjun can catch all the words.

"I-I don't k-know them well," He answered.

"Don't worry, they're really nice," I reassured him.

By the time we got to the cafeteria, the lunch line had died down but the good foods are still there. I walked Renjun to get his foods and forced him to join my table. Jeno was the first to notice our arrival, then Mark, and then Jaemin. It's a little sad that my friend's boyfriend noticed my appearance before my appearance. Oh well, I can't hold that against Mark since he doesn't have an eye behind his head. Or does he? What the hell am I thinking of?

"Hey Hyuckkie," Mark stood up and offered me his chair. 

"Ok, you're forgiven," I smiled.

"For what?"

"Nothing," I quickly replied and rubbed the back of his head to make sure he doesn't have an eye there. Or else I'll be mad then. "This is Renjun, why didn't you guys help him? I found him wandering near classroom 127."

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," Jaemin gasped. "I totally forgot about you. I was so hungry."

"I-It's ok," Renjun replied shyly. He looks a little uncomfortable with all the attention he's getting from us.

"Why don't you and Jeno make friend with Renjun while I talk to Mark really quick?" I suggested.

Jaemin already turned his attention away from me and toward Renjun. Jeno was pulled, literally by Jaemin, into that conversation as well. I dragged Mark with me to the lunch line so I can get lunch. I didn' get lunch earlier with Renjun because I was looking for our table. I don't need to explain myself to you, psssshh!

"Since Seungkwan have study group today for his exam, why don't you come over for a bit?" 

"Why don't I just sleep over?" Mark suggested. "Since your brother won't be home. It's dangerous to be alone at night."

"I'm more worried if you're in the same room as me while I am sleeping," I joked.

"It's not like I can do anything," He replied. "You kick in your sleep."

"How you know that?"

"We are getting off topic," He changed the subject. I will definitely bring this up later. "Anyway, what if just this once, we expand the date night perimeter so I can stay overnight? We can build a fort in the living room too, like a real sleepover."

Damn it, Mark knows I'm a er for him being smart. He's using big words to get into my pants. "That's a big step."

"It's a big fort."

"Very well, I will agree to a family freely G-rated boy/boy sleepover," I put up my term.

"PG, some scene may be too intense for younger viewers," Mark challenged.

"G-rated with a warning for families with babies and toddlers."

"I'll take it," Mark agreed. "You got yourself a sleepover."

"Do you need to go back home to get PJ and toothbrush?" 

"Would it alarm you that I hid them under your sofa months ago?"

I looked at him shocked. "It would but I admire your preparedness. How do you know we'll be in the living room?"

"Who says it's the only place I hid stuff?"

JAEMIN

"Any hobby?"

"Computer game," Renjun answered without hesitation.

"Wow," I replied. "You said that without an accent at all."

"I-It's one of t-the thing I learn f-first," And the accent came back.

'What games do you play?" Jeno asked.

"Empire Uprise mostly."

"Wait, Donghyuck and I also play that game," Jeno said. "You should be friend with us on there."

"Oh, my username is Tooth_Gap," I sat back from this conversation since I know nothing about this game. Jeno and Donghyuck played it and Mark tried to play it but he gave up after a while. I didn't even touch it since it seems really stressful.

I finished my lunch threw it away. Then, I walked to the refreshment stand to get some drinks for all of us. By the time I got back to the table, Mark and Donghyuck are back from the lunch line. Donghyuck, Jeno, and Renjun are totally excited about talking about the online game. Mark looked bored because he's left out of the conversation. 

"Thank god you're back," Mark said and grabbed a drink for himself and Donghyuck.

"They're dorks," I commented.

"Yeah," He agreed. "But they're our dorks."

"I heard that," Donghyuck elbowed his boyfriend.

"I said it out loud," Mark pinched Donghyuck's cheek.

I held a drink up to Jeno, who smiled at me before taking a sip from the straw. Renjun shrank in his seat. I feel kinda bad since he looks like a fifth wheel. Our group is now an odd number and four out of five of us are dating each other. Maybe, my next project should be getting Renjun a significant other.

RENJUN

"Hey Renjun, are you going home?" Jeno called out my name. Jaemin is right behind him.

"Y-Yes, my home is this way."

"Mine too," Jeno replied. "Jaemin is halfway there. Let walk together."

"S-Sure," I smiled the two of them. 

In one day, I manage to made four friends. This is a big accomplishment for me. I observe Jeno and Jaemin to see their interaction. My mother and Winwin said that I am very observant and I am good at reading emotion. They even recommend me to be a psychiatrist when I grow up. 

Jaemin seems to be a cheerful individual. He's a happy-go-lucky guy and is willing to help people, judging from the way he acted at lunch time. The strange person here is Jeno. He's mysterious and kept to himself. It's like he has something to hide. However, the most noticeable feature he has is his eyes. They changed depending on who he looked at. At me, it seems calculated and cold, like he's figuring out things about me. The strange thing is the way he looked at Jaemin and  Donghyuck is the same. Love, happiness, and want are all mixed in. At Mark, there are hatred and anger. Maybe, I'm looking too much into this.

"Well, this is where I have to part way with you guys," Jaemin broke my train of thought. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. Bye Renjun. Bye Jeno."

He gave Jeno a kiss on the cheek before skipping away. Now, it's just me and Jeno, which is a little awkward. The two of us are quiet people so putting us together is a bad idea. We walked for a little while without saying a word. It would be weird if I stare at him but I can read people if I don't look at them. I might be getting too curious for my own good. Americans have a saying "Curiosity kills the cat" or something like that.

"Is there something you want to ask?" He said suddenly.

"What are you hiding?" I slipped out and quickly covered my mouth.

Fear. I saw fear in his eyes. He has something he wants to hide. It's something he doesn't want people to know about. This secret is eating him up.

"What do you know?" He said calmly. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," I said confidently.

"Yeah right," Jeno scoffed. "I don't need a blabbermouth- I didn't mean that."

I shake my head. "It's fine. It's best to no let emotion bottled up so if you ever need someone to talk to. You don't even have to tell me the whole situation. Besides, who's gonna believe the new guy? You have a reputation of being a prince."

"You lose your accent."

"The author was too lazy to use all those hyphens, just imagine my stuttering."

"Fine, I like Jaemin but I need to learn how to love him."

"I see. There's no space in your heart? Who's the other person?" I replied. Jeno looks shamefully at me. "Ok, I would push it."

"Thank, what can I do?"

"Don't be just everything he wants, be everything he needs," I said. "When he says he loves you, tell him you love him too. Use your lying skill. If you convince yourself of the lies, then the lies will become the truth."

"That's bad advice," Jeno chuckles.

"We're not good people," I retorted.

"Truth," He shrugged. I walked a bit in front of him to stop him from looking back.

"He'll tell you secrets so you'll tell him secrets, too," I added on. "But don't you run away because it will burn and would be able to put out. If he going to find, make sure it's from you and no one else."

"This is my stop," Jeno stopped in front of a big mansion. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye," I said before walking away.

Lies are bad. We learned that every since we are young. Our parents tell us not to lie. It brings pain and distrust between friends, families, and lovers. However, we still lie because we are afraid of the consequences that will appear if we don't lie, even if it only prolonged the inevitable. Whether it's to cover up a feeling that we shouldn't have or pretend our significant other from finding out that we know about their lies.

"You can come out now, Jaemin," I called out when I was a couple house away from Jeno's. Jaemin walked out from behind the corner of an intersection. "How much of it did you hear?"

"Enough," He answered.

"Don't be mad at him," I said. "He'll tell you when he's ready."

"Don't worry, I kinda got the idea a long time ago," Jaemin tried his best not to break down in tears. "Today just confirm it."

"Let it out," I hugged him. "Emotions shouldn't be bottled up."

"Why?" He cried. "Why is it always him? He has someone already. Jeno is being unfair."

I stood there in the intersection with Jaemin crying on my shoulder. Like I said, lies are bad but they're necessary. They're kept us from hurting. Without lies, we would have to face our secrets before we are ready. Maybe lies are such a bad things. It might prolong the inevitable but at least we buy time so we can get ready for when the worse goes to worse. Surprisingly, it's not the lying that we hate. It's the people who live with a fewer lie than us. Those that are happy with each other, no caring if the people are lying to them. It's those people that we envy because they're not lying to themselves. 

Do you know who I am talking about at the end? I hope you do cause I'm trying so be all mysterious. Since the past few chapter has been so happy, I have to add in a sad chapter. If you think this is sad, I will try to break your heart the next sad chapter, look forward to it. Comment and tell me your thought. 

FIGHTING!!!