The next few days passed similarly. Attending classes before lunch, listening to Chanyeol and D.O argue during lunch and then getting things ready for the school festival after lunch. Even though I wasn't required to work for the class stall on Saturday, I did have to help. We were doing a very clean and washed down version of beer pong. 

I mean, sort of. You were supposed to throw the ball into one of the glasses, down the contents and then name at least three of its ingredients. 

"Everyone is gonna guess water and sugar, D.O," I had pointed out to him one day. 

"That's why its three ingredients," he had huffed. "We'll put milk in some. Or Pepsi." 

"Pepsi is pretty obvious," I said.

"Vodka. I'll ing add vodka, okay?" 

I didn't bother pointing out that if someone did identify that ingredient, our entire class would be suspended. I let him manage the drinks while I helped the others with chart papers and posters. I couldn't draw but I could still colour inside the lines. So I did that. 

And after dismissal, I stayed back for practice. Dance was okay and I was improving with the duet. Slowly and gradually, I was regaining my confidence. D.O watched our practice one day and said, "Your stage charisma is back!" 

On Thursday when we practiced, I didn't have to look at Chanyeol. I could focus on the audience.

I was so happy about it that I was almost bouncing on our way back home as Chanyeol laughed at me. 

"I feel.. free, you know." I said. "Like something inside of me slid back into place." 

Chanyeol grinned and ruffled my hair in response. "I'm glad you're happy." 

It was Friday lunch when I was on my way to the cafeteria that I realised that I hadn't talked to Suho about the sequence of the performances. I was just about to go look for him when D.O said, "Hungry! Cafeteria! Now!" 

I shook my head and since I had a huge breakfast as usual, I didn't join D.O in line. As I waited for him along with a couple of friends, Chanyeol came up to me. 

By now, pretty much everyone was used to the fact that we were friends so this time, us talking didn't attract a lot of stares. Most of my friends- yeah, I guess they were my friends too, not just D.O's- talked to him normally as well. Except well, D.O. 

I'm not sure why but he was always giving Chanyeol his narrow eyed stare and dragging me away whenever he saw us talking. Which was a lot. Even now when he joined our little group, his orange juice in hand, he was eyeing Chanyeol warily. 

He didn't say anything then. It was in the last period when I was sitting outside the class with the others hurriedly colouring a poster. There were people out in the grounds setting everything up for tomorrow. Normally, we would set up stalls inside the school building and in our classrooms but this year, we were doing it outside. Not sure why. I was zoning out when the Principal was announcing this stuff. 

The stage for the night show had been set up behind the school. We had a huge campus. All of the equipments had been brought in. Right now, Jongdae was testing all the mics and we were listening to his jokes on the speakers while he did so. 

Students from class 2 were sitting next to us right now and finishing their own posters. They had a cosplay photo booth apparently. Chanyeol and I were talking and simultaneously colouring the poster for his class. 

"No, but that game is so old." 

"Old or no, it is one of the bests." 

"Yeah. Ten years ago it was." I argued and picked up a black marker to darken the words. 

"How can you say that?" Chanyeol said and continued colouring the drawing of a katana. 

"Because it's the truth!" 

I had only uncapped the marker when I felt an arm tug me into a standing position. 

D.O

How strong is he? 

"Ouch. What the hell?" I said rubbing my arm.

"Why are you helping the other class? Is our work done? Are you that free?" He fired and I flinched. 

"I coloured the poster you gave me, and he helped," I pointed towards Chanyeol. "So I helped him." 

"Tch." D.O shook his head. "Go and sit over there." 

"What?" I said. 

"Why?" Chanyeol said and stood up. 

"Because I'm his class rep and I said so." D.O crossed his arms over his chest.

"What are we?" I frowned. "Fifth graders." 

"Baekhyun-"

"Ah, just give me a poster and I'll do it." I cut him off and sat back down.

Chanyeol threw D.O a smug look and D.O growled. Literally. Then their argument started. 

"You're a bad influence on him." 

"Me? Please, you're babying him."

"Yeah, but only because you won't leave him alone." 

"You're saying that as if I'm stalking him." 

"Yes, you are." 

"No, I'm not." 

I was only half listening to their conversation by now. I resumed my work on class 2's poster and they went on and on. 

"You're with him literally every possible second."

"So? He's my best friend. What's wrong if I hang out with him."

"He's not your best friend." D.O shot back. "He's my best friend."

"Well, he's mine, too." 

"Nuh, uh. Only one best friend. That's me. Do Kyung Soo." 

"Hey, Baek. Who's best friend are you?" 

"Suho!" I got up and waved to him. D.O and Chanyeol looked hurt but I ignored them and weaved my way between papers and colours. He smiled when he saw me. "Hey, can I have a moment?" 

"Sure, what's up?" 

"I wanted to talk to you about the performance sequence during the night show." I started. "I'm sorry I should have come to you before but my group song's -"

"Second." Suho said. "Your duet's towards the end, though. Chanyeol told me so I shifted it to the back. It's also a bit commercial so I don't mind." 

"Really? How?" 

Suho gave me a cheeky smile. "Loads of people want to hear you sing so if your performance is at the end they'll sit through the entire show." 

I blinked. "Wow. Glad to be of service. Anyway, that was all. Do you need any help?" 

"Nah, I'm good. Almost everything is done," he said. "I just came to see if the class stall is going fine." 

"Oh, that's-"

"Byun Baekhyun, get your over here!" D.O shouted.

"What is it?" I said after I had jogged over to the two of them.

"Suho is your best friend?" Chanyeol said.

"What?" 

"It's a simple yes or no question, Baekhyun." D.O hissed.

"Uh.. What?" I said. "He's a good friend. Why?" 

"Good friend or best friend?" Chanyeol said. 

I stared at the two of them, my mouth slightly open. "Good friend." 

"So who's your best friend?" D.O said. "Chanyeol?" 

"What the hell are you two going on about?" I muttered. "Can we get back to work? The sooner we finish this, the sooner I can go home. I have to get my pre-performance beauty sleep." 

"But-" 

I shook my head and sat back down, picking up the marker. I saw D.O throw me a glare and then stalk off inside the classroom. Chanyeol settled down next to me and for a while he didn't move. I could feel his eyes on me, so I asked.

"What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." Chanyeol said, a small smile on his face.

"Why are you staring at me then?" I said.

"You're cute." He answered. "Why can't I stare?" 

"Because it's creepy." I punched him on the arm. "Now help me finish this." 

I didn't get much of beauty sleep. Partly because I was too tensed about the school festival tomorrow. Gah!

I felt so nervous that I did a mini practice on my own in my bedroom. Past midnight. I was humming the song non stop but no matter what I did, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was going to go wrong. I just hoped I didn't trip. Or drop the mic. 

Oh God! What if I burped on the mic? I made a mental note not to eat much until the performance and closed my eyes. 

Ten minutes of tossing and turning around and I still couldn't stop thinking. 

Chanyeol said I was cute.

Yeah, he had said it in an offhanded manner and maybe he was just joking. But still..

I couldn't figure stuff out. Like at all. I had come to the conclusion that I liked Chanyeol sometime during last period today. When D.O had asked me if he was my best friend or Chanyeol. I had almost said D.O.

Because whatever Chanyeol was... He wasn't a friend. He was more. It may sound cheesy and stupid given that I didn't even know him well until three weeks ago but he meant a lot to me. 

Like? Love? 

Those were terms foreign to me. I liked playing the video games, and I loved singing. These are the only occurrences where I've used those words. But for a person? 

I've crushed on people before. Like I had to admit that I had a tiny crush on Yixing before he turned out to be a . And then there was Taeyeon. We were in the same class in ninth grade and she used to sit in front of me and had nice hair. But those feelings were purely superficial because I would feel that sudden surge of attraction only when I was near them. The moment they were out of my sight, they were out of my mind as well. 

I had never really believed in love, either. I mean it was something that happened to other people. I just didn't believe that something like that would happen to me. That one person would take priority over all. That I would grow so dependent on someone's presence. 

Just didn't sit well with me. 

Did I really like him? Or just liked the attention he was giving me? Uh, this . A few hours ago I was completely convinced that I liked him. I even had five arguments to support that claim.

One. My heart did elaborate cartwheels every time he smiled at me. Like, really. The dimples just made it worse. 

Two. I was normally a quiet person. I hate conversation. But with Chanyeol, it's completely different. I can talk to him for hours and still feel like I forgot to fell him something. 

Three. He was giant fluffball. Everyone thought he was a thug and frankly speaking, I did too. But once I got to know him, he was nothing like what his rumours say he is. I've noticed that sometimes he uses those rumours to his advantage to get things done but otherwise, he is like a cat. A cute cat. That one time he did a little aegyo to convince me to play a video game instead of Math, I couldn't stop smiling for hours! 

Four. This one's a bit self obsessed maybe but I like that he looks up to me. It's kind of obvious that he does and it makes me v happy, actually. Also, when he called me his safe space. Aaaah! I'm not exactly sure what he meant by that but it sounds nice. 

Five. I don't have to dumb myself down in front of him. Like people complain all the time about exams and homework and they think it's a pain. They expect me to agree and I feel too awkward to tell them that I have no problem with exams. Also, when I was reading the Brief History of Time, I had no one to discuss it with. D.O used to listen but I doubt he paid much attention to it. He wasn't as invested in science as I was. But this Monday I was re-reading it and it's the sort of book that actually makes your brain think and I was so blown away by the chapter I had read that I just had to tell someone. So I went up to Chanyeol's since he was home and told him in excruciating detail about how the universe in expanding and how one day it won't and he listened to every single word I said. The best part? He didn't just nod and go wow. He had nice, sound opinions of his own. 

Like reason number five goes to the list of reasons why I love him. He even asked to borrow the book. Sure he returned it to me the next day saying that he'd rather I explain that stuff to him. 

So conclusion is that I do like Chanyeol. But.. There's always a but.

He likes me, right? He's not playing some sort of an extended prank on me, is he? What if it's like one of those situations where the school's most popular boy gets dared to woo the nerd? Oh god! 

Stop overthinking, Baekhyun. The Jongdae voice in my head spoke up. Just ask him when you see him tomorrow. 

Ask him. I could do that. 

Maybe. 

This happens every year. Every single year. Someone who was assigned to bring something forgets to bring that thing and then I have to do the running around to get it because D.O is the class rep and he dumps this sort of stuff on me. Today I was rushing to the departmental store with Mr. Kim's wallet because Jisoo was supposed to bring more prizes for the Juice Pong game since we had only been able to collect a few (our class was lazy when it came to such stuff) but he forgot and D.O had screamed at me to "Just go get anything!" 

I rushed through aisles, dumping chocolates after chocolates into the cart. I made sure to get the cheap ones so that I could buy more. Then I moved on to the snacks area. I think people would appreciate Lays because no way was I buying Pringles. I got ten packets each of three different flavours. I saw that they were selling ready to make ramen at a discount so I dumped those. Sure people would complain about that but desperate times. Then I moved to the stationary section and gathered a bunch of use and throw pens of different colours. I saw a few mechanical pencils so I took them. I looked around wondering what else I could buy when I saw Chanyeol walking down the rows, waving and grinning. 

He looked at my cart and then back at me. "Preparing for the zombie apocalypse?" 

"Ha, ha. No." I said. "It's for the Juice Pong." 

"Are they really calling it that?" He said. 

"No but the actual name is too long and I don't remember." I said. "What are you doing here?" 

"Saw you running." He shrugged. "So I asked D.O. You'll need help carrying those so I came." 

"Ah, thanks." I muttered. "Do you think this is enough?" 

"Yeah, I think so." Chanyeol said. 

We headed to the billing counter which was thankfully empty. It still took a