"Seat mate?"

"Yes seat mate?"

"I just wanna say you're the best seat mate ever."

"Thanks seat mate; you too."

M.U.? Nope. It's complicated? I guess, but no. Best friends? Surprisingly not.

Hanbin and Jiwon are apparently just seat mates. Because that's a thing.

Yeah.

----------THIRD PERSON----------

"See you next class!" Jiwon hugs his favorite seat mate tightly before leaving him just like that.

"Damn you Kim Jiwon," Hanbin could only whisper as he looked at his seat mate. The guy just went all cuddly with him and suddenly lets go to go all buddy-buddy outside.

And that has happened every single school day ever since Hanbin made the beautiful mistake of choosing his seat for the whole school year. Every. Single. Day.

"I will never really understand how your dynamic is even possible," he remembers Wonwoo saying. Well, that was what he said before he heard an earful of his friend's situation almost every day. After that he gave up on giving legitimate advice, sticking with the 'oh's and 'good luck's until the former felt the need to give proper help.

Hanbin was admittedly confused at first, he didn't understand why everything changes the moment his foot steps out the classroom.

When it was his first day being Jiwon's seat mate, he nearly made a fatal mistake by greeting him cheerfully and asking if he could sit with his friends. Lucky for him, Wonwoo yanked the boy's tray out of his hands which caused him to walk somewhere else. Instead, when he knew he caught his seat mate's attention from afar, he smiled at the guy, only to be utterly ignored. He scrunched his face slightly, still in confusion of Jiwon's reaction until his savior (yes he does like to refer to Wonwoo as his hero, that was the start of the many problems Hanbin didn't even know he needed help with) pulled him to a table with six people - eight with Hanbin and Wonwoo sitting down.

He was then introduced to the people that have become his closest friends: I'm-a--but-I'm-your- Junhoe, sometimes-I-ask-if-y'all-are-a-blessing-or-life's-obstacle Jinhwan, I'm-never-buying-you-guys-ice-cream-at-3-am-again Chanwoo (who's also the youngest, unluckily), I'd-blow-up-everything-in-the-school-except-the-cafeteria Soonyoung, You're-lucky-to-meet-someone-like-me-but-please-love-me Seungkwan, and I-look-normal-but-those-are-looks Junhui.

These, apparently, were Hanbin's actual descriptions when he talked to his friends at his drowsiest, caused from his all-nighters to fix a group project s ghoested him in. (That was what he-who-always-saves-me-though-it-needs-energy Wonwoo told Hanbin after he got a proper amount of sleep)

Thanks to the small cold encounter, Hanbin thought they would never speak again, so finding the same person holding his hand out for a usual handshake made him even more confused than the first peculiar encounter. The boy, never really being the type to confront people straight away, just accepted the routine, and so they formed a very special relationship that had unspoken rules. It was only when Hanbin's irritation reached its limits when he realized he should've confronted his seat mate in the first place.

It seems the boy became a bit too into his own thoughts that Wonwoo had to slap his back just for him to look into the present again.

"Oww," was all he could say while trying to rub the painful spot. All he got in return was a judging look mixed with a point at both his belongings and Wonwoo's watch. Only then did Hanbin realize how long it has been since his seat mate hugged him good bye.

"I don't think you remember today's lunch break is special," Wonwoo waved a nicely wrapped box, "do you?"

"You remembered!" The distracted boy gave a wide smile and took the cute gift.

"Are you implying I, your 'life savior', would forget your birthday?" He raised a brow and ruffled the boy's hair, going back to reminding Hanbin to hurry up right after. Soon enough, the birthday boy was able to collect his belongings, and the two finally headed to the cafeteria. By the time they arrived, they noticed that their table was more crowded than usual; many of his friends from other classes joined, making the place truly look like a party.

"Look who finally showed up!" The crowd laughed as they saw the two enter, others even joking that the two needed some 'alone time'. They simply looked at each other with a comically disgusted face, joining the large group in the laughs and celebration.

The birthday boy started hugging (or at least trying to) every single person who gathered at the table. They gave him their gifts which left Hanbin in a slight dilemma: he needed to find a way to bring all of these home.

Hanbin isn't too much of an independent social butterfly; rather, a lot of friends celebrating today were people he was able to befriend thanks to the help of his seven lunch-mates. Nevertheless, he learned to love them for the amazing people they are.

The friends he met through Jinhwan included Jinwoo, Mino, Seunghoon, Taehyun, and Seungyoon, all of which he met when he and Junhoe were looking for the former after school. Chanwoo introduced him to Jaewon, the guy who has practically become Hanbin's roommate in the music room. He was slightly disappointed to not see his other 'roommate' Jihoon, but after being given a gift with a small letter, he learned why.

As for the people he met on his own, there was Donghyuk, his first lab partner and the miracle worker that helped him survive their classes (Hanbin was definitely a musical genius, but that created a gap between him and less related subjects). Right next to him was Yunhyeong; the two had a special story that invloved Nivea lip balms and bathroom sinks.

"What're we waiting for?" Hanbin grinned, "let's eat!" The gifts were then placed aside and large lunchboxes were presented on the table.

He couldn't help but feel a bit bitter as he smiled at them, it wasn't anything like bad blood or history though, rather how a few of his friends had connections with a certain someone. The few were Donghyuk, Yunhyeong, and Mino: Jiwon's best friends. It was amusing, how Hanbin met the three in three consecutive situations and learned they were particularly close with his peculiar seat mate the day after.

And now, as Hanbin remembers his seatmate, his mood fell for a bit. It is a bit saddening to know that even Jiwon's friends came, just not him. Unlike the few who weren't able to join the birthday lunch, his seatmate left no note, nor did he give any birthday wishes during the classes they shared earlier. He wonders sometimes if he would really expect anything, he probably doesn't even know today's Hanbin's birthday. He knew the birthday of his seatmate, on the other hand, Jiwon's birthday was over winter break and he didn't really know if it was appropriate to atleast greet him online (yes, the two weren't even friends in their social media, even if they had so many mutuals). 

"How come the birthday boy's frowning?" All his friends turned to look after hearing Yunhyeong's question. The seven lunch-mates had a feeling of why he felt that way, so they panicked a bit internally at the situation. It was all left to Hanbin if he were to disclose the reason.

"I may or may not have hoped for a certain birthday wish from someone..." He revealed.

"We're not enough for you anymore?" Seungkwan exclaimed, dramatically placing his hand on to his forehead.

"After all we've done!" Soonyoung joined in the drama, and the two continued to grieve at the side.

"Shut it!" Jinhwan said, hitting the two on their heads

"So, who is this certain someone?"

"Is this real? Are they your crush?"

"He moved on from Bobby? A shock!"

"Hey!" The birthday boy whined, "I don't have a crush on him! I just think he's an amazing artist!"

"And when he finally reveals his identity, I can already imagine Bin's lockscreen picture for the next two years," Chanwoo commented. "As the person he doesn't have a crush on, of course." The rest laughed, leaving one person to pout and glare. They continued exchanging more jokes until Hanbin decides to in.

"I don't have crush or anything," Hanbin started. "There's just this person..."

"I've been kinda close with him for a few weeks..." Somehow two years became a few weeks.

"I thought we'd be friendly enough him to know my birthday," he sighed, "guess not."

"Well, did you tell this person about your birthday?"

"Eh..." The table was then filled with judging stares.

"Yes Binnie, cause the guy would definitely know the birthday of someone that hasn't told him about it." Yunhyeong said sarcastically with an eyebrow raised. Hanbin couldn't help but sigh, thinking it would have been much better if that was the case.

"Who's the guy though?" Mino asks.

"How are you so sure the person's a guy?" 

"I don't remember hearing a she in the convo?"

"And the chance of him willingly socializing with females is as high as Jihoon's" Jaewon added, grinning at the now pouting (once again) Hanbin.

"So, who is it Hanbin?" Wonwoo asked, faking curiosity. Of course, the seven already knew Hanbin's situation up to every detail that the boy provides (although they do block out his rants since they felt like they knew enough, two years of ranting told them all they needed) .The others, especially Jiwon's three best friends, were never there to suffer through the rants, so, of course, the subject was new to them.

"Kim Jiwon..." Hanbin dragged the last syllable to look at three specific friends and their reactions. Noticing how surprised they were, it hurt the boy from how obvious it was that his connections with his seatmate was cut off outside the classroom. Completely.

"He..." Donghyuk pauses. "... He talks to you?"

"You're making it sound like I'm some achievement..." Hanbin squinted his eyes at his friend.

"Well, I guess it makes sense that Binnie expected something," Junhoe said. "Your close with his best friends! How could he not!"

The conversation reached its peak right after, and the table moved on to discuss other random topics while eating until break nearly ended.

"Didn't know he had it in him," someone whispered.

Perhaps Hanbin's situation isn't as hopeless as he thought.

----------

School has finally ended for the day and Hanbin somehow fit nine of his gifts in his bag. Junhoe and Jinhwan were with him, carrying the other gifts which were stuffed into plastic bags. The boy's popularity wasn't one of a cliche kingka's, but his repuation still garnered quite the amount of fans and their gifts. Hanbin, being the softie he really is, couldn't turn them down, even if he had Wonwoo and Jun right next to him and whispering how some people might actually think that he was accepting more than a present. It was a bit of a stretch, but it was their way of trying to control it.

Of course, he recieved a few of them while he was in the same class as Jiwon, some were even accepted right next to the seat mate. And of course, that made Hanbin even more dejected.

The three were about to leave the school to walk to the bus stop area, when they suddenly heard loud shouts from behind.

"Hanbin!" they were able to hear the name clearer as the voice comes closer, and the three turn to take a look.

There they spotted Yunhyeong and Donghyuk, both trembling a bit but with big smiles.

"We have an extra surprise for you," Yunhyeong moved to his side, his arms motioning to a classroom nearby.

"You should check it out," Donghyuk smiled even wider. 

"This sounds sketchy," Jinhwan raised an eyebrow at the duo. Junhoe spoke no words, but his judgy expression was enough to say he agreed.

"I swear it's good!" Yunhyeong carefully took Hanbin's bag from his hold. Meanwhile, Donghyuk pulls Junhoe and Jinhwan to the side to explain the situation.

"And how can I be so sure of your swear?" The birthday boy asks.

"You can throw my red box if you don't like it," he promised. He hoped that was enough, he has no idea of what ability Hanbin had to comfortably walk around with all these gifts stuffed in his bag, but he was sure as hell he did not have it.

"Okay then..."

"Perfect! Go right in!"

And the struggling boy escorts Hanbin into the classroom. While one wouldn't be prepared for the scale of his friends' surprise, the other's about to have a surprise of his own.

----------

"So you're telling me," Jinhwan lowered his 'questioning brow', "that he actually has a crush on our Hanbin and never had the courage to speak to him?"

"Well, we though he did, turns out he had some moves," said Donghyuk.

"Very dumb moves, in my opinion," Junhoe mumbled, but he was still heard clearly from his naturally loud voice. The two couldn't help but nod at his comment.

"Here we thought Jiwon was embarrassed to be his friend outside the classroom." 

"Well that did go on for two years..."

"Two years?!" It was Donghyuk's turn to question. The two just sighed and decided to tell him all about it; after all, they could join forces and do something about this problematic couple seatmate thing. They didn't think that it would be nice for this to go on as is for another year, after all.

"Thank you so much!" Hanbin's cheery voice suprised them, especially Donghyuk who even got a really tight hug from the boy. His eyes were practically sparkling.

"How did you and Yunhyeong have connection with the Bobby?" 

"Wait, what?"

Yunhyeong finally walked to the group, showing an obviously pissed face (although he changes to a big smile everytime Hanbin looks back). Donghyuck and pissed-face had a conversation after they managed to escape from Hanbin's hug, while the other two asked the cheery student what happened. Turns out Hanbin found a special recording that came from his favorite artist that contained a happy birthday message and a short song written just for him. Thinking that his two friends somehow made this dream come true, Hanbin started thinking of ways he could treat the two as a big thanks.

Unbeknownst to Hanbin, the four had two words stuck in their head.

That. Idiot.

its funny that its doubleb but bobby appears in like .5% of the story
but anyways this thing might get a part two cause i love the thought of hanbin and the 7 lunchmates

random though: hanbin is totally relatable - someone who writes about romance but has never really experienced it (unless a regrettable crush counts)
now I just need to be super skilled at music and dance and become an amazing dancer and get a face as beautiful as his, we'd totally be the same :D