“PWEDE bang ‘wag kayong makisali sa gulo, kahit ngayong araw lang?” Pakiusap ni Sangyeon kina Sunwoo, Younghoon, at Juyeon.

“Ha? Bakit pati ako? Silang dalawa lang naman lagi nakikipag-away.” Juyeon tries to defend himself as he shuffles his feet into a pair of shoes.

“Oh, edi maliban sa ‘yo.” 

“Sure, Gramp,” teases Sunwoo before grabbing his backpack and rushing outside their condo unit. He doesn’t see how Sangyeon almost threw a plate at him if not for Jacob holding the older back.

“Dalian niyo nang dalawa,” humarap si Jacob sa dalawang natira, “Where’s Hyunjae nga pala?” 

“Nauna na, as usual.” Tugon ni Younghoon na hindi inaalis ang tingin sa repleksyon niya sa salamin. When he’s sure that not a single strand of hair is out of place, he walks to the door. “Tara na, Juyeon.” 

“Bye, hyungs!” 

—�
“CHANGMIN, wala na bang ibabagal pa ‘yang pagkain mo? Male-late na tayo,” says Chanhee, looking at his watch. Changmin replies with an incoherent sound.

“Siguro kung hindi mo pinupuno ‘yang pisngi mo ng pagkain, naintindihan ko sana kung ano mang sinasabi mo,” umiiling-iling pang tiningnan ni Chanhee ang kaibigan niyang mukha nang bunny dahil sa tambok ng pisngi.

Sinubukan ni Changmin na bilisan ang pagnguya at sumagot, “Sorry ha. Nginunguya ko kasi ‘yung pagkain ko, hindi basta nilulunok lang.” He even rolls his eyes.

“HOY!” Haknyeon hollers, “Bakit nadamay ako d’yan?!” 

“Ha? Ah. Hin—,” hindi na natapos ni Changmin ang sasabihin niya dahil pilit na isinasaksak ni Chanhee ang baso sa pagitan ng mga labi niya.

“Inumin mo ‘yan tapos tara na,” pairap na bigkas ni Chanhee at nauna nang maglakad, checking his watch in the process.

“Si Kevin pala! Hindi niyo ba gigisingin?” 

“Nasa school na siya, kanina pa.” Sagot ni Chanhee nang hindi humaharap.

Nakipagpalitan ng tingin si Changmin kay Haknyeon, tila tinatanong kung bakit parang mas masungit ang kaibigan nila ngayon kumpara sa ibang araw, ngunit nagkibit-balikat lang ang huli.

“May 30 minutes pa naman tayo!” Pabulong na sigaw ni Changmin.

Siniko lang siya ni Haknyeon sabay sabing, “Alam mo naman si Pres.” 

—
HYUNJOON’s dozing face crunches up as the boy feels water being sprayed all over it. “ERIC!” Oh, he swears to god.

The pink-haired boy laughs, muttering, “Bangon na! Male-late na tayo!”

Hyunjoon does as he’s told. He gets up and out of bed and into the bathroom. But, before he manages to get in, Eric grabs him and pulls him back. “Wag ka nang maligo. Wala namang aamoy sa ‘yo.” 

“Magtu-toothbrush lang ako.” Hyunjoon says as he shakes Eric’s grip off his arm.
—
“UY, Hyunjae, sabi pala ni Sangyeon hyung ‘wag daw tayo sumali sa gulo ngayon except for me.” Bati ni Juyeon sa kaibigan pagpasok nila sa classroom. 

“Ha? Hindi naman tayo nakikisali sa gulo ah,” sagot ni Hyunjae.

“Kayo kasi nag-uumpisa,” pabalang na sabat ni Kevin. 

“Anong nag-uumpisa?! Di naman namin kasalanan na pikon mga tao rito,” tanggol ni Sunwoo sa sarili at sa barkada. 

“K.” 

“Alam mo, hyung, pasalamat ka best friend ka ni —“ 

“Haknyeon?” Kevin interrupts.

“Nasa’n?” Mabilis na tugon ni Sunwoo habang lumilingon-lingon.

“Ha?” Confusedt naman si Kevin. “Anong nasa’n??”

“Ah, I mean, hindi ni Haknyeon, ano bang pake ko kung kaibigan ka ni Haknyeon HAHA ang sabi ko pasalamat ka best friend ka ni Hyunjae hyung kung hindi matagal na kitang inupakan HAHA,” blabbers Sunwoo.

“Ah, ‘kala ko safe ako dahil best friends ko yung president at VICE PRESIDENT ng klase.” Kevin emphasizes the words vice president.

“Ah, oo yun din pala HAHA”

“Speaking of, nasa’n nga pala ‘yung mga kaibigan mo?” Patay-malisyang tanong ni Younghoon. 

Kevin shrugs, “Baka nasa bahay pa.”

“Wow! Si Chanhee? Nasa bahay pa nang ganitong oras?!” Hyunjae asks, a bit baffled that their ever-responsible class president is actually running late for probably the first time in his life.

“I’m not sure, okay?” Kevin says as he, yet again, shrugs. “I said ‘baka’ nga, diba?” 

“Ha? Ano namang problema kung nasa bahay pa sila Chanhee ngayon?” As always, late na naman si Juyeon sa processing ng information. At this rate, they are actually surprised na hindi behind si Juyeon ng isang academic year.

Shrugging, Hyunjae discreetly points at the doorway, “‘Yan ang problema.”

“Hala nandito na si Sir, bakit wala pa sila Chanhee?”

—

“KAKAIN KA PA?” Eric asks, bewildered. Late na late na sila!

Nagkibit-balikat lang si Hyunjoon. “Late na rin naman tayo. After lunch na lang tayo pumasok”

Eric facepalms himself as he sits across Hyunjoon on the dining table. May point din naman ang kaibigan niya. At alam niyang hindi niya ito ma-co-convince na kumilos nang mas mabilis.

“Hinding hindi na talaga ako sasabay sa ‘yo.” Eric articulates at binigyan pa niya ng masamang tingin ang kaibigan.

Hyunjoon just shrugs. “Araw-araw mo namang sinasabi ‘yan.” 
—

“GOOD morning, Si— Absent si Sir?” Chanhee, as he steps into the classroom. The whole class looks at their president in shock.

“Tapos na first subject,” says Kevin, “Bakit ngayon lang kayo?”

“TANGINA ANG TRAFFIC SA RECTO NALANGHAP KO NA YATA LAHAT NG POLUSYON SA PILIPINAS,” reklamo ni Changmin as he follows Chanhee inside the room.

“Aw, sana ako rin langhapin mo,” utters Younghoon from the other side of the room.

“Nakalanghap na ako ng enough pollution for today,” ripostes Changmin without even batting an eyelash. A collective “Ooh” resonates inside the room.

Si Changmin na ata ang pinakamadaldal yet pinakamataray na lalaki sa classroom nila. Everyone gets to hear whatever he has in his mind, whether they choose to or not. Maririnig mo pa rin naman ang mga kwento nya kahit ayaw mo, which is actually pretty annoying. No one just says anything because, aside from Changmin having a clever clapback every time, each of them has a soft spot for the said boy. Well, in their defence, Changmin is undeniably cute. In fact, too cute that he gets away with anything.

Haknyeon enters the room a moment after Changmin, at bago pa man siya makapagsalita, Hyunjae beats him to it, “OoOoHhH, parehong late si Pres at VP.”

From Hyunjae’s back, tinakpan ni Juyeon ang bibig niya, and tries to stop him with a silent “Huy.”

Younghoon also tries with a slightly louder “Psst, wag ka ngang ano.”

Just as Chanhee opens his mouth to defend him and his friends, Sunwoo stands up before he can think about it and vociferates, “HOY GAGO KA AH BAT KA BA NANG-AASAR NA-TRAFFIC NGA SILA EH DI NAMAN NILA KASALANAN YON. DI NAMAN SILA ARAW-ARAW LATE UMAYOS KA NGA,” and in a calmer voice, “Hi Haknyeon, good morning.”

Haknyeon offers him a small smile and cheerfully greets him back, “Good morning, Sunwoo! ‘Wag ka nang magalit sa kaibigan mo, okay lang naman. Kasalanan naman namin.” 

“Ni Changmin.” Chanhee corrects mutedly and rolls his eyes. 

Narinig pa rin naman ni Changmin ang sinabi ng kaibigan. “Ehhhhh, sorry na kasi,” he begs, running to Chanhee and enveloping him into a hug. 

The other boy, with all his might, tries to push his friend’s face away from his. “Ano ba, ‘wag mo nga akong yakapin.”

“EhHhH,” Changmin pouts, “Galit ka pa, eh.”

“Ako rin galit,” sabat ni Younghoon, “Grr.”

“Sino ka?” Changmin, with a straight face. To which, Kevin heartily laughs.

“Tawa ka, kasalanan mo ’to hindi mo kami ginising ng maaga. Bwiset.” 

“Eh, lagi naman ako maaga gumising and umalis,” explains Kevin.

“Oo nga.” Hyunjae agrees, nodding.

“Bakit may nagsasalitang basura sa tabi mo?” Changmin asks, not bothering to take a glance at the boy he is referring to.

Younghoon; however, is quick to defend himself, griping, “Nananahimik na nga ako rito.” 

“Hindi ikaw, masyado kang pogi para maging basura.”

“HA?” Younghoon, taken aback by what Changmin has just said. 

“Wala, panget mo.” 

Hyunjae, yet again, chimes in, “Pogi mo raw, bro.”

“IKAW NAPUPUNO NA TALAGA AKO SA ‘YO.” The cute boy ends up pointing his index forcefully at the other. Much to Changmin’s dismay, Hyunjae has managed to be getting on his nerves. 

The commotion has briefly stopped at Haknyeon’s laughing. “Younghoon bagay kayo ni Changmin.” Haknyeon points out, smiling brightly. “Ang cute niyo.”

“YIE,” kinikilig na react ni Younghoon, “Kaya like kita eh.”

“SINONG LIKE MO?” Sunwoo shouts. Again, before he has the chance to think about it.

“Mr. Kim, ang aga aga, sumisigaw ka.”

Sunwoo turns around. “PA—“ ke mo? He almost says but he cuts himself nang makita niya ang teacher nilang papasok sa kanilang room. “—sok kayo, Sir hehe.”