P.E. The one and only class Renjun dreads and simultaneously, is awful at. He can’t help but think how the odds are completely against his favour when the opposing team consists of the; oh so wonderfully cold Jaemin (and Mark).

And it’s basketball. The sport Donghyuck most definitely has a knack for, whereas Renjun sits at the complete opposite side of the spectrum. He was standing idle on the court with his head facing the ground, as the moment he lifts his head he’ll see everyone watching his every move. This familiar feeling that Renjun always has creeps through his anxieties like earlier in the cafeteria. He dares not to look up, for there is a chance to see the person he dreads to see.

This familiar feeling, Renjun thinks. He falls into a pit of uncertainty. He hates being confused. He’s on the courts and all eyes are on him - ah, perhaps that’s what it was, a familiar case of stage fright and self consciousness, he thinks, to which he simply brushes off the ongoing occurrence of anxiety. But perhaps there was something more, Renjun didn't feel the sense of relief he has once he identifies a problem and rather he feels quite incomplete. It's as if something's urging him to acknowledge what he doesn't want to acknowledge, face the fear he’s been dreading ever since last night. All eyes are on him, yes, but at the same time Jaemin is on the playing field directly opposite of him. That's what it is. It's his incoherent thinking of constantly being conscious of the other’s presence, testing whether every location would contain Jaemin or not. His delusions are branching out to become something of paranoia, although he knows this to be a foolish tangent backed by no evidence. He knows the problem isn't as big as he thinks it is - yet he’s managing to over think it by this much. And yes, he knows Jaemin must think nothing of him whilst Renjun thinks much too highly of the other. He also knows that the chances of being picked on, let alone be picked to fight by Jaemin is almost impossible by the school's standards of everyone. Nothing is a problem at this point, nothing but himself.

Donghyuck places both hands on Renjun’s shoulders with a loud thud, face to face. His expression is one of concern and sympathy. Renjun feels reassured from the face he gives.

“You'll be fine, I got you, ok?!” he exclaims. In that moment, he feels that somehow Donghyuck understands all the chaotic thoughts going through his head, the anxiety and fear of people he feels simply by noticing the change in his body language. I look frail, nervous and intimidated, Renjun guessed. He fell into this state many times before on Donghyuck’s watch.

“Yeah...thanks man,” he mumbles, uncertain whether he means his own answer.

Another moment passes. He hears the whistle blown, players frantically scuffling for the ball, and the sticky sound of friction between hands and balls are heard. All of this to which Renjun doesn't attempt lift his head even once since they gathered onto the courts. He fears who might appear in front of his eyes when he looks up, for the only person he loathes to see so much might be standing right in front of him. But thus comes the time he has to stop his cowardly behaviour. The game begins and he has no choice but to finally look up at his fate. To the sound of the player’s shuffling, and eventually the bounce of the ball, Renjun makes pathetic efforts to slowly engage in the game. He doesn't participate, he can't, because he never brings himself to be so brave as to actually run and call for the ball, catch the ball and begin dribbling. He simply stands in silence not knowing what to do. A lost boy, it seems, who is placed on the playing field and simply observes the gameplay but does no work. He attempts to look the part, following the crowd of travelling players by means of fastwalking and occasionally lifting his arms to simulate gameplay. He never, in turn actually touches the ball.

To his surprise, from the moment he looked up, Jaemin wasn’t in his line of sight even once and nor did he have any encounters with him despite being in the same playing ground. That is until break time comes.

Renjun slowly walks back to the benches for the 5 minute break. Donghyuck had gone before him and is already seated, waving a hand signalling for Renjun to come his way, “Oi!” he beckons with a smile. Renjun staggers and flashes a small smile, only to see Donghyuck’s face suddenly drop and his eyes widening. “RENJUN! BALL!”

Before his instincts could kick in, he barely manages to turn around to see a ball flying at full speed - right towards his face, and he panics. But in the milliseconds span of time he has before the ball hits him, suddenly everything seems like it was moving in slow motion. This is strange, Renjun thought. Maybe he had entered flight or die mode, or maybe this was simply just a dream. None of that however seemed plausible, and his world was just moving so, magically slow. That is, until he notices the ball had already been deflected away from him and he had been protected. He realises he had been staring at the man in front of him, the one who helped deflect the ball. Their eyes meet. What are the chances?! Renjun thinks. It was none other than Na Jaemin.  However he could see the confusion in his eyes, as if he could tell Jaemin was actually reluctant, or hesitant, or maybe even unwilling to even go near him, but for some reason he did anyway. This confuses Renjun himself as he is a person who can read expressions to the most minute of details, but is also unable to decipher Jaemin’s complex expression. In that moment, Renjun completely freezes, his heart stops, and he’s unable to think clearly if at all. He didn’t know what to do. How much of an idiot must he look like right now? Should he be saying something? Thank you? Ask if he’s alright? Treat him to lunch? Before he could finish his trail of thoughts, Jaemin shoots him a cold glare and utters a barely audible response - perhaps to break the awful silence.

“Be careful.” He says the warm statement through his unbearably menacing gaze. Although Renjun figures he sounded cold and uninterested to the average ear, to him, it was more like a homage of sympathy or maybe even sorrow. Again, he couldn’t tell and he could be completely wrong for all he knew.

As Jaemin turned away his face softened to one of a conflicted individual. This for sure was one that Renjun could finally read.

After the waver of uneased emotions Renjun shakes himself up in attempt to loosen his body, only to be met with the eyes of everyone who had seen what just happened. Oh god, my biggest fear has come to life. He was shaken by this and continues to feel his heart barely managing to go on but he was more curious as to why Donghyuck had absolutely no partake in this. He continues down towards his best friend and as he meets his gaze, he knows exactly why. Donghyuck is just as shaken, confused, and surprised at the act of kindness as Renjun is. He doesn’t even utter a word until he sits down next to him. With his eyes wide open, he only looks at him and says, “he did that…”

Renjun replies, “I…” he pauses. “I don’t even know…”