Exhausted from the non-stop psycho-freak attack since the morning, Taemin plopped down on his desk. Ahjumma always filled up their fridge with food, there was no reason for him to starve. There was no "mom" to make sure that he ate properly – which Taemin keeps telling himself that he doesn't need one – and he felt dizzy from consuming an unhealthy amount of sugar. The class buzzed with the students' laughter and urgent flipping of papers as they completed last night's homework before the bell could ring. Taemin buried his face in his arms on the desk, and the conversation from a group of girls nearby naturally drifted into his ears.

“Did you guys see him? He’s in the basketball department.”
“Yeah~ he’s so cute!! I heard he was team captain in his old school too. He’s so tall, doesn’t he look like a model?”
“I thought you didn’t like tall guys. Are you switching from Lee Taemin?”
“Taeminnie’s cute too… but he screws around with everyone.”

Taemin’s shoulders quivered. Screw around? It technically wasn’t a lie so Taemin didn't object.

“You can never feel safe with Taemin. He changes girls every so often and…”
“Didn’t you say it makes him hotter ‘cause he looks like he has a dark past or something? I mean, It does trigger your curiosity…”
“You too? You like Taemin too?”
“No. Like you said, he screws around too much.”

Screws around. Screws around. Screws around. The phrase echoed in his ears and Taemin didn't want to hear any further. The chair squeaked as it rubbed against the hard floor. The girls suddenly stopped their chattering, and ogled at Taemin in surprise. I’m leaving to screw around, girls. Taemin flashed them a smile and departed. There was approximately four minutes until class started and Taemin went into the washroom, only to find Jongin by the sink, washing his hands. Their eyes meet through the mirror and an awkward silence followed. Jongin shook his wet hands and brushed past Taemin without a word. Taemin turned and yelled.

“Hey!”

Jongin stopped to turn back and Taemin frantically searched for something else other than the quirky "sorry" to say. Jongin spoke up first.

“What do you want to eat?”
“…Huh?”
“For dinner, stupid.”

Taemin blinked and Jongin smirked at his friend. How could you not like this guy?

“Just eat whatever I give you.”

Taemin walks over and Jongin smacks him on the head. It hurt, like he put a lot of feeling into it and Jongin casually strides out. The hallway is empty and the two laugh and run into their own classrooms when they spot Baldy scurrying down from the end of the hallway.

Taemin can’t hold the laughter slipping out of his lips. Jongin is the closest person he has and it is always Taemin who becomes restless whenever things dispute between the two. Jongin has his family, his soccer team, his other friends, Jung Soojung, and maybe even Choi Sulli. But Taemin only has Kim Jongin. Maybe that’s why Taemin is always on edge.

The bell for lunch rings and students flow out of the room like a tidal wave crashing out. Jongin barely makes it through them as he surges inside. Taemin thinks that the upbeat atmosphere of lunch is slightly different when a fellow classmate calls him.

“Taemin-ah, are you going?”
“Where?”
“To the gym. The basketball team is having a battle with the new kid. Everyone’s going there right now.”
“You mean people are skipping lunch just so that they could see the new kid?”

The girl nods at Jongin’s question and heads for the gym with her friends. 

[Come to the gym during lunch, I’ll show you something good.]

So that’s what it is. Taemin snorts and the two run for the staircase. Jongin had insisted that Taemin buy him lunch to make the last night’s event(?) up to him, so they’re heading towards the Chinese restaurant just across the street when Taemin spots a familiar silhouette lingering by the school gate. Park Jiyeon. Taemin guesses it’s about time she showed up. Jongin notices her as well and sighs as he pulls Taemin towards the gates. Taemin struggles to free himself from Jongin’s grip, threatening him with vulgar words between gritted teeth but Jongin doesn’t listen and before he knows it, Taemin is standing face to face with Jiyeon.  

“Taemin-ah…”

Taemin feels bad but he’s tired of Jiyeon following him around everywhere. He’s about to tell Jiyeon off in the politest way possible when Jongin’s low voice interrupts.

“What do you want?”

Jiyeon glances between Taemin and Jongin, startled by his unfriendly tone. And so is Taemin, so he tries to stop whatever Jongin is going to do when Jongin holds Taemin’s hand firmly.

“Did you hear me? What do you want?”
“Nothing, from you.”
“I know. What do you want from him?”

Taemin is just as confused as Jiyeon is.

“I.. just-”
“Wanted to know if we were really going out, right?”

And Jongin lets go of his hand. Instead, Jongin puts his arms around Taemin’s shoulders and forces Taemin’s arms around his own waist as he sticks his body closer. The pose is humiliating and Taemin lowers his head while Jiyeon shoots out darts from her eyes into Jongin.

“Is this good enough or do you need more proof?”

Jiyeon bites her lip and shoots one final huge dart at Jongin before storming o