Taemin's POV

Nothing was going to be interesting this year. I'd covered everything we were going to be doing in math last year. I sighed heavily and started to play with my pencil. I really was going to fall asleep at any moment, not a way I wanted to start off my school year.

"Sorry I'm late." A male voice spoke clearly, followed by the noise of a door falling shut. "I had to make a schedule change."

"Okay, your name?" The teacher asked the student. God, whatever he said it was so boring. I started scribbling on the corner of my book.

"Lee Jinki." The student responded. I looked up when I heard the familiar name, Onew was standing awkwardly in the front.

"Alright, take a seat." The teacher instructed.

Onew slightly bowed and went to the only remaining seat in the second row, tripping over his own feet on the way.

"Hey, wasn't that guy a senior here a couple years ago?" I heard someone whisper behind me.

"Yeah, but he dropped out. Remember?" Another voice whispered back.

Onew dropped out? Now that I really looked at him he did look a little older. Were his grades bad? No, he couldn't of have gotten into this math class then.

"Yeah. Why though? I heard he was really smart and popular... I don't see why he'd need to drop out." The two students continued their conversation which I listened to intently.

"I heard a rumor that he-"

"Attention!" The teacher called up front, silencing the gossiping students.

Crap. Now I needed more information on Onew and Key.

"Hey Taemin!" Onew called as I walked passed him, I hadn't noticed him.

"Oh, Onew." I greeted him.

"You're next class is English, right?"

"Yeah, I think so..." I looked around as we entered the hallway, not finding it strange that he knew my schedule. "I'm not sure where it is though."

"Don't worry, I'll show you." Onew started leading the way. I had to jog a bit to keep up with his long strides.

"Hey, Onew? Is it true that you dropped out?" I asked before thinking just to keep up a conversation.

"Oh... yeah." He nodded, frowning a bit. But then he looked at me with a smile on his face, "I'm a good student though, it's nothing like what you're probably thinking."

"So why did you drop out then?" I asked, hoping to clear this from my list of things I didn't know.

"Hm. Maybe I'll tell you someday." He replied as he opened the door to my English class.

"Don't you need to get to your class?" I wondered as I took a seat in the back, surprised when he sat next to me.

"I have all my classes with you." He said simply and set his bag down by his feet.

"How do you know?" It was a bit peculiar since I didn't even know all my classes.

"It's not-" He began but he stopped talking suddenly and I saw him freeze from the corner of my eye. I turned my full attention to him and followed his gaze to the front of the room.

Some guy had just walked in. Wasn't that Key? I recognized the white jacket from earlier this morning. He looked around and set his eyes on me. He started to walk over slowly.

Onew tensed up in his seat. I had to admit, I was a bit nervous too.

"Excuse me." Key said in a clear, confident manner. "May I take this seat?"

"Um..." I said softly, intimidated by his stare.

"Go sit somewhere else Kibum." I heard Onew say beside me.

"I wasn't asking you Jinki." Key murmured, not looking in his direction.

"Whatever. Would you rather me tell everyone?" Onew threatened. "I'll say it right now."

"There's no need for that." Key dropped the subject and walked away, taking a seat that I couldn't help but notice was the farthest empty one from Onew.

"I really can't stand that guy." Onew said in frustration.

"What did you mean by 'Would you rather me tell everyone'?" I asked curiously.

"Ah, you have so many questions. Maybe I'll tell you someday." He said.

He sure would have to tell me a lot of things someday. At least I'd get a full answer then.

I barely heard the bell ring, signaling the start of class, because I was already bored to death. My english wasn't perfect, but I had lived in North America for over fifteen years.

I sighed as the teacher started taking roll. I wasn't until the the "L's" so I could relax for now.

"Choi Minho?" I heard what the teacher was saying by accident. I wasn't trying to pay attention but it was a sad habit.

"Here." A deep voice said. I followed the source of the noise and saw the tall guy from earlier sitting next to Key. They seemed like friends...

"Kim Kibum?" I accidentally heard again after zoning out.

"Here." Key said in his perfect voice. Why did Onew hate him so much? He had just nicely asked me to move and didn't seem that bad of a guy. I studied him from my seat trying to figure it out.

"Taemin." I heard Onew whisper next to me, nudging me in the side. He broke my concentration and I looked at him, a bit irritated. He pointed towards the front of the room.

"Lee Taemin?" The teacher repeated.

"Oh, here!" I said, a blush rushing into my cheeks.

I felt eyes on me and I tried to busy myself with my books. When it was safe to look I returned my attention back to Key. Mistake.

He was looking right at me, a smirk on his face.

I quickly looked away, the rosy blush returning before it could fully leave. Key chuckled quietly and I saw him turn to Minho and say something from what I was allowing myself to notice.

Key's POV

"What do you think about Jinki's new friend?" I whispered to Minho.

I saw him smile to himself and rip a piece of paper from his notebook, he scribbled something down:

I thought you didn't want to talk about that guy anymore.

Well, at least he had remembered. I grabbed the paper from his desk and printed neatly under his writing then passed it to him:

I'm not really talking about him exactly. I mean that Taemin kid. Doesn't he seem kind of young? - Key

Sort of. I accidentally ran into him this morning... Why are you so interested in this guy? :/ - Minho

I haven't seen him before and it's weird he picks Jinki for his friend... And it's just that not a lot of kids get into this school. - Key

He seems smart enough. Just talk to him, keke. You're the almighty Key. ;) - Minho

God, Minho. I swear... Okay, I'll talk to him after class. Just distract Jinki, I don't want him to interfere. - Key

I slid the last of our conversation to Minho and I saw him nod slightly as I tried to focus on what the teacher was saying. This didn't sound like it was going to be easy. My English isn't bad, probably the best in the school, but I'd heard this teacher doesn't deal with crap. And I have a lot of crap.

I sighed and glanced at the clock above my head. Just fifteen more minutes...

"Okay, now we are going to take a short oral test to see which of you is the most advanced." The teacher announced.

This grabbed my attention. I knew I would be the "most advanced" so I raised my hand first.

"Kibum." The teacher pointed at me, then to something he wrote on the board. "What does this say and mean?"

"It says, 'Meet me there five after the hour.'" I read it in perfect English, that was a weird sentence.

"Yes, and what does it mean?" The teacher prodded. Ch, the answer was obvious.

"It's asking someone to meet you at a location in five minutes." I said confidentally.

"Actually..." The teacher started but then something caught his attention in the back, "Yes, Taemin? Do you have a question?"

"No, I have the correct answer." I heard the boy say softly in the back. I turned around to glare at him. What, was my answer wrong?

"Really? Go ahead." I could tell the teacher didn't believe him. Ignorant child... trying to mess with me.

"It doesn't mean in five minutes it means five minutes after the next hour. Say it was 12:30, you wouldn't meet at 12:35 but at 1:05." He explained.

I looked back at the teacher. He couldn't be right, could he? I turned back towards him another time but he was staring at me again. He looked away fast, blushing. Ch.

"Correct!" The teacher said proudly. "Hm, your English seems rather advanced."

I sunk down in my seat. That was the first time I'd been wrong like this.

For the remaining ten minutes the teacher was testing Taemin's skills and, of course, it was all perfect. God, I didn't like this guy. No wonder he got along with Jinki.

"Key, the bell rang." Minho told me, poking my arm.

"Oh." I said and stood up quickly. I walked past him and said, "Get Jinki." Under my breath.

Damn, Taemin was already at the door. I took a couple quick steps to keep up. Ah, Jinki was there...

"Hey Onew!" I heard Minho call behind me. He turned around and looked confused that Minho wanted to speak with him. Perfect.

"Just go where I told you, Taemin." He told the small boy and went to see what Minho wanted.

"Okay..." Taemin replied, barely audible.

Jinki passed me on his way to Minho, disgusting.

"Hey Taemin!" I jogged up to him. Hm, he wasn't really that short after all.

"Key?" He said, he even looked a bit scared.

"Oh, you know my name?" I asked. As if he shouldn't know it by now.

"Oh... well." He blushed again and looked at his feet.

"What's your next class? I'll walk you." I offered. I'd him even if he said no. I didn't like him. But I wanted to figure him out. Weird... I've never wanted to get to know someone before.

"I have free period..." He said. How was I supposed to talk to him if I could barely hear what he's saying?

"Great, me too. Let's head to the library." I grabbed his arm and took him outside. No surprise, he was very easy to drag around.

But I had to protect my reputation so I draped my arm around his shoulder to make us seem close.

"Hi Key." A group of girls said as I passed, but a few of them detached from the group as they saw my new 'friend'.

"Omo, whose this?" They said, already fawning over him. I felt Taemin take a nervous step back away from them into my arm.

"You don't know him?" I tried to act surprised. "His name's Taemin."

"He's so cute." One of the girls said boldly. Ch, just trying to impress me.

I looked down at Taemin who was blushing yet again.

"Yes, yes. We have to head to our next class now." I pushed Taemin ahead so he would start walking. I heard a chorus of "Bye's" fade out behind us.

"Who were they?" Taemin asked as we turned the corner.

"I'm not sure." I admitted. "But they thought you were cute."

Taemin's famous blush returned. Aish, what was I going to do with this kid?

It was going to be too easy. Way too easy. Getting back at Jinki would be so easy the fun would vanish with Taemin.

Well, I could still make it fun.

Just if I did things the right way.

"Hey Taemin. Want to hang out after school?"