Monday rolled in quickly. Alana sighed as she stepped out of her bed. Her body was still feeling a bit feverish, but she knew that she had to go to school today. She has very important duties to achieve today, and she could not ignore that. She stifled a yawn. Her insomnia was starting to kick in again and that didn’t very much help her to get ready for this day at all.

Jiho returned later afternoon last Friday, reporting every single bit of how the Auditorium was looking. According to Jiho, everything was splendid. Alana hoped for the same thing to happen today, --- Mrs. Violet had put her trust into Alana to make sure that this exhibition would go well.

The moment she reached her school’s compound, Alana could feel her heart drumming from the inside. She was, indeed nervous. Inhaling a good amount of air, Alana nodded to herself and headed straight towards the Auditorium.

__________

Alana stalked out of the Auditorium with a bright smile. She ran threw a few things on her clipboard to make sure one more time that everything was in its place. She was delighted to see the Auditorium decorated so artsy, and that made her even prouder to be the president of such a beautiful society.

She checked her watch to see that she had exactly 10 minutes before the first bell would ring. *Just like how I planned.* Alana had came to school an hour earlier today, just to check up on the venue. The exhibition won’t start until 10am, though.

Mrs. Violet had ushered her to attend her classes as usual today until needed, since Alana did after all skipped classes and got herself involved for the exhibition’s preparation. Mrs. Violet complimented Alana’s thorough planning, absolutely stunned by the preparations done.

 Alana’s eyes widen with surprise when she sees Jongin by her locker that morning. His back was facing her, and she was contemplating whether to run off or not. In the end, she chooses the latter one when she realized she didn’t have the books needed for her first period.

Jongin greeted her with a dashing smile, not wavering Alana’s heart one bit. She politely smiled back, still cautious with him after what had happened yesterday. “Hey, why didn’t you come on Friday?” He questioned. Opening her locker, she replied, “I woke up late …”

“Liar.” He cut off, sharply. “And there you were, calling me a liar. Just look at your face, --- it’s paler than a dead corpse.” Jongin remarked. Alana rephrased her lips into a thin line. Jongin sighed. “Come here.” He said lowly and pushed her body towards his. “Jongin, I said we wer, ---“ Alana was cut off again.

“See, you’re shivering.”

Alana tried prying herself off Jongin, but to her avail, it didn’t work. It never worked, as a matter of fact. So, she let him be. “Stop displaying your affection publicly.” She hissed. “Shy now, aren’t we?” He smirked. “We were over!” She retorted.

“And I am not accepting that.” Jongin released his hand from the back of her head to make Alana look him in the eye. She scoffed. “And who are you to say that? You are on my land. My people. My country. Off with your head, in a second can be.”

“And keep that in mind.” Alana warned and pushed his chest away. Slapping her locker shut, she huffed her way away from Jongin to her first class, ---- English. Jongin rolled his eyes and trailed closely from behind, glaring daggers at any male population looking at her. Alana entered the class with silent steps and headed towards her usual seat, --- third row by the window.

Jongin followed in sync and sat next to her, directly facing her as soon as he laid his on the chair. “You don’t sit there.” Annoyed, Alana slammed her English dictionary, not giving Jongin a glance. “I can make him move.” Jongin said, implying that he could make Alana’s seatmate settle in another seat. “You don’t belong here.” She ignored him, and continued organizing her things on the table.

“Yeah, I belong with you.”

The whole class swooned to this. Alana bit her lower lips, trying her level best to not flip anything at the moment. “Shut up.” She said, her breath coming out shaky. “Awh, come on, babe.” He cooed. “Don’t call me that.” She commanded, her left eye twitching from anger. “Why, does it make you feel all jittery inside?” Jongin laid his head onto the wooden table and stared at her.

“No, it makes me feel like vomiting.”

The class snickered. Jongin glared back at them.

“Well uhm, babe, ---“

“I said, don’t call me that!” She growled.

“Oh that was y.” Jongin bit his lips, --- a gesture of ual frustration.

Alana sighed, “I am so tired of your , I am giving up.”

“Anyway, I just wanted to inform you that I’ll be dropping by the art exhibition that you had been working your for.” He told. This topic made Alana lighten up a bit. “With the boys?” She asked. Jongin smiled. But of course, the clique had grown onto Alana since these past few days. “Totally.” He nodded.

“Thanks.” Alana coldly said, wanting to end the conversation.

“Not a problem. I want to see how talented my baby is.” Jongin cheekily said.

Alana groaned.

__________

Halfway through her Biology lesson a student disturbed her from dissecting a frog. “Miss Alana, someone wants to see you.” Mr. Mano, her Indian biology teacher suddenly said. Alana sighed and nodded at her biology partner, Jung Daehyun, to move on dissecting the frog without her. She walked outside the class with her rubber gloves on.

“Senior, Mrs. Violet would like to see you at the Auditorium now.” The student, --- a junior, --- informed her. Alana frowned. “Whatever for?” “Perhaps Mrs. Violet wants your approval to showcase your painting?” He answered. “Ah, right.” She nodded, understanding. Alana was supposed to hand in her permission form on Friday, but since she was absent to school, she was not able to do that. She also had forgotten to give Jiho the slip on Friday when he paid a visit to her school.

Alana’s brows knitted together when she sees a few outsiders walking inside the school’s compound. She squinted her eye to take a good look at the uniform the person was wearing and gulped. Alana could recognize that uniform even from 100 feet away; --- it was the uniform of the Chinese boys’ school across the street. The fact that the students from the school across were invited to the exhibition completely slipped off Alana's mind. She remembered it only now. But it was too late. Her painting ... was probably showcased already.

“Oh no.” She whispered, ---more to herself. “Thanks.” Alana nodded at the junior and rushed into the laboratory to ask permission from her Biology teacher to be excused from the class this time. He agreed since she was one of his best students anyway, and as soon as she heard the word ‘yes’, she sprinted her way towards her Auditorium.

She hastily pushed the doors to the Auditorium open, resulting to everyone inside to look at her direction. Her eyes skimmed the room and she felt relieved when she sees none of her friends, --- more like ex-friends, --- there.  Her eyes stopped at one particular painting. There it was, standing tall and proud amongst the other paintings. Alana’s painting stood out the most.

She spotted Mrs. Violet and sprung towards her direction, slipping her ugly and tacky rubber gloves off her hands. “M-M-Mrs. Violet.” She huffed. “Why, hello dear. Calm down, I did not demanded for you right away.” Her art teacher said and patted her back. “Mrs. Violet, I can’t let that painting be there, it had to be taken down.” Desperately, Alana looked at her.

“I’m sorry dear, but that can’t be done. If you had come to school on Friday and tell me, it is possible but today, I just wanted you to witness the exhibition yourself.” Mrs. Violet shook her head and gave Alana a smile filled with sympathy. *Oh no, if Luhan sees it, he would think that I’ve gone nuts. This cannot be.* “But Mrs. Violet, ---“, she tried again but was cut off.

“Now, now, dear, go ahead and take a look at the exhibition. I am sorry for not telling you about this case in the morning; it had completely slipped off my mind. I have some work to complete. Run along.” Mrs. Violet smiled at her before disappearing behind the stage.

“Hey LuLu, this painting sort of looks like you!” Alana froze at that voice. It was Jongdae’s. *Oh dang it.* “Because, dimwit, it is Luhan!” Wufan’s strong voice rang across the room. “Huh where?” A confused Luhan said and peered over Wufan’s shoulder. “Goodness, Luhan this is beautiful!” Yixing chirped. “Yeah ge ge, it looks better than the real you!” Tao snickered.

“Why you! Just look at the artist’s name, please?” Luhan pleaded. Alana’s body parts started to work again, upon hearing this she turned towards the door but stopped once again when she was face to face with the gang. Her grip on the rubber gloves tightened when they all stared at her.

“Student’s name; Alana Azhar, date of manufacture; 24^th June 1941, time taken to complete painting; 16 hours and 32 minutes,  material used; oil paint.” Minseok hovered his fingers to the top right corner of the canvas and read.

“Oh.” Was all Luhan could say as he stared at Alana. Xiumin, Wufan, Yixing, Jongdae and Tao looked from the painting to Alana in awe, obviously flabbergasted and lost for words. Alana’s knees wobbled, causing her to grab hold onto display table that was near her. Luhan’s expression turned into a worried one when he sees this.

Alana took a deep breath in and placed a palm onto her forehead before steadying herself. The next moment you knew, she ran out of the Auditorium, faster than a cheetah.

Meanwhile, the EXO-K boys were fooling around along the sidewalk, outside of the Auditorium. They got the shock of their lives when they felt a gust of wind pass by them, only to learn that was a person. “Isn’t that, ---“ Sehun pondered.

“Alana.” Jongin finished off for him.

Another gust of wind passed by them, and Baekhyun rolled his eyes, irritated. “Geez, wonder what’s up with people and running.” “Wait, isn’t that …” Chanyeol paused, and it was now his turn to ponder. “Luhan.” Baekhyun confirmed.

“Alana and Luhan … Running in the same direction.” Suho softly said.

Jongin took a step forward to chase after them, but was held back by Kyungsoo. “Don’t, Kai. Let them solve this on their own.” Kyungsoo shook his head and dragged him towards the opposite direction. “Well, what are you waiting for? We have an exhibition to see!” Kyungsoo shooed his friends inside the Auditorium. Jongin stared long and hard at the direction that Alana and Luhan went to.

“Come on.” Kyungsoo grunted and pulled him into the cold, air-conditioned room.

It was as cold as his heart.

__________

Alana finally reached the art room and panted as she got inside. She leaned against the wall and coughed repeatedly, her face palling by the second. She shifted towards the sink, doubling over and coughing continuously. When the coughing finally stopped she stood upright and leaned one hip by the sink with a hand to support her weight.

Her breathing was heavy and sweat trailed down her face.

She turned alarmed when she heard footsteps coming towards her direction. Her heart seemed to stop a bit when she saw who it was, --- “Luhan.” She said, ever so softly with the final breath she had. Luhan rushed to her side. “A-Are you okay?” He placed a hand onto her forehead worriedly and quickly retreated when he felt how hot it was.

“You’re smoking!” He exclaimed with slang. Alana chuckled, too tired to say anything. She looked into his eyes and tiredly said “I’m sorry.” before her eyes rolled to the back of her head, completely knocking her out.

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Wey hey guess who's here trolololol. Hey it's Tuna yo. Today, i am going to double update!!! //claps// I posted up this chapter first because i love giving you guys suspense hehehe. I loveeeeee cliff-hangers. Also, thursday will be a very important day for me and all the 98-liners of my country. If you could, maybe, pray a little for me so that my results will be what i wish for would be nice, hehehe.

I heard that our lulu is sick. T^T Oh deer, get well soon! Do comment your thoughts on this chapter okay? :-)