“Are you going over to meet them now?”

“Hmm? Nope~, of course not,” IU said brightly. “We should avoid the canteen for now. I’m planning on making it a surprise when they see me later,” IU said. “Oh? But then, I guess I can’t introduce them to you now, then..,”

“That’s okay, I think your whole surprising them, sounds like a lot of fun, so it’ll be worth the wait,” her friend said thoughtfully.

“Thanks, and I’m sorry.. but I promise you, they’re worth the wait. They’re really a fun bunch, you won’t regret it,” IU coaxed her friend.

“If you say so,”

***

“.. and he was like, ‘Er, a-actually, I-I, ..er-,’ and was all trembling..,” Yonghwa acted it out, evoking laughter from his friends.

“Y-ya! I told you, I was merely trying to be respectful towards Jongkook-ssi!” insisted Joon.

“Yeah, by trembling in fear,” retorted Yonghwa. “Sparta-kook even went to the extent of clearly saying he didn’t mind having a match with you, and yet you’re still saying it was out of respect?”

Joon gritted his teeth. “Ceh, say what you want, I don’t care,” Joon retorted.

“Don’t worry, I will,” Yonghwa smiled slyly.

Kikwang who was walking with them, calmed the situation down. “Okay, okay, relax, it was just for fun right?”

Joon frowned at them. “Fine. But why is it only the four of us today?”

“Well, the others said they had something to do,” Onew explained. “So, I guess it’s just us 4 today,”

“Bummer,” Joon said slowly.

“Oh? He just called us a bum,” Onew framed him.

“W-what?” Joon said in surprise. “N-no I didn’t!”

“Haha, relax, we’re joking,” Kikwang said. “Come on, let’s go to the canteen, I’m hungry,”

***

As soon as they got there, the canteen was empty. Not one person in sight.

“What happened here?” Joon puzzled. “Why is the canteen empty?”

“I don’t know, maybe zombies came by and ate everyone’s brain on our way here,” Onew said calmly. The other three boys stared at him weirdly. “What? It could happen..,”

“Maybe everyone got tired of the lousy food here..,” Yonghwa suggested.

“That could be it,” Joon nodded in agreement.

“Nah, actually, someone probably planned something like a surprise event or something, that’s why it’s closed,” Kikwang said.

“Really? Nah, I don’t think so,” Joon said.

“Actually, Kiki’s right, someone probably booked it for a while,” Yonghwa nodded in agreement. “Actually, now that I think about it, there’s probably students hiding behind the walls and under the tables, and they’re going to jump out to surprise the guy,”

“What? Really? How do you know all this?” Joon asked innocently.

“Because, this is a surprise party for you,” Onew said simply.

“Huh?”

“SURPRISE!!” everyone yelled as they jumped out from their hiding place.

***

*stomach grumbling*

“IU, I’m hungry.. let’s go get something to eat,”

“NO! Absolutely not!” IU quickly said.

“But I’m hungry..,” whined her friend.

“But, but.., we could get caught,” worried IU.

*stomach grumbling*

“Ergh..” IU clutched her tummy.

“See! You’re hungry too, come on, forget the plan, let’s go eat,” insisted her friend.

“No! I can’t!” IU fought back.

“Haih.., fine, I’ll go by myself..,” sighed her friend. “It should be okay, since no one here knows me yet, right?”

“Are you sure?” IU asked. IU bit her lip, thinking. “Fine, let’s just forget about the plan, I’ll go with you,” IU finally said.

“What? No way! There’s no need for that,” insisted her friend. “I can go by myself,”

“But you don’t even know where the canteen is, I’ll guide you there,” IU said.

“Do you think I’m a 5 year-old kid, who can’t find her own way?” her friend asked her skeptically. “Ya, I’m telling you, it’s okay, I’ll go by myself, and I’ll bring us a few snacks, to fill our tummies, okay?”

“B-but..,”

“No buts!” insisted her friend. “Just stay there, I’ll be back soon,” her friend said before leaving for the canteen.

“Wait!”

“I told you, just stay there!” retorted IU’s friend.

“Er.. actually I was trying to tell you, the canteen’s in the opposite direction,” IU said simply.

Her friend blushed slightly. “I-I know that!”

***

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here?” Joon asked disbelievingly.

“Are you being retarded on purpose? We’re doing this ‘for’ you,” Min scolded him.

“Yeah, it wouldn’t have made sense if you weren’t here,” Yoseob added.

“Aish, relax, enjoy the moment, man!” Onew smacked Joon on the back.

“I still can’t believe you guys did this for me..,” Joon said, touched.

“What can I say, we had too much time on our hands,” Soyeon said coolly.

“Really, though Joon-ssi, we’re really glad that you’re back with us,” Seohyun said.

“It just wasn’t the same without you around,” Hyosung added.

“Yeah. They might not admit it, but we all missed having you around,” Kikwang said, wrapping an arm around Joon’s shoulder.

“Myself not included,” Yonghwa said.

“Me too,” Min raised her hands.

“Me three,” Yoseob also raised his hands up.

“Well.., technically speaking, this is, Joon’s party, so.. I guess you could choose who to kick out from the party,” Soyeon suggested.

“Oh? Now that you mention it..,” Joon wondered.

“Best friend!” Yonghwa quickly yelled out. “I missed you really, really much when you were gone..,” Yonghwa pretended to cry.

“Not bad..,” Hyosung mused.

“Joon! Honey!” Min winked at him cutely. “You know I was just joking earlier right? I missed you so much!” Min went and hugged him.

“Ceh, don’t you have any pride woman?” Yoseob asked Min.

“Nope, non-whatsoever,” Min replied cheekily.

“Hey, stop hogging my best friend all to yourself,” Yonghwa exclaimed.

Min sticked her tongue out. “I’m not letting go!”

“Yoseobie, don’t you have anything to say?” Soyeon asked.

Yosoeb bit back his retorts. “Ehem.. Joon.., we’ve been friends for a year now..,”

“Boo!” Kikwang interrupted. “Pathetic!”

“Is that the best you can do?” Soyeon asked skeptically.

“I have to admit, that was quite disappointing,” agreed Hyosung.

“My cat could beg better than that,” Onew added.

“Ya!” Yoseob yelled at his friends.

“Oh? Are you yelling at me?” Joon asked.

“Ah, n-no, Joon-ssi, I’d nev-,”

“I definitely heard him yell at you,” Onew quickly framed Yoseob.

“Ya!” Yoseob yelled back.

“Oh? He’s doing it again,” Onew pointed out.

Yoseob bit his lip to stop himself from yelling.

“That’s it, I’ve decided,” Joon said. “Yonghwa, Min, you’re good,” Joon said.

“W-what about me?” stuttered Yoseob.

“I thought you didn’t miss me?” Joon asked skeptically.

“Oh man! Come on!”

***

“This way should be the way to the canteen,” IU’s friend said as he walked along the corridor. When she got close, she saw a group of people having a party. “Is that the canteen?” she thought, before approaching them.

“Em, excuse me, is this the canteen?” she asked one of the boys.

“Huh? Ah, yes,” Yonghwa nodded. “Are you a new student?”

“Ah yes, how did you know?”

“You asked me where the canteen was..,” Yonghwa said simply.

“I see. I guess that kind of gave it away huh?” chuckled the girl. “Then where can I buy some food?”

“Usually, you’d buy it over there,” Yonghwa pointed at a nearby counter. “But since today we’re having a party, so it’s on us,” Yonghwa said, handing her a pack of creamy bread.

“Um, I’m taking one for my friend as well, so..,”

“Say no more,” Yonghwa interrupted her, handing her another pack of creamy bread. “Take as many as you want, we have plenty,”

“Yonghwa! Looked out!” Kikwang yelled at Yonghwa. Onew threw some cake cream towards Joon but he avoided it, and now it flew straight towards Yonghwa.

Yonghwa turned back, and saw the cake-cream flying towards him. In the nick of time, he manages to narrowly avoid it. But IU’s friend was standing directly in from of him…

*splat!*

The cream hits her right in the face, smearing her face.

“I’m sorry! Are you alright?” Onew yelled as he went to the girl.

“I’m ok,” assured the girl, wiping the cream off her face.

“Does somebody have a hadkerchief?” Onew asked.

“I do,” Yonghwa took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and went towards the girl.

“Thanks,” the girl said, holding her hand out to take the handkerchief.

Yonghwa ignored her hand and wiped the cream off her face personally.

The girl blushed when Yonghwa wiped her face. “T-there’s no need for that, I can wi-,”

“It was partly my fault,” interrupted Yonghwa. “If I didn’t avoid it, you wouldn’t have been hit by it, right?” Yonghwa said coolly. “There, all clean,”

“We’re really sorry for inconveniencing you Miss!” Seohyun bowed apologetically.

The girl blushed, before leaving them and heading towards IU.

“Who was that?” Hyosung asked.

“Don’t know, I’ve never seen her before,” Min said.

“I think I’ve seen her during the music festival, she came as a spectator,” Soyeon said.

“Are you sure? You could’ve mistaken her for someone else,” Yoseob pointed out.

“Yoseob’s right, I wonder if we’ll see her again..,” Kikwang wondered.

***

*school bell rings*

“Okay, everyone, today I’ll be introducing to you guys, two new classmates, come in you two,” Jaesuk motioned for them to enter. “Now I’m sure you all know her from the music festival, IU-ssi, please introduce yourself,”

“Hello, everyone, I’m Lee Jieun, but you can call me IU. I look forward to studying with you,” IU said brightly.

“Nicely done IU-ssi, you may take your seat,” Jaesuk said.

“IU-ssi, what are you doing here?” Yonghwa asked IU as she walked past him.

“Hmm? Didn’t you hear, I’m transferring here,” IU said brightly.

“Hi, IU-ssi, do you remember me?” Onew asked.

“Yeah, Onew-ssi, right?”

“Awesome! She remembers!”

“Now then, for our second student, she’s also a transfer student from ‘Dream High’,”

“Yonghwa, isn’t that the girl we met earlier?” Onew asked.

“Hmm? Oh? You’re right it is,”

Oh? You guys already met her?” IU asked.

“Yeah, we met her earlier during recess,” Yonghwa explained. “We got into a little accident,”

“Hello everyone, my name’s Ham Eunjung, you can call me Eunjung. Nice to meet you,”