~Three years ago~   For someone so unbeatably smart, Aya was such a beauty. On top of that, she was outrageously responsible. She would have garnered haters—as was often the case with girls who stood out in terms of looks and wit—but her kindness had always walked before her. Nobody would dare dislike a girl who showcased nothing but patience and humility. Not openly, at least.   "We have a meeting with the faculty later, Aya," the counselor for freshmen was saying over a sip of her coffee, "please take care of him and make sure he doesn't ditch detention."   Aya was standing on the opposite side of the table, a pile of brown folders in her embrace. She was a member of the student council, along with five other fellow freshmen, and she was their year level's representative.   "He won't ditch," she said to the counselor, gleeful and sure of herself.   Baekhyun, who was leaning against the door frame behind her, snickered. He muttered something under his breath, but it was too low for Aya or the counselor to hear and understand.   "Thank you, Aya." The counselor swiped her keys from the varnished slab and rose. She rounded the table and paused before Baekhyun. She pursed her lips, assessing him. "You better not blow this up, Byun Baekhyun. Don't think I'm not capable of getting you expelled."   Baekhyun grinned in response. The counselor sighed, shook her head and stomped exasperatedly away.   "You're being really rude, you know." Aya moved for the door. "And what have you done this time? Honestly, Baekhyun, you're better than this—"   "Aya, Aya, Aya." He swayed closer to her, a smirk in his lips. "Do you seriously believe she's going to a faculty meeting?"   "What do you mean?" She leaned away and finally stepped out of the room. She beckoned for him to follow. Detentions usually came in the form of washroom mopping or school yard sweeping, but Aya had something else in her mind for his agenda; something more worth her while.   "I mean," Baekhyun sighed, following suit, "that there is no faculty meeting and that she's actually going out on a date with her forty-year old suitor. Wait, I didn't have to mention his age, did I? They're of the same Jurassic generation anyway."   "Stop that," Aya admonished, but she was grinning. "Besides, faculty meeting or not, it doesn't change the fact that you've caused a ruckus, Baekhyun."   "You can actually drop the second syllable to my name," Baekhyun declared. "It makes you sound so formal."   Aya held in a satisfied smile. "Baek, then."   "Better, sweetheart." He wiggled his brows at her. "Anyway, I wasn't causing a ruckus. It's not my fault I'm too fabulous that half the girls in this school are crazy over me."   "You were conducting your own concert in the corridors, you dope, and in the middle of classes. How is that not a ruckus?"   "I was just... vocalizing. And it wasn't in the middle of classes. Well, not for me at least."   Aya shook her head in disbelief. "Because you were still on your way to your classroom, that's why. Seriously, Baekhyun—Baek, I mean. How can you arrive in school an hour late? That's a record breaker."   Instead of getting affronted by Aya's covert admonishing, Baekhyun's thoughts swirled over to that event that had held him up from going to school earlier this morning.   It was the birthday of his brother's girlfriend. And while Baekbom, Baekhyun's brother, owned for himself a singing voice to swoon for, his throat had gone sore overnight—a direct consequence of having baked a dozen or so chocolate cookies the previous evening for his girlfriend's gift. In the end he had to employ the assistance of his younger brother to serenade the love of his life.   Baekhyun agreed of course. For him, it was far more fun to witness his brother go cheesy over his girlfriend than to survive the early morning lectures on morality by his Formation teacher who couldn't even keep a steady relationship for more than two months.   Instead of explaining his tale to Aya, though, he settled for a more mischievous excuse. "It's not a record breaker," he said. "I had a better record in first quarter. Two hours and fifteen minutes. Beat that, honey." He didn't expound on the reason being the sudden arrival of his grandmother. He had very much preferred to come along when his parents fetched her from the airport than attend his classes.   "Very funny," Aya replied, stopping before the student council room. "We're here."   Baekhyun's face turned skeptical. "What are we doing here?"   "Uh, detention?" She brushed off his look of unbelief and slid open the glass door. "I'm going to let you sort out our student records."   Baekhyun's face fell. "Can I just sing before a crowd of orphans or something?" He scratched his head but stepped inside anyway. "I swear I'm only going to mess up the already sorted ones—where are you going?" he suddenly demanded.   Aya was grabbing her bag,