Forks High School has very little population of no more than four hundred; probably the smallest Baekhyun ever went to. Well, at least it’s one person more than yesterday. The faculty must have been proud. Almost all students in the campus were classmates since kindergarten. A new face in the crowd of familiarity ought to be odd. Baekhyun could only wish it wasn’t a very welcomed oddity. He actually preferred to stay in the library in his free time, being ignored by the world, than wasting his time pretending to smile with uncivilized civilians they’ll call themselves as his friends.

That is, if the library is actually active and if people will actually leave him alone.

Oh, how devastated he would be if his arrival hits the headlines of the school newspaper.

If it wasn’t for the map and his intelligence, Baekhyun would mistake the row of uniform buildings to be nothing more than just that. But Baekhyun is a genius, and a genius doesn’t make mistakes as trivial as this. It was one of the largest, if not the largest, buildings in town. Each cluster had a big letter above its front double doors. More cars were parked within its vicinity than anywhere and teenagers own said cars.

But most of all, there was a sign board that proudly says with bold letter, “Welcome to Forks High S hool!”

Some teenagers just played some irredeemable prank on that poor letter C. Baekhyun shook his head. Really, the term intelligent beings cannot be used for general human population.

He parked the vehicle on a corner farthest from entrance beside the shiny black Volvo. The walk may be a few meters more but at least no one would spare a suspicious funny glance at his beloved truck. He did love his truck, no lies in there, especially when it accidentally decided to stop in the middle of the highway earlier.

Yup, he loved his truck so much, no doubt about it.

Pulling his hood over her face, Baekhyun began walking towards the front of Cluster A, carefully avoiding crowded areas. His head was bowed low enough to cover his features and allow him the leisure of observing his surroundings. He walked slowly, bobbing slightly his head to a mash-up of Paganini’s Caprice’s on his IPod like it was some modern pop song. He didn’t have to do that but it is important to make him seem a normal teenager.

Halfway through the rather amusing journey towards the building, he came to a decision that his first impression of the school would be a den of monkeys on sneakers.

His first impressions were rarely wrong.

Baekhyun barely arrived at the main entrance when a guy blocked his way. He raised a questioning eyebrow, a universal gesture of “what in the planet Earth are you doing?”

The monkey didn’t reply. Instead, he grabbed Baekhyun’s books at an alarmingly careless fashion and proceeded to walk with him. “Hi, my name is Minho.”

Minho’s beam reached his dark brown eyes that closed into curved slits.

“May I have my books back?”

“I know who you are,” the young man continued like he didn’t hear Baekhyun speak. “You were all the school talked about for the past few days. You even made it to the school newspaper headlines.”

Oh, yes, I’m sure. But Baekhyun said nothing aloud.

“Byun Baekhyun, right?”

“Just Baekhyun, please.” Yes, monkey, very good. Now please. “May I have my books back?” His voice was a tad louder now.

“So, what’s your first class?” Minho stopped, waiting for an answer so he could show him the directions and be a good friend. Baekhyun took a second to observe before replying. The man had dark eye bags underneath his eyes, lightened slightly with powder. He has a DSLR camera hanging around his neck, old model but original; a photographer. Baekhyun saw inkblots on his left hand when he grabbed her books; left-handed photojournalist. He’s with the school newspaper.

Baekhyun would bet his allowance for today that Minho wrote the article. He managed to stop his smirk before it completely disrupted his completely-normal façade.

“English literature,” Baekhyun answered finally, “with one Mr. Vernon.”

“Good!” Minho almost jumped. “We’re on the same class. Come on!”

The monkey finally returned his book when they entered the class. Baekhyun handed over a piece of paper to the professor as Minho took his seat. He signed it beside his name briefly.

“Byun Baekhyun.” Mr. Vernon nodded.

“Just Baekhyun, sir.”

The large man pointed a pen to an available seat. “You may take that one but don’t sit yet. I have a couple of questions first.”

Baekhyun walked as slowly as he could just because he can but remained standing.

Mr. Vernon looked at him from head to toe as if looking for something although Baekhyun knew that he wasn’t really observing.

“Hmm,” droned Mr. Vernon. “You see, Baekhyun, I don’t like imbeciles in my class.”

Baekhyun nodded, keeping all thought whatever their nature is to himself.

“Literature is an art, not a plaything. It is to be dealt with respect and intelligence. Shall we test if you have a chance to pass my subject, Mr.  Byun?”

This was the right time to shake and quiver in fear and find the floor more entertaining than the teacher, which Mr. Byun all did but only because he was holding in a chuckle.

"Complete this quote: Listen, my friend the ages that are past; are now a book with seven seals protected…"

He heard a boy with thick glasses giggle.

Baekhyun played an innocent smile. "…What you the, spirit of the ages, call; is nothing but the spirit of you all; wherein the ages are reflected."

The smug smile on the teacher’s lips turned upside down.

“I didn’t know we’re having a lesson on Goethe, professor,” Baekhyun said, naively. “But of course the poem is better than the original.”

He proceeded to recite the whole verse in German. Mr. Vernon was gritting his teeth by the end of it.

He was allowed to sit after that.

Same thing happened during his math class. The teacher, a middle aged man who looked far older than he actually is, threw him complex mathematical question not even the previous smartest student in class could answer one after the other. Baekhyun gladly answered everything without missing a heartbeat, much to the old geezer’s irritation.

Needless to say, the rest of the morning day went well for him. By lunch time, all his subject teachers were biting their nails to prevent themselves from eating him alive. He’d half expected to be sent to the dean’s office by the end of his third subject but it seemed like the teacher didn’t have the nerve to do so.

A small boy from his Spanish class hooked his arm with Baekhyun’s and dragged his to the opposite direction from the library towards the school canteen. All the way, the boy was prattling about Baekhyun’s guts to annoy even the strictest teacher and applauding him for his success. The students were very much amused and grateful. They all thought his little display of clever rebellion was amazing but it wasn’t really. Baekhyun just couldn’t resist antagonizing people who clearly took him too lightly.

The English professor started the trend. If it wasn’t for his underestimating fill-in-the-blanks question, Baekhyun’s mood for answering everyone back wouldn’t even cross his brain. It wasn’t his fault the teacher hadn’t seen his attitude coming. Apparently, Mr. Basco hasn’t met his match in computer-speed calculation until now.

Taemin, the boy, forced him to sit down beside him in their small circle of friend’s table. A second later, two unwelcomed arms s around his neck. It was Minho, the photojournalist monkey. “Heard what you did with the math witch, impressive.”

Baekhyun pushed his arms away. Don’t these monkeys know how to respect his private and intimate space? Oh right, of course not. They are monkeys after all.

“Impressive, hardly. Thank you though.” Baekhyun stuttered. He wasn’t quite accustomed to compliments. “What I don’t find impressive however is the fact that you inserted your number in one my books.” He pulled the small paper with Minho’s handwritten number out of nowhere like magic. “Sorry to disappoint you but you…”

“… Are way out her league, dimwit.” Another boy continued who took the chair beside him. The rest of the boys in the table crooned teasingly. Minho was not happy. Why were these people fighting for his attention?

Dimwit wasn’t how Baekhyun was supposed to go about it but it seemed appropriate enough.

It took the genius all his strength not to observe this newcomer’s appearance like dissecting a frog on the lab. Except he doesn’t go very much far inside.

Speaking of frogs and lab work, Baekhyun wasn’t very much excited to have biology. He only hoped the professor wouldn’t disappoint him and make matters worse.

“Hi, princess.” the newcomer took one of his hand for him to kiss but Minho swatted his face before his lips touched Baekhyun’s skin. He’s not American by his accent but definitely not British either. “I’m Key, at your service.”

Baekhyun cracked her head. Ah, a Spanish accent.

“He’s taken.” Minho’s glare on Key had the intensity of a concentrated laser sword.

Taken, oh really? Such creative illusions these people have.

Both men started bickering and chasing each other around the bustling room like the monkeys they were.

The boys in the table, a total of three including him, looked at each other for a long while. Taemin and the other boy Baekhyun haven’t bothered asking her name yet laughed like it was the funniest gag they’ve ever seen. Baekhyun took this opportunity of distraction to look around before the boys would recover their composure and start interviewing him.

Like most schools, the student populace was greatly divided into cliques. These included the usual groups; the jock, the cheerleaders, the nerds, the geeks, the choir, the dance troop, the band mates, the emos, the weirdos etc. The boy with the glasses spat at him when their eyes met at one point. Baekhyun returned with a big innocent smile, all teeth. The boy turned his head before the millisecond was up. Oh, how he loved irritating people, especially egotistical smarty pants, not that he wasn’t one himself but that’s an entirely different matter.

There was nothing out of the normal until Baekhyun’s gaze swept through them.

A group of five boys sat in a table in the farthest, darkest corner of the canteen. They were all chalk white, almost glowing in the sunlight provided by the nearest window.  Baekhyun suddenly became aware of his complexion. He hadn’t been that white.

Four of them were laughing heartily, obviously keeping only to themselves without a care in the world – much like every other clique really. The food on their plates remained untouched. Such a waste of good produce. Hadn’t they known how far those apples have to travel before they landed on their tables? It wasn’t as if someone’s going to eat those after the lunch break is over.

His eyes lingered a second longer on the only one that’s not laughing. The man was clearly not paying attention to the rest of the members, like he was just dragged into the group kicking and screaming. Instead, he busied himself playing with his apple with a fork.

But they seem to be a family, if not then a bunch of friends who look like each other.

“They’re the Parks, in case you’re wondering.” Taemin said, more serious now. “The children of Dr. Park. They transferred to Forks two years ago.”

It was about time they recovered from their merriment.

“They all look like models, don’t they?” Baekhyun could swear the other boy started to giggle again. “But they don’t date outside their species.”

“Outside their species,” Baekhyun muttered, low enough for none to hear. There was something in those few words that triggered a wire in her brain. Outside their species.

Baekhyun fought her mind’s rising idea. The Park family were all just probably suffering from anorexia and anemia.

Probably.

“Chanyeol is hot, isn’t he?” Taemin swooned inelegantly. “I tried asking him out but tough luck. I heard he rejected every other people too. I bet we can make a rejected-by-Chanyeol club.”

“He’s the serious looking hottie,” the other boy supplied when he caught on with Baekhyun’s confused look. “Oh my god, he’s looking at you!”

Baekhyun sighed. That was because the person felt they were talking about him.

“Leave him alone.” He tried to look exasperated and uninterested but the weight of his stare was shooting daggers on his back. It annoyed him.

He turned and raised an eyebrow.

The bell rang; lunch time was over.

Chanyeol broke his glaring.

Gay. Is everyone gay for Chanyeol? Oh dear.

The other boy, Jonghyun, whom Taemin thoughtfully introduced after the whole Park fiasco, had the same class as the boy genius, Biology 2. Baekhyun loved science but he wasn’t overly fond of biology, or more specifically, the experiments done. He hated with a mighty passion paralyzing and dissecting animals, looking at them all weak and pained as he rummage along their insides.

Barbaric, aren’t we?

Baekhyun followed Jonghyun in silence as the boy rambled like Taemin about their biology teacher. Mr. Banner was not a biology major but a starry physics one. Astrophysicists, Baekhyun corrected him. The boy repeated the word, failing epically. He was in his mid-30s, very kind, and soft-spoken. His brother was wise to choose him as a science elective teacher because he almost always gives considerate high grades.

Baekhyun didn’t care about who gives high grades and who doesn’t. He was a hundred percent sure that he’ll ace every exam the teachers administered. By any luck, he might even be smarter than the whole lot of them combined!

No, he wasn’t worried about that. What gave him the chills was the young man sitting beside the only available chair in the classroom. As he was waiting for Mr. Banner to sign the slip, Baekhyun quickly assessed the lab. There were fifteen lab tables with only two chairs each. Taemin was already seated and the chair beside him was already taken. Only the chair besides Chanyeol was indeed unoccupied.

Mr. Banner smiled and offered the exact seat. Baekhyun took it warily, expecting another bout of questions but when the professor instantly started his lessons on cellular anatomy, the tension was released but only slightly. There was still the matter of this Chanyeol person who was, again, glaring at him with disgust like a blonde girl to a pile of dung. In fact, he was even scooting to the edge of his chair.

Baekhyun grinned and relaxed on his chair. If he really did smell like dung, at least he’ll be a pile of smart and comfortable dung.

Throughout the whole hour, Chanyeol never once relaxed. Baekhyun would find himself glancing at the man sideways from time to time. His fists were clenched so tightly he could see veins popping from the back of his hands. The muscles on his arms were tight and tensed as well. His eyes were narrowed like a predator to a prey; coal black eyes. The kind of color that light doesn’t seem to reflect from.

It didn’t take a genius to know that there are no real black eyes, just very dark brown.

Baekhyun tried to supply himself a reason besides ‘it’s really just black’ but he dismissed the whole idea and concentrated in class.

Ten minutes later, he got bored of the teacher and began composing a short song at the back of his notebook. Jonghyun wasn’t kidding when he said the teacher has a very soft voice. It sounds almost like a lullaby.

Ah, a lullaby! That should be a good theme.

When the bell rang again to inform the end of class, Chanyeol was already half-way out the door.

“You did something, sweetheart?” Is her name sweetheart now? “Park dude looked very angry.”

“Yes, I manage to spook our little friend there with my presence.” He turned to see Minho looking a little pale. “Quite the weird one, I say.”

“Tell me about it.” Minho rolled his eyes. He eased a bit. “Every girls, even guys sometimes, in school fell in love with him at some point but no one’s ever good for him.”

“I don’t suppose you fell head over heels with him too.”

The look on Minho’s shocked faced was priceless and, if Baekhyun squinted, he could see a light shade of pink tinting his cheeks.

Baekhyun didn’t see Chanyeol for the rest of his classes. It wasn’t as if he was looking for him either. That was good, he convinced himself but there was a pinch of something; a heavy little feeling thumping in his heart with every accelerated beat. It seemed almost like disappointment. Oh but it couldn’t be. And if it did disappoint her, maybe it was only because he longed to annoy the poor man out of his wits. Yes, that’s right. He just lost someone to toy with but all will be well when he finds another one. Perhaps, a teacher this time?

They met again in the registrar’s office at the end of the day. Baekhyun was to give the slip back and Chanyeol was demanding a change of science class. Too bad though the clerk said there were no more available slots and that he had to endure the same class until the semester ends. Baekhyun casually walked over the counter and handed the slip back. Chanyeol visibly stiffened and glared at her again.

Baekhyun didn’t seem like he melted underneath the intensity but he did made sure he looked very pleased.

“How was the first day, Mr.  Byun?” The receptionist was done with the complaining monkey and turned his attention to the newest student.

Baekhyun tried his best to giggle, earning a moan from Chanyeol. He made sure the monkey was looking at him when he replied, “it was most amusing, thank you.”

His truck roared into life. Moments later, he was at home, playing with his piano. The new but still incomplete piece he wrote resounded throughout the house but gained no complaints from his brother or their neighbors.

Life in Forks was better than he’d calculated.

Except, everyone is really gay for Park Chanyeol.

*

A/N: You are supposed to hate Baekhyun now for being arrogant and sassy. Yes, you do? Very good.