Editor-in-Chief Note:

So, last week some students came to me asking about their clubs’ fund. Now, I don’t know where you guys got the news from but I assure you, they are untrue. No one is planning on cutting your fund, no matter how ‘unpopular’ your club is. Rest assured that we’re still going with the budget plan the committee has agreed upon.

Onto the next matter: as we’ve predicted before, we received a lot of complaints and protests about the change in The Thunder Herald. Firstly, I want to thank you for this means that you guys still care and love the newspaper. But the change is necessary. We’re moving—evolving. If we stay the way we were, where would the fun in that be? About the complaints, most of them were about the disappearance of Promote Yourself column. Of course.

Now, you must know why it’s gone. Promote Yourself had gone astray from what it was supposed to do. The true purpose was to find yourself a perfect match in this school; be it for group study sessions or for more personal reasons. But along the way, we realised some of us with cruel heart had made fun of a few participants. Seriously, was saying ‘A is so ugly, she will never find anyone who will like her nor befriend her’ necessary? A lot of students were hurt and we didn’t want that. We still don’t.

On the other hand, the new Ask the Duo is a hit! I will have you know that no more than a day after we issued the first edition, our mailbox was filled with no less than 50 letters! That sure was a good start and our two columnists were ecstatic (and thankful, too). Thank you for your support.

Before I end my note, I’d like to remind you that extra curricular activities start this week. Prepare yourself for fun and new friends so don’t be afraid to open up. Don’t be shy, no need to feel self-conscious. We are what we believe we are ^^

Regards,

Kim Joonmyeon

The noise came from cymbals was the most annoying sound Baekhyun had ever heard and he still didn’t know why, despite knowing that fact about himself, he always came back here from time to time without failing.

No, no. He knew why.

“Yeollie!” he was all but screaming as he entered the music room, effectively stopping the disturbing sound that grated on his nerves so much. “Here’s your song book! God, can you be responsible once in a while? I’m tired having to bring you anything that should be your responsibility in the first place.”

He then shoved the book into the drummer’s face.

Chanyeol looked up, drumsticks hanging in the air. After a few seconds of recognising, he grinned; showing the world a pearly white set of teeth. “Hello, Baek! Thank you, Baek!”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” and turned his body around, ready to leave. He kind of ignored the presence of Chanyeol’s band members, too, actually. Because according to him, they were a bunch of obnoxious, uncivilised youngsters. How Chanyeol found them and befriended them was forever outside Baekhyun's reasoning ability.

“Wait! So soon? Where are you going?” Chanyeol’s eyes widened. He scrambled on his feet, trying to catch his bestfriend’s arm. He succeeded.

“Away from here, obviously. Lord, the sound coming from this pit is deafening. Anyway, don’t forget to wear your uniform blazer, Chanyeol, or Joonmyeon-hyung will eat you alive. Bye.”

Before Chanyeol had any chance to say whatever it was on the tip of his tongue, Baekhyun had already sashayed his way out of the room. Soon after, there were snickers before they broke into full-blown laughter. Chanyeol lifted his eyebrows in question.

“Is Byun Baekhyun your wife, Chanyeol? Because he sure sounds like one.” The bassist said.

Chanyeol laughed, missing the insulting tone. “He does, doesn’t he?”

“I don’t.”

Jongdae scoffed in the most condescending way a human being could do. “Of course you do. Why else did you embroider a dragon insignia in the back of your PE uniform last year?”

Baekhyun had the actual decency to look ashamed. “To support our school, Jongdae! It was nothing personal!”

“Our basketball team mascot is a lion. But yes, Baek, Wu Yifan’s mascot is indeed a dragon.”

“God, a bit louder, why don’t you? There is someone in Uganda who couldn’t hear this conversation.”

“Is there? Okay. Kri—“

“!” Baekhyun hurriedly slammed his palm onto Jongdae’s mouth. “Okay, okay. Let’s talk about this like the decent men that we are.”

Even with a hand covering most of his face, Jongdae still managed to look so smug, further pissing Baekhyun off. Also, couldn’t he find a better place to talk? Baekhyun was making his way out of the toilet when Jongdae ambushed him. Ambushed him! He was so barbaric Baekhyun couldn’t stand it.

“Okay, so. In case you forgot, we have a team for this, Jongdae. My job in TTH is not to report anything related to sport. We can always slave Hakyeon away for that. Besides, since when are you guys under this illusion that I understand jack about basketball? Or any kind of sport, for that matter?”

Jongdae squint at his reflection on the bathroom mirror. “Just write whatever they say and whatever you hear. The hell, is that a pimple on my forehead?”

“That would be an instant way to make myself look stupid. And yes, it is. Just cover it with your fringe,” Baekhyun’s hand automatically flew on Jongdae’s head, arranging his hair so that it fell on his forehead.

“It’s okay, just do as I say. The sport team will edit your report and rewrite the final draft.” Jongdae examined the impromptu new hair style and looked decidedly pleased. “Your name will still be on the credit. Hey, this can be your new trick to make Chanyeol jealous!”

However, the reaction Jongdae got wasn’t at all like he had expected.

“Just forget it. I didn’t even know why I tried this hard. He doesn’t even swing my way.”

To be honest, Jongdae didn’t have anything to refute that but he also didn’t have the heart to see the crestfallen expression on his partner in crime’s face. So he flicked the tip of his nose playfully.

“Hey!” Baekhyun pouted.

Jongdae chuckled. “You answer people’s problems easily and yet you hesitate when it comes to your own. It was never about the result, Baek.  Remember?”

ASK THE DUO!

After ATD’s first appearance in The Thunder Herald last week, we’ve received like, 6754 questions. Talk about eagerness. –JdMaster

Aaand~ we couldn’t be any happier! Your response was overwhelming. It was like, everybody in this school is in love with you overnight, you know? I wonder if this is how being an idol feels. –TFTE

Not quite and what does that have anything to do with this? Anyway, in case you guys are wondering, our very own Editor-in-Chief quoted C. S. Lewis for this week’s note. I have a feeling he’s just flaunting his obsession with books. –JdMaster

He reads C. S Lewis? I thought our EiC was an atheist? –TFTE

And those two things actually related how? –JdMaster

IDidntMeanIt wrote:

How to tell a girl that you don’t share the same feelings with her? I think she has misread my kindness.

Jdae Master: Just don’t beat around the bush. Tell her the truth but kindly, patiently. Don’t hurt her feelings anymore than it already is. Oh, and let this be a lesson for you. I don’t give a crap about how you didn’t mean all of this. DO NOT MISLEAD ANYONE. Being nice is good; it’s a must, even. But keep your distance and know your boundaries.

TooFabToExist: Yeah? Really? You’re sure it’s because she took your kindness in a wrong way? Not because you actually flirted with her? Because only God knows how many more your victim out there is.

Jdae Master: TFTE-sshi, please. This ain’t the right place or time.

TooFabToExist: Ahem. Okay, I’m sorry JdaeMaster-sshi. I’m sorry, IDidntMeanIt-sshi. What I meant to say is, tell her as simply as possible. No sugarcoating, no ‘I like you, too, but as a friend’ (Heaven knows you don’t), no promises like ‘we still can be friends’ (you can’t) and all that crap we guys often say.

XingWithMe wrote:

I have a writer’s block. Please help.

Jdae Master: The only thing that can solve this problem is the writer himself. Writer does not wait for inspiration. He looks for it. And hyung, you could have at least picked a penname that is a bit more subtle.

TooFabToExist: Go out; to the park, museum, or even clubs. Ride a bike, commute by train, be with strangers, start a conversation with them, let yourself surrounded by them. But yeah, basically find your inspiration, your muse. At least, that’s what Park Chanyeol would do.

Your New Fan wrote:

Can you guys have your own school radio broadcast?

Jdae Master: Should we? Because we would just sing all day long instead of doing actual broadcast and while we’re sure you guys won’t mind because our voices slay and all, I don’t think Principal Kwon would agree.

TooFabToExist: You said it, MJ!

Jdae Master: It's that MJ business all over again, isn't it. So tiring.

XingWithMe wrote:

Do you guys happen to know where I put my guitar?

Jdae Master: This hyung, seriously.

TooFabToExist: I’ll have you know that we’re now slamming our heads on the desk. Yes hyung, we do. It’s in pantry in our HQ. You brought the guitar there freaking three days ago for whatever reason.

WheresTheManner wrote:

Please refrain yourselves from laughing like hyena when working. It bothers me.

Jdae Master: Why hello there, Martha Stewart!

TooFabToExist: Can it, Kyungsoo.

Whole Bean wrote:

Hi, guys. I, uh, I’m new to this… thing. But I suppose I can just ask whatever I want, right?

So I just joined a club after not doing any for the last two years. I want to make good memories before I leave this school and what’s better than doing what you love and are good at, no? But it seems like it’s going to be hard. You see, I think the captain hates me. I don’t know why, but he never really looks at me in the eye whenever we’re talking. Weird thing is, he isn’t like this with the rest—just me. So yeah, uh, help?

Jdae Master: First thing first: are you sure he hates you? Try to recall, did you something that upset him? If the answer is no, then it’s safe to say that you’re being paranoid. Him being like that can be caused by many other things; things that don’t have anything to do with you. But hey, why don’t you use this opportunity to know him more? Maybe, just maybe, at the end of the day you two can be best friends.

TooFabToExist: Aww, what a sweetheart. Now now, I believe you’re just being overly sensitive and unnecessarily so! Besides, didn’t you say it yourself that you want to live your last year in high school to the fullest—

Jdae Master: No, he didn’t.

TooFabToExist: Yes, yes. We get the gist, tho. Back to the actual problem. Don’t let this render you from having sweet memories you’ve been yearning for! But if it still bothers you, try to have a talk with him (demand him to look at you in the eye!) and resolve this ASAP. After all, you guys are a team. If he can’t even interact properly with you, he might as well forget his dreams to win trophies. Good luck, sweet thing!

Jdae Master: Whoa.

“Is he always like that?”

“Is who always like what?”

There wasn’t anything unusual today at the cafeteria. Sat at the same table with the same crowd were Lu Han, Joonmyeon, Yixing, Jongdae, Baekhyun, and Chanyeol or what the rest of the school population called with The Golden Six. Jongdae actually hated the name, saying that it lacked dignity and reeked with unoriginality.

Not to mention the lameness was off the chart.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “I mean Kim Minseok-sunbae. Does he always eat his lunch alone?”

Lu Han stole a glance at the far corner of the cafeteria. “Yeah.”

“Why?” This time it was Chanyeol asking.

Lu Han shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess he doesn’t really have anyone to sit with during lunch.”

Jongdae stared hard at Minseok’s general direction, as if he was trying to find something wrong in him. It was a wonder Minseok stayed oblivious, considering how intense Jongdae scrutinized him from across the room.

“What’s wrong with him? Has been here for more than two years and he still doesn’t have any close friend?” Jongdae shoved Lu Han’s shoulder playfully. “Hyung, what do you see in him?”

Lu Han feigned anger before his lips stretched, forming a soft smile. “He’s… different.”

“Everyone is. I mean, I’m, too, different from the rest of you but I don’t see you having a crush on me.” Yixing commented nonchalantly. Lu Han grimaced.

“Ew, Yixing. Don’t put nightmare seeds in my mind.”

But Lu Han had never been smooth. It wasn’t exactly subtle how he evaded the question and resorted to a very generic response.

“About him not having close friends,” Joonmyeon stepped in after seeing Lu Han’s eyes glazed over something far away, “maybe it has anything to do with his nature? I remember I once caught him almost submitting his name, back when we still had Promote Yourself.”

The reaction he got was comical, being four heads turned around so fast to face him.

“He did what?” Chanyeol screeched.

Joonmyeon nodded. “He was looking for a study partner for English. He was hesitant and I took a pity on him so I offered myself.”

“What happened?”

“He shook his head like his ears were on fire, bowed, and just… ran.”

The table was quiet for a moment before Yixing spoke.

“You knew this, didn’t you?”

Lu Han didn’t answer right away. Instead, he worried his lower lip, looking anywhere but particular five faces before emitting a small and unconvincing “I didn’t.”