“As time goes by, the things that don’t change are; the way I look at you and my heart that beats every time I see you.”

Classic – J.Y. Park, Suzy, Wooyoung, Taecyeon

The first thing she noticed when she stepped off the bus was that how much she missed her school. Holiday was fun, but school was always better. No, it’s not about the homework and dozens of assignments, it’s about the laughter and friends that she cherished. And Eunji wouldn’t lie to say that she missed school because she missed him wearing their school uniform and trying to make fun of her, or showing off like usual. Eunji waved her hands excitedly as she met Hyunwoo on the way going to school.

“You’re alone?” Hyunwoo asked curiously, “Where’s Baekhyun sunbaenim?”

“What’s with him?” Eunji raised a brow, “… Just because I’m with him now, it doesn’t mean he has to trail me like a duckling, right? He has a life too,”

“Whoa,” Hyunwoo seemed amazed. “Other girls would pay billions to cling onto his arms for just once, and you chose to lose that chance? Whoa, now I understand why Baekhyun sunbaenim tried hard to make you his.”

Eunji only rolled her eyes. “Anyway, how was your summer?”

“Great, I guess? I visited my aunt in Saipan and I think I gained weight since I have nothing to do at home. I lost them in Alumni Gathering, but gained again when it was over. Ck, I think I need to run for some laps or something else,” Hyunwoo joked.

Eunji patted his belly, joked by saying, “Whoa, I think this baby is two weeks already, who’s the father?”

“Baekhyun sunbaenim,” Hyunwoo answered carelessly and scored a smack on his belly by the female.

“YAH!”

Hyunwoo burst into laughter seeing Eunji looked rather annoyed because of his joke.

“You really are something, don’t you, Lee Hyunwoo…” Eunji frowned and when they arrived at their school, Hyunwoo waved his hands to her while the female stepped forward to her own locker.

Eunji was welcomed with such a pleasant view in the morning. It’s her boyfriend, Byun Baekhyun, leaned against the locker and his eyes looked down to a bar of chocolate on his hand and twirled it side to side, as if it wasn’t enough, Eunji couldn’t help not to crack to a soft smile when she realized Baekhyun’s hair has returned to black. Damn, he looked perfectly flawless and harmless like that.

Sensing that he has been stared, Baekhyun craned his head and found his girlfriend, Jung Eunji, was stunned and smiled softly at him. Baekhyun also fell into a soft, happy smile and waved his girlfriend, signaling her to come closer.

“Good morning, sunbaenim,” Eunji stepped forward to him and Baekhyun stood beside her. How Baekhyun loved her smell, he missed it after a week not allowed to come visit her.

“Good morning, my love,” Baekhyun the female the chocolate and smiled. “A nice morning to start the day, huh?” he joked and Eunji only nodded at his hair. “Ah, this,” Baekhyun touched his hair and beamed. “Your wish is my command, remember? My mother was delighted once she saw me after dyeing it back. She said you’re bringing good impacts to me.”

Eunji instinctively raised a hand to touch his fluffy hair and even Baekhyun seemed to be startled with her action, he bent down anyway to give the female more space to touch his hair. “And I think I’m deserved the compliment, right? You look much handsome in black,”

Baekhyun smiled happily and then helped the female to prepare her book for her class in the morning. “Anyway, boo, what are you doing after school? Do you want to go somewhere with me?” Baekhyun blew some air to his hair, because the bangs covered his sight to see his beautiful girlfriend.

“Um,” she chuckled seeing Baekhyun blowing air repeatedly, so she swept them away for him, earning a thankful smile from the boyfriend. “I think I’ll pass,”

“What? Why? Where are you going?” Baekhyun asked, whining at her.

Eunji was dazed with his train of questions. “I’m going somewhere after school. Don’t you have anything to do today, sunbaenim? I heard from Jinwoon oppa, there’s a meeting after school.” Eunji closed the locker and she gazed up at her boyfriend. There, she realized she might be saying something wrong, because the glint inside his eyes was full with curiosity. “I’m just going to meet my middle school friend, sunbaenim. It’s nothing.”

“Middle school friend,” Baekhyun puffed his cheeks. “Which middle school friend is we talking about here? Because I don’t know any of your middle school friends and I don’t want you to—” Eunji covered his mouth and rolled her eyes, asking Baekhyun to shut up.

“—it’s him, remember my friend that was rejected by his crush? He’s studying abroad, and now he’s home for holiday.” Eunji explained clearly so Baekhyun wouldn’t get any wrong picture. But Eunji knew better seeing the frown etched on his face, “He asked me to meet few days ago and I agreed. It’s been a while anyway,”

Baekhyun took off her hands from his mouth and he made a face. “… He,” Baekhyun emphasized. “He refers to a man. Eunji baby, you’re going to meet a man behind my back.” Baekhyun put his hands on his waist, now stepping back and forth. “You’re planning to cheat on me,” he dramatized. “Oh goodness, my baby is going to cheat on me!”

Eunji widened her eyes seeing Baekhyun over-dramatic scene, but she couldn’t help not to smile amusedly at this. She always knew since the beginning that Baekhyun would be a nagging, possessive, and playful boyfriend; but she clearly didn’t expect him to make a scene only few weeks after being together.

“Sunbae,” Eunji stopped him from moving and wrapped her hands on his soft, flawless cheeks. How Eunji wanted to kiss the frown away. But Eunji knew she still a good, conservative, well-mannered girl, so she revoked the thought right away. “… He’s just an old friend.”

“But what if he doesn’t think so!” Baekhyun still whined. “What if when he sees you, he goes like whoa my buddy is so pretty now, I should date her, and you’ll be like I’m sorry but I’m taken then he is going to be persistent and says I don’t care, as long as you’re not wearing any wedding dress it means I can have my chance to be with you, screw him, break up with him, he won’t make you happy, he—”

It was too much; too much nagging, too much whining, too much to give Eunji a headache. A headache that led her to do something that she would regret a moment after because she swore she wouldn’t do it – damn she even wouldn’t meet Byun Baekhyun after this – anymore. Not after she leaned in, not after she pulled his face closer, not after she pecked his lips for three seconds, not after she regained her composure and realized what she was doing, not after seeing Byun Baekhyun flustered.

She fled, even before Baekhyun could say anything.

“Tell me again,” Chanyeol crossed his arms against his chest, as he his lips. “Why does female like badass than a nice, preppy, model student?” his eyes were focused on a girl’s magazine that belonged to Irene. He borrowed it because Irene said there would be a helpful advice about ‘How to Tell Your Friend Not to Hurt His/Herself’ – this was so related to that Oh kid.

He was sitting beside Jongdae, his best friend was texting to God-knows-who and all Jongdae could come up with “Because most of girls are deceived by Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Thinking that if Belle could change the Beast into a handsome prince, so why couldn’t they. What they don’t understand that sometimes these beasts’ brains nowadays are worse than animals.”

“So what kind of guy that Bomi likes?” Chanyeol shot the main question and Jongdae was choked on his own spit.

“Yah!” Jongdae yelled at him and Chanyeol only shrugged innocently, playing victim. “Don’t ask something so carelessly like that!”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes boringly at him. “Come on, Jong, don’t act like you’re a or something about this.” he scoffed, “Listening you babbling like that, make me thinking that you may be feeling like that about her. Why? Does she think I’m a beast she can change of?”

Jongdae shook his head. “No,”

“No?” Chanyeol fixed his seating position to see his best friend better. “No, what no?”

“No, she didn’t think of you as a beast. She always thinks of you as a gentle, kind, and decent guy. She tells me she likes that kind of guy,” Jongdae heaved a sigh. “I think I won’t stand a chance.”

Chanyeol closed the magazine and put it away, heck, he even didn’t care if it was lost. He slapped the crown of Jongdae’s head. At first, Jongdae thought the male wanted to pull a fight with him, but seeing his concerned expression, Jongdae let the moment flowing.

“… You know,” Chanyeol finally spoke up. “If you really like her, don’t you think instead giving her up, you should fight for her?” he managed to say what’s been on his mind pretty lately. “Instead of saying she deserves someone better or you are the one that can make her happy, I think you should fight and struggle for her. So you can show her that the one who can make her happy is not anyone else but you.”

Jongdae glanced up and found Chanyeol was looking away. “Something happened to you, huh?” he asked. “What is it?”

Chanyeol recalled the smiles on Sehun’s face every time he stopped by at Jongdae’s house, and maybe he was too late to see, but now he could understand the reason why Sehun always put Jinri first – not that like Jongin didn’t do so; because the youngest of Kim also did that well, it’s just the feel was different –, why Sehun always looked out for her, and why Sehun always looked fond every time his eyes met hers. It’s all make sense, he smiled to himself.

“Yah, dude, why are you smiling?” Jongdae asked confusedly.

Chanyeol shook his head lightly. “Nothing,” the smile still lingered. “There’s a little boy that needs a lesson; sometimes the wrong toy he thinks is actually the right one,” he looked at blank, confused, stupid expression that Jongdae gave, and Chanyeol only flicked his nose jokingly.

Jongdae furrowed his eyebrows, but then his eyes fell upon their majestic best friend, he was walking in after bumping to some of their classmates. Judging from his expression; he looked lost with touching his lips.

“Yah, Baekhyun,” Jongdae waved his hand in front of him and made a V sign, posing an aegyo. “What am I doing right now?”

Baekhyun looked not amused, because he harrumphed. “You look like a total failed plastic surgery patient, off.” he pushed Jongdae back to his seat and he still touched his lips.

“Seriously, Baek, what’s wrong with you?” Chanyeol looked worried. “Did you cut your lips?” Chanyeol tried to pull his hand away of his mouth, but Baekhyun insisted to let it stayed there. “Yah, Byun Baekhyun, let me check you!” Chanyeol tried again and scored a smack from Baekhyun. Pissed off, Chanyeol smacked back.

Then the miniature of World War II was happening in their classroom, sponsored by the majestic sassy Byun Baekhyun and the hopeless giant Park Chanyeol.

***

Bomi thought Eunji was on her period because she stayed at the restroom for long on their recess. When Baekhyun came to pick her up with Chanyeol and Jongdae, Bomi only said Eunji was already gone without giving her any notice. Baekhyun flushed pink and stormed out of the room with Chanyeol followed suit – after greeting her first as always, of course – leaving Jongdae behind.

“… You’re not hungry?” Bomi asked as she watched him only fidgeting on his spot. Bomi tapped the vacant seat beside him, gesturing him to sit beside him. Jongdae didn’t need to be told twice.

“What class did you have?” Jongdae asked and muttered thanks for the bread that Bomi shared. He looked at the board, it was maybe English.

“English, Wu Seonsaengnim.” Bomi answered with mouth full.

Jongdae snorted at her and Bomi blushed. She bowed at the male, but Jongdae only patted her shoulder, “It’s okay. You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

“Very,” Bomi sighed and chewed another piece. “Wu Seonsaengnim is so scary, I think I could piss my skirt because of his eagle stare,”

“He’s my homeroom teacher.” Jongdae informed. “And he made fun of Baekhyun on his first day because he was late.”

“Oh,” Bomi jeered, “It doesn’t sound nice. Tao was once late and he almost cried in front of him because Wu Seonsaengnim made fun of him.”

“He’s the deathliest teacher in Seoul High, believe me.” Jongdae raised a thumb. “Oh! But Zhang Seonsaengnim is also scary. She’s as scary as Wu Seonsaengnim. I think they should date.”

“Ah, I haven’t met her.” Bomi said. “What’s she teaching?”

“She’s teaching Math for second grader. Just put your fingers crossed, Bomi, because if you get her next year, all I can say is,” he smiled knowingly, “good luck.”

“Yah, Kim Jongdae, don’t do that! You’re making me nervous!” Bomi yelled at him and Jongdae burst into laughter. “You shouldn’t do that, sunbaenim.”

“But your facial expression is priceless!” Jongdae clapped his hands in happiness and Bomi was this close to throw her pencil case to his face, but she canceled her intention when he realized Jongdae looked nice giggling like that. Where she was before, and why she didn’t know that his smile was also as nice as Chanyeol’s, no Chanyeol’s seem