The first bell rings signaling the end of homeroom and Chen watches as every rushes out of their seats. He sees Xiumin stand and makes a move to stand beside him. I need to make sure that he is okay, he thinks flashing back to the kick D.O. delivered straight to Xiumin’s shin. You should have tried to stop it, he scolds himself internally.

Once he reaches Xiumin’s side he feels hands tugging at his right hand. He looks down to see Xiumin handing him a piece of folded paper. Before opening it Chen looks up at Xiumin’s face to see his sweet smile, and just like that he pulls away and exits the room.

While walking out of the room he opens the paper to see Xiumin’s handwriting scrawled out on it. Congratulations!, the paper reads. Chen can’t help the smile that forms on his lips. Xiumin is proud of me, he thinks dreamily to himself.

“Who gave you this” D.O.’s loud voice interrupts Chen’s thoughts trying to grab at the paper in his hands. Chen moves the paper out of his reach and watches as D.O.’s eyes dart in different directions around the hallway. “Who was it, where did they go” D.O. asks hurriedly still looking around.

“I’ve got to get to class, I’ll see you at lunch D.O.” Chen says, heading into his nearby class.

“What!!! Tell me who” D.O. shrieks from the hallway. What have you done Xiumin, Chen wonders to himself as he pretends not to hear D.O. and takes his seat.

As the teacher lectures from the front of the classroom, Chen thinks back over the last few times he has seen Xiumin around campus. In his mind he sees Xiumin walking the halls with his head down, refusing to meet anyone eyes, in his own little world. He sees Xiumin in the couple classes they share, staying silent and boxing himself off from others around him, as he completes his assignments. Chen thinks back to the last couple times he has looked over to see Xiumin in the cafeteria, again sitting all alone, but with swift eyes taking everything around him in. What are you hiding Xiumin, Chen wonders as the bell and class ends.

Chen heaves a sigh of relief when successfully takes a seat in his last class before lunch, having avoided running into D.O. again. Seconds before the bell rings Chen watches Baekhyun ran in a take his seat in front of him. Baekhyun’s tardiness isn’t what forces Chen to take a double take, it is the state in which Baekhyun appears. For someone who normally takes the extra time to be beyond presentable; seeing Baekhyun’s hair in disarray, wearing an oversized sweatshirt with swollen red eyes is something that sets off multiple alarms inside of Chen’s head.

Once the teacher explains their assignments for the day and releases them to complete them, Chen automatically leans over and places his hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. Chen is shocked when he feels Baekhyun tense up underneath him. “Baekhyun, what’s wrong” Chen asks voice portraying all of his concern.

“I’m just not feeling well” Baekhyun says stiffly not turning to look a Chen.

“Wow, you are far more dedicated to school then I am. I would have just stayed home” Chen says, trying to bring forth a small chuckle from the obviously out of sorts boy.

“I wish I weren’t here in all honesty” Baekhyun says in the same stiff voice.

“Well, let me know if I can do anything to help you” Chen offers.

“Nothing you do will make this better” Baekhyun says bitterly.

“Okay” Chen says throwing his hand up in fake surrender. Baekhyun must be feeling terrible, Chen thinks as he steals several glances up at the boy throughout the class. When the bell rings, Chen remembers something D.O. had texted him earlier in the morning. “Baekhyun we are having lunch with the rappers today and a group practice after school” he says with a smile picking up Baekhyun’s bag.

“I should have stayed home” Baekhyun whispers so lowly Chen isn’t sure he really actually said it. “I’ll meet you in the cafeteria” Baekhyun says grabbing his bag from Chen’s hand and walking towards the restroom. I don’t want to sit next to him during practice, Chen thinks walking towards the cafeteria, I do not want to risk getting sick, he shudders at the thought.

“Chen” D.O. hollers running over to his side.

“Hey, Baekhyun says he is going to meet us in a few, have you seen him he looks terrible, apparently he is sick or something” Chen informs D.O..

“Oh, awesome, sounds good” D.O. says nodding his head. Chen has to stop walking and stare at D.O. in confusion as he listens to his response. “So who gave you that note” D.O. asks also stopping. Of course, Chen thinks, D.O. comes first in his own mind.

“I don’t know” Chen lies smoothly.

“Just tell me who gave you the note Chen” D.O. yells.

“Dude, calm down” Chen says in a calm voice. What has Xiumin done, Chen wonders for another time that day.

“Calm down, calm down, don’t tell me to calm down Chen” D.O. says voice raising several octaves as he speaks. “I recognize that hand writing. I need to know who that hand writing belongs to. Tell me now Chen” Chen watches as D.O. pulls at his hair and then dramatically stomps his foot in emphasis. Chen looks over D.O. trying to think of what to say in reply and spotted Xiumin’s familiar figure trying to blend into the corner.

“I…I..I really don’t remember who it’s from” Chen says, deciding to trust Xiumin knew what he was doing, for now at least, to give him a little bit of a cover. “It was shoved into my hand during the passing period” Chen adds reaching out a hand to touch D.O.’s shoulder.

“Don’t touch me Chen” D.O. says swatting his hand away, “Something is fishy here, remember I’m watching you Chen” he says before storming away. Chen watches him storm off and heaves a sigh.

“I know your there Xiu” He says a couple seconds later.

“What, how” Xiumin’s shocked voice fills the hall. For the first time Chen is hesitant to face Xiumin, scared of what he might see when he looks at the boy who makes his heart whole.

“I don’t know what you did to make D.O. so mad at you, I’m not even sure that I want to know.” Chen says running a hand over his face to try and keep his emotions in check. “Xiumin promise me that you will get out of this before it gets too big, I will help you if you need me you just have to ask” he pleads, looking over and locking eyes with Xiumin.

“I..I” Xiumin starts, dropping Chen’s gaze.

“Don’t lie to me” Chen says in a calm voice although a scream is threatening to come out. He clenches his hand in a fist at his side to keep his anger in check because he is not mad at Xiumin he is mad at himself. “I know you Xiumin, I’m not a fool. You think that nobody ever sees you, but I do, I see you and I know you are up to something.  I don’t want to know what because I don’t want to have to choose sides, but please just promise me you are not doing something that you are going to regret later” he says giving a small smile, that h