“Hey,” Kyuhyun grabs a small bottle of pink paint and a brush as he smiles at Hyukjae, “Check this out.”

Hyukjae follows Kyuhyun as he stands behind a preoccupied Sungmin, who’s currently working on painting a black cat on a banner. Coating nearly the whole brush; wood and all, in the rosy paint, Kyuhyun beams and dabs little blotches of pink about an inch apart in Sungmin’s hair.

Hyukjae snickers, despite the fact that Sungmin was his friend. Besides, this couldn’t end well at all and Hyukjae was hoping for an entertaining show to watch.

Turning to face Hyukjae with a smirk, Kyuhyun’s hand slips and the paintbrush pushes against the black haired boy’s head. Realizing his mistake, Kyuhyun quickly hopes that Sungmin didn’t feel it.

However, things were not in Kyuhyun’s favor at the particular moment as Sungmin reaches up to scratch the spot Kyuhyun accidently hit, his fingers freezing at the bristles of the pink brush. Kyuhyun weighed out his options. He could run, but Sungmin would see him and get suspicious. He could throw the brush across the room, cover Hyukjae’s hands in paint and blame it on him. Or he-

“Kyuhyun,” Sungmin growls without even turning around, “What are you doing?”

Without waiting for an answer, the boy turns around, resulting in an unmoved paint brush to the face. Pulling the brush away sheepishly, Kyuhyun laughs nervously. Pink paint was streaked across the right side of Sungmin’s face, a fresh line following across his cheek and stopping at his nose.

Sungmin’s eyes narrowed with intensified anger, flames practically dancing in his irises.

And for the first time, Kyuhyun had a loss for words. He didn’t plan this out that well and the look on Sungmin’s face was restricting him from coming up with something snarky to retort. “I….Umm,” he stammers, avoiding Sungmin’s gaze. Kyuhyun frowns. He just wanted to impress Hyukjae… He wanted to show him he was a cool kid.

Donghae’s voice breaks the heated silence, “Popcorn?” Kyuhyun turns to the boy, watching as he hands Hyukjae a plastic bag of the snack. Donghae sits down next to Hyukjae and they sit and just stare at him and Sungmin.

Eyes shifting down to the popcorn again, Kyuhyun winces at the sound of his stomach growling. He should have eaten more at lunch.

“Oh,” Sungmin spits, “Maybe your stomach would care to explain what’s going on here?”

Kyuhyun stares blankly at the older. “I’m hungry.” He says, because it’s the only thing running through his mind besides Jesus Christ and Sungmin is scary. He really didn’t want to call Siwon into the room and the other option would just make Sungmin laugh.

“So you put pink paint in my hair?” Sungmin crosses his arms.

“I….” Kyuhyun looks away, “I think it looks good on you…” After realizing what he just said, the brunette slaps his hands over his mouth.

“Wow,” Sungmin laughs, “did you just compliment me?”

Kyuhyun glances around the room. His eyes land on Hyoyeon and upon seeing her bright pink bow, his eyes narrow and his hands drop from his face. He turns to Sungmin, his lips curling, “Maybe I did, if you like being called girly.” Kyuhyun sighs. He thought he’d never get his mojo back.

“Pink is not girly,” Sungmin defends himself, a frown etching his features.

“Then why is Hyoyeon wearing it? She’s the definition of a girl, am I wrong?” Kyuhyun smirks.

Hyukjae suddenly speaks up, his eyes glued to Hyoyeon, “Add cute to that definition.”

Donghae turns to Hyukjae, his eyes wide and glossy. He mutters, nearly silently, “W-What?”

“She’s really sweet, too,” Hyukjae says dreamily.

The expression on Donghae’s face is priceless. At least to Kyuhyun, that is. The fish kid was on the edge of crying, his face red and his eyes watery, his bottom lip was quivering and his hands were shaking. Kyuhyun stood with his hands on his hips. He really wanted to see Donghae cry.

Of course, the tears never came. Donghae sniffled and shoved some popcorn in his mouth, presumably to distract himself from the heartbreak he was feeling.

Sungmin, feeling absolutely no sympathy at the moment made a loud noise in his throat to gain Kyuhyun’s attention again.

Kyuhyun fakes a smile and turns to the older, his hands in his jeans pockets.

“Do you want to die?” Sungmin asks.

“Eventually,” Kyuhyun shrugs, “I mean, it happens to everyone, so why fear it?”

“Well I can end you right now, if you want,” Sungmin threatens.

Kyuhyun rolls his eyes, “Oh no! Are you going to pull out your pepper spray and try to make my eyes hurt really bad?”

“I don’t know what kind of move that is, but I know I’ve got a better idea than that. I am in martial arts class, you know.” Sungmin says.

“Are you sure it’s martial arts class?” Kyuhyun tilts his head to the side. “Or is it just self defense class to teach you how to fight against bullies.”

“You’re not a bully,” Sungmin growls. “You’re an idiot, a person nearly everyone in this entire school despises. You stomp around with so much pride, it’s amazing you don’t get sick of yourself and your ‘success’ in life.”

Kyuhyun opens his mouth to say something, but is cut off by the presence of Sungmin’s hand suddenly outstretched in front of him, asking for a handshake.

“I’m sorry,” Sungmin looks down shamefully, “I didn’t mean that. Do you forgive me?” He glances up at Kyuhyun’s face with raised eyebrows and sparkling eyes.

Kyuhyun feels taken aback by Sungmin’s sudden act. His anger washes away and he stares at Sungmin’s face, choosing to ignore the word ‘cute’ running through his mind. Without his mind’s further consent, Kyuhyun reaches outward and they shake hands.

“One,” Sungmin smiles slightly.

“Two,” Kyuhyun’s lips curl into a smile.

Before Sungmin utters the word three, his small left fist flies from his side and collides with the side of Kyuhyun’s head. The brunette instantly falls to the floor, unaware of the blood gushing from his nose. His head begins to throb and his stomach and back begin to share the same feeling as Sungmin kicks him repeatedly. Each blow brings blackness to Kyuhyun’s shocked eyes.

“That my friend,” Sungmin says, a nasty edge evident in his voice, “was aegyo. You taught me a lot today, Kyuhyun. And I just felt like sharing the experience and proving to you that aegyo is a lot more powerful than acting because no one can resist the cuteness. Ha, not even a cold-hearted soul like you.”

One more kick and Kyuhyun’s vision is blank.

"Thanks for ruining the best Halloween ever. Not to mention, my hair and the rest of my life!"

A shriek fills the room and kids begin to panic, screams rising everywhere.

The last thing Kyuhyun hears is Ms. Song’s voice.

“Lee Sungmin! Principal’s office now!”