Questions

"Wait, what?" I stop in my tracks, sharply turning to Chanhee. His smile spreads across his entire face, crinkles forming at the sides of his eyes. "Chanhee, it's okay. It's my job-"

"It is, but you could have given us crap," Chanhee quips, folding his arms. "And you didn't."

I wanted to give you crap, I think to myself, narrowing my eyes at the grinning boy before me. The teachers sent back my designs twelve times like I had magic hands that create whatever they wanted, so that thought is justified. I just managed to get the last one approved yesterday. Chanhee puts an arm around my waist, smiling.

"I know the teachers have been total bastards. I've gotten the brunt of it too."

Chanhee's the head student organiser of Beacon after winning the competition last year. I wonder what torment they put him through.

"So will you? Just accept it as our thanks."

I shuffle under his grip, pulling my lips to the side. "Really, it's okay."

He shushes me, looking into the distance with his hand raised. "Visualise it, Youngjae. VIP guest. You sitting in the front row, watching all the performances and judging them secretly."

"That's not a very attractive prospect," I admit, laughing when he grimaces in horror.

It's sweet that he's trying to thank me for the work I've done to publicise their event, but I'm not exactly interested in being some VIP guest for it. It's just a title, and honestly, I'd rather spend my Saturday night lazing on my bed. And there's the thing about awkwardly sitting there with the other VIP guests who I won't know.

"Come on, please? We'll sit together. And have fun judging people mercilessly."

I scrunch up nose, casting him a look of askance. "What is with you and judging people?"

I wave him off before he can reply, his smile turning sadistic and sinister. If Chanhee hadn't been my classmate back in freshman year, I would have distanced myself by now. 

"I'm sorry, Chanhee. But I can't accept it. Thanks a lot, though."

Chanhee fidgets on his spot, scratching his neck. "Well, you see, Youngjae... I've already told the teachers. So."

"You what."

He quickly unwinds himself from me, dusting my shoulders. "Youngjae, have you been working out? You're looking hella fine."

I narrow my eyes at him and take his hands off me. "No, I haven't. I'm not going, Chanhee."

Chanhee whines loudly, jutting out his lower lip and making puppy eyes. "Please, Youngjae? The teachers will kill me if I take back my word."

"Chanhee-"

"Youngjae, we've been friends for so long!" He presses his hands together, squeezing his eyes shut with a pout. "Please?"

I fidget in place as Chanhee abruptly starts to fake cry. Ruffling my hair, I mutter, "Fine."

Chanhee leaps in joy, hugging me tight. "Alright! I'll see you then, okay? And if you ditch me, I'll spam your locker with Mr. Lee's nudes."

I gape at him, backing away. I swear, Chanhee has a screw loose in his head.

I'm usually not this cranky, but staying up for several nights in a row has been messing up my system. I feel like a rain cloud is following me around all the time. It's a good thing the design department memberes are actually reliable. Over at the writers' side, Aaron is having a hard time coordinating the members. He says it's a writer thing since they act upon inspiration.

Himchan got me some actual coffee in the morning from the nearby café, scolding me for drinking what he termed "barbaric brown water". It's helping me to keep awake for the time being but I think my eye circles have tattoed themselves into my face. At least the poster for the singing competition is done. All that's left is to clean up the rest of the designs from the team and do one for the school play.

The bell rings and I quickly pace towards the lecture hall. I drop myself onto an empty seat, the girl beside me flashing an encouraging smile. Heat creeps up onto my neck as I smile back at Dasom, looking down at my thighs. She's really pretty. Ugh, I'm so bad at talking to girls. 

Lesson starts and I find even Himchan's top-notch coffee unable to keep me awake. My head uncontrollably rolls off to one side and my eyes droop to a close. It's only when Dasom shakes me gently that I awake, inhaling a cutting breath upon seeing everyone babbling to one another, students standing and moving out of their seats.

"Tell me your pairings by today. I want this handed in by the end of this week. No exceptions," Park-seonsaengnim bellows sternly.

I look around in shock, still bleary from my nap. I my head one side, wincing at the soreness in my neck.

"We're doing a project. You should find a partner before everyone's taken," Dasom explains in a whisper as a girl approaches her, them high-fiving one another.

Oh no. I immediately glance to Donggeun and he flashes me an apologetic look, gesticulating discreetly to his girlfriend.

Oh no. I shift in my seat, looking to a few other friends only to find them already with someone else. How am I going to find a partner now? I groan, looking down at my untouched notebook. I really need to get my game together or my studies are going to suffer at the expense of my graphic designing.

"...Hey."

I lift my head in surprise. Standing in front of me is Daehyun with his bag slung over one shoulder, his book in his palm. His adam apple bobs up and down and he parts his lips silently. For a long moment, he just stares at me and I blink back in surprise.

"...Do you..." He coughs, rubbing the back of his neck and avert