She needed to write that article about Luhan. She needed to because that will be included in her portfolio which she will need when applying to her choice of university. Her mentor emphasized the importance before she left the office.  As if Dara was not aware of it.

Where should she start? Truthfully, she was clueless because she knew nothing that's worth writing about Luhan. This she realized while on the way to meet her friends at the nearby ice cream parlor.

*  *  *  *  *

The ice cream parlor was half-filled with students. So Dara had to be careful talking about her latest assignment. She told her friends the details in a quiet voice.

"That's what you call karma... I mean imagine saying NO to someone whose help you'll need in the future," Bom whispered half-sympathizing and half-lecturing Dara. 

"What can I do? I have no idea." She let out a sigh filled with regret.

"What exactly should you write about him?" CL asked before having a spoonful of honeydew melon-flavored ice cream.

"Anything that's interesting," she replied flatly. She had no idea what's so interesting about the vice-captain of the school's basketball team. Should she start talking to his fangirls, find out what they love about the guy? Or should she hand out survey forms? The latter seemed easier. 

"He's cute," Minzy offered, half-serious half-joking, knowing full well that one's looks do not make up for an interesting subject matter. The depth of a person is more important.

Dara would have to dig deeper than his looks. It's like a character analysis, where she should pay attention to his words, actions, relationships and struggles (1).

"I don't know. I guess I'll have to figure him out."

"Why don't you help him in exchange for an interview?" Bom suggested while enjoying her corn-flavored ice cream.

Dara looked at Bom, wondering if she's joking or serious.

She was dead serious.

But Dara was not about to be persuaded to do that. There must be some other way. And just to end the discussion, she replied with a casual, "I’ll think about it."

*  *  *  *  *

Luhan was done thinking about his problem. He couldn't possibly walk up to her and try again. A second rejection would be humiliating.

He did not tell Kris about it yet---how the idea of approaching her again was not appealing.

Twenty minutes before their after class Wednesday practice, the team is gathered in the locker room. Tao came bursting through the door holding a stack of letters---Love Letters to be precise, addressed to Luhan. 

He had an idea where Tao came from. Tao had this duty of passing by Luhan's locker to pick up the letters the vice captain never wanted to read. Because a few letters in the past creeped him out. It's as if the author of the letter was an obsessed stalker. And what's worst, he had no idea who it was.

Since then, the youngest in the team (D.O, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Kai and Sehun) took care of sorting through the letters. They sort it in three categories namely: obsessed, slightly obsessed, not obsessed. Pick-up of letters is every Wednesdays and Fridays. By then, Luhan's locker is full of letters, as if it's the mail post. 

What's the use of a locker if he couldn't even use it? Once, he reported the incident to the Principal but then she simply dismissed the incident as not alarming, reasoning out that Luhan serves an an inspiration; he better just let his fangirls do what they love---which was sending him letters.

Tao immediately puts the letters on the wooden bench and called out the others to review the contents while they still have the free time before practice starts.

"Whoa! That seriously looked more than the last batch of letters," Sehun commented with wide eyes while he puts down the rack to where they would pile the letters based on categories. The others started to reach for a letter each.

"I know. Next time we should bring a garbage bag," Tao mumbled while reaching for an attention-grabbing envelope (there were cut-out hearts and glitters). Valentine's Day is still too far away, he thought wh