"I mean, what I wanna know is, why are there people like that in the world?" Luhan's best friend Baekhyun grumbled as he let out a sigh that reeked of alcohol. Since they had started drinking together in his room, Luhan had easily heard the same complaint at least a dozen times, yet he had the feeling that he would have to hear it again.

"Aww ... If it were you, you'd feel the same, wouldn't you, Lu?"

"Who, me?" Dodging the question, Luhan turned his dilated gaze toward his friend with annoyance, but still managed to dutifully grunt in agreement.

"You're right, Baek. It's just like you say. That guy is tall, really smart, and as if that's not enough, he's hugely popular and handsome, too. He's just perfect, incomparable human being!"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Yeah, but .."

Showing his true colors, Baekhyun pressed on as if offended. "Damn! I get it! Even you don't think I can compare with that guy, right?! That's it, isn't it? You can pick up chicks with your looks, Luhan, even if you happen to be clueless. You don't have to bother with that kind of thinking!"

"Pick up chicks? Where'd you get that idea, Baek?"

"You're serious?! I get it. You don't think I hear what the girls in our class are saying? Seems like plenty of them whisper  their concern over why you haven't taken off your ring after you and your girlfriend broke up."

"Oh, really?" This was the first time he had heard of such gossip.

Luhan's unsteady, glassy-eyes gaze fell upon the can of beer in his hand, and his head grew hot as he considered it. Even though Baekhyun begrudged Sehun, strangely enough hardly anyone in the whole school spoke poorly of him. It wasn't like he excelled at any particular sport or activity, but all of the teachers placed immeasurable trust in him as a student, and he was often brought out to play against other schools to make use of his all-around athleticism. Luhan didn't know him personally but the Oh Sehun he saw from afar usually wore a familiar, gentle smile. He always carried an air of calm charm. Of course, he was naturally handsome, so much so that girls would giggle and melt just looking at him normally. Luhan rather liked that about him.

But, of course, he couldn't say any of this in front of Baekhyun.

"Ohhhh ... and I bought this pair of rings 'cuse I thought the feelings was mutual. 24-karat gold?! All for nothing ..." Baekhyun muttered and sighed, his shoulders sinking. Rings were all the rage in their school, and the highest status of all was wearing matching rings. There were all kinds of special rules, like "single" or "currently seeking" that also applied. But whose ring sparkled on which finger was often the hot topic of conversation amongst all of the students, boys and girls alike.

"But Baek, don't you know the hard-and-fast rule?"

"What hard-and-fast rule?"

"Expensive gifts are taboo before you're officialy an item. 'Cause then after you're together, she'll always bug you for fancy things. Got it?"

"Lu .." Baekhyun briefly wagged his index finger at him with a blank look on his face. Then, he opened his mouth as if what Luhan said had made a deep impression.

"Luhan ... You're good. Somehow you don't fall for the girls' flirty advances, you stay aloof."

"Well ... There's a rumor that you've still got the hots for your ex-girlfriend. Come on, take the ring off."

"But this ring's got nothing with Nana!" He had heard the same thing over and over by now, and it was starting to get to Luhan. Anyway, he was wearing the ring on his right middle finger, which meant he was single. "It's not like this is a pair with Nana's. That's not my style. In the first place, we talked it out and it was mutual breakup. I'm free to wear whatever I want, wherever, aren't I?"

"But you've only got the one, right? Single guys usually have, like, two or three spares. You really take care of it, so that must be why they think that way."

"But it really is important to me." Luhan  held his right hand in the air and gazed lovingly at his favourite silver ring. It fit his middle finger, and it was about 5 mm wide with a small