Haeri's eyebrow shoots up, and she forgets to be scared.

"Excuse me?"

Sehun's expression remains the same, but he looks... amused, almost?

"I said," he repeats slowly, "that I would like to buy some bread from you. You are selling bread for the fundraiser, are you not?"

"Um," she stutters, pulling out the order form, "I am, but you know that already. Why are you buying from me, if you're in the club now too?"

Sehun really does smile, and Haeri's eyebrow shoots up even more.

"Why," he answers, "I'd like to help you out, of course. I heard you were having trouble selling bread, and since I've already sold a few loaves, it's only natural that I assist a fellow club member."

Haeri feels a flash of annoyance. Is he pitying her? Mocking her? She studies his face, but reluctantly concludes that there's no malice to be found in her features. He seems to be telling the truth.

"Well, okay then," she mutters reluctantly, handing over the paper, and watches as he marks down almost half the options on the list.

He looks up when he's done and laughs on the expression on her face. She shuts closed, suddenly aware that it must have been hanging open. She snatches the paper back.

"That's so much!" she says, scanning the list. "Are you sure you want that many?"

"I'm sure," he says calmly.

"Alright..." she sighs. "Thank you, I guess."

"You're welcome," he answers, and then turns and walks out of the classroom.

Haeri sits down in a chair and shakes her head. Did Sehun really just buy a ton of bread from her? What in the world is going on?

Much to everyone's surprise, Sehun does show up to the next math club meeting.

I guess he's here to stay, Haeri thinks glumly as the Joonmyun calls the meeting to order. Cookies are passed out, and Haeri takes one, munching on it aimlessly while Joonmyun talks.

"Guys," he begins, "I hope the fundraiser is going smoothly so far! Remember, orders are due next week!"

Haeri can't help but think of Sehun, and she shoos thoughts of him away, irritated.

"Here's an early warning that next Saturday is our first competition, too, so start studying hard. We want the season to start off well. And other news: everybody please say a huge thank you to our newest member Oh Sehun, who has donated a generous amount to our club. We plan to use these funds to kickstart our year. Sehun, please stand up."

Sehun stands and everybody claps. He nods in acknowledgement and sits back down.

Haeri frowns. Oh Sehun, donating money to the math club? True, he's in the club, but it seems like a stretch. She claps half-heartedly along anyways.

"Finally, as it's our second meeting, it's time to pick competition partners. As President this year, I won't be competing, so I won't be anybody's partner. However, everybody else needs a partner! You all have five minutes right now to pick a partner, and then we're going to resume our meeting with some practice. Go!" Joonmyun waves a hand, and the room bursts into activity as club members try to find partners.

Haeri curses in her head: Joonmyun is usually her partner. She looks around to see if she knows anybody else, but most people seem to have found their partners already.

There's a tap on her arm, and she whirls around, coming face to face with Sehun.

"Let me guess," she groans. "You want to be my partner?"

"What do you say to that?" Sehun asks, as if she has a choice.

"Ugh. Fine." Haeri isn't sure why she agrees so easily. Maybe because she knows that even if she argues, she's not going to win. Besides, maybe it even turns out that Sehun is good at math.

Yeah, right.

He smirks (she wants to slap it off his face), and they sit down, waiting for the meeting to resume.

"Alright," Joonmyun picks up. "Does everyone have a partner?" Nods of assent. "Okay, we're going to begin now."

He moves around the room, handing out packets of math problems. "I want everybody to do these when they have time and get through as many as they can. Next week we'll go over anything you guys have questions on, and practice with the buzzers for the speed rounds. And that's it for today! Thank you all once again for coming!"

Meeting over, Haeri bids Sehun a cool goodbye and leaves, eager to call Lina and relate the day's events to her.

-line break-

"Really?" Lina gasps over the phone. "He bought bread from you? And partnered with you for math club?"

"Yeah," Haeri confirms, leaning against her locker. "It was so weird. He hasn't done anything mean to me yet or anything. I don't know what to expect at all."

"Hmmm," Lina murmurs. "Well, I'd be careful, still. Who knows what he's up to!"

"Yep." Just then, somebody calls her name.

"Oh, Lina, somebody's calling. Gotta go. See you!"

"See you!"

Haeri hangs up and turns away.

"Hel- Oh!"

Kris smiles at her, laughing.

"Hey, Haeri."

Haeri laughs too. "I didn't know you went to this school. How come I've never seen you around?"

"Oh," Kris replies, "I used to attend a different district, but I just transferred here for senior year because my parents heard the academics were excellent."

"And?"

"And they have been, so far," he finishes.

"This is great!" Haeri gushes as they walk out of the school. "We can hang out together, and you might even be in some of my classes. Oh, and I've got to introduce you to my best friend, Lina. You guys will hit it off, I promise!"

"That sounds great," Kris answers. "I'm glad I know you, because I'm sure I would have had trouble making friends as the new kid, especially senior year."

They get to the street crossing, where Haeri turns one way and Kris the other.

"I'll see you Monday, then?" Haeri asks.

"How about sooner?" Kris asks. "Could we meet up at the ice cream shop tomorrow at, say, one?"

Haeri tilts her head. "Kris, are you asking me on... a date?"

Kris puts a finger lightly to her lips.

"Shh, Miss Haeri," he says playfully. "All will be revealed in time."

Haeri rolls her eyes. "Alright, Mr. Mysterious. See you tomorrow, then!"

"See you!"