“We’re here!” The driver of the white minivan announced as the vehicle arrived in front of a giant gate.

“I feel funny in the stomach.” The boy seated on the passenger seat groaned as he looked out to his side of the window to see students walking their way inside the huge building.

Do Kyungsoo was eighteen when he first transferred to Harlington Academy. It was an international high school for kids of different backgrounds. Before this however, Kyungsoo spent his teenage years homeschooled. It really was more of a convenience since his dads’ job had the rest of the family immigrating from city to city. Point being, he was not used to conversing with people and he never really got the point of that whole ‘interacting-with-people-your-age’ thing.

“Maybe I should go back to homeschooling.” Kyungsoo suggested.

“Nonsense.” Sora said as she unbuckled his seatbelt. “Do you even know how much convincing I had to do for mom and dad to let you come here with me to America and study at a normal school like normal kids?” She ranted, emphasizing the word ‘normal’ for Kyungsoo to get the point. “And anyway, since you’ve traveled a lot with mom and dad, your English proficiency is pretty up there so really, there’s nothing to be nervous about. And if it makes you feel any better, I asked the principal if there were Koreans in your class and guess what?” She asked rather enthusiastically.

“What?”

“There are!” She answered.

“Woo- hoo.”

“Can you stop being such a negative nancy?”

“No.”

Sora sighed at her brothers’ cold attitude. She knew Kyungsoo wouldn’t like the idea of attending a school but she really only did this for his sake. Their parents had been sheltering the kid for too long and if this continued, he wouldn’t be able to learn how to survive on his own. He’s eighteen for crying out loud. He's legally an adult.A boy his age should be out at night partying with his friends, experiencing life.

Sora’s thoughts were cut short when she heard the car door being unlocked. She looked to her left and grinned. “You’re going?” She asked.

“Do I have a choice?” Kyungsoo said as he jumped off the minivan and waved his sister goodbye. He sighed in deep agony as the car drove further away from where he was. “Don’t make me regret this.” He said, glaring up the sky before staring down at sign that read ‘Harlington High’.

. Kyungsoo silently cursed when the bell rang and everyone else scurried their way to class. Following the crowd, he suddenly found himself tripping over nothing. Kyungsoo was about to carry himself up when a hand appears in front of him offering help.   

“Did you just trip over air?” Bottom against the floor, he looked up to find a tall       why is everyone so ing huge      stranger staring down at him with a sheepish grin. Kyungsoo ignored the offer and picked himself up instead. “The floor looked lonely so.” He reasoned out. The unfamiliar person chuckled lightly at his response. “Korean?” He asked and Kyungsoo nodded. “Me too!” He exclaimed. “Jongin, by the way. Kim Jongin. Though people call me Kai for short, but you can just call me Jongin since you’re Korean and all. Anyway,” He extended his arm out for a greeting. Kyungsoo however, ignored the hand and turned away.

“I’m late for class.” He was just about to run off when Jongin grabbed him by his tie and with no effort, pulled him back to where he was just standing.        Um yeaa, what’s a gym?       “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“Me? You’re the one wearing a tie.” Jongin laughed. "That's so lame."

Kyungsoo, now tainted red, just stood stiffly in embarrassment. But I wanted to make a good first impression.

“Anyway, how bout’ giving me a proper introduction?” Jongin suggested.

Kyungsoo threw the boy a glare before breaking out into the fakest smile he could manage. “Do Kyungsoo.” He frowned. “Now, may I leave?”

Jongin smiled brightly. “Well Do Kyungsoo, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Pleasure?” Not really.

Jongin nodded. "So, Korean guy with anger issues, mind telling me who your first class is?”

 “Mr. Damson.”

“Awesome.” Jongin threw Kyungsoo his bag. “You can help me carry that then.”

Great, just great.

“Detention Mr. Kim.” The tall bellied man boomed over his head.  “You’re late.”

“But I was touring our new classmate around campus.” Jongin said as he pulled Kyungsoo close to his chest.

Mr. Damson looked at Jongin with a face not amused. “Kim Jongin. Aren't you the son of some rich bastard. Why not go back to your country where people would gladly kiss your ? In that way, you’ll have the privilege to always be late and not get in trouble for it.”

“Shut up.” Jongin deadpanned. Kyungsoo looked at the blonde and he quickly noticed the change of character.

Mr. Damson’s brows were arched; greatly astonished at the gutty answer his student just gave him. He grunted. “You two will spend your time after school writing up the new attendance sheets. Now sit, both of you.”

Jongin kept a straight face, walking pass Mr. Damson with Kyungsoo bowing and following from behind.

“He just hates on me for no reason.” Jongin said as he stared intently at the pen he was twirling around expertly with his fingers. “Know what? Mr. Damson’s just mad cuz the principal didn’t give him that one week vacation he wanted. I heard them arguing over it by the teachers’ lounge.”

Kyungsoo didn’t really care for what reason the teacher had to hate on Jongin. He just wanted to get the job done and fast.. “You’re not helping at all.” He muttered as he continued to speedily draw in more names on the sheet of paper. “And I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”

“Yup.” Jongin sang, popping the ‘p’ at the end.

Kyungsoo glances up at the boy and shook his head firmly with a sigh.

“But aren’t I fun?” Jongin beamed a cheeky smile.

“Not really.”

After one week of adjusting to his new surroundings, Kyungsoo kind of got the hang of studying with twenty more other people in one room. The only problem however, was that other than Jongin who would constantly pop up at random times, he pretty much had no other person to talk to in class. It’s not like he didn’t try to make friends. He just couldn’t help his sarcasm, straight forwardness, and constant use of profanities to come out. To other people however, he’d always be misconstrued as rude and vulgar. It’s not my fault, he thought.

There’s this one time when some guy from algebra class asked him to teach some stuff and he ended up saying things like “how the do you not get this?” and “you must pretty stupid aren’t you”. Jongin, seated behind him, found this hilarious and he just had to laugh so loud the teacher thought he was having a panic attack.

“Oh, c’mon! It was funny!” Jongin, still laughing at the incident, was pulling Kyungsoo to their lunch table. “I promise I won’t laugh! Just sit with me pleeeasee” He pleaded.

Kyungsoo stopped struggling and soon Jongin was effortlessly dragging him across the mess hall. He glanced up to the latter who was still controlling his sniggers. “You said you wouldn’t laugh.”

“I’m not!”

“Sure you’re not.” He rolled his eyes.

Kyungsoo took the seat beside Kris, a senior who’s also one of Jongin’s friends. Kris was quiet and well reserved. He was even taller that Jongin and had a certain vibe that said ‘don’t you even dare talk to me’. Kyungsoo wondered how Kris and Jongin are friends when Jongin is the epitome of childish and voluble. He concluded that it must have something to do with Kris having a Korean decent.     But still.

“Yo!” Jongin greeted the table and his friends returned the greeting.

Unlike Kyungsoo, Jongin was outgoing and he’s got quite a bit of fame. He would constantly keep that one same smile on his face that Kyungsoo found so irritable. It was the kind of smile that was never genuine. It was there for show. Kyungsoo wondered how people fell for such an obvious trick.

"I'm gonna go get myself a sammich." Garry, another member from Jongin’s posse stood up from his chair and walked towards the counter to get his 'sammich'. Gary was half French, half Thai. He was the nice and easy going kind of guy and even though they’ve never really talked before, Kyungsoo liked him the most.

"Now if only I had a girlfriend, I wouldn’t have had to through all that trouble of ordering a sammich." Garry sighed and Suho started lecturing the guy about how God did not create Eve to make Adam a sandwhich.

Suho, Kim Joonmyun to be exact, was also Korean like Jongin. The guy was gifted beyond belief. Not only is he part of the schools’ choir, but he’s also the captain for the junior mathletes.

"Shut up." Kris groaned as Garry and Joonmyun continued to argue about sandwhiches.

"Now, now." Jongin's attempt to halt the heated argument about which of the two sandwich spreads was better, peanut butter or strawberry jam, was of no use.

“Why were you spacing out?” Jongin said in monotone as he poked Kyungsoo for the umpteenth time.

“I was planning your murder, you little .”

Jongin feigns a gasp. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“ a .”

Jongin pouts. “Potty mouth.”

The two were instantly grown to like each other’s company. Well, it really was more on Jongin’s side since the younger would always drag Kyungsoo everywhere and Kyungsoo would most the times allow him to. The duo was inseparable.

“Dude, check this out!” Jongin squeezed himself in the middle of Kyungsoo and Kris. He quickly whipped out his phone and played Kyungsoo a ‘funny’      well, for Jongin it’s called funny     video of two guys lip syncing to Uptown Funk.

“It’s funny, yea?”

“Not really.”

“Your lack of humor is showing.”

“Yea well, your face is stupid.”

“How is my face stupid?!”

Kyungsoo was about to say something when Jongin’s attention was taken away by some girl with pretty hair. “Kai.”

Jongin (aka Kai) nodded before excusing himself from the table.

 “Another one?” Kyungsoo had his chin rested against his palm as he watched Jongin walk off with the girl.

“His highest record was ten.” Suho said. “It was on Valentines week, I think.”

“And Jongin rejected each one.” Kris added. “But even then, all the girls he rejected would still confess again. It’s as if Jongin would change his mind after some time.”

“That’s right.” Garry nodded.

Kyungsoo, never knowing what to say next, looked at the three guys and coughed. “That’s uh…. bad?”

“It’s a hassle.” Kris whispered, but loud enough for everyone on the table to hear.

“It’s The Jongin Curse.” Garry tittered.

Kyungsoo turned to the guy with a confused look.

“They say that Jongin is under a curse of some sort and that’s why he won’t accept any confession, girls and boys alike.” He continued. “They would try and try again, hoping that miraculously, they’d be the one to break the spell. And if by chance, you’re able to break the spell, you’ll be granted with a life filled with bliss and unending happiness.”

“But that’s just a made up story.” Suho cuts in. “Those guys from the press club published it on the schools’ paper just for laughs.”

“Only idiots would believe that rumor.” Kris told them.

 “And speak of the devil.” Garry sniggered.

“What?” Jongin looked at Kyungsoo who was now staring down at him with his saucer shaped eyes. How is this dimwit so popular?

“Stop it with those eyes. It’s creepy.” Jongin faked a shudder.

“Shut the up.” 

“Ah, there’s the Kyungsoo that I know.” The blonde raised him a thumbs up and Kyungsoo instantly bit the thumb just because.

 Kyungsoo doesn't get As, but he would never fail a subject either. He was average. Average. It’s the perfect word to describe a person like him. Do Kyungsoo is the most average of all average. If it was a competition, he’d probably manage to get a ribbon for participation. Because first place is definitely not average, second is just too close to perfect, and third is just trying way too hard. So when Zhang Yixing, captain of the football team, came up to him asking for assistance, he was hella confused. “My team needs your help!” Yixing pleaded desperately as he gripped tightly on the paper he had quickly pulled out from his bag to show Kyungsoo. It looked like an application form for the football team. “See, there’s a game coming up next month and we’re kind of short in members, so I was wondering if you could-“

“Are you sure you’re talking to the right person?” Kyungsoo cuts him. “Because I really do not know the first thing about football.” He raised his arms, pulling up the sleeve of his shirt to show Yixing what he’s dealing with. “Just look at these invisible guns.”

“What?” Yixing asked with widened eyes before chuckling. “You got it all wrong.” He said, waving his hands.. “I heard you’re pretty tight with Jongin.”

“Not really.” Kyungsoo answered.

“Ah, well anyway, “ Yixing continued. “Can you give this to him?” He handed Kyungsoo the form. “We used to be in the same team, Jongin and I. We were best of friends in grade school. He was great.” Yixing’s eyes fell to the ground. “But then he slowly stopped coming to practice and after some time, he told our coach that he couldn’t play anymore. I got really mad and said some really cruel stuff to him.” He explained.

“Jongin is not the kind of person to hold a grudge.” Kyungsoo didn’t mean to say those words. He met the guy like a month ago. How would he know what kind of person Jongin is?

“I know.” Yixing smiled at him. “That’s why I want him to join the team. And it’s also a chance for me to apologize for the things I’ve said. Oh, and for punching him on the face once.” He chuckled and Kyungsoo smiled back. “So, can you please send him the message?"

“Sure, I will.” And with that, Yixing walked off with a sigh of relief.

“Here are copied notes from the classes you missed this week.” Kyungsoo handed Jongin the notebook.

Jongin thanked him, taking the notebook and placing it down on the couch.

“You’ve been skipping classes a lot more than usual.” Kyungsoo sat on kitchen counter. “Not that I’m concerned.”

“I’m just cool like that.” Jongin tells him and Kyungsoo clearly doesn’t buy it. “Can you stop worrying? It really doesn’t suit you.”

“I’m not even worried.” Kyungsoo mumbled and pouts when Jongin replied simply with a chuckle. “By the way, Yixing asked me to ask you if you wanted to join the football team.” Kyungsoo toured his way around the spacey one bedroom apartment. It was simple yet elegant. The walls were white with a couple of unfilled picture frames hung at different corners. “Why buy picture frames when you’re not even going to use it?” He asked absentmindedly while examining each of the frames in front of him.

“They’re my mom’s.” Jongin answered. “She sends one to me every year.” For the first time, Kyungsoo saw a smile.  A smile that wasn’t forced or for show. It was genuine and as cheesy as it may sound, it was beautiful.

“A-ah.”

“Ah?” Jongin busted out laughing and Kyungsoo found himself slowly being captured by Jongin’s weird and childish antics. I want to know more.

“Oh, and I called Yixing. Told him I can’t join.”

“Why not?”

“Just reasons.”

“Rise and shine!” Sora yawned as she wrapped her arms around Kyungsoo’s neck. “How’s the baby brother doing?”

“He was doing just fine until the very much older sister disrupted his morning peace.” He nudged her away as he took a slow sip off his coffee mug. “Want one?”

“I’m not that old.” Sora watched as Kyungsoo poured coffee from the aero press. Kyungsoo hummed a tune and Sora chuckled lightly. “You like coffee that much?”

“Not really.” Kyungsoo said but the smile he had plastered on his face said something else. “Where’s Minsoo?”

“She’s with her father.” Sora answered.

“You really should stop taking her there.” Kyungsoo places the mug on the counter. 

“You know I can't do that." 

“Yea, I know." Kyungsoo sighed.

“Oi- It’s that kid again.” Sora exclaimed and Kyungsoo looked towards the kitchen window to see Jongin waiting by the gate. What the hell is he wearing?

Kyungsoo took off his apron and walked out the front door. He opened the gate and Jongin greeted him a good morning with long bunny ears perked. “I’m not going to school with you dressed like that.”

Jongin wore his oversized grey bunny onesie, with matching rabbit slippers. “You noticed?” He laughed.

“Why are you wearing a ing onesie?”

“These are the only clean clothes I have.” Jongin said, bouncing towards Kyungsoo. “Aren’t you gonna invite me in for breakfast?”

“No.”

“But-“

“Hi Jongin!” Sora waved as she walked over to the boys.

“Noona!” Jongin ran towards Kyungsoo’s sister. “Kyungsoo’s bullying me, noona!” He feigned a sniffle.

“How dare anyone bully such an innocent little bunny?” Sora petted Jongin’s ears as she then threw her younger brother a glare.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. “You met him once.” He reminded her but Sora of course, wouldn’t listen.

“C’mon honey, I’ll make you breakfast.” She said, pulling Jongin into the house.

“I love you, noona!” The oversized bunny jumped and Kyungsoo had this strong urge to call animal shelter.

Kyungsoo rummaged through his cabinet and took out an old shirt which had the words ‘Don’t go bacon my heart’ printed on the front and his dad’s old jean shorts that didn’t really fit him. “Wear those.” He threw the clothes on the bed where Jongin was seated.

“Thanks.” Jongin smiled and Kyungsoo felt funny in the stomach.

“U-m, yea.” Kyungsoo nodded. “Can you make it fast? It’s late- “ He paused as Jongin then started zipping down his onesie, back completely exposed. “Wait what hell, don’t change in front of me you dimwit!” He yelled, covering his eyes with his two hands.

Jongin laughed. “Chill, I was kidding.” He said, walking towards the bathroom. “You’re so gullible.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. “And you’re such a dimwit.”

Jongin stuck his tongue out before closing the door shut and Kyungsoo repossessed his ability to breathe once again.

Garry sent Suho ‘the look’ and the older nodded back. They then look at Kyungsoo who’s currently dead in the eye. The brunette had dark circles forming under his eye lids and he looked pretty much zombified from the lack of sleep.

“Kyungsoo, we need to ask you something.” Suho started.

Kyungsoo turned to the guy and nodded.

“Do you-“

“Do you like Jongin?!” Garry asked in a way that he’s yelling but it was more like a whisper kind of yelling.

Kyungsoo feigns a laugh. “What? Pfft. Me? No!” He lied. “Why would you even think that?”

“Well, for one, you look like one of those walkers from that Andrew Lincoln series.” Garry pointed out.

“Finals are coming. I’ve been studying loads for it.” Kyungsoo tells them. 

“LIES.” Garry pointed an accusing finger at him. “You’re D.O! You don’t study!”

“Two.” Suho raised his voice. “You’ve been avoiding him a lot recently. Jongins’ constant asking for your whereabouts is a dead giveaway.”

“I’m just busy.” Kyungsoo shrugged. “I have a life you know.”

Garry raised his brow. “Ah, Jongin’s coming-“

“What, where?” Kyungsoo looked around him frantically and both the boys laughed at him. “You’re totally crushing on Kai.” Garry points out the obvious and Kyungsoo blushed furiously.

“Who’s crushing on who?”

.

“Dude! D.O is totally crushing on y-“ Kyungsoo slapped a hand over Garry’s mouth before it could spurt out anything irrelevant.

“D.O?”Jongin asked.

“Yea, Kyungsoo.” Garry said as he slapped Kyungsoo’s hand away. “I took his last name and added a dot in between the D and O. Hence, D.O.”

“Yea, I think I got it.” Jongin chuckled. “So, who’s the lucky girl?”

Kyungsoo forced out a laugh. “What girl? There’s no girl!”

Jongin smirked. “Or should I say, lucky guy?”

“Wha- “

“I was kidding.” Jongin slapped Kyungsoo lightly on the shoulder. “I mean, unless you really are gay.”

Kyungsoo remained silent.

“Not that I’m against the whole gay thing but don’t you think it’s just a bit weird… I mean, to be with a guy?” Jongin spotted Suho giving him a signal to stop. “What? I was just saying.. “ And this of course earned him a good kick on the shin from Garry. “Ow, what was that for?” He winced in pain and he then received another kick from Suho. “Guys! What the hell-“ Jongin stopped talking when he then heard a sniffle coming from his left side.

Kyungsoo wasn’t sure if it from the lack of sleep or if it’s from hearing what Jongin thinks of people like him. Wierd. “K-kyung, are you alright?” He heard the guys ask with clear worry. Kyungsoo however, wasted no time in escorting himself out the scene.

“What just happened?” Jongin looked at both his friends.

“Not cool dude.” Garry said as he then ascended from the table to quickly follow Kyungsoo out.

“I don’t-“ Jongin turned to Suho and the elder gave him nothing but a disappointed look. “Kyungsoo, he’s- “ And that’s when Jongin realized how horrible of a friend he was. “I blew it. Didn’t I, hyung?”

“You sure did.”

“Kyung.”

Ignore it.

"Soooooo."

Don’t answer.

Jongin frowned. He then decided that it’s finally time to put out his best weapon.“I got two tickets to Johnny Depp’s Mortdecai!”

Kyungsoo stopped walking and turned to Jongin’s direction. “Stop.”

“No.”

Kyungsoo threw him a glare. “Fine.” He was about walk away when Jongin pulled him back. “Alright, I give up.” Out of nowhere, the younger took out a badminton racket and handed it to Kyungsoo. “Hit me.”

“What?” Kyungsoo looked at him with the words ‘this is ridiculous’ written on his face.

“I said hit me.” Jongin repeated the same words. “Tell me how much of an insensitive prick I am and that I don’t deserve you as a friend.”

“You’re an insensitive prick and you definitely do not deserve my friendship.” Kyungsoo raised the badminton racket and Jongin closed his eyes.

When after ten seconds he didn’t feel the racket landing on his face, Jongin slowly blinked his eyes open only to see Kyungsoo walking away with the badminton racket. “Is that a yes or a no to the movie?” He yelled out as Kyungsoo was already far from where he was standing.

Kyungsoo stopped on his tracks and looked over his shoulder. “I hate movie theatres.”

“But you love Johnny Depp.” Jongin grinned.

Kyungsoo thought hard for a moment before turning towards Jongin. “It’s a maybe.”

-time skip-

“So what happened after that?”  A ten year old Minsoo laid flat on her uncle’s bed as she listened to the same story she’s heard like a million times.

“He stood me up.” Kyungsoo answered. He took off his reading glasses and placed it back in his drawer. “I came to school expecting an apology but he just acted like it never happened.”

“That’s painful.”

“He talked less to me after that.” Kyungsoo chuckled bitterly. “Weeks later, he gets a girlfriend.”

Minsoo sat up, looking at her uncle with empathetic eyes. “Where is he now?”

“We never really associated with each other at school after that semester, but after a year or so, his parents flew him back here to Korea.” Kyungsoo stood up from his desk and walked his way to his bedside window. He closed his curtains and sighed. “Didn’t I tell you this story before?” He turned to his bed where Minsoo was seated.

“Yea but I never get to hear the last part..” She said while swinging her legs back and forth.

“That’s cus you’d always fall asleep before I actually got to the end.” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. He opened the door, signaling Minsoo out.

“But it’s only like, ten!” Minsoo grabbed a hold of her uncle’s bed sheets.

“Don’t you have school tomorrow?” Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow as he walked over to peel Minsoo off of his bed. Minsoo however, stood up before he could lay a finger at her. She darted her way out the room. But before she could completely disappear, she just had to switch the lights off and stick her tongue out mockingly while her uncle accused her of being a little brat. “Happy hunting!” She sang, closing the door shut.

“Minsoo!” Kyungsoo, not being able to see due to his night blindness, had no other choice but to feel his way across his bedroom. He bent down and trudged forward until he then bumped to what felt like the wooden door. He carried himself up and quickly searched for the light switch. “Got you.” He sighed in relief as the lights were turned back on.

Kyungsoo laid flatly against his bed, breathless. “I never really liked Johnny Depp anyway.” He whispered to no one in particular before closing his eyes and falling into deep slumber.

A/N: im so sorry. I was bored and I wanted to write. Idk what happened. I feel like its so bad...  anyway, I’ll try not to up the next chapters. Oh, and does anyone else here (besides me) study in an international school ? where my international school peeps at ?? haha  lol anywho, thanks so much for reading! Feedbacks should be encouraging: ) so do feel free to comment and stuff.