Staring at the ranking surprised Kyungsoo. He wasn’t number one. Someone had pushed him down to number two. The nights studying until sunrise, the afterschool academy sessions. He had been number one since his first year, so how did he drop in rank? How did he drop to be number two to none other than supposed class clown, Park Chanyeol?

“Woo! Chan! When did you get smart?” Chanyeol’s best friend, Byun Baekhyun, asked as the crowd formed around the announcement board. Kyungsoo huffed and tried to move to the side.

“Well, I’ve always had a y brain.” Kyungsoo held in his groan toward the arrogance that emitted from Park Chanyeol. “It was only natural for it to come out finally.”

“And you beat Kyungsoo!” Kim Jongdae, Chanyeol’s other accomplice, shouted as he rushed the board, knocking blindly into Kyungsoo’s shoulder. Kyungsoo held his shoulder and he sneered at the boy. “Wow! That’s ama-”

When Jongdae turned around to the glare that Kyungsoo was giving him. The crowd was silent as Kyungsoo marched away, still rubbing his shoulder. Jongdae rushed to Baekhyun’s side.

“If looks could kill,” Jongdae whispered as they watched their silent classmate trudge toward the classrooms.

Chanyeol was popular, no denying when almost everyone at their all-boy school wanted to be close with him and girls waited for him after school in droves. Chanyeol used his popularity whenever he could with the teachers and his juniors. Kyungsoo couldn’t count the number of times that Chanyeol slept in class and the teachers just ignored it, or when he got the younger students to get things for him. As far as Kyungsoo was concern, Park Chanyeol pushed people around and he was someone he wanted to avoid.

As soon as Kyungsoo was settled at his desk, the rest of his classmates began to stream into the room, shouting and chattering away about their weekend.  Kyungsoo stuffed his headphones in to muffle their sounds and try to read to himself. It didn’t really help when the two of the three loudest people in the school surrounded him in the class, namely Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol. The third of their group, Jongdae, was luckily in a separate class but made his way into Kyungsoo’s classroom during breaks.

Kyungsoo didn’t look up from his book as the boisterous boys talked away before the first bell. Kyungsoo just wanted some time along with his book and to get through the day without wanting to knock his head against a wall. Some days were like that, usually around test time, but other times, it was like a party.

Kyungsoo was so focused on his book that he didn’t noticed the visitor that came to see him, until his earbud was pulled out. Kyungsoo looked up to the smiling face of his best friend.

"Oh! Hyunsik! What’s up?" Kyungsoo perked up as Hyunsik pulled a chair to his desk.

"The tests are over, Kyungsoo. You can stop studying," Hyunsik closed his books and pushing them away.

"No such thing,"Kyungsoo reached for his books again but was too slow as Hyunsik pushed them onto the floor with a laugh. “Hyunsik! I don’t come to your class and mess up your desk!”

“My desk is already like that,” Hyunsik said, flashing a eye smile to his best friend.

“Why am I not surprised?” Kyungsoo reached down and gathered them.

“Oh! What is wrong with him?” Hyunsik whispered. Kyungsoo sat up and looked around until his eyes met with the glare of Park Chanyeol from the back of the class. Kyungsoo was taken aback from the look before it changed to one of surprise to a sheepish smile and wave. Kyungsoo turned back to Hyunsik.

“Just ignore him,” Kyungsoo said organizing his desk, still feeling the eyes on the back of his head.

“He’s glaring at me again!” Hyunsik exclaimed. Kyungsoo shook his head.

“Ignore him! Did you do something for him to look at you like that?” Kyungsoo asked. Hyunsik shook his head as he frowned. “Then ignore him. He’s weird anyway.”

The bell sounded for the start of class. Hyunsik stood, still looking to the back of the class. He waved to Kyungsoo before hurrying to his class next door. Kyungsoo pulled out his math book, the first class of the day, as the his classmates moved toward their desks. He didn’t turn back around, feeling the presence of Chanyeol approach and rest in the seat behind him.

Any other day, Kyungsoo would just ignore the presence of Chanyeol and his friends but something was different. It might have been because of the results from the test or the feel of Chanyeol’s eyes on him every second of the day, but Kyungsoo noticed him more. Chanyeol’s jokes caught his attention, also bring a laugh from Kyungsoo, but he won’t admit it. During breaks, Kyungsoo would glance up for a second to watch Chanyeol move about, looking away when the taller boy looked at him. Even if he wasn’t looking, Kyungsoo could feel his eyes on him.

+

Kyungsoo sat his food tray down before sitting across from Hyunsik, who was halfway finished with his rice.

“Hungry, Hyunsik?” Kyungsoo asked before he dove into his soup.

“I didn’t eat this morning. If you reach over, I will eat your hand,” Hyunsik said with an overstuffed mouth. Kyungsoo chuckled watching his best friend. The laughing died down as a new person joined their usual two person lunch.

Chanyeol dropped his plate down on the table and sat next to  Kyungsoo. The glare from that morning was back in Chanyeol’s eyes as he stared daggers at Hyunsik. Without a word, Chanyeol broke his gaze and began to eat. Kyungsoo and Hyunsik exchanged glances and silent words before looking at back at Chanyeol.

“Umm…” Kyungsoo started. Chanyeol beamed a 100-kilowatt smile at Kyungsoo. “Hi?”

“Hi! How are you today, Kyungsoo-yah?” Chanyeol asked cheerfully. Kyungsoo was speechless as they stared at each other. Chanyeol gave a quick wink, causing Kyungsoo to jump slightly as he felt his face warm with embarrassment.

“Is there a reason you’re sitting here, Park Chanyeol?” Hyunsik asked. Chanyeol turned back to him with a glaring look.

“Does it matter to you?” Hyunsik was taken aback by the statement as was Kyungsoo by the change in Chanyeol’s demeanor. Kyungsoo looked up as Chanyeol’s partners in crime, Baekhyun and Jongdae, approached the table cautiously. They sat down looking at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo and Hyunsik.

Chanyeol went back to eating as Baekhyun cleared his throat to break any tension that was there. The five boys started to eat in silence only interrupted by questions from Chanyeol directed to Kyungsoo or small talk from Jongdae and Baekhyun. The lunch ended with Kyungsoo and Hyunsik leaving as quick as they could.

+

“Kyungsoo-yah! Kyungsoo!” Kyungsoo turned to find Chanyeol inches from his face. Kyungsoo could feel his breath on his lips and the rush of blood heat his face. Kyungsoo turned back and buried his head in his book. Kyungsoo wanted to curse out loud for being so embarrassed, but his heart was telling a different story.

“Um...Kyu-kyungsoo. Do you have a pencil I ca-?” Without lifting his head, Kyungsoo handed a pencil back to Chanyeol, his hand trembling slightly. Chanyeol mumbled a thanks after taking the pencil. Kyungsoo knew that Chanyeol heard him whimper in embarrassment from the low chuckle Kyungsoo heard behind him. Kyungsoo kept his head down as the bell rang for the next break. His classmates started to move about, chatting with one another before the next class. Kyungsoo felt as something shifted under his arm. Looking up, a note sat under his elbow, over the edge of the desk. Kyungsoo grabbed the folded paper and unfolded it slowly.

Meet me in the school courtyard after school. - Chanyeol.

Kyungsoo looked around for the taller boy, finding that he had already disappeared from the room. Two emotions formed in Kyungsoo with the note: apprehension and curiosity. One won out in the end, leading him to the school courtyard.

+

“Hey,” Kyungsoo called to Chanyeol. The taller boy turned from his group of friends and smiled a toothy grin. Who smiles that bright all the time? Kyungsoo thought to himself as Chanyeol jaunted over to him, waving wildly.

“You came,” Chanyeol said more than asked, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo fought the smile that was forming on his face. He just wanted to know what Park Chanyeol wanted to say and leave. He told Hyunsik that he didn’t need backup, since he doubt Chanyeol really wanted to get in a fight.

“Yeah. So what did yo-”

“Do you wanna go somewhere after school? I’m free if you are,” Chanyeol said bouncing on the balls of his feet. Kyungsoo cocked one of his bushy brows.

“I have tutoring.”

“Ah! Right,” Chanyeol scratched the back of his head as he thought. “Ah! This weekend! You don’t have tutoring then, right? We can hang out then!” Chanyeol suggested with his 100-kilowatt smile. Kyungsoo stared at Chanyeol, trying to get past his smile to figure out everything that was happening.

“You want to hang out with...me?” Kyungsoo started to back away in uneasiness.

“Yeah! I would have asked at lunch but your friend keep asking questions,” Chanyeol pouted. “And then what happened...in class...well…”

Kyungsoo could feel his cheeks heating up as he thought about the near kiss in class. He shook his head of the thought and watched as Chanyeol’s ears blushed.

“Why?” Kyungsoo asked bluntly. “We’ve never hung out before. Why do you want to hang out?”

“I like you.”

“Huh?” Kyungsoo pushed out the question more than really ask it. He was shocked by the confession.

“I like you. I kind of always have and I couldn’t find a way to talk to you because you were always with that guy. I figured I could find something that you were interested in and that seemed like school. I didn’t think I would get first in the test ranks but at least I could talk to you about that and studying. Speaking of studying, I don’t know how you do it,” Chanyeol rambled.

“You like me?” Kyungsoo asked. The confession was like an equation he couldn’t figure out. Chanyeol continued to babble on as Kyungsoo tried to solve the confession. “You...like me?”

“Is that the only thing you got out of me talking to you? Listen! You don’t have to respond now. I just wanted to say it and maybe...we can get to know each other.” Kyungsoo stood with his mouth gaped open, ready to answer. He snapped shut before turning away and walking.

“Yah!” Chanyeol yelled at him, trying to sound angry. Kyungsoo looked back to see that he was actually pouting.”

“You said I could think before answering you. I’m going to think about it,” Kyungsoo said to him.

“Oh. Okay,” Chanyeol lowered his head. Kyungsoo could see that he was fighting to keep from poking his lower lip out further.

“If you walk me to my tutoring academy, I could think it over better,” Kyungsoo shouted at him. He smiled at how quickly Chanyeol perked him and smiled. Chanyeol motioned for him to wait to gather his things before he caught up with the shorter boy. Chanyeol stood beside Kyungsoo, forcing him to look up and smile before they set off together.