​       "Yo, guys! Have you heard? Joy and Irene are planning to introduce us to some junior who's a new student," Taemin showed his toothy smile.

​       Sungjae simply looked at him and waited until he continued, but the others actually reacted.

​       "Really? A new student?" Jackson asked.

​       "They befriend new students that easily?" Bogum made a weird face, "Since when did they ever start doing that?"

​       "Well, this guy also got into a fight with Mino already on the first day of school." Taemin shrugged, "It seems he's already a big deal now. He seems to be happy around Joy and Irene, and thankful for them to show him around school and all that –– though I wonder if he's ever annoyed with the popularity and attention he's gotten so far."

​       Hyun Woo just remained calm and sighed, "Must be that Kang Seulgi guy who is Irene's seat partner in homeroom."

​       "What? Irene has a seat partner?" Bogum turned his head immediately, "Are you –– ?"

​       "Oh, look. They're right there," Hyun Woo pointed.

​       Each of them looked over to wherever he was pointing. They didn't blend in as much as other students did, and the other students around them (for once) didn't seem to follow them like idiots and fangirl all over them. Though, it didn't change the fact that they still had girl crushes on them, and guys who fell for Irene really hard, and only Irene because it was well known that the popular boy, Sungjae, was Joy's boyfriend.

​       Irene looked content for the first time in a while. Her smile was genuinely caused because someone new was talking to her and treating her normally like a regular person. She would rather be treated normally rather than being admired by everyone else. She got to know Seulgi better even having to be around him for just a moment. She found out that it was fun talking to him compared to talking to most people. Joy kept looking over to see Irene's facial expression whenever the both of them were listening to Seulgi talk. And it seemed like the guy finally warmed up to them after a little bit.

​       "Irene?" Joy called her name.

​       Irene blinked (she was looking at Seulgi), and looked at Joy, "Yeah?"

​       "You look like you're having the time of your life," Joy snickered, "If you know what I mean."

​       "Get that smug smile off your face! Don't tell me what I think is what you mean," she frowned.

​       Joy elbowed Seulgi in the rib lightly, "She likes talking to you, isn't that obvious?"

​       "U–Um.." Seulgi scratched the back of his head. His cheeks were slightly flushed, and he seemed flustered. But in the heat of the moment, he was somewhat saved from further embarrassment when someone else called for Joy, gathering the trio's attention toward that direction.

​       "Byu! Byu, Byu!"

​       Seulgi and Irene both react with strange faces, but Joy's expression suddenly lights up and smiles happily. She runs toward the other guy that Seulgi sees while Irene stays planted right next to him.

​       "B–Byu...?"

​       "That's uh, their couple name that the two of them created together." Irene awkwardly laughed it off.

​       "Oh, so that's Joy's boyfriend?"

​       "Yeah, his name is Yook Sungjae. You should go befriend him. Joy wanted to introduce you to him," Irene slightly pushed him toward the big group of boys. But Seulgi barely budged.

​       "Y–You should come with me. I'm not all that comfortable yet." Seulgi said, in a lower voice.

​       Irene looked surprised for just a second due to the sight of the shy guy right in front of her. was parted, but soon after, she gave a slight smirk, "Hehe, okay. Come on, let's go. They really aren't that bad, I think. You'll learn to like them as your friends, I think."

​       Seulgi doesn't say anymore but follows her. He answers her mentally, if you say so, then I guess it'll be alright.

​       Most of the guys were looking at Seulgi, giving him unpredictable looks. He wasn't sure whether they were welcoming, or if they were skeptical about him, but the guy called Sungjae spoke first.

​       "So! Who's this guy?" He turned his head and looked around, first at Irene, then he faced Joy. He was pointing at Seulgi's chest with his thumb.

​       "That's the so–called 'Kang Seulgi' guy that you wanted to meet! The new student," Joy answered.

​       Irene gestured with her hand, "Everyone, this is Seulgi. Seulgi, this is everyone." Then, she started pointing at each of their chests, "Taemin, Jackson, Bogum, Hyun Woo, Sungjae. I'm not sure if I'm missing anyone else here, but it doesn't look like that to me."

​       "Oh, there's Mino, but that guy isn't here yet," Taemin added.

​       "Mino?" Irene tilted her head.

​       "Right," Joy stepped inside the circle, waving her hands crazily in the air everywhere, "Irene doesn't know Mino! She doesn't need to know!"

​       "Who's Mino?" Irene asked again.

​       "It's some guy who started a fight with Seulgi on the first day of school, and has the biggest crush on Bae Irene!" Jackson had his mouth in an 'o' shape, "But that guy isn't really as close as we are together. I mean I don't know. He seems like a wannabe," Jackson shrugged, "Maybe he just wants popularity and cool friends."

​       Seulgi wasn't all too interested in any conversation regarding Mino. Just the mentioning of his name gave him a huge disinterest, turn–off related thought, so he decided to change the subject, "Are you guys all seniors?"

​       "Everyone here is, except for Jackson. He's the only junior, I think," Taemin scratched the side of his head, "But now, with the addition of you!"

​       "Well. Everyone, why don't we move to the lounge and at the cafe? It's indoors, plus we could probably still get a table open for us. There's that one that is always reserved every single day under Hyun Woo's name," Bogum clapped his hands together, "We might as well be sitting comfortable if we're going to talk instead of standing around and causing a big blockade for the other students trying to get lunch."

​       Everyone nodded and appreciated his idea. So they all went toward the so–called lounge and cafe. There were so little people here, is what Seulgi first thought. He looks around and only sees a bunch of small round tables, usually with a girl and a guy sitting together while immersed in a conversation, or two girls talking to each other, and two guys sitting together while having a drink. The group settled down on the other round tables that were left open. Because there wasn't a big huge round table for all of them, the group was separated to littler ones. The table that Irene was at (sitting with Hyun Woo and Bogum) was closest to the wall, and the table that Seulgi was at was right next to hers.

​       The group ended up chatting happily together, despite being separated to smaller tables. Seulgi opened up a little to them in no time. Sure, they weren't that close yet, but they've surely passed the point of 'acquaintances'. Seulgi knows that he's got a new group of friends, and that he'll be seeing each and every one of their faces every day. Though, he felt like he did have a weaker bond with Bogum and Hyun Woo, but maybe that was just him. Seulgi just clicked with Jackson in no time –– maybe because he was another junior as well –– and he felt comfortable around Taemin, probably because he was so welcoming.

​       "Wait, you're on the track team?" Seulgi exclaimed, wide–eyed and surprised.

​       "Yeah," Jackson started laughing, "There was so much tension between you and Mino that you didn't even notice me! That's sad."

​       "W–Wait, I'm sorry!" Seulgi laughed along, "I really didn't see you back there. Nice to meet you, man! I'm glad you're on the track team as well. Looks like we have another similarity along with each other." Seulgi held out his hand for Jackson to shake.

​       Throughout all of this, Irene had been eyeing Seulgi carefully, observing him befriending the others around him and taking note of his social skills. He definitely wasn't lacking in anything, not that she noticed of him. She was smiling while looking at him, despite all the conversations ongoing all around her, from Joy and Sungjae, Hyu