“Seokmin,” Seungcheol called from across the table, “Literally make Mingyu stop!” He commanded, pointing at him with his whole hand, “He hasn’t stopped gawking since lunchtime!”

“Lunchtime?! Try since homeroom!” Minghao complained, “The teacher told him to be quiet and he would continue but in a whisper instead!” The Chinese boy had been holding a fist in trying to hold his frustration with his classmate slash friend.

“It’s not my fault when Seokmin’s acting so strange!” The tall boy countered, using his index finger to point to Seokmin, and then moved it to point directly to Joshua, “Joshua-hyung being judgmental didn’t help either!”

“Could you perhaps lower your voices down? Geez, we’re right beside you,” Seungkwan requested, albeit in a sassy manner, as always.

“Boo Seungkwan, you of all people have no right to say that, you’re like a bloody megaphone every morning!” Hansol countered. He almost yelled it out but instead he was able to do it a whispering manner.

“Excuuuuuh-uuussseee me, then! But—”

Before the latter could even finish his sentence, the rest of the boys lowered their heads down all the while letting out loud annoyed groans, “Not this again.”

“Seokmin, why don’t you just tell us what this ‘Seokmin is acting like he’s never met Haneul before’ thing Mingyu is complaining about?” Wonwoo suggested, “Before one of us sews his lips together.” He was looking at Seokmin, but his hands were holding a book. Wonwoo was using his thumb as a bookmark while he spoke.

“Or we could just silence him permanently,” Jihoon interrupted.

The boys stared at him, some in terror, some in shock.

“Jihoon, that’s murder.”

“But it’ll work,” he retorted, “One less loud mouth to deal with.”

Mingyu gasped a little and clutched his heart, so as to jokingly say he was offended.

“Yeah, nah, it’s Mingyu,” Junhui replied, shaking his head a little, “His voice will still haunt you, like you’ve heard it so much it’ll literally linger in your mind. That’s how annoying he is.”

Mingyu jolted up and pointed at each and every one of them, “You guys do know I can hear you, right?!?!?! I’m like right here! In front of you!” By this time, everyone in the cafeteria had already turned their heads to his sudden loud outburst.

The boy noticed and sat down in embarrassment. The other boys were simply holding in their laughs when Seokmin caught sight of Haneul out of the corner of his eyes. He grabbed his drink, told his friends he’ll see them in a bit and rushed to her.

“Haneul-ssi!” He waved as he took giant strides towards her.

Haneul merely watched him get nearer until he was in front of her, still with that big, bright smile.

“Have you finished lunch?” He asked her.

Haneul’s lips only parted a little, before her eyes quickly darted at the table with Seokmin’s friends there. They were watching, all of them with curious eyes. Except for Soonyoung… his eyes were full of hope… hope that maybe she’ll go easy on the both of them; both her and Seokmin.

She faintly smiled at the boy in front of her, “Uhh, no… No, I haven’t.” She let out a soft chuckle, “I’m just occupied at the moment.”

“Oh, well then, here,” Seokmin stabbed the top of his strawberry milk with the straw before handing it to her, “Few days here and the school’s already keeping you busy, huh? A pretty girl like you has to take care of her health too, you know. So here,” he gestured for her take the drink once again.

Albeit hesitantly, Haneul’s hands reached for the drink, but stopped halfway when a feminine voice called out to Seokmin, “Oppa.”

Last thing she knew, a group of first-year girls was in front of them, “Who is this? Is she bothering you?” Their arms were crossed, and they looked upset.

Haneul’s hand quickly retreated behind her and took a tiny step back away from them, her face expressing a slight look of fear.

Seokmin chuckled, “Bothering? No, I’m just making her comfortable here. She’s new,” he responded.

“Uh-huh, and the strawberry milk?”

“It’s his,” Haneul immediately answered. She looked at him in the eye for a split second and then turned away.

He saw that look, and turned to the girls, “It’s mine.”

“But you always drink banana milk,” one of the girls countered.

It caught Seokmin off-guard. Haneul, too. It seemed it slipped both of their minds it was Haneul who always drank strawberry milk, and Seokmin drank banana.

“Uh— hey, I drink strawberry milk once in a while too,” he reasoned.

“Thanks for the directions, Seokmin-ssi…” Haneul suddenly stated, giving him a slight smile. “I’ll be on my way now,” she walked behind Seokmin without even allowing him to say his own goodbye.

Seokmin could only watch as she walked away… again. He smiled at the younger girls in front of him before he made his way back to his friends. ‘I really thought this only happens in dramas,’ he thought, shaking his head slightly in disappointment.

The rest of them continued on with their lives as if nothing had happened, except for Seokmin. Soonyoung, too.

“Seokmin,” he called out. Everyone’s been calling Seokmin a lot lately. The boy he called turned his head to him, “Has Haneul always been scared of girls?”

Seokmin narrowed his eyes, “What do you mean scared of girls? Hyung, what are you talking about?”

“Haneul. She… suddenly got a little frightened when those girls came?” Soonyoung replied. He then tilted his head as he hissed a little, “Maybe I just saw wrong.”

“No offense, but she always look so frightened whenever we’re around though, so,” Chan randomly stated.

“Yeah, with Seungcheol and Mingyu around, why wouldn’t she be scared?” Junhui retorted.

“Can you blame us?” Seungcheol had a cold response.

Soonyoung heaved a deep sigh, “You guys are getting off-topic,” he looked at Seokmin once more, “So? The answer?”

Seokmin thought about it again, “Hmmm… she’s usually just really shy. Why would she be scared of girls?”

Soonyoung looked down, “Huh. Maybe I just saw wrong then.”

But… he was sure of what he saw.

“Haneul, any