“The annual school festival is coming up!” The teacher’s voice echoed in the classroom. It was a really hot day and the last thing on Lu Han’s mind is to practice yet another piece.

The Daejin Boys High School is very popular for their all boys (obviously) choir. They’ve joined many competitions and won many awards. They have a special Music subject for every year level. You could say Music is their forte. The school makes sure every student who graduate from Daejin High are musically-inclined

This isn’t what Lu Han has in mind when he first entered the school, he was never really a fan of choirs. He did want to attend Daejin High since he’s really interested in music. He plays the guitar and the piano, he can sing well, and he’s the vocalist of his own band. What he didn’t expect was that he’d be singing trot and ballad. He didn't expect he’d be performing in their school festival.

Just when Lu Han thinks he’s about to fall asleep, a paper was shoved into his face. “The piece we’re going to practice,” Changmin said with a stern voice. “And don’t sleep in my class, Lu! Or I'll have you kicked out!”

Changmin, their homeroom teacher, was supposedly very good in singing too so the school decided his class was going to perform for the school festival. Why can’t they just have their own booth like the other classes?

Like Rain, Like Music is their next piece. A faint another ing ballad can be heard. It’s probably Dongwoo. Ballads aren’t his forte. Like Lu Han, he’s more of a band person. The only difference is Lu Han can do ballads. He can do it very well. Very well that he’s part of the lead in almost all performances they’ve had. This is why Changmin can’t exactly kick him out of his class. Lu Han is an asset.

“I want you to study those music sheets at home. But let’s sing the first two lines so we can see how well you do now,” Changmin said while preparing the piano and arranging the sheets. “Read the notes on the board and give it your best shot.”

So you went out that night, it began to rain

They sound good from what Lu Han can hear. There are a few sharps Changmin might point out later but overall and on their first try, they’re good.

Rain and the music fades, I think of you

Lu Han looks to his right. He can’t hear any sound coming out of this boy’s mouth, he’s just mouthing the lyrics. Kim Minseok is his name. He’s at the top of the class. He’ll probably be the valedictorian of Lu Han’s class. Why is he not singing?

Maybe he just can’t sing? Lu Han thinks as Changmin dismisses the class for their lunch break.

As soon as Lu Han steps out of their classroom he’s greeted with a very energetic Lu Han hyung! Of course, the voice comes from Lu Han’s bandmate, Chanyeol. Lu Han thinks he plays the drums so he can exude all that energy in his body.

Other than Chanyeol, there’s two other members of Lu Han’s band. There’s Yixing, who plays the guitar, and Baekhyun who plays the organ. Yixing’s in the same year as him and Baekhyun and Chanyeol are a year younger. Sometimes, Kyungsoo, Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s classmate from middle school join them when they practice. He’s also present when they perform on acoustic nights. He has a great voice that sometimes Lu Han wonders why he’s not attending Daejin High. He made a mental note to ask Chanyeol about their friend.

Lu Han feels like he’s missing something when he and Chanyeol are on their way to the school yard to have their lunches with Baekhyun and Yixing. “Hyung, are you listening?”

"What was that?”

“Honestly, this hyung… I said that I ordered new cymbals. It’ll probably come in a week’s time but don’t worry I remedied my old cymbals. It should be working!” Chanyeol said with a grin. “By the way, Kyungsoo will be at practice later.”

The cymbals ffrom Chanyeol's drumset cracked and a piece fell off when Chanyeol smashed a little bit hard on their last performance. It could still be used, yes, but it sounds very different than what it sounded before. Lu Han can only imagine what the younger did to ‘fix’ his cymbals. “Did you tape the pieces together?”

Chanyeol grins and Lu Han is sure he can count all of Chanyeol’s teeth with how wide he’s grinning. “I’m a genius, aren’t I, Lu Han hyung?” Lu Han was about to karate chop Chanyeol's neck when the younger covered his neck. "Your karate chops always hurts so much, I feel like I'm going to choke!"

By the time they reach their usual spot, Baekhyun and Yixing are already there. Chanyeol runs and yells hurry up, Lu Han hyung! I’m starving like the five year old he truly is. Yixing gives him a strange and look and before asking, “Lu Han, where’s your lunch?”

“! I knew I forgot something. Don’t eat without me, I’ll be real quick!” He waves at the three and dashes through the yard.

Unfortunately for Lu Han, he can’t run inside the school buildings. Well, he's sure the three already started eating as soon as he ran across the school yard so there's no need to rush.

Lu Han hears a voice coming from their classroom.

“Rain and the music fades…” A cough. “The music fades, I think of you.”

When he opens the door to their classroom, he sees Kim Minseok, holding a music sheet in his hand and singing. He must have noticed Lu Han enter the room because he quickly hides the sheet in his hands.

“L-Lu Han! What are you doing here?” His voice shakes and Lu Han thinks that’s so cute.

“I.. uh… I left my something.”

Minseok then fixes an invisible crease on his uniform and sits on his chair, still holding on to the music sheet. Is he practicing? Lu Han thought.

“Hey, Minseok,” he mutters when he's getting his lunch from his bag.

Minseok is looking at him with his big eyes. “Huh?” He looks so nervous, like Lu Han would reveal to the whole school that top student Kim Minseok doesn’t know the differences between music notes.

“You’re focusing on the wrong note. It should be Rain and the music…… fades, I think of you.”

“Rain and the…… music fades?”

“That's... Nope. Here, let me,” Lu Han reaches for the music sheet and plucks it from Minseok’s hands. “See, the rest is here, after music.”

Minseok starts singing. “Rain and the music…… fades.” 

Lu Han continues from where Minseok left off. This was one of the songs he heard after they moved in Korea. This was also his mom's favorite Korean song. “Uhm, actually we haven’t reached that part yet,” Minseok’s voice is so melodic to Lu Han’s ears. Like honey.

“Well if you look at the score, that’ll be how it sounds,” Lu Han explained.

Minseok pushes his glasses up. “Oh, now I remember. Lu Han, you’re in a band right?” He reaches for the music sheet and folded it neatly. “Thanks… for teaching me.”

“I didn’t do it out of kindness or something, if that’s what you’re thinking,” he chuckles. “You weren’t singing a while ago when Chwang told us to sing so I’m just wondering if you at singing or if you just don’t feel like singing the song.”

Minseok fiddles with the pen he’s holding. He seems restless, Lu Han noticed. “My glasses... I can’t see the notes very well on the blackboard.”

Lu Han sits on the the desk across Minseok. His own lunch forgotten beside him. “Why don’t you just ask Chwang to move your seat—”

“No, it’s fine. I really don’t want to bother Mr. Shim,” Minseok takes off his glass and wipes the lenses. He’s so ing cute, Lu Han can’t help but stare. Minseok gives him one last look before making a move to get up from the chair he's sitting.

“Do you…want to meet up? So we can practice for the song…until the festival?”