“Golden student? Psh.” I scoff, throwing my bag on the floor as soon as I come home –my body flopping onto the couch a few seconds later. I wouldn’t even think of standing up if not for the ridiculous thirst my throat is suffering from at the moment, damn PE class. Why is it still haunting me even in a totally different school?

Can’t. Move. My. Feet.

(Like, what did you even expect, Bom?)

Ugh, that arrogant, conceited creature who calls himself a PE teacher. I mean, like, wow congratulation for being a national running athlete! How proud must his mother be, hmm? Well yeah, but he doesn’t have to set the same standards to literally everyone, now does he?

That’s so unfair!

I know he’d naturally like the school’s jocks in my class and well, I too admire some of them myself (wondering if they were cheetahs, because how did they finish running those laps a good 20 minutes earlier than me?) –but does Mr. Kim-I’m-so-fabulous-Yugyeom have to scold me for being normal? Well I’m sorry I wasn’t born with those kind of genetics!

Has he ever heard of the story where if you put a fish in a ‘who’s the fastest to climb a tree’ test it’s going to spend its whole life thinking that it’s stupid?

I am that fish.

And sport’s pretty much as exhausting as climbing a tree.

Am I right or am I right?

Plus, he doesn’t even care about the other students (who are not that much better than me, if not just as bad as I am, frankly speaking), no, he probably found it amusing to just pick on me, the powerless little new student. Yeah, he specifically chose to pick on me earlier today. Such teacher of the year award material he is. Not.

He took notes of the time we finished running and announced it in front of everyone to hear that mine is one of the worst –that I should consider doing it again next week if I want a decent grade in his class.

As if!

Sport has nothing to do with my future career. I will not bow down and surrender. I’ll run those extra laps again, for the sake of entertaining you.

But I’m plotting a new strategy against you, Mr. Kim Yugyeom.

You know, just in case.

_

“What’s with that smiley face, Yuggie?” Jaebum asks, not even surprised when he finds Yugyeom sprawled on top of his couch, changed into a casual outfit with a touch of wet hair to indicate that he just showered. Yugyeom has a habit of randomly showing up at someone’s home in the most unthinkable hours, so this afternoon is no biggie.

“Just because, hyung,” Yugyeom pauses, trying to come up with a legit excuse because he simply won’t get away from Jaebum with a lousy one, “I love teaching, apparently.” Well done, Kim Yugyeom, that’s just the right thing to say to spark the suspicions, isn’t it?

“Well that’s new. Come on Yuggie, something’s up and you’re not telling me.” Says Jaebum, sitting beside Yugyeom.

“I ran a few laps with my students, okay? Stop going all suspicious on me. I find happiness in the most unexpected places, deal with it.”

“Okay, okay little one. I’m just curious!” Jaebum says, though he is sure to be planning something else (such as possible interrogation or even intervention) in that head of his.

“Curiosity kills the cat, hyung.” Yugyeom deadpans, as Nara –Jaebum’s cat– walks pass the two of them innocently.

“Meow.” Jaebum picks her up and hugs her protectively, as if on cue. Yugyeom snickers at that.

_

Visiting the supermarket is some sort of a weekly thing for Mark Tuan since he decided to live on his own, and today is no exception. He plans on having a simple, healthy dinner tonight, but just his luck, he ran out of plain yoghurt.

He visits the closest supermarket in his area, of course, and the simple task of buying some yoghurt soon turns into a little shopping spree of his (he eats a lot despite his skinny stature). An old lady looks at his basket full of food, disbelieved, but nothing could stop Mark, really.

He eyes the dairy section of the market, and soon sets his eyes on a package of ice cream.

The only package left, to be precise.

The last one standing, and he could almost hear it calling out to him sweetly.

A little treat won’t hurt, he figures. But just as he reaches for the ice cream, another hand finds their way there first. A hand that is a lot smaller than his, with chubby fingers…and a rectangular thumb?

“I think I saw the ice cream first.” He says a little coldly, turning to his side to face the most unexpected person –currently gawking at the predicament they found themselves in, by the way.

“O-of course, Mr. Tuan. Please have it and enjoy your ice cream!” they blabbered nervously, quickly disappearing from Mark’s view the next second.

Mark finds himself rather speechless, a little bucket of ice cream sitting on his now frozen hands.

_

Ice cream was going to be my last resort today. It’s my go to food when I’m down but nope, I had none in my fridge because I’d never think I’d be depressed this quick so I chose to run to the nearest supermarket.

Also, it was my first time there (if I had to come up with a lame excuse as to why I looked awkward as hell going through all those racks to find some ice cream, I’d figure this was it).

No big deal, you might say, but guess what?

I ran into Mark Tuan.

You know, my extremely handsome physics teacher.

You know what fate? If you’re trying to be funny here, well see, no one’s laughing. Nope. Nada.

I froze like a love struck high student (I am a student, just not currently struck by love) upon realizing that I took his ice cream (it was sort of mine too, now that I think of it) thus resulting in me sputtering nonsense and bolting out of the scene quicker than The Flash himself.

To my defense, he was in his casual clothes –a grey hoodie and shorts, but still looking dashing (so yeah, you could say I’m a little love struck). I mean, I would’ve stood my ground and held onto the ice cream if it were any other person. But…Mr. Tuan?

Hell, I probably should just kill myself if I continue to drown in this absurd fantasy.

_

Another week has just started and I’d like to applaud myself for not dying by the end of last week (or in the hands of Mr. Tuan). A good amount of sleep on the weekend help me reduce the stress, and somewhat lessen my growing worry –I mean, Mr. Tuan probably didn’t even remember me, for all we know, right?

Anyways, first class of the week is with Mr. Park.

Said male brings a stack of papers into the room, all big smile and crinkly eyed, as if he’d finally find the joy in teaching this almost nonexistent class. I still think he is handsome, and a lot more charming now with his killer smile, but I don’t know if he’s only now showing his true self or if this is just part of his act (you know, this being a theatre class and all).

He doesn’t reach for the projector’s remote like he did last week, instead he kind of sits down on (or leans into?) the edge of the teacher’s desk, arms crossed in a serious fashion.

“Are you guys aware of the midterm test that is coming in 2 months?” Mr. Park starts, but he continues just before we get to answer that, “I know that technically speaking we have only met once which was last week, but I think I should break the news to you guys today.” he announces, leaving question marks all over our heads.

“What kind of news is it, Sir?” one of the twin guys, Taeho asks.

“We’re going to prepare for that particular test as soon as possible, kind of news.”

Not that big of a deal, or so I thought.

“What’s the test going to be like, Sir?” Youngha the gothic girl asks, though sounding disinterested as she keeps her gaze set on her perfectly painted black nails.

“Well, we’re in a theatre class so…there ought to be a big play, don’t you think?” Mr. Park says, with a tone as bubbly as ever.

I guess I thought wrong.

“Impossible! In just 2 months?” the other twin, Taeil complains.

“Oh no of course not, the actual play is due at the end of the school year, as usual. But I’m also expecting a little showcase by the time midterm tests week starts.”

“With only the 5 of us, Sir?” I finally find the sanity to ask him, because he seems to have none at the moment.

“I suppose yes, but if, and only if needed, I’m going to have to step in as well now, aren’t I?”

“Do we even have time for casting?” the last guy whose name I have yet to know points out.

“You know what guys, today we’ll begin our first reading and then we’ll see who fits to be whom –and we’ll continue from there?”

Mr. Park sounds exactly like Mr. Shue right now. (Also, we’re sort of the Glee club here too)

_

How did I –for a second– think I’m fit for a theatre class?

Well for starters, I thought there were more students in this class, especially as JYP High is known for its excellence in art. Secondly, I’ve always dreamed of getting the lead female? (Blame High School Musical for planting this absurd ideas in me)

But here’s the case.

We’re short on students. Even Mr. Park said he’d play a role himself. And here he is, for only God knows why, giving us copies of wait for it…his own masterpiece.

He says doing one of Shakespeare’s would be too predictable for us, thus he bestows the burden of acting out his little creation upon us (harsh, but what can I say?).

And when I thought, ‘oh, it could’ve been worse’, it does get worse.

It’s basically one, classically sappy romance we’re about to do here. I cringe as I read the first few narration, sneaking glances around the room, making note that the only girls in this room are Youngha and myself –and nope, I don’t think she’d be signing up for the lead female anytime soon.

_

I walk absentmindedly to my next class. To be fair, I thought theatre would be harmless, could be a sweet little escape of mine in the middle of a busy week. But even in our second meeting of the semester I could already conclude that I’m doomed.

Reading a few cheesy lines couldn’t be that bad, you might say.

Yeah?

Well how about reading it directly in front of your rudely handsome teacher? He could’ve closed his eyes and try to focus on my articulation or something but no, of course he’s not easily pleased, he looked straight into my eyes, judging me as I mutter some nonsense speak.

I had to repeat some of them. I mean, I never dropped any pickup lines on guys before and I’d never thought my first time saying those kinds of line out loud would be in front of my teacher?

(Or, if I could just ignore his handsomeness, all of the above could be seen as normal. Sure, Mr. Park needed to do all that. Sure, he’s just one cute perfectionist. Sure, if he looked older and uglier I wouldn’t have had these weird reactions. Shame on me, then.)

---

A/N : I didn't mean to abandon this story, I just had a few dilemmas I needed to solve. I originally planned this one to have only 5 chapters, each of them being very long ones, but then I realize I can't do that at this point? I'm going to make the chapters shorter so we all won't be overwhelmed by the pace from now on. Leave me some comments :)