Seeing how much I've improved, I can't help but smile at myself at the mirror and give myself a pat on the shoulder.

I can't believe it. 

I, Lee Sungyeol, top of my grade level and favorite (dare I say) student in the section, have finally changed my course.

The Student Council is part of most of my school life so far. I've been grade representative here, along with Myungsoo, ever since we started middle school. Although I loved being a connection for my peers to the council, I always observe the prefects in the student organization, but what truly captivated me was the job of the Public Relations Prefect.

Admittedly, it would be cool to hail the title of Vice-President or President, but the job doesn't feel like it was my style - that I could contribute in the role with my best potential. But the idea of spreading news, connecting students, parents, and staff via announcements and meetings, keeping peaceful relations as my specific goal - all these sound like my path, excuse the dramatic description.

My love for the role only deepened at Freshman year as I got to know the prefects. I stayed by their side whenever they'd update the social media accounts, create announcements, or prepare any verbal arrangements for meetings. I was glad that they openly showed me the ropes and supported me in taking that route.

Now, it was my turn. It's my chance.

"Yeol!" I looked over to see a smiling Myungsoo with three unsharpened pencils in his hand.

"My timing was great! Kevin hyung passed me a pencil when Eric hyung saw it happen - and even Jaejoong sunbae ended up joining in!" He giddily pulled out one of the pencils, "the Jaejoong gave me one himself!"

"Is this a bias I hear?" 

"If it was I knew you would smack me for being 'politically unreasonable' - if that even makes sense."

"Mhmm," I took the other two pencils.

"Hey -" Myungsoo snatched it back, "my freebies!"

"Chill!" I laughed. We ended up going to his locker with a few minutes left before class starts, mainly since he needed to get his 'good notebook' with his 'proper notes' in case our teacher makes a sudden inspection.

"If you didn't have to doodle all around that notebook you could've had less stress," I said as I watched him look around his locker for a bit. Luckily, he did find the notebook.

"I use that notebook for literally anything, and I'd rather not have Miss witty make me share that to the whole class." 

"Psst, what do you think about Sungyeol running for Public Relations?"

"I think it'll suit him, did you see how much he worked with the Public Relations Prefect last year?"

"I dunno, I think he should just stay where-"

Slam. The locker door was closed, and Myungsoo and I see a duo thinking they 'look slick' covering their mouths; I remember them being Sungjong's classmates in the first semester.

"Hi, just to inform you two, class starts in 5 minutes." I gave a fake smile and watched as both pairs of eyes widened and bowed immediately. 

"Just a tip, your History teacher this year is an avid debater." Myungsoo said to them while they still had their eyes plastered on the floor with the softest 'sorry's ever attempted. After his words however, I myself was confused with where this was going. He walked closer to the two until he was only a step away from being face to face.

no wait-

"I hope you know he's vicious to people who can't stand by their words."

I immediately pulled him away before he thought of more dramatic dialogues and, by the time we reached the nearly full classroom, I whacked his head.

"Wow you're welcome my friend," he says so sarcastically.

"Don't forget that you're running for a place in the student council too!" I scolded.

"Yeah -- as grade level rep. Those kids have nothing on me," Myungsoo lazily sat on his seat. Seeing that my seat was being occupied by another circle, I stayed near him for the time being.

"What if it turns out they have a sibling in this grade? What if they try to call you out?"

"Yeol we already know everyone in this grade, and they know us; if anything they'll make sure nothing hurts this face-"

"Sorry!" A voice interrupts Myungsoo's gloat session, along with a beautiful pencil case that hits right on his face.

"So, you said?" I raised my eyebrows and laughed at the red mark on his forehead. Being the good person I am, I poked his cheek and asked if he was okay, only to be ignored as he planted his face on the table. "Aww, don't cry!"

-----------

"You know these s really don't know when to stop," Myungsoo muttered. I couldn't do much but sigh, it was baffling and almost demoralizing to hear many students mainly gossiping about me running for public-relations.

"Am I really that bad?" I asked while Myung stuffed his face with some spaghetti he bought.

"Absolutely not!" He exclaimed. However, the pasta stuck in his mouth led to some extra saucy syllables.

"I won't be talking to you and your sauce mouth until you actually finish chewing," I said in disgust. I threw a few napkins at him and took one to wipe the spaghetti bits off my own face.

We were the only two at the 7th table right now. Sunggyu hyung and Woohyun hyung had to finish eating fast since they were called by the Music Club adviser, Dongwoo hyung and Howon hyung had to stop by the dance studio, and Sungjong was probably still dying in his seat while the infamous Biology teacher continues to play deaf with the school bell.

As a former victim to the selectively-deaf teacher, I learned that she finds break-time to be extra-study time. If Sungjong's lucky, she'd dismiss them with 10 minutes left for lunch. Poor thing.

"As I was saying," Myung spoke up. He was still wiping the corners of his lips, but it seemed that he couldn't hold in his pep talk any longer. I can picture this in one of those just girly tumblr posts with the caption "when he cheers you up". 

"It's all just ty gossip!" Yeah, find a Myungsoo to call out the bull for you folks.

"They're mindless buffoons who can't grasp the idea that stereotypes don't rule our society and-"

"Okay I get it!" I put both my hands up to signal 'stop'.

"I swear it's okay," I smiled, "this just means I have to work harder!"

"Whatever, just remember if they play 'woke' again with you I'm more than willing to put them back to sleep."

"If I talk about hyung will you put me out of my misery?" Myungsoo and I turned to see Sungjong trudging with a lunch bag wobbling at every step.

"I see she had mercy today," I commented. "You have a good 20 minutes."

"I don't get how she can just casually campaign about the effects of sleep on the body then give a surprise project!" He said while trying to open his lunchbox. "And get this, it's cause one person failed the previous quiz! One student! Ein student! Un élève! Un estudiante!" He inhales dramatically before dragging out his last word, "One!"

"Hell, even the person she failed shocked us! She said Hansol ed up the data-based questions - of course a prude like her wouldn't use such words but that's not my point!"

"Don't waste your 20 minutes Jong," I reminded him. "You'll be coming over after school to complain about whatever she'll be doing in your last period anyway."

"Ah yes, double-science sub mondays," he sighs. " it all."

"Agreed."

---------

"Hi hyung!" I greeted Sunggyu, moving aside so he could go through the door.

School was done for the day and, as expected, Sungjong made sure to complain about his bio teacher the moment we started walking to Myungsoo's house. It's alarming to still see the younger complain when we arrived, so we're currently on the mission to make him talk about literally anything else.

Well, Myungsoo and I were, but I made sure to escape the moment a doorbell was heard. Now I could just talk to hyung downstairs until Sungjong's shouts die down, but alas I am noble. To save my poor friend, I went upstairs to the victim's bedroom with hyung, ready to defend the damned and distressed, the princess that got all the peachiness out of his life-

"She just won't look at the damn clock! Why can't she look at the damn clock!"

"Hello Sungjong look Gyu hyung's here he said he brought something special just for you that's why he's here go talk to him-" I immediately pushed the older to him while pulling Myungsoo out of the room. Seeing how Sunggyu plastered a fake smile, obviously trying to make something up, and noting Sungjong silently looking up, I can confidently say that the scheme worked.

"By the way, I didn't call hyung over as bait," Myungsoo said.

"Yeah I guessed. What was he here for though?"

"My guitar. Something about preparing for a show? A trial? Audition?" He squints, showing just how unsure he was. "I couldn't remember much, Sungjong was talking about the way Miss Bio arranged the classroom horridly."

"Speaking of which, do you think Miss is becoming worse? I don't remember being able to fit a whole speech to talk about how mean she was," I asked.

"I guess so, how else would the amazing Sungjong be so troubled?"

"Poor, poor thing."

Happy New Year Everyone!!

To commemorate such, here I am, in half-awake glory, with a chapter - though honestly speaking this is just me finding ways to procrastinate on acads ehe

In other news! 45 subs?? And 3 Upvotes?? I'm honored y'all, surprised, shocked, amazed, touched, grateful, thankful, running out of wording to express my shock --

Please do continue supporting the story! And 'till next time, bye!