Friday comes along. On the day of new hopes, Myungsoo found himself mentally sighing throughout Literature class. The only thing to stop him from continuing is the loud bell and the leave of their teacher, signalling the start of the second break.

“Myung, I have to go to a meeting, just go eat without me hm?” Without a second to spare, not even the extra second required to hear Myungsoo acknowledge his friend, Sungyeol immediately runs out of the classroom.

Maybe I’ll pass by Jjongie’s class. Myungsoo decides to take his leave as well, walking to the younger’s classroom. He takes a quick peek at the door’s window and, spotting the teacher still inside, he quickly moves away from the transparent pane.

Since when did Ms. Son look that happy teaching Bio? Myungsoo pouts, but this was honestly the least of his worries.

What were those worries, you may ask? Well firstly, Hoya made it clear: before doing anything with the three, talk to Junho.

But what did he do? Oh, you know, just casually blurt his whole plan without waiting for the older’s reply.

It turns out learning from your mistakes doesn’t always happen quickly. After all, when Myungsoo asked about Junho from a senior he knew, finding out that he was the same guy that warned him the day before felt like a big slap to his face. Yet the sting from that metaphorical slap was not enough to stop him when he spotted the senior in the cafeteria, nor did it stop him from leaving Junho with an ultimatum for a speech.

Initially, he wanted to talk to the senior during the second break to apologize and try again. But seeing the same senior zoom out of his classroom and across the buildings made him believe the older had much more important things to take care of. So instead, he stays by Sungjong’s class, hoping he’ll get a chance later on.

“Kim Myungsoo?” He turns his head at the mention of his name, surprised to see the infamous Biology teacher in front of him.

‘Oh, hello Miss,” he greeted with a small bow. The short woman gives a smile and ends the exchange, walking away from the classroom.

While he waits for Sungjong to exit the room, he greets a few faces that recognize him—some he’s familiar with, many others not—until he finally spots his best friend. “There you are!” He says, immediately locking arms with the boy.

“Where’s Yeol?” The younger asks.

“He said he’s busy, so we should just eat without him.”

“Hm… Okay... “ Sungjong nods with a small pout. “Speaking of Yeol, don’t you think he’s been busier than usual? Like, it is campaigning week, but usually we’d be busy together. Also, it’s the last day, everything would be done by now.”

“Yeah, you’re right…” Myungsoo pauses slightly, thinking of how to talk about it without exposing much. “Maybe there’s something special ‘cause he’s finally going for a different role? Either way, you know Yeol would tell us some other time.”

“True, true—I just hope it’s not stressing him out too much.” Oh Jjongie, you have no idea.

Speaking of Sungyeol brings Myungsoo to his next worry. He wants to tell Sungyeol, but he couldn’t help but agonize over the possible outcomes at the back of his mind. He knows his best friend is a caring person, but he doesn’t want to take advantage of that—he doesn’t want Sungyeol to feel like he needs to forgive Myungsoo, as if he simply had no choice. But the other hand is seeing Sungyeol feel hurt, after all his actions ended up affecting his best friend for the worse.

But really, he was able to talk to Junho in the end (though not in the best way), so he might as well tell Sungyeol soon. If he doesn’t find a way today, then when?

“I wonder if those seniors are giving him a hard time…” The younger pouts with a scrunched nose, accompanied with the surprised face that Myungsoo attempts to hide (on the bright side, Sungjong doesn’t notice his friend’s expression).

“The seniors?” The latter asks.

“Yeah, I remember Yeol said something about some seniors asking him for help to catch someone—honestly, why would they even need his help?” Sungjong faces the other. “Did he not tell you?”

“Oh, yeah he did! It just slipped off my mind.” How could I forget he could tell Jjongie about it too? Myungsoo exhaled sharply at the realization. “Did he talk about anything else?”

“He got called up by your homeroom teacher so he couldn’t continue. Oh, he said he’d tell us the rest in the gc, but I think he forgot to.”

“Oh,” Myungsoo nods.

“Did he tell you something?”

“Honestly? I think I remember, but I don’t know if I should talk about it, you know?”

“True, true. Don’t wanna hear about it if Yeol doesn’t wanna talk about it yet” Sungjong says. “Also, wow, never expected you to say that! When’d you start being so nice? ”

“Hey, I’ve always been! I just need to be even better.” Myungsoo explains, slowly spreading his arms and looking to the side, as if he were a statue. The younger laughs, giving his statue of a friend a few slaps on the back. “Jjongie wait—ow!”

“Aww, you’re growing up!” As if he didn’t hear Myungsoo’s cries, Sungjong adds on his own dramatic speech. “I remember when you were only this tall,” he motions to his knee, “calling Yeol your or something.”

“To be fair, we were each others’ es.”

“God I’m glad I never joined that,” the younger chuckles.

“Anyway!” Myungsoo exclaims. “Did something happen with Ms. Son?”

“What d’you mean?”

“Well, you got to leave on time, plus she wasn’t mad to see me… Unless she just doesn’t care if you’re not her student anymore…”

“Eh, I dunno. Maybe you’re right?”

“Oh yeah, where’d you go earlier?” Sungjong asks.

The two were finally seated at their usual table, and on top laid their two trays filled with food. They sipped some water while waiting for Dongwoo and Hoya to return from the lunch lines.

“Hm?”

“When you just left the table and came back right before first break ended, you literally just walked away.” The youngest recollects. “Something happened?”

“Oh, not really… Just forgot to do something…” And forgot to do it properly, Myungsoo sighs.

“Well anyway, the two are here, so now you all get to hear my big plan to get my mom happy again!”

“Ah yes, I’ve been waiting for this,” Dongwoo chimes in. He and Hoya take their seats, sitting opposite the two.

“Wait, I thought she like, un-grounded him yesterday?” Myungsoo raises an eyebrow.

“I swear I mentioned it before you left,” the youngest takes a pause to recollect earlier, but decides to move on seconds after. “Anyway, she did, but something really felt off.”

“She didn’t wake you up?”

“She did, but you know how before I leave she kisses me on the cheek? I had nothing today!” Sungjong pouts at the memory, “it’s not like she’s completely quiet! I could hear her talk like usual with papa while I was getting ready!”

“Stay strong,” Myungsoo swings an arm around the younger. “Auntie only started being like that today right?”

“Yeah… At least she’d still talk when I was grounded.”

“Uh… Did something happen last night?”

“That’s the thing! I have no idea!” The youngest turns his attention to his untouched food, pushing some grains here and there. “I know I said I was gonna nap while waiting for her but I kinda woke up the next day so…”

“You slept the whole day? Didn’t you send me like twenty tiktoks?”

“Irrelevant—wait, you saw them? And you didn’t even reply?” He turns to Myungsoo with a loud gasp, only to get a shrug in response.

“Okay kids that’s enough!” Hoya butts in, tapping the table to catch their attention. “What’s the plan?”

“Okay, first option: I talk to her like nothing happened-”

“And you realized that’s really dumb and, if she’s really mad then that’ll make it worse, right?”

Sungjong simply blinks at his cousin’s question, mouth opening as if he was ready to answer. Instead, he closes it and clasps his hands slowly, re-thinking his response.

“So, as I was saying, I decided option one wasn’t for me.”

If there was one word Sungyeol would use to describe this moment, that word would be pressure.

As if the past few days haven’t been nerve-wrecking enough, knowing how slow it’s been for the teen to figure out their mystery has served him all the more stress. Stress, specifically in the forms of the three seniors he stood in front of right now.

While Myungsoo and Sungjong were having a relaxing second break in the cafeteria, Sungyeol was wondering if it was too much to rip his hair out. Would that even startle these three? Sungyeol wonders. He decides against it, unsure if he’d fit the bald look anyway.

Instead, his stress forms at the quick taps of his fingertips on his lap. He tries to listen to the words thrown around the room so far, but the exchange made moments earlier couldn’t help but invade his thoughts. Why’re they so adamant to solve this on their own?

It’s a question that has lurked since the second day of finding no leads—to Sungyeol, if it was this difficult, then why not bring people in? To be specific, people that would actually know what to do? In the end, all that’s in this classroom are four students, none of which had tech abilities and, if it hasn’t been said enough times, no progress.

So when Sungyeol decided to bring a new suggestion to the table, his uncertainty towards their reaction was there, but their absolute refusal was not expected.

“How about we continue this after the elections? Whether or not I win, we can still bring this up to the council that you three are getting blackmailed, then just send them the screenshots of your convos and-”

“Absolutely not,” Seungho interrupts.

“Yeah, we don’t really need to be bringing this up to them, they might just blow it out of proportion,” Seungyoon adds. The confused sophomore turns to Soojung for her answer, sighing when he sees her nod along to her friends.

“I thought this was a problem for you guys? How the hell is it even going to be blown out of proportion?”

“Simple, we’re infamous in this school, and you know that. If this gets out, past the student council, they’ll just spread rumors and all that unnecessary .”

As Seungho explains himself with an undoubtedly cocky smirk, Sungyeol fights the urge to scoff at the senior’s logic. More so at the former’s conclusion. Instead, he finds himself chewing on his bottom lip, trying to squeeze out a calm response.

“I’m sure we can figure something out, especially with your-”

“Sorry, I forgot to leave my phone in my bag!”

Honestly, Sungyeol probably needed that cut in. Even if it was a short change in tension, it was enough for him to take his glare off the senior and, considering the amount of stress the latter gives him, it was the best he can do to calm down.

“I can’t imagine giving them screenshots from my phone.” Soojung says after a certain senior placed his phone back and left.

“Truthfully speaking, it’s like an invasion of privacy,” Seungyoon adds. “You know very well that for us, especially Soojung, someone could easily take advantage of the situation to get personal info about us. Privacy is really important for our reputation, Sungyeol.”

After another short sigh, Sungyeol finally decides to look back up at them.

“You don’t need to provide screenshots of everything, we can just submit the messages without the blackmail to start off with and tell them it’s personal. Would that be okay?” Despite the attempt to suggest, the younger is once again confronted with disagreements and grunts. For that, his fingers find their way back to his lap, this time with slight clawing motions.

“I’m tired of waiting, Sungyeol, we all are. Within this week alone we’ve all been frustrated, dying to find out who breached through our privacy.” Even if Seungyoon explains it in a slow, calm tone, the younger just had a harder time looking at him rationally.

But alas, breathe.

“None of us even have an idea of who to look for, sunbaenim. Do you really think we’d be able to find out without any external help at this point?”

“... What if my father hears about this?” Soojung asks.

Breathe Sungyeol. In, and out.

“And what about your father? Shouldn’t he be worried that you’re being blackmailed and everything?”

“Let’s be honest, I think he’d be furious over her being in such a petty problem.” Seungyoon explains.

But did I ask you? Evidently, keeping the stress down on Sungyeol’s clawing hands did not really help.

“Anyway, enough about Mr. Jung.” Seungho cuts in, “the longer we put this out, the longer we risk a lot, Lee Sungyeol. Even if we somehow trust the council, there’s a possibility they’ll stab us in the back and can spread around. Unnecessary rumors can easily spread when we add more people into the bubble.”

Enough.

“Rumors? Out of all the things you’re afraid about, it’s rumors?”

Sungyeol takes one last, silent, shaky breath. Within the span of a few days, the boy has felt nothing but pressure, stress, stress, and pressure—over and over again. When was the last time he was able to hang out with his friends without worrying that he needed to say something to these seniors? Hell, he didn’t even have the will to hang out with Myungsoo yesterday, just because of the toll these three people have put upon him. And what? Now, while he gives the first ever solution to their problems, they shoot him down? With reasons as ty as these?

“Are you going to pretend like you haven’t been spreading rumors about me ‘just for fun’ a few days ago? And how you two let it be, knowing that it’s literally ruining my chances to be an officer?” He then specifically glared at Seungyoon, sitting beside the other male senior.

“And you? You have the audacity to tell me you three are tired when it’s clear as day, whenever we meet, it’s always me spouting whatever I can for you three to deny it! Also, is your father Mr. Ahn? Are you Soojung sunbaenim—” he spares no second to hear an answer “—no! Exactly! So I’d rather get an answer about her father from the person directly connected to him!” Finally, he looks over to the last senior.

“See, Sungyeol-” “Why'd you think-”

“Soojung sunbaenim, if you want to say something, tell it to me completely. Don’t make me wait for them to explain, just tell me. Tell me why you don’t want your father to hear about this, tell me what you think about getting help from the student council. Speaking of which,” his glare switches back to Seungho. “I take it personally that you immediately assume the council will backstab you three, sunbaenim. I have worked with them closely all these years and they have upheld professionalism throughout. I don't know where your assumption came from but it sure as hell doesn’t stem from us.”

He can very well hear the two men rambling on and on about who cares what, but he doesn’t allow one word to enter his ears.

I’m tired.

And, with that tiredness, he somehow manages to hit the table in front of him, loud enough to startle the two. He hears Seungho first.

“Don’t hit the table just like that, you don’t know who sits-”

“This is getting unnecessarily infuriating, sunbaenims. I came here to help you three because it feels wrong to have them talk to you like that, even if most of my friends told me just to ignore you all. I came here to help because I genuinely felt sorry that Soojung sunbaenim looked so scared of someone taking advantage of you all. I suggested we talk to the student council for help because I trust them. If you don’t then , tell me who you do. Help me find a solution for once.” Happy to see the three actually remain silent, Sungyeol decides to take the opportunity to end it here, walking to the exit.

“If you just take this as a fun time to argue with me, then I’m stopping it here. If you don’t, then fine, I’ll help you, whether or not I get into the council.”

And so he leaves the quiet room, the rustling from the sliding door being the last sound hovering over their eardrums.

----------

As Myungsoo walks his separate way, back to his classroom, he remembers the last worry he has. Even if it’s the last day for the school week, the weekend could be open to last minute changes—the three could still find out it was him. Whether or not he’d be able to tell Sungyeol before that, the idea of being found out is still terrifying to him. After all, how could he not feel that way? The people he messed with literally changed the trajectory of two people’s academic lives in a matter of weeks, who knows what they could do with him?

But in the end he remembers: start with what he knows he should do. And, greeting Sungyeol a few minutes later, he gives it his shot.

“How’d the meeting go?” He starts off.

“Nothing much,” his friend sighs. “Literally, I don’t even know anymore.”

“Hm? Why?”

“So I met with the seniors right?” Seeing Myungsoo nod, Sungyeol continues. “I basically suggested, if they’re really serious about this, then we should just continue after the elections, when everything’s died down, and bring it to the student council.”

“Mhm…” Fun fact, Myungsoo isn’t really good at hiding emotions, he’s just lucky enough to feel most emotional when his friends aren’t looking at him. So, with pursed lips and wide eyes, he continues to listen.

“But then they don’t want to go that far? And honestly I don’t know what now…”

“Uh, Yeol?” Do it Myungsoo or I ing swear, the boy attempts to motivate himself.

“Yeah?”

“Uh… Before I say anything, can you just-”

“Sir Go’s coming!”

“Ah, wait—did you answer question nine?” Sungyeol quickly pulls up his worksheet, flipping to said question. “I don’t remember if Sir said to outline or finish it, so I just did both.”

“He said ‘just an outline’...” Myungsoo answers, unconsciously rolling back to his pursed lips, this time accompanied with furrowed eyebrows.

“Uh, Soo… Do you need to go to the bathroom or something?”

Maybe he should just shoot his shot later.

----------

“Good luck Jjongie!” Dongwoo cheers. The others gift the youngest with head pats, hugs, and more ‘good lucks’ to encourage him.

“I’ll update you guys later!” He walks to Sunggyu and Woohyun to give a quick hug, “Good luck hyungs!” And with that, Sungjong takes his leave on a hopeful note.

“Guess we’ll have to go too.” Hoya says with his phone up, showing the current time. “Hyun said they wanna arrive early before auditions start.”

“Wish us luck!” Woohyun exclaims.

“You two will do amazing,” Myungsoo cheers. Both he and Sungyeol nod with two thumbs up to emphasize their support.

“Absolutely, positively, one-hundred-percent, without-a-doubt,” Sungyeol adds.

“Let’s go?” Dongwoo asks, wrapping an arm around Hoya’s waist. “You didn’t lose my keys this time, right?”

“Of course I did hyung! It was one time!” Hoya pouts. Meanwhile, the two sophomores clear their throats after hearing the older's comment.

“Hm… Yeol remember when a certain hyung kept forgetting to get his phone back from my house?”

“I do Myungie, I do.” With pursed lips and a slow tilt of his head, Sungyeol continues. “Oh, remember the time Jjongie left his composition notebook with a certain hyung but it somehow ended up with said certain hyung’s classmate?”

“The fact that Kevin thought Jjongie was trying to confess please—” Woohyun places a hand over his mouth, but that barely stops the fits of giggles escaping.

“I think the best part is knowing Hoya was gonna protect Jjongie from him,” Dongwoo joins in the fit of laughter.

“Bub? You too?” Hoya places a hand on his boyfriend’s, turning to his left to send a pout. “Jjongie would’ve defended me!”

“Would he?” Although a seemingly-innocent question, Sunggyu’s squinted eyes and pursed lips were enough for Hoya to sense the tease.

“I throw my back for this friendship and this is what I get?”

“You can sulk in the car,” Woohyun waves his friend off. “So, do you have the keys?”

“I do, thank me very much,” Hoya holds up the keys. “Let’s go!”

Soon enough, the four juniors leave the two alone, and the latter friends are left doing who knows what.

Perhaps it was because Sungyeol didn’t hold back earlier, but he felt more relaxed right now. He didn’t feel like he had to leave Myungsoo alone, and the thought of finding the culprit simply didn’t stress him out as much. Instead, he focused on the little game he just had with Myunsgoo, that of which he won: paper against rock. Loser walks back to get them drinks.

“Just to be clear, I lost because I do want to get the drinks,” Myungsoo huffs.

“Sure, and I’ll believe you because I love you that much.”

“As you should!”

Sungyeol smiles at his best friend as the latter begrudgingly walks away and to the vending machine. Once the boy was out of his sight, his eyes roam around while waiting.

“Uh… Sungyeol?” At the call of his name, the tall teen turns around and finds a very familiar senior staring at him.

“Yes…?”

“I’m Junho… I’m sure you’ve seen me before?” A soft, slightly awkward smile, hands clasped together rested on his chest: Sungyeol notes.

“Oh! Yeah I have…” Despite seeing the meek demeanor, the younger stiffens when he remembers who he associates with the senior. “Did the three make you talk to me?”

“No, I just have a question for you.” With every word, Junho reminds himself he can speak a bit louder. Whether or not it was noticeable wasn’t important.

“Oh, okay…”

He just needed to get it out.

"What if someone you loved did something horrible… But they did that for you?"

“Uh, that’s a tough one… But why would you ask me that?”

Still stuck in confusion, the younger didn’t notice his best friend standing right in front of them.

“Sunbaenim!”

Both heads turn to Myungsoo, finding him running closer and closer. By the time he comes, Sungyeol sees his hands empty and wonders what happened. However, there was a more important question at hand.

“You know him, Myungie?”

Yes. we’re finally gonna hear them talk. Yes, there are still like 3 chaps before the first part of arc 2 is done. Yes, i really need to learn how to schedule my time better— on the bright side, take this as a gift from me and my birthday! On the not so bright side, we’ll have to wait for another few weeks before the confrontation because i just got given a bunch of assignments from my org :D

and because im pretty sure there are some frustrated cause we've been wrapping around the same scene for the past months, i'll try leaving yall with an outline: myungsoo and junho talk again, myung and yeol talk it out, we peek into jjongie's house again, one more talk between myung and junho, and last is my attempt to cry while writing the last scene :D then we return to the existence of our other main characters in the chapter after yayay !! (ngl, i pray i get this done in less than 6k words cause i dont feel like halving another chapter)

anyway, wish me luck and stay safe yall <3 thanks for reading <3