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Seungwan is on her way to the cafeteria, when Joohyun Bae catches up with her. Any other day, Seungwan would pee herself in happiness, but right now, her conscience weighs heavy. She’s still mad at the way her friends practically exploded in her face, but she’s now slowly beginning to understand their side of the story. Of course she can’t hide behind Sehun – their situations are nothing alike. Seungwan has finally received an overwhelming – for her - amount of Joohyun’s attention in the span of a relatively short time and it just went straight to her head.

Of course she should stop messing around the Union, but that prospect feels less liberating than it actually should be.

‘Seungwan Son.’ Joohyun prompts the red head girl.

‘Huh?’ Seungwan gapes intelligently. Joohyun snickers.

'I asked if you had the time now.’

‘Time for what..?’ She checks her phone – it’s nearly five o’clock.

She was hoping to catch an early tea and then mentally prepare herself for her talk with Chanyeol. He’s right and she’s wrong. She will apologise without excuses. He will stay mad for some time, trying to discredit her words and refusing to believe her, but she’ll curb her irritation and up to him like she always does. Then they’ll make up, she’ll make kissy faces at him, he’ll be all grossed out and the world will start rolling the right way again.

And she will stay away from Joohyun Bae from now on.

Seungwan sighs internally.

‘There is something that I really need to do with you before the picnic. Come on. It won’t take long.’

She needs to do something with me..? Seungwan’s eyes widen impossibly, the girl wrecking her brain over the possible outcomes of the request, but she follows the lead, Joohyun’s hand still on her elbow, making the singer’s skin warm.

They soon reach the president’s room.

‘Come on in.’ The older encourages and Seungwan thinks that it is too much for one day. She will soon get a whiplash, going from the morning euphoria, to the disaster that was her early afternoon, to heaven that is now clearly awaiting her in Joohyun’s dormitory room.

When she enters gingerly, awkwardly standing in the threshold, she notices how girly the room is – nothing like the one she shares with Joy.

Seungwan doesn’t really have a lot, and neither does she care to surround herself with material things. The only possession of any real value to her is her acoustic guitar standing in the corner near the window; the rest is but a mess of dirty items of clothing, rubbish of various kinds and sheets of paper with song lyrics she’s long forgotten that she meant to write. Joy’s side of the room is much cleaner, but equally indecent, if you will – Seungwan is pretty sure that should she ever invite Joohyun to her room, the girl would run away at the mere sight of half singers in provocative poses.

Not to mention that big Taemin poster that Joy has hung on the inside part of her wardrobe door and which she kisses good morning every day without fail. Not creepy at all.

No, Joohyun’s dormitory cannot be further from that. It’s easy to spot which side is hers – the bed sheets are of a pleasantly warm violet colour, with a small teddy bear sitting next to the pillow. There is a cross right above her desk, which is neatly organised with cups of colourful pens and cute memo notes stuck to the wall.

Seulgi is there when the girls come in, sending them one of her staple nice, albeit a bit blank, smiles. She’s seated at her desk, French textbook in front of her.

‘How are you, Seungwan?’ She says in a small voice. It’s a slight change from the other day when the upperclassman virtually ignored her during the lunch they ate together, the red head singer thinks, but something must have changed. Perhaps she has received Joohyun’s permission to associate with me, Seungwan snickers inwardly.

‘Good, cheers. You?’ Seungwan is not really all that curious, but she knows she is going to hear about it anyway, because that’s just the type of person Seulgi Kang is.

‘I’m having trouble with my homework and the test is coming up.’ Seulgi admits, scratching her head sheepishly. She turns to her best friend. ‘Could you help me, please, if you’re not too busy…?’

‘Start on your English literature assignment first and I promise I’ll tutor you once I’m back. I have to deal with Seungwan first.’ The girl promises, emerging from under her own desk where she keeps a few paper bags of various shapes and sizes. From needing to do something together to dealing with Seungwan, that was fast, Seungwan cannot help but think sourly.

‘Oh, what are you girls planning?’ Seulgi’s smile widens, eager to know. The red head singer has always thought that one of the reasons why Seulgi is Joohyun’s best friend is because of her meek nature – she was born to be led, and Joohyun is a natural leader. Seulgi craves attention that Joohyun mercifully provides.

Seulgi Kang needs to feel like she’s always in on it, whatever it could be; she cannot allow herself to be left behind.

But then again, that’s just how Seungwan sees it. Admittedly, she doesn’t know much about Joohyun’s best friend at all. Just that she’s always that quiet friend standing at the back. Pushover, Chanyeol’s words suddenly ring in her ears.

‘We’ve going to make sure that Seungwan looks decent for the picnic.’ The president dangles a small Boots bag in the air.

It’s a hair dye. Suddenly Seungwan is not so sure anymore.

‘Oh, no. I can’t do it. Not now.’ She shakes her head adamantly.

‘Why not?’ Joohyun presses, eyes slitting. Her aura goes from rainbows and unicorns to irritated within a second.

‘Because…’ She hesitates.

Why not? There are so many reasons, not the least of them is their upcoming concert in Oceana – that is, if she’s still in the band. What she needs to do is go make it right with Chanyeol, then with Jongin and Minseok, then with Sehun, and with Tao too, just to be sure. She needs her hair to give her confidence and make her look like the sick love child of punk and gothic poetry that she wants to embody. Her hair is her identity, as shallow as it sounds.

So why can’t she say it out loud? Pushover, Chanyeol’s words turn to mock her.

‘It’s very important to me, Seungwan. You cannot embarrass me in there since you’re going to help out with the organisation.’ The organisation of the picnic… Yes, that’s another thing that Seungwan should probably object to, but for the life of her, she cannot remember a single word of reason. ‘It’s just hair. You can even shave it bald after the event, I don’t care. It’s just for the week.’

Joohyun takes her to the washing room located separately at the end of the corridor and making sure that the younger’s clothing won’t be stained, she works quickly but efficiently.

‘You have a pretty face, why do you insist on this atrocious hair colour?’ Joohyun gently massages the hair dye in and Seungwan relaxes under the touch. With her eyes closed, she cannot help but grin at the statement.

‘You think I’m pretty?’

‘I think you have the potential, there’s a difference.’ Joohyun replies, but it’s enough to elevate Seungwan’s mood for good. The rest of the time is spent on light teasing (Seungwan) and exasperated head shaking (Joohyun), before the older finally rinses the excess of the colour off and takes the singer back to her room for a thorough blow dry.

It’s been a long while since her hair had this chestnut tone to it, so the girl merely continues gaping in the mirror as the president attempts to model it in some plausible way.

‘Seungwan, that is definitely your best look. You should always wear your hair like this. I can lend you one of my dresses, too, I think we are the same size.’ Seulgi chips in, elated. Flowery patterned dresses are definitely what the singer needs to draw the line on, but even she has to admit that her new do does not look half bad.

‘Seulgi is right. You look much, much better. Now, if you’re done being vain, stop staring at yourself and come over here. We need to discuss that menu of yours again.’

As it turns out, arguing over bread types and munching on homemade cookies that Seulgi has brought from home is rather time consuming, and it’s much later when Seungwan discovers with horror that a quarter has already passed since the clock struck seven pm and that Chanyeol is waiting for her. Again.

‘, , I’m so late!’ She nearly jumps out of her seat, grabbing her bag from where she left it on the floor next to Joohyun’s bed. The older looks up astonished by the abrupt ending of their evening.

‘Seungwan, language! And where are you going, we’re in the middle of-‘ The singer interrupts her immediately.

‘I’ll explain later, I really need to go.’ She nearly shuts the door in the president’s face in haste to get to the gym.

As she’s running through the field, so are the thoughts in her head. She’s an idiot. No - she’s a ing moron. Wasn’t this exactly how things with Sunyoung started? Seungwan became so obsessed with the older girl that she forsook everything for her. She alienated all of the friends back in Oakham, of whom she did not even have that many to begin with.

Sitting there with Joohyun, who for some unknown reason has decided to finally give her the time of day, was exhilarating. No wonder the president is so popular around the school – she has a unique way of making you feel special and important, and you would do anything to keep her attention on yourself. Those two short hours made Seungwan forget everything that she has already decided on, and she knows that she is going to regret it dearly. And soon.

Chanyeol looks outraged when he finally spots her. They stare at each other a long moment, as he takes in the change in her appearance.

‘So this is how little I actually matter to you.’ He shakes his head, looking tired all of a sudden. He makes a move to leave the site.

‘You’re not going anywhere until we’re done here.’ Seungwan grits her teeth, taking a hold of his arm. It looks almost absurd, because trying to stop Chanyeol Park from walking away is like trying to turn the river flow – he is way too strong to even consider the girl a worthy opponent. But she tries, nonetheless.

‘I’m done, Seungwan. I’m ing 110% done. You’re late again and you’ve changed your hair without even telling me. But I don’t doubt that Joohyun Bae knows, since she’s the centre of your bloody universe these days.’

Seungwan holds still for a moment, in a vain attempt to calm herself. She knew that this was coming. And yet…

‘You’re making it about my hair now? What the hell, Park, it’s just hair. I’ll dye it back for the concert. What’s the big deal?’ She hisses through her teeth, all vows of keeping the encounter cool immediately flying out of her head.

‘I don’t care if you dye it back – if there even is a concert for us after this.’ He adds bitterly. He doesn’t shout this time, all energy seems to have left him. ‘This was our thing, remember? We got stupidly drunk after that The Adicts gig in Manchester and dyed each other’s hair this repulsive red. It meant something to me. It stood for something.’

‘ the establishment.’ Seungwan murmurs, pursing her lips to will away the bitterness with unwelcomed sadness. Of course she knows, but this regret comes much too late.

‘ the establishment.’ The boy confirms. ‘ bigotry. whatever makes us miserable. whatever holds us back. And whoever dares mess with our friends, well, them too.’ He takes a deep breath, looking her up and down. ‘Now, do you have anything important to say to me, or am I free to go?

‘I will stop spending time with Joohyun,’ She says, making Chanyeol look up in suspicion. ‘But after the picnic.’ He scoffs mockingly.

‘The bloody picnic, how could I forget?’ He makes another attempt to leave, this time successful. The girl has to nearly run after her friend, because his one step equals her three smaller ones.

‘I’ve already promised I’d help, and I want to be there for Sehun, too.’ She insists and he stops on his tracks, facing her again.

‘What bollocks. Don’t you bloody dare hide behind Sehun. And I know you won’t quit her after next Sunday, I just know it.’

‘I will.’ She repeats with force. ‘And if I don’t, I’ll leave the band and you’ll never have to see me again. Which won’t happen, but yeah, have your promise if you must. Have a little faith in me, Park, will you. You are my bloody twin from another mother, by the way, and I’ll sooner cut my own arm off than let you continue with this rubbish attitude. After this is over, you have my explicit permission to dye my hair any colour you want. That’s all I have to say.’ She stomps her foot for emphasis, her posture straight as if challenging him to defy her.

They look at each other for a while before the tall drummer finally spits:

‘I’ll bloody find the ugliest green dye you’ll have ever seen in your life.’

‘And I’ll bloody enjoy every second of wearing it.’ She responds without missing a bit. For a second, the corner of Chanyeol’s lips threatens to initiate a grin, but he purses them to hold back. He sends her one last look, before turning around and leaving without another word.

Seungwan should probably feel relieved – the drummer’s reaction was as close to forgiveness as she would get, considering the circumstances – but somehow, she is not. Chanyeol knows her too well, she thinks bitterly. She can only hope that his words do not turn prophetic, because she fears that she won’t even be able to trust her own self in the matter.

Dear Lord,

I never ask You for anything, but I’ll trust that You see how much in need I am and come to my aid. It’s really important that I prove myself to my father this upcoming Sunday. It order to show You that I’m worthy of Your help, I’ll therefore recite my wish many times, starting now, and continue repeating it until I fall asleep.

Please, help me go out with Yixing Zhang.

Please, help me go out with Yixing Zhang.

Please, help me go out with Yixing Zhang.

Please, help me go out with Yixing Zhang.

Please, help me… go- go out with Yixing Zhang. I’m sorry, I’m really tired today. It’s been a long day. It looks like it’s going to rain in Sunday after all, so Junmyeon and I need to take care of the decorations at the gym, but the school won’t let us start until Saturday afternoon, seeing how there is a basketball tournament in the morning. It might complicate things, but it’s nothing that I haven’t dealt with before. I’m very used to others making my life difficult for no reason.

Wait, where was I?

Please, help me go out with Yixing Zhang.

Please, help me go out with Yixing Zhang.

Please, help me go out with Yixing Zhang.

Please, help me go out….

Oh, before I forget. I think we should keep Seungwan Son around for the time being. I’ll let You know if I think that she belongs in hell after all.

Please, help me….

Dear God,

Please, don’t let Yixing go out with Joohyun. I’m already miserable as it is. I know, I know. Just yesterday I selfishly wanted them all to choke for what they’re doing to me, but today I’m not so sure anymore.

So just… please.

Dear Lord,

Love is beautiful. Thank You for sending it to me. What Seulgi and I shared was a truly spiritual experience. I can vouch that she felt the same. Art room at dusk is probably not the best place to practice our love, but I was slightly out of options and had to improvise.

Nonetheless, it was perfect. Thank you.

Yixing Zhang looks beyond uncomfortable when he finally realises what his best friend Junmyeon is hinting at.

‘I’m sorry, I really am, but I can’t.’ He answers, letting out a small defeated sigh. He turns his head away from his best friend and longingly looks through the window, hoping to regain some of the Wednesday afternoon peace that he enjoyed before the vice president came to find him. As luck would have it, a group of year 12 students is currently engaged in a football match on the account of their late PE period.

What luck, he internally scoffs, you come here to do your assignments every Wednesday knowing exactly what view to expect. He immediately spots Sehun seated on one of the lower benches, stubbornly refusing to participate. Yixing always tells him to be more involved, yet the younger always ignores his advice.

‘Yixing, please. I’m not asking you to date her. Just go out with her once. Give her a chance, will you? She really cares about you, she’s told me so.’ Junmyeon continues his lecture paved with good intentions, one that the other student is slowly beginning to tune out. In the background, he spots Tao Huang sitting down next to Sehun and shortly after, the two boys begin to laugh at something that nobody else is privy to.

Yixing kind of wants to die right now.

‘Your sister is a beautiful and intelligent girl, but I know that I cannot reciprocate her feelings, so it doesn’t feel right to give her false hope.’ He finally looks back at his best friend, trying to articulate himself as clearly as possible. Junmyeon has always had a hard time taking no for an answer.

Today is no different.

‘Then do it as a favour to me.’ The vice president insists. ‘Just be her date this Sunday and whatever happens next, I won’t hold you responsible because you’ve already warned me plenty.’

‘Why would you even want that, if you know that it will eventually turn disastrous?’ Yixing looks at his friend incredulously.

‘Because my sister rarely asks me for anything – that’s how I know she really cares about this. So just go out with her.’

‘You’re putting me in a really awkward position, Jun. I don’t think that’s fair.’ Yixing shakes his head, adamant to end this as soon as he can.

‘Why won’t you do it for me? Give me one real reason and I’ll stop pestering you.’ The guitarist opens his mouth, but he cannot really find anything substantial to say. ‘So just do it.’ Junmyeon looks at him pointedly, indeed ending it – just not the way Yixing wanted him to.

It’s Wednesday night when Seungwan once again finds herself in the presence of Joohyun Bae – excusive presence, mind you, as she has been dragged left and right (or more accurately, from the chapel and back), the entirety of the past two days. Joohyun suddenly began requesting her assistance in almost everything, not that Seungwan is resisting much, but even so, it is novelty like no other.

They are baking cookies in the school kitchen. Sample cookies, Joohyun corrects. She does not quite yet believe that Seungwan is actually capable.

The downside of spending time with the president is only one – it is not time spent with her own circle of friends, most of whom still refuses to acknowledge her after the fight they had on Sunday. It pains her, but she is trying to be patient. She has met Chanyeol earlier today, since both of them really needed that tutoring session with Baekhyun Byun, but it was awkward to say the least.

‘Don’t text Minseok so much, you know how much it annoys him.’ He advised only as they were about to part ways. ‘Give him some time and come forward once you’re done with whatever it is that you think you need to do on that picnic. If there even is a legitimate reason.’ He mumbled the last sentence, but she heard him alright.

Sehun is distant, too, but his behaviour is nothing new. He has been in his own little world for a while, and he still refuses to reveal the motive for it, so the girl can only wait.

Right now, however, Seungwan doesn’t stop to think about any of that. She’s having too much fun, laughing at the mess that Joohyun has managed to create in front of her. The older girl is not amused.

‘What did you do that I couldn’t? Your dough looks perfect.’ Joohyun complains, suspiciously comparing the two products and ready to call foul play, except that she cannot, because… well, that would make absolutely no sense.

Seungwan wiggles her eyebrows, sporting one of her biggest grins yet.

‘I’m good with my hands. I’ve had lots of practice.’ Judging from the president’s hot blush, the allusion is quickly caught on.

‘Stop being so vulgar, Seungwan, and show me again how to do it.’ The older demands, but it doesn’t sound nearly as harsh as it would have even a week ago, and it makes the singer happy.

She pretends to throw her non existence chef’s hat in the air and turns around twice, after which she stretches her arms above her head and proceeds to hum the melody from a well-known pastry advertisement. Surprisingly enough, Joohyun leans back against the counter and laughs - really laughs. Seungwan stops on her tracks, realising that it is indeed the first time that Joohyun Bae has laughed this freely in her presence.

‘You’re laughing.’ She observes, now giggling herself.

‘Just because I’ve always found that jingle stupid.’ The older retaliates with less force that she probably hoped for.

‘Me too.’ Seungwan prompts and Joohyun purses her lips, immediately appearing mildly irritated at the fact that they can actually have something in common.

‘It’s your mother’s, though. How can you dislike it?’ The brunette frowns. Continuing to knead the dough in perfect little balls, Seungwan shrugs.

‘I’ve grown up with it, I had to listen to it every single day. Some days, many, many times. It didn’t help that baking was all my mother cared about. Anyone would go bonkers.’

‘Are your parents divorced..?’ Joohyun asks again after a short lull in their conversation.

‘Yeah.’ At Joohyun’s uneasy expression, Seungwan forces a laugh. ‘I know, not very Christian of them.’

‘Oh, no, I just… I’m sorry.’ There is a certain level of genuine emotion that Seungwan did not expect. She shrugs again.

‘Don’t be. Their marriage was all just a big diddle from the start anyway. I don’t really remember it anymore, having them both in the same house and all.’ She bends forward, sticking her tongue out for a moment and trying to decide if the consistency of the dough is right. ‘My father is old money, he’d emigrated here to study and I guess, didn’t feel like going back to the good ol’ peninsula. My mother’s family’s residence in Devonshire dates back three generations. They both invested in what you now know as Wendy’s bakery and apparently, someone, somewhere along the way thought that it was a good idea for them to get hitched and have a kid. Obviously, that illusion didn’t last long. Just barely enough for Wendy Seungwan Son to be born.’ By the time her monologue is done, so are her cookies. Seungwan is nothing but efficient with her baking – she’s learnt from the best, after all.

Joohyun looks conflicted, uncomfortable even at the sudden confession. She seems to want to say something more meaningful, but eventually opts for the simple:

‘I didn’t know your name was Wendy.’

‘Cute, innit?’

‘Almost too cute for a devil like you.’ Joohyun admits, which makes the singer laugh out loud.

The moment is promptly interrupted by a dark-skinned student from year 10 that runs into the kitchen. Seungwan doesn’t know her – the only reason why she knows her class is due to the yellow strip on the girl’s uniform jacket.

‘Seungwan Son?’ The girl in question nods. ‘You’re to head back to your dormitory immediately. I was told to inform you that your mother has arrived.’

Her mother? Seungwan has called her a few times in the past couple of days, but as expected, she never got through. She only left the woman a message with the list of things that she needed for the picnic, trusting that the requests would be met, seeing how that’s what Camilla Kim has always been good at – silencing the guilt of her maternal shortcomings by showering Seungwan with obscene amounts of material possessions. But for her to come all the way to East Midlands at 8 o’clock on a Wednesday? The world is surely coming to an end.

Seungwan turns around to Joohyun, who looks perplexed at the sudden news. The singer smirks bitterly.

‘You thought I was the devil? You ain’t seen nothing yet.’