Warning: Some cursing ahead

SM Academy School Festival

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Jaehyun's smile reached up his ears as he looked back at Doyoung and Taehyung after hitting 7 out of 10 mini toy soldiers in the gun shooting booth. Doyoung was enthusiastically clapping his hands like a penguin; however, Taehyung just gave the younger a smirk, totally unimpressed of what he did. Nevertheless, Jaehyun did not mind V as he turned his attention to the ahjumma who was handing a big popsicle stick to him. 

"Nice try! Here's your prize, pretty boy." the woman looked endearingly at Jae.

"Thank you so much!"  

"You remind me of my husband when he was still young." The old lady chuckled in a hoarse voice. Jaehyun smiled back at her and vowed shyly, scratching the back of his head with his free hand as he did not know how to respond to what she said.

"That was great, Jaehyunnie!" Doyoung patted Jae's left shoulder. Taehyung rolled his eyes.

"How come that was great? He missed three times, duh?" Taehyung snarled.

"Why hyung, can you hit all 10?" Jaehyun teased. He locked stares with Taehyung as he waited for the other's response. The older guy tilted his head a little to the right, not breaking away from the staring match, and gave Jae an evil smirk.

"Of course! That's like taking a candy from a child." Jae gave him a nod and a doubtful expression. Taehyung slowly approached the shooting range. The colorful decorations and the prizes, ranging from small coin purses to keychains to toys and other stuff, filled the outline of the rectangular booth. At the center was a long divider with three sections, each one filled with lined up green tiny toy soldiers. The old woman gave him a pellette gun. The rules of the game were simple: you can only have 10  attempts and the type of prize you'll win depends on the number of soldiers you knock down. To receive the grand prize, a giant bunny stuffed toy, all you have to do is to completely wipe out a line or in short, hit all 10 soldiers without missing.

"Hyung, ahhh..." Jaehyun started. He was biting his lips and looking on the ground as he slowly drew the popsicle near to Doyoung. "...take this. I guess I'm not in the mood for sweets now. It's yours already." 

Doyoung hesitantly grabbed the popsicle from Jaehyun's hand. He felt the coldness of his skin and the trembling of his hand. "Th-thank you. This is great. Are you alright, Jae?"

"Y-yes of course!" Jae smiled nervously at his hyung. He knew something was not right in the way he was acting in front of Doyoung for the past few days. He could not actually figure out why but he just wanted to see his hyung all the time as if he's a daily happy pill he needs to intake to survive the day. He feels happy when Doyoung's around however; at times like this, he begins to feel nervous. Whenever he's too close, he becomes too anxious and nervous to think and act normally. 

"Hey!" Taehyung was standing in front of the booth. The two were behind him. "Watch me kick these soldiers' butts!" He laughed hysterically to the amusement of his friends. Taehyung was enjoying himself so much as he pulled the trigger consecutive times making the toy soldiers dance in the air and fall to the ground one by one. Doyoung watched in disbelief while Jaehyun watched in dread. Only one soldier was left when Taehyung suddenly stopped. 

"Hyung, did you run out of pelletes?" Doyoung asked, breaking the silence which lingered for a few seconds..

Taehyung turned back to them. His eyes were fixed on Doyoung and had a look as if he was a member of a yakuza who would kill anyone within his sight. His body was limp and he was acting as if he's a lead actor in a mafia movie. "Imma take this one down without looking." He gave them a crazy evil smirk. Jaehyun and Doyoung looked at each other totally confused of what's going on.

Taehyung lifted the toy gun and aimed at the last toy soldier without looking. The two were holding their breath both in shock and in confusion, same as the old woman who owns the booth.

BANG!

Jaehyun gasped. He watched the soldier rocked as if an earthquake suddenly occured. Those very few seconds seemed like years as the toy wobbled from side-to-side. 

Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Wobble. Pause. Stopped.

"NOOOO!!!"

The ahjumma was smiling at Taehyung as she handed a cute little red angry bird stuffed toy. 

"What a waste, hyung!" Jaehyun said insincerely. He was laughing inside at how stupid the hyung was.

"Why did you have to be so overdramatic?" Doyoung shook his head, feeling sorry for the guy but can't get over his stupidity. "You're so extra, like Ten."

"At least I hit nine of 'em!" Taehyung said proudly, trying to lift the conversation to a more positive note.

"Yeah, sure. The soldiers just committed suicide because of how crazy you looked." Jaehyun mumbled while rolling his eyes.

"What did you say?" V asked with one eyebrow raised.

"No, nothing hyung. I said that was a shame. You could have gotten the main prize."

"Doyoungie, I'm so sorry. I knew you wanted the big bunny but I only managed to get this one." Taehyung said sadly. 

Earlier, while they were walking along the school filled with people and different booths, diners, and stalls, Doyoung noticed a huge bunny stuffed toy on top of the shooting booth. He praised it for its cuteness but did not express any intention of trying out to get one. Jaehyun and Taehyung unknowingly eyed him and soon the two started dragging Doyoung to the booth. Both of them wanted to give Doyoung the bunny he wanted however; both of them failed. 

"It's alright, hyung. I didn't ask you to get me one, but thanks for this." Doyoung smiled cutely at Taehyung and then patted his forehead. Taehyung's cheeks turned red and he can't control his smile from reaching his ears. Jaehyun bitterly turned his gaze away from the two. 

"C'mon let's go now I'm hungry." Jae said soberly, not looking at his two hyungs.

"Since you two gave me this popsicle and this angry bird, let's eat somewhere delicious, my treat!" Doyoung happily exclaimed. His gummy smile sparkled amidst the steady flow of the crowd hypnotizing both Jaehyun and V. They both stared at Doyoung for a moment before Doyoung's smile turned into a puzzled look. "What's wrong? Why are you both looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" He slapped his face lightly with both hands, trying to remove an invisible dirt on his face. 

Jaehyun cleared his throat and started fixing his shirt which was very much in order. "No, nothing. I'm just excited to eat." Jae nervously chuckled.

Taehyung suddenly wrapped his arm around Doyoung's shoulders. Jaehyun was more shocked than Doyoung. The latter did not seem to mind as they started walking towards a restaurant Doyoung really likes.

Jaehyun was walking a bit ahead of the two clingy hyungs, his head bowed down and his lips were pouting. He did not want to look back at the two. He was contemplating in his mind about why he was acting that way. There was an urge for him to be the one wrapping his arms around Doyoung. He wanted to be the one closest to him, not Taehyung, but he didn't know why. He knew he cannot be possessive of Doyoung but he can't help feeling bitterness when he sees other people closer to him in fact, even if it's Ten. There was a word circling in his mind which he dared not to mention in his head.

Jealous.

Jaehyun's thoughts snapped when Taehyung suddenly sang in exaggeration "LOOOOOO-ser! oetori sen cheokhaneun GEOPJAENGI! Mosdoen....... yangachi geoul soge neooooooooooon!!! Just a LOOOOOOOSEEEERR oetori sangcheoppunin meojeori la-la-la-la-la........"

Other people were looking at the three of them with judgmental eyes but Taehyung did not stop singing the Big Bang hit song endlessly, pronouncing each syllable crisply and loudly. Jaehyun gritted his teeth in annoyance and madness. He was not stupid enough to not sense why Taehyung was intentionally repeating that certain song.

Doyoung lightly elbowed Taehyung signalling him to lower his voice. Taehyung stopped singing but he suddenly laughed crazily at Doyoung as if he was drunk. Doyoung was chuckling under Taehyung's arms and soon joined a laughing-while-walking session with him. 

For some reason, he can sense a different vibe from Taehyung ever since he started working at NCT Blends. The hyung was generally bubbly and kind to him but lately, it seemed like Taehyung was trying not to engage in long conversations with him. Also, whenever the three of them are together, he talks to Doyoung so much as if Jaehyun is almost nonexistent - exactly like what he's doing as they make their way to the restaurant. Jaehyun was walking past ahead as the two giggled and talked together endlessly behind him. 

When the three arrived at the restaurant, Jaehyun hurriedly occupied a seat on one empty four-seater table. His face was dead serious as he began flipping through the pages of the menu in front of him. Shortly, the two followed, Taehyung sat opposite Jae. He was looking at Doyoung, expecting him to sit beside him. 

"Jaehyunie! I think you'd really like their spicy pork bulgogi." Doyoung said as he took the seat beside Jaehyun and fumbled the menu the younger was holding. 

Taehyung suddenly fell silent. The other two did not seem to notice the gloom that enveloped their hyung. 

"Ooohhh... it looks delicious, hyung! I won't order it though, it's too expensive." 

"It's alright Jae. I'm paying." Doyoung gave him a wink. 

Jaehyun's heart stopped beating for a few seconds. His eyes grew wide as he felt sudden chills in his spine. 

How are you so cute, hyung?

Jae quickly brushed off his thoughts and chuckled. "I'm lucky to have a rich hyung." 

"Grab this opportunity. I rarely treat my friends in anywhere fancy." 

"Then I should order the most expensive meals!" Jaehyun laughed as Doyoung quickly took away the menu from his hands. 

"Don't push your luck, pretty boy. Only one meal per person." Jaehyun tried to take back the menu from Doyoung but the latter was trying his best to keep it from him. Jae leaned closer as he tried to pull the menu from Doyoung's hands. To the other people around, the two looked like kids playing around but to Taehyung, the two looked like a couple bickering and he hated it so much.

"Stop! Haha, you'll only have the spicy pork and that's it." Doyoung laughed as he hugged the menu tightly to keep Jaehyun from getting it. 

"But I want dessert too!" Jaehyun cutely said. Doyoung sticked out his tongue like a five year old boy. Jaehyun gave him a sly smirk.

Jaehyun began attacking Doyoung by tickling his sides with his hands. Doyoung laughed hysterically as he swatted off the younger's hands. Jaehyun was laughing as well, completely unaware of how happy he actually was playing with his hyung. It was as if nobody was inside the restaurant but the two of them. 

Taehyung cleared his throat loud enough to bring back Jaehyun and Doyoung to the real world. 

"Hey, stop acting like five-years-olds. This is a public place, stop being so noisy." Taehyung said like a killjoy uncle. 

The two playful friends fixed themsleves with little giggles on the side. Doyoung gave the menu back to Jaehyun. "Sorry hyung. I didn't know you actually care about people around you." Doyoung said with a smile. 

"Nah, I only care about you." Taehyung said, rolling his eyes. He cupped his chin with his left hand and scoured through the pictures of seemingly overpirced meals and desserts. The other two were quite confused with what he said but both decided not to open the topic anymore.

Soon, the three almost passed out from overeating. They were lying limply on their chairs rubbing their tummies. 

"That was delicious! Thanks hyung!" Jaehyun said to Doyoung.

Doyoung looked at his wrist watch and his eyes grew wide. "Guys! Let's go, the dance competition is about to start! We can't miss Ten's crew he'll kill me." Doyoung practically dragged the two gluttons out of the restaurant and started towards the event stage on the front of the school.

SM Academy Festival Event Stage

When they arrived at the event stage, hundreds of people, students and visitors, were already gathered. Many were holding banners in support of their favorite dance crew. The stage was filled with flashing lights of varying colors and a DJ was busily pumping up some sick beats in his booth beside the front stage which made everyone jump and shake their asses off to the rhythm. 

"No! We should have gotten here sooner. All the best spots are occupied." Doyoung cried as they struggled to inch their way in closer to the stage amidst the overwhelming pile of dancing bodies. 

"Just keep going, they'll let us through or I'll smash their heads in." Taehyung shouted. 

The three continued to struggle going to a better spot for a nicer view of the stage while the host, their teacher Mr. Lee Dong Hae, started to introduce the competing groups. 

"Hey! Doyoung hyung! Taehyung hyung! Jaehyun! Over here!" Winwin called. The Chinese, together with Lisa and Kun, was near the front of the stage on the right side. Luckily, Doyoung heard him despite the loud music and the three probed their way to where Winwin was.

"Whoo! I never thought we could make it here alive!" Doyoung said in a loud voice as the people cheered when Ten's group was introduced.

"Everyone, give it up for the baddest kids in town... The Devils!" Mr. Lee shouted with much enthusiasm and The Devils bowed on stage before the huge crowd of people. They were wearing dark red, almost blood-like colored robes on top of black fit shirt and shorts. They had heavy eyeshadows and gothic makeup with an emphasis on very dark eyeliner and smokey eyeshadow. They also had fake tattos on their necks, arms, and faces, as well as dark red lipstick blended with black lining. Some were wearing yellow contact lenses and some were even wearing fake fangs.

"They sure loooked like hot guys slash spawns of the devil." Taehyung remarked.  

"WHOOOHHH!!!!! Go Ten! Fighting!!!!!" Doyoung screamed on top of his lungs. His friends were bemused at how energetic he'd become in cheering Ten. "Don't just look at me, let's cheer for our Ten! Go DEVIIIILLLLLSSSS!!!!"

Jaehyun laughed so hard before he began to wave his hands in the air and started cheering for Ten's team as well. Soon, all of them were jumping and screaming for Ten to "burn the stage" and to "wipe other team's assses out". 

"And now, let's welcome the next team, the edgy and electrifying TY Trackz!!!" 

Taeyong, together with Haechan and Hansol, moved forward on stage wrapped in their black jackets and ripped pants. The crowd cheered for them yet Doyoung and his friends began booing them. 

"What's that troublemaker doing up there? Why did they even allow them to join?" Doyoung asked his friends. His eyes squinted and and his eyebrows met - an expression of annoyance he unconsciously does.

"I really don't know, he has time for dancing I guess, and no time for studying at all." Taehyung repli