It could have gone worse. At least, that's what Otabek told himself over and over as he hid behind his textbook and tried to drown out his friends and their constant teasing. Sure enough, Phichit told everybody else the moment they got together for lunch about last night's "thrilling confession" and they all reacted immediately, cooing that Otabek was such a sweet boy and then proceeded to ask if he had any idea who the girl he confessed to was.

Otabek decided to keep quiet about the name 'Lei' in case of them actually knew the girl.

Leo laughed the loudest, followed by Yuuko who looked like she couldn't even breathe. Guang Hong Ji, bless the guy, took awhile to understand the story and even after it was explained twice, decided only to laugh softly, before resuming his puppy look, which was appreciated by Otabek. Viktor had smirked, but didn't talk until the laughing died down.

"You should thank me," Viktor said, wiggling his eyebrows since he was the one who told Phichit about Grand Prix Pizza after all. "Pizza girl might be The One."

Otabek groaned again as the last two words escaped his friend's lips, burying himself further into his book.

"Not everybody is looking for The One," Phichit retorted, and for a moment Otabek was about thank him until he continued. "Sometimes, like Otabek, The One finds them."

"Guys," Otabek whined a little. "It was an accident. A horrible, embarrassing accident."

"Technically Otabek found The One though," Yuuko began to say as if Otabek hadn't spoken. "He called. He confessed too."

"I called though," Phichit pointed out. "But true, he confessed first."

"I did not confess," Otabek said, exasperated and wishing he had chosen better friends and a better dorm mate, but no, it was far too late now. Still chuckling, Leo slinged an arm around his shoulders, giving him a good squeeze, probably for some sort of reassurance.

"Lighten up, Otabek Altin, we're just teasing," he said, grinning. "We're also genuinely amused and in some ways, we really want to know what happens next in the Pizza Girl saga."

"Yeah," Guang Hong quietly piped in, nodding in a cute manner. Otabek doubted he understood everything but still.

Otabek resisted the urge to hit his head on the table, "it won't be a saga because nothing will happen with it."

"Unless," Yuuko started to say. Otabek watched with horror as Yuuko met eyes with Viktor, and they both smirked. Immediately Otabek felt that his life was in imminent danger at the sight of the two with their sly grins. Phichit joined soon after, having noticed the atmosphere.

Leo laughed again.

Guang Hong tilted his head in confusion.

"No," Otabek said sternly. "Absolutely not."

"Awww c'mon," Viktor whined. "Don't you want to meet her? She loves you back!"

Otabek ignored the last bit as he began to imagine the scene where he ends up in front of Lei, a blurred image in her place since he didn't know how she looked like after all, but the name tag should be able to make that obvious. There was the comfort that at least Lei didn't know his name nor how he looked like, but still. He was certain his face would be flushed red. He could almost still hear Lei’s laugh, crisp and clear like from the phone call, and Otabek quickly shook his head.

"Nothing will bring me over to Grand Prix Pizza," he said firmly. "I refuse to even order from there again."

At that, Phichit gasped, "but their pizza was so good! We got extra toppings!"

Yuuko tried to hide her laugh by coughing, but that didn't work too well. Otabek felt his face heat up again just at the thought of the pork cutlet heart.

Damn it, Phichit.

"Alright, we're done teasing," Leo said from beside Otabek, who sighed in relief. "Back to regular matters. Classes for the afternoon are cancelled, right?"

Guang Hong nodded, and added in, "school special holiday."

"Do you guys need a ride to the dorm?" Leo offered, meeting Phichit's eye.

A look of understanding passed between them.

Otabek didn't notice.

'Yeah," Phichit said calmly. "Beats walking, right, Otabek?"

"Sure," Otabek shrugged. "Might as well conserve energy."

Yuuko grinned, "Viktor, Guang Hong and I will come with." Viktor shot her a confused look but Yuuko elbowed him softly. "Even if we live in a closer dorm, why not join a fun car pool? Right, Viktor?"

Finally getting it, Viktor nodded as slowly as he could, which was mimicked by Guang Hong.

"Yup."

Otabek felt like something was going to happen to him again, but decided not to voice it out. Surely, his friends couldn't have been that serious about messing with his life. Surely. Please. A car ride back to the dorm seemed safe enough. It was only a short trip back. They all left the cafeteria and boarded Leo's car.

Remember when Otabek said the day could have gone worse? It just did. A few minutes into the car ride, and Otabek began to realize the road was not familiar. The right turn Leo was supposed to take became a left. It dawned on him that he had been tricked and currently trapped. He could almost already smell the scent of pizza and shame in the air. He didn't even have the strength to complain, choosing instead to bury his face in his hands. Upon seeing his reaction, the boys and Yuuko shared hi-fives (minus Leo, who was driving.) Phichit patted his back.

"I hate you all," Otabek said dryly, partially muffled.

He only wished that since it was in the afternoon, that Lei wasn't around, considering she was around during the night shift. Yeah. If he was lucky, there would be no sign of her and everything wouldn't go that badly. Still, Otabek felt that going to the pizza place in general was a bad idea. He didn't have the strength in him to even fight Viktor, who began to drag all 168cm of him with the power of a boy 180cm tall (what does he eat to be that tall? The answer is everything.)

The others went in first, followed by a reluctant Otabek still being pushed by Viktor. They were greeted by one or two of the staff, and the enticing smell of pizza and even other food scents. Otabek kept his head down the entire time, watching his sneakers scuff on the floor instead of making eye contact with anybody in Grand Prix Pizza, as if the whole joint knows of him, but he was just making sure. The place wasn't packed with people, so they still found an empty table somewhere near the corner.

"Hey guys, what will it be?" A voice asked- thankfully unfamiliar to Otabek, who still didn't look up, as if the whole place knew about him. It wasn't that likely, but still, he was being cautious.

"Pork cutlet pizza," all five of his friends said at the same time, and Otabek swore they must have planned that out.

"Two regular sized ones please," Yuuko piped in.

"Alright."

When the waiter walked off, Otabek allowed himself to finally raise his head and look around. Grand Prix Pizza was actually bigger than what he imagined, and it looked like any regular pizza store save for some random retro diner designs. The kitchen, or simply just the area where the pizza was being made, was visible to the public, so whoever sat on the counter can get to watch it being made. Otabek's thoughts drifted to the idea of a specific pizza being made on the counter, topped with heart shaped pork cutlets for all to see.

Phichit nudged his shoulder, "smile a bit, will you?"

"No."

"C'mon, it's too late to do anything now," Leo said from across him, a wide grin on his face. "It can't be that bad."

"I'm disowning all of you as friends," Otabek stated, which earned him a confused look from Guang Hong that made him quickly add, "except you."

Yuuko and Viktor began to whine and complain, and at the tone of their voices and over the top reactions, Otabek couldn't help but crack a small smile, which was immediately pointed out by the other guys and laughter began to erupt. For a moment, everything was going smoothly, so well, in fact, that Otabek almost forgot the whole point of why they ended up at Grand Prix Pizza. Until it reached the point where two plates of pizza was placed down on their table, in the middle of Yuuko explaining her latest story.

"Here are your pizzas!"

Otabek froze at the voice.

His eyes immediately glanced at the name tag pinned on the waitress’s right pocket.

Lei.