The weekend with their date is around the corner, but somehow Yuta doesn’t feel as excited as he should, he thinks of how would it be to chat with the girls but then not his heart nor his stomach do anything, but when he thinks of Hansol his insides turn funny.

And this is how he finds himself sitting at the same table with Taeyong and Johnny, facing three beautiful girls, and the puzzle fits perfectly, but not in Yuta’s mind.

They change opinions over school, talk about their hobbies, about eating habits or whom they dated before, they make fun of different awkward situation they’ve been into, and to mark if it was to pick a winner that would definitely be Johnny.

It is fun and Yuta disconnects from his dilemma for a moment, but something burns on his cheek as if someone’s stare is on him, and he interrupts the eye contact with the girl across him to see the most familiar figure waiting in line but looking at him.

He hears Taeyong asking him if he’s fine and the girl is waving a hand in front of him, Hansol storms out the door, Yuta lifts up by reflex and if it wouldn’t be for Taeyong to pin him down he would run out the door.

“How did you like it?” Johnny asks on their way home.

“I hope they’ll agree on a second” Taeyong says.

“Me too” Johnny laughs off “Oh, my bus, see you on Monday!”

Taeyong bids goodbye to Johnny then turns to Yuta and shakes him.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Me? I-I…”

“Why were you so tense when you saw him, you almost broke my hand”

They take the bus, Yuta remains silent, he doesn’t recall reaching up for Taeyong’s hand nor does he want to think too much over it.

There’s a little sting in his chest, but once again he doesn’t tell Taeyong.

Time passes fast, he concludes, exam period already near the corner, as well as the regional sports competition between high school and he hopes he will be picked for the team.

“Yuta!!” Taeyong waves a sheet in front of Yuta’s face “how is this possible?”

“What?” he shrugs “you already know I’m not good with math”

“You’re incredible Yuta, incredible, 20 points out of 100, I’m so disappointed!”

“It’s just a simulation test”

“Do I need to repeat myself, 20/100”

“I’ll do something, don’t worry”

“When? You are already too focused on football”

“Promise”

“Better talk to Taeil soon enough, if your mother finds out you’re done. Yu, I love you, you know I only want your wellbeing, also the rumors going around the school”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m disappointed Yu, you’re my best friend, Ji Hansol?”

“Tae, wait, it’s not…let’s talk please, let me put an order to my thoughts”

“You got involved in a fight, and you lied to me about your wounds, you got grounded and lied to me you’re busy, now your grades drop and all for Ji Hansol”

“Will you even believe me if I tell you? Because now you incriminate me without giving me the chance to prove it wrong”

 “Fine, I don’t want to have this discussion here either”

There’s a pause, too long for Yuta to bare but thoughts fly across his mine without him being able to stop them, so he finally lets it out, trembling.

“I like him Tae”

“You what?”

“I like Ji Hansol”

“Ok, so you like how he’s a tough guy, don’t take after hi-“

“I like him in a romantic way, Tae” Yuta’s shoulders slump down and he covers his face with his hands, ready for Taeyong’s judgment, ready for Taeyong telling him their friendship came to an end, but instead.

“Oh, Yu…” Taeyong’s expression softens, a hand reaching for him, a pat on his shoulder and a small squeeze, and he knows Taeyong is there for him, he won’t run away.

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone, I’m so confused Tae, I don’t know” Tears almost poke out of his eyes.

“Since when it’s bothering you? How sure are you about how you feel?” Taeyong extends his hand to hold Yuta’s.

“A month or even more, maybe from the first time I saw him it’s…damn!”

“I’m your best friend fool, why are you running away from me, I love you unconditionally and you know it, does he know?” Taeyong asks him but Yuta shakes his head.

Yuta hugs Taeyong as if there’s no tomorrow, thanking the Deity for making Taeyong cross his way, for putting up with all the struggles live brings along.

Taeil accepts tutoring Yuta every Friday evening, but he ends up tutoring both Yuta and Taeyong as Taeyong always comes by to make sure Yuta is indeed studying.

He was accepted in the team as well, the last step is doing his best for a good grade in math, and keeping up with both training and studying.

“You’re really hard headed Yuta, come on, one more time” Taeil gives Yuta a math problem to solve similar to the ten they did before “Isn’t Taeyong coming today?”

“I don’t know why he’s late” he goes to the window of his room where he sees Taeyong talking to Nam Joo, one of the girls they used to group date with, Taeil follows along.

“I guess we just found out, let’s go back, I have to go in 20 minutes” Taeil drags Yuta back.

“Whaat, you want me to finish in 20 minutes?” Taeil nods “This??”

“Yuta, stop complaining, you’ll have at least 10 like this and only one hour”

Yuta pouts hitting his forehead with his pen “Umm, Taeil?”

“Mmm?”

“About what you told me about Hansol, you know, lately he is not skipping anymore and he doesn’t have that often bruises on his face I-“

“Yuta, there’s no secret to the school that you got involved with Hansol, why do you keep asking me things when you obviously know more”

Yuta frowns “Why everyone thinks he is a bad person? Have you ever seen it with your own eyes?”

“Have you?” Taeil asks and Yuta puts his eyes down.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late, how’s going?”

“I think I went too tough on him today, I’ll just go, see me before your exam in the library, I will explain once more for you to take the passing grade” Taeil picks up his things and leaves.

“What was this?” Taeyong points towards the imaginary dust track Taeil left back for how fast he ran out the door.

“Tae, let’ watch a movie, my head bursts” Yuta whines and Taeyong just complies.

“Guys, I have here the list with the team for the regional competition, please check your name and don’t be late for the preparation tomorrow”

Yuta sees his name on the list, down below there’s Hansol’s name as well, the only problem is tomorrow is the day before the exam and he must see Taeil otherwise he’s done.

“Someone inform Ji Hansol, Yuta, you tell him, why isn’t he here?” Minho questions Yuta.

“I don’t know.”

“Yuta, from now on, make sure you both attend practices, he’s your colleague both in class and here, you need to take care of each other, understood?”

Yuta nods and bows.

He hasn’t seen Hansol the entire day in class, neither was he there yesterday, time to meet Taeil is ready and not that he will be late for the practice but he will not be able to bring Hansol along as the captain told him.

“You’re out of focus, AGAIN” Taeil tells him “If it’s Hansol again…”

“Slap me”

“What?”

“Slap me, do something, I need a good grade in math, but can’t keep my head here”

“It doesn’t work like this, but for the sake of whatever” Taeil slaps Yuta and miraculously Yuta was able to focus and understand most of what he and Taeil worked on for the past weeks.

After Taeil lets him go, he tries his luck to find Hansol and as if the planets aligned he finds the blonde in the detention class.

“Where have you been? Let’s go we’re late for the practice, did you know we’re in the team for the competition?”

Hansol grimaces “So what?”

It hits Yuta straight in his chest and he strolls out the classroom, too tired of it all, hurrying up to change in the locker as he already saw the entire team less him and Hansol warming up.

They both enter the field at the same time and captain Minho is stopping them from joining the team.

“Where have you been, do you know you’re late?”

“I’m sorry”

“Didn’t I tell you have to bring him along on time? Both of you run 3 laps around the field plus 6 sets of milestones and tires”

“But I-“

“You two need to become a team, now go,” he says blowing the whistle.

Hansol passes brushing by Yuta, the latter nervously speeds to catch up and bumps his shoulder pushing Hansol off the track. And they push and compete with each other like two angry bulls until some point where they reach the same peace.

They finish the task but at the same time the training is over as well, they drop tired on the grass panting as the captain approaches them.

“Now just to make sure you are becoming a team, put everything in the storage room before you go, and make sure you do this before every practice, have a great day, and oh, you better hurry as it’s about to rain.”

They eventually stand up and