„Jongin do you have a minute?“, Sehuns deep voice rumbles through the room as everyone packed their stuff, ready to head home just like Jongin.

Jongins head snaps up in surprise and he nods hesitantly.

„Yeah sure, what is it?“

Sehun leans his tall, broad figure against his desk, crossing both arms infront of his chest.

„You still want to get into the scholarship programm, don't you?“

Jongin nods, his brows furrowed. What the hell was this all about again? Couldn't Sehun just keep quite and let Jongin deal with his own ?

„You know I needed at least one activity connected to social services to even get into the selection process. You took care of that yet?“

For a second Jongin wonders if Baekhyun secretly went up to Sehun to blat out their conversation a few weeks ago. But he quickly scraps it, snapping back to reality and a good excuse for Sehun to not dig any further and perhaps even propose something Jongin had to politely decline.

„Actually I'm working on it“, Jongin answers as vague as possible to avoid further discussion.

Sehun nods deep in thoughts, his dark hair twirling around his face as he did so.

„You know I may know some place that'd suit you quite well.“ An expectant smile forms on his lips.

Jongin moans inwardly. That's exactly how he didn't want this whole thing to turn out. The situation was more awkward than enough already.

Still he tries to maintain his smooth facade and answers calmly: „Ok well tell me. I'm still searching anyway.“

Sehuns smile widens and he reaches behind his back to snatch a piece of paper from his desk.

„Take a look. Perhaps you'll like it. I would definitely give it a try as we're still looking for people to support us.“

A deep crease forms on Jongins forehead again as dozens of red flags pop up before his sight.

Us? Does this mean Sehun is involved in all this? Oh this had to be some kind of sick joke. He couldn't possibly want Jongin to be around him in his freetime or maybe this is all some kind of sick conspiration?

Perhaps Sehun wanted Jongin around to mold him into the poshy- person he wanted him to become even more.

Before his thoughts could drift any further apart, his eyes fall on the flyer infront of his nose.

„Wow, what's this?“, it accidently slips out his lips without thinking. He mentally slaps himself immediately for making such a dumb remark. He doesn't wanna know and he doesn't wanna get involved. , how's he gonna get out of this?

But Sehun already bounces off his desk, making his way over to Jongin.

„You see this guy?“, his long slender finger points out a handsome guy standing besides Sehun. Both had their arms around each others shoulders, broadly grinning into the camera.

„He and I once started out at zero. We had nothing but an idea of how this whole thing should turn out. I had graduated from college just a few weeks ago and we had this crazy idea we could found a club for all the youngsters out there to hang out, do some grafitti, escape. You know this guy I was working with already had a criminal record by the time we started to work things out and he was fond of the idea of creating a place for people like him. Some place where they were not gonna be judged. Maybe some place to recieve help to start over new, get a fresh perspective you know?“

Without noticing, Jongin unintentionally listened to Sehun with his full attention, actually interested in some kind of way. But something bugs him along the way already.

„And you want me to join this bunch to get a clean slate again or what? That's not how-“

But Sehun just cuts him off with a mere motion of his hand.

„Exactly, that's not how it works.“

He looks Jongin deeply into the eyes, almost burning him with the intensity of his dark orbs. Jongin unwillingly shudders.

„I want you to join the team to help maintaining a better support for the so called bunch. It's gonna be hard work, we're not going easy on you but it'll pay off in the end I promise.“

For a moment, Jongin is flabbergasted. He had never been trusted with any kind of important task, let alone being about social stuff. Even something like babysitting could manage to floor him completely.

But this wasn't about babies. It was about people like him, with problems like he had.

He couldn't deny that this isn't tempting but he just couldn't stand the thought of Sehun being around.

„I- I'm not sure if I'm fitting into this whole … thing. I've never done anything like that in my life.“

Sehun simply chuckles.

„And that's exactly why you're perfect for this job. You're not spoiled by educators trying to preach some sense into them. You're kind of likeminded and this could be the ultimate base for a good connection. How about you just give it a try sometime soon. Perhaps you check it out a day and see if it works for you?“

Because Jongin just couldn't find a coherent excuse not to, he agreed with gritted teeth, promising to himself he'd decline afterwards.

„Perfect“, Sehum beams, „then hopefully see you soon. You're free to go now.“

With a lot of confusion clouding his mind, Jongin shuffles out of the classroom.

Damn, since when did everything get so dropdead serious?

„Goddamn Hyung is that a shiner?!“, Baekhyun exclaims shocked as Jongin lifelessly plops down besides him, his hood carefully pulled deeper onto his face to hide the violet-blueish colored skin on and under his right eye.

He flinches with pain as Baekhyun gently touches the swollen area and instictively slaps his hand away with an agonized hiss.

„It's ok I can handle it. Nothin' serious.“

The doubting look on Baekhyuns face clearly indicates Jongin a long heated discussion up ahead but being honest he just doesn't have the strength to do so right now.

It feels more like he is ready to collapse into Baekhyuns arms anytime with weakness and fatigue.

„Please Hyung I barely had any sleep tonight. I'm really not up for some discussion Baekhyun style right now.“

The pointed look on Baekhyuns face slowly shifts into a deep, sympathetic frown and he lowers his head apologetically.

„I'm sorry Jongi. I should've known better.“

„Nah, it's ok just … don't aks me about anything that happened ok? I'm really not in the mood for sentiment talks alright?“

Baekhyun nodded understandingly and got up, gathering his belongings for the next lesson. He offers Jongin a hand to get up before both head into science class.

„Oh I can't wait for some ually frustrated mid-fourties raisin who likes to torture younger students with loads of homework.“ Baekhyun rolls his eyes clearly unnerved while Jongin simply chuckles at Baekhyuns weekly tirade of hate on their science teacher Mrs. Park.

Sure that woman is a shrew and some freetime among the week is mostly too much to ask for but Jongin also knows that it's their last period of time before heading into colleges.

And at least, getting his hopes up for Baekhyun, he wishes for him to get into a good one with some ace grades.

As for Jongin himself, he's not really in high hopes of getting into a college, let alone into a scholarship programm.

He still has Sehuns offer somewhere in the back of his mind but now that a few weeks had already passed he couldn't muster up the courage to show up at the said place.

For some strange reason Jongin felt really frustrated about it and dreaded the question of why he didn't show up just now.

Thankfully, the best excuse for not showing up just walk into the room with a pile of documents in her bony hands.

This just screams surprise test as loud as his stepfather did last night.

Later on, Jongin lazily drags his brush over the half painted canvas. His eyes seem to stare right through the piece of fabric infront of him as his mind wanders anywhere but to his artwork.

Absentmindedly, he dips the brush into a yellowish color, placing a few lazy before sighing, putting the brush down.

Lay next to him seems to notice something's bothering Jongin and he quickly turns to face him.

„Penny for thoughts?“

Jongin looks up into Lays big doe eyes with a surprised look. He feels a little caught off guard. Was he really being that obvious all the time? Well .

„Well yeah actually … Kind of … Ahhh I don't know, it's stupid.“

Lays lips stretch into a warmhearted grin, that slowly starts to melts Jongins doubts to talk about it.

„It can't be as stupid as Jisoo forgetting the most important test in history today. C'mon shoot.“

Sighing slightly defeated, Jongin begins to talk: „Well you know I was actually thinking about getting into some scholarship programm as I … well let's say I just can't afford the college fees right now. And actually that's why I joined the arts club in the first place. But that's not everything I need to do. To get into the selection process you need to be engaged in some sort of social services and I've never done anything like that before. Now Seh-, I mean Mr. Oh offered me to be part of the team in the local youth club, near the school.“

Lays eyes lighten up as he listens to Jongin.

„Oh I really like that one. It's the area near the cafe isn't it?“

„Y-you know it?!“, Jongin asks in bewilderment, mouth agape. Lay simply nods, flicking his phone out before scrolling through some pictures while talking on: „Well yeah, I've been there for almost two years now. You wouldn't believe how easygoing that square of a teacher can be. Look“, he shows Jongin a few pictures of Sehun playing soccer with a bunch of what seem to be some teens round about seventeen to twenty years old.

His face is painted with a wide, cheerful smile and his usually neat and tidy attire had switched into a slightly unbottoned shirt and sneakers.

Jongin couldn't believe his eyes and he continues to shamelessly stare at the screen of Lays phone.

„Awesome isn't it? I'd give my right arm to be part of the team, it'd just be so cool. Damn Jongin you should really do this, I'm tellin' ya.“

Completely gobsmacked, Jongin continues to stare onto the screen like an idiot while his mind rattles with a thousand thoughts.

„C'mon er, I'll tag along. Let's go visit the club after arts club ended. We can grab a bite on the go whatta ya think?“

Still not completely recovered from his shock and the image of Sehun Jongin always had that's slowly but surely crumbling down, he snaps up his head to look into Lays excited eyes accompanied by a wide encouraging smile.

„U-Um actually I- uh-“, Jongin starts to mutter, desperately trying to find some coherent excuse not to go but the surprise still clouding his mind, he couldn't think of any so Lay just pats his back enthusiastically.

„It's a deal then. Let's do it“, he shouts out a bit louder than intended, grabbing the attention of some students near by who seem curious about what the two were talking about.

Lay quickly ducks, an apologetic grin on his face, forming a „Sorry mate“ with his plumb lips.

Oh damn you just couldn't be angry at this guy for all too long, huh?

„Oh my what's that gonna be?“, Jongin quitely mutters to himself, silently cursing Lay and his unconventional way of persuading almost everyone with his dropdead honest, most warmhearted smile Jongin has ever seen.

„C'mon man, don't gimme that face. You've gotta be a bit more cheerful if you're gonna work with that crowd.“

„Oh you don't have a damn clue“, Jongin sighs defeated, resigning himself to his fate still a hundret doubts in his heart.

Heeeellloooo lil cuppiecakes :D 

Hope you're doing great and had a good start into the week, I know I had ;D 

As I'm not sure how frequently I'll be updating this week I'm just throwing in a chappie for you, because you deserve it ;)

Let me know what you think, leave a comment (always MUCH appreciated), subscribe and upvote if you like :)

Until next chapter, have a great week :D