Vernon waited outside of Seungkwan's door with Wonwoo and Hoshi. The freshman seemed to be taking his sweet time opening a door for them. By the time he actually opened it, Seungkwan burst out of the room. Wonwoo and Hoshi couldn't hide their slight laughter as they see Seungkwan in a green face mask. 

 

"What?" Seungkwan asked.

 

Vernon looked a little stunned and unable to answer so Hoshi was the first to answer. "What planet are you from?"

 

"I'm sure he's the Golbin from Spiderman," Wonwoo teased.

 

"Hello hyungs," Seungkwan greeted. He didn't expect Wonwoo and Hoshi to be here with Vernon.

 

"What's on your face?" Vernon asked. His tone doesn't sound very nice.

 

"Go away, I'm in my zen mode right now," The freshman pushed the sophomore away. 

 

"Don't make fun of him," Wonwoo tried to stop his laughing. "He's running for rep so he has to take care of his skin."

 

"Still ugly," Vernon commented.

 

"So are you," Seungkwan replied back. 

 

Hoshi and Wonwoo just stood on the sideline. They're totally enjoying this interaction. Not only had Seungkwan got on Vernon's nerve, but also, their arguing made a very pleasant show to watch. 

 

"Can I ask you to give some notes of mine to Sonne?" Vernon held up the files of papers. "I have to go somewhere to study and she might need it for her class."

 

Seungkwan really couldn't say no as Vernon pushes the papers toward him. "When will she come back?"

 

"I don't know but I can't wait for her," The sophomore answered. Suddenly, Seungkwan held out his palm. Vernon stared at it confused until he got the idea. Then he looked up at Seungkwan with an are-you-serious face.

 

"I don't do it for free," Seungkwan smirked through the green face mask. Hoshi smirked on the side to Wonwoo as they are totally enjoying the fact that a freshman is giving Vernon a hard time.

 

"What you want? Frozen pink milk?" Vernon finally said. Seungkwan, as well as Hoshi and Wonwoo, is anticipating what Vernon will do. The handsome sophomore reached into his pocket, hoping to find something that's doable to be the payment and found it. "Take this."

 

Seungkwan looked down at the pack of M&M that was placed in his palm. Before Seungkwan could say anything, Hoshi jumped into the conversation. "Hey Vernon, that's a necessity for our studying."

 

"I'll buy you a different one later," Vernon rolled his eyes at his friend. 

 

"You can come with us if you want," Wonwoo said to Seungkwan. 

 

"It's ok, hyung," Seungkwan politely declined. "I can go out looking like this."

 

"Just take the mask off," The pale skin sophomore suggested. "You can read your mangas while we study."

 

"Wait, then who's gonna give the notes to Sonne?" Vernon pulled the attention back to the main topic.

 

"Oh yeah, then you have to stay here," Wonwoo shrugged and pouted.

 

"Uh, since you already got your payment, make sure to do your job," Vernon said before turning around and leave. "I'm gonna go now."

 

Seungkwan waved at the trio as Wonwoo waved back and Hoshi walked backward to waved at the freshman. Before the trio can make it to the stairs, Seungkwan called out to them. "Hey!"

 

Vernon was the first to stop and turned around. "What is it, shortie? Still, want that pink milk?"

 

"No..." Seungkwan smiled shyly. "I just wanna say... Good luck with your studying."

 

Vernon suddenly smiles slightly. "I'm too smart to fail the class."

 

Hoshi and Wonwoo side glanced at Vernon as they know what's going on in the handsome sophomore's head. Vernon turned around to leave again as Hoshi and Wonwoo waved goodbye to Seungkwan. When the trio finally leaves, Seungkwan went back into his room and waited there for Sonne to come back. After losing in his video game and wander around his room, he is officially bored. Seungkwan found himself looking at the top of a drawer where he kept all the pictures of Vernon in his high school days. 

 

There are five pictures in wooden frames. Two of them were the personal pictures that Seungkwan "accidentally" took. The other three were bought from Vernon's fan club in high school. Sitting in front of those pictures is a small velvet box. Seungkwan walked over to open the box up. It had been a while since he looks inside the box, which holds a tungsten black bracelet. A rather unpleasant memory popped up every time he looked at the bracelet.

 

Seungkwan held the velvet gray box and letter nervously as he walked down the hall of the 12th-grade classes. His fingers were trembling like crazy. This must be how those girls in the anime feel when they're confessing to their crush. That is what Seungkwan is doing anyway. He finally got the courage to do it, especially after the lectures he got from Mingyu. He walked toward Vernon's class. It's after school so he was sure most people had left, but hopefully not Vernon. 

 

"I'm not," Vernon's voice made Seungkwan's heart beat a little harder, knowing he's gonna confess soon. "Could you just stop?"

 

Seungkwan peeked in the room through the open door to see Vernon, Wonwoo, and Hoshi. All of them are sitting on the desk and there's no one else around. Vernon looked a little frustrated while Hoshi smiled brightly, as usual.

 

"We just wanna make sure," Hoshi grinned.

 

Seungkwan didn't mean to eavesdrop but he couldn't stop his curiosity. He waited for Vernon to continue whatever it is they were talking about. "Hoshi, I say this for the last time. I like girls."

 

"Really? So if a boy like you, you wouldn't give him a chance?"

 

"No way, just thinking about it gives me goosebump." 

 

"Are you sure, Vernon?" This time, it was Wonwoo who asked.

 

Seungkwan didn't want to hear anymore so he ran away. Even he accidentally knocked over an empty box on top of the paper recycling bin, Seungkwan ignored it and continued to run to the nearest bathroom. He knew tears would about to come out so he went to the bathroom to splash his face with water and cleaned his big glasses to erase the tear stains. 

 

In order not to think about him, all I could do is take good care of myself, Seungkwan sighed as he reminisced about his sad past. 

 

"Thanks for the ride," Sonne's muffled voice came through the walls, breaking Seungkwan's train of thoughts.

 

The freshman quickly got up and grabbed the notes he was given to deliver. As he got to the door, he hears Vernon's voice as well and it stops him from opening the door. "That's ok. It's dangerous for girls to walk alone at night."

 

When he finally decided it's time to make his appearance known, Seungkwan turned the doorknob and walked out to the dorm hall. Vernon is leaning against the wall next to Sonne noona's door and the two of them are chatting. They looked over to him until Vernon noticed the papers in the freshman's hand. "Oh right, I left your notes with the freshman since I wasn't sure I could see you before tomorrow."

 

"Oh, thank you, Seungkwan," Sonne smiled at Seungkwan, who could barely look at the two without a frown on his face. 

 

Vernon just walked over to the freshman to get the notes since Seungkwan hadn't offered them up yet. He handed them to Sonne. "Just go in and get some rest. You're too smart to be tired during class."

 

"Same to you, Vernon," Sonne said back. "Being on top must be exhausted, maybe I'll take your place during the next test."

 

"Ok," Vernon laughed. "I'm gonna go find Wonwoo and Hoshi now. Good night."

 

"Good night Vernon," Sonne said and walked in her room. "Good night Seungkwan."

 

Vernon thoughts that Seungkwan would have gone back to his room already but the freshman is still standing there with an angry expression on his baby-like face. "What with the face?"

 

Seungkwan didn't answer. He just glares at the taller sophomore. 

 

"I wasn't trying to mess with you," Vernon explained. "I wasn't expecting to see Sonne at the library. Then she asked me for a ride home and I couldn't refuse. Are you angry with me?"

 

Seungkwan still gives Vernon the silence treatment.  He had enough of the sophomore so he turned around and went back to his room.

 

"Come on, shortie!"

 

"My name isn't shortie," Seungkwan yelled to Vernon's face. All the anger he felt is slowly leaking out. 

 

"I said I didn't know," Vernon replied.

 

"Why?!"

 

"Why do you have to be so angry?"

 

"Forget it!"

 

"No, I'm not gonna forget it, what's the matter with you?" By this time, Vernon already grabbed Seungkwan by the collar of his t-shirt. Seungkwan looked away to avoid staring into Vernon's eyes and being so close face-to-face. "I thought we could befriend."

 

Vernon pushed Seungkwan away and walked down the hall to the staircases. Seungkwan just looks from behind with a lump in his throat from holding back a cry. The night was rough as Seungkwan tried to hold himself back from crying and fell asleep in a very uncomfortable emotional state. By the time he went to breakfast the next morning, Mingyu noticed this.

 

The two friends are eating at the cafeteria. Mingyu is actually eating while Seungkwan just pushed the meatballs around. The taller male tried to get a reaction out of his friend by stealing one of the meatballs but he got nothing. Seungkwan looked extremely down in the gutter and Mingyu couldn't figure out why. 

 

"What's wrong?" He finally gave up guessing in his head.

 

Seungkwan finally looked up to show his sullen face. "Is Vernon single?"

 

"I think you mean fresh," Mingyu grinned. "With a face like that, I bet a lot of girls already jump his bone."

 

"I said single, not fresh," Seungkwan got defensive. "He's a person, not seafood."

 

Mingyu smiled as he got some kind of emotion out of Seungkwan. It's better than having the boy depressed and quieted. "Single? I don't know. But I heard-"

 

"Heard what?"

 

"All the girls love the male reps so the male reps have a lot of babies."

 

"Shut up!" Seungkwan went back to being emo again. 

 

Mingyu mentally sighed and added on. "But I've heard that many people say that Vernon hyung only wants to be with from the same department."

 

Seungkwan's brain went into overdrive because of what Mingyu said. He analyzed every single thing he knows about Vernon and every interaction they had. The sophomore went through so much trouble to help Sonne. Maybe she's the one he's after. "Mingyu! I'm not going to rep practice today."

 

"Wait, why? I wanna ditch too," Mingyu replied. "We can be sick together."

 

"Tell them I'm dead," The depressed boy stood up and ran away. 

 

"Yo, where you going?"

---

 

Seungkwan sat by himself in the park, near the pond. He has been throwing rocks into the pond for a while now. Rep practice should be starting soon but he didn't care anymore. Seungkwan picked up another medium-size rock, about half the size of his palm, and raised it up, ready to throw. However, a hand stops him.

 

"Hey, that's enough," Seungkwan looked up to see Seokmin, in his casual clothes, different from the one he saw the engineering sophomore wore when they talked on the roof. "Trying to kill all the fish?"

 

"Hi hyung."

 

"Hey," Seokmin sat down next to him. "Why do I always run into you when I have a craving for chocolate? What's wrong this time?"

 

"Did I disturb you again, hyung?"

 

"I was over there," Seokmin pointed to the food stand, over by the tree path. A motorcycle stood next to a picnic table. "So what are you doing here? I was afraid you might kill all the fishes so I had to stop you."

 

Seokmin looked in his pocket and pulled out a rectangular white packet and held it up to Seungkwan. It looks like a cigarette packet. "Thanks but I don't smoke, hyung."

 

"It's not a cigarette," Seokmin laughs. "The seller made his own chocolate and his packaging was really bad because it looked similar to a cigarette packet. I told him to change it but he hasn't. Try it, it's good."

 

"But it's yours."

 

"Just help me. I can't eat them all."

 

Seungkwan pulled out a stick of chocolate bar and took a bite. "Thank you."

 

"Whenever I feel bummed, I always like to come here," Seokmin said as Seungkwan nibbled on the chocolate. "The atmosphere is pretty nice. With chocolate, it really calms your nerve. It's a better habit than smoking."

 

"Maybe smoking wouldn't be so bad."

 

"Hey now, don't you go and get yourself addicted," Seokmin pulled on the freshman's ear slightly. "You're a rep. You'll ruin your image by doing that."

 

"I'm just a little bummed."

 

"A little bummed should not ruin your life. What are you bummed about? The girls are fighting over you too much?"

 

"It's not like that, Seokmin hyung," Seungkwan replied quickly. 

 

"Then you shouldn't be stressed," The sophomore scolded the freshman. "The college's rep last year was much more depressed than you."

 

"You Seokmin hyung?" 

 

"Nope, I got my chocolate to calm me down and girls don't find me that attractive," Seokmin laughed. "Try again."

 

"... Vernon hyung?" 

 

"That annoying Vernon. It's hard to believe someone as perfect as him exist because he doesn't. Vernon, like everyone else, had to try hard to get where he is. Yes, he is blessed with good genes and a rich family but he doesn't depend on them for everything."

 

Seungkwan was surprised to hear about this side of Vernon. From the day he started college, Seungkwan always thought Vernon is a stuck-up meanie who loves to torture younger students, specifically him. Maybe Seokmin can help shed a little light on the situation. 

 

"Vernon can simply look at a girl and she will immediately think of names for their children," Seokmin laughed again. "Last year, two of the female reps fought over him. It was a bloodbath. The person that was most negatively affected was, ironically, Vernon. Those girls got disqualified. Vernon got a lighter punishment because of favoritism. That left a bitter taste in his mouth. That idiot always thinks of others instead of himself."

 

"I didn't know about that," Seungkwan was ashamed of himself for thinking his life was a mess. Listening to Seokmin's story really hit the nail on the head for the freshman. 

 

"Wanna go back now? I know rep practice will be starting soon."

 

"Now that I know that, I got to go back."

 

"Come on, I'll give you a ride."

 

Seungkwan picked up his bag and followed the sophomore to his motorcycle. The vehicle wasn't anything fancy but it's still pretty cool. Seungkwan put on the helmet as Seokmin starts the engine. The freshman thought it would be a long ride but it took less than 10 minutes to get back to school. 

 

"Thank hyung," Seungkwan gave Seokmin the black helmet back.

 

"No need," Seokmin ruffled the kid hair. "Just buy me dinner tonight as payment for that therapy session."

 

"Ok, hot pot?"

 

"Hotpot it is."

 

Seokmin watched as Seungkwan quickly run to the rep practice area. The sophomore has a hint of fondness in his eye as he smiled at the disappearing freshman. 

---

 

"College of Art?"

 

"Here!"

 

"College of History?"

 

"Here!"

 

"College of Science?"

 

Both Mingyu and the female rep of the Biology, Jennie, look around worriedly. Both of them are looking for Seungkwan as the boy hasn't shown up yet.

 

"College of -"

 

"Here!" Seungkwan burst through the door and ran to his spot, behind Jennie, who sighed in relief and raised her hand as well. "College of Science is here."

 

As the staff continues to take roll, Mingyu and Jennie knocked Seungkwan's head of being late. They quietly lecture him for a bit before turning their attention back to the staffs. After the roll call, everyone does the usual practice. Dancing and walking for an hour with a little break then filming to help promote the school. After all that stress, Seungkwan finally got to sit down as he was one of the first to finish filming.

 

"How's practice?"

 

Seungkwan looked up to Seokmin staring down at him. "Oh, hyung."

 

"It wasn't so bad, was it?" The sophomore smiled at the freshman.

 

"No," Seungkwan answered with a shrug. "What are you doing here?"

 

"Just passing by," Seokmin got his phone out. "And I forgot to ask for your number."

 

"Why?" The freshman asked as he put his number in Seokmin's phone.

 

"So I can be your knight in shining armor when you cry." 

 

"I didn't cry, hyung."

 

"Did so," Seokmin teased the kid.

 

"Hey, Seokmin."

 

"Oh Vernon," Seokmin reluctantly looked away from Seungkwan to acknowledged Vernon's sudden appearance. "What's up?"

 

"Wonwoo wanted me to find you."

 

"Oh sure," Seokmin answered and looked back at Seungkwan. "I'll text you later."

 

"Ok," Seungkwan smiled, still ignoring the fact that Vernon is slightly glaring at him.

 

It wasn't until Vernon directly talk to him that Seungkwan finally looks at the guy. "You got up late or something?"

 

"I didn't," Seungkwan knew that Vernon was referring to the fact that he was late today for practice. "Don't you have an exam?"

 

"This afternoon."

 

"Ugh."

 

"Ugh, what?"

 

"Just ugh!" Seungkwan still doesn't get why Vernon insisted on irritating him. The guy is so annoying. 

 

Seeing the freshman's reaction, Vernon left the conversation as it is and walked away. Seungkwan glared holes into the sophomore's back as he sat down. He barely had a moment to breathe before Mingyu sudden appears out of nowhere in a speed of light.

 

"Seungkwan!!!" Mingyu slid into the seat and bumped the said boy's shoulder. "It looked like a damn k-drama."

 

"What the hell are you talking about?"

 

"I'm talking about Vernon. He's hella jealous."

 

"Are you crazy?"

 

"I don't know. I just said what I saw," Mingyu enjoyed this drama much more than he should and he isn't ashamed to say it out loud. "If Vernon is jealous then that's big news. You are the target of affection for the sweetheart of the Engineering Department and the king of the Medicine Department. Talk about drama."

 

"You watched too many American movies," Seungkwan replied back, unwilling to believe in what his friend is saying. 

 

"I just speak my mind," The taller male grinned. He handed Seungkwan a pink frozen milk tea. "This is for you."

 

"What are you bribing me for?"

 

Mingyu chuckled at his friend's suspicious thoughts. "It's from Vernon."

 

"He bought everyone drinks again?"

 

"Nope, just you this time," Mingyu wiggled his eyebrow. "The guy sure knows a way into your pants. He gave it to me when you weren't here."

 

Seungkwan stared at the drink for a bit before suddenly getting up. "I'll be right back."

 

Mingyu watched Seungkwan ran out of the building with a knowing smirk. The taller male could read his friend like an open book. His prediction was correct when Seungkwan ran toward Vernon, who's just got to his car and unlock it.

 

"Wait!"

 

Vernon turned around to face Seungkwan with tiring eyes. "What you want, shortie?"

 

"I..."

 

"Not angry again?"

 

Seungkwan's face turns pouty without him knowing. He didn't know he left such a hard impression on Vernon that the older guy would think he gets mad everytime they talk. 

 

"Look, I wasn't trying to mess with you," Vernon said calmly. "I really didn't know I would see Sonne last night. But that's fine. You can be pissed all you want. I'm tired of trying to reason with a brat like you."

 

"You're going to take a test, right?" Seungkwan asked out of the blue. "I hope you pass it."

 

Vernon was surprised to hear this. He walked toward the freshman to see if there's any hint of snarky tone or bratty attitude. There are none of those. Seungkwan is feeling a little out of place with Vernon's eyes on him so intensely. He had to look elsewhere every second to avoid blushing, which fails miserably. 

 

"The test score comes out immediately after the exam," Vernon explained. "if I get the top score, what will you do for me?"

 

"Chocolate?"

 

Vernon slightly chuckles and shake his head no. The sophomore walked closer to the freshman until they're close face to face. "I like fresh food. How about sushi?"

 

"O-Ok."

 

"It's a date then," Vernon smiled and walked back to his car. 

 

Seungkwan watched as Vernon waved before driving away. There's a hint of fondness in his eyes as he gazed at the disappearing car. That is until the beeping of his phone broke his train of thoughts. Seungkwan quickly takes out his phone to read the text message.

 

Seokmin: Meet me in front of the hot pot place. Don't worry about money. It's my treat. :)

 

Oh ...

---

 

This chapter is longer than usual but that's not a problem is it? How did you like it? Did you expect it at all? Tell me!!! I like knowing your thoughts while you read. It helps me know what the readers are thinking so I can change the wording around to give you guys surprises. I think that's the most important things about fanfic. Since it's not visual like movies, having surprises help. 

 

P.S I finally know how idols feel when they see fans ship them with each other. It feels really weird but that's not gonna stop me from shipping.

 

It also I update on July 6 when it's July 5 where I am lol. Awkward.

 

FIGHTING!!!