Chapter 37 - An eventful gym class

“How are the preparations?” It’s Monday morning, history class to be more exact, and Ara is standing next to Mina’s table, chatting a little before the teacher arrives. “I heard there’s gonna be alcohol.”

“Yeah, but the teachers don’t know so we have to be quiet about it,” Mina says, a giddy smile on her face. “We’ve already made a budget, Sulli and Taecyeon are responsible for buying the decorations on Thursday, me and Yongguk are gonna fix the snacks, and Hoya and Woohyun are buying the drinks.” Mina winks at that, and Ara snorts. 

The teacher decides to walk in then, and Ara says bye to Mina before walking to the back of the classroom where the boys are wearily eyeing her. Baekhyun, Sehun and Tao are sitting in front of Kyungsoo and Kai, and Ara realizes that they’ve left an empty seat for her next to Kai. She blushes and slides into her seat.

“Why is everyone talking about you?” Tao immediately asks, turning around in his seat, and Ara can’t help but smile at his protectiveness. “I almost hit a chick before I was reminded of my morals.” He shakes his head and gives Kai a frown. “I don’t know how the hell you do it, but you’ve got to teach me.”

“Patience is virtue,” Kai simply responds, and Tao rolls his eyes. The teacher suddenly calls him up, and Tao sighs, squaring his shoulders before walking up to the front of the classroom. Confidence is practically radiating from his body, and he smirks, nodding at the students.

“I’m Huang Zitao, your new classmate.” And then he walks back to his seat.

 The teacher nods awkwardly and starts writing on the blackboard, and the students burst into whispers, all of them ogling Tao like a piece of meat. Tao seems to be basking in the attention, and he grins cockily. Sehun smacks him on the head and the moment is cut short when Tao whines like a puppy.

The boys are quite protective of Ara, but she doesn’t think much of it. Not even during lunch hour when they all gather at their usual table, without Mina who is in another committee meeting.

Tao has his arm slung around Ara’s shoulders while eating, Baekhyun keeps staring at her as if she’ll disappear any second, and Sehun keeps touching her foot under the table just to make sure she’s there. Kyungsoo shares his pasta salad with her, because he has already eaten his school lunch, but Ara can’t finish it so they give it to Sehun who happily accepts it.

Kai has his eyes on Ara throughout the entire lunch hour until the bell rings. They have gym next, and the group make their way to the wardrobes when Ara suddenly stops in front of the door and turns around. 

Kyungsoo, Baekhyun and Tao had been discussing a football match, Kai had quietly been watching their surroundings, and Sehun had practically buried his face in the salad Kyungsoo had given him, when they all almost bump into Ara.  

“You do realize there are girls in there, right?” Ara takes in the dumbfounded expressions on the boys’ faces, and she almost laughs when Tao’s eyes widen in horror.

“This is code red, guys, we don’t have a backup plan, I repeat we don’t have a backup plan,” he practically shrieks, and Baekhyun shakes his head, scoffing angrily at Kai.

“If only one of us had dressed up as a girl,” he says, glaring pointedly at Kai, and the latter rolls his eyes and turns towards Ara.

“Mina is in there, right?” Ara nods slowly, frowning, and Kai sighs in relief and then suddenly leans in and kisses her forehead. “Stay with her until you come out to the gym hall, we’ll see you then.”

Ara barely registers the rest of his words, her eyes dazed, cheeks on fire, and the boys have similar reactions; Kyungsoo’s jaw is on the floor, Baekhyun does a doubletake, Tao chokes on his own spit and Sehun grimaces, pieces of salad falling out of his mouth.

“Are you serious, Kai? Right in front of my salad?” 

Kai ignores him and gives Ara one final look before walking away in the direction of the boys’ wardrobe. Ara feels like she’s about to explode, and she turns around and yanks open the door, scrambling inside.

Some of the girls are already changing, and Ara ducks and walks past them and towards the back where her locker is located. Mina is talking with a girl when she notices Ara’s flustered face, and she frowns curiously, walking over to her.

“What’s up, tomato?” Ara jumps and manages to elbow the locker, wincing in pain, and Mina gasps, quickly stepping back. “God, why do you always get hurt around me?!”

“Not your fault,” Ara quickly says before gently rubbing her reddening elbow. Mina sighs and leans against the lockers next to them.

“So, are you gonna tell me why you were blushing like crazy?” Ara feels her cheeks warm up again, and she groans when Mina giggles loudly. “Did something happen between you and Kai? It’s about damn time, girl, I have been rooting for you two since that li