After his conversation with Jaejoong, Yunho had spent the rest of the day thinking about his situation, not even bothering to attend his last two classes. He ended up spending that time in the school garden out back, while his brain continued to fling rocks at his skull. With a Migraine and no other real option he pulled out his cell phone, but pausing not knowing who to call. He knew his parents would always be willing to help but he felt they would probably give his a softer version of what Jaejoong told him. He knew his sister would willingly drop anything to answer a phone call from him but there was no way he was going to risk getting her in trouble at school. Slipping his phone back into his pocket he crossed his legs and let his head fall, slowly drifting to sleep.

Changmin had managed to get in class in time for Victoria to wave to him as she passed and went on to her class, and get out before his teacher entered. Making his way to his bench behind the school, he was shocked and a little annoyed to see that there was someone already sitting there. Changmin slinked closer and upon realizing who was on the bench his mind began to spin. He walked around the bench and climbed the tree sitting behind it, looking down every now and then to make sure he hadnt alerted Yunho.  When he felt he had gotten high enough he called down to the older male.  Seeing no reaction, he carefully broke a thin stick off the branch he was perched on and threw it down to Yunho. It hit the older square in the face and caused him to slowly blink his eyes open.

“Yunho-shi” Yunho was alerted by the voice, he looked around to see who it could be but saw no one.

“Hello?” After a long pause Yunho figured he was hearing things… the voice sounded again.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class Yunho-shi?” The voice sounded oddly familiar and for a second Yunho thought, maybe it was one of his teachers reprimanding him for skipping class, but only for a second. He didn’t fail to catch the hitch in pronunciation and the unintentionally loud giggle. He looked up to see Changmin laughing away in the tree and waited until the younger caught his eyes before saying anything. When Changmin realized that the older was in fact looking back at him, he began to scramble down from the tree. Taking it slowly branch by branch, but about 5 feet from the ground, he lost his footing and fell into a patch of bushes.

“Changmin-ah” Yunho said running over to Changmin who, by this point, was trying to stand up and play it off.  Yunho grabbed Changmin under his arms and lifted him out of the bushes and onto the ground, laughing a little at the blush that swept over the younger’s face.

“Why aren’t you in class?” Yunho asked

“Hey, I asked first which means you have to give me an answer first. It’s not going to be  good when they find out you skipped class this early in you attendance at the school.”

“You say that like you’ve been there.”

“What if I have?”

“So you skip class a lot?”

“Didn’t I tell you I want my answer first? Why aren’t you in class?”

“Cocky sophomore.”

“Excuse me?” Changmin stepped a little closer causing Yunho to take one involuntary step back.

“I had some things to work out, there was no point in going to class if I wasn’t going to be able to concentrate anyway.”

“What class are you skipping?”

“Nope, it’s your turn to answer.”

“It’s a habit, something pops up, and class is the last place I want to be. So I don’t go. So what class are you skipping?”

“ Park, What ‘popped up’” Yunho said sitting on the bench watching Changmin shuffle back and forth on his feet.

“ There are plenty of Parks here Yunho.”

“Bio. What popped up?”

“She is going to rip your face off next time she sees you. Now you’re just being nosy. You didn’t see me asking you what you were thinking about.”

“True, want me to tell you?” Yunho noticed he hadn’t gotten a response. He looked at Changmin and found him sitting on the ground pulling at a weed. To get the younger’s attention he stuck his foot out and tapped him on the leg.

“What?”

“Do you want me to tell you what I was thinking about?” Changmin thought for a second before leaning back on his hands. Yunho took that as a sign to continue.

“I was thinking about the carnival and who I should go with?”

“No girls asked yet?” Changmin realized a little late that he had asked that with a way too much excitement.

“Nope,” Yunho lied, he had plenty of girls ask him and had gently turned down each one of them. “but that’s the problem. I know who I want to ask and I know who wants me to ask them.”

“Still not seeing it.” Whatever hope Changmin had, had been destroyed, and he honestly didn’t even know what he was so hopeful for. Yunho looked at Changmin in confusion. He figured the problem was pretty obvious.

“I don’t know who I should ask.”

“Ahhh, I would just ask the person I wanted to ask, screw whoever expects something from me. You know what, you should go to Jae hyung he’s good with this type of stuff” At this point Yunho was ready to throw in the towel, but where would that get him?

“How about we just go together?” Yunho asked hesitantly.

“Sure, I don’t see why not,” Yunho’s heart fluttered, “but Victoria’s been waiting for someone to ask her, if they don’t she’ll be going with us too.” All Yunho could do is hope that his disappoint wasn’t too evident.

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Just then Yunho’s phone rang.

“Yoboseyo?…  Hey Hana….nothing- wait aren’t you supposed to be in class…bye Hana, call you after you done being the awesome student your parents think you are.  Hana~ get back to class….love you too, I’ll call you after school okay?....It’ll be out little secret.”  Yunho hung up the phone shaking his head at his little sister’s antics. Have I been a that bad influence?

“Well, you could ask your girlfriend to the carnival. Won’t she be mad when she finds out you didn’t?” Yunho was shocked by the venomous tone in Changmin’s voice. Before he could question it, the bell rang signaling the end of the day. The alarm on Changmin’s custom made watch went off and he stood, gathered his things and left Yunho alone and confused.  When they met out-front Changmin refused to look at him.  They walked home with Victoria talking about her day and asking question for which she got no response.  By the time he had dropped the two off at Changmin’s home no one was talking and Victoria’s temper had begun to flare. At this point Yunho really didn’t know what to think. So he grabbed his phone and started dialing. 

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Short Chapter I know. Hoping things start moving faster soon.

Comments, critism all appreciated.