"Hoy, tangina niyong lahat," Sunwoo irritably says as he enters the classroom. "Ang aga aga ang iingay niyo."

Hyunjae mutters, "Pabibo amputa."

"Anong pabibo???? Baka kayong mga maiingay yon." Sunwoo exclaims and rolls his eyes.

"Hala, sorry," Haknyeon says from the other side of the room, "May pinapaannounce kasi sa'kin si Sir."

"HALA JOKE LANG AHHAHAHAHA SIGE MAGANNOUNCE KA LANG SORRY PABIBO NA NAMAN AKO AHAHAHHAHAA SORRY."

Hyunjae raises an eyebrow and sighs. A low, “Putangina ang landi talaga neto," escapes from his mouth. Sunwoo hears it, but decides to ignore him and focus his attention on the vice president talking in front. To his surprise, a certain boy at the back interrupts.

"Haknyeon, alam mo ba crush ka ni Sunwoo."

. Sunwoo inwardly panics and immediately yells, “HOY GAGO HINDI AH. WALA AKONG CRUSH. PUTANGINA MO MANAHIMIK KA DI KO GUSTO SI HAKNYEON HA. IMBENTO AMPUTA."

"Okay then," Haknyeon utters, "Eric, don't attack Sunwoo like that."

"Sorry VP, pero totoo 'yon ha." Eric (insincerely) apologizes.

"ANONG TOTOO? SABING HINDI NGA EH."

"It's okay, Sunwoo," Haknyeon tells the raging boy, “Hindi mo na ko gusto, ok na."

Haknyeon continues announcing whatever afterwards (Sunwoo doesn't really listen, honestly. He just stares at the other's cute face.) For some reason, Sunwoo feels guilty.

‘Hala, baka mamaya akalain niyang ayaw ko sa kanya,’ Sunwoo thinks.

ㅡ

The bell rings as the clock approaches 12. It’s lunch. Sunwoo immediately runs to Haknyeon.

"Uy, sorry. Hindi ko--- I mean, hindi kita ayaw. Uhm. MY PAMILEE-"

. He can't think of anything. Tangina naman, bakit ba kasi siya kinakabahan 'pag katapat si Haknyeon?! He wants to smack himself. Or give Haknyeon a smack on the lips, or a peck, or a french kiss. Whatever comes in handy.

"It's okay nga," Haknyeon replies, smiling. "Pero, pwedeng manghingi ng favor?"

"SURE," Sunwoo immediately replies, "Kahit ano."

"Pwedeng ikaw na magbigay kay Sir ng mga kinolekta ko kanina? Sige na, crush mo naman ako eh."

Sunwoo doesn’t give himself time to comprehend what Haknyeon said. At this point, he’s ready to do as the other boy pleases, and so, without realizing what the favor is and what Haknyeon have said after, he responds, "OKAY!!!!!"

Does that sound too excited? Sunwoo hopes not.

Haknyeon then hands out the pile of papers to Sunwoo and the latter tries to ignore the burning sensation in his hands as they come to contact with Haknyeon’s. Suddenly, his ribcage is a line his heart wants to cross.

"Thank you, Sunwoo!" Haknyeon’s voice is so cheerful that his smile can be heard from it.

Sunwoo thinks, “Tangina, I’ll do everything for that smile,” as he turns his back and walks away from Haknyeon, who sends him off with that cute smile and a wave. And the corners of Sunwoo’s lips perk up, too.

PERO WAIT.

The smile on his face vanishes and he bites his lower lip.

ANO DAW?

"Crush mo naman ako eh."

PUTANGINA.

ㅡ

"Haknyeon!!!!" Eric yells as the smaller boy approaches him.

"Ano ba, Eric," Haknyeon tells the other boy as he places his tray on the table and settles beside Eric. "Sabi ko sa'yo 'wag mo na asarin si Sunwoo, 'di ba?"

"Can't help it," Eric replies, "Ayaw pa kasing umamin."

They’re both taken aback when they see Sunwoo approaching them, slightly sweating. He still has the papers in his hands and he looks like he has been running.

Haknyeon tries to ask if he didn’t see their teacher, “Oh Sunwoo bak—“

“H-Hindi nga kasi kita c-crush,” pants Sunwoo. He feels his cheeks heat up and, knowing that he’s probably red all over, he argues (with himself) that it’s because of the run, and that he’s not blushing because of Haknyeon (who, by the way, is filling himself up again). Sunwoo knows that it’s a lie but maybe, if he convinces himself hard enough he might convince Haknyeon too. Although, the older already knows the effect he has on Sunwoo.

“Okay, Sunwoo.” Haknyeon nods. “Gets ko naman. Hindi mo ako gusto.” He almost laughs. “Hindi mo naman kailangang tumakbo mula second or third floor para lang ma-prove ang point mo.” Damn, Haknyeon has become unable to stop the playful smile from spreading on his face.

Sunwoo’s cheeks burn harder and if it’s even possible, they turn redder too. Ano nga ba naman kasing iniisip niya’t tumakbo pa talaga mula sa faculty room hanggang sa cafeteria para lang sabihin na hindi niya crush si Haknyeon?! Hindi niya pa naipasa ‘yung papers sa teacher nila. What a way to prove a point.

“A-Ah sige, uhm, pasa ko lang ‘to kay Sir. Happy eating!” Sunwoo immediately runs away after, thinking that he, yet again, ed up in front of Haknyeon. Happy eating? Really? Not even bon appetit or anything that makes sense. Happy eating.

"Kahit 'di siya umamin, I know naman na. Okay lang. Sobrang obvious niya kaya.” Haknyeon picks up where they left of as he takes a bite of his food. (A bite that’s quickly followed by another, and another, and another. Does Haknyeon even breathe in between?)

Eric says while chuckling, "That's true. Iba talaga siya pagdating sa'yo eh. Tingnan mo tumakbo pa pabalik para lang sabihin na,” Eric finger-quotes, “Hindi ka raw niya gusto.”

"Yeah," Haknyeon smilingly says as he finishes eating, "Cute nga eh. Kailan kaya siya aamin sa'kin."

"WOAH," Eric exclaims "Gusto mo din ba siya?????"

"Maybe," Haknyeon looks at him and says. "Alis na 'ko. Baka hinahanap na ko nila Changmin and Chanhee. Bye!"

"HALA GUSTO MO DIN YUNG SUNWOO NA YUN????? IEEXPOSE KITA AHHAHAHAHHAA." Eric yells while Haknyeon walks away. His laughter dies down, however, seeing that the older boy left his tray on the table, which means Eric has to return them.

"Sige ba. Para magconfess na siya sa'kin. Naiinip na 'ko.” Haknyeon’s voice comes from afar and Eric sees that he didn’t even bother to look back.

“HUY YUNG TRAY MO!!!!”

Haknyeon immediately running away may or may not have been coincidental.

ㅡ

Sunwoo groans, "Hyung."

"Ano," Juyeon answers.

Sunwoo knows he shouldn't ask the older about his love problems. What does the older even know? Juyeon can't even look at his own crush without breaking into cold sweats. But Sunwoo knows that Juyeon is the only one in his friend group that won't make fun of him.

"Halata ba ako? Na crush ko si-"

"Yes."

Sunwoo groans for the nth time that day. If even Juyeon, the most oblivious person in the class, knows, then he's ed.

"Alam pala niya na crush ko siya," Sunwoo mutters. "NAHIHIYA NA KONG MAGPAKITA SA KANYA."

"Ba't ngayon ka pa mahihiya? Lahat naman ata alam na crush mo siya eh," Juyeon tells him.

"LAHAT????" Sunwoo screeches in disbelief. "'Di niyo man lang ako sinasabihan."

Juyeon continues, "Pero mukhang gusto ka din ata nun. Kahit sobrang gulo mo sa classroom, 'di ka niya pinapagalitan. 'Di ka din niya iniiwasan kahit sobrang desperate mo."

Sunwoo's eyes widen. The older actually kind of makes sense to him. He ignores Juyeon's last statement and thanks him.

"THANK YOU HYUNG. SHET. BAKA NGA GUSTO DIN AKO NUN."

ㅡ

"Hoy Haknyeon ang landi mo na naman," Changmin says as the smiling boy approaches him and Chanhee.

"Ba't ba ayaw mo pang umamin d'yan sa crush mo?" Chanhee asks as Haknyeon sits down beside him.

Haknyeon shrugs, "Gusto ko siya maunang magconfess eh. Ba't kaya ayaw niya pa?"

Changmin rolls his eyes, "Hihintayin mo pa yon? Pinagpapawisan 'yon tuwing kinakausap ka. Sa tingin mo ba kaya niyang magconfess sa'yo?"

"Huy! 'Wag ka ngang ganyan. Ang cute kaya ng baby ko. Porke laging nagpapapansin sa'yo crush mo."

"HINDI KO CRUSH SI YOUNGHOON."

"Wala siyang sinabing name, Changmin," Chanhee states. "Napaghahalataan ka na ah."

Changmin feels attacked. Why are the two ganging up on him now? And where’s Kevin ngayong kailangan niya ng kakampi? Probably nakikipaglandian na naman kay Hyunjae. Ugh. Changmin thinks, tangina talaga ng tatlong ‘to.

"E-ewan ko sa inyo!"

ㅡ