Baekhyun pouted. Luhan huffed out air through his nose harshly with his arms akimbo. Kyungsoo and Minseok looked at each other. Luhan had just smacked Baekhyun on the back of Baekhyun's head with 'are you kidding me?!'

"I've told you. Why aren't you guys hear me? They're dangerous." Luhan frowned. "And don't think that I didn't know about you too, Kyungsoo, Minseok. You two go flirting with that spoiled brats too, right?" The two mentioned boys could just gulp guiltily with their eyes looked everywhere but Luhan. Once again, another heavy sigh could be heard from the rage Luhan. 

"But, Luhan... They regretted what they did and they had apologized."

Luhan squinted his eyes to Kyungsoo. "I know but they could never be trusted because...!" Luhan snapped but then he halted on his speech. He looked away and gritted his teeth. Now, the other three were watching him restless. 

"Why?" Minseok whispered, showing his concern at the troubled expression from Luhan. "Now that I realized, why did you so against us to befriend them? We've been friends for years but I never know what history do you have to be so against them... Especially to Oh Sehun." They witnessed Luhan to flinch slightly at the mention of Sehun. Luhan did not notice it but Minseok had his phone in his hand and dialed a phone number owned by the coffee lover he knew.

Kyungsoo patted lightly on his shoulder making Luhan to look up. Baekhyun could just stared at their pure friendship just because he had no friends before. He did, but friends who need help in study. Not a true concern and loyal friends like those three. "Can't you share with us? So that we could understand you?" Kyungsoo said soothingly. 

Luhan blinked his eyes before they went red and wet. He took a deep breath. "I've never told this but I was actually as rich as they are." This making the other three listener to widen their eyes. "But it was eight? Nine? Years ago... We were friends.... Best friends." Luhan stopped to take a good look at his friends. "We could never be separated. Everyone called us, Flower Boys." Luhan smiled a bit even though he did not want to. "It was great. We always hanging out together. He would invited me to his house and play some games or just story time. Just the both of us. While I will invite him to study together and watch some movies. It was all great until that fateful day..." 

"What happened?" Minseok asked as they watched Luhan frowned in his own trance. Luhan looked up to show a tear made its way down the cheek. 

"You know, my parents divorced and my father leave my mother and me." Minseok and Kyungsoo nodded. "He left to his mistress and took all of his wealth with him. Not leaving anything behind for us to survive. Not a cent." He sniffed before continued. "We had a hard time. I told my mom to let me quit school and help her earn some money but she refused. She said to me, be successful and show her ex-husband that we can do it. That we're fine without him. And I, stupid highschool boy just dumbly agree with her and thought that everything will be okay. It's alright because I have her. I have her and my best friend but the one that I hoped for comfort had his back turned to me.

"I searched for him at school the moment our condition stabilized, so that I could have some comfort words and go through the hard days. As soon as we met, he turned away and ignored me." Luhan chuckled humorlessly while looking down to his hands. "Who knows, the one I've put on trust had betrayed me." 

Luhan did not realized that a group of four had their way to the nerds table in silence. Face showing guilt. Even if Baekhyun, Minseok and Kyungsoo knows, they did not say anything. 

"It was as if our friendship meant nothing to him." Luhan resumed. "Apparently, the news that I've gone from rich to poor had spread around the school and the students started isolating me, including him. Oh Sehun. By then, I understand that rich people are worst at heart. They could put a mask, showing that they're good and kind but all of them were fake. The one that I remembered to put my whole trust had betrayed me and I don't want all of you to feel the same. The bet had been a proof for that. They just played with our heart and laugh at our desperation at the end." He looked up determinedly. "That's why, don't trust them." To has his determination crumbled down upon having eye contacts with the one he talked about. 

Oh Sehun had his sad eyes, showing how guilty he was. More tears rolled down Luhan's cheeks. "I'm sorry." Sehun whispered sadly before storming away from them. Luhan looked around to meet with Chanyeol, Jongin and Jongdae looking at him with sympathy. 

"You know..." Jongdae broke the silence. "He had always said that he had done something regretful in his life. When we asked, what was it, he answered that he lost his precious friend due to his stupidity. He told us that his dumbness could not be forgiven." Luhan had his eyes locked with Jongdae. "We never know, who. Now, we do know, then we understand why did he made the bet. He just wanted to be acknowledged by you. He wanted to show his face to you without being extremely guilty. Afterwards, he could be around you and profusely apologize for forgiveness." 

Luhan looked away yet again. "That's bull." He reached for his bag and get up from his seat. Jongin, who was eventually sat closer to him gripped his wrist loosely but Luhan stopped anyway. 

"He cried. He cried for you when he knows that you hated people like him. He understands why but he could not blame anyone but himself. He had been showered with guilt since then." In a blink, Luhan too gone from the cafeteria.

The table fell into silence. Even there were six people sat there, no one talked about anything. Until Chanyeol speak up. "We knew we're unforgivable." Baekhyun looked up to see Chanyeol was looking at him intensely. "We could just hope that your hearts could sense our sincerity." 

A few seconds later, the bell rang indicating for class to start any minute.

변백현 ♡ 박찬열

"I've not forgiving Chanyeol just yet. At least, not fully." Baekhyun said carefully. 

Luhan who had staring at nothing looked up to Baekhyun. Kyungsoo and Minseok too looked up from their assignments. They had promised to do their assignments together at Baekhyun's after classes. 

"It's just that, something happened a whole lot more than what you guys know." Baekhyun bit his lower lip. 

"What is it about?" Kyungsoo interrupted, frowning as to try figuring out what was Baekhyun talking about. 

"Truthfully, my parents had arranged a marriage for me last couple of months." 

"What?" Minseok asked incredulously. 

"Actually, it was the day before the bet been exposed. I was shocked when my parents said that my future husband was Chanyeol as they showed his picture. However, the picture showed the rich Chanyeol and not the nerd Chanyeol." 

Kyungsoo arched an eyebrow. "So, you've known him being rich before the exposure?" 

"Yeah. But I was willing to forgive him for lying but I never know about the bet." 

"Did he knows that he was arranged in marriage with you then?" Minseok perked up.

"Eventually, yes. He knew that he will get married but he didn't know it was me. He didn't take a look at my picture. So, he thought that he don't want to make me heartbroken, he decided to let me go and married the choice of his mother." Baekhyun pressed his lips and continued. "Remember the day I had my hair dyed?" The three of them nodded slowly. Remembering clearly the day Baekhyun wore suits like a great businessman he was. "It was the day we had family meetings with the Parks. He didn't know that I'm rich because he never asked. He was so shocked that he knew it was me all along. But then again, I had refused the marriage with him."

The other three blinked. "So, you guys haven't married yet?" Minseok tilted his head. 

Baekhyun showed his left hand up to show his ring-less fingers. "Nope." He put his hand down. "He once again, shocked at the news. What I couldn't forget was, he cried, at the dinner table in front of his mother and my parents." 

"He cried?" Kyungsoo frowned but then realization hits him hard. He had his eyes wide open. "Is that why he got into a street fight and hospitalized?" 

Baekhyun took a deep breath. "Apparently, yes." He nodded lightly. 

Luhan looked down as he had nothing to say. It was confusing. "And... Why was he sticking to us like a glue?" Minseok asked.

"Well, he promised me for three months. Three months to prove me that he really... Love me? He will disappear after that... I don't know. But... Since he knew that I am the Byun's son, I don't care about my appearance to him. It seems like his friends still didn't know about our condition." 

"Then, you guys going out on dates?" Kyungsoo voiced out.

"He asked me to go out together since he needs to use the three months wisely. But dare to say, he did changed. Changed for the better." 

Luhan who was being silent had looked up. "I... I don't think-..." 

"Lu, why don't you have a talk with Sehun?" Luhan turned to look at Minseok. He frowned at the words. 

"Why should I?" 

"Yes. I think so too. From the story you told us, I think it was kind of hanged and every stories should have closure. It's either you forgive him or stand on your ground to forget him and move on." Baekhyun said thoughtfully. 

Luhan closed his eyes before opened them again and looked at Baekhyun. "How about you? What about your story?" 

"My story is still ongoing. My three months limited are the continuation. As for the closure, I'll make up my mind and decide my own story ending. All I could do is just hope for the best decision for myself and not regretting even a bit later on." Baekhyun smiled warmly making Luhan to smile for the first time that day. 

"Thanks, guys. You're so helpful." 

변백현 ♡ 박찬열

For the next few days, Chanyeol hasn't call Baekhyun or anything. The four nerds also had their oddly calm lunch since Chanyeol, Jongin, Jongdae and Sehun not hanging out with them. However, Minseok and Kyungsoo noticed the occasional pouts showed by Baekhyun and Luhan. They knew the cause but never knew how to solve the problems since they too never bumped into the rich guys anywhere.

It was like, the popular guys were having a good time avoiding them. 

Baekhyun had been rolling on his bed for the past hour. The clock showed 10 at night and still did not feel asleep. Instead, he felt restless. Chanyeol had promised him three months, has not he? Times passed and Baekhyun felt desperate and sad. Even though it should be Chanyeol to be that nervous, he just knows that he cannot deny his own feelings towards Chanyeol. Every second on the clock ticked by and he cannot keep still. Frown started to appear on his face. 

Unconsciously, he reached for his phone and dialed a set of numbers owned by someone tall that he knows.

The beeping sounds almost irritating him as he waited his call to be answered.

"Hello? Chanyeol speaking." At last, the other end of line been picked up but it seems like the other did not look at the dialed number. 

"The times are passing. Three months will end in a blink of eyes. Why aren't you calling? You enjoyed making me wait, don't you?" 

"B-Baekhyun?!" 

"Who else? Tch..." 

"I-I... I thought that you've given up with me... Luhan... He had warned you... Right?" 

Baekhyun frowned. "Yes but he had no reason to stop me. Until I say it on your face that I have given up, no one controlled me till then. I will make my own decision for my own life."

"O-oh... Then... C-can I take y-you out this Sunday?" The voice sounded nervous and Baekhyun chuckled lightly.

"I've been waiting for you to ask." 

Baekhyun could hear a squeaking noises at the end of the line to know that the other had squealed and dancing victory on the bed. Soon, breathless voice came to the phone again. "Huh... I'm sorry for pausing. I'll... Pick you up at 2?" 

"Sure."