F I R S T  D A Y  O F  F O U N D A T I O N  W E E K

“Let’s just enjoy this, guys. Okay? Fighting!”

Kyungsoo joins the group chant, putting his palm down together with them while they stand in a circle. “Yaaaah!” They screamed just to boost their energy up. But somehow, it wouldn’t work on Kyungsoo. He stood there motionless while looking so weak. “Yah, pull yourself together. It’s just a girl.” One of his band member taps his cheeks multiple times making him look up to him. “I-I’m okay.” He answers before looking away. “Just drink some water and relax, we’re not going to perform anytime soon.” The guy adds before pushing him to the direction of the water dispenser. Kyungsoo walks towards it lazily as if he had lost all of his energy.

He grabs a plastic cup and poured himself some water.

“Attention, everyone.” An authoritative voice speaks up from behind. His grip on the cup tightens as he recognizes the voice immediately. He turns his head, glaring straight down the direction of the guy. All the bands crowds in front of him. “Okay so—” Baekhyun pauses when he saw Kyungsoo at the corner. “Attention?” He repeats firmly and sarcastically. Kyungsoo harshly throws his cup down the trash bin before going to his bandmates, the whole time their eyes were intensely glaring down at each other. “Okay, all of you are here?” Baekhyun asks while clapping his hands as if waking them all up. He looks down to his clipboard. “Everyone’s complete in their respective bands?” He asked and everyone nodded while looking at each other.

“Alright, aside from us, judges, special school accreditors will be joining the audience for today and they have the lists of the school so if you do crap, your school is crap, as simple as that. Do your best.” He speaks out straightforwardly. “I know this is a contest and of course it’s up to every band if they want to but I’m just giving you a head’s up. Your representing your school, this is not just a mere contest with a prize. This is your school’s pride. At the same time, I don’t want this program that I worked so hard for to so cooperate.” He adds while putting his hands behind him. Kyungsoo scornfully mimics his way of speaking silently at the corner.

But having a very sharp-vision, Baekhyun saw it.

“Excuse me? Is there any problem with what I’m saying, Kyungsoo ssi?” He asks while raising an eyebrow. “I’d rather not say, I don’t want to make you cry in front of all these people, Mr. President.” Kyungsoo honestly answers getting tapped by his band members. “You want to play like that? Okay, sure. Bite me.” Baekhyun grunts back before walking away, the other officers who were behind him pursed their lips in silence before following. “Yah, you’re getting us in real trouble. Don’t forget the amount of the prize, it might not be that much when we divide it but it’s still money, dude.” One member scolds him. “Yah, get over your sudden feud during the auditions.” Another member suggests while patting his back.

Kyungsoo looks away while sighing. “It’s more than that.” He briefly answers before walking to the vanity tables provided on the backstage where he placed his bag. He took his phone out to check if he has any text message – text messages from Jiwon in particular. She hasn’t contacted him since Friday. He shoves his phone back into the bag before flopping down the chair. Placing his elbows on the edge of the table, he puts his hand across his hair. “Idiot. . . now she’s gone.” He mumbles to himself. He’s starting to regret ever confessing. He would rather stay friends forever than lose her completely.

Time went by so fast for Kyungsoo, the whole time, he could only think about her. His band members were doing their last-minute practice but he could only sit there while watching, he was too weak to even move. “Yah, Kyungsoo. Are you sure you’re going to be fine? You have the most parts here, you can’t back out the last minute.” One of s hisses while tapping him. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Just give me space.” He answers before taking his phone out again. “Oh , they’re done.” Another member called their attention after peeking from the curtains of the backstage.

As much as he could, Kyungsoo finally stood up to do the last good luck chant with his band members. Somehow, it made him smile a little as they shared a quick group hug before walking towards the stairs leading to the stage. “Alright, next up.” Baekhyun who’s sitting at the very front with the other judges speaks from the microphone. “Hopefully the saying ‘Save the best for last’ would apply to this one.” He speaks enthusiastically but still with a tinge of sarcasm. “The last band from the Seniors of Cheongdam High. Let’s give it up for The Harmony.” He lazily calls out while leaning on his chair as if he’s ready to drift off to sleep.

Kyungsoo and his band members walk up the stage and everyone cheered loudly seeing the band’s denim outfit concept. Kyungsoo settles at the center and adjusts his mic stand. He clears his throat before leaning down the mic to say something first, the usual thing that their band does. “Hello, everyone We’re The Harmo—” he pauses when a very big banner caught his attention.

It says,

‘DO KYUNGSOO, YOU’RE THE BESTEST BEST FRIEND! WIN THIS AND TREAT ME TO DINNER!’

Once he sees the person holding it up, he had to cover his mouth while looking away. s eye him meaningfully which made him turn back down the mic. “Uh. . .” He lets out a shaky chuckle. Looking towards the crowd again, he finally met eyes with her, Kim Jiwon. “We’re The Harmony from Cheongdam High.” He finally introduces in a firm and lively tone. “Before anything else, I just want to say something. . . to someone, who’s in the audience right now.” He continues and he could see Jiwon’s growing smile. “Jiwon-ah.” He shamelessly calls making Baekhyun sit up straight on his chair while turning behind him with a bewildered face. “Thank you for staying by my side after all that. . . and I just want to say, I won’t take it back.” He confesses with his eyes glued down to hers. “I might not have yours. . . but knowing that you have mine is more than enough. I don’t want to take it back, it’s all yours.” He adds making s chuckle. “What does she have, Kyungsoo-yah?” One of s helped out teasingly.

Everyone screamed when Kyungsoo smiled shyly while looking away.

He clears his throat before turning to his mic again.

“My heart.”

With that simple answer, he was able to make every girl squeal so loudly that it was as loud as the instruments when they started playing. Baekhyun sulks down his chair while glaring at the guy who’s now starting to sing. He sneakily glances at the back again. “Tch.” He scoffs seeing how Jiwon cheered so loudly while putting up the banner. “Idiot, Bestest is not even a word.” He murmurs forgetting that he had the mic right on his mouth. His other officers quickly gave him a look which made him hide his mic while blinking. “Who’s that?” he shamelessly asks while looking around. They went on to watching the performance making him sulk even more.

Not being able to help himself again, he adjusted himself on his chair much lower before sneaking yet another glance at the back.

This time, Jiwon caught him looking. Her smile grew wider while wiggling her brows. “Aish. . . stop looking.” He mouths firmly while putting his fists up threateningly. Jiwon stuck her tongue out before showing kissy faces which made Baekhyun look straight again while putting a hand over his eyes. He’s been doing well on forgetting that ‘accidental kiss’ that happened recently but seeing her do that expression just reminded him of everything, every little detail.

How it made his chest pound so hard.

How soft her lips were against his.

And last but not the least, how the rice cake he was chewing at that moment almost choked him while he was running away from her. At that time, he freaked out so much. He did not think it through and just ran while trying to gulp down the sticky rice cake.

He still regrets it ‘til now.

He taps his cheek to wake himself up from the trance and looks over to the stage again. All he could say about those things Kyungsoo had said is that it was scripted for audience impact. He didn’t believe a tad bit of it. When their song ended, everyone stood up while clapping their hands and screaming, it was the first standing ovation in the whole competition – mainly because of how their band did a medley combining songs using the instruments and also through acapella and Kyungsoo saying those words was another thing.

“Ugh, now they might even win because of this bastard’s non-existent heart.” Baekhyun mocks making some officers shake their heads at him while chuckling. One of the officers who is the MC went back to the stage and began speaking, explaining how to criteria, voting and everything else works. Baekhyun stood up from his chair and went to the sound system area to call an officer. He paused when he saw Jiwon walking towards the backstage. “Woah woah, hold up, missy.” He calls while putting a hand up. Jiwon stops while blinking. “Yah, I’m not stalking you today, okay? I’m here for my friend.” She says while chuckling.

“Oh wow, after harassing my lips, you’ll act so rudely? Wow, women.”

“What’s so rude about NOT stalking you today?”

Baekhyun opens his mouth to answer back but nothing came out. “Yah!” He somehow manages to hiss at her instead. “I’m a Kangwon High School visitor so you should be treating me well~” Jiwon chants while chewing her I.D. pass that every outsider gets exclusively for this event. Baekhyun folds his arms and was finally about to say something when a voice from behind interrupted him.

“Jiwon-ah!”

“Ugh, of course tiny mushrooms appear at this time of the day.” Baekhyun grunts while rolling his eyes. Kyungsoo ran to Jiwon and without any hesitation pulled her in for a tight hug. Baekhyun just stood there motionless, his mouth moving as if he wanted to say something but he couldn’t. “Yah, you missed me that much?” Jiwon asks while hugging back. “Y-yah, this is a wholesome