Baekhyun had no will to go to school at all, but he had grades to maintain and he would much rather not want his mother to pester him about why he is losing the shine he had when it comes to his academics, so he prepares himself for school even if he did not want to. Baekhyun eats a breakfast of toast and orange juice then heads out quickly, actually making it in time for the bus. He cancels out the noise around him with earphones that he had not been using in a long time, playing Loey's songs to a volume that someone close to him might be able to hear.

But today, he had no care about public image. For today, Baekhyun just wanted to do what he wants.

The bus finally stops. Baekhyun stands up, irritated by the chaotic rowdy behavior happening around him. His petite frame is constantly nudged and squeezed by the students around him as they made their way out of the bus. A scowl crosses his pretty face when he feels someone feeling him up - probably some crazy girl from his fanclub - but decides to just ignore it and prays that the kids in front hurries up.

Baekhyun lets out a sigh of relief when he finally escapes the confines of the bus, following the other kids into the school building, reminded of why he hates taking the bus. Looks like he wouldn't ever be taking it in a long time after this.

As usual, Baekhyun feels eyes train on him along with lips moving to probably talk about him once again when he walks down the hallway. He shrugs it off like he always does and moves forward with hands digging deep into his pockets.

Baekhyun walks up to his locker to get his things. With robotic movements, he shoves his notes and books needed for that morning into his bag. He absolutely did not want to attend any of his classes, but he needs to do this.

Baekhyun is taken aback when he sees his [favorite] senior leaning against the next locker over when he slams the door shut. His pink hair looks brighter today in its usual drop down style, and he was sipping on a carton of chocolate milk.

"Hey, Chanyeol-hyung," Baekhyun greets monotonously with a slight wave of his hand as he throws his bag over one shoulder and takes one earphone off. He watches as the senior removes his plump lips from the straw with a light smack in a surprisingly tantalizing way before grinning at the younger in front of him.

"Mornin'," Chanyeol greets back. "Want some?"

Baekhyun eyes the milk carton extended towards him for a few moments before he takes it and sips on it. He could hear the hall buzzing at the strange interaction, but his concept for today is being careless so he tries all he could not to let these people get to him.

"Want me to walk you to class?"

Baekhyun nods, going along with the older's flow. He is well-aware it is certainly not a good idea to act chummy with Chanyeol who obviously thinks he has gotten closer to the school's prince after everything that he has done for him, but Baekhyun doesn't see anything wrong with that. Chanyeol has been making him happy, happier than he could ever be. He should definitely not give a .

"I texted you last night."

Baekhyun perks an eyebrow. "About what? I don't check my phone."

"You should start paying attention, then," Chanyeol haughtily says.

"Whatever, hyung. Just tell me what it is."

The senior only smiles as he stops in his tracks. He reaches out to pat Baekhyun’s head which the younger immediately slaps away like he always does. Chanyeol only chuckles at the hostility and slips his hand back into his pocket.

“Just check it out and make sure to reply,” Chanyeol winks as he then grabs Baekhyun’s shoulders, turning him around only for him to realize that he was already at his classroom.

“See you around, Hyunee.”

Baekhyun gasps when the senior pushes him past the door. He nearly topples off his feet if he had not held on a chair right in front of him. He balances himself back on his feet then whips around with a scowl across his face and an intent to wreak havoc on the stupid upperclassman but was left hanging when Chanyeol only grins mischievously and disappears.

“ing idiot,” Baekhyun mutters under his breath with a pout before sipping once more on the chocolate milk carton that he had left him with.

It was the third period into the morning when Baekhyun’s class meets a new face.

In the middle of a boring lecture during History, a knock came on the door before it opens to reveal the new student. Baekhyun’s drowsiness immediately leaves him, joining his classmates’ curiosity as they watch him saunter into the room with an apathetic face towards the teacher who is looking at him with an expression that either meant how-dare-you-disturb-the-class or who-the-hell-are-you.

The student silently gives the teacher a slip, which she reads for a few moments before she nods and faces the class.

“Well, seems like we have a new addition to your section,” she starts, which causes a buzz among the students. “Would you like to introduce yourself?”

The student nods and turns to the class.

“Hello, I’m- oh,” he abruptly stops when he sees the confusion across everyone’s face, only realizing that he had been speaking in a language they did not understand. Red touches his cheeks and he clears his throat.

“Sorry, I keep forgetting I am in a new country already,” the transferee smiles, immediately charming the girls and even Baekhyun with the dimples that appeared on his cheeks. They were so deep they seem to be hiding secrets.

“Anyway, I am Zhang Yixing from Changsha, China. You can call me Lay, that’s my nickname. I’ll be with you for the duration of the year and maybe until next year if I don’t up.”

Baekhyun chuckles along with his classmates, admiring the transferee’s guts at swearing right in front of the class with the teacher looming behind him, who didn’t seem to know what to do with him.

“Alright then,” she speaks as she places a hand on Yixing’s shoulder. “It’s nice for you to join the class, Mr. Zhang though I do not appreciate you saying something vulgar right in front of me. Now if you could please sit with Mr. Byun right there,” she points at the seat right next to Baekhyun which was supposed to be for Jongdae who is still MIA until now.

Yixing nods and walks over to the seat directed to him. He gives Baekhyun a smile, who immediately smiles back at him as he sit down.

“Hey,” the transferee greets in a hushed voice. “I’m Zhang Yixing.”

“I know, you just introduced yourself literally a minute ago,” Baekhyun chuckles. “I’m Byun Baekhyun, welcome to South Korea.”

“Thanks, I can’t say it was a pretty good experience, though.”

Baekhyun perks an eyebrow up. “Oh? Why?”

“Early on in the morning couple of kids insulted me for talking to them like they were the or something,” Yixing says with clear upset. “I mean, I’m new and that’s not exactly how I want to be greeted here. Do I sound entitled?”

“I know those people. You should just probably ignore them.”

“I hope that’s as easy as you say. I hate dealing with school. I’ll probably get Fs again this year. I don’t even know why I’m trying. Do you feel me at some level, Byun Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun grins. “I think we’ll get along pretty well.”

And just like that, Baekhyun takes the new student under his wing. Yixing is quite an amusing one, very vocal with his opinions yet naive and innocent at the same time. He is quite the charmer too, Baekhyun can notice his initial fans swerving for Yixing instead.

It’s nice to finally have someone to talk to. Chanyeol isn’t always there for him, after all.

“Yixing, would you like to eat lunch with me?” Baekhyun asks the new student when the bell for lunch break ends the class for the morning.

“Well I don’t think I have any reason not to decline nor do I have any choice to begin with,” the Chinese student shrugs as he slides his bag over his shoulder.

With light chatter, the two make their way to the cafeteria. Yixing shoots Baekhyun a look when some underclassmen immediately vacated a table that he was looking at. The school prince only gives him a smile as he gestures him over to the table. He didn’t have to know just yet.

“What do you want to order?” Baekhyun says as he takes his wallet out and checks the inside, letting out a sigh of relief when it had some crisp bills inside. “I’ll buy for us.”

“No no, you sit here,” Yixing says as he stands up. “Give me your money, I’ll buy for us.”

Baekhyun doesn’t insist anymore and instructs him what to buy.

"I'll be quick," Yxing says with a mini-salute before he rushes over to join the cafeteria line.

Baekhyun fishes his phone out of his pocket to occupy himself while waiting for his lunch buddy. Remembering what Chanyeol had told him about, he opens his message and immediately feels his cheeks heat up at the picture his cheeky senior had sent him. It is of him with his pink hair brushed up while wearing a black shirt, holding up a peace sign as he smiles closely at the camera with his little dimple that could rival Yixing's when it comes to cuteness appearing on his left cheek.

"What the hell," Baekhyun says and typing the same words to send to the senior. Only a few seconds right after he sends the text he receives a message.

"How eager," Baekhyun chuckles as he reads the text.

Where are you? Come here.

The younger scowls.

You can't order me around like that. I'm not your dog, idiot senior citizen.

You're so petty. But for real, where are you?

Baekhyun presses on the camera feature and takes a picture of his blank and unamused face in the midst of all the people then sends it. A reply comes quickly.

Kyaaah my Hyunee is cute <3

Baekhyun groans, burying his face into the palms of his hand in embarassment before quickly replying.

shuT UP YOURE ANNOYING

"Aww, if that ain't cute."

A gasp escapes Baekhyun's lips when his phone is taken out of his hand. He turns around and scowls immediately when he sees that it's Jiyong along with a couple of others. The school prince flushes when Jiyong scrolls through his messages and the other peek over his shoulders to do so as well.

"Give me back my phone, you s!" Baekhyun shouts as he stands up to grab his phone, but Jiyong steps out of the way and pushes Baekhyun over roughly and he falls to the ground. The exchange causes the attention of everyone in a mile radius, surprised that their school prince is being picked on by the scums at the top of the hierarchy.

"How chummy," Jiyong muses.

"They're actually kind of cute," Hansol comments.

" hearts ," Ara laughs. "What a concept."

"W-We're just friends," Baekhyun weakly says, too humiliated to get on his feet.

"You're not fooling anyone, Byun Baekhyun," Hansol chuckles darkly.

"Baekhyun!"

The brunette feels hands help him back up his feet. It was Yixing who looks terribly confused that it makes Baekhyun feel so sorry.

"What's going on?" the Chinese transferee angrily says as he glares at the group who have taken an interest in him. The new student's eyes widen when he recognizes the clump of faces.

"Baekhyun, they're the one who ruined my day!"

"They ruined mine too," Baekhyun utters.

"Oh, who is this?" Ara says, eyeing Yixing in a way that gives Baekhyun the urge to stand in front of him.

"A friend, from China," he vaguely says.

"The idiot who had the guts to talk to us," Jiyong smirks. "So you're friends with him now?"

"What's wrong with that?" Baekhyun snaps.

Ara sighs as she glances at her perfectly manicured nails. "Baekhyun dear, please pull yourself back together and come back to us again. It's getting ridiculous. You're getting ridiculous, wasting time hanging out with pathetic lowlives like Park Chanyeol and this Chinese person or whatever."

Baekhyun groans. "I don't need you to dictate what I do. Please, leave me alone. Go away."

The group gives him a judging look and make their way to their table. Baekhyun sighs, fingers flying to rub his temples to soothen the stress he is feeling.

"Baekhyun," he notices Jiyong has stayed back.

"What?" he retorts in distaste.

"Seriously, just stop this," he says as he grabs Baekhyun's hand, puts his phone in it then turns around and follows the others as well, glancing one more time at him before heading out.

"Argh!" Baekhyun says in irritation as he plops down on the cafeteria table, wringing his hair into his hands and pulling at them. Really, who are they to come pick on him? They had no right to mess with what he does with his own life.

"Baek?" He feels Yixing place a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay? Who are they?"

"Just… Just people I have the misfortune of calling them my friends," Baekhyun bitterly says.

Yixing gives him a weirded out look. "You call those friends? Seriously, Baekhyun?"

"I don't even know anymore," Baekhyun sighs. "Why don't we just eat? I'm tired dealing with this."