As always, the science teacher was questioning what made her take this job, she never signed up for this madness and her pay certainly was NOT worth the constant headache she’s been having since these kids came to her in freshman year. Sure, it was just her second year with the trio, but she was about to murder someone already, being the first week of school had nothing to do with anything, stop mentioning it to her.

“Well, if you weren’t an idiot, you would see that you got it wrong by two grams and not the experiment is completely ruined!” Nayeon screamed at Jeongyeon.

“Jihyo was mumbling and I just winged it!” Jeongyeon defended.

“I was not mumbling, you twit-”

“Language.” Ms Lee warned the youngest of the trio.

“Sorry.” Jihyo apologises honestly before going back to the screaming match. “And you better start paying attention, how do you expect we win the competition next week if you can’t hear simple instructions?”

“Then talk properly!”

“You know what, I’m done with you two.” Nayeon declares and fishes out her phone, texting someone quickly and pocketing it again.

“Nayeon, no phones allowed, you know that.” Ms Lee tries to remind her student.

“Don’t worry, Sunmi. I’m just solving this problem.”

“Stop calling me like that, it’s ms Lee.”

Nayeon never had the time to answer, as the door opened revealing three boys looking like they were having the hardest time keeping their serious expressions. Nayeon had texted her group chat with Tzuyu, Mina and Seungwan asking them to come to the chemistry lab and get their mans. Whenever it was nearing a competition, both himself, Jeongyeon and Jihyo would get into very heated arguments and become unhealthy competition driven about anything.

They were just in one of their usual screaming with each other and ms Lee trying to get them to stop when Nayeon decided he had enough and his headache didn’t need to advance more than it already had. He had something beginning with Mina, while Jeongyeon and Tzuyu had been dating for long already, they met during summer vacation while volunteering at the animal shelter a little over a year before. And everybody says Jihyo and Seungwan were dating, despite both denying it, there was even a pool going on about when they would announce their relationship.

Regardless, the science trio never failed to be tamed by the boys that just showed up, and ms Lee kept a mental note to thank Nayeon later for saving the entire chemistry club from another possible acid war. Dark times they all collectively agreed to never mention again, that only showed how brilliant Nayeon, Jeongyeon and Jihyo were and how frightening their brains could be when they had the motivation for evil. Everyone breathed a little more freely and sent their silent prayers for their saviours who just arrived.

“Now, what are you three up to again?” Seungwan asked, barely containing his chuckle.

“I’m sorry.” Jihyo apologised instantly, and left everyone wondering how whipped he was and how long were the two still going to deny they are dating. “The experiment went wrong and I got annoyed and screamed. It wasn’t fine and I’m sorry I lost my patience.”

“It’s okay, Hyo. Now, I’m not the one you should ba apologising to.” Seungwan hugs his friend lovingly.

Jihyo turns to the other club members and apologises, before turning to ms Lee and giving the woman a deep bow.

“I’m sorry I called you a t-word.” Jihyo apologises to Jeongyeon. “And I’m sorry I screamed at you both.” He says to his good friends.

The entire class coos at how cute the entire thing was, ms Lee is always endeared by these two boys in particular, she may or may not be on the pool about the couple too. Then Tzuyu steps forward with honey dripping from his eyes at the very cute friends who are now hugging, with Jihyo slightly sobbing. But he knew Jeongyeon wouldn’t be that easy, the guy was stubborn as a mule, especially when he was clearly in the wrong, like right now.

“Jeong.”

“No.” Jeongyeon mumbles, shaking his head.

“Yoo Jeongyeon, you either do the right thing or we are going to have a talk in the blue room.”

“No.” There is a slight fear in Jeongyeon’s voice at the mention of said room.

“You have five seconds.” Tzuyu is relentless.

“No.”

“Three.”

“No.”

“One.”

“Fine!”

“Fine what?” Tzuyu raises one perfectly trimmed brow (seriously, those brows were flawless). It’s always intimidating.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t really paying attention and got the measurements wrong and tried to pretend I wasn’t the one responsible.” Jeongyeon gives in, still trying to not look too pathetic.

Jihyo just whimpers a little and nods, but remains in Seungwan’s hug. Nayeon nods triumphantly and nods enthusiastically. Mina wasn’t about to let him off so easily, though, everyone knows Nayeon was the hardest among the three, the one always too proud to admit when he was wrong, but nine out of ten times was also the one to start whatever fight broke between them. 

“Nayeonnie.” Mina speaks in his calm and velvety voice.

There is a staring contest with an obvious silent conversation happening, it goes on for a few minutes until Nayeon sighs in defeat and Mina smiles lightly. Mina always won these things, nobody knows why Nayeon still tries but that is a couple problem and none is really willing to come between both.

“I’m sorry I started screaming just because the solution went wrong and everything escalated like this.” Nayeon mumbles, and it’s really as good as it’ll get, so nobody complains.

Ms Lee dismisses the three noisy geniuses for the day, claiming she still needed to work with the rest of the club members in their experiment and their notes were already good enough. Both herself and the other students were thankful for the boys that came to rescue them and took the troublemakers away. Nayeon, Jeongyeon and Jihyo loved each other, they really did, it’s just that, whenever giants collided it was never a calm affair. Their close friends knew that, but teenage boys were never that worried about these things and the word out was that they just tolerated one another because of the landslide wins on science competitions.

Once they are out and got the books they needed, the boys hug goodbye and go on their way. Nayeon and Mina head to the Myouis’ house, they take turns going to each other places this week was Mina’s. Both have been studying together after school for a few months already, nobody really knows what goes on in all those afternoons together, but nobody is asking either. It’s good that they found each other, really, Mina has a way of calming Nayeon down and looking after him subtly that fit perfectly with how the older one was boisterous and had this ‘I’m older and have to protect the younger’ attitude to him. Nayeon was vain, obnoxious and was convinced he was the hero in every situation, but he cared for Mina, guided the younger through his insecurities and was very attuned to the younger’s needs.

Jeongyeon and Tzuyu head out to the Yoos, Jeongyeon’s sister had gotten a new puppy and Tzuyu was on a mission to make the dog like him more than anyone else in the family. They were and odd couple, they worked but even the two boys didn’t know how. Jeongyeon was loud, annoying and loud, he enjoyed when others got irritated with him and loved pulling pranks, but he also had this thing when he would never let those he cared about be sad, disheartened or keep any negative feelings about themselves, and that was what Tzuyu needed, with his tendency to overthink everything and worry about all the minor details all the time. The younger one, on the other hand, was a bit blunt and couldn’t lie to save his life, he was attentive to everything and everyone, and his stoic face was just him being too lazy to spend energy with unneeded facial expressions. But Tzuyu’s subtle and honest care for those he loved balanced out Jeongyeon’s occasional tactlessness.

Jihyo and Seungwan, in turn, headed out to the football field. Contrary to everyone but sixt people, including themselves, these boys were totally not dating, just really good friends that found emotional support in each other for their sensitive souls. As a matter of fact, Seungwan was dating Joohyun, who found it hilarious that nobody believed his boyfriend was not dating Jihyo. Both got really cute whenever they started venting their frustrations about whomever had popped the question that day, it was normal that someone willing to win the pool on when they’d announce their relationship got desperate and tried to force it out. Joohyun, against all odds, was one of the star players of the football team, the fastest runner the school had seen in years, and a very funny guy, despite his cold looks.

Dahyun, Joohyun’s younger brother, was the one with the hots for Jihyo and wasted no effort to swoon the little alchemist. They were very cute together, with the height of middle schoolers, Dahyun’s questionable fashion sense and the humor of a middle aged man and Jihyo’s neatness, complete obliviousness to most jokes but big heart, the two worked really well together. Truth was, the only ones believing Jihyo and Seungwan were not dating were themselves, the Bae brothers and mama and papa Bae, who, much like the rest of the family, found much amusement in the boys’ frustration about nobody believing them.

The team was still training when the duo got to the field, Seungwan was easily distracted by watching his boyfriend flex those skills out on the field, he loved cocky Joohyun for whatever reason. As expected, Dahyun was already there and waiting for them, the guy was the art club’s ace, having some of his work in a few important galleries already, the club mentor never bothered to tie him down and make him sit in for meeting just because, and ever since the pursuit for Jihyo began, he had been spending time with the boy whenever possible. Also, it was a normal occurrence for the big eyed guy to be asked out of the chemistry club for his “conversations” with Nayeon and Jeongyeon.

“Hey Dubs!” Jihyo greets, spotting the other just as Seungwan left him behind.

“Should I take a guess?” Dahyun teases.

“No need, it’s always the same. But what are you up to?” Jihyo motions to the sketch book in the other’s hands.

“Just killing time and waiting for you.” Those eyebrow wiggles were the corniest thing ever, but Dahyun pulled it off….. Jihyo thought so, leave him alone.

“Well, I’m here now.” Jihyo answers shyly. “Thanks.”

Dahyun laughs freely, and the boys fall into easy conversation, always had. Jihyo is a very shy guy, believe it or not, and Dahyun was just so enamoured he didn’t mind having to keep the conversation going every time. It was nice, both enjoyed each other’s presence a lot, were they dating? No. Were either opposed to it? Absolutely not. They were just taking things slow and enjoying the process, rather then getting into a relationship already and not savoring this dancing around each other. Also, Dahyun was having a lot of fun, just like his brother, watching the entire school betting about Jihyo and Seungwan. The Hyun brothers held the bet for “they are not and will not date”, with a few of their friends who decided to just trust them about it, and wanted the money to accumulate a little more. Dahyun knew that the moment Jihyo said yes, he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off.