The following Monday, all of Stray Kids except Jiyun walked Sohun to school before making their way to school together. As they arrived on campus, just about to enter the large gates, 6 motorbikes zoomed past them, sending dust into the air as they weaved in and out of students, sending skirts flying into the air and scaring some of the students to move out of the way. NCT Dream made their way to their parking spots that were made specifically for them, no one, not even the teachers dared to park in their spots. As Stray Kids made their way up the stairs together Jaemin continued to carefully observe Somin.

“How are you going to do it?” Chenle asked the blue haired male when he noticed where his gaze was.

“Just ask her of course,” Jaemin shrugged.

“Ask who, what?” Haechan asked.

Chenle looked over at Jaemin then back at Haechan, “He thinks he found our vocalist.”

“Really? Who?” Haechan asked.

“Kwon Somin,” Jaemin said her name. Jeno and Renjun looked up at him.

“Are you being serious?” Jeno asked. Jaemin looked at Jeno’s brown orbs and nodded.

“Whatever,” Renjun muttered, getting off his motorbike and slinging his backpack over his shoulder, walking to the stairs leaving the rest of the boys there. “Move,” he bumped shoulders with another student on the way that quickly backed away in fear.

Somin, Chan and Minho had made it to their class first taking their seats at their desk.

Not long after Jeno and Haechan entered the classroom. Haechan went directly to his seat.

Jeno held his backpack with one hand and made his way to Somin’s desk, lightly he kicked it to gain her attention. At the shift of her desk she glared at the male, silently asking him what he wanted. The classroom fell silent and Chan and Minho sat up straighter in their seats, ready to rush over to Jeno if he pulled anything on Somin.

“Join my band,” Jeno ordered. The Seoul Central students were shocked, they didn’t know that NCT Dream was looking for a vocalist, or even recruiting for the matter. Currently, it was Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin and Renjun that were the vocalists for their band.

“What?” Somin’s eyes furrowed together before she scoffed, “No.”

Jeno stared straight into her eyes, “I didn’t ask, it was an order.”

“She said no,” Chan stood up from his desk, “She’s already in one,” his voice was cold.

Jeno turned to Chan, “She can leave for a better one.”

“I don’t want to,” Somin looked back down at her phone focusing on her game.

“Morning everyone,” the teacher came in not realizing what was taking place. “For today’s lesson,” he began as he looked down at his book, flipping through the pages.

“Think about it then,” Jeno said before walking over to his desk.

“You have to admit, he has some guts,” Somin said as she ate her lunch. Stray Kids was seated outside with their lunches again.

“He’s pretty stupid if anything,” Chan commented.

“What happened?” Seungmin asked looking up from his phone.

“Some idiot asked Somin to join his band,” Minho answered him.

“What? What did you say?” Jiyun turned over to the girl, she decided that she would eat lunch with Stray Kids for the day.

“I said no of course,” Somin scoffed.

“As you should,” Felix ruffled her hair.

“Oh,” Jiyun looked back down at her lunch in disappointment.

“It’s quite interesting actually. What’s her name said their band is good but I have yet to hear them,” Somin shrugged.

“You won’t need to, you have us the best band there is, with the best leader, best producer and best songwriter and don’t forget best vocalist,” Han winked at Somin, “I’d say we’re the best the school has.”

“Then let’s battle,” Jaemin stood behind Stray Kids, a juice box in hand, having heard their conversation.

“Who are you?” Chan asked.

“Na Jaemin,” Jaemin introduced himself to the group, “You guys say you’re the best band in school.”

“Because we are,” Han interrupted Jaemin from speaking.

Jaemin held a hand out to stop Han from speaking, “Then let’s prove it, let’s have a battle of the bands and let the school decide.”

“What’s in it for us if we win?” it was Chan who asked.

Jaemin pursed his lips in thought, “How about a cash prize of 500,000?”

At the mention of the cash prize all of Stay Kids looked up. The band did make enough money performing at different gigs to pay for their rent and for a practice room to use, but they had been considering getting new producing equipment for Changbin so that they would have a wider range to work with, with expenses that they had to pay they haven’t been able to save enough. If Stray Kids were able to win the 500,000 it would be more than enough to get Changbin new equipment and possibly new strings, drumsticks and a guitar for Somin. The guys had thought about teaching Somin how to play, but the chance to get her a guitar had never came up considering the expenses.

Jaemin’s lips curled up into a devious smirk when he noticed how he gained all of Stray Kids’ attention, “It’s a deal then? You’ll have until the school festival to prepare,” he turned his back and held up a hand as goodbye.

“Did we just agree?” Jeongin looked around at s.

Chan who was in the middle of eating when Jaemin was talking nodded.

“Then we’ll just win,” Somin gave Jeongin an assuring smile.

The next day on the school bulletin board a student posted a flyer of the two bands to be battled at the school festival to be held in a few months in the following semester. Students crowded around the bulletin board whispering and gossiping to each other over what was to happen and who they thought would win.

“NCT Dream obviously, they’ve been the school’s best band for so long.”

“They’ve been the school’s only band too.”

“Stray Kids will obviously win, they have a lead vocalist.”

“They’re still just amateurs.”

“Will they have enough time to practice?”

“It’s months away they should have more than enough time.”

Hyunjin slammed his palm onto the bulletin board and turned to the students standing behind him, “Don’t you have anything better to do than talk about my band?” Out of fear and panic the students quickly scattered.

“Nice way of scaring them away,” Somin patted his back.

Hyunjin took his hand down from the bulletin board and straightened his uniform that was untucked and ed, “Whatever,” he shrugged.

“What set are we playing?” Seungmin looked over to Chan who usually decided what Stray Kids would be performing for gigs.

Chan shrugged, “Hard to say, what do you all want to perform?”

“Let’s perform something new,” Somin suggested.

Chan looked at her in thought before nodding, “We still have time to decide.”

“What is this?” Renjun slammed down the band battle flyer onto the pool table of NCT Dream’s hangout room in the school. The loud thud caused Jaemin to jump away from the pool table he was playing on. Jisung looked up from his game and Chenle stopped playing his guitar to see why Renjun was fuming.

“Ah that,” Jaemin peeked at the flyer on the pool table, “Did I forget to tell you guys?” he tried to chuckle, but Renjun’s glare kept him from laughing. “Just thought we’d spice up the school festival this year.”

“What is it?” Chenle put his guitar down onto the sofa he was sitting on and made his way to the pool table, Jisung following right behind him. Together the two looked at the vibrant flyer.

“I didn’t sign up for this,” Renjun growled.

“Renjun we perform every year, I don’t see how this year would be any different,” Jaemin took the cue chalk and cued his pool stick, blowing on the end after he did.

“We don’t have a vocalist and I’m done singing that’s what,” Renjun was gripping onto the pool table, his knuckles beginning to turn white.

Jaemin smirked, “That’s exactly why we’re going to get one.”

“Who?” Jisung looked at the older male in confusion.

“Kwon Somin,” Jaemin announced. Jisung looked at the male confusingly, not having met or seen the girl once as instead of going to the assembly the previous week Jisung chose to take a nap in their hang out room. 

“She said no,” Jeno waved at the four males in the room as he entered with Haechan trailing behind him. The two plopped themselves onto the sofa next to Chenle’s guitar.

“Why don’t we make her say yes then?” Jaemin asked.

“Good luck trying, that girl is really hard headed from the looks of it,” Haechan commented.