The hallways were covered with it. There was nothing else anyone was talking about. The Spring Fest had been announced and with only a month away, everyone– teachers included– were focussing on the club activities. Every club had to participate in the fest. It was mandatory for 1st & 2nd years and they also had to write an essay on their experience which was, in Taemin’s opinion, an easy way to raise a person’s grade, since the essay was the only basis for the grade everyone got in “Extracurricular (EC)”.

Taemin had an A from bullting his essay last year. He didn’t really have much to write about as he had been only backstage help. Their club was pretty chill since everyone minded their own business and the teacher who was the advisor of their club let them have their freedom. The way Taemin  had exercised it was spending the free period allotted for club activities in the classroom instead, watching soccer practice from the window under the guise of doing homework.

But now that every club was gearing up for the fest, the music club would come together as well and that meant Taemin would have to spend his free periods in the music room, if only to just run errands. 

Classes were done for the day and he was on the way to the music room, knowing that his friends would have already gathered there right after the last class. Jonghyun had been way too excited for it since winter break and would have dragged Jinki straight to the music room. 

Taemin was almost there– just a few steps to the door– but someone had stormed out the music room and there were four others who followed her out. Taemin stopped, taking a better look at the departing angry backs, recognizing them as few of their club members.

Jonghyun had rushed out then, following those four, shouting for them to come back and Jinki had stepped out as well, finding Taemin standing in the hallway. He hadn’t followed Jonghyun and Taemin realized why when Jonghyun came back, looking sullen.

“What happened?” Taemin asked.

Jinki sighed, “Sunhee fought with Jiyoung.”

Right then it was Jiyoung who came out of the music room, accompanied by three others– her band members. 

“There’s no point, guys.” She shrugged with a sigh, “Better start looking for options because she will 100% do what she just said.” They were gone and Taemin looked at both his friends, perplexed.

It was Jonghyun who answered, “I don’t think there’s a music club anymore.”

What Jonghyun said was made official by their advisor the next day. Sunhee and her group of friends had quit over some conflict over the theme for this year. One thing led to another and an ugly brawl later, Sunhee had walked out. Apparently, Sunhee and her group had already joined another club and that had left the music club with insufficient members to be called a club. They didn’t even have an act ready so no grace was allowed and the club was disbanded. They got permission slips and joining forms from their advisor with a list of clubs that could still accept members.

Taemin had tucked the papers in his book and had been pondering over the list in Economics when the teacher had left them to revise for the last ten minutes of class. Only three clubs had the bandwidth to accept members and they were the cooking club, the dance club, and the drama club. 

His track of thoughts broke when he found a notebook pushed into his view, a question written down on the fresh page in familiar handwriting.

You okay?

Taemin looked to his side, finding Minho looking at him, a little worried smile on his face. Taemin blushed, taking the notebook, careful of the teacher who was sternly glancing between the papers she was grading and the students.

Yes

Minho casually pulled the notebook back after Taemin had pushed it, pretending to be reading notes as the teacher had looked their way. He jotted down something and had quietly pulled his chair closer, putting the notebook between them, writing down,

You look worried. Because the music club was disbanded?

Taemin watched him write before he smiled a little, picking up his pen.

Yeah. Have to look for a new club 

Minho read over Taemin’s reply and immediately jotted down,

That . What are your options?

Cooking 
dance
drama

Cooking --> Vampire Cafe 
dance --> Something like Step Up
drama --> Cinderella

Minho scrawled right next to Taemin’s handwriting with arrows.

Woah how do you know all this?

Vice princey asked me to take pics for the yearbook

Really? That’s cool

:)) So what are you planning on joining?

Taemin smiled. He was about to write down his reply when the notebook was snatched and he flinched, looking up, finding the teacher standing in front of their desk.

“Passing notes in class?” The teacher read through their conversation. Taemin’s heart sunk in. He knew both of the