Kyungsoo glanced at Jongin for the exponential nth time today and sighed when he once again saw only the side of his head. He shouldn't have expected anything more, because he didn't even know what he would do if he did talk to Jongin. He had missed morning and most of the afternoon classes, only coming back in time for the last two. People whispered that he was out beating up students from the nearby high schools, that he had participated in the midnight school brawl that happened last night. Some even said that he incited it.

Backstories spiraled out into why, which only made the rumors wilder. They said that Jongin was at the police station since he wasn't present for most of the school day, or he had a grudge from his previous gang master to fulfill, or he asked for payments from students in the area and someone had been late. Kyungsoo usually never rolled his eyes, but after hearing all those ridiculous things, he let himself indulge in one.

Whether Kyungsoo had been with Jongin a couple hours before or not, Jongin definitely wouldn't have done any of those things. If he had really been in a fight, there would have been some sort of injury, whether on him or on the people he supposedly beat up. People didn't talk about the supposed victims at all, focusing only on Jongin himself. If he had been at the police since midnight-thirty, which was when the brawl was broken up and all assailants had been taken in, according to the preliminary news report, there was no need for him to take over thirteen hours at the police station to give his statement. And why the function would he be working and forcing himself to take the dart train every work shift and dealing with his motion sickness if he collected money from other students?

"Kyungsoo, preach!" Yuwon had cheered at their lunch table.

He didn't have the courage to though. He didn't have any power to tell people to stop, especially when the words whispered down the halls and he couldn't pinpoint who they came from. If he couldn't confront a classroom of people whispering about him, then he couldn't confront the figurative ghosts who started the rumors about Jongin. But Jongdae could. And what surprised Kyungsoo was that he did. Before the teacher started lecture, he asked if he could say an announcement. Kyungsoo was questioning if his friend had been abducted by aliens (ones who weren't qiao'uyi) and replaced with a lookalike when Jongdae moved to the front . 

He swept his gaze across the classroom, and everyone stilled, even the teacher. To his classmates, they must have been shocked to see Jongdae looking serious, his eyes narrowed, his jaw tight, instead of his usual playful smile and demeanor. To Kyungsoo, he saw the way his friend pinched the ends of his shirt, nervous, but also the flicker of beige in his eyes, angered.

"Hi, my fellow classmates. Today, I've been hearing a lot of talk about one of our other fellow classmates, Kim Jongin. I'm sure you've heard them too, so I will make this quick." He started counting off his fingers. "One—if you're going to say that Jongin was in the midnight school fight as the rumors claim, and say that he probably has black eyes and busted knuckles, but not say anything about the people you think he beat up, then you don't even believe that he was in the fight. That's just spreading slander about Jongin.

"Two—even if you did talk about the people that you're saying Jongin beat up, I already know you're lying because the police released a statement during lunch reporting that most of the damage had been done to property and not people, the worst being a broken leg that occurred when someone fell down a ladder. Three—the fight was stopped thirty minutes after midnight, so there's no way that Jongin would be at the police station right now to give his statement, especially since a report came out already at lunch. And four—as my friend phrased, I quote, 'why the function would he be working and forcing himself to take the dart train every time he had to go to work if he collected money from students?' Jongin has a job that he diligently attends to despite its distance and isn't the kind of person to steal money.

"So I would appreciate it if our school, which seems to be really good at spreading rumors, started spreading understanding and respect for people's privacy. Even if you just talked about it because other people were talking about it, basically those who added fuel to the already-burning fire, please stop watching the flames and help put them out instead. My friend was the one who saw all the loopholes in the rumors first, and we were quite upset that people would say these things about Jongin. Please think about his feelings as well. Thank you."

He bowed and walked back to his seat. He didn't turn to look at Kyungsoo, and Kyungsoo knew why. Some of his classmates' gazes, some still frozen in shock, had followed Jongdae to his chair, and he had wanted to protect Kyungsoo's privacy. He appreciated it and looked down at his notes as the teacher took the front again, smiling at how Jongdae had silenced them all.

Jongin had walked into the classroom just as the teacher started up again. The teacher welcomed him in and told him that their lesson just began so to take a seat. He gave a polite nod and turned for his seat. Kyungsoo watched him come in like the rest of the class, but he could have sworn that Jongin's gaze rested on him just before he turned around and sat. And it was the flash of warmth in his eyes that made Kyungsoo glance at his tutee for the rest of the day.

The only question he could ask in his head was Why? because it wasn't as if Kyungsoo had done anything worthy of that look. Jongin had come in after Jongdae politely told his classmates off, and even if he had heard Jongdae's speech, he couldn't have known that Jongdae was referring to Kyungsoo at the end. 

Unless Kyungsoo had misunderstood the entire time, and Jongin had actually looked at Jongdae with that warmth. That would make more sense, oodles more sense, but Kyungsoo somehow felt himself deflate at the thought. He scolded himself for feeling that way, because people naturally associated acts with the people who actually did them, the person they see in action, not the person who proposed the idea. He couldn't give himself too much hope, and it might be better that Jongin didn't know that Kyungsoo had a part in Jongdae's speech. Kyungsoo had no idea how the function it would be better, but if he thought about it he would just deflate even more, so he decided not to.

More importantly, Kyungsoo wanted to ask if Jongin was okay. He had left him on the sidewalk so suddenly and with such rage that he worried what could have made Jongin run out across the street like that.

When they were dismissed for the day, the first thing Jongdae did was turn around, flop his arms onto Kyungsoo's desk, and plant his face into them. He heaved out a great sigh, and Kyungsoo patted his shoulder.

"You did well."

"Thanks, Kyungsoo."

Kyungsoo patted his friend's head then started started massaging his neck because it seemed like he needed it. As he rubbed the knots out of Jongdae neck, Kyungsoo let his eyes trail towards Jongin. His seat was empty, and a quick glance around told him that Jongin wasn't in the classroom either. He frowned a bit then, because he wanted to talk to Jongin in person.

"Hey, Kyungsoo," Jongdae said. He had been so quiet that Kyungsoo had to lean in to hear him.

"Yeah?"

"I wouldn't have done that if it weren't for you. I hate speaking in front of people."

Jongdae raised his head then, and a color Kyungsoo had never seen before mixed in his friend's eyes. The faintest wisp of gray billowed along the bottom of his irises.

"Yeah, I know. That was a really brave thing you did. But what do you mean you wouldn't have done that if it wasn't for me? And are you okay? Your eyes are..."

"Gray, right? Then at least I don't have that deadly disease because it matches with my emotions."

"What? What does gray mean?"

"It means I'm sad."

Kyungsoo blinked, swallowing down his surprise.

"Why are you sad?"

"Because you sounded so hurt and frustrated when we were talking about the rumors at lunch, so much so that it was like they were about you instead of Jongin. And when Yuwon and me said that we should say something, you said that no one would listen to you... That made me angry at first but now it makes me sad."

His friend looked at him, expectant. Kyungsoo turned his hand to his own shoulder and massaged it. Not here. Not to Jongdae. He couldn't say anything and give himself away anymore than he already had.

"Jongdae, don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"But..."

"I just really didn't like that they said those things about Jongin. He doesn't deserve that kind of treatment."

Jongdae nodded but still looked unsatisfied, a frown pulling his mouth down. Kyungsoo didn't know if he was unsatisfied with the rumors existing or with Kyungsoo's answer, but he patted his arm and thought of something to turn the mood.

"You do know you're popular, right?"

Jongdae looked at him with surprise.

"Because obviously they're going to listen to you if not at least consider what you said, Mr. Basketball Team Captain and Track and Field Star."

Gathering his things and pulling on his coat, Kyungsoo mustered up the best smile that he could and flashed it at Jongdae.

"I think you protected his honor pretty well, don't you? I have to get to the gardening club or else Yuwon will trowel me, so I'll see you later."

He waved and left the classroom. Students milled and buzzed in the hallways. Kyungsoo heard snippets of Jongdae and Yuwon's names and how they had denounced the rumors after lunch. People didn't toss as many looks at him today as he weaved around them to the exit closest to the greenhouse. He spotted someone waiting at the door, looking outside, and when he came closer, he realized that the person was Yuwon. When she saw him, she smiled before her expression dropped into concern.

"Kyungsoo, is something wrong?"

"Why do you ask?"

She pursed her lips.

"You avoided a direct answer so that means something is wrong."

He sighed and pushed open the doors, Yuwon coming up beside him. She didn't say anything as they passed through the garden gates and greeted Mx. Wang. They briefed him and Yuwon on today's tasks before Kyungsoo asked if he could leave after the gardening portion. He didn't feel like sticking around for the classroom activities today. Mx. Wang seemed a little saddened but respected his choice and handed them gloves.

They were starting seeds in the greenhouse and maintaining compost piles outside. Seeing a pair working on the compost already, Kyungsoo started towards the greenhouse when Yuwon took his wrist and tugged him forward.

"Jiho, Hyojung, wanna switch?"

"Ooh, yes. My back is killing me."

"For me, it's the cold."

The two handed them the rakes and shovels, thanking them, and went inside the greenhouse. There were three more piles to turn, along with six piles of compostables to stuff inside the newest ones. Kyungsoo shoveled some of the compostables into the well Jiho had made and turned it.

"So, Kyungsoo?"

He looked up.

"It's just us out here."

He turned back to the compost.

"It's nothing, Yuwon."

"You know, the only time you actually lie, Kyungsoo, is when you say that or 'I'm fine.' And I know you better than that." She started on the next compost pile. "Is this about Jongin-shi?"

He shoveled the compost in a bit too hard, s