The next morning, Zelo woke up before his band mates and got dressed quickly. He went into the kitchen and fixed breakfast for his hyungs, before he grabbed his bag and headed off to school without them. No had sent them all an email last night about an upcoming festival they might be interested in participating. He walked through the hallways quickly, glancing down trying to find someone. Zelo spotted him and briskly walked toward him.

“What do you want?” He asked looking over at Zelo.

“Zico hyung, be my partner for the festival.” Zelo ordered more than asked.

“No. Why should I?” Zico glared and took a step forward toward the underclassman.

“Because you need me.” Zelo stood determined in front of him. Zico scoffed and stepped to the side, but Zelo moved in front of him once more. “You need me and you know it. I’m faster than you and you hate that. So why not use it to your advantage?”

“I see what it is, you seemed to have us confused. You need me. That’s why you’re here to beg me.” Zico laughed.

“You’re right. I need you. I can’t write like you, but you need my speed for some of your raps.” Zelo remained stern, “you know some of your raps aren’t clicking because you just can’t get the right speed for the rhythm. I can do it.”

Zico paused and glanced around before he looked back at Zelo, “so why are you so willing to help all of a sudden?”

“Because I want to win that festival and you’re the only one who can help me.” Zelo responded quickly.

“And your hyung? Hmm, you don’t want to work with him? You seemed so eager yesterday.” Zico raised his brow.

“He’s good, but I need better and I need someone who wants to win as bad as I do.”

“Alright, I’ll be your partner, but you better not hold me back.” Zico smirked and extended his hand. Zelo shook it enthusiastically.

“I can say the same for you. Don’t hold me back.” Zelo his heel and started to walk toward his first class.

“Junhong-ssi!” Zico called out after him.

“Call me Zelo.” Zelo glanced back and smiled brightly.

“You forgot this!” Zico tossed him his mp3 player, “you’re right, Yongguk will only hold you back.”

Zelo caught it and slipped it into his pocket before he saluted Zico and walked into his classroom. After a few of his morning classes, he caught sight of Yongguk and Himchan in the hallway. Yongguk waved him over with a big smile.

“Why didn’t you wait up for us this morning?” He asked laughing. Zelo shrugged and glanced around, not wanting to be stalled too long in the hallway.

“I had to take care of some stuff.” He replied nonchalantly.

“Like what?” Yongguk asked with an arched brow.

“Just some stuff, look hyung – I’ve got to get to class. I’ll see you at lunch.” He tried to dart away but Yongguk grabbed his bag.

“Hang on, you forgot this, this morning.” Yongguk handed him the cap.

“Oh uh, I didn’t want to mess up my hair.” Zelo laughed.

“You could’ve just clipped it to your bag and worn it later.” Yongguk smiled. Zelo laughed nervously and ped his bag.

“Hyung, I really have to get to class.” He stuffed the hat into his bag and ran to his next class. Yongguk’s brow furrowed together as he watched Zelo.

“Don’t worry about it, Yongguk. He just wants to look nice today.” Himchan patted him roughly on the shoulder. Yongguk nodded and walked to his next class.

At lunch, he glanced around waiting for Zelo to join them for lunch. Himchan had already started to eat, but Yongguk was determined to wait for their maknae. He didn’t want Zelo to eat by himself. When Zelo jogged into the cafeteria, Yongguk smiled brightly, but it fell quickly when Zelo went to Zico’s table. His brows knitted together and he stood up quickly.

“Where are you going?” Himchan asked.

“To make sure Zelo’s okay.” Yongguk walked toward Zico’s table and cleared his throat. Zelo had just taken his sandwich out when he saw Yongguk.

“Oh hey hyung, what’s up?” Zelo asked with a smile.

“Is everything okay?” He asked, never taking his eyes off of Zico.

“Ne.” Zico responded sizing Yongguk up. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem at all.” Yongguk glanced between Zico and Zelo.

“Then run along to your boyfriend.” Zico nodded toward Himchan who was picking at Yongguk’s plate. Yongguk glanced back at Himchan then at Zico, and finally at Zelo who was more interested in his sandwich.

“Zelo, when you’re done eating – stop by the table, we need to talk.” He tried to get Zelo’s attention, but realized Zelo wasn’t going to look at him.

“Alright, hyung. I’ll stop by.” Zelo cleared his throat and watched Yongguk from the corner of his eye. Zico watched the interaction between the two.

“Okay so what’s up?” Zico asked nodding toward the retreating Yongguk.

“Nothing’s up, why?” Zelo tore the crust off of his sandwich.

“I kicked your yesterday and today we’re having lunch together and your band mate won’t quit giving me these go to hell looks.”

“First of all, you didn’t kick my – our fight was interrupted and secondly, I don’t know what his problem is. Ignore him.” Zelo finished his sandwich and got up. “I better go figure out what he wants.”

Zelo walked over to the table and pulled up a chair besides Yongguk. He cleared his throat and waited for Yongguk to say something, but he was still eating. He didn’t even glance at Zelo until he was done with his food and he pushed his plate away.

“Zelo, why are you eating lunch with Zico? I thought you guys didn’t get along. I mean you have a bruise to prove it right?” Yongguk asked finally.

“I don’t know.” Zelo shrugged, “I guess we came to an understanding.”

“An understanding? What kind of understanding? That he can bully you and you’ll fall in love with him?” Yongguk asked finally looking at Zelo.

“I’m not in love with him, hyung. We’ve just come to an understanding. I have to get to class. I’ll see you in there.” Zelo stood up from the table and walked with Zico to Rhymes and Rhythms.  

When Yongguk got to the class, he noticed Zelo wasn’t sitting in his usual spot. He had moved to the other side of the room and was sitting behind Zico, talking amicably. He let out a low sigh and took his seat.

“Welcome class, to another riveting session of Rhythm and Rhymes.” No glanced about the room and noticed Zelo had moved. “So I see we’ve moved around a bit. The two of you are best friends now, huh?”

“Ne, we’re going to compete together in the festival.” Zico said with his usual smirk.

“Ne ne, wonderful! I’m glad you two came to an understanding.”

Yongguk stared mouth agape at Zelo. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t want to cause a scene in class. He gritted his teeth and tried to pay attention to No, however, his eyes kept darting to the other side of the classroom. After class, he waited for Zelo but the maknae followed closely behind Zico and left quickly. Himchan noted Yongguk’s clenched jaw and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Have some faith in Zelo. He does have a certain charm to him and it was only going to be a matter of time before Zico fell for those charms too.” Himchan smiled, “it’s for the best that he doesn’t have any enemies here.”

“I don’t trust Zico.” Yongguk rolled his shoulder to knock Himchan’s hand off.

“Yeah and there are days when I don’t like you – but we all deal.” Himchan adjusted his bag on his shoulder and stepped out of the class. Yongguk shot him a look and followed him out. After school, he waited for Zelo by the entrance. He dropped his bag by his feet and watched the doors. Finally Zelo stepped out with a bright smile and someone else’s headphones on. He waved Zelo over and jogged to meet up with the maknae.

“What are you listening to?” He asked with a bright smile.

“Oh uh, one of Zico’s mixtapes. Do you want to listen? It’s different.” He offered the headphones over but Yongguk held up his hand in protest.

“Nope, I’m good. Not really in the mood to listen to him.” He sighed and watched as Zelo replaced his headphones. He chewed on his bottom lip for a few moments before he pushed one of the buds away from Zelo’s ear.

“What’s wrong, hyung?” Zelo asked moving Yongguk’s hand away.

“Don’t listen to it.” Yongguk let his fingers linger on Zelo’s. “Talk to me instead.”

“Okay?” Zelo removed his headphones, “what do you want to talk about?”

“Not Zico.” Yongguk scoffed.

“You know for not wanting to talk about him, you tend to bring him up often.” Zelo crossed his arms. “Look Yongguk-ssi, don’t worry about it. We worked things out. We’re going to work together for the festival. Just drop it if you don’t want to talk about Zico.”

“Yongguk-ssi?” Yongguk smiled weakly, “why so formal now?”

“I don’t know how else to make you listen to me.” Zelo huffed and scratched the back of his neck. “Now what did you want to talk about?”

“Aish, so I thought we were going to enter our track into the festival.” Yongguk tapped his index fingers together bashfully.

Zelo glanced at his feet before he sighed and scratched the back of his neck, “Yongguk –ssi…”

“Don’t.” Yongguk tried to smile. “Don’t say it like that.”

“Yongguk, I realized I wasn’t being fair by making you rush through our track. So let’s take our time on it and not worry about entering the festival with it.” Zelo nodded.

“No, you’re being fair. I need to work hard too so let’s work together for the festival.” Yongguk nodded and placed his hand on Zelo’s shoulder. Zelo placed his hand over Yongguk’s and paused before he brushed it off.

“Ani. I’m working with Zico. We’ll promote our track at a different time. You can focus on perfecting that song you’re working with Himchan on.” He smiled weakly. “I have to go, Yongguk-ssi. I’m meeting Zico today.”

“Ne ne.” Yongguk’s mouth twitched slightly. “Don’t be late tonight, Himchan will worry.”

Zelo nodded and his heel, “tell Himchan not to worry. I’ll be home on time, I promise.”