But then he forgot that giving in to Areum's requests would always make his life busier and disastrous.

-----

"So... Did you review well?"

"Hmm, totally, with Areum's singing voice as my background music and Tao munching his chips loudly beside me while I was studying for my Science. Totally went well."

Jongin nodded at those empty words. He ain't falling for those, seeing as Sehun's eyebags look so obvious on the scorching daylight and his arms clutching on his books rather than putting them in his backpack (it would have sufficed if he had held at least two o three books, but he got seven with him!) The walking zombie must have pulled an all-nighter. 

"Did you get to sleep?"

"No. Just thirty minutes before my alarm clock."

Jongin hissed. He can never sleep that short.

"Damn, Areum must be a nutjob to make you look like this."

"She's a distraction in my life. A distraction! She can never be serious about life, always playin' around when she knows I lack concentration!"

"Dude, stop shouting. The teachers are looking", Jongin whispered between them. 

"God, you know what? In the library, we go. I got no time for chitchatting. This should have been my study time!"

"Whatever you say, man."

Jongin helplessly agreed, following the frowning boy to the school's library. He knows Sehun does a great job with his studies, but this Sehun didn't get to study well yesterday because of his best friend's invitation (that he couldn't say "no" to). For just a week, Sehun thought. For just a week, he has to endure this. It's no biggie, it's just like last time. He can smoothly nail it. 

He just has to keep looking at his books.

And so for the past hour, the two didn't budge on their seats and continued taking whatever topics they had been staring at. Their first exam will start 25 minutes from now, which still gives them more time to prepare before it begins. 

"Bro, we gotta go."

"Give me few seconds to take this, then we'll go."

"You had been saying that for six times already! Frick, we gotta be there in ten minutes."

"You're such an early bird. It starts at 9:10."

"Gah! I don't care, I wanna be early! You can study while we run."

Jongin pulled Sehun's arm, running towards the exit door of the library. The librarian glared at the two lads but turned her head to the book she was reading, turning a blind eye today. They were leaving, anyway. 

Sehun scrambled with his stuff as he tried to keep up with Jongin's pace. He groaned to himself, he didn't even have time to organize his books in his bag again. Jongin isn't accustomed to their school's time, seeing as he is panicking on his first day of examination. 

And just like that, Jongin kept running while Sehun had his nose on his Science book. Surprisingly, he got to review well while running.

"And we're here!" Jongin panted as they had finally got in front of their classroom. Sehun took a time to catch his breath, but who was he kidding. He was usually two meters away from the running Jongin. 

"Great job, runner."

"Coming from a slowpoke, that's some compliment."

"Thanks. Get that a lot."

"And the teacher is arriving. Late you say?"

"Oh her? She's gonna go to the bathroom after putting her books."

Sehun and Jongin watched her enter their classroom five meters away, waiting for her second move. As Sehun anticipated, the door swung open again, their subject teacher running towards the toilet. Jongin grumbled when Sehun had asked him to treat his lunch for being right about her.

"God, you're such a pig."

"I am not! Have you seen my abs? Bro, they're milky white chocolate bar."

"Whatever you say."

"Ask Areum about it! Believe it or not, she knows", Sehun pulled a smug look on Jongin, who scoffed at him. Amusement playing on his face. 

"That's some confidence coming from you. Where's that Sehun I saw a minute ago whose face is stuck on his books?"

"I got some strength thanks to you."

"Sure. Talking about Areum gave you strength. Great."

-----

"I'm doomed."

"Aww, Sehun. You did great, I just know it!"

Areum tried to comfort her best friend, prying away that negative aura surrounding him. They had just finished their test in Science. Later after the break, they would be taking on their Character Ed. subject. 

Sehun was drowned with doubt and anxiety as he answered his test paper. It was a battlefield, having to fight for his way towards the end. The formula parts were his only comfort zone, saying it kept him sane from those ****** chemical reactions and it was a load of **** (he cursed, but it wasn't clear for the three, the more of babbled rather than said it out loud). 

"Gosh, my ears hurt", Areum scrubbed her ear lobes as she whined. 

"I didn't even say anything bad!"

"It was like listening to a crying baby, idiot. Here's your chicken sandwiches, soda, and fish fingers so shut up now", Jongin slid the tray towards Sehun who accepted it with delight.

"Thanks, Nini."

"Anyways, while we're here, let's review", Tao suggested.

"Character Education? You have to review that?"

"I get that you're one smartypants, but don't go rubbing it on our faces and just pretend you're an average girl who doesn't know how to use please and thank you."

"Okay! So, who wrote the quote "respect yourself and others will respect you"?"

"GOSH DANG IT, AREUM. Not THAT kind of review!"

"Y'all said to review! I saw it in the book anyway!"

The two bickered as Sehun and Jongin studied by themselves, pointing out what they had missed and reviewing for them as they ate their lunch. It happens all the time, but Sehun was a bit crankier than usual and was willing to ace every test. Jongin prefers quietness whenever he reviews and Sehun isn't even close to being as noisy as the other two, so he doesn't mind studying with the frustrated latter.

Days have passed with Areum's nonstop babbling about how she hates LIterature, Tao being overly confident towards his P.E. test (the there let him be, knowing that's the only subject he likes), Jongin scowling every time those two were almost in trouble, and Sehun's constant anxiety. 

It was until finally after their last subject test, Sehun celebrated with an easy heart. Areum reminded them all about how they should be more wo