Because apparently I had no other choice in the matter, here I am now at one of my mother and the rest of the parent’s board’s charity events. What else would it be but some kind of fundraiser fair for the orphanage and other select charities. I have no problems with the fact that it’s a fundraiser. It’s just the fact that everyone I knew would be here as well. People may think that having your classmates with you at an event like this would make things easier, but that is completely false.

Oh, and the theme? Hot Summer. Very creative, I applaud whoever was in charge of theme naming. I would never have guessed. All over the open beach was a large stream of hot pink, very orange, and painful yellow decorations, with some red highlights somewhere in between. Everybody who was somebody, and even a random number of those people who just want in, were scattered all over the place. Actually, it’s in a place like this with this number of people that you can hide with a lot more ease. The crowd should hide you well enough. Unless, you know, someone’s looking for you specifically.

“There you are. Are you ready?”

I raised a brow at Nichkhun. Was he really seriously asking me that question? I knew I technically signed up for the task, although when you look at it from some other perspective I really didn’t have a choice on the matter- not the point. I knew I didn’t exactly have a right to complain, not when I didn’t have a better- or any- alternative.

“Yes,” I said, “I saw her come in a few minutes ago. Did you hear from Yeeun yet?” Yeeun was our class representative, her and Taec, but with Taec apparently MIA these days, Yeeun had to take the responsibility. Yes, yes. Even during the summer break we’re barraged with class activities.

“Yeah, she said we have a booth over by the tents. You can’t miss the 3B booth even if you tried.”

“Were they serious about the Maid/Butler Cafe thing? Or did they finally decide on the Host Club?”

Nichkhun cringed. “I think they just settled for a normal food stall. I’m not sure. I wasn’t there when people were preparing things. I heard 3A had some kind of Cirque du A thing and C has an arcade or something. We’re not going to win this year’s fair like this.”

“I didn’t know winning was that important to you,” I commented as we started walking towards our tent.

Nichkhun shrugged. “Of course it is. Would you want to lose to Class A three times in a row?”

“Hey, C won a few times, too.”

“That’s the point. We haven’t really won anything, if you haven’t noticed. We have that big show at the end of the semester, just before graduation. I’d like to make this the Year of B.”

“I didn’t realize you liked B that much either.” I should have realized it, but Nichkhun didn’t seem like the class spirit type.

“You don’t?”

“I’m not really sure,” I confess. To be honest I had no idea what the plans were for this particular event- as if I hadn’t made that clear enough. I wondered if Jay was around. I haven’t seen him yet.

“Well, you should,” he chuckled. “It’s our last semester, you know? I feel like I haven’t even properly met the whole of B yet even though we’ve been together three years. It feels that way.”

Nichkhun. Nichkhun is a really nice guy despite that sadistic vibe I sense from him. Perhaps his angel face was genuine after all.

“Hey!” Jinwoon spots us a few paces away and falls in line with us as we’re walking. “What’s up? Have you guys seen our booth yet?” He has a camera slung around his neck as usual- though it was Changmin who we deemed our official photographer.

“Not yet. There’s something we need to do first,” I told him.

“Like?” It doesn’t take Jinwoon a moment to piece together the situation, and his eyes shrink into slits on his face. “Oh. I get it. Can I come?”

I sighed and looked at Khun- he didn’t seem to mind either. Looks like Jinwoon lives up to being the class maknae after all, especially since the other one born a year after the rest of us- Minji- wasn’t very good at being a maknae.

“So what’s the plan?” Jinwoon asked. I didn’t even know he had any idea there was a plan involved. Or was that a given? I wasn’t really sure.

“Well,” Khun began, “I set up a nice little spot over there,” he said, pointing towards the top of one of the one storey buildings. “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t like crowds so we can enjoy the fair from over there.”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit...I don’t know.” Jinwoon paused to think. “Well don’t you think it’s a little too much too fast?

Nichkhun shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think the usual approach will work on her.”

I nearly choked. “Usual approach?”

Jinwoon laughed. “You mean just standing there waiting for the girl to approach you first?”

Nichkhun elbowed Jinwoon, but the maknae just continued laughing. “Shut up. I’m just saying she’s different.”

“We already know that,” I sigh. “I don’t get what you need me for anyway since you already have everything all planned out.”

“I told you,” Nichkhun said, just a tad bit annoyed. “Since you went through the trouble of stalking her for me, you might as well see the fruits of your hard labor.”

I rolled my eyes.

We spot June- that was her name together with two of her friends, Joomi and Sungjin- the latter I have only very previously learned was in Junsu’s middle school class. It appeared that they had some kind of history together too. What kind, I just wasn’t sure just yet.

“Okay,” Nichkhun was already flushed, and he wasn’t even doing anything just yet, “Wish me luck?”

Jinwoon and I follow up with a neutral, and almost doubtful good luck- to this we received a glare from the Angel Khun. We watched as Khun walked towards her, a little bit relaxed, a little bit tense.

“What do you think she’ll say?” Jinwoon asked.

“Personally, I don’t think it matters what she says. It’s what her two friends over there are going to say.”

And right on, because Joomi and Sungjin were literally pushing June into Nichkhun’s arms. Poor girl looked flustered for the very first time- and just a secret between you and me, I had a little talk with Joomi and Sungjin. June never had a choice in the first place.

“Well,” Jinwoon sighed as Nichkhun and June walked off towards Nichkhun’s building, “What do we do now?”

I shrugged. “I guess we should go see our tent now?”

Which was probably not a very good idea. As soon as Jinwoon and I arrived, we were immediately thrown into the Class B uniforms- I was right, they still did go for costumes, except this time Sohee and her group in Miss Eunhye’s fashion design class went for, well, I wasn’t sure how to describe their concept.

The Wonder Girls had some kind of leopard print theme going on, Miss A were in black leotards- well, Suzy was in a dress...with cat ears...and Jia had a bright pink wig. The boys were in...well, they were in various states. It’s probably because of the weather, but they were dressed pretty casually. Except for the bunny ears on Wooyoung, Chansung, Jay, and Junho. Junsu had paws which really didn’t impede his work because he just sat there.

“Order up!” I hear Yoobin call another order in- she and Changmin were having too much of a good time inside out make-shift kitchen.

Me? I got the good fortune of staying in my own clothes...with the added cat ears...I had no idea what kind of theme this was supposed to be. I was pretty sure compared to A and C, we’d look the least prepared. Again.

“Having fun?” Jia asked, smiling, as I bump into her as I set down the muffins Yoobin baked. It’s funny. Yoobin used to hide this particular hobby of hers. I wonder what made her change her mind.

“I think so?”

She laughed. “Have you seen A or C’s tent yet?”

I shook my head. “Have you?”

“No. Let’s take a peek later when our shift ends?”

I nodded. It sounded like a recon mission to me. “Where’s Taec?”

“I don’t know. Haven’t seen him around. I thought you’d know. I asked Junsu and Minji, but they didn’t look like the knew either.”

That’s odd. Taec’s been MIA, yes, but for none of us to actually know where he was? Jay would probably know. He was sitting at the back of our tent fanning himself when I found him.

“Have you seem Taec?”

A smile broke on his face and maybe I should have said hi first. “Hi? And no.”

“That’s weird,” I answered, looking away from him and that smile of his. “He should be here. This is his favorite part of summer. He’s always-”

“Do we really have to talk about Taec?”

“Uh,”

“You want to look around a bit?”

“Uh...I promised Jia-”

“She’ll forgive you.”

And just like that Jay takes my hand and drags me out into the fair. Not that I was complaining or anything, because I wasn’t. Not one bit at all. I was pretty sure I was going to fall into the wrath of the rest of Class B’s working staff, but that didn’t matter at the moment. Not really.

“Where were you? I was looking for you,” Jay said. We were walking down the junior’s tents. Class 2B had a karaoke machine set up and at the moment, their subgroup Beast was on stage performing.

“I was around? I came in late.” No need for him to know about my business with Khun. Wait. “You were actually early this time, weren’t you?”

He flushes red and turns away. “Not exactly. Jaehan was early so he woke up the whole suite. Figured I might as well go here.”

His brother is his excuse? “You’re having fun aren’t you?”

“What? No.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Jay was actually warming up to the class. I wouldn’t put it past him to be looking for Taec right that moment as well. “So where do you think he is?”

“Probably with Yoona or something.” Was that bitterness in his voice?

“I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“You’re worried about Taec.”

“What?! No!” The more he denied it, the redder he became.

“It’s okay, he’s like your BFF.”

“Shut up.” Jay was much like a petulant child when the proper buttons were pushed.

Eventually we found the A tent, and just as we thought, there Taec was, sitting in the audience while the girls of 3A performed some act. Behind them were a several equipment you’ll find is some circus. Was Donghae up to his magic tricks again? Eunhyuk and Shindong were reviewing some script to the side- I guess they were the MCs as always.

Jay and I flank the two seats next to Taec, cornering him. “Hey, what are you doing here? Yeeun’s looking for you.” I said.

“Yeah man, you gotta pull your load at our tent.”

Taec just looks at us like he didn’t even know what we were talking about. Looking at him too, it was almost as if he was a different person. Not at all the Taec we knew. “What? I rented the tent and all the other equipment. My job there is done.”

It was like talking to a stranger. “Taec, this is your favorite part of the summer. You’re always Mr. Assistant Manager, remember?”

“I have better things to do.”

Jay was speechless, just as I was. “Dude, what are you talking about?”

“Yeah, Taec, what’s wrong with you?”

Taec rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I told you, I have better things to do than that silly B stuff.” Okay. That was foul. I wanted to call Nichkhun and Seulong to beat the crap out of him.

“Fine,” Jay scoffed. “Let’s go. Mr. Ok doesn’t want to be bothered.”

Reluctantly, I stood up and followed Jay back to our tent. None of us spoke of Taec, or about anything at all. When the rest of B would ask us, we said nothing. What happened to Taec? It was so strange that he just suddenly became this person we couldn’t even recognize.

“Are you okay?”

What? Oh. I nodded at Junho as I passed him the used dishes and cutlery. He and Wooyoung were in kitchen duty for that shift, and I was suddenly reminded of that incident at the park.

“You don’t look too good. What are you thinking?”

I shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

He hummed in reply and passed the plastic basket tray to Wooyoung. Again, something felt off about that scenario, but I couldn’t put a finger on it. It was the same feeling as the mountain lodge encounter, but just as that time, everything felt so elusive.

“This has been the longest day ever!” Min sighed loudly, slumping into an empty chair. We were about done with the Class’s timetable. All that was left was for our homeroom teacher to validate our attendance and-

Speaking of homeroom teacher. Ian walked in just in time looking like he was almost proud of us. In his hand was his attendance record. “Where’s Taecyeon?”

“Great, I made it in time.” I jumped at Nichkhun’s sudden presence behind me. He smiled and waggled his brows. “What? I’ll tell you all about it later.”

“We haven’t seen him all day,” Yeeun answers. “Everyone else is here though, even Jay” she adds.

Even Khun? My eyes narrow at the deviant standing next to me, and he smiles that evil smile. I must learn from him.

“Alright, good job guys. Yeeun, let’s get those earnings to the PTA. Everyone else can start packing up. Don’t forget, fireworks at 8.”

I honestly believed that he only added the fireworks announcement to counter off the fact that we still need to pack up- well no not exactly. We just needed to make sure everything was accounted for when the moving crew comes in to take the tents and chairs and tables again.

“So what did I miss?” Khun asked. At least he had the decency to help with the table pushing.

“Besides Kwon’s impromptu performance? Not a lot. I hate you, you know. How did you get Yeeun to cover for you?”

He laughed. “I know things not even you know.”

Was that a threat? A challenge even? “Not for long,” I countered.

He was still laughing. “Don’t worry. We’re better off a team than competition. Besides, that thing with Yeeun is completely coincidental. So don’t worry.”

I wasn’t worried at all. “Hey Khun,”

“Yeah?”

“About Taec,” my voice dropped, no one could hear about this.

“I know, I saw him on the way here. What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know. What happened to him?”

“Yoona, is what.” For the second time that late afternoon, I jumped at a random voice behind me. I glare at Seulong but he just smiled. “But if you ask me, I think it’s Jay. He’s a bad influence.”

“No he’s not.”

“Quick to defend your boyfriend, aren’t you.”

“He’s not!” I hissed.

“Shhh!” Nichkhun’s shushing had the rest of the class looking at us, but it doesn’t take much to wave their attention away. “Quiet you two.”

“So what do we do?” I whispered.

“School starts again in a week. We’ll figure out something by then.”

Thirty minutes before the fireworks display, the class dispersed into their own little groups. I saw Wooyoung and Junho with that other girl from before, Minji with Miss A and Junsu and Chansung, the Wonder Girls were together as always, and Khun was off gallivanting again. Me? Well, I was waiting for Jay.

Not that that should be any cause for...anything at all. Besides, Ian was finally off my case about it. We haven’t really talked since that last time, and I don’t know. It’s a sticky situation.

Jay finally arrived with a plastic bag in his hand. It looked like food and soda. “Sorry, were you waiting long?”

I shook my head. “No, not really.”

He smiled to himself, and he looked almost bashful. “So, yeah, with everything today, I kinda forgot.”

Forgot what?

He pulled a long and thin box the size of my hand from his pocket and handed it to me. “This is for you. Uh. Happy birthday.”

Oh.

And just like that, the dark sky suddenly burst into color. Jay took one step closer until he stood directly in front of me. His eyes looked right into mine, almost as if he was looking right through me. He leaned in closer, and closer, and then I closed my eyes.