Dare I say people were actually not that resentful coming back to class that next semester. Maybe it’s because we don’t have any more academic units this term. I took a look at our schedule, and we have performance classes all the way until the end of our final year. Auditions season is around the corner as well. Me? Well let’s just say that I’m one of those few looking forward to university entrance exams. It’s just how it is.

As usual I’m on of the early birds. What’s not as usual is Jay being here so early while Taec is not. It’s almost as if they suddenly traded personalities. But that can’t be.

“Yo,” Jay greets from his seat, “good morning.”

“Hi Jay,” I say back, taking my seat as well. As always Jay pulls his chair closer to me. I don’t know when it was, but it started to be something that became ‘the usual’ as well.

Minji is asleep as always, and Junho is with a book.

Yep. Feels like school already.

Slowly the class started filling in, first with Jia and Wooyoung with what appears to be a very physical game of rock-paper-scissors. Chansung was behind them texting someone, and Nichkhun came soon after with a silly grin on his face.

Right. Looks like summer was fun for them.

“So,” Jay begins, and I look at him waiting for the rest of what he’s about to say, “what do you think we’re gonna do for the end-of-year show.”

Jay cares about the end-of-year show? “I don’t know. Mr. Choe should come with the announcement today.” Yeah. Mr. Choe. We’re still not talking.

“How did you even know I wanted a fountain pen for my birthday?” I ask.

Jay shrugs, “Taec told me before when I asked him when your birthday was. This was before he turned to the Dark Side. Personally, and don’t tell him- or anyone- I said this, I like him better in the Dork Side.”

“Agreed. And thank you again.”

Jay gives me one of those irrepressible happy smirks and leans forward on his desk to watch the growing crowd. He’s not thinking of taking Taec’s old responsibilities, now, is he?

Seulong and Jinwoon arrive together and crowd me immediately. Only they could displace Jay (probably because of their height) so easily. Obviously they had something very urgent to share. Since when was Jinwoon this much of a girl anyway?

“So, Junsu and Fei are back together,” Seulong starts, “Looks like they ran into each other at some beach party.”

“Khun’s very happy with his girlfriend,” Jinwoon adds, “We saw them walking together this morning.”

“Also, it looks like the Wonder Girls are in some kind of mutiny. We don’t know what’s going on just yet, but it looks pretty bad.”

I give Seulong a pointed look. “Why do you guys tell me all these things?”

“Because our secrets are safe with you,” Jinwoon answers.

“Plus it’s a bribe. You should join us.”

I roll my eyes. I’m still not joining them. Not this late in the year anyway. Also, I had no real plans on being associated with them. Ever. I don’t think it would be good for me.

Eventually Ian walks in and like good kids some of us actually calm down to listen. Me? I’m generally a good kid. Plus I want to hear this announcement.

“I guess you’re all waiting for this, huh,” he starts, looking just as excited. “Anyway, your first performance class this morning is vocal practice under Mr. Jinyoung Park himself, so be prepared for that. You afternoon dance classes are still under Park Namyong as usual. In between you can find the other teacher’s offices open for whatever you’ll need. Now, on to the big announcement.”

Everyone was finally silent and waiting for it. It, being the end-of-year production we had to present as a class. It was a competition between all three classes, and we as Bs were feeling pretty vengeful this year. A won the fair again, as usual, but then A always wins things. It’s almost by default that they win every year. This year, we were going to do something amazing. Or, so the current vibe says.

“You’re doing your version of Grease.”

I’m sorry, what? My phone vibrates from my pocket and I check it immediately. It’s from Seulong.

A = R&J C=WSS. Translation? Class A was doing Romeo and Juliet and class C was doing West Side Story. Was the school board serious about this? Did they really want us to make some kind of version these musicals?

Granted, a PG-13, censored, and very clean version, but a version nonetheless. Am I excited? I’m not sure.

“I’ll give you guys the rest of our period to discuss this.” Ian takes his leave after that. Is it just me, or does he look tired and just that tad bit tense?

Everyone turns to Taec for instruction, but our class president just sits there busy with his phone. Since when was Taec like this?

Yeeun takes lead immediately and takes the floor. “Alright, so what do we need?”

There’s a chorus of answers and Yeeun writes them all on the board. Composition, Choreography, Production Design, Costume Design, Promotions. Pretty much everything we were taught in the past three years were going to be integrated into this large-scale production.

It’s easy putting names under each header. Yeeun didn’t even need to ask for volunteers.

Composition: Junsu and Minji

Choreography: Wooyoung, Junho, Min, Jia, and Jay

Production Design: Jinwoon, Hyerim,

Costume Design: Sohee

Promotions: Changmin, Kwon, Yoobin

And at the very bottom? Casting & Directing + Script: me.

Why am I there?! I voice out this question, and Yeeun looks at me like I said something weird.

“You’re the only one with that kind of experience. You’re the only one from us who took that class. You’re really our only choice.”

Her reasoning may have been sound, and everyone was agreeing. I did not sign up for this. Normally, Taec would take that spot. He liked doing that stuff.

“Don’t worry,” Yeeun added, “Nichkhun, Sunye and I are going to help you anyway. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Right. You sure about that?

Our first order of business is Casting. There are a few people in our class who took acting classes, obviously either Nichkhun or Chansung is going to play our lead role, but who to cast him with? Sohee was still looking like some eager beaver, maybe we should cast Suzy just to annoy her?

“Uh,” I tug at Yeeun’s sleeve. “We need a script first before we can really cast anyone.”

She nods. “How fast can you come up with a draft?”

“I...”

“It’s still early,” Sunye cuts in. We have time. Sort of. So, work on it when you can, okay?” Has Sunye always been this nice?

I nod again. “I’ll see what I can do.”

…

During lunch we investigate Taec. It was only right. This time we employ the help of Nichkhun and Min. They owed me anyway. The Plan? It was simple enough. With the added help of Minji and Seulong, it was a sure success anyway.

Taec will be walking to Class A’s room to pick Yoona up for their lunch whatever, and even though we’re literally just a door apart, there’s still the walk towards the cafeteria in the next building and the way back. Needless to say, we wanted a food-deprived Taecyeon so he was easier to ambush, corner, and threaten into cooperation.

We followed him out as he walked to Yoona’s room to pick her up. Sadly, like the clones 3A are, they all walked in one large group that us Bs had no choice but to wait until we find an opportunity to even talk to Taecyeon. It was a lot harder than we thought because all the way to the lunch room, our target was seamlessly incorporated into the 3A rank and file that it was almost impossible to infiltrate their formation.

In the end Seulong, Min and Khun had to disperse and what remained of our lunch group regrouped at our table. Junho was already there, reading as he ate his lunch.

“So what are we going to do now?” Minji asks, as she pulls out her lunch.

I shrug and look at Jay. He didn’t have any ideas either.

“Just leave him alone,” Junho suddenl says.

“We can’t do that,” I immediately counter. “Taec is going into self-destruct mode-” I’m caught mid-sentence as Junho lifts his eyes from his book and leans, maybe a little too closely, to me.

“If you let him be, he’ll come to his senses eventually.”

Flustered, I look away first and turn to Jay, whose attention was elsewhere. “I guess we’ll have to try a different approach?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

I follow his gaze to the C table where Big Bang sits. Is it just me, or is this some old vendetta thing? “What is it?”

“What? Nothing. Don’t mind me. Anyway, about Taec, it’s only the first day.”