Siwan pulled down his pink sweater’s sleeves, trying to cover his lower arm before entering the cafeteria to meet his 2 best friends. From the entrance, he could see Minwoo waving his hands with his bright smile from ‘their’ table on the far corner, but Dongjun was nowhere to seen. He put his best smile before walking to the table where Minwoo at.

                “HI! Where’s Dongjun?” He asked the blonde boy who busy with his salad.

                “I don’t know, maybe he’s on his way... oh! There he is!”

                Minwoo pointed at the cafeteria entrance with a cheery tone, maybe he drank too much cola or eat too much candy that day.

                Siwan could see a boy wearing white polo shirt with a black sweater around his neck walking towards them, waving to them in progress. He actually hoped that the youngest wouldn’t come that day, which is, kinda impossible, because Dongjun would never miss lunch break. He, again, pulled his sleeves further down.

               “You’re not eating?” Dongjun asked right after he reached their table, seeing that Siwan has no food in front of him.

                “I haven’t take the food yet, and Hi!” Siwan said, still with a smile on his pretty face.

                “Hi to you too! And I’m going to take some food, you want me to take you some too?” Nice as ever, Dongjun.

                “Sure! Fruit salad and a carton of milk please, thank you!”

                Siwan was lost in his own thoughts when Minwoo suddenly asked him while munching a piece of grape.

                “You look startled when Dongjun came..why was that?”

                He knew he can’t hide a single thing from his best friend. Minwoo is a sharp boy, not to mention that they knew each other for half of their life,

                “Huh? Really? No, I’m not..”

                Unfortunately, or no, before he could finish his sentence, Dongjun came with a tray full of food, and started to distribute the food.

                “Here’s the salad and milk for you, tuna sandwich and milk tea for me, and extra pudding for Minwoo!” No star can beat the brightness of Minwoo’s smile when he saw the pudding, an extra sweet that could make him keep talking for the next 2 days.

                They were eating and talking about their classes, laughing occasionally, when Siwan unconsciously pulled his sleeve up showing his bruised skin and some scratches. Dongjun dropped his sandwich at the sight, and grabbed his hand before he could pull his sleeve down again.

                “What did that jerk do to you this time?” No, Dongjun wasn’t angry, he was furious, and a furious Dongjun was the last thing you want to deal with.

                “What? No! it’s.. my cat scratched me..”  Siwan stuttered, he’s a terrible liar.

                “Please... you have no cat!” Minwoo was just as angry as Dongjun when he saw those bruises on Siwan’s lower arm, Minwoo maybe the cutest thing on earth and all bubbly, but even kittens bite too. And yes, Minwoo knows how to bite, hard.

                “It’s.. it’s my fault! I was late to our date, so it’s my fault!” Siwan was trying his best to talk properly, fully aware that his 2 friends wouldn’t buy any of what he said.

                “That’s not an excuse to hurt you! This is the third time this week and it’s only Thursday! For God sake Siwan! I’m going to find him now and kill him with my own hands!” Dongjun said as he stand up from his seat.

                Siwan shuddered at Dongjun’s words, because he knew, that Dongjun could, and would do that. What worse was Minwoo actually made no effort to stop the younger boy, instead he was just sit there, arm crossed.

                “Please, Dongjun! I’m fine! Really!” Siwan grabbed his friends arm to stop him doing a crime.

                Dongjun wasn’t amused at that action, he glared at the smaller boy before saying “THIS is the last time, I swear to God if he hurts you again, I would make him unrecognized!”

                With that, Dongjun left the other two to God knows where, leaving his black sweater on the table. It was a painful silence before Minwoo started talking again,

                “Leave him Siwan, he brings no good to you! Look at you! You’re smart, rich, pretty, and you deserved someone better than a jerk who only knows how to give you bruises instead of protection like what man should do!”

                The blonde boy was sick of this situation, it was the third time that week Taehun beats Siwan.  And he can’t understand a thing, of why Siwan would want to be with a jerk like that. It’s only 2 months since they’re dating but he can’t remember how many times Siwan came to school with a bruised arm or swollen eyes from crying.

                “I... I.. love him Minwoo..” Siwan can’t give a better reason.

                “No, you’re sick!”

                And Minwoo left too, leaving Siwan alone, with Dongjun’s sweater still on the table.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

                “So, you can see your partner for the project on the information board later, do not forget that you have to finish this project in 2 months! Good afternoon class!”

                “Good afternoon Mr. Kim!” the students answered in unison.

                Siwan sighed, another project in hands and a problem with his friends. His life can’t be worse than that. He was thinking whether if he should go to the cafeteria to meet his friends or no, he was hungry and he still has one class later, but after what happened yesterday, he knew that his friends, at least Dongjun, still don’t want to talk to him. So he decided that he would go find out who’s his partner for the Business Class project instead.

                “Jung HeeChul..”

                That time, Siwan felt like nothing goes right. Out of all people, why can’t he partnered with someone who more familiar with him? Yes, he knew Heechul, but he never talked to him even once, how awkward it would be?

                “You are Siwan right?”

                He felt a tap on his shoulder, making him turned to the source of that voice calling him. There, in front of him standing a boy wearing a pair of black jeans, black T-shirt and grey jacket, his hair tied in the back into a ponytail. The boy has a nice jawline, sharp eyes, and sharp nose. Siwan can’t help but to think that the boy was so pretty and handsome at the same time, making his heart beat just a little bit faster than before.

                “Yeah, and you’re Heechul right?” Siwan asked back, trying to be as friendly as possible.

                “Yea, so, I guess, we’re partner for the next 8 weeks..”

                “Sure! So, when we can start doing our project?”

                “Uh, that’s what I want to talk about with you. I have a part time job after my classes, and finished at 8, so, I think we can only meet after that, but, I’m free on weekend, so we can do it on weekend too. And I was wondering whether if you have a problem with that..”

                “8 is okay with me, and weekend is okay too.. but.. where we going to do it? I mean.. the library here closed at 7..”

                “That.. I was thinking about my place since I live alone.. it’s nothing fancy though, but anywhere is okay with me, if you have another idea..”

                It’s not like Siwan have much choice, so he agreed with that.

                “No problem! Now give me you number.”

                “Cool.”

                Well, Heechul seems nice, so Siwan thought that at least he could do the project without many difficulties.