You fight the urge to bang your head against the table. Sighing, you say, “Only because you’re desperate.” Baekhyun flashes you a guilty, awkward smile just as a familiar shadow looms over your shoulder. He passes you a pleading look before he raises his head to talk to Min, who is standing behind you. You don’t bother to turn around.

“Hi, Min,” Baekhyun greets easily. He gives her a polite smile.

“Baekhyun,” she squeaks. Her voice is too sanguine, and you cringe. “Baekhyun, are you busy?”

“I’m eating lunch,” he replies. He glances at you before he continues, “What’s up?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know,” Min wails. “I … “ She places a box of chocolates right next to you. The box is overly decorated with bows and sequins, and even Baekhyun looks a bit daunted by its girlish presence. “Baekhyun,” she starts just as you notice that the whole cafeteria has gone quiet. Everybody observes as Min, a girl known for her incessant confessions, delivers yet another speech. “Baekhyun, I really like you,” she stutters. There is a tremble in her voice, and you wonder how she manages to still have the same feelings for Baekhyun after months and months of getting rejected.

If it were you, you’d tell Baekhyun to –

“ – And I got these for you,” she’s saying, pointing to the chocolates. From the corner of your eye, you see her wring her hands in anticipation. “I … I like you,” she sputters, and the cafeteria responds to her declaration with subtle murmurs of discussion. She takes a step forward, and you can finally get a good look at her – brown hair, small face, pretty figure and all. Who would refuse a girl as attractive as her? “Baekhyun, I’ve liked you for the past – “

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun cuts in, “but I have a girlfriend.”

If the cafeteria had been considered quiet before, it pales in comparison to the silence you’re experiencing now. There’s such an absence of sound that you can even hear Min’s breathing pattern, as well as the hands of the clock across the room ticking its seconds away. Min stares at Baekhyun, who starts to turn bright red. You look away, not wanting to meet his eyes, not wanting to associate yourself with this situation, but you’re in for it. You already said you’d help him, and there’s no going back now.

“Who … who’s your girlfriend?” Min whispers, her voice raspy from the shock.

The cafeteria mutters the same question, but Baekhyun keeps his eyes trained on Min as he replies, “She’s right beside you.”

You’ve never felt so popular in your life.

And it’s not even for the reason you want.

Sure, you’ve wondered what it would be like to have a crowd of people staring at you, but not in this way. Not with those judgmental, incredulous look in their eyes. Not with this atmosphere pressing on you from all sides, pushing against your limits, testing your abilities of managing your calm. You take a deep breath and force yourself to look at Min.

You almost lose your resolve right then and there when you see the evident heartbreak in her eyes and your remorseful expression reflected in her black irises.

The cafeteria breaks into pandemonium. Girls start shouting their vile opinions at you, and you flinch, taking it all in, hearing bits and pieces of the sentences they say. The guys begin to ridicule Min, who just stares at you, disbelieving; and Baekhyun … well, Baekhyun is watching you with the most concerned, worried look on his face.

“How long?” Min bursts out. “How long have you … ?”

“Just don’t ask,” you tell Min, half begging her to stop asking questions that woul