He opened his eyes at the end of class. When he lifted his head, the classroom was almost empty, save for a couple of students who lingered to talk to their friends. Luhan frowned when he noticed that both Baekhyun and Chanyeol were gone. Instead, Sehun remained in his seat, his head buried in a book.

“Yah.” Luhan drawled, getting Sehun’s attention by kicking his leg. Sehun lifted his head with a heavy sigh and glared at Luhan. “Do you know where Baekhyun and Chanyeol went?”

Sehun snorted and closed his book. “I don’t usually pay attention to people I find annoying.”

Luhan remained silent. Sehun sighed and stood up. “That means no. I don’t know where they went.”

“Fine.” Luhan snapped and stood up. He was about to slam the door shut when he felt a hand stop him from doing so.

“What are you doing?” Luhan snarled. “Did you just stop me?”

Sehun cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, drama queen is acting up again. My bad.”

Luhan scoffed and glared up at him. “Just let me go idiot.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of starting a fight with basically every human being on the planet?” Sehun asked, his voice sounding genuinely curious for the first time since Luhan met him.

“No. I actually find it quite intriguing. Now let me go.”

“What exactly did I do to piss you off? Because from what I remember, all I ever did was tell you exactly what you were. And I’m under the impression that you’re very well aware of it.”

Luhan growled and tried to push Sehun’s hand off his wrist. “It’s none of your business why I dislike you so much.”

Sehun looked at Luhan with much amusement as Luhan tried to pry his fingers away. “Actually, it is my business. I don’t want to have a nipping at my back.”

At that exact moment, Baekhyun appeared behind Luhan with a coke on each hand. He looked at both of them with a sly grin.

“Sorry, did I interrupt something?”

Sehun sighed and slowly let Luhan go. “Looks like annoying pest number two has arrived. I’ll be on my way then.”

Luhan gaped as Sehun pushed past them. Baekhyun laughed as if the whole ordeal was the funniest thing that had ever happened to him since Chanyeol dumped cereal on himself last christmas.

“I think I like that Sehun guy even more now,” Baekhyun chirped as Luhan snatched a coke away, gulping it up in hurry.

“Shut up about him. Where’s Chanyeol?” Luhan asked with a loud burp. Baekhyun scowled at him in disapproval.

“Ew, that was disgusting. But anyways, Chanyeol is in the the music room. I told him to wait for me while I get you.”

“Chanyeol? In the music room alone? Are you sure that’s safe?” Luhan asked while the two walked towards the said classroom. Baekhyun shrugged.

“I told him to make sure to not touch anything until I come back. He’ll listen to me if he values his life.”

Luhan whistled and shot Baekhyun an impressed look as they arrived in front of the music room. Baekhyun opened the door and caught Chanyeol in the middle of pressing a piano key.

“Ah, it looks likes Channie here doesn’t value his life after all.”

Chanyeol gulped as Baekhyun approached him with a menacing look. Luhan closed the door shut and walked away from the scene.
 

►♦►

Luhan walked into the classroom a few days later and reluctantly took his seat in the back. Sehun was already seated, and didn’t bother to give Luhan a glance. Mr. Cho soon entered the room with the same evil grin he had when he assigned new seats.

“Class. Wonderful news. Again!” Mr. Cho exclaimed while clapping his hands dramatically. The classroom turned silent, and Luhan could see Baekhyun burning holes in Mr.Cho’s shirt with his fiery glare.

“To celebrate a new change of seats, and to prepare ourselves for the festival coming up, I decided to start a group project! Each pair will come up with an idea in which they will present at the festival! It could be a creative game, a new recipe to sell, a haunted house, whatever! The focus is cooperation and creativity, so have fun while you’re on it!”

The tension in the room visibly lightened and Baekhyun finally softened his glare.

“Ok then. The exact details will be handed out in a while. First, you have to choose a partner.”

It was with those words that made the class alive once again. Girls squealed and turned around, eyeing their friends and smiling at each other. Boys began laughing and goofing off.

Baekhyun simply smirked.

“It’s only partner work, so no threes or fours. Tough luck for those who have two best friends.” Mr. Cho said, but Luhan could swear he was staring at him while he was talking.

“I’ll give you exactly ten minutes to pick someone, and that’s it. Go.”

The class immediately sprang up. Girls huddled in one corner, clapping their hands together in glee and giggling about something. Luhan walked over and tapped Baekhyun and Chanyeol on their shoulder.

“What are we going to do?”

Baekhyun pouted and turned around, giving Luhan an apologetic look.

“Sorry, but I promised Chanyeol we’ll partner up this time. Remember last time he had to be with that guy who had flies flying around him? And before that, I had to be with a girl who insisted bloody mary was real and we should worship her? Yeah, it’s your turn this time, buddy.”

Luhan scowled and reached out to call out either Jongin or Kyungsoo, but they beat him to it.

“I’m partnering up with Kyung.” Jongin said. “Find someone else, bambi.”

“Yah, Kim Jongi-”

“Don’t ing call me that. It’s Kai to you.”

Luhan grumbled.

“Then who am I supposed to partner up with?!”

Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Jongi