Walking alone through the hallways from the school still made Ryeowook very self-conscious – it was uncomfortable because he was always worried someone was watching him judging every aspect of his. Although speaking to Kyuhyun turned less awkward, Ryeowook was still concerned about how to act around the others. Sure they were friends when smaller, but things were different now. Would they still accept him despite his boring personality? He cursed inwardly for being such a wimp, why he had to care so much about others’ opinions when everyone around him frequently told him those didn’t matter?


“Hi Wookie” a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, catching him off-guard. It was Donghae the responsible for that.


“It’s nice to see you before classes. I am so upset we’re no longer studying together” Donghae started blabbering, a pout adorning his features. He did not expect to receive any answer, but it wasn’t bad to try to get the other to talk to him. He was dying to question about their previous day, but he’d expect Kyuhyun to tell them. While his mind kept wandering to how he could help his friend out with that antisocial behavior – but perhaps it was a bit extreme.


“Ryeowook! You have to meet a friend of mine after school!” Donghae announced, without allowing the other to refuse his ‘invitation’.


“Why?” Ryeowook frowned at the sudden statement. Although he wanted to whine, he was only able to limit himself into questioning. However, he couldn’t deny it was pretty suspicious to be invited so suddenly.


“You will know soon” Donghae spoke with a grim plastered on his lips – he didn’t want to enter in details because he was afraid of speaking more than he should and scare Ryeowook away. “See you after school, don’t dare going away!” he waved his hand happily, kind of threatening Ryeowook in case he decided to escape. Then he proceeded to run towards the opposite side as his classes were on the opposite wing of the school.


Once he reached his class, he entered it easily spotting Kyuhyun. However, instead of going to greet him, he decided to quietly occupy his desk – Kyuhyun was chatting with two unknown people and he certainly didn’t want to interrupt neither oblige Kyuhyun into introducing him to them. He never questioned himself further, but seemingly Kyuhyun was quite popular as he had many friends aside from their group. It made him feel kind of pathetic for having to rely on his childhood friends to have company.


He felt a small piece of crumpled paper being thrown at his head, causing him to shot his head to the side. “Be nice and greet me at least” Kyuhyun whined as he noticed Ryeowook arriving and settling down on his seat.


Ryeowook paled as the eyes of the two unknown people rested on him, he nodded making sure to make it quick. “Hm. Hi Kyuhyuna” he blurted out amidst his nervousness, widening his eyes for calling him that. He watched the other apologetically as the other two mimicked each other’s expression – amusement. Kyuhyun had to control to not face palm as he saw how these two would certainly take advantage of that information.


“Somehow that nickname matches you perfectly” the taller of the two teased, wearing a grim while trying not to laugh.


The blonde one burst in laughter as he thought of Kyuhyun with a wig and the same bold clothes the singer wore – it amused him to no ends. “It sure does match you” he had to dry the tears that were falling, but he’d have that idea of a Kyuhyun cross-dressed forever imprinted inside his mind.


“Only him can call me that!” Kyuhyun quickly interject, hoping the other two would leave that aside. However, by making such statement only attracted their attention even more to the boy that was watching the scene quietly.


The blonde inclined slightly to face Ryeowook and analyze him. The latter obviously got intimidated by such action, trying to avoid those eyes at any costs. “Hmm. So he is special, huh” looking up close, Ryeowook could tell that the blonde had a feminine complex and had a nice skin. “Who might you be? Never seen you around” he questioned, causing Ryeowook’s tense state to increase as he didn’t find the guts inside of him to answer the stranger.


“Stop it, you’re scaring him away Kibum” Kyuhyun sighed, standing up from his seat to pull the other boy away from his friend. “This is my childhood friend: Kim Ryeowook.” Kyuhyun made the job of introducing him, since he knew his condition was restricting for the latter. “This blonde is Kim Kibum, but people gave him the nickname of Key. No idea why. The other beside him is….” Before he could continue with the introduction, the taller quickly stopped him from doing such.


“Let me do it myself” he was so excited that caused Ryeowook to raise his eyebrow at him, wondering what he was so eager about.


“No” both of his friends immediately denied the request. “As your friends we’re telling you what is the…” before Kyuhyun could even dream of ending his speech of how good of a friend he was, the taller stubbornly started.


“Dibidibidis my name is Minho” he rapped, trying to sound as cool as possible to convince his friends that it was stylish to introduce himself like that. He regretted the moment he received a kick on his knees from the blonde.


“Stop making us embarrassed in front of a new face.” Key grumbled, nearly kicking him out of that room before he spoke anything else.


“You’re way too strong for a feminine guy” Minho moaned in pain, despite being taller he should be careful around Key since he was quite aggressive when things didn’t go his way. Both started bickering over that, while Kyuhyun sighed whispering an apology to Ryeowook for his dumb friends.


“Hyuna boy already told you many times it is a stupid way of introducing yourself! You might even scare people away!” Key continued with his rambling, ignoring the fact that Minho was now massaging his knee that had a red color.


“It is cool because it matches with my supposedly flaming charisma as girls like to address it” Minho whined, not even daring to hit the smaller on the arm – not because of the size, mostly because he was scared of what Key would do.


“I am NOT a Hyuna boy, you bastard” Kyuhyun clenched his teeth, already getting impatient with those two. As if it wasn’t self-explanatory, Minho and he were friends. They shared many aspects in common, and then Key tagged along as he somehow managed to befriend Minho, despite their constant bickering. But you could still call the three of them as friends… ?


Ryeowook that was quiet all along, let a low giggle escape accidently – somehow this entire scene was funny for an outsider like him. Somehow they could hear enough to hear how melodic it was and that he had a beautiful voice hidden amidst his silence. It was sort of captivating, attracting the group’s attention again. Once he noticed the attention back to him, Ryeowook froze which was actually cute in Kyuhyun’s eyes. Meanwhile, Key was utterly curious about the boy that somehow snatched Kyuhyun’s concern.


“I decided I like you already” Key announced directly to the silent boy that was shocked by it. Minho and Kyuhyun immediately looked offended though.


“It took me months for you to even look at my face because you said my pimples bothered your eyes!” Kyuhyun indignantly spoke that the other was so easily accepted while he had to go through the other’s stubbornness.


“Don’t even tell me about it! He said when we first met my overconfidence was nauseating and he didn’t even know how people endured me” Minho added, not that he hoped Ryeowook would receive the same treatment, he was more like complaining about the unfairness that he had to go through.


“Come on, your pimple was indeed awful your hormones were running crazy at that time. Also, you still are overconfident, no wonder you don’t have any girlfriend yet” Key justified all of those, which made both frown that he was very sharp with the things he pointed out – which made them unable to complain any further. Instead, both just rolled their eyes in annoyance. Meanwhile, Ryeowook was blushing at the seemingly honor of not having any problem being pointed out.


“Too bad we don’t study together for me to understand you. Perhaps we could hang out together after classes?” Key stated, causing Kyuhyun to be unsurprised by how direct the other could be. Ryeowook shrank in nervousness on his seat at the other made the sudden invitation – what he wanted with him?


In an attempt to ease it for Ryeowook, Kyuhyun stepped in trying to coerce Key into changing his mind. “You just met him! Talk about scaring people away” Kyuhyun spoke up for the other. Also, the thought of those two turning out to be friends actually scared him – would Ryeowook acquire the same personality as Key if they befriended each other?  Hopefully no, because he was sure Ryeowook had a personality of his own – otherwise he was mistaken it would be another diva to the group.


“Hm. Erm. Sorry, I really can’t go” Ryeowook looked at Kyuhyun with thankfulness for trying to help him, but it was not like he could accept anyway. Key looked utterly shocked to be rejected, before he listed reasons why they should spend some time together, Ryeowook continued with his speech. “D-Donghae. I promised him already” he was slightly scared of the attitude shown by Key up until now.


Sighing, Key ran his fingers across his hair while grumbling something until he made up his mind. “Fine, I’ll tag along” this caused surprise on the other two, while Ryeowook didn’t understand why.


“Oh. So the almighty you tag along with others now?” Minho teased, not minding the fierce glare he received from the blonde.


Kyuhyun rubbed his temples with his fingertips as he had received too many information at once – first Ryeowook was going out with Donghae and he wasn’t invited, second the proud Key actually gave in and wanted to tag along with someone. “You weren’t even invited” Kyuhyun groaned amidst his stressed state – his friends would surely lead him to have a headache someday.


Key narrowed his eyes at the fact Kyuhyun was so much against him hanging out with the other, making him wonder what Ryeowook meant for him. He smiled wickedly, even more interested in discovering what sort of person attracted one of the most wanted bachelors of the school. “Why are you plotting against me so much today, Kyuhyunnie?” he faked to be hurt, but everyone in that room that fact. Kyuhyun raised his eyebrow staring at the other skeptically.


“Obviously because you’re a bad influence” Kyuhyun stated so flatly, causing Minho to be the one dying of laughter now while Key sent a menacing stare at him.

“You! I’ll talk to Donghae, I am sure he’ll be nicer than you ever could be. Stupid nerd” Key pouted, leaving to the other side decided now to convince Donghae into allowing him to tag along. Minho apologized for him, leaving to follow his friend before he offended the poor Donghae as well.


“Those two are so troublesome” Kyuhyun mumbled, actually regretting being friends with them for the time being. “Remember that I said to keep that nickname between us. I’d rather you’d drop it though” Kyuhyun informed his friend that stared at him with wide eyes.


“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to say it” Ryeowook hastily spoke as he nearly forgot what he did. Kyuhyun chuckled at the sudden panic expressed on his features. He ruffled his hair, showing him to not fret over that silly matter. Feeling more confident that Kyuhyun wasn’t mad with him, he added. “But they agreed it matched with you”


Kyuhyun groaned grabbing another piece of the sheet and crumpling it, throwing at the other. “Fine. I’ll think you’re saying Kyuhyun ah in a shy way, making it come out as that instead” he spoke, hoping the other two wouldn’t spread it to other friends they had in common – as if his life wasn’t hell enough with only Eunhyuk and Donghae torturing him.


Ryeowook frowned of the thought of calling Kyuhyun in a way that sounded much more affectionate. “Y-you’re being delusional” he stuttered, cheeks blushing making Kyuhyun know he wouldn’t hear that nickname coming out from his mouth anymore. Then he grinned triumphantly, returning to occupy his seat as the bell rang telling classes would start now.

=====================

Oh God. I actually doubled the size from the original OTL I am... sorry? Please comment :)