Monday. It was almost lunch time and Kyuhyun and Jonghyun were walking along the corridors of the Music building. Jonghyun was on his way to his Instrumentation class while Kyuhyun just finished his. He was yawning quite frequently. Monday mornings were the worst for him and this was no exception. He missed playing his game last Saturday because of the party so he’d be damned if he didn’t get to play his beloved Starcraft last night.

“Did Gyuri get home alright?” Kyuhyun asked as he rubbed his eyes.

Jonghyun hitched his guitar case higher on his shoulder, “Yeah,” then he smirked, “I think she was a little annoyed though that I was there.”

Kyuhyun scowled, “Silly girl! I know Eunhyuk fairly well but there were a lot of people at that party who saw her hanging on to him, quite out of it. Did she really think people wouldn’t think the worst of it if you hadn’t gone with them?”

Jonghyun snorted, “The Sigma Mu party is in three weeks and I hear she and Victoria still haven’t wangled a date yet from their targets.”

“It doesn’t excuse their behaviour.”

Jonghyun just grinned, “What about you, hyung? What happened that night?”

Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes at the younger boy, “I slept peacefully…alone so get your mind out of the gutter. Siwon gave me and Changmin breakfast in the morning and drove us home and that’s that so stop smirking at me like that!” 

Jonghyun just chuckled but remained silent. They walked in companionable silence for a few moments until Kyuhyun commented, “I saw Seohyun at the party but Yonghwa wasn’t. How did that happen?”

He was obviously trying to bait Jonghyun and he wasn’t disappointed when the boy shrugged and frowned, “Hyung was busy and Seo wasn’t actually interested to go but Tiffany insisted so I told hyung I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“And did you?”

“Yes and she left the party early and you obviously know I accompanied her home because you had that damned grin when you saw us. Just be thankful I actually came back again to chaperone Gyuri-noona,” Jonghyun scowled.

It was Kyuhyun’s turn to smirk, “My, my, you’re so touchy. I just wanted to know how you were progressing.”

“I’m not playing the game because I want to win our stupid bet,” Jonghyun said hotly, “I just want to make sure she isn’t toying with my brother’s feelings. I still can’t believe she’s really into him when it’s been known ever since anyone can remember that she never went out on dates because she’s aiming to graduate with honours. She’s even said it herself.”

Kyuhyun paused in walking and Jonghyun was surprised as he looked at the older boy’s expression. Kyuhyun seemed to be torn between shock and amusement, “Seriously, that was what was bothering you all this time?” Kyuhyun said with almost a laugh, “God, do you actually-…” He then shook his head and patted Jonghyun’s shoulder, “People do change their minds you know, I mean, normal people do so don’t compare them to you. Anyway, Seohyun for all her seriousness is still a normal girl after all. Didn’t you ever think that maybe she actually liked Yonghwa that much that she changed her mind?”

“And wasn’t it convenient for her to change her mind just when she’s a Sigma Nu Delta pledge? She had never even talked to hyung before and quite seriously, I don’t think she even knew him before this.”

Kyuhyun lifted an eyebrow questioningly, “So you think her going out with Yonghwa is part of some initiation thing?”

Jonghyun shrugged as he resumed walking, “You know as well as I do about the rumours that the only requirement for a legacy girl is to date an officer of a fraternity during her pledge period and she’s in. It’s happened before. Taeyeon and Leeteuk, Yoona and Taecyon, even your roommate Sungmin with Sunny, do you want me to go on?”

Kyuhyun frowned. Seohyun, just like those girls Jonghyun mentioned were “legacies”, daughters of former Sigma Nu Delta members. And they did date those guys when they were still pledges and have since broken up with them. Sungmin seemed to have moved on although he did remember a time when he caught his friend staring blankly at his phone for a few weeks after the breakup. Yonghwa is the Lord Magister of the Chi Nu Beta fraternity. Was then the rumour really true?

After a few moments of contemplative silence, Kyuhyun hesitantly suggested, “Maybe Seohyun and Yonghwa have some sort of agreement…?”

Jonghyun frowned, shaking his head, “Hyung’s in this for real.”

“Then that’s a little cruel, isn’t it?”

Jonghyun gave a choked snort at Kyuhyun’s comment and cast a glance at him, an ironic twinkle in his eye. Kyuhyun gave an almost self-conscious smile as the same thought was probably passing in both their heads. So how was it any different from the charm battle they were doing now?

They arrived at Jonghyun’s room and as Kyuhyun yawned, he asked, “Do you want to wait for me? We can have lunch after-… Eh, never mind that,” he suddenly smirked, “Your boyfriend’s here, hyung.”

“What boyfriend?” Kyuhyun was confused then he followed Jonghyun’s sight and suddenly felt the air getting knocked out of him. Siwon was striding towards them.

“Hi,” the tall boy greeted them with a wide smile. 

“Uh, hi. What are you doing here?” 

“I’m actually running an errand for Hae. He needs the shirt Eunhyuk borrowed from him so I took it…” Siwon’s voice trailed off as Kyuhyun’s and Jonghyun’s eyes travelled over his person and obviously saw that he wasn’t holding anything. He chuckled a little self-consciously, “I meant I took the errand. Anyway, I’m craving some Thai food and there’s a good restaurant near here which just opened. So I was wondering, do you want to grab some lunch with me? And…” Siwon glanced at Jonghyun but before he could say anything, Jonghyun said with a wide smile, “I have class. This is my room actually. See you later, hyung!” 

Kyuhyun knew that Changmin and the others would know about this in just about two minutes from the way Jonghyun had smiled teasingly at him before he went in his classroom. He looked at Siwon who seemed to be fascinated with the intricate pattern of the mosaic tiles of the floor.

“Do you want to pass by Eunhyuk’s class?”

Siwon looked up and said hastily, “Oh, that’s fine. I’ll just get it from him later. So do you want to have lunch? With me, that is.”

Kyuhyun ignored the other’s endearing smile which was made more attractive because its owner also looked so self-conscious. It was as if Siwon was also bracing himself for a refusal. He just shrugged, “Sure.” He supposed he should be celebrating by now, armed with the knowledge of what Siwon let slip last Saturday night when he thought he was fast asleep and now, the guy was actually here seeking his company for lunch.

Of course, Siwon might just be really wanting some company for lunch and he must really have meant to look for Eunhyuk when he saw them. 

Or, Siwon really did just actively seek him out. 

Anyway, Kyuhyun argued in his head, it wasn’t like he never had lunch with Siwon before. Of course, they were usually with other people but it wasn’t like something big had changed. Although that was before…

Before what? Before this stupid bet? Before he found out he was gay? Or before he realized that he somehow liked knowing that Siwon might, just might, feel something special for him somehow? Because some things did change now; foremost of all was that he was definitely not seeing Siwon the same way as before. 

He mentally shook his head. Siwon was that type of guy that girls swoon over and boys look up to. He was just flattered that Siwon might actually be attracted to him, and made his winning their game a lot easier, nothing more. It was easy to fall in love with someone like Siwon but he was not the guy for him.

So who is? 

Kyuhyun didn’t know the answer yet and he figured it wasn’t important. That matter was too serious…and dangerous. He and his friends have a fun game going on and this was not the same thing.

As he glanced at Siwon who was driving the car towards the Thai restaurant he was raving about, the older boy looked back at him and smiled. Kyuhyun wondered not for the first time if he should just tell Siwon all about their game and enlist his help. But no, it would defeat the spirit of their bet. He had his pride to think about as well as his conscience telling him that he wouldn’t be playing fair if he did.

Sometimes, even the smartest people can have the most irrational and skewed sense of right and wrong. 

So that Monday lunch was followed by another, dinner after joint soccer club and varsity practices, and movies on the weekend. The Kyu-line members were watching them with mixed amusement, wonder and annoyance because after all, they also had their own targets to think about. 

All in all, Kyuhyun thought that he was doing quite well. If only that nagging feeling at the back of his head would stop warning him that he was overlooking something important.

***************

“Why are you so suspicious though?”

“Because it’s working too well,” Kyuhyun said thoughtfully, tearing his gaze away from Siwon and transferred it to Minho who got hold of the ball and was now skilfully manoeuvring it towards the other end of the field.

It was two weeks later and Kyuhyun and Changmin were watching the soccer varsity team’s practice from somewhere up the higher part of the grassy field. Minho was teamed up with Yunho and Siwon while Donghae was on the opposing team.

Minho was now halfway through the field and he gave a powerful kick sending the ball towards the waiting Yunho. Changmin was now also watching with interest and he and Kyuhyun watched as Yunho gave a swift kick towards the net. 

Goal!

Kyuhyun chuckled as he heard Changmin unsuccessfully muffle an excited shout of victory. “Impressed, aren’t we?” he remarked with undisguised glee while Changmin blushed but just gave his friend a scowl.

The ball was now in the possession of the other team led by Yoochun. Kyuhyun saw Donghae running far ahead and correctly guessed that he was anticipating Yoochun’s pass. Yoochun however was already past the halfway mark on the field, still not getting an opening to kick the ball to Donghae as Minho continuously dogged his movements, running very close alongside him while two other players effectively guarded Donghae’s front and back.

“How’s it going with Yunho anyway?”

Changmin scowled deeper, “I swear, I could easily win if you guys gave me a more decent target. The guy’s stupid, arrogant and just insufferable! How exactly is he the student council president again?”

Kyuhyun just snorted and continued to watch, refraining from pointing out that Yunho was on the dean’s list and scoring goals regularly on the soccer field helped a lot with the votes. Changmin knew that as well as him. On the field, an ill-aimed head pass to Donghae was intercepted and gave the ball once again to Yunho’s team. 

From the corner of his eye, Kyuhyun saw Yunho noticing them as the ball went sailing past near their side of the field. He smirked as he thought of something, “Now don’t get too excited,” he said mischievously as he suddenly leaned towards Changmin who froze in surprise even as he gave a cry of shock. He angled his body closer to a by now almost creeped out Changmin, his arms now on the ground on either side of his friend, his face too close.

Blagh!

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” 

“Holy !”

“Quick! Someone get some towels!”

The field was in chaos. Apparently, Yunho didn’t see the ball coming towards him and wasn’t able to catch it. 

Well actually, that wasn’t quite true. He was able to catch it…with his face. And the blood gushing out of his nose was proof that it proved quite unsuccessful. 

Kyuhyun casually put his hands behind his head and just whistled as he leaned back and lied down. Changmin on the other hand was gaping in astonishment, “What the heck was that all about?” Then he looked at the field where the players were now all milling around their injured star player. “Cripes! What just happened to Yunho?” he suddenly became suspicious and frowned at his grinning friend.

Kyuhyun gazed up at him innocently, grin still in place, “What? I just wanted to test something out. You should thank me. The experiment was successful.”

Changmin quirked an eyebrow, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Cause and effect. Don’t play dumb when we both know you’re not.”

Changmin frowned deeper, his friend’s intention becoming quite clear. Then slowly, his face widened into the same grin. “You bastard,” he snorted, “Well then, be careful.” He stood up and grabbed his bag as he reached out a hand to pull Kyuhyun up, “I think I might just win this game after all.”

Kyuhyun got up and glanced once more towards the field. His gaze unexpectedly locked with Siwon who had been watching him, face unreadable even as the older boy reached out a towel to his injured teammate. He looked away and smiled at Changmin, “Not if I win it first.”