The boys, already in their pajamas that evening, were preparing to get to bed, all of them tired and restless. For the past few days, they didn’t bond too much because of their hectic schedules in school. No one, not even Kyuhyun, was playing on weeknights anymore; no movies, no games, and no more pranks. Everyone was getting ready to face their examination that was within two weeks. It scared everybody, especially the ones that were on a scholarship, because it decided whether they get to stay or not.

Quietly when everyone else was in their rooms doing their homework, Kyu got outside his room. Kibum was on the roof to study his lines, while Yesung was in the living room doing his best to stud history yet again. Their room was given up to Kyuhyun for the sake of him, passing his test in Algebra. Doing tiptoes Kyuhyun decided to visit the nearest room. His Min-hyung might be able to give him some tips, and Eeteuk-hyung was bound to be an expert himself.

“Min-hyung,” he knocked on their door.

It opened at once, Sungmin popping his head outside. “What is it, Kyu-sshi?”

“Can I come in? I...I need to ask you guys something that’s a bit personal,” he said, blushing slightly. Sungmin understood his awkward state and let him enter without asking the hyung-nim’s permission. Leeteuk was at the far end, near the window, fixing his books torn pages.

He was wearing specs, the first time Kyu had seen him with that sense of fashion. He knew almost all of his hyungs had weak eyesight and needed glasses. Sungmin and Hyukjae were the exception. They had the most powerful eyes in the dorm.

“Hyung-nim, I need to ask you something,” Kyuhyun said, plopping himself unto Sungmin’s bed.

Smiling, Leeteuk and Sungmin gave up their homework and sat beside the maknae.

“What is it, Kyuhyun-sshi? Did the maknae hurt himself again while being alone in his room?” Eeteuk made fun of Kyuhyun when earlier that night he started shouting about the blood coming out of his finger as he made dinner for all of them.

The maknae bravely waved his middle finger at him; the finger that got slice was now bandaged. “No, I’m better now, hyung-nim. And it’s not about that.”

“Let me guess,” Sungmin said, thinking. “It’s...about a girl, right?”

He rolled his eyes, as the three of them leaned on the wall, Eeteuk tickling him at his sides. Kyuhyun pushed him away, as he restlessly laid his head on Sungmin’s shoulder, sighing worriedly.

“Min-hyung’s right,” Kyuhyun answered gravely. The hyungs laughed, completely expecting it was about Seohyun yet again. The two started jumping on their beds, cackling and teasing poor Kyuhyun as he looked at all of them, exasperated.

“This is serious, hyung,” he told them.

Still frivolous, Leeteuk slapped him in the face, staring into his eyes. “You didn’t get Seohyun pregnant, did you?”

“Hyung-nim I don’t even know where to begin and now you’re asking me if I got her pregnant! Aish, you guys are no help.”

“Okay, okay,” Sungmin pulled him close as the hyungs listened intently to what he was going to say.

“We’re all ears, Kyu,” Eeteuk told him. “Just tell us what you need to know about women.”

“Eeteuk-hyung, please ask your friend Taeyeon-noona about what Seohyun likes,” Kyuhyun suggested, pouting cutely as if pleading.

“Me? Are you serious? With Taeyeon? Kyuhyun, we’re not...friends,” Eeteuk reasoned out.

Kyu smiled. “Please be friends. I need to know so that I can at least give her something. Like, books or cell phones. Things she like, things we boys don’t know of. Come on, hyung-nim. Be friends with Taeyeon-noona.”

“Sungmin, you take over,” Eeteuk pushed him by the shoulder as he turned his back on them. “You can always ask Sunny.”

“Hyung, Sunny and I don’t talk anymore,” he whispered. “Maybe next time, but...we don’t really...yeah, she’s...”

“You boys have connections with them, and then you won’t even help me? What kind of hyungs are you? I can’t believe that you guys don’t even care about how I feel,” Kyuhyun stuck his tongue out at the two who were feeling ashamed of themselves.

“Sorry, Kyuhyun,” Eeteuk said, guilty of what the maknae told them, “But...you could ask your Donghae-hyung. He is still very much with that Jessica.”

“Come on, hyung-nim, please,” Kyuhyun requested. “Ask Noona. Please? For me?”                                                              

“Now it just wouldn’t work out,” Eeteuk decided.

“Come on, I’ll be a good boy,” he would not give up that easily. “I will do my own laundry. I will wash the dishes. I will cut the lawn. I will wash the other hyungs’ cars every Saturday. I will do my homework. I will give up playing Starcraft for a week. Oh wait...scratch the last one, I can’t do that. I will pet Yesung-hyung’s turtle. I will help with hyung-nim’s film production. I will give back Min-hyung’s lucky pink socks.”

“They’re with you?” Sungmin asked.

“Yes,” the maknae said. “Now...I will also help Hyuk-hyung with his dancing. I will make Hangeng-hyung the Beijing Fried Rice every day because he says I cook better than Wookie. For Wookie I will buy him new rulers because I broke them the other night. I will help Kibum with memorizing his lines. I will always buy the schoolpaper for Heechul-hyung. I think I can help Donghae-hyung with his Geometry. Siwon-hyung has to count on me for his Statistics Class. There, I gave a list of promises.”

“No, Kyuhyun-sshi,” Leeteuk declined, reminding himself that if Kyuhyun helped with all of these stuff, they would all be dead in the near future. “You know what, don’t do any of that and I’ll convince Taeyeon to help you with Seohyun.”

“Thank you so much,” Kyuhyun bowed his head in gratitude, glee filling his heart. “You’re a life saver. I’m going on a date with her this Saturday. She agreed, hyung. I don’t know what...I don’t know what to do. I might take her to an amusement park or something...Gah, this is so troublesome.”

Leeteuk hugged him instantly, surprising the poor confused boy. Sungmin too joined their group and patted Kyuhyun’s back.

“Ah, Kyuhyun-sshi,” Sungmin stated cheerfully, “it’s just simple. The main key is not to act dumb while on a date. And then, it’ll flow naturally. She’ll be your girlfriend in no time. Trust me, I know how it works. Just be good to her, you’ll see.”

“Sure, I’ll believe in a person who got rejected by the only girl he ever loved,” Kyuhyun retorted, losing all hope. Sungmin threw a pillow at him. He lied on his bed, contracting his legs more properly and taking deep breathes. He really didn’t want anyone, even the maknae, to mock his complicated affairs.

Eeteuk smiled. “Is...Is she really that special to you, Kyuhyun-sshi?”

“Yes, please” Kyuhyun begged. “Please call Taeyeon-noona and ask her about Seohyun. I...I don’t want to be embarrassed on my first date.”

“Then I will do it,” Teuk agreed, gazing at the boy. “Please be careful with your decisions. I don’t...I’m just afraid you might get hurt.”

“Heartbreaks are not made by mere mistakes or by chance,” Kyuhyun whispered seriously, recalling something that was so dormant for years. “Heartbreaks are made because the heart says to give it up and accept defeat. Expect to be hurt in the end. Hurt can’t be avoided in the end.”

“Where did you get that?” Sungmin wondered.                                                                 

“Mom told me that when she was leaving me.”

The youngest smirked at them, excusing himself that it was way past his bedtime and he was in dire need of sleep already.

-o0o-

“I...I can’t have that,” Kibum said forcefully, pushing Yoona to the wall. He looked at her eyes that were already bearing tears until she could no longer hold them. They fell, sliding slowly down her cheeks. Closing his eyes, he didn’t want to do it. But he was left to no other choice. The whole freshmen class of the Theatre was closely watching the two of them, in case they committed any errors either in their acting or in the script. Kibum had been practicing his lines well, with Yoona they were the strongest pair in their class.

Everyone was jealous of this winning team, for the professor promised all a chance of getting to shoot a movie with Film Majors. These movies would be sent to respective famous directors all over the world. 

“Don’t...hurt me, please.” Yoona spoke, her voice so gentle and fitting to that of her character. She hugged him tightly, as she pleaded. “Please...I love you more.”

“Let go of me,” Kibum untied her arms, as she begged him still. “How can I love someone like you? It’s best you die an apt death.” He pulled a knife from his pocket, solid it was and so real. Yoona looked at it in fright, grabbing Kibum’s hands.

“Please...I’m in love with you,” she said, seizing the knife from him. This was the hardest part of the whole scene. Kibum had been nervous about kissing Yoona, even during their practices. Key was always watching them so he got frightened by the fact that even during the performance, he would still be there to give him a warning.

And so they kissed, the crowd wowing at how it looked realistic. Key was just in the front seat, slightly infuriated that they had to do it continually. Sometimes he would even reckon that Kibum was immune to his glares of caution. Key made sure there would be no ‘French Kissing’. He often made Yoona chew on shrimp before heading out to start practice with Kibum since the boy said he disliked seafood. Their attempts led to several mistakes, victory for Key.

Because he was worried about Yoona himself, he didn’t do that this time. Sabotage was another word saved for another day. He just had to accept the fact that Yoon had perfect chemistry with little Kibummie.

-o0o-

“Heechul-sshi, go text Bummie good luck,” Eeteuk told him as they walked to their individual classrooms. They were both staying in the same building, the one closest to their dorm and farthest from the main gates.

“I already told him before he left earlier,” Heenim replied, smiling. From a far he already saw a young girl approaching them, her books at her arm, her bag hanging by her shoulder. She was short, indeed, but she had a fearful standing. Heechul knew her to be Eeteuk-hyung’s archenemy, the rival to the throne of being the best director of the graduating class.

“Eeteuk-sshi, what do you want?” Taeyeon said, wondering why Teuk even texted her that day. “Good morning to you, Heechul-sshi.”

“Good morning,” Heechul bowed his head. “Hyung, I need to go now. Later.”

Dashing away, Heenim left with a confused look in his face, supposing loads of ideas why Eeteuk was meaning to meet up with a girl he despised. Seriously, the world was turning upside down this year.

The two sat by the mango tree, under its cool shade that hid them from the sun and from prying eyes. Taeyeon waited for Teuk to start talking, for he looked like it meant real business.

“Can you help our maknae score a goal with your maknae?” Leeteuk asked, straightforward as he is.

“What? Why would I do that?” Taeyeon said, startled at the bluntness. “I mean, Seohyun’s just 18...and... did you say your maknae likes Seohyun? Our Seohyun?”

He nodded. “He needs help from me. I need to ask you everything about her so that Kyu can prepare himself for their dat