Eunbi knew she was late for class, something her teacher reminded her about as soon as she entered the classroom and sat down. She disregarded the information for it was something she already knew, and instead retrieved the necessary items from her desk. Her attention was not on the teacher and the lesson though, but rather on what she was supposed to tell Yixing. That and the hushed whispers that could be heard. The whole ordeal was upsetting, not only because of the foul things they were saying. But also because they knew of a secret she’d hoped would remain a secret forever. A quick look at Ahbin confirmed that the other girl heard everything that was being said, which made it even worse.

Embarrassed, Eunbi stared down at her notebook. The page was filled with doodles and various figures she’d drawn before the Christmas break. The two week vacation had been anything but relaxing and she wished she could turn back time. Eunbi wished she could undo the kiss. Because without it none of this would have happened. The thought of the kiss made her blush and her heart beat a little faster. It was stupid actually, that she was reacting in such a way to a moment that shouldn’t have taken place. Irritated by the memory, Eunbi sighed and glanced at the clock. There were still an hour left till lunchbreak. An hour she had to endure by listening to the teacher’s endless talk about calculus and to top it off, the whispers from behind. They were just loud enough so she could hear. The teacher however, seemed oblivious to what was going on. And that’s how the period continued until finally, after a hellish like sixty minutes were over and Eunbi hurried out of there.

She didn’t even wait for Ahbin as she sprinted towards the cafeteria. To her relief, she ran into Yixing before he’d managed to get food. This gave her a chance to speak to him right away and without the watching eyes of the other students. Or so she thought, because he grabbed a hold of her hand before she was able to say anything, and pulled her aside. He looked distressed. More so than earlier, and she took his expression as that he knew. He had to know about the rumour.

“I know I don’t say a lot. And I may seem like a fool.” she felt that nervousness again. It made her stomach tighten and throat swell.

“But I’m not stupid. Okay.” he’d never been this serious before.

“So please, tell me what’s really going on.”

Eunbi sighed. There were so many things he didn’t know and for the first time, she felt horrible about keeping it from him.

“I don’t even know where to start.” it was true. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. The kiss, if anything, was the biggest problem. How was she supposed to explain it so that he could understand that it’d been Sehun who forced it upon her. The knot in her stomach tightened even more and her thoughts blended together. It became impossible for Eunbi to speak. Nonetheless there, in the hallway where people were constantly passing them by.

“Must we do this here?” if she was going to tell him the truth, she wanted it to be a little more private. Yixing, tired of being left in the dark, ignored her wish. He needed for Eunbi to tell him everything then and there.

“So, it’s true? Did you kiss Sehun?” Eunbi wanted to scream. To tell everyone that she hadn’t kissed her own step-brother. At least not willingly. No one knew what’d really taken place that day, that moment when she sat in front of the tv playing video games. A video game Sehun bought on Christmas Eve so she wouldn’t have to be too upset about her mother not returning home. Eunbi heaved yet another sigh as she stood there. The memories were coming back once more, memories she’d wanted no one to know of. But that was now spreading like wildfire throughout the whole school.

“I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me.” it was out. The thing she’d kept from Yixing was now something Eunbi admitted. On the other hand. Yixing said nothing for quite some time and the longer the silence went on, the more Eunbi began to wonder what was running through his mind. It was painful to think about.

That he refused to look at her made it even more bothersome for the said girl, who, when he finally locked eyes with her, tried to explain. She told him what’d happened that night. That night when she sat in the living room, playing. How relieved she’d been that her mother and stepfather went to bed after they’d all returned home from the restaurant and that Luhan was in Thailand. She told him everything. How Sehun took her by surprise, how he was the one who ignored every moral rule when he’d kissed her. There was one thing however, that Eunbi left out. The confusion and fear over the fact that she’d liked it. That was a secret she’d take to her grave.

“What else haven’t you told me?” this time it was Eunbi who looked away. She was a bit worried of what she was supposed to reveal. Could she really tell him all of it? Could she reveal everything Luhan and Sehun had put her through? Eunbi felt uneasy. What would he say and do if she said that Luhan, when he got the chance, harassed her? How would he react if she told him everything that was going on within her own home? Before she was able to decide, Ahbin appeared. The sight of the other girl was so unexpected that Eunbi blinked. She’d totally forgotten about her friend for a moment.

“You have to come.” Ahbin pulled at her hand.

“Hurry.” bewildered, she gave Yixing one last glance and said that they’d talk later, and then let herself be dragged away by Ahbin. She was so overwhelmed by it all that she just let it happen.

“Did something happen?” Eunbi couldn’t understand why Ahbin was acting up like this. Whatever it was, it could not be worse than it already were. A thought that was dismissed quite immediately by her friend, who, in such a loud voice stated that Luhan and Sehun were fighting. Ahbin didn’t seem to know much more than that for it was all she said. Much more was probably not needed either, because they were soon at the scene and Eunbi saw what was going on. To see them fighting with such anger was entirely new for her. Sure she know they didn’t get along. But this. This was too much even for them. Another problem that arose as she stood there, watching as they swung at each other was the complete lack of any adults. There was not a single teacher in sight and the students around didn’t make anything better when they cheered as if this was some gladiator game. The blood trickling down Sehun’s bottom lip was enough reason for Eunbi to want them to stop. She just didn’t have the courage to do something. The feeling of powerlessness only grew as the seconds ticked on. It was eating away at her and she finally had enough when Luhan sent his fist at Sehun’s cheek. The skin broke and more blood flowed.

“Stop it. Both of you.” Eunbi pushed past two students standing in front of her, only to end up standing between the two males, whose attention were now on her. What arrived as a small chock was Luhan and the fact that he didn’t even smile or smirk when he laid his eyes upon her, something that was out of the ordinary.

“Leave. This doesn’t concern you.” Sehun’s brisk words boomed in her ears, only to be followed by an equally loud scoff from Luhan’s side.

“Right. Then tell me why we’re even fighting? Huh? Isn’t it because of Eunbi?” Luhan stated, a smile forming on his lips as he did. The older male were obviously enjoying this. And so did everyone around them as well. Everyone except Eunbi, and Yixing, who’d now made his way over to watch the commotion. The latter weren’t the slightest pleased by what Eunbi was doing as he wished his girlfriend could’ve ignored the ongoing argument.

“It’s because you started that ing rumour.” the girl fell silent upon hearing Sehun’s accusation. It would probably have made sense and she would most likely have believed it if it wasn’t for one simple thing. Luhan hadn’t been home when the kiss happened. In fact. The only person who should have known was Sehun. But then. Why did he look so convinced that it was Luhan? Had it not been Sehun? What the hell was going on? If none of them had spread the rumour then who? And how could anyone have found out?

Eunbi was even more confused now.

“Oh. So it’s not because you like her.” Luhan found it amusing seeing his younger brother flustered. More so since it was so damn obvious how Sehun liked the girl. It became even further obvious when he didn’t even try to deny it.

“BREAK IT UP.” the demanding tone could only belong to a teacher. A feat Eunbi had mixed feelings about since she wanted an answer from Sehun. She wanted to know if it was true. If he liked her. And the interruption made it impossible to find that out.

“Go to the school nurse, Sehun. And Luhan, come with me.” students voiced out their disappointment like they’d hoped for more before slowly splitting up. They all left, including Sehun and Luhan, and it was only then that Eunbi took notice of Yixing. His expression couldn’t be mistaken and she felt absolutely horrible that he had to listen to that. He’d done nothing to deserve all this crap.

“I’ll be in the cafeteria.” with that, Ahbin left as well. And the silence that followed lasted for quite some time. Eunbi wanted to say so many things. She wanted to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about. The reality was another though, because she wasn’t sure. She couldn’t promise him anything. Not when she was unsure if she would be able to keep it.

“You don’t need to say anything. I think I’m starting to understand.”