“Will you date me?” asked Luhan as she looked Seyoon in the eyes. He didn’t know why he suddenly asked that question. But one thing came into his mind when he heard Kai calling Krystal his ‘girlfriend’ and that was, Seyoon and Kai were not in the relationship that Luhan thought it was since their middle school years.

Chanyeol and Xiumin, who were sitting on the opposite side, nearly choked their food. Good thing, Lay and Baekhyun were beside them to pat their backs. Sehun and Kyungsoo, who were sitting beside Seyoon, looked at Luhan.

“What?” Seyoon looked up at him, wide eyed, trying to understand the situation they were in, the place they were at, and the relationship they had for him to ask that question to her.

“Ha…ha…HAHAHA! That’s the funniest joke I heard from you,” said Xiumin, who was obviously having a fake laugh just to break the uncomfortable atmosphere in their lunch table. “You…you’re kidding right?” he asked Luhan.

“Haha…right. Obviously, he’s just bluffing nonsense stuff. Don’t mind him Seyoon,” said Chanyeol as he looked at Seyoon with his wide opened eyes.

“I don’t think he’s kidding,” said Lay seriously.

Seyoon looked at Luhan who was staring on the floor, feeling embarrassed that no one had took his question seriously. Seyoon cleared which caught everyone’s attention including Luhan. “I think you should…uhm…eat first. It looks like you’ve run somewhere far.” Then she looked at the boys, “I’ll get going. See you in class,” she said as she stood up, leaving everyone quiet for the rest of the lunch.

---

Baekhyun was already on his seat when Kai entered their classroom. A few minutes after him, Krystal entered. She went past Kai as if they were not together during lunch. After Krystal came some of their girl classmates who also finished eating lunch. One of the girls was seemingly excited as she gathered some of her friends to talk about something they’ve heard from their other girlfriends in the other class.

“Hey, have you heard? Luhan asked someone out for a date,” she said half-excited and half-disappointed as she spread the news to her friends.

Baekhyun, who was sitting by the window, leaning his head on the glass, heard the girls’ conversation and suddenly lifted his head up. He looked at Kai who was sitting next to him and by the look of it; he didn’t seem to be bothered by what the other girls were talking about. He was just busy looking for something inside his bag. Suddenly, Baekhyun was distracted by Kai.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing.” If only Kai knew what they were talking about he would surely be shocked, Baekhyun thought.

“By the way, have you seen my Science notebook? I just left it on my desk a while ago. Now, I can’t seem to find it.”

“I don’t think I have…”

“Kai, aren’t you close to Luhan? I heard he is dating someone. By any chance, do you know who she is?” one of their classmates interrupted their conversation.

Baekhyun just looked at Kai who looked so innocent about the topic. “I think you misunderstand it. Luhan and I are not close. We just knew each other for too long but we’re not friends. Whoever he asked for a date, I don’t care,” Kai said as he went back to his bag, still looking for the missing notebook.

“Hey, I have an update. Someone from the other class heard that it was Seyoon from Class 3-A,” said one of the girls.

Kai’s time seemed to stop for a moment. His hands which were busily looking for the notebook inside his bag were also frozen. He stared at his bag for a moment. He wasn’t sure if what he heard was right or maybe he just misheard it. But the words came so clear into his ears…Seyoon, Class 3-A. Although, he was not familiar with the names of every student in their school, there was only one person whom he knew who possessed that name and belonged to that said section.

‘Oh no. As expected, he couldn’t grasp the situation,’ Baekhyun thought as he looked at Kai’s frozen shocked expression.

Clearly, he couldn’t grasp the situation. How on earth Luhan would suddenly asked that question to Seyoon? Since when does he have feelings for her? Besides, it seemed like it was just this morning that he was teasing Seyoon about being his fan. How did Seyoon answer that question? Does she even consider it? Did she say ‘yes’? All of these questions flooded Kai’s mind as if it was going to burst.

“Baekhyun…” another girl started asking him.

“Huh?” ‘Oh please don’t ask me. Not me….I don’t know anything,’ Baekhyun thought.

“Aren’t you close to Seyoon? And we’ve seen you talk to Luhan before. Is the news true that he asked Seyoon out?”

These girls are annoying, Baekhyun thought as he kept on thinking of excuses, replies, answers that would divert their attention to others. Maybe a change of topic, he thought. Maybe…maybe…maybe. Just then, Kai looked at him with the eyes saying ‘I know you know’.

‘Does Baekhyun know? I am sure he knows. He’s having lunch with Luhan and Seyoon every day. I am sure he knows,” Kai thought. ‘Please tell us if it true or not. Baekhyun, it is not true right?’ he thought as he looked at Baekhyun’s eyes, wishing that he’s message would get across without saying it out loud to Baekhyun.

“Uh…I don’t know. Besides, I don’t think it is right that you spread such news. It’s very personal,” Baekhyun said with confidence at least at the outside. But he knew that he was really nervous inside and his hands were clasped tightly under the desk. He noticed that some his classmates were not satisfied with his answer. “Why don’t you just ask Luhan himself? Besides, he’ll be here soon,” he said to them.

Kai noticed his hands under the table. He knew perfectly well when Baekhyun or any of his friends were lying. And this time, he knew that Baekhyun knew something about it. But he didn’t want to bother Baekhyun anymore, seeing the tension engraved on his friend’s face. Plus, he thought that Baekhyun was right. Maybe he would just wait for Luhan to come back and then…

The girls suddenly went back to their seats when Luhan entered the room. He looked at everyone’s faces who seemed shocked when he entered the room. He went to his seat which was beside Krystal. He greeted Krystal as he sat beside her.

Kai, who was sitting behind him, had his eyes fixed on Luhan since the moment he entered the door. Suddenly, his dark deep eyes were met with blissful doll-liked eyes. “Kai, you dropped this on the stairways a while ago. I was supposed to run after you but you disappeared from my sight so I thought I'd just return it after lunch. By the way, I already copy some of your notes, if you don’t mind. I still have a hard time coping with the pace of the lessons. Here,” Luhan said enthusiastically as he handed Kai his Science notebook. However, Kai didn’t know that Luhan picked it up when he chased Kai on the 4^th floor where Kai met Krystal during lunchtime. Kai just stared at his notebook being handed to him. Luhan waved the notebook in front of the frozen Kai. “Kai?” he said repeatedly to Kai.

Baekhyun, who couldn’t stand seeing his friend being absent-minded, grabbed the notebook from Luhan’s hand. “Can I borrow it?” was the only words he could say.

“What’s wrong with your friend? He seemed not on his right mind. Did something happen?” Luhan asked Baekhyun.

Baekhyun shrugged as he returned to his seat. ‘If only you knew you were the reason why he was like that,’ Baekhyun thought.

“By the way Kai, do you happen to know Seyoon’s favorite color, food, or the music she listens to? I think you’re the most reliable person I could ask about her. After all, you were friends since middle school. Am I right?” Luhan asked Kai mischievously.

‘Why is he asking me that? So…so, it is true then…this brat,’ Kai thought. “I don’t know. Ask someone else,” he said aloofly.

 “Alright, I’ll just ask her then. Again, thanks for the notes,” Luhan said before turning around, leaving Kai his spirited smile.

---

“Seyoon!” Seyoon who was on her way to the student council room turned around to see the face of the person calling her name. Although without looking back, she already had a hint of who that person was. As expected, it was Luhan.

Seyoon looked at him, still thinking of what happened in the cafeteria. For a moment, she thought she was able to get out of that uneasy situation earlier. But she also knew that she and Luhan were studying in the same school, have the same circle of friends, and would eventually bumped to each other like right now. After all, it is a small world. “Uhm…I’m in a hurry. We have a meeting in…”

“…the student council. I know. I asked Baekhyun earlier,” Luhan said.

“If you have anything to say, please hurry up.”

“Well, about what I’ve said earlier…”

“Luhan, you see…” Luhan stared at her wide-eyed. For the first time in a long long time, it was only at that moment that he heard Seyoon calling him by his name. His heart pounded for a moment as he stared at her. “If this is one of your ways to tease me or trick me, please stop now. It is not good to play with other people’s feelings,” she said to him.

“No! I’m not kidding. I know it is hard to believe but trust me, I’m serious about this,” he said to Seyoon with the sincerest eyes.  ‘After I found out that Kai already has a girlfriend, I know it is the right time. It is now or never,’ Luhan thought.

“Ah…” Seyoon kept on gazing somewhere else just to avoid having eye contact with Luhan.

“Actually the reason why I wanted to talk to you is to tell you that I don’t want to pressure you about this. I wanted for you to think about this carefully. I’ll wait whenever you are ready. I know it’s an abrupt question. And even though, we knew each other for a long time, I know that we’re not that close. So I was thinking maybe let’s just get to know each other first,” Luhan said with a seemingly worried face whether Seyoon would agree or not.

“What do you mean?” Seyoon raised her eyebrow. Getting to know each other? Just this morning and these past days, Luhan kept on teasing her here and there. But now, he wanted to get close to her? Seyoon still can’t believe what Luhan was saying to her. And she still doesn’t she could even open herself in a friendly relationship with him.

“Just give me a day to prove myself that I am sincere with you. Just a day of us together, introducing ourselves like we’ve never met before. I want to start our relationship in a good way. Let’s forget our awkward first meeting in the past. How is that?”

“Just the two us? You mean a da…”

“Date? No! If the idea of a date pressured you, just think of it as a get-together or just meeting someone for the first time. It’s not a date.”

“But if it is just the two us, I will surely feel uneasy.”

“Fine. If you want, you can bring someone with you. I can bring my friends too. It will be a group hangout then,” he said to her, still trying to convince Seyoon.

“I’ll think about it,” she said.

“Okay!” Luhan replied with a smile. That answer was enough for him for now. At least, it is not a ‘no’. At least, she would think about it. It means, there was still hope for him. “I have to go now. Lay and Xiumin are probably looking for me. See you,” he said.

She stared at Luhan as he left the school building. She let out a deep sigh when he heard Baekhyun calling her name. She turned around when she saw Baekhyun and Kai coming to her direction.

She didn’t know that Kai was observing her and Luhan halfway of their conversation. Although Kai wanted to just walk past by them, but his body seemed frozen in place as he observed the two talking (in his eyes) comfortably. Good thing, Baekhyun came when Luhan already left making it looked like he was with Baekhyun all along.

Seyoon looked at Kai, hoping that he didn’t see her talking to Luhan or that he still didn’t know what happened earlier in the cafeteria. They made an eye contact for a few seconds when Baekhyun interrupted.

“What are you still doing here? I thought you were already in the student council room. We have a meeting right?”

“Ah…Well, I am on my way. Let’s just go together.”

“Okay. Kai, we have to go. I’ll just see you tomorrow,” Baekhyun said to Kai.

Seyoon looked at Kai. For a few seconds, they stared at each other as if waiting that the other would start talking. However Seyoon find the courage to speak first. “I’ll just see you later,” she told Kai. Kai just nodded at her. “Let’s go Baekhyun.” Baekhyun tapped Kai’s shoulder before he followed Seyoon towards the student council room.

When the two were almost a few meters apart from where they left Kai, they saw Chanyeol waiting for them in the hallway.

“Seyoon~!” he said while waving at her happily. “Hi Baek!”

“What are you doing here?” he asked him as he tried to trap his friend in a headlock.

“Why?” Chanyeol tried to escape from Baekhyun’s headlock. Lucky for Chanyeol and his height, he easily got away from Baekhyun’s headlock. “You have a meeting right? I don’t want to go home alone so I’ll just wait for you until you are done,” he replied to the smaller guy. As the three were walking towards the student council room, Chanyeol suddenly spoke. “Seyoon, about what that brat asked you earlier, you’re not thinking about it right? I mean you don’t think he’s being serious about it, right?” he asked Seyoon.

Seyoon looked at her concerned friend. For a moment, she recalled what Luhan had said to her, his sincerity, and his invitation for a group date…or bonding, if that’s why he wanted to think of it. She still doesn’t know if the answer to Luhan’s questions and she doesn’t want to think about it either. Maybe she needed more time. Besides, she still doesn’t know if she should say it to Kai or not.

“You’re not thinking of it right?” Chanyeol insisted again.

“Yah! It’s Seyoon’s personal problem. Stop asking her or else she’ll really think about it,” Baekhyun said to him.

“No! I didn’t mean it Seyoon. Let’s just think of happy thoughts, okay? After you’re meeting, I’ll treat you to the ddeokbeokki stall,” Chanyeol said.

“Haha…Don’t worry about it. Alright, we’ll go to the ddeokbeokki stall later. You promised to treat me, okay?” she said to Chanyeol just for the sake of calming him and stop worrying about her anymore.

“I just see you then. You too, Baekhyun! I’ll just wait outside,” he said happily before he left.

“Sorry for Chanyeol’s insistence. Whatever your problem with Luhan just ask us for help. We’re always here for you.”

“Thank you,” she replied with a smile.

‘I wonder if I’d tell her that Kai already knew,’ Baekhyun thought.

---

Kai was staring at the ceiling of his room for about two hours now. Why was he acting like that? Even he couldn’t understand why the news of Luhan asking Seyoon out had a great impact on him. Just the moment of seeing the two talking at the main hallway this afternoon made his brain twisted in confusion. No matter how many times he thought of Seyoon and Luhan being in a relationship, he couldn’t keep his mind at ease like everything would be blurry and then his mind would shut down. “AAHH!” he shouted. Just then, he heard someone knocking on his door.

“Kai! Are you alright?” someone asked from the outside of his door. Suddenly, Chanyeol and Sehun went inside his room. “What’s wrong? What happened?” asked Chanyeol as he sat beside Kai.

“Huh? Ah…I just saw a cockroach flying there somewhere,” replied Kai. He couldn’t think of other excuse but this.

“A cockroach?” Chanyeol asked. Suddenly, he and Sehun dashed out of the room. “Seyoon! Seyoon! There’s a cockroach inside Kai’s room. What do we do?” he said. Seyoon, Kyungsoo, and Baekhyun just entered the house so they weren’t able to hear Kai’s shout earlier.

“Cockroach?” she said as she opened a closet near the entrance door. She scanned the whole closet before she grabbed the thing she was looking for. She entered Kai’s room when she saw Kai still sitting at the edge of his bed. “Where is it?” he asked Kai.

“Huh?”

“The cockroach, where did it fly?” she asked her again.

“Ah…it already flew outside the window.”

“Are you sure? Why don’t you go outside for a minute? I’ll just spray this cockroach repellent. You’re afraid of cockroach, right?”

“Right. That’s a good idea,” he said as he went outside, leaving Seyoon inside his room.

“How was it?” asked Chanyeol.

“Seyoon is already spraying some cockroach repellent.”

“Woo…For a moment, I thought we’re going to die there,” said Chanyeol. “By the way, here. We brought this from the ddeokbokki stall in front of our school. Seyoon insisted that we bring it here so you could taste it and we could eat it together,” Chanyeol said as he handed Kai a cup of ddeokbokki.

“Really? She said that,” Kai asked him.

“Said what?” asked Chanyeol.

“You just said it. She wanted to bring this here so I could eat together with you.”

“Yes. Why? Are you touched?” Chanyeol asked teasingly.

“No. It’s just that…”

“It’s just that?”

“Ah…” Before Kai even say what he was about to say, Seyoon opened the door of his room.

“It’s okay now. I think you just need to tidy up your room…properly,” she said to him.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. It’s your fault all along. Why won’t you clean your room properly?” said Chanyeol to Kai.

“Yah, stop teaching Kai as if you’re a clean person yourself. If only they knew how messy you were with all food wraps on the carpet and those magazines, those por…” , Chanyeol cupped Baekhyun’s mouth Baekhyun before he even blurted out what he was about to say.

“I know. I know. You don’t have to say it here,” said Chanyeol.

Kyungsoo and Sehun just smiled at the two of them. “Why don’t we start eating these?” said Kyungsoo.

“By the way, do you want to have dinner here?” asked Seyoon to the four boys.

“Sure!” they replied.

---

“As expected of Seyoon and Kyungsoo’s combined cooking skills, it was the best!” said Chanyeol. Kyungsoo and Seyoon smiled at each other.

“Thank you for the food,” said Sehun.

“Well, we are happy to stay here a little longer but Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and I have to be in our dorm before 9. There will be a meeting for the dormers tonight,” said Baekhyun.

“Me too. I also have to go. I still have to finish reading the books assigned to us,” said Sehun.

“Alright. I’ll just see you tomorrow then?” said Seyoon.

“Of course!” said Chanyeol.

“Kai, here’s your math notebook,” said Baekhyun as he handed Kai his math notebook.

“See you tomorrow,” said Kai before he closed the door of their house. Seyoon was already finished washing the dishes, and was about to enter her room.

“Seyoon…” Kai said.

“Yes?”

“Ah…” Kai thought for a second if he was going to ask Seyoon about Luhan or not. He didn’t know if it was right for him to interfere in Seyoon’s personal affairs. After all, they made a promise to each other not to interfere in each other’s personal businesses. But he also couldn’t stop thinking of the things that might come in the future especially if he knew that the person involved was the person he hated the most in this world, Luhan.

“What is it?”

“Ah…Thank you for spraying cockroach repellent in my room,” he said. ‘Lame. I’m such a loser,’ he said to himself.

“No problem. If you have any problem just tell me,” she said.

“Sure.” Just when Seyoon was about to enter her room, “And…” Kai interrupted her. “…if you also have any problem with anything, just ask me or tell me,” he said.

Seyoon looked surprised for a while. “Su..sure…” she said before she finally closed the door of her room.

 ‘What did I just say?’ Kai thought to himself.