Seyoon went home that day with the note hidden in one of the pockets of her bag. She had no idea on whoever wrote that message. One thing was sure for her though, that was that the note was really intended to her. It being inserted in the book that went mysteriously missing until it just appeared in her locker, she knew everything was planned in the beginning.

The question was who was the ‘him’ that mysterious sender was referring to? For all she knew, she never had someone she claimed as hers, someone she could say she deserved.

Although she already had some possible hints of who it was and the intention of that anonymous sending her that note, she wanted to erase that thought.

If it was about Luhan, why would someone get mad at her now? Everyone in their school already knew that Luhan was courting her. From that day when he wore that mascot costume and confessed to her in the lobby until his every day persistent morning greetings to her while shouting her name out loud, everyone should knew. And if someone was against it in the first place, that person should have confronted her early on. Not now.

Upon opening the door to their house, Kai was already inside. Seyoon realized that she had not seen Kai (even though they were living in the same house) since the morning she woke up because Kai left earlier.

“Oh,” she said in surprise, “You left early and went home early.”

“Sorry about that. It’s just that I figure out that I won’t be able to go to school with you every morning from now on,” Kai said.

“Why is that?” Seyoon asked with her eyebrows arched in confusion.

“Well, I have things to do and—”

“Oh,” Seyoon mumbled. She didn’t realize that her face was obviously crestfallen. But Kai couldn’t do anything about it. He couldn’t tell Seyoon the real reason why. He couldn’t tell her that he asked Luhan that from now on, he should come every morning to fetch Seyoon and accompany her to school. He just thought that their relationship would progress better that way. And that was also his way of taking the responsibility of taking care of Seyoon, although he still was, only, to a lesser extent.

“I’m sorry,” Kai said again. Seyoon looked at him and smiled though he knew it was forced.

“Don’t worry. I’m okay with it,” she said as she opened the door of her room and entered.

Kai couldn’t help but just watch her as she slowly closed the door. He wished that his decisions were on the right track. Because now, all he wanted was to see her smile, a true, genuine smile. And he hoped that Luhan could do that job.

---

Seyoon wake up the next morning by the sound of a door closing. She knew that Kai already left. He didn’t even give her a specific reason on why he had to leave early but somehow Seyoon felt as if they were going back to those days where they were avoiding each other.

After her preparation for school, she heard a knock coming from the entrance door. She wasn’t expecting anyone to go there at that time of the day.

“Maybe Kai forget something or maybe Chanyeol is here,” she said as she hurriedly open went to the door and opened it.

“Good morning~!”

“Luhan?” Seyoon stared wide-eyed.

“Who else? Can I come in?” And without even opening the door wide, Luhan already pushed himself through. “Are you ready to go to school?” he asked.

“What are you doing here?” Seyoon asked, still standing at the doorway.

“What else? I came here so we can go to school together,” he said happily as he plopped to the couch freely.

Seyoon stood there for a while thinking how Luhan came in such moment when she had no one to go to school with. ‘By any chance, does he know that Kai is not here?’ she asked herself.

“Who told you to come here?” she asked.

“Hmm?” Luhan averted his gaze. “No one. I just want to surprise you. Why? Am I not allowed to visit you?” he asked.

“Whatever. Just wait here while I’ll get my bag,” she said as she went to her room.

‘I guess Kai already left,’ Luhan thought.

---

“Hey, I found out that you are working with Lay for a project. So does that mean that you’re going to our dorm so you can work on it?” Luhan asked as they were walking to school.

“We haven’t talk about it,” said Seyoon.

“In case you do, just tell me. You’re always welcome to my room,” Luhan said with a grin.

“What?!” Seyoon suddenly flicked Luhan on the forehead which caused him to whine in pain. “You ert!”

“Why?” said Luhan while massaging his forehead. “I didn’t mean anything. Besides, Lay and I are in the same room.”

“Are you even a resident of your dorm? Do you even know that female visitors are not allowed inside the premise of dormitory rooms? We are only allowed on the lobby and the cafeteria. Aish! You really are a ert,” she said.

“No, I am not,” said Luhan, pouting.

When they were near the entrance, Luhan saw Chanyeol standing there while looking at the two of them.

“Isn’t that Chanyeol?” said Luhan.

Seyoon lifted her head and saw Chanyeol looking at her but he eventually averted his gaze and hurriedly entered the school gate.

“Oh, he didn’t greet you? I swear I saw him looking at us,” said Luhan.

“Ah, maybe he’s looking somewhere else, maybe behind us. He’s tall. He can differently from his perspective.”

“Maybe you’re right. Well, that’s a good thing because I thought he’ll grab you again and take away from me,” Luhan said.

“Take away from you? I’m not even yours!”

“We’ll see,” Luhan smiled shamelessly. Seyoon rolled her eyes and eventually left Luhan. “Wait for me!”

---

Somehow, after someone left a note inside her locker, Seyoon became anxious as she stood in front of her locker. She wondered if another surprise was waiting for her.

“Why are you looking at your locker as if a ghost will come out from there?” a familiar voice beside her asked.

Seyoon looked to her left and found Kai who was also rummaging inside his locker.

“It was nothing,” she said nervously. “So, you’re already here.”

Kai nodded. Seyoon looked at him and then at her locker. She didn’t know if she would open her locker in front of Kai. She didn’t want Kai to know about her situation right now. “Why are still staring at me? Aren’t you going to open your locker?” Kai suddenly asked.

“Ah, yeah right. I’ll open it now,” she said as she opened her locker with her eyes half-closed, hoping that nothing was there. When she opened her eyes, she found her things the same as the way she left them yesterday. Seyoon sighed in relief and closed her locker.

“Why are sighing?” Kai asked her.

“Nothing. I thought I left one of my books at home. But it’s here,” she said as she waved a book to show Kai.

“Well, I have to go now. See you later,” he said as Seyoon watched him left.

Not seeing Kai in the morning and also during lunch somehow, Seyoon felt as if she was missing Kai even though they were always seeing each other after school. It was really unusual for him to leave their house early. She wished Kai should have given her a more substantial reason.

---

The first half of their classes passed by smoothly. But Seyoon really felt that something was wrong with Chanyeol as he never talked to her or greeted her this morning. He just smiled at her when she greeted him. And when she was about to talk to Chanyeol, he always averted his gaze somewhere or started talking to Sehun.

She was hoping that Chanyeol would join them for lunch. And he did. However, surprisingly, he sat a seat away from Seyoon. All of them were surprised including Luhan who saw the vacant seat beside Seyoon. Nevertheless, they finished lunch with Xiumin and Baekhyun as the noise maker while Chanyeol just ate quietly.

---

 After lunch, Kyungsoo and Seyoon went to the locker room together again. Seyoon walked silently, thinking of Chanyeol and his unusual silence.

“What?”

“As if there’s something wrong with Chanyeol,” he said.

“Do you? I thought I am the only one who noticed it,” Seyoon said, relieved after knowing that she was not the only one who noticed the change in Chanyeol.

“I wonder what’s wrong with him. Maybe he has a problem that he’s not telling us,” said Kyungsoo.

“I don’t know. But maybe, he just wanted to be quiet once in a while,” said Seyoon. Then, she heard Kyungsoo chuckled which turned into laughter later on.

“Haha! What are you saying Seyoon? We’ve been friends since middle school. You should know by now that Chanyeol and the word ‘quiet’ would never go together,” Kyungsoo said to her.

Seyoon smiled and remembered that Chanyeol was definitely the only person she knew that never failed to smile every single day. Even when he failed their English exam during middle school or when he forgot to bring his swimwear during their practical exams in P.E., he would just smile his problems away.

“I guess you’re right. We should know his problems then so we could help him,” she replied.

When she opened her locker, the book that went missing yesterday was still there. But when she pulled it out, she noticed something wrong with it.

“Ah, Kyungsoo, I think I have to go to the restroom first. Just go ahead,” she said to Kyungsoo.

“Alright. I’ll just see you in class,” he said as he waved goodbye.

When Kyungsoo was gone, Seyoon immediately look for any person that might be there and found no one in sight. Then, she opened her locker again and got the book. She sighed dreadfully just looking at her poor book. All the pages were glued together that she couldn’t even open it. Even if she tried, she knew that the pages were already ruined.

‘Who’s doing this prank on me?’ she asked herself.

---

“The next sentence, Ms. Jin, please read it,” Seyoon heard her teacher said. She looked from left to right and into her blank desk. All of their classmates were waiting for her. “What’s wrong Seyoon?” her teacher asked as she approached her. She looked at her and found that she had no book in her desk. “Where’s your book?” she asked.

“I’m sorry. I think I left it at home,” Seyoon said as she lowered her head.

“But you also left it yesterday? It’s twice in a row now. You know that the book is important for discussion.”

“Yes. I’m very sorry,” Seyoon replied.

“You know the rules when it comes to this right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. You may go now. But I am expecting that you’ll have your book tomorrow. You’re a role model student Ms. Vice President. I expected you to be more responsible next time,” the teacher said.

As for the rules, Seyoon stood up and went outside while Kyungsoo and their other classmates watched her leave. It was unusual for Seyoon to forget her things at home that’s why it was also a great shock to her friends that she would receive such punishment. She stood in the hallway for the rest of the period.

---

“Are you alright?” Sehun asked Seyoon once their class was over.

“I’m alright. Don’t worry about me. Besides, it’s not my first time to be punished like that. Well, I guess I have to go now. I still have things to do,” said Seyoon as she immediately grabbed her bag and leave. She didn’t want her friends to worry about her too much. And more importantly, she didn’t want them to suspect about this unusual things that was happening to her. One thing she was sure of was that there was really someone having grudge on her. The only problem was how would she find it?

---

She was on her way to the library when someone tapped her from behind. She turned around and saw Kai panting as if he ran after her.

“I thought I won’t be able to reach you,” he said.

Seyoon looked at him, confused. “Why?”

“Kyungsoo told me.”

Somehow, she knew what Kai was talking about. “About that? It’s nothing. I’m okay.”

“What book is it?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“I said what book is it?”

“Ah, it’s our English book.”

“What time is your English class?” Kai asked again.

“The last period. Why? Why are you asking me these?” Seyoon asked confusedly.

“Since our English class is before lunchtime, just get my book during lunch,” said Kai.

“Huh? But…”

“No buts. Let’s just say it’s my payment for you.”

“Payment for what?”

“Ahh…remember when I told you that you’ll never stand outside the class again? I promised you that so I will keep my promise,” said Kai as his eyes arched into crescents and his lips formed into huge smile.

“You still remember…”

“Of course, the great answer whisperer!” Kai . Seyoon chuckled until both of them started laughing.

 

~.*.~

“Kai…”

“Mr. Kim?”

“Kai…”

“Mr. Kim? What’s the answer for the third question?”

“72…Kai…”

“Mr. Kim!” Suddenly, Kai felt something hit his forehead. He looked at the rolling chalk on his desk and to his teacher’s face which was getting near him. “Dreaming in the middle of the day Mr. Kim? You know what to do. Bring your armchair with you,” said the teacher who was surprisingly maintaining his composure.

“And!” Kai heard his teacher again. He stopped walking while still carrying his desk and looked at his teacher. “Ms. Jin, I heard you whispering to Mr. Kim the answer. You know that helping others is not a bad thing except when it comes to…?”

“Recitation…” Seyoon answered while lowering her head.

“Right. You know what to do,” said the teacher.

In the end, the two were sitting on the hallway, their desks facing the wall.

“I’m sorry,” Kai said to Seyoon.

“What for?” Seyoon asked with face showing as if nothing was wrong with them being kicked out of the room.

“For involving you to this…” Kai heard Seyoon chuckled as he looked at her. “What’s funny?”

“You don’t have to apologize. It’s my fault anyway. You’re staring blankly on the wall. I really thought that your soul has already left you. What were you thinking anyway?” Seyoon asked.

“It’s nothing…” There was a moment of silence until Kai decided to speak again. “Actually, Chanyeol and I talked about this and…” Kai lowered his head.

“What did you talk about?” she asked concernedly.

“It’s just that…Well, Suho-hyung left after graduating from middle school, right?” Seyoon nodded. “Chanyeol and I were wondering if you will also leave after…”

“Well…” Seyoon paused for a while.

“Are you?” Seyoon could see the sadness in Kai’s questioning eyes.

Seyoon swayed her head. “No…No, I won’t” she replied, smiling to him.

“Really?” Kai’s face lightened up in an instant. “I thought you would…”

“Why? Don’t you want me to leave?” Seyoon teased.

“No!” Kai answered abruptly. Somehow, Seyoon felt her heart raced a little when Kai answered quickly. “I mean…you know…I won’t have anyone to teach me of my math homework, no one to bring lunch for me, no one to bring water during our dance practice…”

“Yah, you make it sound as if I am your personal maid,” Seyoon said to him.

“No…well, it’s true that you are doing all those things…and I would walk alone to the bus stop to go to school, no one would call me in the morning to wake me up, and no shoulder that I could lean on when…”

Seyoon looked at him, anticipating for his answer. “When I fell asleep in the bus on my way home…Seyoon, you really won’t leave right?” Kai asked again and Seyoon could see the sincerity in his eyes as if drawing her closer to him.

Seyoon averted her gaze and look at her fidgeting fingers. “I promise I will stay here.”

“You’ll be my classmate and seatmate until we graduated high school. And you’ll be my pillow going home,” he said to her.

“Sure…” Seyoon smiled shyly.

“Well, Ms. Answer Whisperer, I guess I have to protect you while you’re here so from now on, I’ll make sure that you won’t be punished again. I will make sure that you will not be kicked out of the school until we graduated,” said Kai as he held his thumbs up and grinned at Seyoon.

"Kai, is it possible that we can still be friends after graduation?" asked Seyoon

"I'll follow you wherever you'll go..." Kai said to her with a serious face until he bursted in chuckle. Seyoon looked at her, her face was totally burning when they heard a thump on the door.

"Detention, you two, after this!" said their teacher.

They looked at each other, wide-eyed.

~.*.~