That night, he wasn’t able to sleep properly especially when his mind was occupied with thoughts of what happened between him and Seyoon. Her embrace still lingered on him and the minimal sounds of her cry still echoed inside his head. Things still weren’t clear to him. Considering the possibility that Seyoon had ‘feelings’ for him was one of the possibilities that he tried to avoid thinking of. But there was a voice inside his head telling him not to close his mind and face the ‘possible’ reality – the reality that maybe hard for him to accept. But Seyoon, for all he knew, considered him only as a friend. At least, that was what he believed all this time.

The next day wasn’t exactly the best day for Kai either. He already woke up later than he usually did and by the time he opened the door to his room, he found a note on the table that said, ‘Good morning,’ and a breakfast waiting for him. Seyoon already left without him. And what was even worse for Kai was…

“Good morning Se—” Luhan stopped and retracted his loud voice and full grin when he saw someone unexpected opening the door for him. “Where’s Seyoon?” he asked to Kai who wasn’t smiling either upon seeing him.

“She left earlier,” Kai replied casually.

“Oh, that’s bad then,” said Luhan. ‘Maybe she’s avoiding me after what happened yesterday,’ he thought.

Both of them just stood on the door without talking when Luhan decided to ask something.

“Aren’t you going to school? Since I’m already here, let’s walk together, shall we?” he asked with a grin plastered on his face in which Kai didn’t know if it was fake or not.

In the end, he had no choice but to walk with Luhan to school together. Luhan was telling him something about this project or that homework or this annoying teacher but Kai didn’t bother to in in Luhan’s monologue. Instead, he just let him talk and talk. After all, it seemed like Luhan was the type who wouldn’t shut up even if no one was talking to him.

“So I told Xiumin about our teacher and he told me that he isn’t that strict when it comes to their class. So I wonder why he is acting differently in our class and—”

Kai lifted his head when he heard Luhan stopped talking. He didn’t know why but maybe Luhan finally realized that the words coming out of his mouth weren’t benefiting him or Kai at all. But Kai’s conclusion changed when he saw Luhan looking at someone standing across the street. Kai looked at that person and he knew instantly that there’s no one who could stop Luhan’s talkativeness other than…

“Seyoon!” Luhan shouted.

Or so Kai thought.

“Hello!” Luhan seemed to forget Kai’s company and immediately ran towards Seyoon who was walking with Kyungsoo, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun.

“It’s too early and yet here’s Mr Loud Mouth,” Chanyeol muttered.

“What?” Luhan asked as the two exchanged glares.

“Stop that. It’s still early for you to fight,” said Seyoon.

The two just rolled their eyes and cocked their head away from each other.

“Why aren’t you in your house? I even woke up early to fetch you, my friend,” Luhan pouted.

“My friend?” Chanyeol and Baekhyun both asked.

“I went to your dorm to fetch my friends,” said Seyoon.

“Why didn’t I see you?” asked Luhan.

“Obviously because she’s avoiding your loud mouth in the morning,” Chanyeol answered, letting his tongue stuck out to mock Luhan.

“What?!” Chanyeol received a glare and a raising eyebrow from Luhan.

“You heard it,” Chanyeol replied.

“Hey stop that,” this time, it was Baekhyun who meddled between them.

“There’s nothing wrong walking with my friends once in a while,” said Seyoon. Chanyeol nodded.

“Hm, whatever,” Luhan pouted, crossing his arms. “But at least tell me. Look, instead of walking with you I walked with Kai,” said Luhan, pointing at Kai who was standing not far away from then and not totally amused by Luhan and Chanyeol’s little fights.

When Luhan pointed at Kai, Seyoon was a bit surprised. They had a little eye contact but Seyoon diverted away immediately and Kai did the same afterwards.

“Hi Kai,” Baekhyun and Kyungsoo greeted him. Baekhyun immediately went to him as he started asking him about his sickness and if he was feeling okay. The two walked ahead while the rest trailed after them.

The two groups separated as they went to their respective classrooms without Seyoon and Kai greeting each other or even looking at each other once.

---

“I really don’t know what to put in here,” Chanyeol winced upon looking at the form in front of him.

“How about you? Do you have any university in mind?” Kyungsoo asked his seatmate Xiumin.

Xiumin nodded happily. “Yes. That’s actually the reason why we transferred here on our final year in high school. Lay, Luhan, and I passed the preliminary exams in three universities here in Korea. But we still have to take the major college entrance test to qualify.”

Chanyeol suddenly lifted himself up from his seat. “Really?!” he asked loudly. All of his classmates including the homeroom teacher looked at him.

“What is it Mr. Park? Are you having a hard time choosing your university? Please refrain from talking so you could think properly,” said their teacher.

“Yes, ma’am.” Chanyeol sunk back to his seat as he pondered over his form.

“What are you planning to get anyway?” Kyungsoo continued asking Xiumin.

“Hm. I am actually aiming for Psychology because both my parents were into that field,” Xiumin replied.

“How about you Lay? Do you already have a choice?” Seyoon asked Lay. He gave a nod and had his dimpled smile.

“I am planning to take Dance as my major course. But I am also planning to take Fine Arts as my minor course,” he replied.

“Wow! So you’re planning to take two. That’s great,” said Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol just dipped his head on his desk. ‘What? Two courses? Hmpf.’ He stretched his neck and took a peak on Sehun’s sheet.

“What?” Sehun asked him.

“I’m just looking if you already have plans,” Chanyeol mumbled.

“I’m taking Business because my parents want me to. But I will also take Dance as my minor course. They already approved my choices.”

“That’s good for you Sehun. At least, you already have your choice.”

“Of course! Sehun always gets what he wants. Ah! I really don’t know what to do,” Chanyeol whined.

“How about you Seyoon?” Sehun asked her.

“Me…oh…ahh…The truth is…” All eyes were on her, Seyoon noticed.

“Haven’t you decided yet? Or…” Kyungsoo stopped midway.

“Are you planning to study in America like Suho-sunbaenim?!” Chanyeol asked anxiously.

“Ah…It’s not that I’m planning to but I am not closing my doors to the possibilities,” Seyoon lowered her head. “But the truth really is that I still don’t know what course to get,” she added.

“Oh. I really thought you are planning to go to America,” said Chanyeol. “Don’t worry Seyoon. Let’s think things over first. I know we will eventually realize what we really wanted,” he added with a grin. Seyoon nodded with a smile.

“But whatever Seyoon’s decision is, we will always be here to support you,” said Sehun.

“Thank you. Don’t worry. I will make a decision that I think will be best for my future.”

---

It was lunchtime when Chanyeol and Seyoon excused themselves from the rest of the group.

“Where’s Seyoon?” Luhan asked as soon as he spotted no signs of Seyoon in their lunch table.

“She said that she’ll have things to talk about with Chanyeol. I think it has something to do with their college applications,” said Kyungsoo.

“Oh, so Seyoon still doesn’t have any choice?” Luhan asked.

“Yes. They’ve been thinking hard about it,” Kyungsoo replied.

“That’s odd. I thought she’s the type to have plans readied for the future.”

“Well, that’s a different case for her especially when the arranged…” Baekhyun stopped when he realized that Xiumin and Lay still didn’t have any idea of Seyoon and Kai’s arranged marriage. “I mean when her parents already anticipated that she’ll take over their business in the future.”

Sehun and Kyungsoo nodded and they also knew another person who was also going through the same problem as Seyoon – Kai.

“How about Kai? Did you ask him about his plans?” Kyungsoo asked Baekhyun who was in the same homeroom class as Kai.

“He still doesn’t have any laid out plans yet,” Baekhyun replied.

“How about you? What are you planning to do?” Kyungsoo asked him.

“Me? I’ll take Veterinary Science as my major. Chanyeol hopes that I’ll take Music as my major since it is both our passion but I imagine myself being a veterinary someday like Changmin-hyung, my brother.”

“Maybe that’s the reason why he is also having a hard time to choose his course,” said Sehun.

“Maybe I should convince Seyoon to take the same course as I do,” said Luhan.

“Why? What are you planning to take?” Baekhyun asked him.

“Don’t mind him. He’s taking Mathematics as his major. He’s a math prodigy ever since he was a kid,” said Xiumin.

“Luhan? A math prodigy?” Baekhyun tried to control his laughter. “Besides, Seyoon is not really into Math or Science. She’s more into performing arts so don’t bother asking her.”

“Yah! Are you the second Chanyeol? The way you’re mocking is just like him.”

---

“Why did you drag me all the way up here? I thought you said that we’re going to the library?” Chanyeol asked Seyoon when he felt the slight cold breeze upon opening the door to the rooftop.

“Sorry if I have to tell a lie just to bring you here but I have something to talk to you about.” Seyoon let her elbows rest on the railings of the rooftop as she propped her chin with her palm. Chanyeol approached her as he bended his body a little bit forward to see Seyoon’s side profile. They were both looking at the soccer players practicing on the field

“Why? Is it about the courses? I can suggest a lot for you,” Chanyeol grinned but faded seconds after seeing Seyoon still with her blank expression.

“No, it’s not about that,” she replied softly. “Chanyeol, remember what I told you two years ago?”

---

Kai hesitated at first if he should ask Seyoon to talk with him but he knew that he would die of curiosity if he wouldn’t ask Seyoon for the answer he was looking for.

He went to the cafeteria with the hope of seeing Seyoon. Instead, he just saw the sight of his friends talking and laughing about something when Luhan noticed him.

“Kai!” Luhan shouted.

Kai wasn’t planning to disturb their lunch anymore but it was so unfortunate that Luhan noticed. He would always think if Luhan had some sort of ‘Kai radar’ or something because he would always be the one who would notice him even from afar.

He approached the table as Sehun offered an empty seat beside him. It was only then that Kai noticed that Chanyeol wasn’t there too.

---

After talking, Chanyeol and Seyoon went down to grab something to drink from the vending machine on the school’s lobby.

“Are you sure you still don’t know the course you are getting?” Seyoon asked Chanyeol.

“Actually I do but my parents told me that I could only take Music as my course if I’ll be able to get a scholarship,” he said with eyes glinted with sadness. But knowing Chanyeol, he still had a smile plastered on his face, Seyoon could see. “Otherwise, they wanted me to take medicine like my brother Yoochun-hyung.”

“Oh…then look for a scholarship then.” Chanyeol nodded.

“How about you?” he asked.

“Hmm…The truth is I am also planning to take the same course as you do.” Chanyeol’s eyes got wider than they were originally. His heart started to pump in excitement but then he noticed a not-so-happy Seyoon. “But I only have one target school, Seoul University of Performing Arts. If I don’t pass there, I have to—”

Seyoon was cut off when they reached the lobby. They noticed a bunch of students crumpled in front of the announcement board.

They made their way to the board but Seyoon couldn’t catch a glimpse of the notice because she obviously was lacking centimeters - height wise.

But Chanyeol was blessed with an enormous height and he was proud that at least, in the height department, no one among his friends could top him or defeat him.

“Can you see it?” Seyoon asked Chanyeol.

“Ah,” his eyes squinted. “Seoul University of the Performing Arts – that’s the school you are talking about.” Seyoon nodded as she tried to stretch her neck a little upward. Chanyeol scanned his eyes on the bold letters. “Ah, Seyoon!” Chanyeol shouted with his deep voice.

“Why? why?” Seyoon looked at him in anticipation because the other’s grin was almost reaching his ears.

“They’re granting scholarships for those who wanted to take Performing Arts as their choice of course.”

“Really?!” Seyoon’s smile stretched widely.

“But…it also says that they’ll only take one scholar for each major: Music, Theater, and Dance.”

They looked at each other and there was a momentary silence.

---

“I think you should apply Chanyeol. You needed the scholarship more than I do.”

“No, you should apply. That is your target school. Besides, you deserve the scholarship because you’re a great singer.”

“Being a great singer is not the only qualification Chanyeol and you know that. Besides, you could play all sorts of musical instruments and you’re even a member of the school orchestra. You suited the scholarship more.”

“But I say you should apply for it. I could still look for another scholarship somewhere.”

“No. Do you even know why I only targeted SUPA? Because it’s the best university for our choice course and you, you deserve to go there. I could just apply as a regular student.”

“But…”

“No buts,”

“No Seyoon. I’ll never apply because I know that SUPA’s entrance exams are only exclusive to those high schools of their choices. They don’t have any application other than this so I know you have no other chance than this.”

Seyoon stopped walking for a while. She never thought that Chanyeol was aware of that. Although she was really hoping to be admitted on that university, she knew that Chanyeol was a better candidate than her. Besides, this must be the scholarship that he was hoping for. She couldn’t take the risk of competing against her friend, especially that he was her best friend.

“No. I will never apply. You should do it.”

“No. I will never apply Seyoon.”

“What? Fine, if you don’t I won’t talk to you until you pass that application.”

Chanyeol stared at her, surprised. He knew that he and Seyoon just came from a week of no-talking and that was a hard time for him but if it would happen again, he would never know what he would do.

“Fine! If that’s what you want then don’t talk to me!” he said with words barely escaping his mouth without hurting him.

“Woah, woah. Are two fighting?” said someone approaching them.

Seyoon and Chanyeol turned their head with faces still embedded with a scowl and saw the person approaching them. Seyoon immediately lowered her head down and Chanyeol immediately placed his hand on Seyoon’s shoulder.

“Who says we’re fighting? We’re not. See, Kai,” Chanyeol told Kai when he pulled Seyoon closer.

Kai just looked at the two of them and at Seyoon who was avoiding his eye contact.

“That’s not what I saw a while ago. I saw the two of you fighting. And don’t even try making excuses Chanyeol,” Kai said to Chanyeol when he saw the other trying to open his mouth to protest. “It’s rare for you two to fight. In fact, I’ve never seen once that you two fight like that,” said Kai.

Chanyeol’s arm resting on Seyoon’s shoulder loosened. The two of them were pouting without looking at each other.

“I went to the cafeteria but you weren’t there so I thought I should look for you and here you are, only to see you fighting. What’s wrong?”

“Ah…it’s actually…ah,” Chanyeol was trying to explain.

“It’s about the scholarship,” Seyoon interrupted. This time, she already looked at Kai straight to his eyes. “There’s a notice on the announcement board about SUPA’s scholarship grant. We’re planning to apply but…”

“But there’s only one scholarship for each course,” said Kai. The two nodded. “Why don’t you just apply, the two of you, without telling who will and will not apply? If one of you really deserve that scholarship then let he/she be.”

Chanyeol heaved a deep sigh as well as Seyoon. “Kai is right. Let’s just apply both,” Chanyeol said to Seyoon. “And let’s do our best for it!” he said enthusiastically.

“I guess Chanyeol’s alright with it. How about you Seyoon?”

“Alright,” she said.

“You don’t seem sincere,” Kai said to her. Seyoon looked at him with a frown.

“Alright, I will. I am sincere Chanyeol. I will,” she said to them.

“Good. Now that the two of you are settled, can I talk to Seyoon?” said Kai. Seyoon looked at him while Chanyeol just stood there, waiting. “Just the two of us,” he said to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol pouted and looked at Seyoon. “It’s okay Chanyeol. We could just talk later. See you in class,” Seyoon said to him. Without any protests, Chanyeol already left while he observed the two being left on the hallway.

‘I hope she’ll do fine,’ Chanyeol thought to himself.

---

The two stayed in an empty classroom. Some of the students weren’t back from their lunch break so the whole hallway was quiet.

“Ah, I heard from Kyungsoo that you still don’t have a choice for your course,” Kai started talking. He was sitting on the top of the teacher’s table while Seyoon was sitting on one of the front row desks.

“Uhm…actually I am really planning to take Music,” said Seyoon.

“That’s what I thought too. It is the perfect course for you.”

“How about you? What’s your plan?” Seyoon asked him casually but still not making any eye contact.

“I am actually planning to apply for the scholarship too,” Kai said to her. “Of course, I will apply for the Dance course since that’s what I really wanted.”

“That’s good to hear. It’s the perfect course for you too,” said Seyoon. There was a silence after that which neither of them did want to break.

Kai stood up from the table and went to sit beside Seyoon. Seyoon didn’t move but she straightened her back a little and her eyes were fixed on the board in front of them.

“Seyoon about what happened—”

“If it’s about what happened last night. Don’t think too much about it. I am just…just tired maybe that day. You know, with all the boys visiting and a lot of assignments to finish,” Seyoon looked at him, trying to put up a smile on her face though she knew that Kai would know it’s fake.

Kai stayed silent for a while. “Okay then. I am just worried that you know…ah…I thought you…”

“Why? Is there any reason to cry other than the stressful day? But I’m not saying this to complain about me taking care of you while you were sick. It’s just that it was really stressful that time. In fact, I was happy that Krystal came to help me take care of you. And she did a great job – perfect to be your (wife) girlfriend. So, I guessed that’s the reason why you asked me to talk to you. Well, that’s my answer. No more, no less.”

With that, Seyoon stood up while Kai just watched her. He wanted to ask more, to find out more because he could sense the lie in Seyoon’s voice. But the other seemed not wanting to open up to him so he decided not push the topic further. If that was what Seyoon told him, he had to accept it.

“I think I have to go. See you after school,” Seyoon walked towards the door but turned around to face Kai again. “By the way, thanks for helping me solve my problems with Chanyeol. It really meant a lot. You’re…” Seyoon looked at Kai, this time with an awkward but semi-sincere smile. “You’re a great friend, Kai.”

Kai watched Seyoon as she left the room. ‘Friend…I guess it’s only friends…’ he thought.

---

That afternoon, Krystal asked Kai to watch her play the new piece that she just learned. Normally, he would be enticed by her performance and be totally drawn into the melodies reaching his ears. But this time, he couldn’t understand why there was no effect on him in any way.

He knew that Krystal was a good piano player – she has always been. And the way she was playing right in front of his eyes, she, as always, looked beautiful with her long hair flowing with her beat. And even if Kai wasn’t an expert in playing piano, he knew that Krystal never faltered with the wrong keys. She was always right. Or other times, she could easily cover her mistakes with just a swift of adlib notes.

But this time, his mind didn’t seem to focus on her but on Seyoon. He should stop thinking of her or otherwise, he knew that Krystal would notice.

“Kai, how was it?” asked Krystal after playing.

“It was…beautiful as always,” Kai told him with a smile. It was true anyway. It was beautiful but not…heartfelt.

“Thank you. I actually composed it.”

“Really? That’s great. Wow! I never thought that you could also compose your own music. It’s great.”

Krystal smiled at him as she approached him. Kai suddenly felt her arms encircling his waist and her head falling on his shoulder. “It’s for you,” she whispered.

Kai didn’t know but his arms seemed hesitant to comply with her hug but he did it anyway. Maybe because it had been weeks or days since the last time that he and Krystal were closed like this. And recently, the only person he was as closed as this was Seyoon. And he could certainly feel a difference.

“Thank you,” he said to her.

Krystal pulled out from him and chuckled.

“What? Why are you laughing like that?” Kai asked her.

“Nothing. It’s just that you seemed speechless and the way you said ‘thank you,’ it was in a deep y voice. It sounds funny.”

“What? No, it’s not. I am really thankful because you composed that for me. There are no other girls who composed a song for me before. You’re the first one so I’m really thankful.”

“Well, that’s great. Because I believe that I am the only one who will do that for you. Anyway, have you heard of the SUPA scholarship grant?”

“Yes. I am planning to apply for the Dance course.”

“That’s great,” she pulled him again to another embrace. “Because I’ll be applying for the Music course. Let’s pass the scholarship together. It will be the best graduation gift for the two us.”

Kai’s eyes widened in surprised. It didn’t pass his mind of the possibility that Krystal would also apply for the scholarship though he knew that there was a great possibility. If that’s the case, Seyoon wouldn’t only compete against Chanyeol but also against Krystal.