Sorry, there are A LOT of scene switch/transition thingies. Sorry! Haha

 

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“So what happened back there?” Taeyeon asked Minah. The three sat in a café, sipping bubble tea. Taeyeon and her boyfriend looked worried for Minah, though the strange event earlier confused them greatly. Did Minah get herself into some kind of trouble or something?

 

Minah set her drink down. “Before I tell you guys about that, let me explain what I had been trying to say before he interrupted us.” She looked at her expectant friends and took a deep breath.

 

“Remember that day when you guys asked me if I was close with EXO?”

 

Taeyeon and Junhyun both nodded, not sure where the conversation was headed.

 

“I… sort of lied,” Minah whispered. She closed her eyes and waited for the yelling to begin. When it did not come, Minah opened her eyes again. Taeyeon and Junhyun sat across from her, staring in silent shock.

 

“… What?” Taeyeon said in confusion. “What do you mean, you lied? What did you lie about?”

 

“Wait,” Junhyun said. “Are you saying that you and EXO were friends after all? Is that what you mean?”

 

Minah bit her lip and looked directly at her friends. “Yeah. Well, when you guys asked, I had just met them. We weren’t close yet.. We are now though.”

 

“I -- But..” Taeyeon struggled for the right words. “What? How?”

 

“Let me just start from the beginning…” Minah said. “The day Chanyeol picked me as his music partner for the song project, he also invited me to hang out with EXO. I accepted. It was really fun… But I didn’t tell anybody that we were friends. I didn’t want any trouble, you know. If word got out that I hung out with them…. I think I’d get killed by their fanclub or something…”

 

Minah bowed her head in guilt. She should’ve just told them from the beginning. The truth was so much harder to tell now, since so much time had passed. “And they agreed not to mention me in public either. I was.. I was selfish. I know. I was just scared.”

 

“But why not tell us about it?” Junhyun asked quietly.  Much to Minah’s surprise, the two were taking this information extremely well. Though they gaped at Minah, they did not yell or become angry at her. It was as if they hadn’t quite believed her yet. And why should they? EXO never befriended anybody.

 

“I was scared..” Minah repeated softly. “I was terrified. Of being bullied. I didn’t want to tell anyone. I know I shouldn’t have lied to you two.. But I just didn’t know what to say. Please believe me when I say that I‘ve never lied to you guys other than that time.”

 

“I believe you,” Taeyeon murmured. “I know you wouldn’t lie to us unless you had a good reason to. I guess you were just doing what you thought was right at the moment. I just… wish you would’ve told us about you and them earlier..”

 

“Come on, babe,” Junhyun said. “Think about it from Minah’s point of view. If she told us, others would’ve probably heard about it somehow. She was just scared that it’d get out. When you think about it like that, it makes total sense. You know how the EXO fans are. They’d probably start to bully her or something. “

 

“They already do,” Minah muttered under her breath. Taeyeon and Junhyun heard her remark.

 

Taeyeon gasped, and her face softened. “People have been bullying you? Then today wasn’t the first time something like this has happened?”

 

Minah shook her head. “It’s not always this crazy. Today was .. I don’t even know. Today was intense. Usually it’s just rumors, or some stupid people trying to harass me in class. They’ll insult me, or push me around. The worst time was when someone threw a rock at my head,” Minah laughed dryly. Neither Junhyun or Taeyeon laughed along.

 

“Those es,” Taeyeon growled.

 

“Why didn’t you tell us that you were getting bullied?” Junhyun asked. His voice was full of both concern and hurt, quite unlike the usual hyper boy.

 

“I didn’t want to trouble you guys,” Minah replied, staring down at her drink. 

 

Her male friend shot her a wounded look. “You need to learn how to rely on others, Minah. We could’ve helped somehow. I don’t know how, but we would’ve done something. We’re best friends, after all. We’re family. We have to look out for each other.”

 

Minah could feel her eyes watering. “You two.. you guys aren’t mad at me for not telling you the truth?”

 

They both shook their heads. “I forgive you for it,” Taeyeon answered. She gave Minah a small, reassuring smile. “I get it. I’m sure I would’ve done the same too.”

 

“Yeah,” Junhyun nodded. “Just… try to rely on us more, okay? We’re not totally powerless. You’re forgetting that my grandfather owns this school. If you really wanted, I could get them kicked out.”

 

“Thanks, guys,” Minah said gratefully. “I’ll try. It’s okay though, don’t kick them out. They’ve all pretty much stopped bullying me. It was mostly all just the first few weeks of school.  I’m fine now. I’m just so grateful that you guys are so understanding.”

 

“It takes more than a little lie to break us up,” Junhyun smiled. He suddenly gasped, and his eyes glittered with excitement. “Hey, does that mean we can meet them too?! Now that we know you’re friends with them?!”

 

“Oh my god,” Taeyeon breathed. “You need to hook us up with them. I want to meet them.”

 

Any previous tension between the trio evaporated in an instant, as they considered their idea. Now that Minah was a friend of EXO… that meant that they could also meet them!!

 

“Sure,” Minah smiled. “If they’re willing to. I’m sure they will be. They’re all really nice. But we most definitely cannot talk to them during school. It would start up a whole lot of drama.”

 

“Oh wait! Speaking of drama.. what was going on today?!” Taeyeon raised her eyebrows. “We’re got a lot of time to discuss EXO later. But don’t tell me that whole thing with Myungsoo today was real?”

 

“Of course not!” Minah exclaimed. “I’ve never even had my first kiss yet!”

 

“Thought so,” Junhyun smirked. He laughed and teasingly patted Minah on the head. “Just kidding. Sorry, go ahead with your story.”

 

Minah pouted at Junhyun cutely before continuing her explanation. “I’m pretty sure what happened today at lunch was Hayoung’s doing. I told you guys about her and Myungsoo, right? She was going to ask him to spread a rumor about me. I guess that was it. Seemed to work pretty freaking well too. Everyone kept staring at me during fifth and sixth period.”

 

“Hayoung is such a . I’m so sorry,” Taeyeon murmured. “Must to be stuck with her as a roommate.”

 

“It’s just really awkward,” Minah admitted. “She doesn’t know I know, but I’ll bet she senses that something’s off. I at hiding my emotions.”

 

“It’s not a bad thing,” Junhyun said. “It lets your honesty show through at all times. Only in this case is that trait bad. I’m sure people will forget though. Just like all those other rumors.”

 

“I hope so,” Minah said bluntly.   “Thanks for standing up for me earlier, you two. Thanks for listening.  And thanks for understanding. I couldn’t ask for better friends.”

 

“What about EXO?” Taeyeon asked hesitantly. “Aren’t they better than us?”

 

“Please. Not even close,” Minah smiled. Taeyeon’s mouth widened into a happy grin.

 

“Don’t leave us for them, okay?” Junhyun said. “We’re still best friends, right?”

 

“Of course!” Minah exclaimed. “We’ll be best friends forever.”

 

They all smiled.

 

 

….

 

 

 

“So….” Junhyun said finally. “You’re not really a e, right?”

 

“NO!” Minah shouted.

 

Junhyun and his girlfriend burst out laughing, and Minah’s stiff face relaxed. The three began to talk and joke around comfortably again.

 

Thank goodness they were so understanding. And thank god that was over.

 

 

 

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Minah had been wrong, though. The rumors weren’t over. People weren’t forgetting. In fact, after Myungsoo’s little stunt, everyone seemed to be talking about her again. Just wonderful.

 

Before Minah left for school, she had chatted with Hayoung, who had pretended to be concerned for her bullied roommate. Minah saw through her wicked lies, though she did not let this be known by Hayoung. After their brief chat, the two girls left the dorm and headed to their classes.

 

Now that Taeyeon and Junhyun were fully aware that Minah was being bullied, the signs were completely obvious to them. During second period, Taeyeon kept on glaring at her classmates (who were mostly all whispering about Minah) and muttering under her breath. Though Minah begged her friend to calm down, Taeyeon would not. Inside, Minah was secretly glad that she had someone on her side. Well, EXO was on her side too, but they couldn’t exactly keep her company when she was going through rough times…

 

 

 

 

Lunch eventually came. All of Minah’s textbooks were tattered and ripped. The duct tape that she had used to repair her books was torn as well. Many pages were missing from her book. Her bookbag was ruined. Her knees were scraped. Gosh, it was as if she had fought in some kind of school battle.

 

Minah sighed and headed to her usual table.

 

It was gone. The students had moved their table away.

 

Junhyun, who rarely became angry, swore that he would punish the students that were responsible for removing their table. In the entire school, this table was the only spot that they had claimed for themselves, and now they didn’t even have that anymore. Someone had stolen it from them. It was an unforgivable crime. Minah, Taeyeon, and Junhyun had no choice but to find a new place to sit, though they were furious beyond belief.

 

 

 

 

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Sehun burst into the private section of the café, panting and gasping for air.

 

“Hyungs!” he cried. “Minah’s in trouble again!”

 

Eleven pairs of eyes turned to look at their youngest member.

 

“What?!” Baekhyun roared. Though he and Minah had only known each other for a short period of time, Baekhyun had grown awfully fond of her. “What kind of trouble?!”

 

“She’s-- students … people are spreading rumors about her again!” Sehun wheezed. He stumbled over to the comfy chairs and plopped himself down beside Luhan, who lifted his spoon to Sehun’s mouth. Sehun obliged, and his mouth was filled with pudding. Suho lifted a napkin and dabbed at the maknae’s sweaty forehead, while the other boys chattered franticly amongst themselves.

 

“Rumors?” D.O asked. “What kind of rumors?”

 

Lay held up his palms in defeat. “Don’t ask me. I never know what’s going on in school.”

 

“Could it have happened at lunch yesterday?” Xiumin asked. “That would explain why we never heard about it.”

 

“She seemed okay yesterday, though! And I have fifth period with her! When did this happen, Sehun?” Chanyeol stood up and stared at Sehun, waiting for an answer.
 

“Sehun!” Chen urged. “Tell us!”

 

“It was yesterday,” Sehun confirmed. “At lunch. That’s why we didn’t know. We’re never here at lunch.”

 

“Maybe we should start staying at school during lunch then,” Baekhyun interrupted. “So we can protect Minah.”

 

Tao held up his hand. “Or, we can bring her here,” he offered.

 

“I like Tao’s idea better,” Kris admitted.

 

Tao grinned at the elder boy. “Thanks, gege.”

 

“You guys!” Sehun snapped. “Do you want to hear about it or not?!”

 

“Sorry, Sehun,” Tao said sweetly. “Please, go on.”

 

“As I was saying,” Sehun huffed. “It happened yesterday. Myungsoo---“

 

“Myungsoo?!” Suho interrupted.

 

Baekhyun banged his hands on the table. “That little piece of---“

 

“What the heck did he do to our Minah?!” Chanyeol gasped, interrupting Baekhyun.

 

Sehun was silent. He glared at the boys from underneath his long bangs. The boys all shut up.

 

“You know,” Sehun muttered. “If you guys keep interrupting, then I won’t tell the story, and you guys will be forced to talk to other people to find out about it.”

 

“We’re sorry,” Chanyeol squeaked. “Please continue, lord Maknae.”

 

Sehun closed his eyes for a brief moment before continuing his story. “Myungsoo approached Minah during lunch. And he brought his gang along too. They were asking Minah to ‘comfort’ one of the boys, Tony.”

 

The EXO boys stared blankly at Sehun.

 

“Don’t you guys get it? He was telling her to have with him!” Sehun hissed. “And then he accused our innocent Minah of being a e!”

 

“What?!” Luhan gasped. “No!”

 

“Minah? A e? Please! She wouldn’t even know what to do!” Kai scoffed. “What kind of idiot is Myungsoo? Of course no one believed it.”

 

“No..” Sehun said slowly. “They do believe it. Anyway, afterwards, Minah’s friend slapped Myungsoo across the face. And Myungsoo and his gang left. And now everyone’s talking about what happened! And they believe his bullcrap!”

 

Kris narrowed his eyes. “So now everyone thinks she’s a ?”

 

“Basically,” Sehun exclaimed. “Oh, what do we do?!”

 

“Now that I think about it.. She was acting kind of distant yesterday in fifth period,” Chanyeol recalled.  “She wouldn’t talk to me. It was like she was mad. I remember now.”

 

“We have to do something about this,” D.O said. “We can’t keep letting her get bullied.”

 

“I agree,” Lay said quietly. “But what can we do?”

 

“I don’t know,” D.O replied. “But we have to do something.”

 

 

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Hope you guys liked it ^^ Things are starting to get good, huh? Haha. Looking back, I realized that the first two chapters were INSANELY BORING. I can't believe that you guys continued reading despite that. Y'all are so amazing <3 

 

Summer is coming soon, so hopefully I'll have more time to update/write then (:

 

BTW, I'm thinking of changing the poster I made, because it's ugly. haha ^^ If anyone wants to make one for me or something like that, I'll be super grateful ~ If I recieve more than one, I'll try and alternate between them every once in a while ~ Thanks :D