“What?”

For once in Luhan’s life, he didn’t understand what was happening.

Now, in the perspective of someone who actually knows the doe-eyed nerd well (like his eccentric friend, Baekhyun), that was a pretty big deal. Luhan was the human version of the 2013 encyclopedia. He knew everything that needed to be known– from the middle name of the first South Korean president, to the whole female population of Cambodia. Luhan was born to be a nerd, and he kept that title alive throughout his whole middle and high-school years.

But nothing, I repeat nothing, could’ve prepared him for this moment.

“What?” he repeated, eyebrows raised over his black-rimmed glasses, disappearing into the messy mop of brown fringe.

“You heard me.” Sehun replied, casually leaning against the wall like he owned the place. Gazing around, he even managed to send a wink over towards Sulli, who blushed furiously before bumping into a pillar in her rush to get away from the boy’s view. “I want to go on a date with you.”

Luhan gulped, tilting his head low in embarrassment. “But, why me?”

“Why not?” the jock grinned, sticking a hand out to caress the trembling boy’s cheek. “You’re so handsome, who wouldn’t want to go out with you?”

The shorter male peered up at the younger, teeth chewing on his own lower lip in his nervous state. He was a nerd, geek, freak – the lowest in the high-school food chain. He friended people who were in the chess team, math championship, anime fan club – heck! Even the yadong maniacs were a step higher than him in the society ladder! Who the hell would want him?

This beautiful, athletic teen with beautiful brown eyes and lips to die for, apparently.

“…F—Fine.” Luhan finally gave in, sighing slightly. “I’ll go out with y—“

“YOU THERIOUTH?!” Sehun interrupted, beaming at the hyperventilating boy with his pearly whites.

…. Scratch that. This beautiful, athletic teen with beautiful brown eyes, lips to die for and a mighty case of lisp, apparently.

Luhan took it back. He absolutely, positively, did not make the right decision.

The brunette groaned, continuing his trek through the dreaded school hallways as the other students sneered and laughed, pointing at him as he passed by. He didn’t cry; Luhan was much stronger than that. He wouldn’t shed a tear over some boy who thought he could merely play with his feelings, made him believe that he actually liked him, before exposing to the whole school that Luhan was foolish enough to actually think someone of his degree and worth could like a pathetic geek like him.

No. He wouldn’t cry. He wasn’t that pathetic.

Instead, he’ll hang his head down low and scrunch up into a ball, desperately trying to not gain any unwanted attention. He blended into the shadows, passing by numerous students to get towards History class. 

“Holy sh—“

Luhan squealed in surprise, his textbooks falling out of his hands and onto the floor as someone bumped into his sulking figure harshly, sending the frail boy onto his bum. Everyone within earshot laughed at his misfortune, fingers raised in the air as they pointed at the fallen teenager.

“Oh crap, oh my God I am so sorry! Are you okay?” The stranger frantically asked, offering a hand to help Luhan back onto his feet.

The brunette hesitated; terrified that this was yet another trick from a classmate who thinks he’s higher than Luhan in the food chain. He refused to meet the other’s gaze, choosing to stare at the tiled floor instead.

“I’m sorry,” the young man quietly muttered, going onto his knees while his hands made quick work of gathering his fallen textbooks. Because of his trembling hands, Luhan didn’t manage to collect them up correctly, the heavy books falling out of his grip and making him whimper loudly. Just as his hand went towards his shorts pocket to get his inhaler, the stranger touched his shoulder lightly before he crouched down to help him out.

“Wow, calm down! Why are you apologizing? I was the one who bumped you!”

Luhan gulped, looking up from behind his thick glasses to finally catch a glimpse of the stranger. He was beautiful, with messy black hair and almond-shaped eyes. His skin was light-gold, and looked oh-so-very soft from the young boy’s view. He had a concerned frown on his plump lips, twisted down in a cute pout.

The geek was in love.

“My name’s Jongin, but people call me Kai,” Kai informed him as he picked up Luhan’s books. “I’m new around here, and I’ve already made a fool out of myself.”

The brunette scoffed lightly, head tilted towards the floor as he mumbled: “No one can make a fool out of themselves like I can.”

Kai chuckled at the statement, sending Luhan’s heart towards Cloud 9.

“I’d like to prove you wrong sometime soon.”

The two boys gave each other shy smiles before helping the other back onto their feet. As both teenagers were about to walk into the classroom, a devilish laughter rang out from across the hall.

“Aw, you guyth are thooo thweet.”

Both froze as the person continued cackling. It didn’t really need a genius to know who’s voice was it. The heavy lisp gave it away easily.

“Do I know you?” Kai asked, noticing how Luhan was trembling in his shoes.

The usually emotionless face Sehun always wore broke as he grinned like a Cheshire cat. He swayed towards the couple, eyes bright with mischief.

“Oh, come on Kai,” Sehun drawled. “It’th Kai, right? Anyway, you and I both know that you couldn’t pothibly have fallen for a guy like… him.”

The brunette spat out his name as it if was poison, causing Luhan to tremble even more.

Kai scoffed lightly. “And what if I did?” He replied without a moment of hesitation, causing the shorter male to look up at the man.

“I believe falling for a sweet, polite, adorable person like him is better than an asshat like you.”

As the words flew out of Kai’s mouth, Sehun immediately turned bright red before huffing. He turned around on his heels and stalked away from the couple. Surrounding students laughed at the scene, causing the embarrassed boy to hiss at them.

When the commotion finally died down, everyone drifted back towards their daily school schedule. Luhan didn’t even manage to look up at his savior before said man leaned down to stare at the boy’s teary eyes. He gulped, causing Kai to chuckle lightly.

“Th—thanks for standing up for me,” he stuttered quietly.

Kai shot him a toothy grin. “No problem. Seems like you need a knight-in-shining-armor here at school. Are applications open?”

Before he could even react to the question, Kai had already leaned back down to plant a tiny kiss right under his eye. Luhan froze, and even managed to faint in shock right after the taller man had pulled back.

Baekhyun popped in from the left and stared at his fallen comrade. “I excepted more from you, Luhan dear.”