Sehun and Luhan arrived at their first block and noticed that there were many more people up and walking down the hallway: some talking to their friends, some applying necessary facials, and some even kicking and teasing each other. Sehun cleared his throat awkwardly as Luhan waved at a couple of students passing by, even stopping for short greetings. Luhan never forgot to introduce him to everyone he came across, and Sehun, who was naturally reserved, felt exhausted from the fake smiles and polite handshakes.

“We’re here now,” Luhan said as they arrived in front of a large automatic sliding door. “The teacher’s usually at least 5 minutes late to class, so we’ll have plenty of time to settle in. Let’s go.”

Sehun nodded and followed Luhan in. The class was almost full. Everyone was out of their seats, roaming around the classroom and joking around. A few heads turned and immediately brightened when they saw Luhan.

“Yo Luhan!” A deep voice rang out as a male ran forwards. His eyes immediately switched to Sehun, who shuffled in his feet at the intense gaze.

“You’re the new kid?”

Sehun lifted his head and nodded. The male blinked before cocking his head.

“I thought you were supposed to be a second year.”

“Sehun’s apparently a history genius,” Luhan teased, sending Sehun a sly smile. “He’s in this class with us.”

“A history genius, eh?” the boy laughed, and Sehun narrowed his eyes. If there was one thing he hated the most, it was being laughed at. The boy seemed to catch Sehun’s menacing expression and with a good natured grin, he pat him on the back.

“Chill dude. I wasn’t laughing at you. No need to have such a scary look on your face.”

“Leave him be, Yifan,” a new voice spoke as he walked over to the trio, “you don’t want to piss off the new kid so early.”

“Aw, come on Yixing. He loves me already,” Yifan piped as he swung an arm around Sehun’s shoulders. Sehun’s frown deepened and he quickly sidestepped, making Yifan’s arm go limp.

“I highly doubt it,” Yixing said. He looked at Sehun and with a gentle smile, offered his hand. “Hi. My name’s Zhang Yixing.”

“Oh Sehun,” Sehun took the hand and shook it briefly, “or as everyone seems to call me, the new kid.”

Yixing laughed loudly.

“Yeah, well, you can’t blame em’. You’re like a celebrity, Sehun. You will be for a while, so better get used to it.”

“Guess so,” Sehun mumbled. Suddenly, the door behind them opened, and a young female teacher walked in. She stared at the four conversing males with surprise.

“You’re in this class?” she said, addressing the youngest of the four. “But I thought you were a second year?”

“I got placed in this class, ma’am. I finished the other courses last year.”

“Oh,” she said before briefly glancing at the clipboard in her hands, “oh yes, I see that. Thank you. Your name is Sehun, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Well then I guess we need to assign you a seat.”

She walked to the middle of the room and everyone took their respective seats. Luhan lingered besides Sehun, hesitant to go, but when the teacher looked at him expectantly he reluctantly took his own seat in front of Yixing’s.

“Okay guys. As many of you can see we have a new student. He’s in the year below yours, but if I ever catch you guys bullying him, I will personally wring your throats, got it?”

The class remained silent and Sehun couldn’t help but gulp at the threatening words. He normally would’ve laughed, but the expression on her face told him that she was dead serious.

“Alright, Oh Sehun,” the teacher waved Sehun over and he quickly walked towards her, not wanting to anger her in any way. “Let’s see....where should you sit.....”

“Ms. Park!” A hand shot up and the teacher lifted her head to see Luhan smiling up at her. The class all gaped at the bravery of the boy.

“Yes, Luhan?”

“Well, Sehun’s my roommate you see. And he’s a second year, so I thought he might feel kind of out of place here. Since I know him better than most of the people here, I thought it would be a good idea for Sehun to sit besides me?”

The guy who was currently seated next to Luhan turned around and gawked at Luhan. Sehun noticed that he looked kind of familiar. He suddenly remembered that he was one of the guys sitting at their lunch table yesterday.

“Luhan!” the guy clung to Luhan’s arms, his eyes wide in desperation, “what are you doing?!”

“Sorry Minseok, but I’m the only one Sehun’s close to. I can’t just leave him.”

Luhan looked at Ms. Park with a polite smile. “Please, ma’am?”

Ms.Park narrowed her eyes and stared, as if trying to figure out if Luhan had a different motive. But Luhan looked innocent enough, and slowly she nodded.

“I suppose that will be fine,” she said and then looked at Minseok who looked like he was about to cry. “Minseok please grab your things and move to the back of the classroom.”

“Bu-but-”

“Welcome, baby!”

Minseok turned around to see Jongdae grinning widely at him with open arms. Ms. Park narrowed her eyes in disapproval.

“Minseok. Now.”

Minseok slowly grabbed his things and walked to the back of the classroom. He took his seat besides Jongdae, who smiled widely and swung an arm around Minseok shoulders.

“Oh Sehun, you can take your seat now.”

Sehun nodded and sat next to Luhan, who beamed brightly at him. He pushed his open textbook to the middle and pointed at the page.

“Here, let’s share until you get yours.”

Sehun muttered a small thanks and looked back at the teacher who was facing the whiteboard and writing something down.

“Ms. Park is one of the scariest teachers at this school,” Luhan whispered, “and I have one word of advice: don’t get on her bad side.”

Sehun looked down to see that Luhan had begun to doodle in his notebook. The teacher was too engrossed in her lecture to notice. Sehun propped an arm up and leaned his head against it, staring at Luhan as he drew.

“What is that?” he pointed at an object Luhan was sketching. “It kinda looks like a meatloaf.”

Luhan giggled, earning a kick from Yixing in the seat behind.

“It’s Ms.Park,” Luhan managed to reply with a goofy grin. Sehun took a closer look and smiled softly.

“It kind of looks like her if you look at this angle,” he rotated the notebook a bit. “See?”

Luhan bit his lips in an attempt to keep himself from bursting out in laughter. “Oh my god. It really does.”

Sehun faced the front in time to see Ms. Park turn around and scan the room with a disapproving scowl. She  looked at him, and although it was only for a split second, it felt like an hour to the boy. He shuffled in his seat and straightened up as if trying to convince the teacher that he was paying attention to the lecture.

“Oh Sehun,” the teacher called, and soon the whole class’s attention was on Sehun, “can you tell me when the Fall of the Bastille was?”

Sehun blinked back and then broke into a polite yet condescending smile.

“If I recall correctly, it was on July 1789.”

Ms. Park narrowed her eyes and after a long suffocating silence, she nodded slowly. “That’s correct,” she said and turned back around to face the whiteboard. Sehun breathed out in relief and choked back a laugh when Luhan gave him an impressed look and a thumbs up.

“You must be really good,” Luhan whispered, “we didn’t even cover that in class yet.”

Sehun grabbed Luhan’s arm and made him face the desk, whispered “pay attention or you’ll get us both in trouble” with a teasing smile and then saw Luhan’s small pout out of the corner of his eyes.

“Meanie,” Luhan whined but returned his gaze to the book on his desk without further complaint. Sehun propped up an arm and gave his attention to the teacher for the rest of the period

Baekhyun speed walked down the hallway as fast as he could. He had a free period and just like he usually spent it, he was going to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream. Baekhyun loved ice cream. No, it wasn’t just love. He was obsessed with it. It wasn’t everyday he got some quiet time without Jongin yapping about his unrequited crush every passing second, and now that he had it, he was determined to not waste a moment. He quickly pushed the front door and dashed across the front yard. The ice cream shop wasn’t too far from campus - it was only a few minute walk and it wasn’t long before Baekhyun was pushing the door open and walking into heaven.

“Finally,” Baekhyun groaned and rushed to the display bar. He scanned the different flavors, wondering which one he should get this time when a husky baritone voice spoke out.

“That one’s really good.”

Baekhyun’s head snapped up and he met a pair of large brown eyes staring down at him. The first thing he noticed was that the boy was huge. He looked like he was at least a head taller than he was. He also had a wide smile on his absolutely breathtaking face and Baekhyun felt his throat go dry as his mouth dropped open.

“Wow,” Baekhyun blurted out. The boy blinked in surprise and looked confused.

“Excuse me?”

Baekhyun continued to stare shamelessly, his head too jumbled for any logical thoughts to process through it.

“Are you alright?” the boy asked, his voice sending shivers down Baekhyun’s spine, “you look sick.”

Baekhyun’s cheek heated up and he immediately closed his open mouth. He cleared his throat and mumbled “I’m fine, thanks,” before tearing his gaze away from the good looking male. He didn’t have to check to see the puzzled look on his face.

“Are you sure? Maybe you should go to the hospital. You’re really pale-”

“I said I’m fine.”

Baekhyun winced and wanted to bang his head on the wall. He didn’t mean to sound so rude, but the boy was making him feel very uncomfortable. He nervously lifted his head once more and saw a look of hurt on the boy’s face.

“I-I’m sorry,” he stammered. The boy’s eyebrows twisted into a tight knot but soon enough a soft smile was on his lips.

“Hey, no problem,” he said good naturedly, “so have you decided on a flavor yet?”

“I....I’ll take mint chocolate.”

The boy nodded and began to scoop the said flavor into a small cup. He handed it to Baekhyun, who in turn paid him.

“Thanks,” Baekhyun whispered. He turned around to go out, but something kept him from taking a step forward. He stood still before facing the boy once more, who was giving him a polite smile.

“I didn’t see you here before,” Baekhyun said, “were you recently employed?”

The boy blinked and then started to laugh softly.

“Yeah, I started two days ago. Do you come here often?”

Baekhyun’s felt his cheeks brighten at the boy’s question and nodded slowly.

“Yeah,” he said. He quickly bowed to the boy and spun around, running out of the store. After a good distance away from the store, Baekhyun crouched down on the pavement and groaned out loud.

“Byun Baekhyun you freaking idiot!” He screamed. He grabbed his hair and shook his head at how stupid he was. “You absolute -head! Moron! er!”

Suddenly, he heard a small cough behind him and turned around to see the boy staring down at him.

“You forgot your change,” he said. Baekhyun froze, his face turning red for the third time that hour. The boy looked like he was trying hard to keep himself from bursting out in laughter. Baekhyun stood up and took the change.

“Thanks,” he whispered and without a second glance took off running.

“Hey!”

Baekhyun halted in his steps. He didn’t dare turn around; he was too embarrassed, and he was afraid if he did he would have to face the boy’s taunting laugh.

“My name’s Park Chanyeol. In case you were interested.”

Baekhyun forgot to breathe. His eyes widened and he allowed himself to take a small peak behind him. The boy was still in the same place, offering him a warm smile and his eyes twinkling. He felt his body freeze up and without replying, Baekhyun ran back to school.