10th Grade – Last Week of Classes

Kyungsoo was throwing things into his locker while trying his best to drown out Yixing's excessive praises for this Suho boy he obviously has a crush on. 

Ever since that day at the fair, Yixing has been Team Suho, and though Kyungsoo was happy for him, truly, there were times he wished Yixing was more like Luhan – keeping his romantic feelings for a certain someone locked up and buried deep inside.

But then he remembered how miserable Luhan felt whenever Sehun was around, and he decides that Yixing's open display of affection was, in the long run, the healthier option.

“He's going to run for class president our senior year, and I totally think he'll win,” Yixing continued, having no clue that he lost Kyungsoo ages ago. He probably didn't care anyways.

“He's smart, ridiculously handsome, embarrassingly funny, secretly rich, and I still can't believe he's single. What is wrong with the world?” Yixing shook his head like he was disappointed in everybody who was alive and failed to notice Suho's greatness.

“How do you know he's rich?” Kyungsoo asked, now somewhat interested in what Yixing was yapping about.

“Saw his wallet. It reeked of money,” Yixing replied in a tone that seemed to suggest that he thought the answer was obvious.

“Umm. It's a wallet. It's supposed to smell like money since, you know, that's what you put money in.”

“How come your wallet doesn't smell like money then?” Yixing countered.

“Why are you smelling my wallet?”

“Just answer the question.”

“I will not.” Kyungsoo grabbed his textbook and threw it into his backpack. He was more than ready to go home because another second with Yixing would probably result in him having a few dead brain cells, and he rather not have that happen.

“You really are heartless, Soo,” Yixing accused when Kyungsoo continued to pack his things. “I thought Jongin would be able to change that.”

Kyungsoo abruptly stopped what he was doing to stare at Yixing, dumbfounded. “Wh-What does Jongin have to do with me not answering your stupid question?”

“Nothing. I just like how you react whenever his name is mentioned. It's adorable.” Yixing grinned as he pinched Kyungsoo's flaming red cheeks.

“Yixing,” Kyungsoo started in a frighteningly calm voice, “did you get to say bye to your precious Suho today?”

Yixing tilted his head to the side, confused at Kyungsoo's sudden question. “Yeah, I did. Why'd you asked?”

“Because you're never going to see him again once I'm done with you,” Kyungsoo threatened, hands already grabbing the collar of Yixing's shirt.

Yixing gulped. “Uhh Soo, I don't think you should hurt me.”

“Why is that, Xing?”

“Because it'll make you look bad if you kill your best friend. Imagine the headlines in the papers! Your mom wouldn't be pleased.”

“Who says people would find out?” Kyungsoo asked, expression dark.

“What about Jongin?” Yixing squeaked when Kyungsoo continued to tighten his grip. “I don't think he'll go for a friend murderer.”

“Stop saying his name,” Kyungsoo hissed, the blush from earlier slowly creeping back.

“I can't help it because he's right there.”

Kyungsoo's eyes immediately widened, and he released Yixing. He whirled around to find Jongin and Tao approaching them. Judging from their serious expressions, Kyungsoo had a feeling this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.

“I'll kill you later,” Kyungsoo muttered to the side.

“Like I would be dumb enough to be alone with you,” Yixing huffed, taking a step away from Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo opened his mouth to retort, but Jongin interrupted with a firm, “We need to talk.”

“About what?” Yixing asked when a stunned Kyungsoo gave no reply. Kyungsoo's eyes were trained on Jongin, who looked genuinely bothered about something. Frankly, he was surprised that Jongin had a serious side.

“About those two lovestruck idiots we're trying to hook up,” Tao answered, eyeing Kyungsoo with mild interest as if he could sense the reason why Kyungsoo had frozen up like a human popsicle.

“Yes. Would you two explain to us why Luhan has been constantly spotted with Kris?” Jongin asked, now looking at Kyungsoo for the first time. “I thought we were on the same side.”

“We-We are,” Kyungsoo stuttered, taken aback by the fact that Jongin was upset over Sehun and Luhan's problem. He didn't think Jongin cared that much – at least not as much as he and Yixing did.

“Then why is he hanging with Krisus? It almost looks like they're going out,” Tao stated with a frown.

“He's not going out with Kris,” Yixing supplied. “They're just friends.”

Jongin snorted in annoyance. “But why is he with Kris? Isn't he supposed to be around Sehun, you know, the guy who's hopelessly in love with him without knowing it?”

“There's nothing wrong with him hanging out with Kris,” said Kyungsoo. “He's still into Sehun, if that was what you're worried about.”

“But for how long?” Tao asked, sighing sadly and leaning against the lockers. “You don't hang out with Krisus and end up not falling for him. That's like impossible.”

Jongin rolled his eyes at Tao's remark. “How sure are you that he still likes Sehun?”

Kyungsoo glanced at Yixing, who blinked back at him. They were probably thinking about what happened a few days ago – when Luhan had bumped into an opened locker while staring (a bit longingly) at a passing Sehun.

“We're 200% positive,” Kyungsoo and Yixing chorused.

“He really won't fall for Kris?” Tao asked, voice tainted with skepticism.

Kyungsoo shook his head. “Besides being good looking, Sehun and Kris have nothing else in common. For Luhan, it'll always be Sehun.”

“Wait – you think they're good looking?” Jongin asked with a raised eyebrow, surprise and something else evident in his eyes – something Kyungsoo can't put his finger on.

Kyungsoo looked at him. “That's beside the point, Jongin.”

Jongin doesn't say anything further.

Tao cleared his throat. “How do we get Luhan away from Kris?” When the others looked at him, he added, “Isn't that the root of our problem? Luhan's spending too much time with Kris, so now we have Sehun seething with jealousy from the sidelines.”

“It's just easier for Luhan to be around Kris,” Yixing said after some careful thought. “He doesn't have to worry about being overwhelmed with his emotions when he's with Kris.... And they're in the same club, so it makes sense that they would hang out a lot.”

“Well, Sehun definitely doesn't appreciate it,” Tao stated.

“He's been grumpy ever since they've been seen together. It's seriously annoying to hear him complain about how useless he thinks Kris is and how all Kris has is his height,” Jongin commented. “If I have to hear Sehun talk bad about Kris one more time, I'm going to stab myself with a fork.”

“Why doesn't he do something about it then?” Kyungsoo asked, puzzled as to why Jongin and Tao haven't suggested the idea to Sehun.

“Because he's a brainless coward, who still refuses to believe that he's fallen for the school's flower boy,” Tao replied with a resigned tone.

“Besides, why does he have to be the one who does something about it?” Jongin asked, taking offense to Kyungsoo's question. “It takes two to be in a relationship. I don't see Luhan trying.”

“That's because he's afraid of getting hurt,” Yixing answered, looking at Jongin like he was stupid for even thinking that Luhan should make the first move.

“Sehun's afraid of getting hurt too,” Jongin argued. “My friend may look cold and heartless, but he's definitely not. He'll probably be an emotional wreck if Luhan rejects him.”

“Probably cry us a river,” Tao mumbled.

“Luhan's not going to reject him, so tell your friend to be a man about it and confess,” Yixing said.

“Again, why can't Luhan do it?” Jongin asked exasperatedly. “He may be really pretty, but he's still a guy. Tell him to it up and confess.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and said calmly, “Because Sehun can hurt Luhan more than he can hurt Sehun.”

“That doesn't –”

“Hear me out. Luhan's under the false impression that Sehun would never like him back, while Sehun's under the stupid impression that what he feels whenever he's around Luhan is due to bad cafeteria food. They're not on the same page.”

Yixing nodded. “If Luhan were to confess to Sehun today, how do you think your brainless friend would react?”

Tao and Jongin looked at each other. “Honestly, he'd probably run away,” Tao answered and Jongin looked like he wholeheartedly agreed with that statement.

“See? If Sehun runs away, Luhan would take it as Sehun rejecting him.”

“And he'll probably think that Sehun hates him and wants nothing to do with him. And that hurts,” Kyungsoo said sadly.

“It also doesn't help that he's afraid Sehun would go back to bullying him again if he finds out about how he feels,” Yixing added. “There's just too much at stake for Luhan. He'll end up crushed, and we won't let that happen.”

Jongin sighed. “Fine. I get your point, but we can't just leave them like that. School's almost over, and who knows when or if they'll see each other over the summer.”

“And I heard Luhan's going to visit Kris at basketball camp,” Tao added, ignoring the three pair of questioning eyes that were suddenly on him. “Things happen at camp – especially summer camp.”

“How did you –”

“I heard it somewhere,” Tao said with a small shrug.

Kyungsoo turned to Yixing. “They're right. What are we going to do?”

Yixing took a moment to think about their options. Kyungsoo had no idea when Yixing became the major brain behind operation Get Sehun and Luhan Together, but right now, he could only hope that they weren't wrong about entrusting Yixing with the difficult job.

“Hmmm,” Yixing hummed as he scratched his hairless chin. “Jongin, you said Sehun can't stand seeing Luhan with Kris, right?”

Jongin nodded. “He hates it.”

“With a capital H,” Tao added with a tiny smile.

“What if we take advantage of that?” Yixing asked, lips slowly tugging upwards into a mischievous grin.

“What do you mean?”

“A jealous Sehun could be a good thing,” Yixing said, voice mysterious, which quite frankly, annoyed the other three.

“Yixing, please focus,” Kyungsoo urged.

Yixing slapped Kyungsoo in the arm. “I am super focused.”

“Then please make some sense,” Jongin stated grimly, causing Kyungsoo to almost laugh out loud.

Yixing rolled his eyes like they were the weird ones who had no appreciation of the genius behind his plan. “You know how in dramas, jealousy always leads to the main couple realizing that they love each other –”

“No,” said Kyungsoo and Jongin at the same time.

“Yes,” said Tao, a shimmer of understanding sparkling in his eyes.

“We're going to use Sehun's obvious jealousy to push him forward and to finally admit to his feelings,” Yixing finished with a wide smile on his face.

“How are we going to do that?” Kyungsoo asked. “Should we make him more jealous than he already is?”

Jongin groaned. “Please don't. I can't handle Sehun being more jealous than he is right now.”

“Should we have Luhan and Kris hug in front of him? Maybe a little kissing?” Tao asked, sounding a little too eager with their new plan.

Jongin widened his eyes. “Tao! We're trying to get Sehun to admit his feelings, not commit suicide.”

“I agree with Jongin,” said Kyungsoo. “That's going a bit far. And Luhan would never kiss someone he doesn't like.”

“How about we ––” Yixing beckoned the other three to gather around, so he could tell them about