Flowers.

Rainbows.

Unicorns.

I felt like I was floating in seventh heaven while making my way to the school. Although I didn’t get enough sleep last night due to some arrangements, I wanted to do hurdles for a hundred meters. I could feel the fresh, dewy breeze cold against my flushed skin. It was like I’m walking on sunshine . . . ooohooh. 

I smiled and greeted other students who were walking to the same direction. I really should be playing Good Time by Owl City right now on my iPod. It really suited the mood I was in. Woke up on the right side of the bed…it’s always a good time. Feel-good songs started playing in my mind.

I was savouring every step as I got nearer the school. I was wishing that time would go much slower so I wouldn’t easily spoil myself. I knew . . . that the entire school was currently seeing the blockbuster of the year.

Okay. Okay. So this is what I’m imagining. The hallways will be filled with laughing students holding the TWT publication in their hands. It usually happens whenever we publish a scandalous ‘it’ story.  Of course, there were also the mocking insults that the victim would get. Welcome to your worst nightmare, victim.

I walked the short flight of steps, approaching the building. I started counting.

Seven. Six. Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Here goes the ruckus in the school!

But . . . 

What the heck is this?

What . . . 

This isn’t what’s supposed to happen.

The students in the hallway were calm, carrying on with their normal school routine. Just like the everyday situation in school.

No whispering. No laughter. No insults. No chaos.

No ruckus.

It was also not possible that they still hadn’t read the news . . . because they were actually holding the publication in their hands. Even some of the papers were left unattended and trashed on the floor.

Why were they not reacting the way they were supposed to?

I approached a random male student by the lockers. “Hey, um, have you read the Friday Night incident about Kim Joonmyeon?” I pointed to the folded publication in his hand. 

He shot me a blank look. “Yeah. What about it?”

What do you mean by ‘what about it’?

“You don’t find it scandalous or anything?” I just gave him the keyword in case he had forgotten.

“Uh. No? Everyone goes partying once in a while so what’s the big deal?” He responded as if this conversation was boring him to death. He shut his locker and walked away.

What? This is so wrong.

I carried on through the hallway. I could hear what the other students, left and right, were saying as I went past them.

“This is the lamest story TWT has ever published. Even the Mr. Song-picking-his-nose news would be better than this.”

“Who cares if Kim Joonmyeon goes clubbing and partying? I mean he needs it really.”

“He deserves to go out every now and then. He might die a monk studying all day.”

“Well at least we know he’s not gay with these girls clinging onto him.”

“Hey, Seo Myunjae,” A random guy called my attention. I turned to look at his direction, raising my brows in anticipation.

“Looks like the TWT’s getting a shutdown, huh?” He and his friends started laughing.

I merely rolled my eyes and went on in my track. When I did, he called me a nickname. “Kungfu boy’s lover girl.” If that’s not enough to catch my attention. I didn’t want to entertain him but I ended up glaring back at him.

Why is this happening? I get to be ruined while Kim Joonmyeon doesn’t receive some lashing on his untarnished reputation?  

I reached our homeroom on the third floor. It was only about ten steps from our homeroom door when I decided to lift up my head. But, I noticed this annoying figure leaning on his back, by the windows, in front of our room.

“Nice story, Seo Myunjae,” Kim Joonmyeon greeted me as if this was the brightest morning he ever had.

“Don’t talk to me nor come closer. I’m just controlling myself not to punch you right now.” I didn’t stop walking, merely looking at the ceiling. I was sure I would punch the first area of his body that I would see if I looked at him. You know enemies - they would feel victorious once you give in and lose it.

“Well, I’m guessing you learned your lesson right now.” He got off of the wall. He began approaching me, a hand in his pocket. “And in case you’re wondering, yes. We will now cut your publication off.”

I was about to turn to head inside our homeroom when he jumped in front of me. He blocked my way through the door, a hand staffed against one side of the frame. I bit my lower lip, the same time my fist curled. It was hard to control myself because it was my first time interacting with an arse like this of all the arses I encountered in my eighteen years of existence. But I wouldn’t go to the principal nor the guidance counselor just because my fist touched an arse’s face.

When he was sure that he got my attention, he smirked. “I knew from the beginning that that story wouldn’t work.”

Wouldn’t work, huh? “If you knew it wouldn’t work, why the hell did you follow and chase me around?”

His taunting smile suddenly faltered when he heard those words.

He merely pushed himself off of the doorframe. Without another banter, he just made his way to the hallway. It was just only a couple of steps when he stopped, before continuing on his track. 

“Just think twice before you do it again.”

“Luhan, we’re doomed!” I grabbed a handful of my hair, elbows on the table-top. “Now they’re going to cut us off.”

“You should have just said that you have that kind of story about him beforehand.” He continually fumbled with his rubix cube. “We could have just fabricated it for the worse or something.”

“No. They’re not gonna cut us off.  We’ll make a rebound story . . . oh right, we don’t have any story left. They were all included in the publication we released this morning.” Hyejin face-palmed herself on the table.

How are we going to recover from this? Now I’m pretty sure that even the students would not side with us. We have just published the “lamest” story, remember?

I headed back to our dorm building with shoulders drooped low, back hunched, and a plastered sleepy, I-don’t-wanna-live-anymore expression. I had just reached the lobby when I noticed a very familiar guy heading out of the elevator, wearing jeans and a black hoodie. It was the star Taekwondo player.

Do Kyungsoo.

Alert.

Alert.

Not the 'Kyungsoo fact alert'.

RETREAT ALERT!

I screeched to a stop automatically, eyes widening, all sleepiness vanishing. Not knowing where to go, I stepped left and right. I searched for a place to hide at. I really didn’t have an option so I just ducked beside the lobby counter. Ms. Cathy, one of the lobbyists, just looked at me as if I was a weird freak on hideout. Sorry, miss lobby lady. I needed to