~

Luhan runs towards the infirmary without regard or remorse as to who he would bump into or against what.

He sees Baekhyun and Junmyeon by the door and when he reaches his hand to open but Baekhyun stops his hand and Junmyeon blocks his way in. He would've punched Junmyeon then and there if it wasn't for Baekhyun's sad eyes, telling him that there must be more than Junmyeon's pass to irritate him.

"You cannot go inside. He doesn't want you there." Junmyeon says eyeing him with apparent accusation that Luhan does not quite understand.

"Baekhyun will explain it to you. I have to check if he's okay. Do not make a commotion that would disturb him and the other patients. I am warning you as an officer of the Council." Junmyeon says before entering and locking the infirmary door behind him.

Luhan wants to kick down the infirmary door and do everything opposite what Junmyeon had told him to do but logic got the best of him so he turns his attention to baekhyun with pleading eyes.

What the is happening?

Baekhyun sighs and starts, "Yixing. He..he's being bullied for months now. We thought we could stop it but it grew even more physical. We approached Junmyeon maybe his presence could stop it and show the others he was under the protection of the council but when we are not looking, the bullies would attack. Either they would give him warning letters or put tacks on his shoes or leave unnoticeable shards around the practice rooms or pour him water from a window stuff like that. We never managed to pinpoint who or gain definite proof to file a formal report. And Yixing is too kind that he wouldn't name anyone. Today, he was pushed down the stairs. Luckily it was only a few steps but he hit his head around he railing so he was knocked out"

"Why did I not know this?" Luhan could barely get the words out, his hand clenching, while at the same time suppressing a sob. He has a lot more questions but he doubts Baekhyun could answer them as he wasn't really the person he wanted to ask it from.

"He didn't want to tell you. He didn't want you to worry. You have a lot  on your plate and he doesn't want it to affect your school standing. He has already skipped practice despite the fact that the competitions are around the corner. His injuries were more from the bullying rather than practice to be honest. He would skip practice not because he wants to but..because his trainer wants him to heal his injuries first before continuing..but..but he ends up with even more injuries.." Baekhyun is also on the verge of tears 

"Why.. Yixing.." Luhan could barely form any coherent thought. He needs his questions answered.

He needs to see his friend

"If you're wondering why, it's your fault of course."

Luhan was too busy he didn't notice Junmyeon came back from the infirmary. 

"I don't understand. This is not the time for your crap, " Luhan with his tone rising and anger bubbling in his throat. He does not care anymore if people heard him. He would not let anyone accuse him of something he would never do.

"For someone supposedly smart, you sure are quite slow on the uptake, " Junmyeon says sneering

Luhan grabs Junmyeon by his shirt and confronts the man with eye seething. "You. I'm tired of your unfounded vendetta so you better get straight to the point"

"So this your true nature.. Interesting" Junmyeon is obviously trying to egg him on but Luhan is too angry to even think about the consequences. As he was about to punch the lights out of Junmyeon's wits, Baekhyun stops him 

"Stop it you two! Luhan release Junmyeon now. This is not the time for this!"

"Your fans did this. You and your heartless rejections led them to turn to him instead. Based on my investigations, they were not the one that are actually doing the actual bullying all the time. They would charm guys and the latter would do it for them. They are angry that you were only paying attention to him despite him not being anything special. Well that's what I got from the trash talks and the gossip mongers" Junmyeon explains while removing crease from his shirt from Luhan's hand grab from earlier.

"Aren't there any sanctions for this? You ARE after all a member of the mighty council right?"

"The nature of this school is highly competitive so it has quite a lenient policy over things like this. They will just treat this as nother case of friendly competition but I know this has gone beyond that and the school has never encountered things like these since students were focused on their art and academics rather than fawning over another student. I didn't expect the school standards have degraded to this level ever since you came in."

Luhan eyes Junmyeon with an open disdain." Well Mr. high and might. Why not change it then. Why not walk the talk."

"I would. I'm already in the process of doing that compared to somebody who could only shout and forget his civilized natu-"

"Junmyeon. Don't you think you're going overboard" Baekhyun interjects. The boy might have seen Luhan's eyes getting murderous

"Bottom line, Luhan. This is your fault." 

Luhan's inner self agrees.

That very same day, Luhan still waited for Yixing to come to the library.

He was determined not to let his friend know that he has an idea on what is going on. If Yixing doesn't want him to know, he will keep his inquiries to himself and let the boy tell it to him on his own time. After all, that has always been his specialty right? Pretending? Luhan laughs dryly at himself.

They walk back home together. He is being his usual self, asking Yixing questions and openly makes jokes. Yixing also responds normally and it hurts Luhan that Yixing is trying so hard to keep it from him. Doesn't he deserve the truth? Whatever happened to the soul brother thing?

Without thinking, Luhan grabs Yixing into a tight hug

"Are you okay , Luhan? You're being weird today." Yixing chuckles

"Yes. And as you said. I am creepy," Luhan laughs in reply

But really, Luhan wants to cry.

Luhan afterwards would no longer seek Yixing out nor sit with him together at lunch. He lets Junmyeon do the protecting job. And since it was his presence that aggravates things, he would stay away. 

Luhan would still go to school and go home together but he's very discreet and would not let anyone see them together. Luhan also starts to reciprocate the advances and openly flirts with anyone who initiates. Later on he approaches Minseok and asked the latter if it's possible to update him about the bullying situation. Apparently because of Luhan's actions, the bullying has died down and Yixing was not bothered that much. They would still openly scoff at him but they did not do anything physical. Luhan is relieved by this update. Minseok also adds that Junmyeon is also a big help as the guys is now openly soliciting himself as the next president and implies to everyone that Yixing is under his protection, "everyone is intimated, because really, who would dare to against the son of the school director," Minseok explains.

Luhan feels that he is bing hit in the gut.

He wants to be that person, the one who could openly proclaim such words and not just silently protect his friend. Luhan feels so powerless. He sees Yixing's smile return as his injuries heal but that smile was not directed to him anymore and it's another invisible blow to his gut but for now he is happy because as long as Yixing was safe, he could not ask for anything more.

Luhan's popularity grew even more, but it was adverse to what he wants to be known for. He has become SMA's resident flirt: a man whose promiscuity knows no bounds. If you want a quick fling, look for Luhan. Need a friend with benefit thing or just a short tumble, he is the man to go to. Luhan's only rule is that he will entartain them all but do not ask for anything more.

The other side is that, his school ranking changes is as constant as he changes relationships. He has already been reprimanded countless of times to be conscious of his slipping performance. But Luhan is careful not to drop too much as to make the school want to evict him. After all, he still needs to keep an eye out for Yixing.

Jongdae one day approaches him and says that he knows what Luhan's trying to accomplish and says to him that he admires his efforts for it. By this time, Yixing's bullying is a thing of the past and nobody is actually paying any heed to the latter. Yixing's injuries had healed in time for the competition and he manages to place despite being rookie.

All this had happened and Luhan could only silently cheer. 

"I kinda like the transformation from ice prince to SMA's ice cream. me. I'm for free. Really you deserve a marketing award. Your brand is too in demand," Jongdae jokingly says

Luhan laughs, really now? Ice cream?

"Maybe you should start dating seriously, Lu. I know you are still head over heels over a certain dimpled guy but you shouldn't close your doors you know. Who knows there might be someone there who could accept your "

"You should stop the trolling now, Jongdae. I am not hung up on anybody, thanks. Anyway you are getting so funky nowadays I'm starting to doubt your national title in singing. You should have probably won the troll award instead."

"Attack anything but my singing. you"

"Oh, are you offering?" Luhan smirks

"Seriously Luhan. Even make a pass on me? ME? What has the wold done to you. Now I take back what I said. I miss the old sarcastic, grumpy you. At least then you did not make me want to puke at your face."

"Thank you"

"By the way, they are announcing changes  in the council members. You sure you don't want to change your mind and join them? You could snag the vice presidency if you wanted to or even best Junmyeon to the seat he is vying for."

"hmm.. elections, politics.. Not interested. I'd choose ice-cream instead, any day. That is probably the only constant thing that has stayed since our first year. Anyway I'm slipping rank so no."

"Well if you say so. Don't go wailing now," Jongdae says rolling his eyes

"Wail about? "

"Well, you'll see."

A few weeks later, the results of the not-so elections were announced.

Junmyeon was the student council's new president.

Yixing announced at the lunch table that he and Junmyeon is in an official relationship.

Luhan is then too busy with yet another fling.

Jongdae had told him about the results but Minseok was the one who told him about the new couple. Apparently the troll again missed to tell him yet another vital information. 

Luhan laughs when Jongdae told him about the election results. He also tried to make the same face after Minseok told him about the other news but he sees Minseok's emphatic face which tells him his acting skills are getting rusty. 

A/N

I was inspired by Sehun's picture of Junmyeon gramps hence, this update. Again, I'm only using mobile so I'm really sorry will edit the layout-ing later

but seriously guys. I'm really lost as to how this story is going to flow. The OTPs are all pretty much messed up at the moment. hunhan and ing. Taohun. Krisbaek. I don't even know who is to who now. Haha