There is someone leaning on the side of the building when they step out — a handsome boy with a soft olive hue to his skin and plump lips. Krystal sighs heavily when she sees him, but the smile on her face tells a whole different story. “Hey, princess,” the guy drawls in English and Krystal pretends to gag.

"What do you want, loser?" she quips back happily, grabbing Baekhyun by the wrist again when he tries to leave. He’s frustrated because he has always been bad at English and he really doesn’t know what is going on right now.

The guy places his hand over his chest, gasping so melodramatically that Baekhyun actually smiles despite his confusion. “Is that really how you talk to your dearest big brother?” He moves towards Krystal and catches her lips in a kiss. Baekhyun isn’t the best at English, but he does know that ‘brother’ and the kiss that just happened definitely do not belong together.

"You’re my only big brother," she mutters as he pulls away, and Baekhyun is glad that he can finally understand what’s being said but he is also rather disturbed by the turn of events. "And what did I say about kissing me in public?"

"It’s just you, me and Baekhyun here, princess," he replies and Krystal shoves him so hard he almost falls backwards but he’s still grinning. He slides right back next to her with practiced ease and slips his long arms around her. "I’m Kai."

It takes Baekhyun a few moments to realise that Kai is talking to him. He awkwardly bows in greeting and he’s startled when Kai laughs. “I’m younger than you, hyung.” Baekhyun is genuinely surprised; he had thought that the tall boy was a third year like he was. He pouts slightly because he’s not that short — how come his junior has a few inches on him? Kai only reaches over to pinch his nose in response.

"Must you always spoil the fun?" Krystal jabs a finger into Kai’s ribs and he lets go of her with a yelp. "I was enjoying watching him being all cute and respectful." Baekhyun suddenly wonders how old Krystal is.

"Younger than you," she says and Baekhyun realises belatedly that he had been thinking out loud. "Oppa."

Baekhyun scrunches his nose slightly. The term sounds weird coming from Krystal’s lips. “I think Baekhyun will do just fine.”

"Baekhyun it is," Kai slings an arm around Krystal again (these two are awfully touchy, he thinks), who doesn’t shrug it off to Baekhyun’s surprise, as the three of them walk back to the classroom block.

Baekhyun laughs, “I was talking to Krystal. It’s still hyung for you, you punk.” Krystal laughs for the second time that morning because of something he said and he feels his heart swell with pride. She finally pushes Kai’s arm off and drapes her arm over Baekhyun’s shoulders instead. He doesn’t realise he’s been waiting for her to do that until it happens.

They reach the main building a good five minutes before the start of class. Despite Krystal’s no-kissing-in-public rule, she doesn’t protest when Kai leans in to whisper a “see you later” against her lips. None of the students who are still out of class seems surprised by the rather uous display of affection and Baekhyun thinks city folks are odd. He is caught by surprise when Kai leans in towards him, their lips too close for comfort.

"See you later too," Kai murmurs, and Baekhyun shivers at the way his warm breath fans over his face. Baekhyun has been kissed by guys before, but he feels a strange mixture of unease and anticipation and nervousness and excitement bubbling within him from the close proximity.

"If you kiss him I will cut your balls off in your sleep, I swear." Baekhyun turns to the side and sees Krystal with her arms crossed, frowning slightly before breaking into a smile. "Or shave all your hair off, at the very least."

Kai laughs, moving away from Baekhyun with his hands in the air in mock surrender. “Not the hair please,” he pouts and steals another kiss from her. Krystal shoves him in the direction of the classrooms, laughing, and Kai gives the pair of them a sloppy salute before walking off.

Krystal insists on following him as he collects his timetable and then shows him to his first class. Baekhyun tries to ask her why she stepped in to stop the bully, but all he gets in answer is a small smile and a playful shove. It isn’t the answer he’s looking for, but Baekhyun knows better than to push his luck. They reach his classroom and she curls her long, slender fingers around his bicep for just a fraction of a second in goodbye before she turns and walks away. Baekhyun walks into class, his arm still tingling from the brief contact.

He feels himself tense up when he sees the bully from earlier is in his class, but then he notices the split lip and purpling eye that weren’t there before and then remembers how the skin on Kai’s knuckles had looked pink and slightly raw. Baekhyun smiles to himself as he sits down because maybe making friends hadn’t been as hard as he thought it would be.

"This is all your fault, newbie," the bully hisses, and Baekhyun pretends not to hear him.

"Yah, country boy? Are you deaf? I'm talking to you here."

Baekhyun turns to the boy sitting in front of him slowly, with an unreadable expression on his face. "My name is Baekhyun," he says simply.

"Well then, Baekhyun," the boy spits his name as if it's poison in his mouth, "You're going to pay for what you did, and those freaks won't be around to help you. Unless you go running to your juniors when you get in trouble. Which wouldn't surprise me, really."

"Only, I didn't do anything to you," he continues calmly, "And you're one to talk. You just got beaten up by a junior."

The boy grits his teeth, unhappy at the lack of reaction from Baekhyun, and turns to face the front again. Only when the boy is completely turned away from him does Baekhyun allow himself a small smile.

A/N: I'm sorry this one is shorter! But the chapters after this are longer, so look forward to that! :-)