When Jieun and Kai walked out from the old dance room, they found out that Luhan was still waiting outside. It took two seconds before he gave them a cheerful smile, as if knowing that their conversation had gone well. Maybe he knew because of the fact that Jieun and Kai walked out together because if it had gone wrong, there’s no way it would happen. And it was impossible for Luhan to eavesdrop because the room was soundproof.

“There’s still some time for lunch before the bell rang. Let’s go.” The boy linked their arms and Jieun was a bit taken aback by how casual Luhan is with skin-ship. She took a glance at Kai and saw how the boy just looked at them as if that’s just a normal thing.

They walked to the cafeteria, still with linked arms and a Kai trailing behind them and Jieun had to force herself not to laugh at the shocked faces that they encountered along the way. When they arrived at the cafeteria, Jieun couldn’t help but to feel oddly surprised that no one looked at them. But then she realized that their attention was focused to somewhere else, to a particular table with three people sitting around it.

“Seems like they get along just fine.” Luhan commented and Jieun had agreed to that. She smiled while looking at Tao and Sehun who looked like they were bickering about something and Lay who looked at them with amusement.

“Lu, I don’t feel like eating now.” Kai said. Luhan gave him a pointed look but Kai ignored it, “I’ll be in the dance room. See you at class.” He said before walked away without even took a glance at Jieun.

“I’m sorry about that.” Jieun heard Luhan said with a sigh when Jieun still looking at Kai’s retreating figure. “He doesn’t really have a great relationship with Lay.”

As in he will choose to starving anytime than to sit in the same table with Lay. Luhan added inside his mind. He expected a question for further explanation regarding that matter, but Jieun just said that it was okay and gave him a smile. Luhan wondered if maybe Jieun knows or maybe she was just not interested in that matter.

Lay’s eyes caught the presence of Jieun in front of the cafeteria door and his first reflect was to stand up and walked fast to her immediately. Sehun and Tao—and some other people—were left a bit dumbfounded by the sudden action but when they saw where Lay was going, they just watched silently in understanding.

“Wow. I didn’t know you can move that fast. Are you perhaps in athletic club or something?” Luhan commented absentmindedly when suddenly Lay was already in front of them.

“Are you alright?” Was the first question that Lay asked to Jieun—while he belatedly ignoring Luhan’s remark—and it created some creases on Luhan’s forehead. Lay looked genuinely worried and somehow Luhan felt a bit offended because now he wondered how the class president thinks of him. Did he think Luhan would hurt Jieun or something? Okay, now Luhan felt seriously offended and unconsciously he started glaring at the boy whose attention was solely given to Jieun.

“I’m alright. But there’s something that I have to tell you later after I get my sandwich.” She smiled and after a while Lay smiled back.

They turned to look at Luhan when he discreetly ruined their moment by coughing intentionally.

“Are you alright?” Lay asked and Luhan immediately felt bad for thinking bad about him because he just looked as genuinely as he was when he asked the same question to Jieun some moments ago. Now Luhan could understand why everybody—well, except Kai—loves him. He is charming.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” He said casually but then they heard a strange voice from his stomach and he felt betrayed by himself because he could feel his cheeks heated up.

“L-let’s eat!” He walked fast to the food counter but he could hear the chuckles from two figures behind him. He wished the ground would swallow him.

Luhan ended up with Tao and Sehun in their usual table while Jieun took Lay to the rooftop. She wanted to explained what had happened earlier to her best friend as soon as possible.

“So,” Jieun began, “I decided to help Kai with the dare.”

They sat together in silence for a while. Lay had not said anything and Jieun expected him to be mad at her because he was clearly dislike the idea of her involved in the dare.

Lay heaved a sigh and Jieun bit her lips. She just wished he wouldn’t be so mad.

“I know you’d do that.” Lay said and Jieun blinked confusedly.

“I know you, Jieun. You still feel guilty even though I’ve told you for years that there’s no reason for you to feel like that. You are stubborn and I know you will help him because you think you should at least do that much. You really don’t have to do that and it’s still hard for me to support the decision you’ve made. But I know you’ve thought about it for a while and if you think this is the best for you, I can’t do anything but to watch you from the side.” He then looked at her and held her hand, “Just promise me you will be alright.” He pleaded.

Jieun was a bit taken aback, she didn’t expect his respond to be like that. She knows that Lay would always be by her side, he will always stay when everybody else left, she knows how much he cares about her, but still...she couldn’t help but to feel touched by his understanding and once again she was being reminded about how lucky she is to have him by her side.

“Can you hug me?” She asked with teary eyes and Lay complied to her request gladly.

“Thank you, Yixing. I promise I’ll be alright.” She whispered.

“Don’t get hurt.”

“I won’t.”

They released the hug after a while and Jieun’s eyes widened when she glanced at her wrist clock. There was just less than ten minutes left before the bell would ring.

“Yixing, I need to go.” She said while getting up, not forget to grab a food box and water bottle from the ground.

“Where?” Lay asked and Jieun was hesitating before giving Lay the answer.

“Kai haven’t eaten his lunch yet.” She said quietly.

“Ah... Do you know where he is?” He asked and surprisingly Jieun found a soft smile on his face.

“Yeah...I think I do.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Lay asked and Jieun shook her head immediately. Lay chuckled.

“He still hates me.” He said as a matter of fact.

“I’m sorry.”

“I told you it’s not your fault. Now, let’s go. The time is ticking.” He smiled then grabbed her hand and they walked down the stairs. Lay accompanied Jieun until they were out of the main building then he left after Jieun promised him that she would call if something happened.

Jieun hesitantly knocked the door but no one responded, she