Haruka came to school in the next day despite of feeling painful all over her body. She saw Luhan at the corridor, putting something in his locker. He seemed to sense Haruka’s arrival because he suddenly closed his locker and walked away. Haruka sighed wearily.

In the class, she found Luhan who was, once again, struggling with his sharpener. Haruka wanted to approach him, but Chanyeol was faster. He dragged Haruka to her seat and blocked her view from Luhan.

“You don’t look good, Haruka. You should have just stayed at home.” He said.

“Luhan—is he alright? What did exactly happen last night? I heard he groaned—well, you have to tell me about last night.”

Chanyeol sighed. “Nothing big, Haruka.”

“I definitely heard he groaned, Chanyeol-ah. I was with Luhan and—and I asked him if he was sick because his hand was so hot. I didn’t know what happened next. I just remembered he groaned. Then, someone saved me—I bumped on the road—well, all I remembered was his groan!”

Chanyeol nodded. “What are you expecting, Haruka?” he asked.

Haruka stayed quiet. Chanyeol moved and sat on his seat. Haruka now was able to see Luhan. Luhan gave a slight glance to her before he turned away. He was supposed to take her home last night, but it turned out that Baekhyun who took her home. Truthfully, she didn’t expect anything because she wasn’t sure if last night was real or just her dream.

“Haruka, stay away from Luhan. He is too dangerous for you.”

Haruka still didn’t get what Chanyeol meant. Before she even digested it, the class started. She had to swallow her curiosity and keep it later. She would surely force Chanyeol to tell her what was going on last night.

The class ended up longer than usual—she was the one who felt that way. Well, she couldn’t wait to ask Chanyeol about the topic they just discussed this morning. Luhan left right away as the bell rang—maybe he met his friends at the cafeteria—Haruka didn’t care.

“Aren’t you eating Haruka? Let’s talk about it later—I’m too hungry—can’t tell much about it. C’mon.” Chanyeol circled his arm to Haruka’s neck. “You’re not eating with your friends, right?”

“My friend is only Minhwa. The others—I just know them because they’re friends of Minhwa.” She explained. Chanyeol nodded. “I can see that.”

They finally arrived at the cafeteria. They were already there, sitting while chatting like nothing happened. Was it really her dream? They even laughed joked with Luhan, like nothing happened. It made her even more confused.

After getting their lunch, they joined together. Suho smiled to Haruka, even greeted her.

Haruka looked at them carefully one by one, trying to figure it out. Between these boys, one of them had to be her savior. As she thought thoroughly, it was impossible if it was Chanyeol and Baekhyun. They arrived after that incident happened. She also crossed out Sehun and Luhan. Luhan was the one who attacked her and Sehun came to help her savior. Only Suho, Kai, and D.O left. Between these guys, who protected her?

Sehun suddenly gave his prawns to Haruka without saying anything. Haruka looked at him blankly. Well, they were not close enough to share—prawns.

“You should give your prawns to Kai too, he loves it.” Suho said. Sehun grumbled, “He ate a lot, Hyung.” Haruka stared Suho for a long time. Was it Suho?

Kai only smirked.

“You want it?” Haruka was about to give her prawns to Kai, but he refused it. “No, I’m getting sick of prawns.” He said. Haruka looked into his eyes deeply. Was it Kai?

Haruka sighed. Inadvertently, her eyes and Luhan’s eyes met. But, again, he turned away. He seemed lost his appetite. He didn’t even touch his lunch. There had to be something happened last night. It wasn’t a dream. It was real. But why they acted like nothing happened, why?

Chanyeol, once again, blocked her view from Luhan. He shook his head slowly, telling her to stop her gaze.

“Are you sick?” D.O asked Haruka.

“Just—curious. Can I ask something?” she asked carefully.

Suho lift his head, giving his what-do-you-want-to-ask look. Sehun stared at her. Baekhyun stopped his eating. D.O brought his body closer. Chanyeol rolled his eyes. Only Kai and Sehun kept in the same position—like nobody was talking.

“Did—did—” they waited. But Haruka felt everyone’s gaze was getting serious. She just couldn’t take it anymore. Being stared like that by handsome guys, she felt her body weaken. She suddenly forgot what she wanted to ask. Until Suho asked her, “what do you want to ask?”

“No, nothing—oh! That’s Minhwa. Minhwa-ya!”

Getting no response from Minhwa, Haruka waved her hand and called her one more time. “Minhwa-ya, ya, Park Minhwa!!”

Minhwa spotted Haruka, but she suddenly turned her head. She obviously ignored Haruka’s call. She was enjoying herself with Jenny, Sera, and Yumi, chit-chatting. There had to be something wrong, but she didn’t know. Minhwa didn’t talk to her. Last night, she came home late—at two o’clock in the morning. She didn’t greet Haruka once. This morning, Minhwa left the home earlier. Haruka had to call her for several times until she said, “I have something to do with Jenny.”

D.O clicked his tongue as he tilted his head to the left while looking for the girls who just passed by. “She must be really enjoying a lot, being with Jenny and friends.” He mumbled scornfully.

“You walked to school with me this morning, instead of walking with her. Did you quarrel with her? You didn’t even go home with her last night.” Baekhyun said.

Haruka was taken aback by Baekhyun’s question. Well, to be honest, she didn’t quarrel. If they did, it would be better. They became like this without reasons. Ok, there had to be a reason, but Minhwa didn’t tell her. It was frustrating.

“Last night—you said I didn’t go home with Minhwa. Then, whom I went home with?” Haruka asked blankly.

Baekhyun answered, “You went home with me, remember?”

“Why would I go home with you? Did something happen last night?” she asked again, pretending she didn’t know a thing. It was nice to have Baekhyun ask something like that. It would answer everything.

“Well—you fainted on the street. Did you somehow get tripped by that rock again—or plop you foot in the ditch?” Baekhyun gave his innocent face.

This wasn’t an answer she wanted to know! Why they acted like nothing really happened last night!

“I didn’t trip. I definitely—” Haruka choked for a moment and she continued. “Yeah, maybe I was tripped and fainted and unconscious and I woke up in my bed in the morning—and I was cramped all over my body—and—numb and I had to crawl to my bathroom—and I walked with him.” Haruka furiously pointed Baekhyun and left the table. All of them were startled and dumbfounded.

Suho clicked his tongue. “She—” he hissed. “She is definitely similar to Kai. The way she blows up her anger just now—Kai, that’s how you look like when you explode.”

***

This morning, again, Minhwa left earlier. Haruka peered through the window. She was picked up by a fancy car. Haruka knew it was Jenny’s car. She saw it a few days ago in the parking lot. Truthfully, she was disappointed. Minhwa now wasn’t Minhwa whom she knew for these 17 years. They had been friends since they couldn’t even walk or talk. They grew up in the orphanage together. Every afternoon, they played at the field, picking some flowers or flying a kite. They always shared food they brought from home at lunch because they had no money to buy something to fill their empty stomach. She told Haruka every little secret she had. Haruka told Minhwa her dreams and Minhwa encouraged her by saying ‘let’s achieve it together’. It was good back then.

So, today—just like yesterday, she went to school with Baekhyun. He didn’t say much, so she felt a little relieved. He just greeted her and offered some bread. She accepted it and ate along the way to school. Baekhyun was so nice, maybe he was the nicest, she thought.

They split at the corner of the corridor. Haruka was quite hesitant, but she called him. “Baekhyun—oppa…” she said awkwardly. Baekhyun turned his head, facing her. “Thanks for the bread.” She said that and ran quickly to her class.

Today, her class would have P.E. schedule with Minhwa’s class. She had intended to skip it before to avoid the awkwardness between her and Minhwa. Exceedingly, Minhwa had to be clinging with Jenny and friends. She hated it. She hated the fact that Minhwa didn’t want to talk to her. But, in the end, she encaged her thought about skipping the class. She couldn’t be a coward though.

As she had thought before, it would be awkward. Minhwa tried to busy herself talking to Jenny. She laughed. She looked very happy. Chanyeol realized the situation. He approached her and patted her head gently. Haruka was startled. But anyway, Minhwa noticed what Chanyeol did to her.

“You’re even brighter than the sun when you smile. Stop giving that kind of expression. And—stop staring at Luhan!” he exclaimed.

“Oh, Kai, annyeong!” Chanyeol waved his hand to Kai.

Kai was in the same class with Minhwa, Jenny, Yumi, and Sera. Jenny was over obsessed with Kai, but Kai always ignored her. Every day, his locker was full with gifts—Jenny’s gifts, but it ended up in the trash can. Kai used to get many gifts from other students, but Jenny warned them if they dared to give gifts for Kai, they had to deal with her. So, after that, Kai never got any gifts from other than Jenny.

“What’s with Luhan?” Kai asked after finding out that Luhan was squatting below the trees. Chanyeol gave a slight glance to Luhan. “He is—kind of self-reflection. I think you have to talk to him. Just talk anything.”

Kai nodded and came to Luhan. Haruka and Chanyeol could just look from quite far distance.

“What happen to Luhan?” she asked.

“Nothing serious. Traumatic. He often experiences it.”

“What the reason of his trauma?” she asked again. Chanyeol knew her intention in asking that question, so he limited himself. “Haruka, what are you really expecting? I won’t answer that because I assure you know the answer yourself.”

Haruka was petrified to hear such an answer.

“Guys, line up!” Go Sonsaengnim suddenly appeared. Kai and Luhan hurriedly went back to line up. Luhan was supposed to stand next to Haruka since it was empty, but he moved away next to Yumi. Well, Yumi was happy though. Haruka could see her smile hang up to her ears.

“We will do some light stretching first. Then, we gotta run 3 laps. Ok, start!” Go Sonsaengnim started to count until 8. Every single movement was worth 8 counts. After the stretching was done, Go Sonsaengnim blew his whistle as a sign for them to start running.

They ran in a line. At first, Chanyeol ran next to Haruka, but he fastened his running—well, maybe Haruka ran too slow. She was left behind. It was nothing for the first lap. Haruka still ran diligently, but she was getting more and more exhausted in the second lap.

Haruka was running with all her might when suddenly someone kicked her left foot. She stumbled and fell, right on to someone. Before she fell down, she felt her right arm was being grabbed. She assumed that he actually wanted to keep her balance, but too bad he couldn’t balance himself. They ended up falling together. Haruka didn’t realize that her body squashed him until he groaned in pain.

“I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Haruka got up and tried to help him, but he kept groaning while writhing on the ground. Well, it shouldn’t be that painful.

“Kai!” Chanyeol ran as fast as thunder towards both of them.

“Are you hurt somewhere, Haruka?” Chanyeol, he, souldn’t be asking Haruka. The one who got hurt was Kai, not her though. Haruka shook her head. “It’s a relief then. Just continue running, I’ll bring him to medical room.” He said.

“No, I’ll go with you.”

Chanyeol warded Haruka’s hand. “I said just continue running, Haruka. And don’t be too close to Luhan while I’m not here. It will be dangerous for you.”

Chanyeol grabbed Kai’s wrist and brought him to his back. He piggybacked Kai while everybody was looking down at Haruka. Everybody would think it was her who made Kai fell and got hurt. Well, in case, she was kicked painfully by Jenny. Luhan came just in time although he distanced himself from Haruka. He looked at Haruka’s body carefully, making sure she’s not hurt.

“Will Kai be angry with me?” she asked in fear. Luhan smirked. It was the first time he smirked after that night tragedy. “He won’t.” he replied briefly. That sensation just came again. The breeze blew her face smoothly.

“C’mon…” Luhan exclaimed. Haruka nodded and ran with him. Luhan purposely slowed down his speed, so he could run with Haruka.

“Were you tripped again?”

Haruka shook her head while her mind wandered why they always asked if she was tripped or not.

“Well, Jenny is always like that.” He mumbled.

Haruka widened her eyes. “How do you know that it was Jenny’s deed? You were far from me at that time…”

“I don’t have to tell you that. Oh—don’t be too close to me.” Luhan distanced himself again. Haruka sighed. “You know yet still asking me.” She also mumbled to herself.

“Anyway, that night—perhaps, did something happen? I remember you were supposed to take me home.”

Luhan grinned. “I’m sorry for that. Let’s not talk about this.”

“But I am curious. I heard you—”

“What did you hear?”

Haruka shrugged. “I’m not sure. That’s why I’m asking. I’ve asked Chanyeol many times but he asked ‘what are you expecting?’ he even said ‘I assure you know the answer’—well, I’ve thought many times but I still can’t figure it out. What was he trying to say actually?” she sighed as she ended her words.

“If he said that then the answer must be in your head now. Just don’t think too much, Haru-ka…” again, the breeze hit her face softly as she heard her name was mentioned.

“Again, I’m sorry for that night.” He said and left.

***