The sun was shining very brightly when lunchtime arrived. And rather than sitting locked up in a bathroom or locker room, I ate outside where I could enjoy the warmth the sun brought on. Though the spring season was already in the works, there was still an unpleasant chill in the air and having sunlight bearing down on my skin felt wonderful. I would’ve preferred if the weather didn’t warm up at all, but that was only me.

Across the quad, a group of the VIPs were enjoying the bright sun also. It was a mixture of the musicians and rich kids, I think. When the weather was warm, they were usually out in it while the jocks stayed inside most of the year unless they were practicing out in the fields. It was kind of like they had designated spots around the school, just like they had designated eating places. The rich kids tended to lurk anywhere they wanted, the drama and music clubs usually hung around outside when able to, jocks took over lounging places inside the school buildings, the smart kids were usually in the classrooms or library, and everyone else stayed within their own zone and kept to themselves.

One of the guys had a guitar propped up on his knee as he thumbed some of the strings. The guy who had hit me in the face with the door that time, Do Kyungsoo, was seated next to him, flipping through a book with a sandwich in one hand. Opposite to him, a very handsome guy requested a song before sipping a juice box he snatched away from a girl with long brown hair that sat with them. I watched them all bicker amongst themselves for a few moments before returning to my lunch. But it wasn’t long before my attention was drawn back by a loud voice.

“Yoho!”

It was the unmistakable voice of Byun Baekhyun that resonated through the quad as he trotted over to the group and plonked himself down to the handsome guy.

“Ey, why are you like this? Always interrupting people’s happiness,” the guy said teasingly, tossing a piece of lettuce at Baekhyun. He caught the lettuce and ate it with a wide smile.

“Jongdae, you love me way too much, honey funny bunny,” he said, latching onto the guy’s arm and lovingly leaning onto his shoulder.

The girl pretended to gag as she took her juice box back. “I’m going to have to stop hanging around with you guys,” she mumbled, shaking her head.

Baekhyun rounded on her. “No one asked you, girly,” he said in that annoying mimic voice he seemed to never go a day without using. He only laughed when she sneered at him and turned her attention back to the salad in front of herself.

I couldn’t help but watch, staring openly. Naturally, I had assumed Baekhyun always grouped himself with Sehun’s group, but I hadn’t really been in the canteen all that much recently so I wasn’t sure. But it looked as if I had assumed wrongly just because he was friends with Luhan and hung around near our lockers (which he did because his was right around the corner). Seeing him then, it was obvious his group extended beyond Luhan and the others. I guess being in the music club would allow that to make sense, but I never had put much thought to it. It sort of made me see him in a different (friendlier) light because he wasn’t standing next to any of the goons and following in an act to bully me.

“Hey, you, this goes out to you!” the guy with the guitar suddenly pointed to me before bursting into song.

I slumped over the tabletop, eyes wide as I realized they had all noticed me watching them like some creep. Trying to brush off my awkward action, I gave a quick thumbs up before directing my face at my food and keeping it. Eventually, the guy let up and went back to his conversation with Baekhyun and Jongdae.

It wasn’t until the end of the school day when I saw Sehun again and his mood hadn’t improved in the slightest. And seeing that it wasn’t only obvious to me made me feel a lot more easy being near him. Tao had walked through and grabbed his books before telling Luhan and Jongin bye and he was out of there far more quickly than usual; Baekhyun must’ve already left because he wasn’t there. Jongin was talking with Luhan while I was gathering my books, Sehun doing the same thing beside me though a bit more hasty than I was. Laughing at something Jongin must’ve said, Luhan interrupted the space between me and Sehun.

“We’re going out for pizza,” he stated, side-eyeing me.

I promptly turned back to my things, pretending he wasn’t there as Sehun glanced at him, zipping up his backpack.

“I’m busy,” he muttered, closing his locker.

I closed my own locker, pausing a moment to contemplate before I stepped in the direction of the back exit. Luhan grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back.

“Would you go if there was entertainment?” he asked, pulling me too close for comfort. I yanked at my arm but ended up only slammed against his side as he hugged me close. “This kid always seems to brighten your mood, especially when she’s miserable.”

I fought to get away from him, almost suffocated by his cologne. “Let me go—”

“Jongin said you would decline,” Luhan said with a roll of his eyes.

Looking over at Jongin, Sehun pursed his lips with a sigh. Meanwhile, I stood there awkwardly pressed against Luhan’s side, waiting for a moment to elbow him in the ribcage and bolt.

Being ratted out, Jongin waved his hands as if to deny what he said. “I told him you were probably busy,” he insisted, casting Luhan a betrayed look.

Luhan shook his head and patted my shoulder, watching the other two.

“Can’t you ever keep your mouth shut?” Sehun snapped at Jongin.

“I didn’t say anything,” an astonished Jongin denied.

Sehun scoffed. “So you’re just going around telling everyone that I’m gonna bail and that I’m being all pissy, right?” he asked.

Jongin made a face. “If the shoe fits.” He shrugged.

Luhan rattled me around and laughed. “Are we having a lover’s spat?” he asked with a broad smile.

I took the moment, badly wishing to not be in the midst of this bickering, and nailed Luhan right in the ribs. He muttered a curse under his breath and shoved me before I was entirely out of reach, sending me barrelling into Sehun, who didn’t bother to catch me and only stepped back. I flinched when my books spilled out of my bag and dropped heavily onto the floor and my feet but I feared the feet I landed on were going to be more offended than mine were. With a gulp, I looked up at Sehun.

Luhan bursted into laughter and pointed at me like some idiotic kid at a zoo. Jongin massaged his temple, looking as if he was about to bolt like I had planned.

“Are you just going to sit there and look pathetic?” Sehun asked stoically.

I hurriedly looked back up at Sehun as Luhan continued to laugh and began to slap Jongin on the arm, getting nudged away in return with Jongin looking really annoyed.

Shaking my head, I shifted my weight off Sehun’s feet and onto the tiled floor, landing on my history book. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I was only glad we