"You're joking."

I shake my head as Tiffany stares at me with gaping open.

"I. . . You. . . Him. . . What. . ." she stutters and I can't help but smile in amusement. "Why am I knowing this after school?" Tiffany glares at me in an accusing manner. I shrug in return. "How did you get in this mess again?"

"How did who get into what mess?" Kai slurs in my ear and I jump.

"Kai!" I screech as I glare at his laughing figure. "Don't scare me like that!" That boy has teleportation, I swear.

"Taeyeon here just told me that she will be tutoring Baekhyun until the half yearly's." Tiffany points a finger at me.

"Whoa. . . wait, what?!" Kai stops grinning and eyes me. I sigh crossing my arms and nods in confirmation. "And what exactly are you getting out of this?"

"I'm ungrounded," I answer simply.

"But you're tutoring Baekhyun," he emphasises.

"Who's tutoring Baekhyun?" Hyoyeon catches up to us.

"Little Miss Genius," Kai replies.

I scowl at his proposed nickname for me as Hyoyeon squeaks out a 'what?!'. "I was bribed by my own mother." I defend.

We exit the school grounds and turn into the direction of Tiffany's house. The pavement isn't big enough for all four of us to walk together so Tiffany and I walk ahead while Hyoyeon and Kai hang behind us. "Well at least we can see you out of school now, and you're given back your laptop and phone." Tiffany comments.

"You have?" Hyoyeon asks, still being left in the dark.

"I didn't agree to tutor Baekhyun just like that," I say irritably and will myself to calm down. "And Baekhyun, of all people!"

"Wait, wait." I can hear the frown in Kai's voice. "Why Bakehyun though? Everybody knows he doesn't care about his grades."

"That's what I thought," I snort. "But apparantly, his mum really wants him to pass his exams."

"And how do you know this?" says Tiffany.

"Oh you know," I answer casually. "My mum and his mum, best buddies."

"What?!" Three voices screech out. Today's popular word: 'what'.

"Your mum and his mum?!" Kai blurts out incredulously.

"No way!" Hyoyeon yells.

"Yes way," I reply calmly.

"But your mum's nice!" Hyoyeon says as we walk onto Tiffany's front porch.

"And?" I raise an eyebrow, not quite sure what she was implying.

"Baekhyun's mum isn't a cruel person," Kai answers for me as he puts the pieces together. "Just because Baekhyun is an doesn't make his mum one."

I shrug my shoulders. "I wouldn't know, never met her before." We walk into Tiffany's three storey house. Maids bow to us as we walk into the living room, which is twice as big as mine. Like our usual routine, we slump onto the three plush, bouncy lounges and stare at the delicate artworks neatly set around the walls. And then, Kai starts laughing.

"Stop," Hyoyeon scowls as she lifts her head off his vibrating lap. "My head feels weird." 

"Sorry." He tries to calm himself as Tiffany and I stare at him in confusion. "It just hit me. Taeyeon is tutoring Baekhyun. How often do you have to see him?"

"Two hours."

He bursts out laughing again. "Two. . . hours. . .  Man I actually feel sorry for you."

"Shut up." I throw a cushion at him and am proud that it lands on his face, even though it is harmless. Kai's muffled laughs are still audible from behind the pillow.

"Eugh, can you stop?" Tiffany frowns as she curls her legs beneath her. "I don't want your spit all over my cushion."

Kai manages to refrain from his little outbursts but keeps his smirk. Hyoyeon goes to lay her head back on his lap. The doorbell rings and there is a scuffle of shoes, no doubt belonging to the maid's. We don't need to think who it is because seconds later, Sehun appears in the room and lazily walks over to Tiffany.

"Hey babe." He flashes a smile at her, sits down and puts his arm over her shoulder.

"Sehunnie!" She grins happily and wraps her arms around his waist. I make a face at his nickname; I will never really get used to it. Doesn't suit his ignorant personality at all.

"So." Sehun shifts a little into a more comfy position before relaxing. "What are you dorks up to?"

Hyoyeon launches straight into it. "Did you know Taeyeon is going to tutor Baekhyun for this whole term?"

"Oh yeah," Sehun yawns. "Baekhyun told me."

"He did?" I raise an eyebrow. Sehun nods, then frowns and focuses his eyes on me. "But uh, treat him seriously, alright? His grades kinda got really important."

"Why?" I ask. Maybe I can get a valid reason why the popular boy needs a tutor all of a sudden.

Sehun hesitates for a few moments and we lock gazes. Then he switches back to lazy mode and his eyes roam elsewhere. "Not to be mean or anything, but it's not really your business."

"And it's yours?" I challenge.

"Nah not really," he answers, and says a little warningly, "but I know why, and you don't. And I suggest you don't bring this up with Baekhyun."

I fold my arms and frown. "Why not?"

Sehun casts me an annoyed glance. "Things won't turn out well. I'm telling you, Taeyeon, just tutor him and make him smarter. Don't pry into his personal life."

"Pry into his personal life?" I scoff. "Just what are you implying?"

"Can you not be so stubborn?" Sehun scowls. "Baekhyun has his reasons, alright? Just leave it."

I glare daggers at him as Tiffany his chest. "Don't get angry baby," she coos at him. "Calm down." Sehun's body slowly relaxes as he looks away from me. Tiffany then casts me a warning look. I huff in return and glare at the floor. This is actually the first serious argument Sehun and I shared. Between the five of us, there really hasn't been a conflict before. Teases and insults are thrown around but that's just how we get along. We're an odd group.

I sigh and rake my hand through my hair, my family's rule on fixing situations powering through me. "Look, I'm sorry Sehun. I'm just curious as to why Baekhyun would suddenly need tutoring lessons." When it's so obvious that all he cares about are his looks.

Sehun's stony expression disappears and he glances back at me. He nods to accept my apology. "Ok-ay," Kai coughs to clear up the awkward silence. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm hungry."

"Me too." Hyoyeon lifts her head up and the two struts off in the direction of the kitchen to harass Tiffany's maids. I smile and shake my head. That's one thing they will always have in common; endless hunger.

I glance over to Sehun and Tiffany. Sehun is running his hand through Tiffany's luscious brown hair while she has her head resting against his chest, eyes closed. Sehun and I meet eye contact and I know what he wants. I roll my eyes and stand up. "I'm going to study," I announce and grab my school bag, just as Tiffany's eyes fly open excitedly.

"Alright," she replies a little too energetically and turns to Sehun who is smirking in satisfaction.

Just before I enter the hallway, I hear their lips crash together and I make a face. They didn't even wait for me to step out of the room. I walk up the marble staircase and enter the 'study' room with ease. I've been to Tiffany's place countless times; others see it as a maze whereas I know it like the back of my hand. I am on good terms with Tiffany's parents, so they have dedicated this room to me.

I am never the decorative type; I like plain and simple. The only thing you would find me fussing over are clothes and I only really buy jeans, baggy t-shirts and sweaters. Tiffany tries to buy me dresses and skirts but I am never the girly type, though she suggests really pretty outfits. 'My' study room contains a large white desk with a tin of pens, a comfy egg chair neatly tucked in, a beige leather couch and a large bookshelf piled with books. I refused anything else from the Hwangs.

I sit in the egg chair and take out the homework I was given today. They are revision sheets for an upcoming topic test for Chemistry - a subject I really enjoy. The atmosphere is quiet and peaceful, all I can hear is the constant scribble of pen on paper. I am starting to get into the work but don't get far as a muffled voice startles me.

"Duyouwantsum?"

I jump and give a yelp. I scowl at the amused figure standing at the doorway, holding a plate of cheesecake. "What do you want?"

"I was just offering you food." Kai gulps his mouthful and wipes off the little frosting at the corner of his mouth. "No need to be rude." 

"I'm trying to work." I eye him as he walks over to me and looks at the sheet of paper.

"Chemistry," Kai snorts and lazily slumps onto the beige couch. "I hate it."

"I didn't ask for your opinion." I turn back and try to pick up where I left off. Kai chews noisily in the background, obviously doing it on purpose and it isn't long before I swivel my head to glare at him. "Can't you eat somewhere else?" I hiss. "Go back to Hyoyeon or something."

Kai eyes me up and down. "Someone's gotta save you from your Life of Doom." 

"My life is perfectly fine," I shoot back. "Aside from the fact that I am hired as a tutor," I add.

"Being holed up in this boring room is such a wonderful experience." He puts on a dramatic tone. "Come on Tayeon. We hardly ever chill together as a group anymore. You're always running to your homework." Kai scrunches up his face in disgust. 

"You and Hyoyeon are always having a with the fridge," I reply evenly. "And besides, It's Year 11 in case you lazy bunch haven't noticed. I'm just going to sit here watching you guys weep at your horrible half yearly scores." Kai raises his eyebrow and I roll my eyes. "Okay maybe you won't cry since you nearly outscore me without studying every time."

"Oh it's a talent," Kai boasts while polishing off his cheesecake. He then grabs my wrist and starts dragging me out of the room. 

"Hey!" I am no match for Kai's iron grip but still try to wriggle my hand free. "Where are you taking me?" He doesn't answer and I stop struggling as we stumble down the stairs.

"Alright," Kai says in a loud voice as we enter the living room, halting Sehun and Tiffany's session. A blush spreads across my face as Tiffany is sitting on the couch with her arms pinned above her shoulders. Sehun is hovering over her and has his back arched so he can access Tiffany's lips with ease. Both of them stops at Kai and I's appearance and Sehun doesn't look very happy.

"What do you want?" Sehun scowls in a hot voice, not moving from his position on top of Tiffany.

"We're here as a group so let's do something as a group," Kai replies indigantly as he forces me on a couch, not feeling embarassed by Sehun and Tiffany's position. "Hyoyeon!" he shouts who is answered by a muffled 'what?'.

"Come here!"

Hyoyeon trots into the doorway, a stack of biscuits in her hand. Kai clears his throat as Sehun grumpily pushes himself off of Tiffany, to her disappointment. Kai pretends to be an emcee and announces, "As we all know, Taeyeon has been asked to tutor the school's number one male dickhead for ten weeks."

"He's not a total dickhead." Sehun glares at Kai. "He has a good side."

"Well all we see is the side," Hyoyeon's boyfriend replies evenly. "And that is why we must prepare Taeyeon for his evil charming ways before this Saturday."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Do you really think I'm going to let Baekhyun carry out any ually intimate performances on me?"

Kai shrugs. "We don't want to take any chances, do we?" I stare incredulously at the others, looking for an I don't believe this kid either expression but recieve three blank looks in return.

"Oh come on guys," I grumble. "He's Baekhyun for god's sake! I'm not going to retardly fall in love with him."

"It's alright if you do," Tiffany smiles teasingly and lays her head on Sehun's shoulder, "because then we would both be dating hot boyfriends."

"I'm hot too!" Kai protests and turns to Hyoyeon. "Right?"

"Err," Hyoyeon eyes him up and down before turning away with an ain't you funny expression. "Sure whatever." Tiffany and I laugh.

"We could go on triple dates," Sehun smirks at me. "Taeyeon wouldn't have to be a loner anymore. And it is very tiring to hold back from the things I'd do to my babe when Miss Loner is in the same room."

I scoff and roll my eyes while Tiffany blushes insanely. "Give Baekhyun a go," she says. "Take a break from the books and whatever."

"Are you seriously trying to hook me up with Baekhyun?!" I stare disbelievingly at them two.

"That's kinda going over the top," Kai muses and I jerk my arm at him.

"Finally!" I sigh. "Someone who understands me."

And then he says, "Taeyeon would never want a boyfriend 'til she's like sixty." I throw a cushion at him as the others explode into laughter.