Chapter Seven

(Seohyun’s POV)

After centuries of waiting, the bell for lunch finally rang. I looked at Jessica. She nodded at me. Chen secretly winked at Jessica and me as he led Baekhyun to the backdoor.

“Why are we exiting through here?” I could hear Baekhyun complaining.

The canteen was nearer to the front door than the back door so it was odd to be exiting through the back door when routed for the canteen.

“Doesn’t matter, dude!” Chen reasoned.

“Suho, dude! Are you joining us for lunch?” I heard Kyungsoo asking Suho.

“Yes, of course.” Suho answered.

Shocked, I did a complete 180 degrees turn toward them.

“Are you sure?!” I asked Suho.

Earlier this morning, Suho had given flowers and chocolates to Heyi as a first step to solving their problem slash to courting her.

Suho gave me a puzzled look. He opened his mouth to say something when I saw Chen passing by the front door, mouthing “he’s coming” repeatedly.

I saw Jessica grabbing Taeyeon and dragging her toward the door.

“Hey!” Taeyeon protested.

“Come on, Taeyeon! Let’s get out of here quick!” Jessica told her.

I ran after them and shouted, “Wait for me!!!”

I pretended to trip on something and let out a convincing shriek. The next thing I knew, Taeyeon was flying out of the room and into the corridor. She tripped on something and landed on the floor with Baekhyun.

Jessica, Chen, and I planned this. Chen dragged Baekhyun to exit through the back door so they would pass by the front door and accomplish the prank. While Chen did that, Jessica dragged Taeyeon toward the front door. I pretended to trip and intentionally push Taeyeon out of the room and bump on Baekhyun. Taeyeon was supposed to get hurt minimally so that Baekhyun must treat her to lunch because it was his fault she got hurt, and they would start dating and end up liking each other and…

… It just didn’t happen exactly as planned.

I pushed Taeyeon. She tripped on Jessica’s waiting foot and bumped into Baekhyun who had finally reached the front door. Baekhyun lost his balance and fell on the floor with Taeyeon on top of him. Chen helped Taeyeon get off Baekhyun. Baekhyun apologized to Taeyeon and she said it’s okay. And that’s it! We all went to have a normal lunch. Taeyeon had no visible injury and there was no reason for Baekhyun to treat her to lunch with just the two of them. The prank was successful; but the objective was not met.

(Taeyeon’s POV)

When I tripped on Jessica’s foot, I honestly wished I had bumped my head on the floor and died right on the spot. Instead, I bumped my head on Baekhyun’s shoulder and fell over him on the floor.

All the students passing along the corridor stopped to watch. I saw familiar faces. My blocmates were there. Even Luhan and Park Chorong were there.

Chen helped me to my feet. Kyungsoo picked up my things.

“I’m sorry, Taeyeon! Are you hurt?” Baekhyun worriedly asked me.

“No, I’m fine. I’m sorry I tripped over something.” I told him.

“And I didn’t see you coming. Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked me.

“Yes, I am. You’re the one who actually hit the floor. Are you not hurt?” I asked him.

“No, I’m fine.” He shook his head.

“L-let’s go, then.” I told him and our other friends.

We sat on our usual place at the lunch room. Suho, Kyungsoo, Tao, Baekhyun, Chen, Jessica, Seohyun, and I were all silent.

I glared at Jessica, Seohyun, and Chen. I knew they planned this. They acted weird all morning at the classroom.

Chen was obviously guilty. Jessica acted innocent. Seohyun looked disappointed.

DISAPPOINTED?! Imagine! I believe I should be the one getting disappointed here. Not her! Not any of them!

“Stop glaring at me.” Seohyun pouted.

“Stop pouting!” I snapped at her.

Ironically, she pouted all the more. Her lips looked like they might fall off any moment.

“I was not the one who threw you out of the door or tripped you with my foot. I didn’t make you fall over Baekhyun on the floor and embarrassed you in front of many students! So stop pouting!” I exploded.

“Sorry. It was actually my fault…” Chen began.

“It was nobody’s fault…” Jessica cut him off.

“Nobody’s fault?!” I cried.

“No, I mean…” Jessica tried to explain.

“If she hadn’t shoved me,” I pointed at Seohyun, my face flaming in anger. “I wouldn’t be humiliated in front of the whole school!”

Everyone in our group could feel the tension rising. Luckily, the whole canteen was in chaos and nobody else noticed our argument.

“I just wanted to help you…”

“Help?!” I cut Seohyun off. “Should I define ‘help’ so you could understand it better?”

I was so annoyed that I cut off whatever anyone tried saying.

“Let’s talk about this properly, shall we?” Tao tried to calm me.

“No one’s asking for your opinion!” I snapped at him.

Kyungsoo slapped Tao’s nape.

“Ouch!” Tao complained.

I felt guilty for yelling at Tao. He was not part of the prank.

I sighed and tried to calm down.

“I just don’t understand why people had to poke their useless nose on my business.” I said, my temper still hot.

“I said I just wanted to help you!” Seohyun cried. “Now, if you see that as a ‘useless nose poking on your business’…”

“What? Do you expect me to understand you?!” I asked her. “Unbelievable!”

Seohyun stood up. Her face was red and her eyes stung with building tears. She walked away. Baekhyun and Chen stood up to follow her.

“Don’t follow me. Thank you!” Seohyun stopped them, and she was gone.

(Seohyun’s POV)

I blindly ran out of the canteen and to the Science building which was under construction. I hated Suho for hurting Taeyeon. I hated myself for doing such foolish prank. Luhan was right; “pabo” suits me well.

All I wanted was to help Taeyeon move on; but as I run, I finally realized my mistake and felt like killing myself. I wished one of the construction workers would accidentally drop a brick on my head.

Upon reaching a deserted spot at the building, hot tears came spilling out of my eyes. I sat helplessly on the hollowblocks stacked there. I sat like that for a few minutes until I heard footsteps coming near. I ignored it. Nothing mattered anymore. A curious construction worker would be my last concern.

“Need a hanky?” Asked a voice I totally recognized.

I looked up and saw him standing right in front of me.

“I never saw you cry before.” Luhan said as he sat beside me.

“You’ll laugh at me, so I never showed you.” I sniffed.

“You did the right thing.” He laughed.

“You’re not mad at me?” I asked him after a while.

“For what?”

“For thrash-talking you at the clinic.”

“You always do that.” He joked.

We fell silent for a moment.

“I was not mad. I was hurt.” He broke the silence. “I didn’t know you saw me that way.”

“You were mad.” I disagreed with him. “I heard you and your dream girl talking about me at the library. You said I meant nothing to you.”

“I didn’t mean it that way.”

“That’s okay. The words I said at the clinic was worse. I can’t blame you if you hate me now. I’m not a good friend. I hurt Taeyeon. I bet she’s already regretting being friends with me. I don’t deserve to be her friend. I don’t deserve to be your friend.” I looked down.

“I admit I was mad at first.” He lifted my chin and made me look at him. “I got carried away by my emotions when I said those statements to Chorong. Then, I realized that you didn’t really mean what you said.”

I started crying again. He pulled my shoulders and hugged me tightly, resting his chin over my head. I hugged him by his waist and rested my chin on his shoulder.

We stayed like that for I don’t know how long until I heard Suho’s voice.

“Seohyun, could we talk?” He asked.

Aish! How could you destroy the moment, Kim Suho! I’m gonna kill you!!!

“No!” I said stubbornly, still hugging Luhan.

Luhan chuckled as he gently pushed me away, but held on to my shoulders.

“Talk to them.” He commanded.

I looked at Suho and saw that Baekhyun, Chen, Jessica, and Taeyeon were with him. Taeyeon was looking down at the floor.

“I’m sorry about what I said.” She muttered.

“I’m sorry about what I did.” I replied.

What happened after that, I’d rather not go into details. It was too dramatic and boring. What was important was the fact that Taeyeon and I are fine. Luhan and I are reconciled, though we still continued getting under each other’s skin. Everything would have been a happy ending if it weren’t for Suho who did nothing but break Taeyeon’s heart. But, there was something good which we only knew slash realized after some bitter events. The next chapters say it all…