Senior year. Finally. Two semesters to go before Junsu get free from any school obligation. A lot of things change nowadays. A lot, not all. Junsu kinds of hope the changes also apply to Ms. Hwang and mama though he doubts those two iron super women would be affected by any changes. They are made of metal, titanium, uranium and C4 combined that well wrapped beneath their soft woman features. Haha. Kidding. Junsu loves his mama. More than he loves his papa and his hyung. Ever heard that love equal with fear? You got that right, buddy.

So, senior year. Time to be mean and superior toward the annoying full-big headed juniors and time to easily snap at people to leave you alone because you are senior, mind you. Senior gets everything best and first. Junsu thinks so until he reads the long list of exams he has to pass or he would fail completely.

Why is the world never fair to good student like him, God? Why?

At least he won’t suffer alone. There is monkey baboon Lee Eunhyuk who suffers more than him since the monkey barely able to read. Hahaha. There’s Sungmin too but he’s in advance class. He’s smart. He would suffer the least of them three.

Baseball? Good. Still the best thing happens in high school time for Junsu. He could run. He could put his anger and frustration in classrooms hitting the ball. He could pull the best excuse skipping boring lessons. He could spare mama’s detailed question and answer session pointing out he has upcoming match. He has perfect cover for extra allowance. Baseball is cool.

You know another cool thing being a senior student? They are granted ten to fifteen minutes late toleration due to the mountainous senior tasks. Junsu is very grateful he isn’t a model student. Someone in advance class is. Uttsada or something. Junsu doesn’t remember. Now that some of graduated baseball players are gone, the weight of being the sole object of coach Woo’s weathery mood and wrath turn to him. Coach woo would use his name in every occasion as a bad example, not that Junsu minds it. Coach woo sees him as a bad influence toward the baseball club but also finds him as the big major contributor of their team’s victory securing second runner up in annual regional high school baseball competition. It’s sort of love-hate mutual condition.

Junsu likes his senior year better than the previous years.

He has good close best friends. He has solid baseball team members. He has privilege to snap at junior students littering his sight. More trust from papa and mama. More allowance. And… someone named Shim Changmin who contributes to most of Junsu’s smiles and laughters.

How do they end up being together again? Ahh.. Jenna. It’s tangled messy and complicated but they finally found each other and walked together up till today.

Shim Changmin is the opposite end of Junsu.

Changmin is obedient student. He listens to teachers well. He studies very well. He never misses any school work and home work. He is good at sport. He’s tall, good looking, cool, attractive, has both low and high tones, and he wins people’s hearts everywhere he goes. Junsu’s mama likes Changmin right at the first minute she lands her eyes on him. Junsu’s hyung said Changmin must have ashes and dust in his eyes that he could like Junsu. Papa says Changmin is well mannered smart good boy, a little too good for Junsu. Most teachers say Junsu should look up to Changmin’s student ethic. Look at your boyfriend. He does so well. Don’t start bad influence on him. Treat him well or else. Even Eunhyuk says Junsu hits ultimate jackpot getting Changmin as boyfriend.

If Changmin is that great and all, shouldn’t he see someone else his level? Why Junsu? Why him? Junsu often question them when Changmin waves his hand cheerfully at him. When Changmin patiently waits for him on baseball practice. When Changmin makes time to attend Junsu’s match. When Changmin pulls him down in library and, again, patiently accompanying him doing his tasks. When Changmin tolerates his gaming habit. When Changmin buys food and drink for him despite Junsu’s request not to. When Changmin says nothing and still smiling despite Junsu’s helpless ignorance forgetting Changmin’s birthday or when Changmin is angry at him.

Shouldn’t Shim Changmin see someone better who would date him differently? No?

         “You really are stupid idiot blind avian breed.” Eunhyuk facepalms. “He’s been standing there we don’t know for how long to greet you good morning and you just say hi, I’m late. See you later to his face and disappeared. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. At least stop for a while or better walk him to his class, you idiot duck!”

         “But I was indeed late.” Junsu reasons. “I hadn’t finished world history assignment. I had to run to library and finish it before Ms. Angela came.”

         “You didn’t do it at home?” Sungmin asks.

         “I did. Seventy percent. Was overslept.” Junsu defends himself.

         “New game?” Sungmin guesses.

         “You bet.” Eunhyuk snickers. “What could be other reason for him but game?”

         “Like you had done it yourself.” Junsu kicks Eunhyuk. “You copied everything mine.”

         “I don’t have an awaiting boyfriend by the school gate to matter.” Eunhyuk kicks back. “You have. See the difference?”

         “Shut up!” Junsu hits Eunhyuk’s back. “You are just too flirty to find a real date!”

         “I’m happy being single!!” Eunhyuk punches Junsu’s arm. “I’m too good for anyone right now.”

         “Yeah, right. Let’s see three years from now whether you are literate enough to actually date someone.”

During lesson, Junsu thinks about it more and more. Changmin was there with his friends, wasn’t he? Junsu didn’t take proper look since he’s sprinting. He spotted Changmin standing by the gate smiling at him. Junsu smiled back at him then went on to library. Did he do wrong?

         “Kim Junsu!”

Junsu’s wandering mind is snapped back to class.

         “Why Germany and Russia were calling a block against USA?”

Why Germany and Russia what? “They are friends?”

The teacher flings an object toward Junsu’s desk. “What kind of friend?”

         “Err..” Junsu steals glances at Eunhyuk’s back head. “Friends… with.. benefit?” he dodges another thrown object. “I mean.. benefits in war. They were on the same boat. Like marine?”

Ms. Angela takes direct stride to Junsu’s desk tweaking the student’s ear. “Repeat what I have explained in front of the class. Now!”

His classmates are all laughing happily at his misery. Eunhyuk laughs the loudest. Junsu’s explanation is too out of the world for them. Most are correct but the way he explains and addresses dates, terms, or events are hilarious. Even Ms. Angela can’t suppress laughter hearing Junsu’s history version. She has heard from her peers that Kim Junsu is actually good. The problem is, he’s a rebel. Detentions don’t stop him much. Threats mean challenges to him. Instead of giving him extra homework, she prefers to make Junsu explains in class taking over her role. Junsu only behaves well in Ms. Hwang’s class.

         “You’ll be a stand in teacher sooner than sold out ice punch on Wednesday.” Eunhyuk smirks. “History, sociology, chemistry, what’s next? Let me guess, English?”

         “You wish!”

Next class is extra credit lesson.

         “You have three options. Calligraphy, pottery or cooking?”

         “Pottery!!!!” Junsu shouts with all his might.

         “Cooking!!” voices bury Junsu’s answer.

         “Cooking it is.” Ms. Eugene smirks. “Group up in four.”

Junsu kick his desk legs in utmost annoyance.

         “Since you are in your last year.” She begins to write on the whiteboard. “Let’s cook traditional dishes. Pick two local authentic dishes. Serve them with decent description of the culinary history. As usual, you have thirty minutes to submit form for needed ingredients.” She turns facing the excited students. “No cheating. Your thirty minutes also includes your time to browse the recipe. See you in cooking room.”

As you could already guessed, none is willing to be in the same group with Junsu and Eunhyuk.

         “Ramen?” Ms. Eugene frowns at the submitted form. “Are you sure?”

         “Yes. Ma’am.” Eunhyuk puts on his most killer smile. “It’s traditional dishes, right?”

         “It is.” Ms. Eugene smiles back wide and bright. Suspicious. “The keyword is traditional, gentlemen, so you have to prepare it in traditional way. Have you ever managed dough?”

Eunhyuk’s smile drops to his toes.

Long story short, they become the joke of the day, again. Junsu has flour everywhere on him. His upper body has flown onion cuts, celery cuts, and tomato peel. His face has blackish soot and his finger is aided by dolphin band aid. He sits on the floor in defeat; legs spread, back leaning on the counter, slumped shoulder, frustrated face at its best look.

The thought of not treating Changmin right swims in his mind as he rests his back head on the counter side surface. Changmin wouldn’t find any difficulty in cooking class or any other class because everyone would love to be in his team, so unlike him.

         “Canteen?” Eunhyuk pats his thigh from possible flour remnant.

         “You go there. I need to wash my hair.” Junsu is heading to nearest toilet not waiting for Eunhyuk’s respond.

He walks back to empty class in wet damp hair. Trickle of water is seen dripping from his hair. Eunhyuk didn’t mean to drown Junsu in flour. It just.. forget it, okay? Junsu undoes his jacket uniform not to wet it. He pastes his left cheek on his desk so that his wet hair would dry a bit. Paper doesn’t help much for drying hair. It’s best to let it dry naturally.

He sighs. He wishes there’s a guidebook of dating cool popular goodie goodie teachers’ pet student. So far he just finds how to impress your date. How to carry smooth dating. How to spicy up your boring dates. He cringes to every tip and suggestion written there. He can’t bring himself to do any of it. Every book or article always has this overused useless line if you really like this person, you’ll find yourself doing things so not you to please the person. What rubbish is that? He must send lovey- dovey text every day? What is he? A dating autobot? and that.. kiss your date out of his/her soul? He isn’t a certified dementor, mind you? However do you kiss someone out of its soul? Vacuuming?

His face is suddenly covered by fluffy fabric.

Junsu jerks awake from his semi dreamy state. Changmin is looking at him, lips half smiling.

         “Hyukkie hyung said you were preening in girl’s toilet.” His hand stretches out touching Junsu’s wet hair. “I can’t find dry wash cloth in clinic. Let’s hope this will do.” He pats Junsu’s wet hair with the fluff fabric.

         “What is that?” Junsu catches Changmin’s hand rubbing his wet hair.

         “Handkerchief.” Changmin’s hand stops moving. “It’s similar to towel. I borrow it from nurse Ang.” His hand moves again. “How bad was it?”

         “Not bad at all. Just the usual.” Junsu lets the lanky fingers have their way on his hair. “Kitchen and me have mutual death pact to never touch each other.”

Changmin chuckles. “You’re exaggerating.”

         “I’m not.”

         “Renew the pact?”

         “Over hyuk’s chicken arms first.” Junsu pouts. “I’m sorry about this morning.”

The working fingers halt. “Excuse me?” Changmin is caught off guard. “Sorry for what?”

         “I didn’t greet you enough.” Junsu sighs. “I was in hurry. I should stop and talk to you for a bit. I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

         “You were in hurry.” Changmin continues his fingers’ dance on Junsu’s not so wet hair anymore. “Late for something?”

         “History.” Junsu averts his gaze to the floor. Changmin’s equal supposed to be boyfriend wouldn’t rush for unfinished essay.

Changmin rarely sees a pair of less lively beady eyes like now. Junsu is bothered and not telling Changmin. School related issue?

         “Hyung.” Changmin’s hand slips down to Junsu’s ear and cheek. “No need to say sorry for irrelevant things. I wasn’t waiting for you.” He lies. “Minho carried my pocket book. I was there because he said he would return it to me.”

Junsu is quiet, eyes still casted on to th