Chapter 17
This Is Then CountedLeo was staring at the door from his seat since the moment he arrived. You were usually there before them, but he has already been waiting for 10 minutes with no sign of you at all. The message he got that morning did not help in calming him down.
From: Hakyeon
I'll be bringing Yeon to school, make sure that the kids aren't late and brings everything. Thanks.
Is she not feeling well still? But why is she not here yet when Hakyeon said that he'll be bringing her?
Leo glanced at the clock again. The teacher is going to come in anytime. Where is s-
Just then, you entered the class. Before you even reached your seat next to Leo, the teacher followed in. And that brought a stop to all ongoing conversations in the room.
You took your time taking out your things, and when you finally settled down properly, you realized that Leo has been staring at you the entire time.
No eye bags. But slightly swollen eyes. Did she cry? She looks tired. You finally turned to him. 'I'm fine, Taekwoon oppa.' Even your voice did not have much energy. You could tell that he was not convinced. 'I just woke up. So I'm a little out of it right now. I'm really fine.' Now I'm going to really keep quiet after that long explanation.
After staring at you for a little while longer, Leo turned back to face the teacher. If she says so. But I'll still check on her later.
'I have a new assignment for you guys today. Pair work. And you get to decide who you want to pair with.' There were cheers heard from some of the students.
Fortunately for you, it did not take long to get your consciousness back, as you started paying attention to the teacher. Pair? 'In three weeks time, in your pairs, you'll be graded on your vocal performances-' And that gathered a considerably large amount of sighs, from students who did not consider singing as their talent. 'I know not all of you have singing as your niche, so marks will also be awarded for other aspects, you can perform a skit, play musical instruments, dance, or anything you deem fit.' You felt your heart sinking. How am I going to survive through this assignment? 'But it will still be graded mainly on your vocals. The rest will be bonus points, and do not think of counting on them for the bulk of your results.' Another round of exasperated sighs.
'For the fairness of the grading, I understand that a number of you are singers, hence I will not accept if any two of you form a pair. And in case you give me any funny excuse later, I will tell you CLEARLY who are those not allowed together.'
'Please don't let my name be on the list. Pleaseee.' Ken whined and you looked weirdly at him. How could his name not be on the list?
'... Jung Taekwoon, Kim Jonghyun, Lee Gikwang, Lee Jaehwan,'
'Damn!' Ken groaned and slammed onto the table.
The teacher looked up slightly at your direction, but went back to his list. '... All the names which I just mentioned are not to pair together.'
'Then who am I suppose to pair with?' Jaehwan muttered. There was a moment of silence before he turned his head to you sharply. 'Cha Minyeon! Yes! I still have you!' Me? Oh. Yeah. I need a partner too. 'Since I can't pair with Taekwoon hyung, I'll just pair with you! Why didn't I think of that earlier?'
'She's pairing with me.' Ken's happiness lasted for three seconds. I am? You looked at Leo.
'Whyyy. I thought I asked first!' He ignored Ken. 'Hyung! You can't do this! Isn't it suppose to be first come first serve basis?' Since when am I an item on sale. No response. 'Or we can let Minyeon choose!' What makes you think I'll choose you? Not calling me Pigyeonie just twice isn't valid. You looked at the overly confident Ken who turned to you.
Just then, Leo stood up and left his seat. 'Hyung! Taekwoon hyung! Where are you going?' Ken grabbed onto you. 'Pig- I mean Minyeonie,' See? You can't easily change something which became a habit. 'Choose me will you? Pleaseeeee. I'll do a good job! I'll stop calling you Pigyeonie, and I'll get Sanghyuk to stop bullying you!' Sounds like a goo-
'Jung Taekwoon and Cha Minyeon. Pair 5.' Ken paused. You looked at the teacher who was reading off a paper and saw Leo walking back to you. Wait what?
Ken took a moment to digest what just happened. 'Hyung that's a foul! Hyunggg!' And what makes this person think that I don't mind pairing with him? You did not tear your eyes away from Leo.
'For the rest of you who have yet to submit your pairings, please do so by the end of today. And one last note, I'm sorry I missed it. For those pairing with these few students I mentioned, I expect much more work from you. About 7:3 or 8:2. That's all.' You looked up at the teacher. And then turned to Leo. And then back to the teacher. 7:3? Stupid Taekwoon oppa.
Leo did not expect the last note which the teacher added, and noticed the slight change in expression on your face. She'll still be able to ace it, with her vocals. ... On the other hand, looks like she's getting back to normal.
He saw you starting to jab the table lightly with your pen, a habit which you had whenever you were thinking hard. Does she not want to pair with me though? Would she rather be with Jaehwan? / Vocal assignment? With Taekwoon oppa? This isn't going to be good. For three whole weeks. I'm gonna be such a burden to him. And- Forget it. I should just stop thinking about it. Your jabbing abruptly came to a stop, and you started to prepare your notes for the next lesson.
You seemed much better, but Leo did not know if he was suppose to keep you away from the boys again.
You noticed Ravi staying at the side after he saw you, and remembered what happened yesterday. He continued moving slightly away even though you voluntarily moved closer, and seeing that, you grabbed onto his hand before he could move even further away. 'Wonshik oppa, I'm fine already.' Ravi looked down at you unsuringly. You tugged onto his hand. 'I'm sorry for my reaction yesterday. But I'm really okay already.'
'You sure?' You nodded. Seeing you smile, Ravi heaved a sigh of relief, before patting your head gently. 'You don't have to be sorry for yesterday. I was kind of being a nuisance with all the questions.'
You shook your head. 'It's fine oppa.' You turned to Hongbin and wanted to apologize to him too, but he was not with you guys at all. 'Where's Binie oppa?' You looked at both Ravi and Jinhye.
'Erm. He kind of raged after Jinhye jokingly told him that we went on a date yesterday.' Your eyes immediately widened.
'He kept asking! And what's wrong with saying that it was a date? We ate out, and watched a movie.' Leo and Ravi knew what she meant by the 'date', but definitely not you and Hongbin. 'Who says that it has to be couple for it to be a date?'
You ignored Jinhye and quickly went to the canteen to find Hongbin, determined to explain things to him.
'Bin oppa!' You found him seated at the table you guys usually took, it was originally their VIXX's table, until you and Jinhye came along subsequently. Hongbin did not respond as he continued eating. 'Oppa it wasn't like what Jinhye said! It wasn't a date!'
Hongbin looked up and glared at you. He was upset that the four of you went out without him, when three of you knew of his feelings for her. Meanwhile, he didn't realize who the 'date' Jinhye was actually referring to. 'Then? What was it? Why was it only the four of you?'
'T-That, I- We just met the oppas there so-' You had no idea how to explain, with Hongbin staring straight at you. You could tell that he was angry, and you were scared, seeing that it was your first time facing this side of him.
Hongbin slammed his utensils down and left the table without finishing his lunch, while you looked frantically after him. 'B-Bin oppa!' You quickly turned to Ravi. 'Wonshik oppa do something!'
'Me?' Ravi pointed at himself. What am I suppose to do now?
'We can't let Bin oppa misunderstand just because of what Jin said!' You were already frowning as your mood was dampened just like that.
'I don't get why he is making a fuss out of this, and why you're getting so uptight Min.' Jinhye looked weirdly at the three of you.
Leo looked at Jinhye. I swear things have gotten much more weirder with you around. Now she's not okay again. He saw that you were mindlessly jabbing your food with your fork, not eating anything at all.
You had been frowning for quite a few days already, and was extremely moody. But you were not the only one.
Hongbin was upset, angry even, and did not talk to you, Ravi or Leo at all. And you were upset that Hongbin was upset with you, not willing to even listen to you. And then here came Leo, who was upset that you were upset. Which was totally not a great thing at all.
Hyuk, also noticed your change in mood as usual, and N was getting annoyed that he had no idea why 4/6 of his group plus his younger sister was being gloomy. So that leaves the entire group except Ken with a bad atmosphere.
Hongbin could not believe his ears at all, and turned to look at Leo with his mouth hanging wide open. 'Taekwoon hyung you like Minyeon?' Leo simply ignored him. He was only agreeing to Ravi's plan of telling Hongbin, so that Hongbin would not misunderstand Jinhye's inappropriate use of vocabulary, and that he would stop seeing you depressed. 'Since when?'
'Hyung won't answer you. You just have to know that it was not a date date. Though I highly suspect that Jinhye secretly planned it for hyung and Minyeonie to get together.'
'So she told you before hand?'
'She didn't, but it was kind of obvious. Just that Minyeon doesn't seem to know. Well, it was good for Taekwoon hyung since he got to-' Ravi's face got smashed by the pillow which Leo sent flying in his direction. Hongbin simply looked at Leo and then at Ravi again. 'Okay fine. No details.'
'But why were you the one with Taekwoon hyung?'
''Cos Taekwoon hyung decided to bring me around to be his scapegoat.' Ravi muttered and earned another glare from Leo.
'No one else knows?'
'Nope. So you better don't think of telling anyone.'
'Why would I?'
'Why wouldn't you? Seeing that you're the weird being you a-'
'Continue that and I'll tell Hakyeon hyung.' Leo immediately stiffened up.
'Fine I'm sorry. Don't tell anyone. And now you're not mad at Minyeon anymore right?'
Hongbin looked at Ravi weirdly, until he got wthe whole idea of what was happening. 'Oh. Ohh. Yepp. I'm fine with everything already.' With that, Leo stood up and left the room. 'Don't worry hyung! I won't tell anyone!'
You watched as Hyuk silently did his work, and chuckled when he scrunched up his face when he got stuck. 'I know I'm handsome but you don't have to keep staring.'
'I'm just making sure that you're doing your work!'
'Shh, you're being noisy.' Hyuk waved you off, not removing his eyes from his book at all.
He has been cooperating a lot recently, and did not make a fuss that often anymore. And you were more than glad with his change in behaviour. However, you did not know his motive behind the change.
You leaned in next to him, to find scribbles on his worksheet as he struggled to get the working right. 'Oppa, this part over here, it's suppose to be...' You took the pencil from his hand and pointed out to the mistake which he made from the start.
'Oh okay, thanks!' You smiled as he got back to his work. Hyuk was happy that you were right next to him, and smiling brightly. His plan was not actually acting dumb, but was to be nicer, after he felt that all the bickering only resulted in you to be constantly pissed off with him.
He would always find himself grinning whenever you got nearer to him, and he loved it when you smiled. Should have did this since the start.
'Okay, it should be enough for today!' You poked Hyuk by the side and he closed his books before turning to you, widening his arms out. 'What?' You eyed him weirdly, amused at his sudden action. Usually, you would have spat at him rudely and left immediately, but you became nicer too, once that he listened to you.
'My teacher said my Math improved. I want a hug.' You laughed and hugged him, to his surprise. Hyuk did not expect you to actually heed to his request at all, and froze on the spot when he felt your arms wrap around him.
'Congratulations then! See, you should have been like this since the start!' Hyuk ruffled your hair slightly as he smiled back at you. It was a miracle that his cheeks have yet to burst.
What are the both of them doing? And since when are they this close to each other? Who asks for a hug just because they improved? And I thought they hated each other?
'Oh, Sanghyuk oppa, I'm not able to help you much this three weeks anymore.' Hyuk immediately frowned. He keeps saying his not cute when he actually is quite cute. But you immediately shrugged off the random thought. 'I have an assignment to work on, with Taekwoon oppa. It's pair work.'
'When? Are you doing it here?'
'After school, a few times a week. I don't think so, should be over at my place.' You shrugged.
'What about Wonshik hyung?'
'I won't be able to help him much either. But you can still call me! Or text! I'll try to help once I have the time!' She's actually asking me to call her! That was all it took for Hyuk to be happy again.
'Okay! All the best for your assignment!'
Fine, I'll be spending time with her alone for these three weeks. Then, there will be no annoying Wonshik, no Kong, no Sanghyuk, no Jaehwan and no noisy Hakyeon to disrupt anything anymore. Leo tried to keep the scene of you hugging Hyuk out of his mind.
And Leo was the one who suggested doing the assignment at your place after school, claiming that you would be able to concentrate better without disturbance from the guys.
[A/N] *Trying really hard to pull Hyuk back in but failing quite miserably* *Bows down 90 degrees* I'm sorry if I disappointed any of you with this relatively boring(?) chapter. On a side note, add one more person who found out, looks like the secret is spreading even more again.
Thank you once again for the awesome subsribers and comments and the upvotes! :D They are all greatly appreciated!
(Gonna mercilessly include lots of Hyuk and Leo to my ability in the next chapter(s))
And as usual, I'm going to be shameless and ask for more subscribes and comments! Don't forget to comment comment comment!!!
Thanks and Love ya <3<3<3
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