Word Count: 1653

For the next few weeks, Baekhyun has been noticing the group more often, added the new faces he didn’t see with them on his encounter. He didn’t know whether it was a good thing or not—before he knew their faces, Team E.B. was merely a gossip topic passed around but now that he knew, he can’t help but notice them even from afar.

They never bumped into each other again, the food stall incident being the last. It’s not that Baekhyun’s afraid of them no, he’d just rather avoid them to keep safe.

The university was known to have students who used their power and money as an advantage; it was inevitable with students ranging only from the upper class to the elite. He has witnessed various kinds of bullying too, only minority was physical (as supposedly expected for they were already college students who were supposed to have gone the prepubescent phase replaced by mature minds.. supposedly), majority were of condescending those who are poor—or in reality terms: less richer than them.

Which is exactly why Baekhyun keeps his status a secret, and after two years in the school, his secret has been safely kept hidden. Already a professional at lying and evading questions regarding his background and personal achievements.

He has met up with the three girls from time to time, mostly meeting them at the café he part times-- never expected to gain friends through gossiping about the handsome group. Baekhyun found joy in it though; he only ever made acquaintances, never crossing the boundaries of friendship, only Kyungsoo had that title.

Baekhyun was currently slouched on a table by the outside cafeteria, pencil scrawling new items on the list of materials he needed. What used to be a total amount of $36.05, with the new items added, now adds up to a total of $47.64—a frustratingly larger number than the first.

He looks around him, wary of students who might get a peak of his list. Thankful that there was barely anyone outside as everyone chose to stay indoors with cooling air-conditioned air, he heaves a defeated sigh. Thoughts swirling on where the hell he is going to get such money.. and if possible ASAP. He needs to start working on his term’s final projects.

After another paranoid look around, he pulls out his few bills out his pocket to count them, budgeting his expenses and supposed savings in different piles.

Too concentrated at rubbing at his temples to ease his increasing headache while letting out very audible sighs, he doesn’t notice the hand that takes hold of the bills on the table. When he opens his eyes to find his money gone, he panics.

Flailing around the table, eyes looking everywhere on the ground, he turns frantic.

“Mmm~” Baekhyun is startled in his find by the deep hum only to look up at one of the well-known power tripping bullies in school.

His heart drops in fear, anxiety taking over his body. He tries his best to mask it all with a ‘calm’ smile and demeanor, but the thought of his last bit of money being taken away from him, he finds it hard to. But he still tries to ask with as calm a tone as he can manage and a forced smile on his face. “Hey Yongguk, it’s just my allowance for the day. May I have it back please?”

Yongguk just stares at him with a raised eyebrow, his friends starting to gather behind him shrinking Baekhyun even more than he is.

When Baekhyun thought it couldn’t get any worse and holding on to the last string of hope, with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulder’s he witnesses as his money is handed by Yongguk to his posse behind him. With a sounding laughter on their lips, Yongguk and his posse start to walk away.

“Don’t look so sad, you get new bills tomorrow~” One of them says, the last to enter the glass doors to the indoor cafeteria.

--But that’s just it, he won’t. That was all the money he had left, saved and budgeted for the remaining days until next pay day.

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