“Why they needed to find X again? Why did they use X in the first place, actually? They could have used S or maybe G. Sure X got a higher point in Scrabble but hey it’s Maths!” Kris dreaded to his Trigonometry book, partly wishing the X came alive and found his identity by its own without terrorizing his sanity. He was surely out of his mind for ignoring his tray full of his lunch in front of him. “Although I have to give them credit for they sure know how to name this thing as Sin, because it surely is sinful to humanity” He added, scribbled another untangled line, putting a lot of pressure to his grip of the ballpoint.

“I thank the Lord, the Jesus, the Buddha, Siva, Zeus, Hades and Neptune also every God that I don’t know their existences in the world for giving me C+ on that subject. And I thank myself for my liking on Business and Economics which demanded my knowledge on statistics not Trigonometry. Hang in there, Lad.” Luhan patted on Kris’ right shoulder slowly while giving his impromptu speech, nodded frivolously at first then sympathetically during his last sentence.

“You certain still want to enrol on Interior design?” Minseok, who sat in front of Luhan, poked his meals using the fork whilst asking him, appeared unimpressed and dispassionate with the chicken on it. They were inside the crowded canteen, swarmed by the hungry pupils on the lunch time after having their consultation sessions regarding their SAT as well as their applications to their own proposed University before. It didn’t go as well as Kris had expected which was being praised and told that his application was possible and within reach and he should give himself a rest.

Kris clicked his tongue, replying “You know the answer” making Minseok smirked, felt a bit ridiculous to himself for questioning, at the same time admiring Kris’ stubbornness. The guy might be lacking on Trigonometry but Interior design was something he loved and always desired to do. And when Kris’ had a goal, in spite of being lazy on so many things because he found almost everything was bothering and time-consuming, he was the kind of guy who would run to the end of the world and make the Earth rotated the other way around just to accomplish it, no matter how maddening it was.

“If I had Tao’s power, I would mess around with times and find out the SAT and University Interview questions” Kris daydreamed aloud. “And I’d like to switch my brain with Suho’s for a day… hang on no! No that lad hates Maths! But you!” He pointed his long and huge finger at Minseok, eyes were arched in accusation and the space between his eyebrows was folded. “You are awfully all right at Maths! You have good marks on that disgusting, filthy subject!” He stretched the f to put a pressure on the word, conveying how much he hated it.

It was a trivia in their family. Maths had always been Minseok’s favourite subject since it offered him with a certainty; his answer would always been either right or wrong. Also it was challenging to find how to solve the problem faster than how the teacher taught him to, finding a new method. Thus, he didn’t deny Kris’ statement but shifted his brother’s gigantic hand from his view and shrugged blasé, “Sadly you can’t switch”

In hope he could magically understand Trigonometry by running his hands on his hair while trying not to pull it, he grunted loudly in exasperation.

“Take it easy, Kris. You’ll ace it, like Ace Ventura” Luhan grinned between his mouthful of salad, making his face scrunched up gracelessly, visibly appeared proud of his joke he just had thrown. Did he know who Ace Ventura is?

Spending any minutes to waste after Luhan uttered his joke was not in Minseok’s first choice as he, living up to his icy and composed self, flicked Luhan’s forehead speedily and quietly, like it was bound to happen. Luhan groaned painfully in a loud volume, rubbing his forehead in exaggerated motion at the same time as glaring at Minseok who calmly munching on his chicken while Kris started to stab the wooden table using his ballpoint gradually but violently. Luhan’s attempt to soothe Kris just playing with his nerves; wondering whether stupidity could actually spread like a virus especially in a case like them when they lived together. Luhan was without any doubt could be categorized as a bit above average academically, but he was also rather silly at times.

Kris grimaced. “Shut up, Luhan, cos you won’t me sin your tan groin...”

“EWW KRIS JUST EWW! I’m your brother, are you out of your trolley?”

“Really...” Minseok was choiring with Luhan’s response, shaking his head slowly and giving Kris a dirty look.

“But... Trigonometry joke...”

“Awkward!” Luhan flared up.

Kris burbled and shifted his body on his seat a little, going about how could they don’t get his pun.

They kept their quiet for a mere moment while Luhan closed his eyes tightly, frowning for a second before his eyes bolted open, lashing out “Is there any undo button somewhere on you? Because I have a vision in my head now about it!”

Minseok pushed his tray further from him, muttering in revulsion, “Toilet. Vom. Ugh” despite the fact he kept on seating on his bench.

It was who they were. When there were only three of them together, they were just a bunch of adolescents; worrying about life, questioning about what they want to do, throwing stupid jokes and smacking each other in affections, loosen some screws. They had been together since primary school; while other kids underwent an insecure and nervous phase on their first day trying to blend it and adapt quickly to the strange situation, people and place, Kris remembered he felt so pumped up, knowing he would be playing with his two brothers all day long without being interrupted by his parents between it. He had a recollection of the first time the three of them had a detention on their third year Junior, their first childish crush they had during the second year and the first time they accidentally watched ; freaking out and felt gross at what they saw at first. There were friends outside of this circle that he had made in his basket club, the classes he attended alone and his part time job as a model, but they never stayed long enough and stood close enough for Kris to trust them and introduce them to his brothers, giving an invitation to join his comfort circle. At the end, there were always the three of them seating beside each other on the school bus, having their lunch on their usual table and walked back home. It wasn’t intended to be an exclusive group at first but when you were recognized to be stuck with each other all your school life, in an independent school where you knew everyone at your year since having known them from primary school until high school, you couldn’t help but to be stamped as one. Yet, no one was complaining.

“Where have you been?” Luhan asked as soon as Suho and Lay approached their table, sending Kris’ thought away. Since both of them were also in high school, they often joined their older brothers throughout the lunch and their brothers didn’t mind. Given that a full table would lessen the chances of others came up and initiated a conversation with them.

Luhan was always grateful that he was exactly four years older than the can’t-seem-to-sit-still-because-likely-their-butts-are-on-fire- beagle-teenage boys who were his brother since it meant they would never be in a same level of education which also implied; eating on different canteen. Even the slight thought of having to eat together in school with them, sent a chill down his spine and made him shudder. He always had a respect credited to Kyungsoo for dealing with that.

“As usual” Lay replied shortly and his older brothers’ mouths formed an O as if in cue.

“You have to stop being all snooty, up the teacher’s……”

“Language” Suho interrupted in reflex.

“Ugh okay” grumbled Luhan, looking insulted yet he obeyed anyway because he felt the need to finish his speech was greater than strangling and tearing his opponent’s head apart.“… bottom and steal your brother lunch time”

“Oh hush shall you?” Suho’s choice on saying that kind of sentence while voicing it in annoyance instead of a plain shut up had always baffled Kris. “I didn’t ask him to stay for me during I had my discussion with the teacher after class. He waited for me willingly…..”

“Unwillingly” Lay clarified in a jiffy even though Suho noticeably discounted him.

“…..Besides, I didn’t do it to kiss-“ Suho snapped in a few nanoseconds, just right in time before he almost unconsciously followed the way Luhan talked which he considered horrible for their younger brothers and sounded like an uneducated delinquent youngster who beat up the innocence on his free times. “…I mean ingratiate her. It comes naturally you know, because I in actual fact was curios and wanted to discuss. Unlike you who study for good marks, I reckon myself studying for knowledge. It’s the flaw in the education system that we need to change. It’s not the way how it should be, because when you study for just marks you shall soon forget it like a wind. The information will never stay long and it shall become a dust not a data stored all right in your cognition. Then, don’t you feel like you’ve wasted your time for nonentity? It is prudent…”

“Please just eat” Minseok begged when he found Kris was looking at Suho in assessment; to fly him to the Liberty statue and hang him on its torch or not.

The younger one let out a weird sound, a mix of gurgle and a whimper, in displease for being interrupted, before he settled on assaulting his noodles that already turned soggy as he spent his times to deliver his speech before.

Minseok thought Suho was sulking and vexed since he immediately kept his quiet, what he usually did when he really was stroppy, and was about to cajole him when Suho opened his mouth once more and said “Then how about your SAT consultation?” after a half of minute in silence making Kris groaned in agony. Minseok believed that a complete package of a nosey parker and a liking on literature which took a form of Suho took a toll on everyone since there were a plethora of words in his vocabulary about other’s business which he seemed too eager to use day by day considering the fact how incredibly talkative Suho was when he was excited, a situation he was likely in right now. Once, Chanyeol, Jongdae and Baekhyun couldn’t take it any longer and collected some money to pay Suho if he could be silent all day long. Honestly, Baekhyun was as chatty and it wasn’t his place to do so to Suho, but at least, he wasn’t nagging continuously like his older brother.

“Eat. Please” Minseok pleaded, stressing every word.

“Yes before I stuff your food down your pit with my palm feet myself” added Luhan, eyes were scorching on Suho’s forehead.

“Hey no fair! How could you not take it as an evident that I care for you and your life?”

“Oh I’m all of a flutter” Luhan retorted, sarcasm was conveyed in his intonation.

The corner of Suho’s lips was drawn downward. His expression showed how irk he was but discussing about the subject Suho had offered was sitting on the last choice of the list of Topic Kris fancied to talk about right now hence, he feigned ignorance to Suho, wishing Luhan and Minseok caught his telltale.

“How was it?” Suho insisted when nobody answered his question instead acting as if the meals on their own tray were dancing and the most interesting things in the world. “Lay, please ask them” He asked for Lay who was appeared jaded and seeming trying to dishevel every cell of his with the food in front of him with his eyes. Suho understood his brother quite well to be certain that he was kind enough to decline his appeal when Lay knew Suho’s intention was good.

“Ugh, yeah, how was it hyung?” Lay complied lethargically.

The three of the oldest responded together in chorus. “Please don’t talk about it, Lay..” Kris asked while Minseok simply said “Naff…” and Luhan answered with “Kris is in PMS because of that…”

A thick Trigonometry book was swung to Luhan’s side of head, whacked by Kris.

“Blimey!”

“Why?” Suho implored, paid no attention to Luhan’s whine.

Nobody answered him for the second time. Suho nudged Lay, signalling the other one to ask for him as a substitute.

“Please Lay, Kris is in PMS, he totally balled it up....”

“Gordon Bennett! your bloody bugger off Luhan!”

“Oh my God my ears! My poor ears! Stop speaking like a sailor from the 19th century!” Suho screeched, aghast and outraged since he didn’t see it coming, disgust was expressed on his face.

Minseok sighed in resignation upon witnessing the scene unfolded in front of him. He diverted his attention by taking a quick glimpse on his watch which showed it was already past 12 and Minseok knew that about time the three youngest would already getting tired of waiting for them on the bench near the fountain of their school garden, a place where they always met everyday. Thus, he pulled Luhan’s tray out from his reach, articulating “Go”

After a gander to his own digital watch, Luhan pulled his tray nearer. “Let me finish it first. Real quick.” he said whilst dove his face deeper into the tray.

“What? Why go?” Confusion was shown clearly on Suho’s facade, brows were creased. He wandered his gaze around hastily as if the answer would be written somewhere in the canteen, before he finally grasped a hold of what Minseok meant. “You haven’t picked them up?! Quit wasting the precious minute and dash yourself at once!” Had Suho never heard of a simple “GO AWAY”?

Luhan scowled but acknowledged the fact he really should go, grabbing his bread and coke in a fast motion while standing up then began to take long strides to the fountain. It was a lie if he said he didn’t notice a few smiles, giggles, and greetings from girls around him along the hall. It was also a lie if he said he didn’t notice some mock snicker and frowning faces thrown by guys he met. He was never actually belonged to a popular group which members were party animals; only a well known pretty guy who played soccer and good at it, who had a sport car. He didn’t quite comprehend on whether it was his pretty face or his sport car which got him where he was right now; girls like him, boys being alert and mocked him. At some point he figured, it was half their fault for being so closed to each other that almost everyone was afraid to make a move to know them better. Or perhaps half was Kris’ fault for having a-member-of-a-mafia face and the other half was Minseok’s for being so cold. Well, they were right about Minseok but he chuckled at a thought how others might react if they found how awkward Kris’ actually was and how he collected squishy dolls on his bed and named them. And perhaps dressed them and had a tea and scones together while circling a round table every afternoon, but Luhan wasn’t the one who told you so.

“GEGE!” Tao showed his furious self to Luhan’s vicinity, stood near a bench. The boy had his hands on his waist, feet were stomping in place angrily and he was huffing meanwhile Kai was asleep on the bench with his body folded funny and uncomfortably along with Sehun who was pouting.

“It’s hot! You’re late!” He pointed, didn’t even trouble himself to wait for Luhan to be near enough, yelling across the garden. “That’s why I like Kyungsoo hyung, Suho Hyung, Lay Gege and Minseok Hyung better! They don’t late!”

They had a timetable on who was in charge to pick the three youngest since they were out from school in the mid day while their older brothers were in the afternoon. The older ones had managed to carefully schedule their classes so they had two or one brother to accompany them after the three youngest out of school until afternoon. For today, right after lunch, it was Luhan’s schedule.

“And I couldn’t care less!”

“Say sorry!” Tao folded his hands on his chest, impish.

Luhan knew he was wrong but he didn’t like to be told that he was wrong. It had something to do with the idea of how masculine and macho he was he had planted in his head ever since he was just a six year old. Thus, he said “I’m sorry for the way you feel” and shrugged it off because it was a sorry anyway and Tao was too young to understand that his apology he had submitted was totally different than what Tao had asked. Luhan was right, Tao was satisfied enough.

“I want biscuit and a chocolate bubble tea” Sehun stretched his arms out when Luhan finally reached them, a gesture that he was asking to be cradled by Luhan who disregarded him and scooped the sleeping Kai instead, the one who Luhan considered a priority to be held currently. Sehun didn’t like it, he was sleepy and hungry and the idea of having to walk didn’t sit right for now. He whined.

“Oh help me God…” Mumbled Luhan lowly, making sure that Sehun didn’t hear his complain, while bouncing Kai who rested his chin on Luhan’s shoulder. Kai’s breath were steady, a sign that he was deeply sleep. “But Sehun, my hands are full” and I’m not Kris whose hands are so big and shoulder and chest were so broad plane could practically land on those, which make him could hold both of you in ease. Also, for your information, you are 5 years old and Kai is 6 years old plus ridiculously heavy moreover I’m not Kyungsoo neither Minseok who could lift everything. Luhan added silently in his head.

The youngest threw his hands on the air, shaking his head flippantly in anger and buzzing an inharmonious mix of an “Aaaaaa” and “Eeeeee” sound, acting like a complete spoiled wee tyke.

Witnessing his brothers, Tao beamed and scream in glee as an idea popped in his brain, “Telekinesis him!” He squealed, clapping his hands in enthusiasm.

“No fear, Tao!”

Tao pouted.

“Ok, Sehun how about....” Luhan never finished his sentence, his phone was buzzing. No one would call him at this godly hour since his friends were all at class and also his brothers so he figured the call must be extremely urgent. He bounced Kai once again, settling him on his chest securely before holding him with a hand whilst the other reaching for his phone. The school number was displayed on it ominously. “Tao would you please be a dear older brother and calm Sehun down because I really need to take this”

He didn’t even linger around for Tao’s reply as he gathered a respectable distance from them to excuse himself and answer his phone.

“Hello”

“Hello. Pardon me sir, am I talking to Luhan; Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Jongdae and Kyungsoo’s guardian?” The woman on the phone said stiffly, not bothering to introduce herself first.

Luhan gulped his own saliva, forecasting how the rest of the phone and his day would go down from the present time, hoping it wouldn’t turn to reality. His heart was hammering and a dull throb was already felt in his head as he took his time before replying; “yes”, something he didn’t like to admit right at the moment.

He would need Kris and Minseok.