No matter how hard Jaehwan tried, he couldn't excel in Chemistry. 

What was up with these neutrons and ions? What was up with ionic and covalent bonds? What was up with the elements and compounds? Why wouldn't they get along? Why would Hydrogen bombard? Why were their "bonds" if one would just "bombard"? Chemistry was making Jaehwan's brain in a 360-degree backflip. 

Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong. 

Saved once again by the bell! 

"Alright students. I will give the long test tomorrow instead of today. Please study about molecular structures of organic compounds. Also, include properties of acids and bases. Goodbye everyone." 

The class president stood from his seat when the teacher said his farewell. As a curtsy, the president led the bidding of farewell to the teacher. Jaehwan reached for the ceiling and stretched his aching shoulders. They were already tired from taking down useless notes. He couldn't even understand his own penmanship from the notes he was taking in the Chemistry class. 

Instantly, his seatmate closed his notebook and faced him with a bored expression. 

"Do you want to study for our test tomorrow?" he asked. 

"Why would I want to study, Sanghyuk? It is the void of my existence," Jaehwan replied. 

"Point taken. But hyung, you have to study for this! It would even take a miracle for you to get a C minus at this rate," Sanghyuk pressed the matter at hand. 

Before everything, Sanghyuk is the maknae and angel of the class. Or so the class thought. Despite being three years younger than everyone else (for accelerating two times during his middle school days), he was one of the few students who excel in almost everything. He was the best in Science, Mathematics, and Language. He could even write the first fifty elements of the periodic table. And Jaehwan couldn't even memorize the first ten. 

He was a devil in disguise. Well, only to the people he was close with. Especially to Jaehwan. When he arrived to the school, Jaehwan was the first person to talk to Sanghyuk, and it was one of the biggest regrets Jaehwan had. Or not. 

"I will not study and that is fina--" 

"Lee Jaehwan, please report to the teachers' room immediately," the sound of a student council officer resonated through the speakers. 

Sanghyuk gave the older a look that clearly shouted I told you so. Jaehwan replied with a short glare, as if contesting Sanghyuk's gaze. Jaehwan stood from his seat and exited the classroom. 

"But sir can I just--" 

"No buts, Mr. Lee Jaehwan. You have to ace this exam or you'll fail my subject. I'm afraid you will have to sacrifice your summer break to take Chemistry classes with me." 

Jaehwan sighed exasperatingly. He had no other choice but to study. Friggin. Chemistry. 

"I recommend having a tutor, or maybe a friend to help you study. To prevent distractions and disturbances in your studying," his Chemistry teacher continued. 

"Nae..." was all Jaehwan could ever reply. 

When Jaehwan reached his locker by the halls, he opened it and stared at all the junk pasted on its walls. It was all achievements and certificates and prep quotations. Something like "Reach for your dreams!" at the right and "Certificate for Outstanding Performing Arts - Music" at the left. When he wold become a singer sooner or later in his life, would he need to know the 50th element in the periodic table? 

He then stared at the neatly piled textbooks inside his locker, with a green textbook spie shouting the word "Chemistry" in big bold red font. He sighed once again. He needed to pass. Or it is goodbye summer for him. 

When he closed his locker, he flinched in surprise when someone suddenly talked at his right. 

"You need help?" 

He knew that silent voice anywhere. 

He looked at the owner of the voice that offered the help. He had silky black hair which had traces of blood red from his recent theater performance. He had small eyes that can pierce through anyone's soul as if being judged to the reincarnation or to the void. His skin was pale white, and had a cold poker expression plastered on his face. He was offering help, but his expression was like that. How helpful. 

"I don't need your help," Jaehwan retorted. 

It was quite rude not to accept the offer from a sunbae, equally great as Sanghyuk in terms of Science. But he couldn't forget the time when he offered him food and he rejected it. How rude is it to reject food? 

"Let me rephrase. You ought to have help from someone." 

"How did you--" 

"The teacher asked me to tutor you." 

Great. The teacher wants him as my tutor? 

"Not in a million years," Jaehwan replied. 

"It is like I have a choice, Jaehwan. You will by my student for this afternoon." 

He suddenly took Jaehwan hand and pulled him across the hall. Jaehwan whined in exclamation. He was about to protest but truth be told, he was thankful to the bones for making the other teach him the subject he hated the most. So he stayed quiet instead. 

"I hate you, Taekwoon," Jaehwan mumbled. 

"Don't worry. You'll hate Chemistry more," the older replied with a small smirk. 

That sent the butterflies out of Jaehwan's stomach. 

Jaehwan was memorizing the molecular structures of organic compound and its molecular formulas while Taekwoon was reading his notes. The messy notes that only Jaehwan could understand, and miraculously, even Taekwoon could. He had a blue highlighter in his hand. every once in a while, he would highlight some of the words in his notes then return to look at Jaehwan. 

Sometimes, Jaehwan would find himself staring at Taekwoon while memorizing. At times, they would make eye contact, and Jaehwan would immediately break the contact, looking at elsewhere except Taekwoon. God why have you made such a masterpiece? 

"Are you done?" Taekwoon asked. 

"No! Not yet," Jaehwan blurted. 

"Recite it," the other demanded as he stared coldly at the younger. 

Jaehwan sighed loudly and dramatically. 

"Alkane, C_nH_2n+2. Alkene, C_nH_2n. Alkyne, C_nH_2n-2..." 

While Jaehwan recited gibberish Chemistry, he watched Taekwoon as he highlighted some more information in his notebook. And in that moment, Jaehwan thought that everything was perfect. He was looking at his crush while his crush looked at another. Well, it wasn't that perfect, but it was a start. 

"You know, I will not disintegrate if you keep staring at me like that," Taekwoon deadpanned. 

Jaehwan blinked out of his trance. His face suddenly flared and looked away. 

"If you know a method to disintegrate the likes of you, I'd be happy to learn it." 

"Unfortunately I cannot teach you that. And here are your notes back." 

Taekwoon returned the notebook to Jaehwan and the latter scanned his notebook. It seemed much more organized than before, even though he only highlighted some words blue. 

"You know, sometimes, you have to omit some words to find what's important," Taekwoon told. 

"What kind of drama is that, Jung Taekwoon?" 

"I'm part of the theater club here, Lee Jaehwan. What do you expect? Just focus on what's important. Highlight it." 

Jaehwan stared at the notebook once again. Was this his wake-up call? 

"Hey, wanna bet?" Jaehwan offered. 

"I'm listening." 

"If I pass the test--" 

"I'll give you this highlighter," Taekwoon cut in, waving the blue highlighter in his hand.

"What? Passing the test for a highlighter?" Jaehwan repeated in such a tone it was mocking. 

"And a kiss." 

"A highlighter and a kiss? Wait what?" Jaehwan couldn't believe his ears, and even his own mouth. 

"And if you don't I will not talk to you for a week. Even in phone. No communications whatsoever." 

"You're despicable!" 

"Deal?" Taekwoon ignored the whine, and stretched his hand offering a small handshake. 

"You're on, Jung Taekwoon!" 

Jaehwan watched as his Chemistry teacher moved around, personally giving out the test results from their long test. When he passed Sanghyuk by the other aisle, he gave the paper with a big A+ on it. Sanghyuk gestured a small fist pump of triumph, then looked at Jaehwan. The latter gave a thumbs up of approval. He didn't care about his own grade, or maybe praying to the heavens that a C minus in the test was still a passing grade. He expected just that. 

When the teacher stopped in between Sanghyuk and Jaehwan, he gave the paper to him folded. Not good. Folded paper meant failing grade. Goodbye summer. 

He opened the paper, and revealed a big B+. 

B+. It was a passing grade. 

"Congratulations, Lee Jaehwan. You have escaped my summer classes, then." 

Jaehwan smiled brightly and had a spazzing fit with Sanghyuk. He held the paper high and proud, showing off his B+. As he stared at the paper, his smile just got a bit wider. 

Someone owes me a highlighter then. 

And his kiss. 

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A/N: Hello people! This is my second oneshot! Highlighter. It is a tool to know what's important and what's not. #feels. Anyways, how'd you like my second oneshot? Hope you liked it! Stay tune for tomorrow's oneshot! :D 

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