S:

At times like this, I had no idea how to get out from the situation I’m in now. It may seem easy for others to reject their friend’s request for something that they don’t want to do because it is natural to do so. Like making up an excuse which is acceptable in their opinion as long it sound legit and understandable. Unfortunately for me, I was terrible in saying no to my best friend of 6 years. I admit that I’m really bad in turning down Kyungsoo. Well, to be exact is Kyungsoo’s puppy eyes. He had abused his delicate feature in roping me to relent to his request by using the same old trick. It all started right after we finished our class.

The class moved really slow today compared to other normal days or perhaps it was just my imagination. I was completely out of it after meeting Park Hanbyul to talk about our newfound “relationship” as the conversation we held had replaced my concentration in class. My head is a jumbled of mess from thinking of the relationship but after an honest explanation from her back at the stadium, we both had reached an agreement where it will benefit both of us. The scene kept swirling in my mind until the class ended in which I only realized it when Chanyeol started to pack his bag beside me. I turned around to see that many had dispersed from the class leaving few students behind in this large lecture hall. Then, I noticed Kyungsoo approached me with this suspicious smile planted on his face.

“Hun, lets hang out at my place today. We should celebrate your first ever date with no other than the Queen of WM Academy” he grinned widely. I frowned upon the idea since I felt the date was unreal at the first place. However, no one knows that.

“I’m all in. We really need to celebrate this day since it was Sehun’s luckiest day”, Chanyeol said right after he zipped up his bag.

Chanyeol was seen quite ecstatic with the idea because for sure he wants to bask in the glory of my luck getting to be with Hanbyul. It will means that Hanbyul will be hanging out with us in which Chanyeol are more than glad to keep her company. But I’m still in doubts of my exact feelings on it since I know the true identity behind this so called date of me and Park Hanbyul. But I can’t possibly burst the bubble of this fantastical date that my best friends think about after I had remembered the promise I made with Hanbyul to keep it as a secret. A promise is a promise and I should never break it. In fact, Hanbyul seems desperate enough to go to this length without searching for other resolution which perhaps sounds much better than this crazy idea she had. However, since I’m practically bad in rejecting other people’s plea I end up entangled in her own absurd plan.

“Not a bad idea, Kyungsoo. I mean we didn’t hang out as much we do last time with all those examinations coming our way and I think it will be quite nice to have the old time back. Plus, we need to celebrate the good news” Suho hyung seems pleased with the idea of hanging out because he was smiling broadly. He stared at me waiting for me to say something. From the look of it, he wanted me to agree but I thought otherwise.

“I don’t think it was necessary guys. Besides, what happened wasn’t something worth to be celebrating about” I said nonchalantly. I watched their reaction and instantly an unpleasant expression painted on Chanyol’s face with the statement I uttered.

“Are you nuts, Sehun? Going out with Park Hanbyul was something you could never dream of in thousand years and you got the chance to do so out of hundreds of students here and you say it wasn’t worth to be celebrated about. Tell me, Yixing isn’t Sehun insane?” Chanyeol dramatically exclaimed while nudging Yixing who just entered the hall a few seconds ago. Yixing was clearly confused about our topic of conversation as he shrugged his shoulder mindlessly.  

“Chanyeol, I think you misunderstand my words. What I’m trying to say is that I’m not even worth it to be with her. And we are not official yet since it is just a date. To jump into gun that me and Hanbyul will become a couple was something I prefer to avoid”, I elucidated. Well, I know I was bull ting all because I need to give excuses of not wanting this kind of celebration Kyungsoo is planning. I already know that we are going to be in a relationship but I don’t want to reveal that to them. Since Kyungsoo are crazy when it comes to celebration and he might go overboard on it, I thought hard to prevent him from doing it.  

“But you are like the main lead of this event and you can’t possibly miss the opportunity to commemorate this particular day. It was a day to remember, Sehun” Yixing finally spoken up once he grasped on what we are talking about.

“Yeah, Sehun. This is an epic moment. We should do it and perhaps prep you on the upcoming date” Suho hyung added on. I hesitated when Suho hyung said that.

“Owh come one, Sehun. It won’t be a grand celebration, just a simple one. Besides, when can we have this kind of great news, right?” Kyungsoo said while looking at me with those big doe eyes of his and he finally made the irresistible stare he always does for me to comply.

With that, I can’t resist but to agree on this hang out as I nod my head to indicate that I will go to his house. They all were satisfied with my answer after relentlessly prodded me to agree. I guess it wasn’t so bad after all to really listen on what their thought about my date with Hanbyul. They may help me in this unfamiliar thing that happened to me so I will be ready to face it.

“Woots, we are gonna have a blast” Chanyeol enthusiastically cheered while Suho hyung chuckled softly watching him.

Yixing immediately typing something on his phone in which I assumed he was texting Minseok hyung about our event at Kyungsoo’s house. Chanyeol slung his arm around my shoulder as we walk off outside to get on with our hang out plan.

It wasn’t an alien thing to Kyungsoo’s mom when we barge their house to have our usual hang out session. She practically welcomed us to their home saying that a bunch of handsome guys in their home seems to lighten up their house more. We were quite amused with that as she assumed that we are in the popular group when the truth is far from that. I almost laugh out of disbelief because I was the least good looking in our group. Basically, the entire student population of WM Academy acknowledged this.

As we arrived at the front porch of Kyungsoo’s house, we were welcomed by Mrs Do when she opened the door to allow us in. By saying a simple celebration, Kyungsoo did mean it as there is only food and beverages laid out on the dining table, some music playing at the background and small decorations of congratulations. It was moderate compared to the usual grand celebration he always held. But the most surprising element would be the large hanging banner on the wall which written “Congratulations Sehun for his first girlfriend!” had made me face palmed myself for the most embarrassing banner in my life.

“My husband went out to get the fastest banner when Kyungsoo told us about your date with that girl. I’m so glad you finally found the one,” Mrs Do said while smiling brightly. Her eyes almost look as if they are in tears. I mentally groaned on their surprising behaviour towards my so called newfound girlfriend.

I guessed it was good news for them since I never had a girlfriend before. Kyungsoo used to have a girlfriend but they broke up because long distance doesn’t work for both of them when the girl moved to Canada. Yixing had one back at his home country and the rest are single now but they do have girlfriend before. All except for me. So I’m being very positive to accept that they were happy for me. But this was too much. I had to supress the urge to hit Kyungsoo on his head for telling off his parents about it.

Others look like they were holding back their laughter but with one glare from me, they straighten up acting like normal. Minseok hyung even have the guts to compliment the banner, seemingly unaffected by my deathly glare.

“Wow, that was amazing, Mrs Do. The banner is very outstanding. I loved it” he put on a smile while said it. The rest nod along to Minseok’s compliment not wanting to open their mouth afraid they might spill a laugh.

Mrs Do patted me on the back and ushered all of us to the dining table, motioning for us to eat before the food goes cold. We all then dig into the assorted delicacies laid on the table as we forget about the embarrassing banner momentarily.  Once we finished, Mrs Do excused herself to the kitchen leaving us by ourselves to hang out at their spacious and homely living room.

I adjusted myself on the beanbag comfortably and stretched my legs out. Kyungsoo propped himself up at the sofa with Suho and Minseok hyung while Yixing and Chanyeol lay down on the matted floor. As usual we will relax ourselves by chattering mindlessly on random topics of our everyday lives like those busy days at college, stuff related and probably some tiny bits of our personal problems. It was going on a comfortable pace until Suho hyung decided to interrupt the flow by bringing up the date of Hanbyul and me.

“So, what do you think of Park Hanbyul asking you out? Sure, it was crazy but I want to know what you feel about it” Suho hyung asked.

A bit numb on the question, I take a moment to myself to really feel my own emotions. I will just say the truth out loud since they will help me the most in this complicated matters but I need to be extra careful not to let out the truth.

“Weird. It was just weird from the beginning of her words to the end of the announcement of date. I can’t comprehend the reason why she wanted to go out with me when I was the least attractive man in the college. Even now, I can’t believe it that it happened”, I truthfully said. I did immerse myself to think again of our secret conversation without any eyes on both of us. I may understand her reason but I still can’t accept the fact. It was plain bizarre.

“Hey, don’t downgrade yourself like that, Sehun. You are a good looking guy and we all know that. It’s just other people don’t see that behind those clothes”, Kyungsoo said while looking at me earnestly. I felt comforted by his words.

“That was quite an unexpected move from Park Hanbyul because she doesn’t even waver to other’s confessions and those countless dates they had been asking her for since she rejected them every single time. And to know that she asked you out was beyond words. I’m truly excited for you”, Minseok hyung smiled at me widely and this time it was sincere without any hidden mockiness he had before.

“Whatever it is, I’m glad you had found someone that want to be with you even though it was quite unbelievable to know that someone is Park Hanbyul. Any updates on your upcoming date from her?” Suho hyung asked me. I don’t have that answer yet since Hanbyul doesn’t text me about the plan. She mentioned to message me by tonight so I will just wait.

“Not yet. Hanbyul haven’t tell me on the date but she will soon”, I honestly said while holding my phone tightly in my pocket as if I’m waiting for her message to pop out quickly. If I didn’t get the idea of where this plan going, I will feel restless since I had always organized my schedule properly and being in a relationship which throws me out of place kind of fell weird.

“I thought you already know since you did meet her during that break right. I’m guessing you guys were talking about the date but that wasn’t the case. Were you guys doing something else?” Kyungsoo asked while arching his eyebrow up and down and he smile mischievously. Others are looking at me with great interest when Kyungsoo said that.

“Don’t think dirty, Kyungsoo. We weren’t doing anything. We just exchanged numbers with each other since it will be easier to contact for our future communication”, I briefly explained. They all seem disappointed after hearing that.

“Well, I’m really curious since I never talk directly with her, how was she in person?”, Yixing asked me. I looked at him blankly thinking whether to just outwardly tell the truth about how she is or covered with lies. But I decided it was wiser to describe her as who she is.

“She is exactly as what people said about her. Cold, intimidating and a bit scary. She doesn’t smile at all while talking and mostly avoided eye contact while talking”, I answered.

“That is certainly Queen of Darkness. She didn’t change at all even in front of you, the person she asked out. I thought that she will act differently towards someone she is interested in but she was the same. I wasn’t even surprised about that”, Chanyeol said while munching on potato chips he got from the kitchen.

“But, I think she is nice even though I have only talk to her few times”, Kyungsoo said and it earned an approving nod from Suho hyung.

“She doesn’t seem to judge you by your appearance, Sehun. She asked you out , not even caring on how you look”, Yixing said. I kept quiet about it since I know the behind plan of Park Hanbyul.

“Well, yeah. Im grateful for that”, I mumbled the words hoping they will then proceed to talking of other stuff. All of them then continued with random conversation but before that, Chanyeol speaks up to me.

“Once you know when your date is, make sure you tell us because I wanted to give you some tips on date and we really need to help you choose some perfect clothes. You will need our help, Sehun”, he said and I reluctantly nod at this.

Once they finished prodding me about my current affair, I was left by myself to think. To fully think on the oddness of fate designed for me by this world.

Yes, I was involved with Park Hanbyul in a relationship she created for us meant for business. A relationship where she had draws a line that cannot be crossed. A relationship she had formed between us that will benefit her and me too. A bond that she build for us to get closer without she realized or not but I’m sure that will change her life. And I was 100% sure it will change mine.