"You're cute."

Baekhyun turned around sharply, shocked that anyone would be interested in talking to him. He was barely seven, this was his first scholastic competition ever, and he clearly looked like a newbie. But someone thought he was cute enough that it warranted a compliment? Wow.

"Um, me?" He clarified, just in case the tall kid sitting the row behind him hadn't meant such nice words for Baekhyun's scrawny form and skinny face.

The taller boy nodded. "Mhmm," he said confidently, "you're cute."

Baekhyun just gaped. "Uh—I mean, thanks?—or, err, you too?" He sighed at his own stuttering but forged onward. "I'm Baekhyun," he offered with a smile and an extended hand in the boy's direction.

"Yifan," the other replied, taking the offered hand and holding onto it way longer than was probably polite. "But you can call me Kris if you want—most people do." Kris nodded knowingly in Baekhyun's direction, eyes lingering with obvious interest on the smaller' prim posture, crisp suit, and tightly clutched quiz cards. "You're new here, aren't you?"

Flushing brightly, Baekhyun looked down, biting his lip and nodding shyly that Kris had found out. "It's my first one," he admitted.

"I could tell," Kris confirmed with a chuckle. "Cause you're cute and I would remember you. Hey," he said suddenly, startling Baekhyun out of his embarrassment, "I'm 11. Does that make me your hyung?"

Baekhyun blushed again, this time for a completely different reason. "I just turned 7 last month," he shared with Kris. "So I guess so."

Kris raised an eyebrow expectantly and Baekhyun smiled tentatively at his new friend before speaking the word that Kris was obviously waiting for. "Hyung."