"You two are working together."
Jonghyun remains stoic while Kibum bursts into a characteristic diva meltdown. "What? Why? He can't even move his feet, and I'm the best dancer here! You can't pair me up with him!" he cries, stamping his foot down and crossing his arms, not unlike a tantrum-throwing child.
"That's exactly why," replies Jaewon. He presses the eject button to remove his CD from the music player and gives Kibum an exasperated look. "Please don't make this difficult, Kibum. You're going to tutor him and I'm expecting some good training. I want you two to at least make the finals, okay? I trust you with this."
Kibum pouts immaturely but doesn't protest. He avoids any eye contact with the shorter boy next to him and stays that way until Jaewon nods solemnly at them and turns to leaves the studio. "Maybe you two will find sides to each other you haven't seen before," he offers before turning the doorknob. Kibum resists marching up to the man and just punching him square in the face.
"Well," Jonghyun says when he leaves, "When do you want to start working on the project?"
"Whenever," replies Kibum coldly, simultaneously trying to think of the different ways he could bum out of this. He reaches no conclusion, as every single one of them ends with him having to quit or the other boy quitting, which means he'll end up quitting too, and he doesn't want that to happen. So unless Jaewon has some miraculous change of heart, he's stuck with Shortie.
"Are lunchtimes okay with you? I mean, the last thing I want is to be wasting my time in the library, but it's either that or after-school."
If Kibum worked back after school, he'd have to sacrifice hours of his essential hangout time with Kris and his gang. Since his father was constantly working and his mother was just busy, he would have to catch a public bus or something, and in the worst case, he would have to go home with Jonghyun, and that was practically social suicide (because someone always saw the things you hoped they don't).
"I prefer lunchtimes too."
"Okay, how about tomorrow? The sooner I can get this done, the sooner I can go back into hiding in my cave with the other trolls and dwarves."
For a split second, Kibum believes him. It's a testament to the persuasive power of classroom gossip. Then he allows a smile. But at the same time, he worries about what people, especially Kris, will think if they see him conversing or even merely exchanging looks with Jonghyun. It's got nothing to do with how nice or bitchy or stubborn he is or wants to be. What matters is where he stands socially.
As Jonghyun waves and saunters out of the studio with his backpack dangling from his shoulder, Kibum fumingly kicks his own bag. Everything would have been easier if Jonghyun had the personality of his cooking spatula. He could have worked with him, made up his solo and taught him his, performed it without having to get personal and friendly and avoided anyone even thinking he was enjoying working with the boy. But he had gone and stuffed it all up by making him smile.