"Don't give up your dreams and keep working towards them" – Lu Han
Luhan's POV
What did I do to deserve this?
The life of a student is hard – you always have to carry that bag with all those heavy books, always have to be prepared for all those tests, and you always are surrounded by the same idiots.
Seriously. Either it's the teachers who're plain dumb and make you question how they got their diploma, or it's those who believe that their subject is the 'most important' and should be given 'undivided attention'.
Or, like me, you end up in a class full of dumbasses whose other attendants have an average IQ of 10 and somehow still end up getting high marks.
How unfair.
But, as I'm sure you all know already, life is hard.
Thank God there is only one of the K-idiots, a goblin named 'D.O'. I guess that name stems from his eyes, being all weird and stuff. Once upon a time, his nickname was 'Satansoo' and frankly, I like that version a lot better. Whether it's because it just summons up his character or because his voice is just the nickname's polar opposite, I'm not sure.
Whatever.
Anyways, I just spotted Xiumin with his hands in his pockets and a melancholic look in his eyes. The bird-drama may be a bigger emotional roller-coaster than I thought at first…when I was still in denial about how gigantic my mess-up actually is.
"Yoyoyo!" I yell, throwing my arm around his neck. It's pretty easy to hold Umin-Ge like this, since he's pretty small…only talking about his height, of course.
"Ge, stop that," he mumbles and tries to get out of my grip.
I'd like to say that he has to work hard in order to do that, but that'd be a lie. My neck doesn't appreciate being squeezed by his arm, what with the sudden headlock I find myself in and all.
It's very uncomfortable, especially when you're taller than your bully and your back has to bend like this.
"Mercy, Baozi, mercy!" I croak, trying to get some air into my lungs.
I really cannot allow my reputation to be damaged like this. I'm in a gang, damnit.
And, oh miracle of miracles, Xiumin lets go of me to pick up his bookbag which apparently had slipped to the floor during our one-sided scrimmage.
"Ew, Ge! Your lip looks really yukky – like, horrifying. Stay away from me"
He really doesn't have to be that harsh. A Luhan never looks horrifying. I repeat: never. But whatever, my best friend is a little OCD, of course my – otherwise wonderful – lips would make him a bit anxious.
"Yeah, yeah, let's go, we're already late."
And with that, I drag him with me to the classroom so we can be surrounded by idiots together.
"He did what? Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" Chanyeol moans and loses more brain cells than he can afford by hitting his forehead against his hand. Not the other way around.
"I'm not. He left me there like the ass he sometimes is, without any money but food on the table. He said he wanted to take me out but then apparently had other things to do – after ordering, I might add - and only paid for his dinner, but not mine, even though I told him to pay for me since he basically bribed me to keep him company.
"He'll never find a girlfriend when he can't even take out his friends, for God's sake. I spent the entire evening washing dishes to compensate for the dinner like the last plebeian. I'm never going to fall for something like this again, and Hyung, I just can't get the smell of dishwater out of my hair!" Sehun's pouting, and seriously, if he weren't an Exo-K, I'd be tempted to call him cute.
But really, pouting doesn't match his reputation. Because since when does he let anyone past the whole bitchface-façade he has going on? And since when is it Chanyeol who gets to see him like that?
Exo-K's are dumbasses, just as I keep telling you. Can't even uphold their reputation.
"Sehun, I bet he left you alone on purpose. His pranks aren't as funny and harmless as they used to be…" Chanyeol frowns lightly. How unattractive. "We have to stop him"
Under normal circumstances I would have left them alone, but they have piqued my interest now. Playing a prank on the master? I can't ignore that, so I stay right where I am, safely hidden behind my book.
"But Baekhyun thinks of basically everything as funny. The only way to humble him a little would be utter destruction. The absolute devastation of his self-confidence, laying waste to his social status, meaning –"Sehun breaks off, leaning forward expectantly, a grin slowly stretching across his face.
"Girls," I mumble. If there's anything that can unsettle Baekhyun, it would be a girl. The more confident and rigorous, the better.
"What are you doing here?!" Exo-K's maknae hisses at me and rips the book from my grasp. How rude.
Behind him, Chanyeol draws himself up to his full height, making me swallow. You don't wanna mess with him, even less than with Kai, I mean just look at him arms. Where does he get muscles like those?
"I'm, uh, reading. Obviously."
"You held your book upside down," Chanyeol says, somewhat bored.
Fuck. I should've been more careful. Then again, what was there left to lose?
"Alright, fine. Let's say it like this: I was here before you and if you had even a little brain in those empty heads of yours, you would've checked your surroundings before discussing 'private' matters. But," I raise my hand to stop Sehun from interrupting me, "luckily for you, I will deign to…assist you."
"And why, exactly, do you want to help us? Not that we need your help," the maknae is pissed, no doubt about it. Again, if he weren't one of Exo-K…
Chanyeol, on the other hand, raises his eyebrow – which just makes him look dumber – and chews his lower lips thoughtfully.
"Okay, let's imagine you were to help us. What's in it for you?"
Hook, line, sinker.
"I have my reasons but I promise I won't demand anything in return for my assistance. See it as a… favour. For old time's sake. I already have the perfect girl."
This time, Sehun also looks interested. He still eyes me warily, though, so I shoot him a challenging glare.
"The perfect girl? You do realize that we want to humiliate Baekhyun, not actually get him a girlfriend, right?"
I snort derisively.
"Of course I do. Unlike some, I'm not an idiot. This is why I propose Taeyeon. She's the head girl, self-confident and values manners. Since Baekhyun is afraid to mess up in front of girls, he'll be even more terrified of messing up in front of her, since she's not only a beauty but clever as well. So, you two just have to make sure that he agrees to a blind date and I will take care of the rest. Deal?"
Chanyeol shrugs and shoots a grin in Sehun's direction.
"Deal"
His big hand grabs mine and nearly squishes it, but I grit my teeth and pretend that everything's fine. I can't lose face in front of the 'Happy Virus'.
The maknae scrunches up his eyebrows and nods slowly.
"Deal. But that does not mean that I can tolerate you on a regular basis."
With that, his hand grasps mine.
"Fine."
Oh.
There she is.
"Yoyoyo. What's up, my favourite human?"
"I just cannot believe it. I'm very disappointed in all of you. I thought you'd at least be smart enough to reveal the identity of the culprit. If he steps up now, I will not get angry and there won't be any repercussions."
Precisely because that speech is already age-old nobody buys it anymore. Of course the teachers will punish the person who sprayed the door of the teacher's lounge and the secretariat in a vibrant red colour.
"Fine. D.O, you are responsible for finding the culprit. Luhan, if you don't want to be suspected, you will help him."
Say what?!
"Oh, hell no. Never, seonsaegnim. You can't make me do that! I have enough work with school and homework and-"
"I couldn't care less what you have to do. You will find the person responsible for this, together with D.O, and if it is the last thing you do in this school!" And with that, she vanishes with a flourish.
I clutch my forehead with a defeated groan. Satansoo doesn't look all too happy, either.
Why is it always me? Isn't it enough that I'm helping those other two freaks? I mean, it's not like I'm doing it out of the kindness of my heart, but still, I'm doing it so Taeyeon can have a little fun. She seriously needs it after the disastrous ending of her last relationship. And Baekhyun is funny, and when he completely disgraces himself in front of her, she'll forget her worries for a while.
"Alright, let's go"
D.O turns around and heads for his K-friends. Not with me, buddy.
"Oh nonononono. Without me. You do your part of this ridiculous assignment, I do mine. If I find that wannabe-punk before you, well, that only proves that we're better," I grin maliciously.
"Whatever. But if you fail to help, I'll tell seonsaegnim. And with that, your school career will be pretty much over."
What. Did. I. Do. To. Deserve. This?!
When we reach the uncooler half of what used to be Exo, I'm scrutinized. Only Chanyeol is grinning – if not friendly – and Baekhyun looks like he's spaced out.
"He's supposed to find the vandal with me," Satansoo explains without making a face before Kai can spit any obscenities in my face. What a loser.
"Baek, I promise this is an absolute Win-Win-situation. Since you'll sleep over anyways, you can just go to the date from my house and come back afterwards – or not." Chanyeol wriggled his eyebrows, prompting me to roll my eyes.
As if I would allow Baekhyun to touch my Taeyeon.
"Are you sure that she's pretty? And talkative?" He sounds – and looks – really anxious, and Happy Virus smiles in response.
"Of course I am, don't you trust me? Besides, your parents would stop the matchmaking for at least a while."
Ah. Apparently I simply am too good for this world, then. Because if Baekhyun's parents leave him alone, it will be because of my glorious idea only. He'll be indebted to me forever.
The thought, despite my misery, almost makes me grin.
"Does that mean you'll come to the date?" I ask Taeyeon, whose face is glowing with pride and joy.
Minho lets her slip from his shoulders and she raises her pinky.
"Sure, but only if you stop letting Kai or the other Exo-K boys beat you up. Alright?"
I don't even have to promise that, since a short period of peace will not be avoidable. But of course, she doesn't know that. "Pinky promise. Nice underwear, by the way. I told you - red is your colour."
Taeyeon blushes crimson, and punches my shoulder with a weak fist.
"I've got to go, be nice to Minho, ya?"
And there she goes. Perfect timing.
The brown-haired boy is on the verge of disappearing into the crowd before my hand finds its way to his shoulder.
"Minho, wait. You work at this café, don't you?"
He nods bemused and looks at me expectedly.
"You can still remember that favour you owe me, for that one time I took the fall for you? Alright, listen…"
