firstACT: of warm smiles & soft eyes
Of Warm Smiles & Soft Eyes
Pairing(s): TBA
2.9k
The beginning of my yet to be named EXO in HS AU.
In short; Kris is easily pushed around outside of organized sports, Lu Han needs a nap, & Jongdae is just a gentleman like that.
(Slow going and I'm terrible at summaries...)
A/N: Hi there~ this is my first time ever posting my writing. Please be kind to this naive soul! This is the opening act for my yet to be named EXO in high school AU... The characters' personalities and quirks are loosely based upon people I've actually known or have encountered in high school. Oh and M are guys, and K are girls. And I'm from Canada so the storyline is set here. I've been working on this AU for a few months now, postponing and procrastinating on actually posting it due to not feeling adequate in my writing just yet. This'll be a mix of my lame sarcasm/humour and real-life banter that the characters have in my head since they are based on people that I know. I also have charts and timelines outlined for the backgrounds of the characters. If anyone is interested, just leave a comment and I will post them up!
I hope everyone enjoys this first act ^-^
PS. Sorry this author note is so long. I'll keep it short next time~
❃
Half past seven. Gently letting the handle turn back into place, without the latch clicking shut too loudly, he quietly exits. He can make out the digital clock between the two elevators as it glows neon through the stream of sunrise peaking through the windows.
Swiftly passing toward the emergency exit staircase, Yixing pushes the door open and hops down the steps at an easy pace. Hitching up the backpack on his shoulder, he pulls open the door with his other hand as he reaches the floor just below his own. He backtracks in the direction past the elevators again toward a doorway to stand on the thick pile mat. Sliding the keypad open, he keys in the passcode before stepping inside to pull off his Converse.
The aroma of stir fried rice wafts through the air. Sweet, Yixing thinks as he closes his eyes, smile spreading across his face and dimple dipping into his cheek. Minseok has his back to the archway, shovelling his breakfast into his mouth. His mother greets Yixing as she turns from the stove. Two lunch boxes are stacked on the island countertop.
"Good morning," his smile deepens, dimple settling into his cheek further. Minseok pokes at a mushroom before dropping it onto the collection in the bowl he's already started for Yixing. He nods in the direction of the grandfather clock by the archway that leads toward the living room. Yixing pulls out the chair across from him.
Seven thirty three. Yixing picks up the mushrooms two at a time with his chopsticks and chews delightedly. His favourite. Minseok always picks them out of his fried rice.
Minseok grabs his lunch before kissing his mother on the cheek. He wishes his younger sister a good day at school as they pass through the living room. She ignores him, sitting cross legged on the couch focusing on the television as Mr. Kim reads the morning paper in the armchair next to her.
"You're on time today, boys." Without looking up from behind the paper, he chuckles softly.
Ten after eight. Yixing bids Minseok's father farewell, bowing his head slightly before following his friend through the door. The elevator bell chimes on arrival and he quickens his pace to catch up to Minseok as the doors slide open.
"It's crooked," Minseok motions toward Yixing's school tie. Yixing straightens it in the reflection of the elevator doors before they arrive at the lobby. The two boys walk out the condominium's glass entrance doors and see a white Lexus parked a few meters ahead. A tall figure is leaning against the passenger door, arms crossed and head down.
Kris looks up, lower lip caught between his teeth. He straightens and walks toward the opposite side of the car. Minseok and Yixing see Lu Han in the passenger seat, furiously scribbling in a notebook, textbook propped open on the dashboard.
"What's up with him?" Yixing asks as he opens the door behind Kris.
"He stayed up last night, watching ManU instead of studying for Calc," Kris answers as he settles into the driver's seat.
"I thought you were gonna study first when you got home from practice!" Minseok chides, ruffling Lu Han's hair from over the headrest. The two of them are on the senior boys’ soccer team.
"Ehgh," the boy leans forward out of his reach. "I napped so I could stay up."
Kris starts the engine and pulls away from the curb, driving toward the street exit. He and Lu Han live in the neighbourhood just north of Minseok and Yixing’s condominium block. Flanked with gigantic hedges between each property, only about a dozen homes line their particular street. Leaning to check the oncoming traffic, he inches the car out before turning onto the road.
"So, how was the game? Was it worth watching?" Yixing has his right foot up, toe on the middle console as he readjusts his laces.
"I don't want to talk about it." Lu Han has his textbook balanced upright on his knees now. It slid off the dashboard after the bump and turn while exiting the complex. He doesn't look back at Yixing, eyes only darting between his notebook and textbook as he continues writing. Minseok smirks and let's out a wisp of air from his nose as he looks out the window.
“Don't pity me," Lu Han still doesn't look up, a pout forming as he stares harder at his Calc textbook.
Eight thirty-six. The four boys alight from the car after Kris has finished parking. They walk towards the side entrance of the high school. Students are heading up and down the stairwell as the group pass through toward the doors to the East-wing hallway.
“See you guys at lunch," Minseok says before taking the stairs up two at a time.
“Han,” Yixing pulls Lu Han by the elbow as they continue to follow Kris. The boy is still trying to stuff his Calc textbook and notebook into his backpack. They enter the hallway, sounds of chattering and the slamming of lockers reverberate as students are milling about.
Yixing turns his lock combination and opens his locker door. Letting it swing purposefully all the way so his door slams over his neighbour's already open locker.
"Why do you always have to do that?" Jongdae scowls, only slightly annoyed. Because he had been propping his bag up on his knee before it was knocked off by Yixing's locker door. He’s also been asking the same question since the second week of school. It's now the second semester.
Yixing smiles. It’s their usual morning greeting. "Did you finish editing the new opening clip yet?"
Jongdae and Yixing are in the school's radio broadcasting club. They DJ and host a segment every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during lunchtime.
"Yeah," Jongdae shifts his bag back onto his knee, grunting as he shakes it after loading a large textbook into it. "You can take a listen in homeroom."
Although Yixing is a grade ahead of Jongdae, they have first period together. Level two and three Media Arts is a mixed class this year.
As they pass Kris and Lu Han at their lockers further down the hallway, Jongdae sees the shorter of the two looking frazzled. Wide-eyed and gripping the other's arm while shaking it with force, Lu Han laments, "I'm going to bomb this test! I'm screwed! I'm going to fail the class. I won't be able to graduate!" He babbles on as Kris tries to yank his arm away while swatting him with a notebook. "It's your own fault! You could have streamed your ManU game later today instead, you idiot. Stop it, let go of my arm!"
"Oh, there was a soccer match on last night? Or, morning...?" Jongdae asks Yixing. He waves to Kris after their eyes meet. "Who won?" Lu Han stops shaking Kris's arm and turns his attention to Jongdae, looking exasperated. "Ugh, my life!" He drops his head dramatically onto Kris's locker door.
❃
Eleven thirty. The lunch bell rings and students pour out from every classroom door, filling the hallways with chattering and the squeaking of sneakers. Yixing and Jongdae make their way to lunch together from their lockers. As they amble through the west hallway, Jongdae catches sight of the student body Vice President.
"June!" With a flip of auburn hair, the girl looks ever her shoulder. Junmyeon slows her walk as the two boys catch up to her. Smiling to them, she turns and waves good bye to her previous hallway accompaniment.
"Hey," her eyes crinkle at the corners. "Have you guys seen Minseok today? I still have his Chem notes that I borrowed the other day.”
They head down the ramp leading to the cafetorium, Yixing nodding his head. "Yeah, he'll be there at lunch. Eat with us today." Jongdae turns in the direction of the cafetorium entrance, Junmyeon and Yixing following him as they weave past other students. He pushes open the door and holds it with his arm outstretched and waits for Junmyeon to pass through the doorway ahead of himself. Because he’s a gentleman like that. Jongdae lets Yixing catch the door for himself.
Upon entering the cafetorium, they see a gangly girl standing next to a seated Kris. He continuously nods as she speaks to him, not looking up from his lunch as he bites into a massive sandwich.
"Who's that?" Yixing asks curiously, an eyebrow quirking up.
“Don't even think about it. She's Kris’s little cousin,” Jongdae answers flatly, stepping up to the lunch line. As he scans today's menu he adds, “Niner.” Deciding on lasagna, he points to the mass of red-sauced lumps and the lunch lady scoops it onto a plate. He beams at her before saying, "Extra cheese, please.” The lunch lady’s lips quirk up and she abides.
Junmyeon nods, passing them while holding a sandwich and juice. She heads over to swipe her student card at the register. "I think she's in volleyball with Jonginnie." Jongin is Junmyeon's cousin, also a freshman this year.
They walk toward Kris's table and settle onto the bench seat across from him. Lu Han has his head down on the table beside Kris, lunch pushed forward at his elbows.
"So tell your mom that my dad called grandma and told her about Saturday’s dinner. He made the reservation at grandpa’s favourite restaurant last night.” The gangly girl looks pointedly at Kris, waiting for a response. She grasps his shoulder and shakes it, realizing he is not really listening. She rattles on, "Six thirty! And you can’t be late like usual, cause we’ll lose the second table if we don’t have enough people arriving on time!”
"He called this morning! We know! Now go eat your lunch or just sit down. Why does everyone keep physically abusing me today?!" Kris throws a narrowed glance toward Lu Han who responds with a muffled whine, head still down on his forearms.
The girl takes notice of the three students who have just sat down. Her eyes flicker from Kris and back to his friends. Kris sighs and motions to each of them, “Yixing. You know Jongdae already. And Junmyeon. This is Sehun, my cousin." He returns to eating his giant sandwich, no longer being deterred by Sehun's shaking.
Sehun abrubtly plops down next to Kris, turning her attention to the others. “I didn’t know you were friends with the Vice President. Cool! And you host the lunchtime radio show with Jongdae right? How come you guys are in the cafetorium today though?"
“We don’t host on Tuesday and Thursday," Yixing answers with a polite smile. He opens up his thermos and picks up some noodles with his chopsticks, then spoons broth and a wonton into his mouth. Sehun nods in understanding, eyes wide and lips puckered.
Junmyeon smiles at Sehun. "You know Jongin, right? She's my cousin." Sehun looks to her and replies, "Yeah, she's picking up a pizza from across the street for us today."
A pizza box is suddenly pushed onto the table in front of Sehun. It’s a boy with a dark fringe of hair peeking out from under his leopard print snapback, the hat precariously perched backwards on his head. His uniform jacket is thrown over one shoulder and his shirt is untucked, the sleeves rolled to his elbows. He sits down after propping his skateboard deck on its side next to his feet and begins lifting the box lid open. As he shoves a piece into his mouth he motions for Sehun to take one.
"Finally. Took you long enough," she doesn't look up from the box as she extracts some more bacon from surrounding slices onto the piece she's holding. "Where's Jongin?"
A girl with whispy, overgrown bangs arrives seconds later with an inch high stack of serviettes in hand. “Serviettes, you neanderthals!" She sits down next to the dark haired boy. Scanning the table, she sees Junmyeon and begins waving with the napkin stack.
“I thought your dad preps lunches for you and your sisters in the mornings,” Junmyeon leans forward, looking past Yixing and Jongdae. She takes a bite out of her sandwich and chews with a slight frown, awaiting the younger girl’s answer.
“Not this week. He’s away on a business trip so it’s just the two of us at home until next Wednesday. He left us cash for our lunches though.” Jongin lives with her father and older sister. Her eldest sister is away at university.
“Oh, well you two can come over to our house for dinner whenever. I’ll let my parents know,” Junmyeon looks pointedly to her cousin. Jongin grins in thanks.
“Why are we sitting here?” the boy mumbles between bites. He looks up at Sehun who is tucking her ash blonde hair behind her ear.
“I was talking to my cousin about our family function this weekend,” She jerks her head to her right. “Zitao, this is Kris. He’s Chinese too.”
“Wait, you’re part Chinese then?” Jongin asks while wiping her mouth with a napkin from her stack. She’s confused because she’d thought Sehun was Korean since their second volleyball team practise back in September.
Sehun nods her head. “Half,” she steals a long sip from Kris’s Coke and continues. “Our dads are brothers.” Kris snatches the can back. He scrunches his face at her when he jostles it and feels that she’s drank nearly all of it.
Kris turns his attention to the boy sitting infront of him. He narrows his eyes at Zitao and asks Sehun, “Does uncle know?” After turning to face Sehun with his authoritative-(grouchy)-older-cousin-face he adds, “Cause I’m pretty sure he would mind that you’ve already got yourself a boyfriend only a few months at a brand new school.”
Sehun widens her eyes innocently at him. “What are you talking about? We’re just friends." She tries to dismiss it, but Kris now has that other disgruntled look on his face - the one that means he’s displeased, and knows that she’s lying to him. Sehun keeps her face blank. "I swear.”
“Well then tell your just-friend to stop playing footsie with me.”
Zitao freezes mid-bite of his pizza. Lifting his gaze sheepishly, he rasps out, “sorry…” Sehun just rolls her eyes and purses her lips at her cousin. “Like your mom doesn’t know about that tiny lifeguard girl you’ve been hanging with since the summer,” she sneers at Kris. “I know that’s why you got transferred to another pool. No dating co-workers!” Sehun snaps the last sentence back at him with extra venom in her voice, shoving her shoulder into his. Kris only scoffs at her, throwing a last glare before angrily biting into his sandwich. As usual, he's too passive and doesn't continue, preferring to end these rants Sehun always begins. So she feels as though this was yet another victorious argument won.
Jongdae stands up from his seat to lean over Yixing. He slaps an open hand onto Zitao’s back, grinning good-naturedly. “That’s one complicated family you’re getting yourself into, dude. And I’ve known them for like, almost a decade. Good luck with that!” He cackles. Zitao only stares blinkingly back at the boy with the squirrelly little laugh while attempting to swallow the dry crust of his pizza. He needs something to drink…
“Shut up, Jongdae.” Sehun scowls and pushes his jeering face away. “We’re not getting married or something. We’ve only been together since like, the week after Kris’s birthday.”
Kris does the math quickly in his head. That makes it nearly four months.
“What?!” Kris’s eyes widen. “Yo, uncle is definitely hearing about this. You’re supposed to be concentrating on school work," He makes a chopping motion with his hand in midair once, and a second time. "and one extra curricular - volleyball. That’s what he said.” He covers his eyes with a large hand. “This is what happens when I don’t drive you to and from school…”
Sehun scrunches her face at him. “Stop overreacting. You can’t monitor me for my whole life. Let me live! You need to live a little too. I know, go hang out with that tiny lifeguard girl!”
Jongin grins after watching the cousins’ antics, taking a piece of pizza from the box. It’s already missing half the pieces as Zitao picks up his fourth slice.
Eleven fifty-six. Bounding into the cafetorium, Minseok makes his way towards the table. He nearly knocks over a few students as he darts past and yelps apologies over his shoulder. He sits himself next to Lu Han, who is still face-down on the table.
Plopping his lunchbox down next to his friend’s head he begins his ramble, “I stayed back to talk with my Bio teacher about this week’s lab assignment. Then she tried to convince me to do the live dissection with everyone else next week. I already said I wasn’t going to! That I was going to do the virtual one or an extra credit assignment or something to make up for it. Ugh...” Unlatching the container of stir fried rice, he mixes the contents to fluff it up.
Junmyeon reaches into her backpack for Minseok’s notes. She hands him the blue notebook before thanking him. “Chem’s been troubling me way more than Bio,” she sighs.
After Minseok suggests her to come to the study group after school with him, Lu Han finally lifts his head off the table. “Maybe I should have taken Bio instead of grade 12 Calc. Or left my spare open - so I could nap.” The three boys who had been in the car that morning just roll their eyes at Lu Han’s usual dramatics. His eyes are weary as he stares off into Yixing’s now empty thermos of wonton noodles, broth only remaining.
Pairing(s): TBA
2.9k
The beginning of my yet to be named EXO in HS AU.
In short; Kris is easily pushed around outside of organized sports, Lu Han needs a nap, & Jongdae is just a gentleman like that.
(Slow going and I'm terrible at summaries...)
A/N: Hi there~ this is my first time ever posting my writing. Please be kind to this naive soul! This is the opening act for my yet to be named EXO in high school AU... The characters' personalities and quirks are loosely based upon people I've actually known or have encountered in high school. Oh and M are guys, and K are girls. And I'm from Canada so the storyline is set here. I've been working on this AU for a few months now, postponing and procrastinating on actually posting it due to not feeling adequate in my writing just yet. This'll be a mix of my lame sarcasm/humour and real-life banter that the characters have in my head since they are based on people that I know. I also have charts and timelines outlined for the backgrounds of the characters. If anyone is interested, just leave a comment and I will post them up!
I hope everyone enjoys this first act ^-^
PS. Sorry this author note is so long. I'll keep it short next time~
❃
Half past seven. Gently letting the handle turn back into place, without the latch clicking shut too loudly, he quietly exits. He can make out the digital clock between the two elevators as it glows neon through the stream of sunrise peaking through the windows.
Swiftly passing toward the emergency exit staircase, Yixing pushes the door open and hops down the steps at an easy pace. Hitching up the backpack on his shoulder, he pulls open the door with his other hand as he reaches the floor just below his own. He backtracks in the direction past the elevators again toward a doorway to stand on the thick pile mat. Sliding the keypad open, he keys in the passcode before stepping inside to pull off his Converse.
The aroma of stir fried rice wafts through the air. Sweet, Yixing thinks as he closes his eyes, smile spreading across his face and dimple dipping into his cheek. Minseok has his back to the archway, shovelling his breakfast into his mouth. His mother greets Yixing as she turns from the stove. Two lunch boxes are stacked on the island countertop.
"Good morning," his smile deepens, dimple settling into his cheek further. Minseok pokes at a mushroom before dropping it onto the collection in the bowl he's already started for Yixing. He nods in the direction of the grandfather clock by the archway that leads toward the living room. Yixing pulls out the chair across from him.
Seven thirty three. Yixing picks up the mushrooms two at a time with his chopsticks and chews delightedly. His favourite. Minseok always picks them out of his fried rice.
Minseok grabs his lunch before kissing his mother on the cheek. He wishes his younger sister a good day at school as they pass through the living room. She ignores him, sitting cross legged on the couch focusing on the television as Mr. Kim reads the morning paper in the armchair next to her.
"You're on time today, boys." Without looking up from behind the paper, he chuckles softly.
Ten after eight. Yixing bids Minseok's father farewell, bowing his head slightly before following his friend through the door. The elevator bell chimes on arrival and he quickens his pace to catch up to Minseok as the doors slide open.
"It's crooked," Minseok motions toward Yixing's school tie. Yixing straightens it in the reflection of the elevator doors before they arrive at the lobby. The two boys walk out the condominium's glass entrance doors and see a white Lexus parked a few meters ahead. A tall figure is leaning against the passenger door, arms crossed and head down.
Kris looks up, lower lip caught between his teeth. He straightens and walks toward the opposite side of the car. Minseok and Yixing see Lu Han in the passenger seat, furiously scribbling in a notebook, textbook propped open on the dashboard.
"What's up with him?" Yixing asks as he opens the door behind Kris.
"He stayed up last night, watching ManU instead of studying for Calc," Kris answers as he settles into the driver's seat.
"I thought you were gonna study first when you got home from practice!" Minseok chides, ruffling Lu Han's hair from over the headrest. The two of them are on the senior boys’ soccer team.
"Ehgh," the boy leans forward out of his reach. "I napped so I could stay up."
Kris starts the engine and pulls away from the curb, driving toward the street exit. He and Lu Han live in the neighbourhood just north of Minseok and Yixing’s condominium block. Flanked with gigantic hedges between each property, only about a dozen homes line their particular street. Leaning to check the oncoming traffic, he inches the car out before turning onto the road.
"So, how was the game? Was it worth watching?" Yixing has his right foot up, toe on the middle console as he readjusts his laces.
"I don't want to talk about it." Lu Han has his textbook balanced upright on his knees now. It slid off the dashboard after the bump and turn while exiting the complex. He doesn't look back at Yixing, eyes only darting between his notebook and textbook as he continues writing. Minseok smirks and let's out a wisp of air from his nose as he looks out the window.
“Don't pity me," Lu Han still doesn't look up, a pout forming as he stares harder at his Calc textbook.
Eight thirty-six. The four boys alight from the car after Kris has finished parking. They walk towards the side entrance of the high school. Students are heading up and down the stairwell as the group pass through toward the doors to the East-wing hallway.
“See you guys at lunch," Minseok says before taking the stairs up two at a time.
“Han,” Yixing pulls Lu Han by the elbow as they continue to follow Kris. The boy is still trying to stuff his Calc textbook and notebook into his backpack. They enter the hallway, sounds of chattering and the slamming of lockers reverberate as students are milling about.
Yixing turns his lock combination and opens his locker door. Letting it swing purposefully all the way so his door slams over his neighbour's already open locker.
"Why do you always have to do that?" Jongdae scowls, only slightly annoyed. Because he had been propping his bag up on his knee before it was knocked off by Yixing's locker door. He’s also been asking the same question since the second week of school. It's now the second semester.
Yixing smiles. It’s their usual morning greeting. "Did you finish editing the new opening clip yet?"
Jongdae and Yixing are in the school's radio broadcasting club. They DJ and host a segment every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during lunchtime.
"Yeah," Jongdae shifts his bag back onto his knee, grunting as he shakes it after loading a large textbook into it. "You can take a listen in homeroom."
Although Yixing is a grade ahead of Jongdae, they have first period together. Level two and three Media Arts is a mixed class this year.
As they pass Kris and Lu Han at their lockers further down the hallway, Jongdae sees the shorter of the two looking frazzled. Wide-eyed and gripping the other's arm while shaking it with force, Lu Han laments, "I'm going to bomb this test! I'm screwed! I'm going to fail the class. I won't be able to graduate!" He babbles on as Kris tries to yank his arm away while swatting him with a notebook. "It's your own fault! You could have streamed your ManU game later today instead, you idiot. Stop it, let go of my arm!"
"Oh, there was a soccer match on last night? Or, morning...?" Jongdae asks Yixing. He waves to Kris after their eyes meet. "Who won?" Lu Han stops shaking Kris's arm and turns his attention to Jongdae, looking exasperated. "Ugh, my life!" He drops his head dramatically onto Kris's locker door.
❃
Eleven thirty. The lunch bell rings and students pour out from every classroom door, filling the hallways with chattering and the squeaking of sneakers. Yixing and Jongdae make their way to lunch together from their lockers. As they amble through the west hallway, Jongdae catches sight of the student body Vice President.
"June!" With a flip of auburn hair, the girl looks ever her shoulder. Junmyeon slows her walk as the two boys catch up to her. Smiling to them, she turns and waves good bye to her previous hallway accompaniment.
"Hey," her eyes crinkle at the corners. "Have you guys seen Minseok today? I still have his Chem notes that I borrowed the other day.”
They head down the ramp leading to the cafetorium, Yixing nodding his head. "Yeah, he'll be there at lunch. Eat with us today." Jongdae turns in the direction of the cafetorium entrance, Junmyeon and Yixing following him as they weave past other students. He pushes open the door and holds it with his arm outstretched and waits for Junmyeon to pass through the doorway ahead of himself. Because he’s a gentleman like that. Jongdae lets Yixing catch the door for himself.
Upon entering the cafetorium, they see a gangly girl standing next to a seated Kris. He continuously nods as she speaks to him, not looking up from his lunch as he bites into a massive sandwich.
"Who's that?" Yixing asks curiously, an eyebrow quirking up.
“Don't even think about it. She's Kris’s little cousin,” Jongdae answers flatly, stepping up to the lunch line. As he scans today's menu he adds, “Niner.” Deciding on lasagna, he points to the mass of red-sauced lumps and the lunch lady scoops it onto a plate. He beams at her before saying, "Extra cheese, please.” The lunch lady’s lips quirk up and she abides.
Junmyeon nods, passing them while holding a sandwich and juice. She heads over to swipe her student card at the register. "I think she's in volleyball with Jonginnie." Jongin is Junmyeon's cousin, also a freshman this year.
They walk toward Kris's table and settle onto the bench seat across from him. Lu Han has his head down on the table beside Kris, lunch pushed forward at his elbows.
"So tell your mom that my dad called grandma and told her about Saturday’s dinner. He made the reservation at grandpa’s favourite restaurant last night.” The gangly girl looks pointedly at Kris, waiting for a response. She grasps his shoulder and shakes it, realizing he is not really listening. She rattles on, "Six thirty! And you can’t be late like usual, cause we’ll lose the second table if we don’t have enough people arriving on time!”
"He called this morning! We know! Now go eat your lunch or just sit down. Why does everyone keep physically abusing me today?!" Kris throws a narrowed glance toward Lu Han who responds with a muffled whine, head still down on his forearms.
The girl takes notice of the three students who have just sat down. Her eyes flicker from Kris and back to his friends. Kris sighs and motions to each of them, “Yixing. You know Jongdae already. And Junmyeon. This is Sehun, my cousin." He returns to eating his giant sandwich, no longer being deterred by Sehun's shaking.
Sehun abrubtly plops down next to Kris, turning her attention to the others. “I didn’t know you were friends with the Vice President. Cool! And you host the lunchtime radio show with Jongdae right? How come you guys are in the cafetorium today though?"
“We don’t host on Tuesday and Thursday," Yixing answers with a polite smile. He opens up his thermos and picks up some noodles with his chopsticks, then spoons broth and a wonton into his mouth. Sehun nods in understanding, eyes wide and lips puckered.
Junmyeon smiles at Sehun. "You know Jongin, right? She's my cousin." Sehun looks to her and replies, "Yeah, she's picking up a pizza from across the street for us today."
A pizza box is suddenly pushed onto the table in front of Sehun. It’s a boy with a dark fringe of hair peeking out from under his leopard print snapback, the hat precariously perched backwards on his head. His uniform jacket is thrown over one shoulder and his shirt is untucked, the sleeves rolled to his elbows. He sits down after propping his skateboard deck on its side next to his feet and begins lifting the box lid open. As he shoves a piece into his mouth he motions for Sehun to take one.
"Finally. Took you long enough," she doesn't look up from the box as she extracts some more bacon from surrounding slices onto the piece she's holding. "Where's Jongin?"
A girl with whispy, overgrown bangs arrives seconds later with an inch high stack of serviettes in hand. “Serviettes, you neanderthals!" She sits down next to the dark haired boy. Scanning the table, she sees Junmyeon and begins waving with the napkin stack.
“I thought your dad preps lunches for you and your sisters in the mornings,” Junmyeon leans forward, looking past Yixing and Jongdae. She takes a bite out of her sandwich and chews with a slight frown, awaiting the younger girl’s answer.
“Not this week. He’s away on a business trip so it’s just the two of us at home until next Wednesday. He left us cash for our lunches though.” Jongin lives with her father and older sister. Her eldest sister is away at university.
“Oh, well you two can come over to our house for dinner whenever. I’ll let my parents know,” Junmyeon looks pointedly to her cousin. Jongin grins in thanks.
“Why are we sitting here?” the boy mumbles between bites. He looks up at Sehun who is tucking her ash blonde hair behind her ear.
“I was talking to my cousin about our family function this weekend,” She jerks her head to her right. “Zitao, this is Kris. He’s Chinese too.”
“Wait, you’re part Chinese then?” Jongin asks while wiping her mouth with a napkin from her stack. She’s confused because she’d thought Sehun was Korean since their second volleyball team practise back in September.
Sehun nods her head. “Half,” she steals a long sip from Kris’s Coke and continues. “Our dads are brothers.” Kris snatches the can back. He scrunches his face at her when he jostles it and feels that she’s drank nearly all of it.
Kris turns his attention to the boy sitting infront of him. He narrows his eyes at Zitao and asks Sehun, “Does uncle know?” After turning to face Sehun with his authoritative-(grouchy)-older-cousin-face he adds, “Cause I’m pretty sure he would mind that you’ve already got yourself a boyfriend only a few months at a brand new school.”
Sehun widens her eyes innocently at him. “What are you talking about? We’re just friends." She tries to dismiss it, but Kris now has that other disgruntled look on his face - the one that means he’s displeased, and knows that she’s lying to him. Sehun keeps her face blank. "I swear.”
“Well then tell your just-friend to stop playing footsie with me.”
Zitao freezes mid-bite of his pizza. Lifting his gaze sheepishly, he rasps out, “sorry…” Sehun just rolls her eyes and purses her lips at her cousin. “Like your mom doesn’t know about that tiny lifeguard girl you’ve been hanging with since the summer,” she sneers at Kris. “I know that’s why you got transferred to another pool. No dating co-workers!” Sehun snaps the last sentence back at him with extra venom in her voice, shoving her shoulder into his. Kris only scoffs at her, throwing a last glare before angrily biting into his sandwich. As usual, he's too passive and doesn't continue, preferring to end these rants Sehun always begins. So she feels as though this was yet another victorious argument won.
Jongdae stands up from his seat to lean over Yixing. He slaps an open hand onto Zitao’s back, grinning good-naturedly. “That’s one complicated family you’re getting yourself into, dude. And I’ve known them for like, almost a decade. Good luck with that!” He cackles. Zitao only stares blinkingly back at the boy with the squirrelly little laugh while attempting to swallow the dry crust of his pizza. He needs something to drink…
“Shut up, Jongdae.” Sehun scowls and pushes his jeering face away. “We’re not getting married or something. We’ve only been together since like, the week after Kris’s birthday.”
Kris does the math quickly in his head. That makes it nearly four months.
“What?!” Kris’s eyes widen. “Yo, uncle is definitely hearing about this. You’re supposed to be concentrating on school work," He makes a chopping motion with his hand in midair once, and a second time. "and one extra curricular - volleyball. That’s what he said.” He covers his eyes with a large hand. “This is what happens when I don’t drive you to and from school…”
Sehun scrunches her face at him. “Stop overreacting. You can’t monitor me for my whole life. Let me live! You need to live a little too. I know, go hang out with that tiny lifeguard girl!”
Jongin grins after watching the cousins’ antics, taking a piece of pizza from the box. It’s already missing half the pieces as Zitao picks up his fourth slice.
Eleven fifty-six. Bounding into the cafetorium, Minseok makes his way towards the table. He nearly knocks over a few students as he darts past and yelps apologies over his shoulder. He sits himself next to Lu Han, who is still face-down on the table.
Plopping his lunchbox down next to his friend’s head he begins his ramble, “I stayed back to talk with my Bio teacher about this week’s lab assignment. Then she tried to convince me to do the live dissection with everyone else next week. I already said I wasn’t going to! That I was going to do the virtual one or an extra credit assignment or something to make up for it. Ugh...” Unlatching the container of stir fried rice, he mixes the contents to fluff it up.
Junmyeon reaches into her backpack for Minseok’s notes. She hands him the blue notebook before thanking him. “Chem’s been troubling me way more than Bio,” she sighs.
After Minseok suggests her to come to the study group after school with him, Lu Han finally lifts his head off the table. “Maybe I should have taken Bio instead of grade 12 Calc. Or left my spare open - so I could nap.” The three boys who had been in the car that morning just roll their eyes at Lu Han’s usual dramatics. His eyes are weary as he stares off into Yixing’s now empty thermos of wonton noodles, broth only remaining.