baby i'm different // hi suhyun + golden trio
Bobby and Hanbin compete for Hayi’s heart-with a little help from their friends.
Rating: PG.
Warning: I have no words to say in my own defence.
Focus: Hayi, Soohyun, Jinhwan, Bobby, Hanbin, a bit of Chanwoo/Chanhyuk.
Length: ~3200.
T MINUS 4 DAYS
Technically, Hanbin is the one who meets Hayi first, but Bobby doesn’t think that’s very important, since Bobby obviously knows her better.
They’ve both been partners with her before in performance class, but Bobby and Hayi’s performance had taken weeks to prepare, whereas Hanbin’s was just a small, negligible project at the beginning of the year wherein absolutely no intimate feelings could possibly have developed. Or so Bobby likes to think. Hanbin does not agree, and the two of them haven’t stopped bickering about it since they met up with Jinhwan on their daily walk to school.
“Hyung, Hayi likes me more, right?” Bobby looks at Jinhwan hopefully.
Jinhwan takes another sip from his juice box. “I think,” he says slowly, “That she actually seems to prefer me.”
Bobby and Hanbin scowl in unison.
“That’s not really fair,” Bobby says. “All girls like you. But between me and Hanbin, Hayi definitely likes me, right?”
“That’s not a question you should be asking me,” Jinhwan says diplomatically. “I’m not Hayi so I can’t really tell you.”
“That’s right,” Hanbin says, quick to agree with Jinhwan. “I’m going to ask her out when I get to school, and then we’ll know for sure that she likes me better.”
“But I was going to ask her out!” Bobby protests. “You know I like her, man…that’s low.”
“It’s not low,” Hanbin says curtly. “It’s for love.”
“What’s love got to do with it?” Bobby protests.
Both Hanbin and Jinhwan look at him blankly.
Bobby sighs. “At the very least, we should do it at the same time. Then she can make the decision.”
“Fine by me,” Hanbin says. “On Friday, then. At lunch. She’s going to choose me either way. Unlike you, I’m not afraid of losing.”
“Who says I’m afraid of losing?” Bobby scoffs. “I’m going to sweep her off her feet.”
“Oh yeah, and how are you gonna do that?”
“As if I’d tell you!”
Jinhwan raises an eyebrow as he looks between his two hopeless friends, and wisely decides not to intervene.
T MINUS 3 DAYS
“So, how are you gonna do it?”
Bobby slams his locker door closed with a smirk. “I’ll rap my confession.”
“That is so uncool.” Soohyun whacks him on the arm with a textbook. Bobby recognises the textbook as one that he used five years ago. The thought of this mere child telling him that he’s uncool is positively unacceptable to him.
“It’s not uncool! Rapping is very romantic! Besides, I look sexy when I rap.” Bobby has seen girls fawning over him in his performance class-not that he’s watching their reactions or anything. Bobby is an artist. He’s dedicated to his craft first, the fans second. A very close second.
Soohyun rolls her eyes. “Unnie thinks you look like a dork.”
“Really?” Bobby beams. “Hayi talks about me to you? Awesome.”
“She doesn’t really say good things,” Soohyun says doubtfully.
“Ah,” Bobby says, tapping the side of his nose conspiratorially. “But she’s thinking about me. I’m on her mind. I’m in her heart.”
“I don’t think so…”
“Come on, Soohyun,” Bobby pleads. “Help oppa. Tell me how to woo Hayi.”
“What are you going to do for me?” Soohyun gives him a sly smile as she turns away from him and skips down the corridor.
“Anything,” Bobby says earnestly, following after her with his books tucked under his arm.
Soohyun faces him again and exhales breathily, raising both hands to cup her flushed cheeks. “Tell me everything about Jinhwan-oppa,” she says.
“Ehhh???”
/
“You’re not going to warn her, right?” Hanbin says.
Jinhwan’s brow furrows.
“Not that there’s anything you would need to warn her about,” he adds quickly when Jinhwan doesn’t respond. “I just don’t want to ruin the surprise.”
“I have nothing to do with this. I need to get to my singing class,” Jinhwan says pointedly. “So if you don’t let go of me, I’m going to have to explain to Hayi-and the rest of the class-why I’m late.”
Hanbin pouts, but lets Jinhwan extract himself from their human pretzel contortion on the floor of one of the practice rooms. It’s Hanbin’s position of choice when he needs advice and comfort from the older boy. Jinhwan is just so tiny and huggable! Hanbin can’t help cuddling him when he’s feeling down.
Jinhwan brushes off his uniform and frowns at him. “I’m going to class now. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Don’t forget to say nice things about me!” Hanbin says.
“There’s nothing to forget,” Jinhwan says wryly as he leaves the practice room.
“Hyung, I love you!” Hanbin calls after him.
Hanbin grins to himself with satisfaction. He can’t think of anything more romantic than the confession that he has planned for Hayi. First, he’s going to perform a dance to a popular American love song. It is, he thinks, the perfect song for a confession, even if there’s the chance that she won’t understand all of the English lyrics. The language of romance, after all, is universal. After school, he’s going to buy a giant Mickey Mouse toy, which he’ll give to her at the end of his performance. Finally, he’ll get right up close to her, take off his snapback, and put it on her head. After all that, she’ll definitely accept his confession over Bobby’s. She might even kiss him!
T MINUS 2 DAYS
In exchange for a free lunch and (at least) a dozen assorted facts about Kim Jinhwan, Soohyun invites Bobby to walk home with her and Chanhyuk, with the promise that Hayi joins them most afternoons. In theory, it’s a solid plan, but they’re hardly five steps away from the school gate before Bobby wishes Soohyun had come up with another way to help him.
For one thing, Hayi and Soohyun are inseparable as soon as they’re in each other’s company. Bobby keeps trying to get between them so that he can talk to Hayi about-well, he doesn’t know yet, but he’s sure he’s charismatic and cool enough to think of something-but Soohyun’s halfhearted attempts to include him in the conversation are futile. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen Hayi look so animated; she links arms with the younger girl and drags her excitedly down the road towards the strip of shops, leaving Bobby and Chanhyuk to take up the rear. Bobby likes to think that it’s because Hayi is nervous around him, and doesn’t want to embarrass herself. Still, it doesn’t help his cause that he hasn’t managed to say more than a few words to her.
It doesn’t help either that Chanhyuk still hasn’t stopped glaring at him suspiciously through his thick frames ever since Soohyun announced gleefully that Bobby would be joining them on their walk home.
“Your sister’s a cute kid,” Bobby says, watching the two girls as Hayi dances around and gesticulates enthusiastically at various items in shop windows. He figures it can’t hurt to mention something that Chanhyuk will definitely feel warmly about.
He figures that he has figured wrongly when Chanhyuk’s glare intensifies.
“Don’t even think about it.”
/
“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“This will work for sure,” Hanbin insists. “I saw it in one of those American teen movies.”
“Why’s everyone so obsessed with America anyway?” Chanwoo wrinkles his nose. “One of my teachers keeps talking about ditching our class to debut in America.”
Hanbin brushes Chanwoo’s dismissal aside. “Trust me, it’s going to go fine. You don’t have to do anything! You just have to be ready to press play when Hayi enters the scene.”
“The scene?”
“I mean, when you see her sit down for lunch.”
“What if she’s not alone?” Chanwoo looks down at the speaker set sitting on the desk between the two of them. It looks…loud. Potentially embarrassing. Kind of like Hanbin.
Hanbin clenches a fist and brings it to his chest. “Then I’ll make a fool of myself. For love.”
He sneaks a look at the younger boy through misty eyes. If anything, Chanwoo looks even more uncertain that he did before.
T MINUS 1 DAY
Hayi bounces on the spot as she waits for Soohyun and Chanhyuk to reach the school gate. This time, that weird guy from her performance class isn’t there. Which is fortunate, because he’s way too old for Soohyun. Hayi has been protective of the younger girl since they met through a school mentoring program, and she definitely doesn’t like the idea of anyone getting to date Soohyun, period. Sure, Soohyun is more mature than most girls her age, but Hayi isn’t convinced that any boys out there are good enough for her. It’s what she and Chanhyuk first bonded over when Soohyun introduced her to her brother, much to Soohyun’s dismay.
Soohyun runs ahead of her brother, and reaches Hayi first.
“Does your dear oppa not want to walk home with us today?”
“Huh? Who do you mean?” Soohyun looks at her curiously. “You mean Bobby-oppa?”
“Yeah,” Hayi says with a slow smile. She pokes Soohyun playfully. “I thought you liked him! Because you invited him to walk with us yesterday.”
“Gross!” Soohyun wrinkles her nose at the idea. “He’s okay, I guess, but he’s not Jinhwan-oppa. Jinhwan-oppa is so perfect! You’re in a class with him, aren’t you?”
Hayi blinks. “Yes…we’re in a few classes together.”
Soohyun sighs longingly. “It must be nice to see him all the time. He probably thinks I’m just some stupid kid.”
“That’s not true at all,” Hayi says. “He barely knows who you are!”
“I guess so,” Soohyun says, brightening instantly. “Jinhwan-oppa is so kind and he would never think such mean things. I’m sure he just hasn’t noticed me because we’re not in the same grade!”
By this time, Chanhyuk has made it to the fence too. He waves at Hayi in greeting. Soohyun immediately turns and glares at him, before pulling Hayi away and towards the road, where they can continue their conversation without being overheard.
“You should introduce us, unnie.”
Hayi doesn’t know what to say. Jinhwan is number one on the List of Boys Who Might Be Allowed to Date Lee Soohyun in the Far Far Far Far Far Far Future. She knows from being his classmate and friend that he’s patient and hardworking, with a good sense of humour and a caring nature. But regardless of his virtues, no decent high school boy with respectable motives should be dating someone a good five years younger than he is.
“Isn’t he a little old for you?”
“But I’m very grown-up for my age! You think so, don’t you?” Soohyun clasps her hands together hopefully.
“Well, yes,” Hayi admits, “But five years is still a pretty big difference at our age.”
“Oh come on unnie, I just want him to notice me! Can’t you invite me to have lunch with you guys?”
Hayi hesitates. It’s not that she thinks Jinhwan will be rude or condescending-in fact, she knows he’ll be unfailingly friendly and Soohyun’s crush will likely spiral even further out of control. Which is probably worse. Still, she can’t really think of a legitimate reason to turn her down.
“I guess we could all have lunch together tomorrow?” Hayi finally relents. “But don’t get weird,” she warns. “He’s a lot older than you, so don’t be upset if he doesn’t want to marry you immediately.”
“It’s okay, unnie, I can wait for him!” Soohyun says, her eyes sparkling.
Hayi frowns, but doesn’t discourage her. “When do you finish class? We both have a free period before lunch tomorrow so we’ll probably just be hanging out in the courtyard if you want to join us there.”
Soohyun quickly pulls out her phone and sends a whole row of thumbs-up emojis to Bobby. She’ll be in the courtyard! Oppa fighting!
FRIDAY
Hanbin feels confident that the day will turn out in his favour. Mickey Mouse toy clasped in one hand and the speaker set in his other, he makes his way towards the courtyard, where Jinhwan had offhandedly mentioned that he’d be having lunch with Hayi.
“I don’t want anything to do with you two after this; you’re so embarrassing,” Jinhwan had said, except that Hanbin knows his friend is too good-natured and loving to really abandon the two of them. Jinhwan will probably forgive him (if not Bobby) after Jinhwan sees what a beautiful couple he and Hayi make. Plus, Hanbin and Bobby simply wouldn’t function without Jinhwan, and the older boy would end up feeling so sorry for them that he’d have to come back. The last time they fought, Bobby and Hanbin had ended up grovelling on their knees, while Jinhwan looked down at them with consternation and amusement. Hanbin isn’t exactly adverse to getting on his knees for Jinhwan, so he’s sure that he can seek forgiveness after all this blows over.
Chanwoo is waiting for him behind the bushes, arms crossed sullenly. “I can’t believe you’re really going to do this.”
Hanbin inhales deeply, and claps a hand on Chanwoo’s shoulder. “Look kid, when you get older, you’ll understand why men are driven to do such things for beautiful women.”
Chanwoo looks at him narrowly. “Stop talking shit and just give me the speakers, hyung.”
“Wow, kid, did Junhwe die and donate his personality to you?” Hanbin plonks it down on the bench. “Alright, I’m going to walk out. Give me a few seconds so that she can see I’m there, then start the music.”
“Are you really sure that you want to do this? Really, really sure?”
“I have to win!” Hanbin says. “Otherwise Bobby will, and he’ll never shut up about it.”
“You know that she’s not some kind of prize, right? What if she rejects both of you?”
“That’s terrifyingly likely!” Hanbin laughs nervously. “So please shut up.”
“Well in that case, good luck.” Chanwoo waves at him as Hanbin steps out into the courtyard.
Chanwoo is about to press the play button when he hears Hanbin hiss, “What are you doing here?”
“Confessing to Hayi!”
Chanwoo rolls his eyes. Of course, it’s Bobby. Of course, when they had said that they’d ask her out at the same time, they didn’t realise that their elaborate confessions would clash.
“You said we should do it at the same time!”
“We can’t! I have music and everything! You’re going to get in the way! Let me go first!”
“I’m sorry for what’s about to happen, Hayi.”
Peering through the bushes, Chanwoo confirms that the third voice belongs to Jinhwan, who’s shaking his head. Deciding that he may as well get things going, Chanwoo presses play, and a clear, prepubescent voice rings out across the courtyard.
You know you love me, I know you care. Just shout whenever, and I’ll be there. You are my love, you are my heart, and we will never ever ever be apart.
“Ha! This is your idea of a confession?”
“Shut up!”
Through the bushes, he can see Hanbin begin to dance. He’s using the Mickey Mouse toy as a prop to demonstrate his, uh, love. From what he can see, neither Hayi nor Jinhwan look particularly impressed. If anything, Jinhwan looks like his soul has left his body, and Hayi has doubled over and Chanwoo can’t even see her expression. He thinks there’s a good chance that she might be choking. The younger girl sitting with them is clutching her cheeks and staring fixedly at Jinhwan. Chanwoo doesn’t understand how she can ignore the spectacle in front of her.
Are we an item? Girl, quit playing. We’re just friends? What are you saying?
“I’m a poacher and you’re all foxes.”
Chanwoo slaps a hand to his forehead in secondhand embarrassment. Bobby has countered Hanbin’s interpretative dance with rap.
“Bet you’ve never seen an arrow like me / with just one wink / I live in your heart, right?”
He doesn’t think to stop the music until the whole debacle is interrupted by Hayi’s hysterical laughter.
Hanbin and Bobby both stop and stand awkwardly, waiting for her to stop laughing. It looks almost as if they’re contestants in a talent show, waiting for a judge to assess their performance. Except that this judge can’t stop rolling around on the courtyard steps, cackling and slapping the ground uncontrollably.
“Oh my god!” she cries, holding her stomach. “That was incredible. Are you guys comedians? Is this like, some kind of hidden camera thing? That was so great!”
“Hayi,” Bobby calls out. “Will you go out with me?”
Hayi looks completely baffled.
“No, Hayi, go out with me! I love you!” Hanbin shouts, making a heart shape with both arms and dropping the Mickey Mouse toy in the process.
“Hayi, Soohyun, let’s leave these losers alone.” Jinhwan stands. Hayi spares them one last giggle and jumps to her feet too, pulling a dazed Soohyun after her as she follows Jinhwan.
Chanwoo realises too late that they’re all heading in his direction, so he quickly shoves his hands in his pockets and looks the other way, whistling in what he hopes is a nonchalant manner. Hayi and Soohyun walk past without even glancing at him, but Jinhwan raises an eyebrow when he sees him and shakes his head in mock disapproval.
Looking back through the bushes, Chanwoo sees Bobby and Hanbin glaring at each other.
“This is all your fault.”
“She laughed at us because of your stupid rap!”
“No, she was laughing at you because of that stupid pop song!”
Hanbin sighs. “I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t she want to date us?”
Bobby shrugs. “We’re great. I mean, you’re pretty great, Hanbin. Any girl would be lucky to have you.”
“You too.” Hanbin smiles at him sadly. “Hey, do you want my snapback? It’s still got the tag and everything. I was going to give it to Hayi, but, well…” He trails off and steps closer. Taking the snapback off his own head, he gently places it on Bobby’s. “I guess she didn’t want it.” The snapback tag swings in the soft breeze. In Chanwoo’s imagination, cherry blossoms fall.
Bobby touches the snapback with hesitant fingers. “I guess not,” he says thickly. He steps even closer to Hanbin, leans in, and kisses Hanbin for what seems, to Chanwoo, like an awfully long time, but it can’t really have been for more than a few seconds, because they immediately spring apart and wipe their mouths with the backs of their hands in disgust.
“Never again,” Hanbin says.
“Nope,” Bobby agrees, shaking his head. “I’m gonna go find Donghyuk.”
“Right. You do that.” Hanbin shivers in disgust. “I’ll…I’ll just. Go.”
Bobby is still shaking his head as he walks off. Hanbin bends down and picks up the forlorn Mickey Mouse toy, brushing it off dejectedly. He kisses it on the brow, and tucks it under his arm. His eyebrows look even more sad than they usually do.
Chanwoo decides that he’s definitely seen enough.
“I have to go, hyung! You did great!” he yells through the bushes. “I’ll just leave your speaker set here! Don’t feel so bad, you didn’t really lose to Bobby-hyung!”
At the sound of Bobby’s name, Hanbin’s expression changes. He casts down the Mickey Mouse toy emphatically and throws his head back.
“KIMBAPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!” he howls.
Chanwoo flees.
------------------------------------
a/n: i’m sorry that no one actually ends up together. and that everyone is super ooc. and that i’m not even that funny. and for everything else. i’m just so, so sorry. (also i got lazy with figuring out how high school ages worked so just assume that chanhyuk/golden trio/hayi are all like, the same age if it really bothers you.)
Rating: PG.
Warning: I have no words to say in my own defence.
Focus: Hayi, Soohyun, Jinhwan, Bobby, Hanbin, a bit of Chanwoo/Chanhyuk.
Length: ~3200.
T MINUS 4 DAYS
Technically, Hanbin is the one who meets Hayi first, but Bobby doesn’t think that’s very important, since Bobby obviously knows her better.
They’ve both been partners with her before in performance class, but Bobby and Hayi’s performance had taken weeks to prepare, whereas Hanbin’s was just a small, negligible project at the beginning of the year wherein absolutely no intimate feelings could possibly have developed. Or so Bobby likes to think. Hanbin does not agree, and the two of them haven’t stopped bickering about it since they met up with Jinhwan on their daily walk to school.
“Hyung, Hayi likes me more, right?” Bobby looks at Jinhwan hopefully.
Jinhwan takes another sip from his juice box. “I think,” he says slowly, “That she actually seems to prefer me.”
Bobby and Hanbin scowl in unison.
“That’s not really fair,” Bobby says. “All girls like you. But between me and Hanbin, Hayi definitely likes me, right?”
“That’s not a question you should be asking me,” Jinhwan says diplomatically. “I’m not Hayi so I can’t really tell you.”
“That’s right,” Hanbin says, quick to agree with Jinhwan. “I’m going to ask her out when I get to school, and then we’ll know for sure that she likes me better.”
“But I was going to ask her out!” Bobby protests. “You know I like her, man…that’s low.”
“It’s not low,” Hanbin says curtly. “It’s for love.”
“What’s love got to do with it?” Bobby protests.
Both Hanbin and Jinhwan look at him blankly.
Bobby sighs. “At the very least, we should do it at the same time. Then she can make the decision.”
“Fine by me,” Hanbin says. “On Friday, then. At lunch. She’s going to choose me either way. Unlike you, I’m not afraid of losing.”
“Who says I’m afraid of losing?” Bobby scoffs. “I’m going to sweep her off her feet.”
“Oh yeah, and how are you gonna do that?”
“As if I’d tell you!”
Jinhwan raises an eyebrow as he looks between his two hopeless friends, and wisely decides not to intervene.
T MINUS 3 DAYS
“So, how are you gonna do it?”
Bobby slams his locker door closed with a smirk. “I’ll rap my confession.”
“That is so uncool.” Soohyun whacks him on the arm with a textbook. Bobby recognises the textbook as one that he used five years ago. The thought of this mere child telling him that he’s uncool is positively unacceptable to him.
“It’s not uncool! Rapping is very romantic! Besides, I look sexy when I rap.” Bobby has seen girls fawning over him in his performance class-not that he’s watching their reactions or anything. Bobby is an artist. He’s dedicated to his craft first, the fans second. A very close second.
Soohyun rolls her eyes. “Unnie thinks you look like a dork.”
“Really?” Bobby beams. “Hayi talks about me to you? Awesome.”
“She doesn’t really say good things,” Soohyun says doubtfully.
“Ah,” Bobby says, tapping the side of his nose conspiratorially. “But she’s thinking about me. I’m on her mind. I’m in her heart.”
“I don’t think so…”
“Come on, Soohyun,” Bobby pleads. “Help oppa. Tell me how to woo Hayi.”
“What are you going to do for me?” Soohyun gives him a sly smile as she turns away from him and skips down the corridor.
“Anything,” Bobby says earnestly, following after her with his books tucked under his arm.
Soohyun faces him again and exhales breathily, raising both hands to cup her flushed cheeks. “Tell me everything about Jinhwan-oppa,” she says.
“Ehhh???”
/
“You’re not going to warn her, right?” Hanbin says.
Jinhwan’s brow furrows.
“Not that there’s anything you would need to warn her about,” he adds quickly when Jinhwan doesn’t respond. “I just don’t want to ruin the surprise.”
“I have nothing to do with this. I need to get to my singing class,” Jinhwan says pointedly. “So if you don’t let go of me, I’m going to have to explain to Hayi-and the rest of the class-why I’m late.”
Hanbin pouts, but lets Jinhwan extract himself from their human pretzel contortion on the floor of one of the practice rooms. It’s Hanbin’s position of choice when he needs advice and comfort from the older boy. Jinhwan is just so tiny and huggable! Hanbin can’t help cuddling him when he’s feeling down.
Jinhwan brushes off his uniform and frowns at him. “I’m going to class now. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Don’t forget to say nice things about me!” Hanbin says.
“There’s nothing to forget,” Jinhwan says wryly as he leaves the practice room.
“Hyung, I love you!” Hanbin calls after him.
Hanbin grins to himself with satisfaction. He can’t think of anything more romantic than the confession that he has planned for Hayi. First, he’s going to perform a dance to a popular American love song. It is, he thinks, the perfect song for a confession, even if there’s the chance that she won’t understand all of the English lyrics. The language of romance, after all, is universal. After school, he’s going to buy a giant Mickey Mouse toy, which he’ll give to her at the end of his performance. Finally, he’ll get right up close to her, take off his snapback, and put it on her head. After all that, she’ll definitely accept his confession over Bobby’s. She might even kiss him!
T MINUS 2 DAYS
In exchange for a free lunch and (at least) a dozen assorted facts about Kim Jinhwan, Soohyun invites Bobby to walk home with her and Chanhyuk, with the promise that Hayi joins them most afternoons. In theory, it’s a solid plan, but they’re hardly five steps away from the school gate before Bobby wishes Soohyun had come up with another way to help him.
For one thing, Hayi and Soohyun are inseparable as soon as they’re in each other’s company. Bobby keeps trying to get between them so that he can talk to Hayi about-well, he doesn’t know yet, but he’s sure he’s charismatic and cool enough to think of something-but Soohyun’s halfhearted attempts to include him in the conversation are futile. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen Hayi look so animated; she links arms with the younger girl and drags her excitedly down the road towards the strip of shops, leaving Bobby and Chanhyuk to take up the rear. Bobby likes to think that it’s because Hayi is nervous around him, and doesn’t want to embarrass herself. Still, it doesn’t help his cause that he hasn’t managed to say more than a few words to her.
It doesn’t help either that Chanhyuk still hasn’t stopped glaring at him suspiciously through his thick frames ever since Soohyun announced gleefully that Bobby would be joining them on their walk home.
“Your sister’s a cute kid,” Bobby says, watching the two girls as Hayi dances around and gesticulates enthusiastically at various items in shop windows. He figures it can’t hurt to mention something that Chanhyuk will definitely feel warmly about.
He figures that he has figured wrongly when Chanhyuk’s glare intensifies.
“Don’t even think about it.”
/
“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“This will work for sure,” Hanbin insists. “I saw it in one of those American teen movies.”
“Why’s everyone so obsessed with America anyway?” Chanwoo wrinkles his nose. “One of my teachers keeps talking about ditching our class to debut in America.”
Hanbin brushes Chanwoo’s dismissal aside. “Trust me, it’s going to go fine. You don’t have to do anything! You just have to be ready to press play when Hayi enters the scene.”
“The scene?”
“I mean, when you see her sit down for lunch.”
“What if she’s not alone?” Chanwoo looks down at the speaker set sitting on the desk between the two of them. It looks…loud. Potentially embarrassing. Kind of like Hanbin.
Hanbin clenches a fist and brings it to his chest. “Then I’ll make a fool of myself. For love.”
He sneaks a look at the younger boy through misty eyes. If anything, Chanwoo looks even more uncertain that he did before.
T MINUS 1 DAY
Hayi bounces on the spot as she waits for Soohyun and Chanhyuk to reach the school gate. This time, that weird guy from her performance class isn’t there. Which is fortunate, because he’s way too old for Soohyun. Hayi has been protective of the younger girl since they met through a school mentoring program, and she definitely doesn’t like the idea of anyone getting to date Soohyun, period. Sure, Soohyun is more mature than most girls her age, but Hayi isn’t convinced that any boys out there are good enough for her. It’s what she and Chanhyuk first bonded over when Soohyun introduced her to her brother, much to Soohyun’s dismay.
Soohyun runs ahead of her brother, and reaches Hayi first.
“Does your dear oppa not want to walk home with us today?”
“Huh? Who do you mean?” Soohyun looks at her curiously. “You mean Bobby-oppa?”
“Yeah,” Hayi says with a slow smile. She pokes Soohyun playfully. “I thought you liked him! Because you invited him to walk with us yesterday.”
“Gross!” Soohyun wrinkles her nose at the idea. “He’s okay, I guess, but he’s not Jinhwan-oppa. Jinhwan-oppa is so perfect! You’re in a class with him, aren’t you?”
Hayi blinks. “Yes…we’re in a few classes together.”
Soohyun sighs longingly. “It must be nice to see him all the time. He probably thinks I’m just some stupid kid.”
“That’s not true at all,” Hayi says. “He barely knows who you are!”
“I guess so,” Soohyun says, brightening instantly. “Jinhwan-oppa is so kind and he would never think such mean things. I’m sure he just hasn’t noticed me because we’re not in the same grade!”
By this time, Chanhyuk has made it to the fence too. He waves at Hayi in greeting. Soohyun immediately turns and glares at him, before pulling Hayi away and towards the road, where they can continue their conversation without being overheard.
“You should introduce us, unnie.”
Hayi doesn’t know what to say. Jinhwan is number one on the List of Boys Who Might Be Allowed to Date Lee Soohyun in the Far Far Far Far Far Far Future. She knows from being his classmate and friend that he’s patient and hardworking, with a good sense of humour and a caring nature. But regardless of his virtues, no decent high school boy with respectable motives should be dating someone a good five years younger than he is.
“Isn’t he a little old for you?”
“But I’m very grown-up for my age! You think so, don’t you?” Soohyun clasps her hands together hopefully.
“Well, yes,” Hayi admits, “But five years is still a pretty big difference at our age.”
“Oh come on unnie, I just want him to notice me! Can’t you invite me to have lunch with you guys?”
Hayi hesitates. It’s not that she thinks Jinhwan will be rude or condescending-in fact, she knows he’ll be unfailingly friendly and Soohyun’s crush will likely spiral even further out of control. Which is probably worse. Still, she can’t really think of a legitimate reason to turn her down.
“I guess we could all have lunch together tomorrow?” Hayi finally relents. “But don’t get weird,” she warns. “He’s a lot older than you, so don’t be upset if he doesn’t want to marry you immediately.”
“It’s okay, unnie, I can wait for him!” Soohyun says, her eyes sparkling.
Hayi frowns, but doesn’t discourage her. “When do you finish class? We both have a free period before lunch tomorrow so we’ll probably just be hanging out in the courtyard if you want to join us there.”
Soohyun quickly pulls out her phone and sends a whole row of thumbs-up emojis to Bobby. She’ll be in the courtyard! Oppa fighting!
FRIDAY
Hanbin feels confident that the day will turn out in his favour. Mickey Mouse toy clasped in one hand and the speaker set in his other, he makes his way towards the courtyard, where Jinhwan had offhandedly mentioned that he’d be having lunch with Hayi.
“I don’t want anything to do with you two after this; you’re so embarrassing,” Jinhwan had said, except that Hanbin knows his friend is too good-natured and loving to really abandon the two of them. Jinhwan will probably forgive him (if not Bobby) after Jinhwan sees what a beautiful couple he and Hayi make. Plus, Hanbin and Bobby simply wouldn’t function without Jinhwan, and the older boy would end up feeling so sorry for them that he’d have to come back. The last time they fought, Bobby and Hanbin had ended up grovelling on their knees, while Jinhwan looked down at them with consternation and amusement. Hanbin isn’t exactly adverse to getting on his knees for Jinhwan, so he’s sure that he can seek forgiveness after all this blows over.
Chanwoo is waiting for him behind the bushes, arms crossed sullenly. “I can’t believe you’re really going to do this.”
Hanbin inhales deeply, and claps a hand on Chanwoo’s shoulder. “Look kid, when you get older, you’ll understand why men are driven to do such things for beautiful women.”
Chanwoo looks at him narrowly. “Stop talking shit and just give me the speakers, hyung.”
“Wow, kid, did Junhwe die and donate his personality to you?” Hanbin plonks it down on the bench. “Alright, I’m going to walk out. Give me a few seconds so that she can see I’m there, then start the music.”
“Are you really sure that you want to do this? Really, really sure?”
“I have to win!” Hanbin says. “Otherwise Bobby will, and he’ll never shut up about it.”
“You know that she’s not some kind of prize, right? What if she rejects both of you?”
“That’s terrifyingly likely!” Hanbin laughs nervously. “So please shut up.”
“Well in that case, good luck.” Chanwoo waves at him as Hanbin steps out into the courtyard.
Chanwoo is about to press the play button when he hears Hanbin hiss, “What are you doing here?”
“Confessing to Hayi!”
Chanwoo rolls his eyes. Of course, it’s Bobby. Of course, when they had said that they’d ask her out at the same time, they didn’t realise that their elaborate confessions would clash.
“You said we should do it at the same time!”
“We can’t! I have music and everything! You’re going to get in the way! Let me go first!”
“I’m sorry for what’s about to happen, Hayi.”
Peering through the bushes, Chanwoo confirms that the third voice belongs to Jinhwan, who’s shaking his head. Deciding that he may as well get things going, Chanwoo presses play, and a clear, prepubescent voice rings out across the courtyard.
You know you love me, I know you care. Just shout whenever, and I’ll be there. You are my love, you are my heart, and we will never ever ever be apart.
“Ha! This is your idea of a confession?”
“Shut up!”
Through the bushes, he can see Hanbin begin to dance. He’s using the Mickey Mouse toy as a prop to demonstrate his, uh, love. From what he can see, neither Hayi nor Jinhwan look particularly impressed. If anything, Jinhwan looks like his soul has left his body, and Hayi has doubled over and Chanwoo can’t even see her expression. He thinks there’s a good chance that she might be choking. The younger girl sitting with them is clutching her cheeks and staring fixedly at Jinhwan. Chanwoo doesn’t understand how she can ignore the spectacle in front of her.
Are we an item? Girl, quit playing. We’re just friends? What are you saying?
“I’m a poacher and you’re all foxes.”
Chanwoo slaps a hand to his forehead in secondhand embarrassment. Bobby has countered Hanbin’s interpretative dance with rap.
“Bet you’ve never seen an arrow like me / with just one wink / I live in your heart, right?”
He doesn’t think to stop the music until the whole debacle is interrupted by Hayi’s hysterical laughter.
Hanbin and Bobby both stop and stand awkwardly, waiting for her to stop laughing. It looks almost as if they’re contestants in a talent show, waiting for a judge to assess their performance. Except that this judge can’t stop rolling around on the courtyard steps, cackling and slapping the ground uncontrollably.
“Oh my god!” she cries, holding her stomach. “That was incredible. Are you guys comedians? Is this like, some kind of hidden camera thing? That was so great!”
“Hayi,” Bobby calls out. “Will you go out with me?”
Hayi looks completely baffled.
“No, Hayi, go out with me! I love you!” Hanbin shouts, making a heart shape with both arms and dropping the Mickey Mouse toy in the process.
“Hayi, Soohyun, let’s leave these losers alone.” Jinhwan stands. Hayi spares them one last giggle and jumps to her feet too, pulling a dazed Soohyun after her as she follows Jinhwan.
Chanwoo realises too late that they’re all heading in his direction, so he quickly shoves his hands in his pockets and looks the other way, whistling in what he hopes is a nonchalant manner. Hayi and Soohyun walk past without even glancing at him, but Jinhwan raises an eyebrow when he sees him and shakes his head in mock disapproval.
Looking back through the bushes, Chanwoo sees Bobby and Hanbin glaring at each other.
“This is all your fault.”
“She laughed at us because of your stupid rap!”
“No, she was laughing at you because of that stupid pop song!”
Hanbin sighs. “I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t she want to date us?”
Bobby shrugs. “We’re great. I mean, you’re pretty great, Hanbin. Any girl would be lucky to have you.”
“You too.” Hanbin smiles at him sadly. “Hey, do you want my snapback? It’s still got the tag and everything. I was going to give it to Hayi, but, well…” He trails off and steps closer. Taking the snapback off his own head, he gently places it on Bobby’s. “I guess she didn’t want it.” The snapback tag swings in the soft breeze. In Chanwoo’s imagination, cherry blossoms fall.
Bobby touches the snapback with hesitant fingers. “I guess not,” he says thickly. He steps even closer to Hanbin, leans in, and kisses Hanbin for what seems, to Chanwoo, like an awfully long time, but it can’t really have been for more than a few seconds, because they immediately spring apart and wipe their mouths with the backs of their hands in disgust.
“Never again,” Hanbin says.
“Nope,” Bobby agrees, shaking his head. “I’m gonna go find Donghyuk.”
“Right. You do that.” Hanbin shivers in disgust. “I’ll…I’ll just. Go.”
Bobby is still shaking his head as he walks off. Hanbin bends down and picks up the forlorn Mickey Mouse toy, brushing it off dejectedly. He kisses it on the brow, and tucks it under his arm. His eyebrows look even more sad than they usually do.
Chanwoo decides that he’s definitely seen enough.
“I have to go, hyung! You did great!” he yells through the bushes. “I’ll just leave your speaker set here! Don’t feel so bad, you didn’t really lose to Bobby-hyung!”
At the sound of Bobby’s name, Hanbin’s expression changes. He casts down the Mickey Mouse toy emphatically and throws his head back.
“KIMBAPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!” he howls.
Chanwoo flees.
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a/n: i’m sorry that no one actually ends up together. and that everyone is super ooc. and that i’m not even that funny. and for everything else. i’m just so, so sorry. (also i got lazy with figuring out how high school ages worked so just assume that chanhyuk/golden trio/hayi are all like, the same age if it really bothers you.)