"i don't need a model~" jisung whined pathetically as he packed away his art supplies slowly. "my portfolio will turn out fine, anyway."

he and his teacher, mrs. jo, were always the last to leave the room since they chose to clean up or simply chat like old ladies. as a first year, the student was relatively new to the concept of the school's unusual system and hierarchy...so he actually found he preferred the company of a few of the adults.

"look, it is a good portfolio so far...but you're capable of top marks, jisung," she sighed while stacking various jars of old, used paintbrushes onto the shelves. "besides, everyone else has a model for this upcoming project, and i don't want to fail you."

"fail me? it's just a life sketch project. i like cartoons...so..."

"expand your interests, love. you'll never get anywhere if you don't adventure and experiment. you might even find you'll like it."

the boy blinked blankly and pursed his lips with distaste. he did not want to have to draw real life things since he was so bad at them. what if his model laughed at his shitty skills? why couldn't he just animate them?

"there's no other option?" he double checked for good measure. his special skills were all present in the art programme of this institution, and he couldn't risk failing or falling behind. "just one module of life drawing?"

"just one. it's only two months, anyway. eight weeks to get to bond with your artwork and discover new talents or interests."

sounds dumb, he thought, though mrs. jo never particularly made sense and he tended to just roll with it. "well...i don't have a model. my best friend is the only person i can talk to other than you, and he refuses to let anyone see him pose or be naked other than his boyfriend."

"well, since i knew that you'd pull an excuse like that..." the woman chuckled somewhat deviously before sashaying over with sparkly eyes. "i actually already planned one for you."

"what? you did?"

"yup."

"is it a second or third year? i presume most of my year have been taken for the projects..."

"well, it is a first year. but," she waved her index finger around pointedly before pressing it to her lips for classification. "he's a bit of a secret."

he? who's this person then? although, like his life was a movie and all that was missing was a soundtrack, the lady clapped her hands loudly and in popped another student's head around the door a few metres away.

"hello, chenle. you're just in time for the errand."

"chenle?" jisung furrowed his brows since he'd never heard of that pupil. then, once he saw the entirety of him, his jaw went slack and his heart dropped a few miles. "oh shit..."

the boy was adorned in a white, princely uniform. the total opposite of jisung's black one. the chinese teen looked quite stunning with the snow-coloured slacks and jacket with black trim, the raven button-up underneath that was hidden and of course, the silver buttons to line the whole outfit. the ivory class were the fire to ebony's ice. the students dressed in black, like jisung, were basically reversing the same uniform of which the slacks and jacket were coal with white trim and the blouses were pristine white as well. only difference being the golden buttons instead.

within jang academy resided two separate class groups, each with three year groups. the ages ranged from fifteen or sixteen to eighteen or nineteen, so nobody discriminated against the year groups themselves, just each other who wore different coloured uniforms.

"mrs. jo..." the youngest swallowed hard as though he was trying to eliminate a tickle in his throat. "that's an ivory student."

"well spotted, kiddo," and beamed excitedly. "as a teacher, i couldn't care less about your class wars. to me, i see two sixteen-year-olds with nothing better to do. please cooperate."

"i mean, i don't really mind," chenle murmured shyly, "but you told me i'd be cleaning tables..."

"i lied. adults do that sometimes," the woman smirked. she was clearly proud of herself for pulling this whole disaster together, though jisung wasn't. not even a little.

"i'll get bullied for hanging around an ivory class member! what if someone sees us?!"

"then keep a good secret," she winked, and with that she was dancing off to leave them alone together. the taller flinched once the door slammed shut behind her, taking with the lady any liveliness. they were officially alone together.

two minutes passed where they stared at the walls and formulated pointless conversations in their heads about starting up something. the younger needed the other in order to pass this module, while chenle had no friends yet as a transfer student and needed someone to hang out with.

eventually, jisung cracked under the awkwardness and elicited a long, drawled out breath. "hi..."

"hi..." the ravenette murmured and tugged at the hem of his jacket. "i'm...i'm new here, so i don't hate ebony yet, i promise."

oh boy, the taller bit the wall of his cheek to prevent a meltdown. he's new, huh? he'll get eaten alive if he gets caught saying that. i'll have to teach him about the hatred and system. "nice to meet you, i suppose. let's work out a plan."

"ah, perfect!" chenle gushed happily and instantly started to stick close. how very cute this transfer was.