[Tuesday - 07.56]

"-And that's when i said 'fuck off, dude, you're ruining the fun'. And guess what, he actually fucked off. He literally ran away like the little bitch he is." Hyunjin excitedly told his story as the group walked down the halls, heading for the vocals auditorium where their lesson was starting in a few minutes.

Minho walked next to Hyunjin, and in front of Seungmin, listening to what Hyunjin was saying while holding his backpack over his right shoulder, clutching the strap in his hand.

Across the hall a slim, darkly dressed figure was putting stuff into their locker, when they suddenly heard a familiar voice only a couple meters away.

"You guys go ahead, I'll catch up." Minho told his friends, jumping across the hall with a wide smile across his face.

Ji giggled, counting down the seconds in their head until Minho would greet them enthusiastically while slamming his shoulder into the locker next to Ji's to lean on it.

"Hey there. Miss me?" Minho asked, smirking at the younger.

Ji turned to look at the elder with a small smile, rolling their eyes.

"In your dreams pretty boy."

"Oh, so they thinks I'm pretty." Minho pretended to think about what Ji said, leaning his back on the locker he was standing against.

Ji slammed their locker shut, shrugging their backpack onto their right shoulder just like Minho.

"Oh, enough of being dramatic, we got class in 3 minutes." Ji urged, starting to walk down the hallway towards the auditorium.

Minho followed put, ignoring the stares and whispers as he walked together with the school's only outcast. The latter still couldn't quite grasp why Ji was so hated by everyone, what was there not to like? The younger was polite, had a great sense of humor, a bomb fashion sense - i mean who doesn't think cargo pants and graphic tees are hot - and they were so easy to get along with once you tried.

"So, i was thinking, Jackson's throwing a party this Saturday and me and my friends are going. You should come too. We could have some drinks, play truth or dare or whatever, make out and then when we're finished we can go back to mine and watch a movie or whatever." Minho shrugged, smiling down at the slightly shorter person.

Ji thought about it for a second, biting their lip.

"Yeah that sounds cool and all, but I'm usually not invited to those kinds of things. You see, i don't know if you've noticed, most likely not, but most people don't really like me over here. They usually don't like it when i crash their parties and ruin all the fun." Ji sarcastically pointed out what was painfully obvious to everyone whom knew who Ji was.

Minho pushed his lips, sending a small glare to the guy whom bumped shoulders with Ji pretty hard as he passed by the latter.

"Well fuck everyone then. Just come with me, i wanna have a good time and you're kind of a key-ingredient to that." Minho pouted softly for extra effect.

"So you don't actually want me there for my company, you want me there because of my drugs?" Ji questioned, sighing.

"What, of course not! I didn't say your drugs now, did i? I said you! You know you really shouldn't think that way when i literally made out with you a couple days ago." Minho pumped shoulder with the younger playfully. 

Ji scoffed through a small smile.

"You were high out of your own ass." Ji rolled their eyes.

"You don't think i would've done that sober? Oh Jiji sweetie you have a lot to learn." Minho shook his head, throwing his arm over Ji's shoulder as he opened the door to the auditorium, walking inside next to the younger.

The two greeted the teacher whom was at the front, stacking papers, before starting to walk up the stairs, ignoring the millions of glaring eyes.

Minho sat down in his usual seat next to his friends, pulling Ji - whom was trying to walk all the way to the back row - down in the free seat by his side. Ji smiled awkwardly at everyone whom were staring, quickly setting down their stuff and taking a seat. The latter fiddled with their fingers under the table, bouncing their leg nervously.

"Minho, the fuck man! What's the freak doing next to us, we can't be seen with him!" Hyunjin whisper yelled, leaning forward to look at his friend.

Minho could hear Ji shifting by his side, swallowing hard.

"Ji is sitting here cuz they're a good friend of mine. And please, Hyunjin, don't be a bitch, no one likes a mis-gendering asshole."  Minho rolled his eyes, turning to the front.

Ji kept shifting around, gulping every couple seconds as they tried to block all the stares and whispers out of their mind. Minho quickly noticed, leaning over to grab Ji's hand softly.

"Uncomfortable? We can go sit somewhere else if you'd like." Minho offered.

Ji shook their head.

"N-No I'm fine. Let's stay here." Ji shook their head with a small forced smile.

"Would you calm down if i kissed you?" Minho joked, making Ji scoff.

"As if! That'd probably give me a panic attack so please don't do that in public, asshole!" Ji shook their head while chuckling silently.

Minho held his free hand up in surrender, sitting up straight in his seat again.

"Just a friendly offer." Minho insisted, pushing his lips while focusing on the teacher whom was starting their class.

Ji scoffed and rolled their eyes.

"Idiot."

Minho chuckled silently, moving his hand away from laying on top of Ji's palm, instead sneaking it under the latter's hand to intertwine their  fingers.

Ji shuffled closer to Minho, leaning into the elder's calming touch with a content sigh as they focused on their class.

"Ok class, today we are starting an exciting new project. We are going to make whole new songs of our own in groups. This will be counting  a big part of your grade, but don't stress it, you can come to me for anything vocal-related, and the other musical teachers are also ready to answer any questions you may have. The project is due in 3 weeks, you will be performing the finished products on-stage here and then get graded as a group and individually." The teacher informed.

"Get into groups of your own choice and start working. More info is in your class's room on teams. Good luck." The teacher said before opening her computer, doing her own thing.

"Min. You're working with us, right?" Hyunjin questioned, standing up together with everyone else.

Minho shrugged.

"As long as Ji can join I'm all in." Minho smiled.

"No way dude! The freak isn't joining us, he can barely even sing or rap!" The tallest exclaimed.

Minho shrugged and turned to Ji.

"Guess we're doing a duet then. C'mon Ji." Minho smiled, pulling Ji along down the stairs.

"Oh, come on Hyunjin, what's the big deal? Just let Ji join, what's the worst that could happen?" Felix interrupted, rolling his eyes at the latter.

"Minho, Ji, you're working with us." Chan added, smiling at the two whom started following the rest of their group instead of going off on their own.

"Are you serious? He's working with us now? What's next, he sits with us at lunch?" Hyunjin exclaimed in disbelief.

"Come on, Jinnie, just dial it down. We need more vocalists anyway, and his voice is good." Chan shrugged.

"They." Minho cut in from behind the eldest.

"Oh, right, sorry Ji. They! I'll remember from now on." Chan insisted, smiling apologetically.

"Oh, no it's fine. I don't mind, call me whatever." Ji nervously said, playing with their fingers.

"No, don't worry about it, we won't sink that low - mis-gendering is just disgusting." Felix faked a smile at Ji, whom nodded softly, wishing they could just fade into the background like usual - not liking all the attention.