For a long while Minjun stares at Taehyeon.
"Can you stop looking at me, please," he mutters.
"Sure."
Minjun does not stop looking. Taehyeon has already given up.
"Are you going to get this over with? You're probably busy, aren't you?"
Minjun looks puzzled for half a second but returns to his smile. "I won't keep you for long. I just wanted to ask if you're the boy who likes me. No. Wait. I want to ask if you mean it."
Well. That is Taehyeon's fate sealed. This is all over. Bada will need to find a new best friend. There is so much that Taehyeon was meant to do with his life. He isn't sure what any of those things were meant to be but he has lost the chance to work it out.
Then again, the first punch is yet to be thrown. Taehyeon might have some time after all.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Really? I thought it was you. Is there another Mo Taehyeon in your class? Can you help me to find him?"
Still unpunched, Taehyeon knows he is pushing his luck.
"What are you going to do with him if I take you to him?"
"I want to ask to be friends. I can't guarantee that I will be able to give him what he wants. I have never been liked by a boy before. I'd like to get to know him. Finding out what he likes about me would be interesting."
"And then you're going to beat him up?"
Minjun laughs and rubs his nose. Taehyeon supposes Minjun's red nose has more to do with the hockey stick from a few days before rather than fighting. "No way. I've never hit anyone before. I just think he's cute. Don't tell him I'm showing this to you."
The thing Minjun pulls out of his pocket is a carefully folded piece of paper. It is a page from a book. It is a page from Taehyeon's textbook. Minjun's name is doodled onto the page and surrounded by hearts.
"What? No!"
Taehyeon scrambles to yank his backpack around to his front and struggles with the zip. He eventually tears his bag open and finds his history textbook. He turns the pages frantically and finds the page that he wants. Rather, he finds the page he wants is missing save for a deflated triangle of paper which flaps listlessly at his face.
"No way. Who gave that to you?"
Minjun peers curiously over at Taehyeon's open book. He looks between the page in his hands and the book in Taehyeon's hands. He places the unfolded page into the book and carefully lines up the tear. Making a quietly impressed sound, he points at the page numbers.
"We completed the book. That's so cool."
Glaring at Minjun, Taehyeon can't tell if this is meant to be a joke or not. Minjun looks pleased with himself but he isn't even laughing at Taehyeon right now. Taehyeon clearly pushed his luck too far. He needs to try to understand what is going on.
"Did Minjeong rip that page out of my book just to show you?"
"Your book? But you said…"
"I'm the only Mo Taehyeon in my class. That page is from my textbook and my mom is going to kill me. Can you please just tell me if you are messing with me? I don't need to be this confused this early in the morning."
Minjun picks up the offending page and looks between the stupid scribble and Taehyeon.
"Oh. Weren't you messing with me? I was really worried that I'd found the wrong person," Minjun says. "I was so embarrassed. I promise I'm not one of those guys who assumes everyone must be in love with me because I'm so hot."
Taehyeon wonders whether Minjun actually does think he's hot. The wording there is a bit strange. He doesn't get the chance to really consider it because Minjun is happy to talk through it all by himself.
"So, you like boys?"
Taehyeon has never been asked this before. He has hardly ever told anyone aside from Bada. This feels like a test. Taehyeon shrugs. He nods. Minjun smiles.
"Cool. Do you really fancy me?"
This is awful.
"Yes."
"Why?"
This interrogation is getting too detailed for Taehyeon to bear. This must be karma from that one time he wished on a shooting star for the chance to speak to Minjun. If this is how life is playing out it would be kinder of the shooting star to hurtle down to earth and put him out of his misery.
Taehyeon squeezes his eyes shut and waits for destiny to do the kindest thing. Nothing. Taehyeon opens his eyes. He unfortunately hasn't been killed by a meteor and Minjun is still standing in front of him looking for all the world like he asked an ordinary question. There's nothing else for it. Taehyeon needs to answer the question.
Or run away.
Freedom sure tastes sweet until he is tackled to the ground and his teeth clamp around his tongue.
"You forgot your bag and your books," Minjun says like he is admonishing a small child. Taehyeon is trying his hardest not to cry so he can pretend the tone isn't justified. It doesn't really work out for him. The only thing he can manage to do at this stage is roll around in the dirt with his hands clamped over his mouth.
Minjun shuffles over to him on his knees and drops Taehyeon's dusty backpack next to his head.
"Are you hurt? Get on my back and I will take you to the school nurse."
"No! No way! Are you crazy?"
Minjun hesitates. "I don't think I am. Should I just take you to your classroom instead? We're probably going to be late."
The school bell rings. They're already late. It isn't fair. Taehyeon came to school early! He made sure he looked good so he doesn't show Bada up later! Nothing has gone right for Taehyeon this entire day.
"Please leave me alone," Taehyeon says. He presses his tongue against the back of his teeth but it doesn't stop the sting. Minjun tilts his head.
"Oh. I can do that. I can leave you alone. I just…"
"What?"
Minjun's fingers knit together in his lap and he isn't doing well with his attempts to smile.
Eventually he says, "I just want to know what there is to like about me. From your point of view. Does that make sense?"
"Don't lots of people fancy you?" Taehyeon asks, baffled. "You're Lee Minjun. You can ask anyone and they'd have an answer."
"But none of those people are…" Minjun trails off and fixes a smile on his face by the time he looks Taehyeon in the eye. "We should get going. I'll tell your teacher that you were late because of me. You might be able to save yourself from getting any demerits."
Minjun climbs to his feet and offers Taehyeon a hand. Taehyeon doesn't take it.
"Did you want to ask me because I'm a boy?"
Minjun nods stiffly. He really might not have any intention of beating Taehyeon up. This is weird.
"I think you're handsome," Taehyeon says. "That's why I fancy you."
Oddly surprised by the response, Minjun withdraws his hand. "Is that it?"
"I don't really know you. I only know what you look like. That was enough to start to like you."
"Oh," Minjun says. "Do you want to get to know me?"