Clique (txtXitzy)

7. Day 9

"Beomgyu, can I ask you a question?" Ryujin approached his locker right after school that day.

"Yeah, but make it quick because it's kinda crowded and you know sasaengs," Beomgyu replied, shutting the door of his locker which was continuously stuffed with love letters from other girls.

"How on earth did you end up getting into the developing level on all mixed classes? Don't you have a pride to protect as a smart class president?"

"I obviously do but setting my priorities right is more important than my reputation. I had to learn that the hard way." Beomgyu leaned on his locker leisurely and added, "Besides, how did you know that I was class president? We've never met at school until yesterday, which is a bit odd."

"I heard from Somi. You're close with her because you're both class presidents of our form so you attend meetings together often and she told me about it because we're close too."

"Ah yes, the JYP trainee days. But why is my decision so important that you had to ask, Ryujin?" 

"It's just that Chaeryeong and I failed the test on purpose to stay away since we thought you'd be in the intermediate level because you're class president and all."

"Why would we need to avoid each other? I thought we're friends?" Beomgyu was going to drive away any single drop of suspicion he could. He was rather proud of himself that his act was getting on quite smoothly.

"We are friends and I honestly never wanted to ask in the first place but I just wanted to tell you just in case." But Ryujin had the exact same thought in mind to gain their trust no matter what while subtly avoiding any feelings of emotional attachment, just without the acting and lying part. "We can't be too close outside the court or else we'll get issues with shippers like we always do. We're pretty much a lot more comfortable with each other in the court and I was hoping that's where it stays."

"Point taken, thank you Ryujin," Beomgyu smiled and bowed his head at her, ready to leave. "Are you headed to the court now? Would it be okay to walk together or should we go alone?"

"I thought I just said our friendship out of the practice court shouldn't show too much," Ryujin smiled back and turned around to leave him because Chaeryeong was already waiting outside.

Beomgyu scoffed when he was sure she couldn't hear. That's how she's gonna play huh?

...

"What the hell were you thinking, Beomgyu?"

"What the— Ryu...?" Yeonjun and Yeji groaned in the same time at their teammates. After practice, they decided to talk about school and so the Hanlim students confessed what they had done after Yeonjun and Yeji asked about the level test.

"Hyung, I can't just ace shit all the time! We have to be pros at basketball, dancing, being handsome and everything else, I also wanted to set things right. Remember when I stayed up all night every night the month before debut to get all position techniques perfect and juggle school with songwriting in the same time? When can I take a break? I'm class president already, what else can you ask for?" Beomgyu argued.

"We thought they would be at the intermediate level so we just tried to stay away at school so that we don't look too close," Ryujin defended herself, arms crossed. No one would've thought that Ryujin's choice of words with 'don't look too close' instead of the more honest 'don't become too close' made a huge difference in their subconscious. 

"So you failed the test intentionally?" Again, the oldest players from their team continued to interrogate. But they were becoming more angry by the minute.