In an elite art school where talent reigns supreme, there's only one thing that matters more than staying on top: the annual Dirty Smoothie Award.
At least, to Haechan and Chaerin, it does.
When things take a turn and the competition gets cancelled...
In less than a week, posters are already put up all over school. Mark has already played his part in helping to promote the new competition (he would have gotten the help of the other council members, but he didn't want to waste their time to help organise something as meaningless as this), and students have been buzzing about it since the announcement.
It made Mark feel only a little jealous— he's been trying to get students to be more involved in curricular activities ever since he stepped up as president last year, and none of his ideas have ever received a response as good as this one.
At least his work is done now; he didn't really want to involve himself in this whole situation any longer than necessary. It's hard to understand the petty rivalry those two shared considering the fact that they aren't even in the same major to begin with, and as much as Mark doesn't even want to try to understand, he's hoping that this competition would help to squash whatever beef they have going on eventually.
Even if it's unlikely, at least he can say that he tried.
From a distance, he sees Donghyuck handing out his flyers, and Mark furrows his eyebrows. Were the million and one pasted around the school not enough? He ought to sue the kid for destruction of property, or something.
"Vote for Lee Haechan!" Donghyuck is talking to a boy, a junior, standing right before him, but his shrill voice still echoes loudly in the hallway. Mark cringes.
"Um, what are we voting for again?" The junior asks warily as he eyes the paper in his hand. The poster doesn't even contain any useful information, just the words Vote for Lee Haechan! printed in bold.
"The Dirty Smoothie 2.0," Donghyuck answers simply.
"Um, yeah, but based on what, exactly? I mean, there has to be some sort of criteria so we know who to vote for-"
"Doesn't matter. If you like me, you'd vote for me. Chin up, buddy! See you at the rally!" Donghyuck chirps before patting the junior on the back, who stumbles in the process before walking away.
"Going with the stage name, huh?" Mark approaches him tentatively, his fingers gripping the strap of his bag tightly. He should probably get to the studio soon, but he'd be lying if he said he's not the least bit intrigued at how Donghyuck's campaign is going.
"That's what the juniors know me as, anyway. Has a nicer ring to it too, don't you think?" Donghyuck answers as he sorts the bunch of flyers in his hands. It doesn't seem like it's going to thin any time soon, even with the amount he's already put around school. Mark is almost tempted to ask how many he had printed.
Mark shrugs as he glances around, the crowd in the hallway beginning to disperse. "So...how exactly are you planning to get votes if you don't actually do something to win the people's hearts? I mean, no offence, but printing just your name on a piece of paper doesn't really seem like it'd work, no? Not to mention, the harm it does to the environment-"
The younger boy doesn't even look fazed as he lets out a scoff. "Mark, Mark, Mark. C'mon, it's like you don't even know me! This is only the beginning." He shoves a flyer into Mark's hands. "Vote for Lee Haechan!" He sings before skipping away.
Mark thinks he should skip his class, because God, does he feel a terrible headache incoming.
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The music room next door had been oddly quiet today, but Chaerin knew it was too good to be true, because the very moment she steps out of the dance studio, she's met with a ruckus from the ampitheatre downstairs.
The area isn't really that big to begin with, a space people don't really frequent unless it's to enjoy some fresh air between classes, but right now, as she's leaning over the corridor to see just what the hell is going on, Chaerin has the answer to her own question.
Donghyuck's dark mop of hair is easily identifiable even from upstairs (or maybe, it's just the sinister aura that surrounds him everywhere he goes), the asshole shamelessly shouting loudly like he's a fishmonger in a market as he walks around with a big board hung around his neck. The words are only identifiable once Chaerin makes her way downstairs.
Cast a Vote, Date a Dreamboat! and in parentheses, Lee Jeno.
"Pimping your bandmate just for a couple of votes? Yeah, real classy, Donghyuck." She approaches the boy with crossed arms, who grins widely upon seeing her.
He's looking less like an e-boy reject today, his face left bare instead of the usual dark eyeshadow that smudges his lids. His eyes are framed by black-rimmed glasses, obnoxiously thick, but the usual mischief in his pupils remain all the same.
"Hey, if it works, it works, you know? It's not like he doesn't enjoy the attention." He glances behind him where Jeno sits at the booth, shamelessly flirting with a girl on the other side. "I wanted to put Jaemin up for sale too, but the dude is weirdly loyal to his girl. And I'm talking about that Sera girl who doesn't even know he exists, so-"
"Really, Prez?" Chaerin interrupts his rambling the moment she sees Mark come into view. "You're letting him play dirty?"
"Hey, the rules were no rules." Mark raises his clipboard in surrender. "Plus, this campaign is really boosting student engagement, dude! We've never had this much participation since Johnny Suh tried to crowdsurf a few years back. And look, people are actually signing up for the planning committee for the freshie camp next year."
"Wha- are you serious?!" Chaerin snatches the clipboard from his hand, earning an estranged hey! from the president. "You're riding off Donghyuck's wave? That's unfair! You're supposed to be unbiased."
"Which I am! I'm not voting for anybody," Mark defends himself as he takes back his clipboard.
"Babies! Relax, relax, I got this," Donghyuck announces as he rests his arms on each of their shoulders, though Chaerin is quick to shove him away. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll give you a free ticket to go on a date with Lee Jeno. Eh?" He wiggles his eyebrows. He raises a hand, a small ticket stub in between his fingers as he waves it in front of Chaerin. "This is a one-time offer, so use it wisely!"
Chaerin gasps girlishly as she accepts the ticket, Donghyuck grinning proudly at having won her over— but not for long, because soon, the small paper is shredded to pieces right before his very eyes.
"Cherry, what the fuck! That was expensive!"
"Should have thought twice before trying to bribe me," she scorns, though her lips are quick to tug into a smile once again, eyes narrowing into little crescents. "Do it again, and this ticket isn't the only thing I'd tear apart," she says sweetly before stalking off.
Both Mark and Donghyuck could only afford to stare at her retreating back wordlessly, the older not even bothering to conceal his audibly loud gulp.
"That... was fucking mortifying." Mark glances to his right, and his fear only heightens when he realises that Donghyuck is laughing. Between this and Chaerin's temper, Mark couldn't decide which one is more terrifying.
"And... you're laughing. Dude, why are you laughing?"
Donghyuck snickers to himself, his eyes still on Chaerin, only looking away when she disappears completely. He pats Mark on the back before turning to leave.
