HTGAB101 :: changlix ✔︎

step 9- mongay

Step Nine: Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you have three tests on one day, don't offer to hang out the day before! You are the most important person in your life, and you should be the top priority. Also, he might get upset if you have to cancel on him.

"Hey Changbin, wanna hang out later?"

I watch, sullen, as Kim Yasoo sits down at our lunch table. Changbin frowns and looks at Minho. "Uh, sorry Yasoo. I can't."

She shrugs, pouts, and leans her head on his shoulder. I think there's steam coming out of my ears. "Pwease? For me?" Changbin shrugs her off and repeats what he said. "Well then, Minho, are you free?"

Minho raises an eyebrow. "Do I look free?"

She smiles coyly at him and moves to sit beside him. "I'm sure I could help you loosen up, if you catch my drift..."

Just then Jisung arrives. He sits down next to me and assess the situation. "Yasoo, would you mind? I want to kiss my boyfriend, but your ugly face is in the way. I'm not sure how much longer our eyes can handle this."

Yasoo is shocked, to say the least. She rips her hand away from Minho and jumps a good five feet backwards. "You... you are gay?"

"Yeah, do you have a problem with that?" I am angry. So angry. The way she said "gay" made it sound like it's a horribly contagious disease.

She shakes her head quickly. "No, it's, uh, I, um, uh..." I shoo her away with my hand, and we finally have some peace and quiet.

Jisung ruins it by going to Minho and sitting down. "So, boyfriend, do I get to kiss you now?"

Minho pales. "We're not, uh, we aren't boyfriends, and I'm n-not gay." I see the look of hurt that crosses Jisung's face. Also, if Minho isn't gay, then why did he and Jisung have a smooch session in the bathroom yesterday?

"Oh."

"Sorry, Ji. You know I don't—" Minho seems to remember that Changbin and I are here. "Can we talk about this later? In private?" Jisung nods and quietly comes back to sit next to me. I rub his back sympathetically and he slumps down. We pick at our food (lowkey just inedible sawdust) in silence.

Well, now that I know that Changbin is busy (even though I'm completely free) it's not like I can do much about today's tip.

The bell rings after the most awkward lunch period I've ever gone through, and we're off to out next classes. I suffer throughout the rest of the day with Minho until FROG.

>>><><<<

"Kids," Mr. Park begins his FROG lesson, "today we're going to play a game. As a, you know, a kind of icebreaker."

Chan raises his hand. "Yes, Chan?" Mr. Park says, uninterested.

"Well, uh, it almost February. I think we all know each other."

Mr. Park smiles suddenly, almost like he was waiting for that. "That's not necessarily true. We're going to play a game."

He has us sit in a circle. We have to push the chairs and tables out of the way to make room. When everyone's seated, Mr. Park claps his hands.

I sigh.

What goes down next is sort of like a screenplay, so that's how I'll write it.

>>><><<<

The Duck and The Goose - A Game of FROG

Seven boys are sitting on the floor of a small room. A teacher stands off to the side, instructing them. JEONGIN is standing awkwardly between MINHO and FELIX.

MR. PARK: This is a variation of "Duck Duck Goose."

JISUNG: Aw, come on! That's a five year old game.

FELIX: We literally played this a few weeks ago at your apartment.

JISUNG: Shut up.

MR. PARK clears his throat.

MR. PARK: What we will do is, as we tap each others' heads, we will say something that reminds us of them. For example, someone could say "toilet bowl," if they wanted to be rude. Just try to be nice, okay? Okay. When you want to pick someone to chase you, say their actual name. Then they chase you around the circle and you have to get to their seat before they tag you... yadda yadda yadda. Go ahead, Jeongin.

JEONGIN looks around and begins going around the circle. He would tap the boys' heads in this order: MINHO, CHAN, SEUNGMIN, CHANGBIN, HYUNJIN, JISUNG, FELIX.

JEONGIN: Cat. Kangaroo. Kim Wonpil from my brother's math class. A, uh, a knife. A... errr....... Hyunjin!

JEONGIN and HYUNJIN run around, and JEONGIN sits down in Hyunjin's spot.

The cycle repeats similarly until FELIX's turn.

FELIX: Squirrel. Dimples. Uh, chin.

CHANGBIN [rising]: What did you call me?

FELIX: Uh........

CHANGBIN: Thank you. My chin is amazing.

FELIX [blushing]: Um, yeah. I like your chin.

FELIX internally smacks himself on the forehead as Changbin sits down.

CHAN [to CHANGBIN and FELIX]: Stop flirting and just keep playing.

FELIX: Um, okay, moving on. Chicken.

MINHO [squaring up to fight]: You wanna fight? How do I remind you of a chicken?

FELIX: I, uh, I don't know. It was the first thing I though of.

JEONGIN: I know how Minho looks like a chicken.

MINHO turns to JEONGIN, seeming murderous.

JEONGIN: It's because he's skinny, beautiful, and graceful.

MINHO: I- uh- wow. Thanks?

JEONGIN: Oh, it's all good. I may or may not have an obsession with chickens that are in music videos.

JEONGIN [pointing up]: Watch that!

MR. PARK: What are you kids even high on anymore these days, oh my goodness.

HYUNJIN: Candy canes because Christmas.

CHANGBIN: But in the book it's January.

FELIX: What... uh... what book? Who's writing a book? I don't know about any books.

JEONGIN: Maybe someone has a diary 👀

HYUNJIN: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?!?!?!?

JEONGIN: ?

SEUNGMIN: This kid... oh my God. He's speaking emojis.

JEONGIN: 😂😂 that's impossible!

CHAN: OH MY HOLY FEMALE BULL! HE REALLY IS!

JISUNG: HOW ARE WE SPEAKING IN CAPS LOCK????

FELIX: 💲👌 I 😴😋 DON'T 🐳 KNOW 🧀🌈 !

MINHO: 🎂🤷‍♀️ IS 😎 THAT 🥀 RAINBOW 🏳‍🌈 CHEESE? ⬅💬 I WANT 🤳 SOME 🎈💡

FELIX: ✨😜 NO! 🥨⛄ IT'S 🏳‍🌈 ALL 🚲 MINE! 💙

CHANGBIN: 👄 WHAT IF 💪💃 I ALSO 💅 WANT🌒 RAINBOW 🥇CHEESE 🪐?

FELIX: um. i don't know.

CHAN: WHHHAHAAATTTTHHE WEOFEJWIFIOWE HE SPOKE IN ALL LOWERCASE WHAT IS GOING ON????

JISUNG: JKFSLJEWJFLEWJ

JEONGIN: WHY DID I HEAR THAT?

MR. PARK: For my last braincell's sake, I should've quit teaching last year.