Whilst a lifetime of hearing about fairytales has warned Taehyeon that spells will inevitably be broken, enjoying this one for a little bit longer isn't a crime.
Taehyeon has been tasked with distracting Minjun at break times. He was volunteered for this job when he went home early and Hyejin announced she had signed them all up to make good luck charms for the third years. Taehyeon knows for sure that Bada, Hyejin, and Jeongwon aren't going to be able to make enough charms for all of the third years but he also knows he can't be bothered to help. Instead he is leaning into the excuse he has to ignore the fact he is still hopelessly in love with someone who just can't like him back.
Seeing Minjun wandering the school corridors to stand outside Taehyeon's classroom to wave at him is a big help with remaining in denial. Taehyeon isn't special but he must be special enough if Minjun is willing to take the punishment every time. Taehyeon has told him not to bother coming to see him every hour or so because it isn't nice to know that Minjun is kneeling in a corridor somewhere with his arms raised above his head, or holding up a bucket of water with straight arms, or squatting against a wall. The teachers who catch Minjun must all be getting annoyed by him because Taehyeon had heard that third years tend to escape punishments this close to exams. The college exams are less than a week away and Minjun is missing a lot of lesson time to make up for the crime of waving at Taehyeon through a window.
As guilty as he feels about the whole thing, Taehyeon can't claim to hate the attention.
"It's not just the winter uniform that makes you look good," Minjun insists at lunchtime after his punishment for the morning had come to an end. "Lots of things suit you. You do lots of things that only handsome boys can get away with."
Taehyeon feels stupid for smiling but he can't help himself. Right now it is his turn to have Minjun's attention.
"I don't know what you mean."
"You do this thing all the time with your fringe. Like this, look." Minjun flicks his fringe with his index fingers almost delicately before folding his arms on the table and grinning at Taehyeon. "All the time, Taehyeon. Ugly boys would get made fun of for doing that but you look really good when you do it."
Taehyeon honestly has no idea what Minjun is talking about. He realises his mistake is that he hasn't been self-conscious enough around Minjun.
"Is it weird?" Taehyeon asks.
"No. I like when you do it. Do you have any impressions of me?"
While Taehyeon can forgive people for assuming all his staring at Minjun might have led him to mentally cataloguing every habit and quirk, he has actually spent the whole time being confused and freaking out. He couldn't do an impression of Minjun if someone held a gun to his head.
"I've got one," Kyungran pipes up, apparently wanting to save Taehyeon from pathetically gawping in silence. "I'm Minjun, what do boys talk about? I'm terrible at thinking about what to say."
"I don't like that impression," Minjun says. Taehyeon agrees. Kyungran isn't even attempting to sound like Minjun and the things she said don't really sound like anything Minjun would say. They might not like the impression for different reasons. Minjun requests, "Do a different one."
Kyungran does a different impression. Then the two of them swap impressions that Taehyeon has no idea about. They must be from TV or something. Taehyeon should find comfort in the fact that he isn't the only one feeling like a spare part.
"Don't worry," Nayoon offers. "Lunchtime will end soon so they'll have to stop. I've had to suffer them doing this for hours when we hang out at the weekend."
"They're really good though," Taeri pipes up.
"It's still annoying," Nayoon grumbles. For a brief moment her frown deepens and then her face melts into a lovely smile. Nothing has changed as far as Taehyeon can tell. All the impressions Kyungran and Minjun are acting out are the same to him.
"Suji, you're here!" Minjun exclaims midway through a growly expression.
Suji looks uncomfortable but her friend plonks her tray onto the table loudly beside Taehyeon. Suji shuffles for a moment into the seat beside Minjun. Within an instant his arm is around Suji's shoulders and he kisses her on the cheek. Nayoon even has the time to take a picture of the two of them together.
Nothing changes by looking at all of this on Nayoon's phone. Suji's smile is wobbly and small but Taehyeon knows exactly what it means. She's pretending not to enjoy the attention.
Taehyeon shouldn't be surprised. Minjun is handsome and kind and funny. He's amazing. Having attention from him makes a person feel special. Taehyeon knows how buoyed he had been after finding out that Minjun actually wanted to talk to him. In fact Taehyeon could have flown right out of the stratosphere with his glee. He just wasn't special and interesting enough for passersby to take notice and ask when they started dating.
Taehyeon is an idiot of a hopeless romantic. He thinks he can be forgiven for this wretched jealousy searing through his stomach with hideous speed. Suji doesn't know she's being obvious about enjoying the situation. Taehyeon doesn't know what his own expression looks like to anyone else either.
He's got to get out.
He turns to Suji's friend sitting beside him and says, "Excuse me, I need to go somewhere."
Suji's friend stares at Taehyeon wide-eyed. Her mouth is extremely full of food so this really isn't the best time to make a request like this.
"Come out this way," Taeri offers cheerfully.
That is all fine, except there is another person sitting between Taehyeon and Taeri. Nayoon frowns and only leans back slightly.
"Aren't you going to get up?" Taeri asks.
"He can just climb over," Nayoon says.
Taehyeon absolutely cannot climb over.
"I'm sorry," Taehyeon mutters. It's getting really hot in the dinner hall. This isn't great.
"Are you alright?" Minjun asks. Taehyeon makes the mistake of looking at him. His arm is firmly around Suji's shoulders. The poor girl must be the only other person here who is as sensitive to heat as Taehyeon is because she's turned a steaming scarlet.
"How about you climb under the table," Nayoon suggests.
"That's where everyone's legs are," Kyungran points out. "Taehyeon, just wait until Bomin has swallowed that mouthful. She'll let you out."
In an effort to expidite the process, Bomin starts to chew very quickly. She coughs and splutters. Taehyeon quickly tries to pat the girl's back.
"Are you tickling her?" Nayoon asks, "You need to do sharp slaps to dislodge any food."
"Bomin," Suji whispers, reaching uselessly across the table for her friend's hand.
Someone capable of taking action pulls Bomin out of her chair. Minjun has come to the rescue. Of course. There's nothing he can't do. Well, at least not with Kyungran at his side.
"Are you alright?" Taehyeon manages to ask.
"She'll be okay," Kyungran says certainly. "Go on. I'll let you know how she is later."
Taehyeon nods quickly and makes his escape. He must look awful with all the attention Bomin's near death experience drew. Maybe he is heartless and deserves for people to think he's awful. All that he is really concerned about right now is finding Bada.