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if there's anything donghyuck hates more than math, it's large, noisy crowds.
don't get him wrong! hindi naman siya nagmamalinis at sasabihing hindi siya maingay because his friends complain about him enough as it is, but there was something annoying about large hordes of screaming people. he would much rather go to the library and work on their stats assignment instead of tailing renjun to the school gym, and that's saying a lot.
"'di ko alam bakit kailangang kasama pa ako eh kung maglakad ka para kang walang kasama," donghyuck huffs, hitching the backpack higher on his shoulder. the speakers are ringing in his ears with the emcees and an equally loud pop song it is the kuyas in the tech booth have decided on. there were screams from the bleachers at sa ibaba ng stage mismo where the faculty's trying to contain students.
renjun speedwalks as if he was in divisoria and not at the school grounds, dragging donghyuck's hand as he makes his way through the front. "ako na gagawa ng assignment mo, manahimik ka na lang diyan." and this shuts donghyuck up, because he does not have the patience para makipaglokohan sa stats book niya, punching numbers sa sci cal as if he knows what he's doing. he does not . he smirks triumphantly and lets himself be pulled to where the crowd is.
his best friend's been crushing on this guy from the stem strand for the longest time. schoolmate nila since junior high and ever since said dude walked in their club room by mistake, hindi na natahimik si gago. that was in what, grade nine pa? graduating na sila ng senior high this school year and he thinks lalo lang lumalala crush ng kaibigan niya.
oh well. at least he won't be staying up late worrying about his homework at sa wakas makakapag-rank up sa ML mamaya. maybe he can convince his younger siblings na umorder sila ng pizza para mas ma-enjoy niya yung laro. thinking .
he bumps into people and glares at them, sticking closer to renjun. stats assignment 'yan, hyuck. ayaw mo mag-remedial, 'di ba?
they stop in their tracks sa gitna along with more throng of people, just in time for the emcees to announce the next performers. "let's give it up for neo university's junior dance troupe, dream! "
donghyuck heaves a sigh and stares at the stage where the dance org's senior high members are set to perform, all in uniform bomber jackets and styled hair and skinny jeans. typical . the music starts, an edm heavy tune (kasi what else could you expect, right?), with the center--probably the captain?--beginning their routine.
the performance passes by quickly. once the lights are back to normal, the emcees cue the troupe for a quick greeting. it was the guy in the middle who leads, flashing a nervous yet charming smile to the crowd. medyo familiar? lalong lumakas yung ingay, ano ba naman, sino ba kasi 'tong mga 'to?! donghyuck's somewhat impressed, though, because they did give a good run. cute nga rin naman yung guy, but he doesn't say anything to renjun dahil alam niyang aasarin siya nito.
said best friend's staring at the stage in awe. he slaps his arm and goes, "laway mo naglalawa na," donghyuck tsks, elbowing him lightly. "ano, kumusta puso mo?"
renjun sighs happily. "masaya na ako. pwedeng-pwede na magsimula sa petas mamaya," he says with finality, clutching at the phone in his hand. "you think we can ask for a picture later?"
donghyuck's first instinct is to decline, okay ka lang ba, andami kayang tao! but he remembers na baka bawiin ni renjun yung pangako niyang assignments (tangina talagang numero 'yan, nakakapandilim ng utak) so he forces a smile and nods yes. "sabay na tayo sa kanila paglabas," he suggests. the quicker they act, the quicker for it to be over. he just wants the day to be over. maglalaro pa siya ng ML, magp-practice pa kasi kasama siya sa e-sports part ng sportsfest nila. his games aren't in the next few days pa naman, pero gusto niya na lang talaga makauwi.
once the dance troupe bids goodbye, they take it as their signal to leave the gym too to try and ask for a picture sa crush ni renjun. tangina talagang buhay 'to.
it turns out getting a photo wasn't as hard as they thought, kasi habang naglalakad sila sa gilid ng gym andon yung dance troupe trying to take pictures of their own too. some of them have taken off their super mainit tignan na jackets and are fanning themselves with their hands, phones, and dabbing the sweat off their foreheads. there was a small group of people, probably friends and people like renjun, surrounding them.
nang malapit na sila, his best friend chickens out.
"you did not make me sit through all of that and walk over here para mag-back out," donghyuck says firmly, pushing him towards the direction of the team. "ano, nahihiya ka sa lalaki?! "
renjun reddens at this, spluttering at how he's not kaya, ano ba pinuputak mo diyan donghyuck, kala mo ba madali sak'in 'to, ikaw kaya sa posisyon ko.
an idea forms in his head. "pag ako nagpapicture, ikaw gagawa ng assignments ko hanggang matapos sem," he says, a devilish grin forming on his lips.
renjun's eyes widen at him. "weh, parang gago."
"dali. matapang ako at ayaw ko gumawa ng stats eh," truth be told kabado rin siya pero if it means being free from math until graduation eh 'di itataya na niya. ano pa bang mawawala? it wasn't as if kilala siya ng mga nasa troupe. may kaklase silang isa, oo, but that was about it. he didn't have anything to lose.
renjun seems to ponder at this. "sige, deal. 'di mo kaya eh," he taunts. napaka-competitive nilang magkaibigan, minsan nagiging cause ng misunderstandings nila, but it was mostly entertaining. donghyuck gulps and brings out his phone.
"ikaw magpicture," he announces as they walk closer. "sino ba diyan?"
"'wag si jeno," renjun warns, taking his best friend's phone and sliding to the camera app. "captain? si mark?"
stats assignments. stats assignments. ML. he replays it in his head before nodding. 'yun pala pangalan ng captain. puro kasi si jeno lee bukambibig ng kaibigan niya eh.
nang papalapit na sila kung saan nakatayo sila jeno, mark, at iba pang miyembro ng dream , the boys suddenly straighten their backs, wolf-whistling.
"cap, 'yan siya 'di ba?"
"crush mo cap, oh!"
"kuya, crush ka ng captain namin!"
"kuya, hi raw sabi ni mark!"
napatigil si donghyuck. nu sinasabi ng mga 'to? he shares a look with renjun who is as confused as he is. medyo nalimot din ng bespren niya yung kaba niya from being near his longtime crush dahil sa mga pinagsasasabi ng dream.
"hello, pwede ba magpa--" might as well get it done na so they can bolt the fuck out of here, kaso pinangunahan siya nila jeno.
"picture? kay mark? ay, oo, pwedeng pwede!" he finishes, grabbing their profusely blushing captain. hindi naman na niya suot jacket niya pero bakit parang namamawis 'to na ewan? honestly, donghyuck's more skeptical than confused.
he barely knew mark. nagkakasabay lang sila minsan sa LRT pag pauwi pero they didn't share any classes because they were in different strands and different clubs. mark led the junior dance troupe while donghyuck belonged to the theater org. minsanan lang sila nagkikita kapag tapos na sila sa rehearsal; nadadaanan niya yung dance troupe kapag pauwi na siya.
other than that, they've never spoken a word to each other, so why would they be acting like this now? surely this was a joke. renjun stands near him, then is joined by jeno who takes out a phone as well. the rest of the dream dance troupe's hollering at this point when donghyuck sticks closer to mark para makapagpapicture. tangina talaga. ano na nangyayari?
on renjun's not-so-nervous count of one, two, three! wait, isa pa! donghyuck smiles as wide as he can, knowing he's won this bet. tangina, malaya siya sa stats assignment! lord, salamat!
pero putangina, humihiyaw pa rin yung dance troupe. dahil siguro nakaakbay si mark nung magpicture sila, the hand on his shoulder feels as if it's burning. once jeno brings down the phone signaling na tapos na siya magpindot, donghyuck attempts a small smile. "salamat," he says, and dream goes wild . renjun's laughing along with them at this point, parang nakalimutan na siya dapat magpapapicture dito.
"free ka raw ba bukas?" someone shouts, the team erupting into more peals of screams.
"pa-picture daw muna tropa ko kay jeno and we'll see." he replies smugly, pushing his best friend to where jeno was situated. next to him, mark hides his face in embarrassment.
"sorry," he whispers as donghyuck was taking the photos. "nakakahiya." mas nakakahiya yung itsura ng best friend niya kasi kala mo nanalo 'to sa lotto sa lapad ng ngiti. blackmail material time!
tinignan niya si mark at umiling. "wala 'yun," he answers coolly, as if he wasn't still confused, as if his heart wasn't beating so fast. "so… tomorrow?"
wala nang stats for the rest of the sem, may date pa. sino ka naman diyarn?