Work Text:
Jisung sighed as he stared blankly at his laptop. The smiling quokka wallpaper seemed to mock his state of absolute boredom.
It was that awful time every teacher dreads: the week before holidays.
Exams were over, graded, and returned. Lesson planning was non-existent as any attempt at squeezing in a traditional lesson would be met with the utmost resistance from the students whose minds were already on vacation.
This meant that Jisung had nothing to do.
He looked away from his computer at the stack of DVDs on his desk. He had decided two weeks ago which animal documentaries he was going to show in his science classes. He was looking forward to hearing Benedict Cumberbatch mispronounce penguins.
Once Jisung confirmed, for the seventh time that hour, that all the DVDs were still there, he let his eyes wander around the teachers room.
It was mostly empty, since most teachers had class that period. Still, there were a few coworkers who Jisung could watch.
Across from his desk sat Changbin, who seemed to actually have work to do. He watched the PE teacher's head swivel as he looked between the paper in front of him and a calculator. Jisung vaguely remembered Changbin mentioning that the Math Team had a big competition coming up.
Looking towards the head of the room, following the sound of snoring, he saw the Vice Principal. Jeongin was leaned back in his chair, taking a nap. Jisung didn't blame him but was absolutely jealous. He would do anything to sleep the rest of the work day away, but the last time he accidentally fell asleep, Jeongin used some of Hyunjin's art supplies to paint glasses and a mustache on him. The kids had a field day with that one…
His eyes leave his sleeping boss and travel over to the last available teacher. Chan looks really focused on something, but Jisung can't see what it is from a row away. After a few moments, the answer was found as the English teacher lifted up his newly folded paper crane.
Bingo. Target acquired.
Jisung gets up from his desk and saunters over to Chan. As he nears the desk, he sees that Chan has managed to create a mini paper crane army. A least a dozen of differing sizes, all lined up across his desk.
"Working hard or hardly working?" Jisung asks quietly to not disturb Jeongin. Chan places down the newest creation in formation and looks at Jisung.
"Like you have any right to judge. I don't know how many times I've seen you open your laptop, stare for 5 minutes, close it, rinse and repeat." Chan retorted. Jisung gasped in fake offense.
"Well fine if you feel that way, I don't want you to join me on my adventure anyways." Jisung humphed, crossing his arms.
Chan raised an eyebrow, "Adventure?" Jisung shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know, I was just going to walk around and find other bored people to bother."
"Honestly, fair. Did you have any one in mind?"
Jisung thought for a minute. "Felix?"
"I'm fairly certain he's preparing for the bake sale the baking club is doing after school. This morning I saw him waddling towards the Home Ec. room cradling a giant sack of flour."
"And you didn't offer to help?" Jisung said a bit shocked.
"Oh I did offer, and I ended up carrying the remaining four sacks…" Jisung nodded, yeah that sounded more like Chan.
"How about Seungmin? This is his free period isn't it?"
"True, but look." Chan turned around and pointed at Seungmin's desk. Propped up on a little easel was a note that read, IN THE LIBRARY.
"Ah…" Bothering the history teacher was already a risky move, but bothering Seungmin in the sanctity of the library? No.
Jisung sat in silence for a minute as he racked his brain for a possible candidate. His face lit up when he landed on the perfect candidate.
"Oh no…" Chan sighed, already knowing the name that would come out of Jisung’s mouth.
"Let's go say hi to Minho!" Jisung exclaimed (quietly) as he grabbed Chan's arm to pull him up to standing.
"Jisung, you know Minho doesn't like me…" Chan mumbled. Jisung gave him an incredulous look.
"What are you talking about?"
Chan rubbed his arm, "I don't know, he's always like, staring at me."
Jisung had to stop himself from giggling. "Chan don't worry, that's just Minho's love language. Come on!" He grabbed Chan's hand and lead them towards the nurse's office before Chan had a chance to complain.
~~~~~
"Shouldn't we knock or…"
The sliding door slammed as Jisung flung it open. The sound wasn't enough to make the nurse look up from whatever he was reading.
"Minho! How's it hanging?" Jisung asked as he walked into the room. Chan timidly trailed behind him.
"Are you sick?" Minho inquired, turning the page in his novel.
"No, we ju-"
"Injuries?"
"No but-"
"Good bye Jisung." Jisung flailed around, trying to find something to stay. He turned to Chan.
"Punch my arm!"
"What?! No!"
"Do it!"
"No! I'm not going to have my reputation tarnished with workplace violence."
"If I give you each an ice pack will you stop yelling in my office?" Jisung and Chan slowly turned to look at Minho, who had still not looked up from his book.
"Yes please." They answered in unison.
At that, Minho picked up a bookmark from his desk and placed it between the pages before closing the book. He walked over to the corner where there was a sizable freezer and grabbed two ice packs. He opened a drawer and pulled out two towels, wrapping each pack in a towel. He walked over to the now silent pair and handed them the packs.
"I'd offer you a lollipop and a sticker but we don't have the budget for that." Minho said with a smirk. Jisung broke into a large grin, while Chan felt some of his nerves deflate.
"So what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Minho questions, walking back to his desk. Jisung hops up on the little bed they let the sick students rest on, the sanitary paper crinkling with every movement. Chan opts for a chair pushed up against the wall. He places the ice pack on different parts of his body, trying to actually make use of the item.
"I was bored." Jisung explains with a smile. Minho stares at him.
"Fair enough. And you, Chan?"
Jisung sees Chan startle, clearly not expecting the directness.
"I, um… well I…" he stumbles. Jisung decides to take pity on the English teacher who has forgotten how to English.
"I dragged him along. He was actually apprehensive about coming over here." Minho tilts his head in curiosity. Jisung holds his hand to cover his mouth so Chan can't see. "He thinks you don’t like him." he whispers loud enough for Chan to definitely hear him.
"Jisung!" Chan exclaims over the background music of Minho’s cackle. He buries his face in his hands as Minho tries to compose himself. It seems like Chan only lifts his head up once he has properly registered that Minho is in fact, not mad at him.
Minho takes a few calming breaths, but Jisung can tell that he could break out in laughter once again if they pushed it.
"Don't worry, Chan. It's not that i don't like you." Minho says, looking at Chan with a grin. Jisung turns to Chan and gestures at Minho.
"See, I told yo-"
"I dont like anyone."
"Minho! Not helpful!" Jisung yells up at the ceiling in exasperation as Minho's laughter once again fills the room and Chan re-buries his blushing face in his hands.
This is the scene that greets Changbin when he opens the door.
All three eyes snap to the newcomer.
The sight of Changbin pouting, cradling his hand to his chest makes Minho's chuckles evaporate.
"Minhooooooooo~" Changbin cries out, walking towards the nurse as Minho gets up to meet him.
"What did you do?" he asks, giving Changbin a once over. Changbin sticks out his hand which Minho gently takes to examine.
"I got splinters…" Jisung shakes his head, confused at how maybe ten minutes ago he had seen Changbin working at his desk yet here he was with splinters in his hand. He voiced this to Changbin.
"Well…. there was this really difficult math problem I was working on, I was so focused on writing out my work that I didn't realize how strongly I was holding my pencil and it snapped…" Jisung felt his eyes widen. Everyone knew Changbin was strong, but this was next level.
"Remind me to never thumb wrestle you." Chan joked.
"Hey Changbin! You'll never guess what Minho said right before you came in." Jisung teased, trying to distract Changbin as Minho went at the splinters with tweezers.
"Hmm?" Changbin hummed in question, eyes closed shut to avoid looking.
"He said he doesn't like anyone." Changbin eyes and mouth flew open.
"Even me?!?!"
"Especially you if you keep wiggling while I try to rid you of pencil shards." Minho replied calmly, still focused on the task at hand.
"You know you love us Minho." Jisung prodded, to which he received a noncommittal hum.
"I'm so hurt." Changbin blubbered, bringing his free hand up to wipe away a fake tear. Chan laughed.
"I mean, yes, you are hurt. That's why you came here in the first place." the line resulted in a snort from Minho as he pulls out the last offending fragment.
"All done." Minho says, applying bandages. Changbin grinned as the last bandage is placed.
"Thank you, Minho! And will you kiss it make it better?" Changbin asked, batting his eyelashes.
"I'll report you for workplace harassment."
"Come on Minho! Felix kissed it earlier!" Changbin pleaded, his pout from before returning.
"Wait Felix?" Chan questioned, "I thought he was busy preparing for the bake sale."
Changbin nodded. "He was, but he made extra so he brought them to the teacher's room to share."
Chan and Jisung locked eyes. They didn't even have to say anything before they both bolted out of the nurse's office.
As they sprinted down the hallway they could hear Minho shout.
"BRING ME BACK ONE!"