Finding Bada is easy enough. Hyejin instructed her little helpers to have a quick and light lunch so they can maximise their time making charms in class 6. Taehyeon doesn't want to go into the classroom right now. He already can't speak and there are a lot more students hanging around than he'd be happy to watch his humiliation.
A text message is enough to summon Bada out quickly. He takes one look at Taehyeon and wordlessly hurries him along the corridor. Bada leads the way down the flights of stairs until the staircase which leads down to the basement. Neither of them are big rule breakers so they settle for sitting a few steps down. Going all the way to the basement would be extreme for some privacy. Taehyeon at least likes how predictable they both are to that extent.
"What's the matter?" Bada asks whilst looping his arm around Taehyeon's. He doesn't know what the problem is yet he already sounds as though he's on the verge of tears. That is something Taehyeon has always liked about Bada. He doesn't like making his best friend cry but sharing burdens like these helps a lot.
"He has a girlfriend," Taehyeon says. He still hears the echo amplify the sound far more than he'd like but there's nothing he can do about that. Bada is doing his best and it isn't his fault that all these hard surfaces close together are terrible for absorbing secrets.
"A girlfriend," Bada repeats. His face pulls into something almost ugly for a moment. Bada can't cry like this at school. It will take all day for the redness to recede from his face.
Taehyeon fans Bada's eyes quickly. It never works and right now he's watching more tears welling up. He still needs to answer. "Yeah. A girlfriend. He told me it's pretend but… it doesn't look pretend. It might not…"
Bada's arms are tight, squeezing all the air out of Taehyeon. He wouldn't have been able to finish the sentence anyway. A hug like this makes him feel less stupid about the whole situation. Bada can't say anything either. He doesn't need to. This is enough.
Taehyeon's phone vibrates in his pocket and Bada flinches back.
Taehyeon regrets reading the text message.
←Year 3 Class 7 Lee Minjun
Year 3 Class 7 Lee Minjun
You seemed upset when you left. What happened with Bomin wasn't your fault.
13:12
Bada lifts watery eyes from Taehyeon's phone screen. He looks like he wants to ask. He doesn't.
"I don't think you should keep spending time with him anymore. You shouldn't have to feel sad like this."
Bada is a gem. No, he's more precious and amazing than that. Taehyeon hates that no matter what he does, he won't be able to repay everything Bada does for him. He feels guilty too. He hasn't even told Bada about Minjun talking to Siwoo. Whilst it is stupid to want to control others, Minjun should at least have some loyalty to someone from the same school instead of taking the side of some horrible, evil kid who wanted to hurt Bada.
There are so many certainties when it comes to Bada: he's the best friend there possibly could be, he's right about so many things, and he is important beyond anything else. But Taehyeon hasn't been cured of his life-destroying crush. Something could change. Minjun could pull off some grand, romantic gesture and reveal that he was joking about taking Siwoo's side and has been in love with Taehyeon this entire time.
"Don't you think I'm just being dramatic? You're the one who convinced me to hang out with him that one time."
Bada frowns. "That's when I thought he'd be nice to you, at least. He was really convincing and you liked him. I wanted to see it work out for you."
Taehyeon wanted it to work out too, as impossible as it was. He supposes the two of them are the same. Taehyeon wants Bada to stay as far from Siwoo as possible too. They might turn out to both be right.
"Kim Bada, what are you doing down there? I know it's you. I can recognise your perfect hair anywhere."
Taehyeon cringes. Lee Dongmin has the most infuriating timing. Taehyeon accidentally makes eye contact with one of the girls who tends to follow Dongmin around.
Dongmin makes a thoughtful sound and turns to the girls around him. Taehyeon hears the girls reluctantly leave with Dongmin's promises to take lots of selfies with them all later.
In the quiet after Dongmin's chatty followers leave, Dongmin himself walks down the stairs and crouches on the step in front of Taehyeon and Bada.
"What happened to both of you? Nobody is allowed to make pretty boys cry. It's the law. I've never cried," Dongmin says sagely.
"That's not true," Bada splutters, unfortunately snottily. Dongmin isn't at all perturbed. He quickly withdraws two handkerchiefs from his blazer pockets and gives them one each.
"Do you regularly console people?" Taehyeon asks dourly.
Dongmin smiles. "Not really. I get given lots of gifts though. Some of the girls around here are sweet. They've even taken the time to try out some embroidery on those."
Taehyeon stops dabbing at his eyes to take a look at the needlework. Dongmin's initials are clear enough. Taehyeon wonders what it would be like for someone to like him enough to take the time dabbling in arts and crafts. Taehyeon doesn't think he is exactly jealous but he'd at least like to have the experience of being liked that much.
"Who has been breaking your hearts?" Dongmin asks. "I have an army of girls willing to kill for me. Say the word and you'll have your revenge."
Taehyeon wishes he could take Dongmin up on that offer. Unfortunately, he's sure that Minjun's troops of girls willing to kill for him would be far greater in number. At least girls at this school have a chance with Minjun. Dongmin is just some pretty boy who splits his time talking about his fake girlfriend and obsessing over Bada, apparently.
That's not fair. Dongmin is actually being nice right now. Although it is difficult to understand why, Taehyeon can appreciate that Dongmin isn't going to gain anything by being nice now.
As stupid as it is, Taehyeon can't stop the fresh force of tears breaching his itchy eyes.
"Hey, what's wrong now?" Dongmin asks, his voice light and soft as he smooths his hands over Taehyeon's shoulders. When Bada looks at Taehyeon and starts bawling incomprehensibly, Taehyeon wonders whether Dongmin regrets coming over to them in the first place.
"Bada, you aren't crying because Taehyeon is crying, are you?" Dongmin asks, almost laughing but managing to keep his face straight enough that even Taehyeon could believe he's sincere. Whatever he thinks Bada says is answer enough. He leans forward and pulls Bada tightly into his arms. Taehyeon is jealous. He's actually sad right now. He wants a hug too.
"You're such a sweetheart. Angels like you are hard to find these days," Dongmin says into Bada's shoulder. Taehyeon wonders whether he is actually being ignored in his moment of need.
"How many other people have seen you cry? I have to kill them all. I absolutely refuse to have so much competition."
Bada laughs, spluttering as his face deepens to an impossible red. It would be nice, Taehyeon thinks, if Dongmin wasn't just joking this whole time. It is when Taehyeon is considering that Dongmin might not be the worst person in the world that they lock eyes.
"Is it boy trouble?"
Taehyeon can't help himself. He nods. Dongmin's face doesn't change as it rests on Bada's shoulder. He gives Bada another squeeze and slips backwards to rest in his heels.
"Is he more handsome than me?" Dongmin asks.
"No," Bada blubs. The betrayal cuts deeply.
"Yes he is!" Taehyeon says, his stupid cry-baby voice thick with snot.
"Wow," Dongmin says dreamily. "Two pretty boys fighting over me. This is what I've always wanted."
"We're not fighting over you," Taehyeon grumbles.
"Who's fighting?"
Taehyeon really has to wonder when the stairs down to the school basement became the place to be. He quickly rubs his eyes with the handkerchief before he looks around to see whether Kim Minjeong really has arrived.
Oddly, Dongmin stiffens and shuffles backwards. He just catches himself from falling down the rest of the stairs and mumbles some awkward greeting to Minjeong. Even stranger than that is the fact that Minjeong doesn't seem to care about him whatsoever. For someone obsessed with getting to see what his girlfriend looks like, she has a strong disinterest in Dongmin himself.
"What happened? Why are you crying?" Minjeong asks. The question sounds awfully rough. Taehyeon supposes he should be glad that nothing about Minjeong is different even if she has apparently taken to wandering the school all on her lonesome. Knowing that nothing has changed, Taehyeon isn't about to tell Minjeong the truth.
"I just don't feel well," Taehyeon says.
"Go to the nurse then. Do you want me to help you up the stairs? What's wrong with you that you didn't think of that?"
Taehyeon shakes his head. He can't think of any illnesses he can claim to have where the only symptom is being a giant baby. He absolutely can't go to the nurse. He would go if this had happened any point before yesterday, but now he knows something which eliminates that option.
"She's friends with his sister," Taehyeon mumbles quietly.
Minjeong's confused muttering stops as soon as Bada makes an odd choking sound. He really shouldn't hold his breath as though that will keep his tears away. Whilst spluttering between blubs, Bada wraps his arms around Taehyeon and squeezes tightly. It's silly, Taehyeon thinks, but it is times like this when Bada is crying for his sake that he knows he'll need to live a hundred lifetimes with Bada just to repay him for being such a good friend.
Taehyeon did manage to make today about himself after all.