Sixteen (1/1)

I was getting my books in my locker when I heard someone shouted my name, “Hey Luhan!”Looking back, I saw Tao with Xiumin and Lay. I just nodded my head as a response while they’re wearing surprised faces.“Why were you absent yesterday?” Tao asked with a curious look.Rubbing the back of my neck, I replied, “Oh…I have a headache.”Xiumin shot me a glare while Lay raised his eyebrow. What’s with them anyway?“Are you sure?” Tao said. “What did I just say? Ugh.” I replied as I closed my locker.I was about to go when Xiumin blocked my way. “What’s your problem?” I asked, irritated.“Liar.Liar.Pants.On.Fire.” Lay said and stuck his tongue out. Seriously? Where did the mature Lay go?“What’s the matter with you? What’s with the sudden childish acts?” I said.“You were with the know-it-all-nuisance yesterday. Liar.” Xiumin said, making my eyes opened wide.“Wh—what?” I stuttered.“Don’t be so naïve dude.” Xiumin replied as he fished his cell phone from his pocket.He gave it to me, gesturing me to take a look at it.“What the?!” There was a picture of me and Minji…hey that’s us when we walk home together yesterday. Did Xiumin took a picture of us? No way, he went to school yesterday.“Y—yah! Where did you get this?!” I said, giving him a shocked face.“Uhh..duhh.. The whole school knows about this.” Lay replied.“What do you mean?”Lay sighed, “Someone spotted you and Minji yesterday and took a picture and then Bam! They send it to all students through their cell phones. Making it the hot issue for today.”“Ugh…freaks!”I shouted as I clenched my fist.“So….you have a headache yesterday huh?” Tao sheepishly asked. I gave him a glare, making him flinched.“Ugh..okay..I don’t have a headache yesterday..I was with her.”Xiumin gasped, “You dated?!”“Wha—NO!” Ugh, people judge too quickly nowadays!“You’re neighbors right? Are there any feelings developing?!”“Wha---NO!” Like I said earlier, people judge too quickly nowadays.“Then what?” asked Tao.“I went with her to a charity.” I explained as we started to walk.“Charity? Why did you two go to a charity?” Lay asked, fixing his hair using his hands.“I just want to help her.”“Help? Wow! Since when did you become so soft to her?” Xiumin asked in disbelief.“Look dude, she really needs some help because she has a—“  I suddenly remembered Minji talking to me yesterday that she’s very grateful to me for not telling them her condition.“What?” Lay asked, waiting for me to continue what I was saying.“Oh…nothing.”“You were about to say something a while ago.” Tao said, giving me a curious look.“Uhh..can’t you see? Minji is a…petite and skinny girl. So…I thought that she needs some help carrying those heavy boxes.” I said, trying to look cool. Is it an A-Okay cover up? Ugh!Tao raised his eyebrow along with Xiumin.Lay suddenly broke the awkward atmosphere, “Is there a possibility that you like Oh Min Ji?”What kind of question is that?! “Look, I don’t like her okay?!”The exact truth is..I pity her..because she has a…yeah.“Oh okay..” Lay quickly shrugged the topic.“But it’s a good thing that you’re not that close to her even though she’s your neighbor.” Tao added.“Huh? Why is it a good thing?” I asked.“Well…it’s just that you’re a kind of guy who’s really popular in school and that Minji girl is a wallflower type girl. When people see you with her, it will really ruin your reputation.”What? How can he say that? They don’t know Minji like I do and why does everyone here in school is irritated to her? Minji is a nice girl! Let me repeat, a  one hundred percent nice girl!“Oh..okay..” I said.“Stay away from her dude. You can be crossed out on the ‘most popular students’ list if you became close to her.” Xiumin said.I just rolled my e