Jeon Areum's POV

"Areum!" I turned around, seeing Jisung run over towards me. "Where are the hyungs? Weren't you just in class with them?"
"Yeah." I replied. "I went to the toilet. Can't exactly take them with me." We set off walking side by side, towards the room where I'd left the four idiots.
"Alright, TMI much?" Jisung sassed.
"Did you seriously just say T.M.I in a sentence?" I mocked, deadpanning him.

"Oh shut up." He scoffed, looking away.
"You're lucky I don't give a shit about honourifics," I began. "Otherwise you'd be dead right now."
"Don't worry noona~" He teased, knowing I don't like that word coming from his mouth. "I'm not rude."
"Why are you acting like a kid now?" I asked, causing him to send me a confused look. "I thought you were going for the grandpa look with that grey hair."

"Well if I'm the older 'grandpa' shouldn't you be calling me oppa?" He retorted, leaning down slightly and silently mocking the fact that he was taller despite his age.
"I think 'ahjussi' suits you better." I replied, causing him to scoff again.

The two of us arrived at the classroom, spotting the four dweebs and making our way over.
"Oh, Areum's back." Renjun pointed out.
"With Jisung." Jeno added.
"Where's Chenle and Mark?" Haechan asked, looking around.
"Haven't seen them." I replied. "Jisung found me on my way back."

"Let's go eat!" Jisung exclaimed. "I'm too hungry to be dealing with this."
"With what?" Renjun laughed.
"The stress of high school." He replied, and the five of us just laughed at him.
"You have no idea." Jeno scoffed, and the four boys proceeded to stand up as we made our way to the cafeteria.

"Guys!" A dolphin-like squeak could be heard from the cafeteria, and upon inspection I found Chenle sat with Mark on a long table, waving us over. The six of us sauntered over, dumping our bags before heading off to get food.

We sat eating the disgusting slop they called food, the guys complaining about some homework they got, except one.
"Earth to Maaark?" Chenle giggled, waving his hand in front of the older boy. He shook his head out of his trance, focusing his attention back on our table.
"Sorry, what was that?" He asked.

"Hmm..." Haechan smirked. "Someone was staring at Hana's table again~"
"Oh fuck off Haechan." He cursed, and we all laughed. "Just hurry up and hit puberty already."
"I already have." He retorted. "Haven't you seen this defined jawline?"
"All I see are round baby cheeks." I added, causing the other boys to laugh at my spontaneous comment.

This group of losers, who refer to themselves as 'DREAM', are the people I call my friends. Yeah, I know, they're all guys. Well, girls are just bitches. I get along with guys better anyway, they get my sense of humour: insults & sarcasm. All the girls here take me seriously and think I'm some mean bitch, when I'm not. I care for my friends. It's just, I only care for my friends.

Actually, I think I can be a little bit of a- no, quite a big bitch when it comes down to it.

Speaking of, my group is made up of three different years: Mark is the only '3rd year' in the group, then there's me, Jeno, Renjun, Haechan and Jaemin who are '2nd years', and Jisung and Chenle are '1st years'. Pretty self explanatory, right?

Mark over here has a crush on one of the popular seniors - Hana. She's not the queenka, but is in that general group, and her entire aura makes me wanna puke. Like, I get why he likes her - she's pretty, really nice, tall. It's just... her entire personality seems faked; like she's trying to be the person everybody likes instead of who she is.

Well she definitely got Mark's attention.

I don't mean this like some silly crush, I mean he's fallen head over fucking heels for her. I think they spoke maybe once or twice, but for Mark that's enough for him to decide that they're soulmates.

"Are you gonna ever like, talk to her?" Jaemin asked, accompanied by several utterances from Jeno.
"Are you insane?" Mark retorted. "I can't just walk over and talk to her!"
"Why not?" He asked.

"What do you mean why not?" Mark now resorted to whisper-yelling. "Some nobody like me can't just walk up to the queenka's table. You must know this by now?"
"Oh, right.." Jaemin mumbled.
"I can't believe there's social ranking in a school for fucking orphans." I scoffed after finishing my last piece of food.

Oh yeah. I guess I forgot to mention that part too. Everyone in our group is an orphan; abandoned by their parents who can't look after them, being whether they're dead or just plain irresponsible, they ended up living in the orphanage, and the only school we can go to is this one. Not everyone in the school is an orphan, but because it's the closest school to the orphanage the majority of the kids here do live at the orphanage.

And of course, the surrounding area is not very... respectable... and the kids from the orphanage - despite 10/10 effort from staff to prove otherwise - are raised to look after themselves and are exposed to many scary things about the real world.

"Should we go?" I asked, looking round the table for any opposition. I received none, and subsequently stood up, grabbing my bag as I did so. The boys followed suit, and we made our way out of the packed area and towards our hangout point - a specific radiator in a long hall of lockers. When it's cold outside, standing by a radiator is the best thing to do, and we all know it.

As we were talking, one of the 3rd years - in Mark's year - was walking past with his friends. Park Jihoon. Notorious fuckboy. Gets with the girls, does the deed, ditches the girls. Cliche, right? Since he's already used all of the 'good looking girls' in the 3rd year, I assume he's turning his attention to the year below. My year.

I noticed that the past few days he's been popping up around our area, and every time he walks past I see him glance in this direction. I'm not stupid, and neither am I modest. I know that I have what he wants, and I know that I'm not gonna give it to him. But just playing hard to get wouldn't be any fun, would it? Might as well get something out of it.

"Oi, Park." I yelled to the passerby. Jisung mumbled a "hmm?" but was quickly silenced by Chenle - who knew what was going on. I could almost hear the loud sigh escaping from each of the seven mouths of my friends, but I felt like having a bit of fun today.

Jihoon turned his head, eyes lighting up upon seeing who called him. He almost immediately walked over, his three friends waiting at the side as he came over to me. The seven boys took a step back, leaving me to talk with Jihoon.
"Pretty sure that's oppa to you, no?" He smirked, stopping just that little bit closer that what would be classed as a 'normal, casual distance.'

"Don't be too greedy," I mimicked his smirk. "I'll call you that when.. I get to know you better." We all knew what this meant. I did, he did. The funny thing is that he thinks it's gonna happen. Like I can be played that easily.

"Then I suggest we get to know each other a little better, Areum." He spoke quietly, with just enough voice to make it sound husky. I mean - I'd be lying if I said he wasn't hot - but I'm not desperate, and there really is nothing to do around here. The main goal: get DREAM and I invited to some 3rd year parties.

"Hmm..." I dragged out the 'm' teasingly. "But when?"
"There's a party this Friday." He rapidly retorted. "One of my hyungs from outside of school is hosting it, so there'll be plenty of things to keep us entertained." A wink accompanied the last line, and I suppressed the sudden urge to want to throw up. "It's the place above the tattoo parlour, starts at 9pm, bring your friends if you want." He gestured towards DREAM, and I glanced over at the dorks, watching as Chenle waved eagerly and Renjun popped his head over Jeno's shoulder since he was too damn small.

"I'll see you there then." I purred, turning my attention back to him and placing my hand on his chest to push him away ~seductively~ since as we were talking he edged closer without me realising. He sent another wink in my direction, before walking off with his friends.

"You done?" Jeno sighed.
"You should all be thanking me." I scoffed.
"For flirting with a third year?" Jaemin retorted.
"For getting our dumb asses invited to a party this Friday." I corrected him, and the seven mouths dropped.

"A party?"
"Where?"
"Seriously?"
"We're invited!?"

"This Friday in the place above the tattoo parlour at 9pm." I told them. "Apparently one of Jihoon's older friends is hosting it, which means-"
"Al-co-hooooll!" Jisung got excited, dancing around in a circle.
"I don't know..." Jaemin mumbled. "I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Fine, just stay in the dorm by yourself." I sighed. "I'm going to party and enjoy myself since there's nothing better to do in this goddamn place."

"I agree with Jaemin." Mark added.
"Shut up Mark." Haechan retorted, trying to be funny, but he was ignored. "Going to an adult party doesn't sound like the best thing to be doing around here." Mark continued.
"You do know who else got invited, right?" I raised an eyebrow at Mark, who took a second or two to catch on.
"No way.." he gasped. "Hana?"
"You've gotta go now." I smirked. "This could be your chance."

"Par-ty! Par-ty!" Jisung chanted to himself, trying his best to hype up the rest of the group, but only received a disgusted glare from Chenle.
"Won't we be outcasted for looking like weirdos though?" Renjun asked.
"Well we just have to dress older, nothing wrong with doing that." I shrugged. "You guys in?"

"I'm in." Mark blurted out, earning looks from the rest of the group. "Might as well try something new."
"WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP!" Jisung was now jumping up and down.
"It wouldn't hurt to make some new friends too." Haechan added.
"Are we not good enough for you?" Jeno teased. "I guess I could go."
"Me too." Chenle added.

Renjun looked hesitant, but subsequently nodded his head.
"Are you guys sure about this?" Jaemin glances at everyone - then me last - with what looked like pleading eyes. "I'm not feeling anything good will come from this at all."
"Jaemin." I stared at him straight in the eye, switching on serious mode. "If you're worried about me with Jihoon, don't be." I was being completely serious when I said this, but kept my voice low. "I'm not gonna do anything stupid, and neither is the rest of DREAM;" A smirk then began to play on my face. "You're all a bunch of pussies anyway."

"I am nOT!" Jisung yelled. "Imma be taking shots 'til the sun rises motha fuckaaas!"
"Petition to leave Jisung at home," Mark sighed. "All those in favour say I."
"I!" Everyone cried out, followed by laughter.
"Okay... I'll go." Jaemin sighed.
"It's gon be LITTTT!"
"Jisung shUT UP!"