Melodies

14

Woozi's POV
Snow began to fall the next week but we still stay outside for lunch. The leaves in the trees are gone but the flowers in the garden somehow still grow.
I try studying but the boys make a ruckus, throwing snow at each other. I sigh and look at Aelia next to me.
"I swear, I'm about to knock them out. My test tomorrow is my hardest one this year."
"Don't you still have those test passes from Miss Kang?"
"Yeah, but I need this for my grade. It's going to be on the exit exam."
I stare at her. Every time she has a test coming up, she becomes like this: angry and always studying. It's a good thing that she wants her grades to stay up but it's like she never gets out for fun unless we force her to.
"I'm gonna go to my violin class and practice. I need some time alone." Aelia slams her textbook shut then packs up her stuff and leaves.
I sigh and pack my stuff as well. I walk over to Minghao who's sitting at the table with Jun. They look at me with a raise eyebrow and I slump my cheek into my hand.
"What's wrong with you?" Jun snickers.
"Aelia's in her test mood again." I turn to look at the boys just as Seokmin falls and basically does a summersault in the snow when Seungkwan trips him.
"Oh is she annoyed with the boys screaming?" Minghao asks.
"Yes..."
The boys all come over, laughing as they still throw snow at each other.
"Jihoon! Join us."
"No." I pause, "I just remembered... The competition that Aelia wants us to enter is just around the corner."
"Oh! I completely forgot!" Jeonghan blinks in surprise.
"I didn't. Aelia wants us to do it so I've been dancing a lot." Chan admits.
"Aww how cute, Channie!" Hansol pinches his cheek.
"I have an idea!" Soonyoung speaks up.
"It's not anything stupid, right?" Seungcheol looks at him.
"No! It's for Aelia! We should surprise her by writing the songs ourselves!" Soonyoung smiles.
"Oh that's a great idea!" Wonwoo claps.
"Actually, she would love that. We can even dance if we have to." Mingyu nods.
"Let's have a sleepover then!" Chan throws his hands in the air in excitement.
"Oh my gosh! I agree!" Seungkwan gives him a high five.
"So do we all agree? Sleepover at Hansol's house?" Minghao asks.
"Why my house?!" He pouts.
"Yours is the biggest since you still live with your parents!" Seokmin exclaims.
He groans but finally allows it.
"Let's meet right after school at his house. We'll make a group chat and he'll text his address." Jeonghan says.
"Sounds good to me." Jun says.
A scream of excitement comes out of nowhere and we look in the direction. We notice Aelia running towards us, a big smile across her face.
"Guys! Let's all go out for boba tonight!" She smiles big.
I stare at her in confusion. She never suggests to go places...
"Oh sure-" Soonyoung starts to answer her but Seungkwan smacks his shoulder.
"Shush!"
"Soonyoung!"
"Soon!"
We all give him a look and Soonyoung frowns, rubbing his arm.
"Sorry, Aelia. We're going to study together after school." Seungcheol lies.
"Oh... Well why don't I help you?"
"Actually, we just need help in the English language so Jisoo and Hansol are gonna help." Wonwoo says.
"Oh... O-okay. Well, another time I guess." She sends a fake smile just as the bell ring, "Oh by the way, my violin teacher informed me that you can't do the competition as a group of thirteen. Something about the prize being too much for all of you."
She turns and starts walking away and we all look at each other with wide eyes. What're we gonna do?
"Make a group chat, Jeonghan!" Seungkwan whisper yells before we rush to class.
Hansol, Seungcheol, Aelia, and I walk to class together after saying bye to the others. I notice Aelia looking a little down while Seungcheol and Hansol talk about the assignment we had last night. I feel bad. We're doing this for her but we have to hide it. And the one time she suggests something, we can't do it. It must make her upset.
After class, I walk out to see Aelia talking to Hansol.
"Come on, Vernon. Please~ For me?" Aelia says cutely, "You guys can't all be studying together. There's no way! You'd all fight and mess around!"
"Sorry, Aelia! We're all having a sleepover tonight! That's why we can't." He talks really fast, bowing to her in apology.
She stares at him in shock at his sudden outburst. She looks up and notices me. She motions for me to come and I gulp. I slowly walk towards them, my eyes locked with hers. I stop a few feet away, silence lays on us.
"Jihoon... Is this true?"
I stay silent, looking at Hansol for help. He shakes his head and I sigh.
"Yes." I admit.
She nods, pressing her lips together. Some people laugh behind us and we all look in their direction. Two boys talk to each other, acting like weirdos, as they walk pass by us. Her smile lights up and I watch in surprise when she runs up to them.
"Minhyun! Seongwoo!" She waves to them.
"Oh! Hello, Aelia! How're you?" The boy with black hair and the same giant height as Mingyu smiles.
I start to grit my teeth. He's too handsome. What does he think he's doing talking to her with looks of an idol?
"Didn't you happen to ask me today if I was free after school?"
My jaw drops. She did not...
"Yeah." The other boy who also has black hair gasps, "Are you going to hang out with us?!" He drops his books in excitement and grabs onto her hands.
"Yup!" She smiles, laughing a little.
"Pft, I wasn't excited or anything." He plays it off, acting serious and pretending to brush some dirt off his shoulder.
"You've been dreaming of this day since we met her a couple of months ago, Seongwoo." The taller boy hits his arm playfully.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." He stares at him with no expression.
"Aww you love me!" She pinches his cheek.
"Shut up!"
"Aww yay! I finally get to hang out with you~" Minhyun, I'm sure, gives her a big hug, ignoring Seongwoo's complaining.
"Come on! I want boba!" She turns to us, "Bye! I'll just see you later."
She waves to us before smiling at them and motioning for them to follow her. They walk together out of the school, laughing about something, getting me slightly angry. How come they make her laugh so easily? She doesn't even smile that much with us.
"Jihoon... Calm down. You have smoke coming out of your ears." Hansol jokes in a monotone.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I mimic Seongwoo.
"Let's go." He pats my shoulder and leads me out the school, the opposite way of her.