Chapter 5: Asking Questions

The next morning, Dahae and Mijoo walked into their biology class, sat at the opposite ends of the room and waited for their lab partners. Mijoo was partnered up with one of the smartest girls in the class who happened to be sick the same day Mijoo was. Sounds of chatter amongst the students could be heard throughout the room. Dahae looked at the clock and class was about to start in one minute; neither the professor nor Luhan have arrived yet.

"Good morning students, sorry I was stuck in traffic." The professor finally came in and set her briefcase on her table. "Please put on all of your safety equiptment and continue the lab from yesterday." The professor looked to the back of the class and saw Dahae putting on her labcoat.

"Dahae, umm, for now you can be in a 3 person group with Mijoo and SeolHee until we can find you another partner."

Dahae raised her eyebrow, "but Luhan is my partner."

"Oh...he didn't tell you? He changed his schedule so he now has this class at a different time."

Dahae shook her head slowly, "No...he didn't tell me anything. Wait are you sure? I was just working with him on our lab report last night."

"I received an email from his saying that he's enrolled in another time, but it'll be fun working with your friends."

"Wait so that jerk just ditched you and your assignment?" Mijoo scoffed once Dahae explained why she is now in her group.

"I...suppose so."

"It's alright, our team will be more efficient with another person." SeolHee commented.

"But I don't know why he didn't tell me beforehand. At least I'll see him in Japanese class." Dahae told herself.

--

"He switched out of this class as well?" Dahae asked the Japanese teacher, whom they had to call "sensei" for more authenticity.

"Yes, he is taking this class at another time." the sensei replied. "I will be starting the lesson soon, everyone take your seats."

--

"So did he switch all of his classes or just the classes that he has with you?" Mijoo asked Dahae over lunch.

"I'm not exactly sure, but as far as I know he just switched out of our biology and japanese classes." Dahae sighed and played with her napkin.

"That's so inconsiderate of him not to tell you though. He just expects that it would be easy for you to change your experiment and be in another group?" Mijoo's tone always sounded as if she was short tempered (which she was).

"Maybe if I see him around campus, I can ask him what's going on?"

Mijoo shook her head, "No Dahae, you're too nice. You have to get in his face and tell him off for switching. Well that's what I would do if I was in your situation."

--

It's been a week since Dahae first found out that Luhan switched out of her classes. Since then, she hasn't even seen him around campus once. She began to give up and accept that she was never going to get an explanation from her former science partner until one afternoon when she went to English tutoring.

"Baekhyun, you're back at school." Dahae greeted as she took a seat next to Baekhyun in the tutoring room.

"Yeah, hi," Baekhyun greeted back as he took out his face mask from his backpack and used it to cover his mouth. "I've been sick on and off for a while, that's why I can't show up to class and I have to come to all of the tutoring sessions."

"Ohh I see. Well I hope you get better."

"Aw thank you."

Suddenly an idea popped into Dahae's head. Baekhyun and Luhan are friends right? Actually, isn't Baekhyun Luhan's only friend?

"Baekhyun, can I ask you a question."

"Sure Dahae."

"Do you happen to know why Luhan switched out of his classes?"

"He did? I didn't know that. He probably didn't tell me."

Dahae puffed her cheeks. So Baekhyun doesn't know the reason either?

"It's just that, one day I was working with him on a lab assignment--I even went to his apartment and we worked so long on it. And then the next day, I find out that he's not even in the class anymore and he's no longer in my japanese class either."

"Really? That's weird. Well when I see him, I can ask him for you."

Dahae beamed, "Really? You'd do that?"

"Yup, no problem," Baekhyun smiled innocently at Dahae as the English professor came in to start tutoring.

--

After Baekhyun was finished with his tutoring classes, he decided to pay Luhan a visit.

"Baek, what are you doing here?" Luhan asked as he opened the door.

"Just wanted to stop by, and on my way here I happened to buy a new toy for...HARU!" Baekhyun let himself in and took out another stuffed animal for Luhan's sister.

Haru jumped from the couch and ran towards Baekhyun to grab her new toy. Before Haru could get the toy in her hands, Baekhyun held the toy above his head so Haru wouldn't be able to reach it. "Uh uh, I'll give you your new toy if you agree to call me 'oppa' instead of 'ahjussi' now, ok?"

"Ok oppa" Haru said as she received her stuffed animal from Baekhyun.

"So I just found out something today," Baekhyun said, taking a seat at the dinner table.

"Oh really?" Luhan joined him.

"Yup, I found out that you're not in our biology class anymore."

Luhan looked down momentarily and nodded, "Yeah, I'm taking it at an earlier time now."

"Did you switch out of all your classes?"

"Only Bio and Japanese," Luhan answered.

"I see," Baekhyun nodded slowly, "So just the classes that you have with Dahae?"

Luhan sighed and glanced over at Haru who was playing with her new toy. "Is there any reason you brought up her name?"

Baekhyun smacked his lips, "It's just that...I happened to see her today and she asked me if I knew why you switched out. You guys were working on a project together and then you just switched out of the class."

The conversation stopped between the two guys as it seemed that Luhan refused to give an answer.

"Well I think I know the reason," Baekhyun finally spoke up, "I realized it the first time I saw Dahae. She looks a lot like her, doesn't she?"

Luhan looked up at Baekhyun and gave a solemn nod.

"But she's not her, Luhan. You don't have to avoid Dahae."

Luhan took a deep breath before answering, "But that night that Dahae came to work on the project, I saw her playing with Haru. Once she left, I kind of...lost it."

Baekhyun patted his friend's back, "I'm sorry,man."

"No you shouldn't be...it was a long time ago."

"So what would you want me to say to Dahae if she asks again?"

Luhan chuckled, "Just tell her that she asks too many questions."

--

At 10 am sharp, Dahae noticed Baekhyun walking into their biology class. She waved at him and signaled for him to go to her table.

"Morning Baekhyun," she greeted with a smile.

"Good morning Dahae."

"So did you happen to see Luhan yesterday?"

"Yup..yeah I did actually..."

"Oh really? So do you know why he switched out of our classes?"

Just tell her that she asks too many questions. Baekhyun thought about what Luhan told him last night but he didn't want to tell that to Dahae. Before he knew it, he came up with the biggest lie ever : "Luhan said he didn't want to be in the same class as you because he feels nervous around you. He probably likes you."

Baekhyun stood there wanting to hit himself for saying that excuse. He looked up at Dahae who was speechless.