29 — ONE IN A MILLION

let's talk about our first picks!

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EUNSANG.XMK: bad news, everybody...

"what's wrong?" seungwoo jolts up from his seat, surprised by the sudden message from eunsang appearing in his tv screen. seungyoun and wooseok immediately heads over to take a closer look.

EUNSANG.XMK: seulgi will be doing a quick inspection for mimicry, i think it's bc she hasn't opened it for a while so now she's quite eager to do a little spring cleaning (⑉･̆⌓･̆⑉)

EUNSANG.XMK: i might have to stay low for a while, i'm scared that she'll find out abt me, that'll be huge trouble

"you mean like, a server update for the mimicry?" seungyoun raises his eyebrow. "what about junho?"

EUNSANG.XMK: i don't think he'll be affected.. perhaps he'll be a bit slower than usual, considering that she has never done something like this before ;-;

EUNSANG.XMK: i'm gonna leave soon and i'll be back after it ends, don't try to contact me while we're at it, ok!!!

"stay safe, eunsang-ah," wooseok mumbles quietly with both of his arms crossed.

"don't you think that's it weird seulgi-ssi hasn't been opening the program for a while now?" seungwoo asks out of curiosity. "i mean, i thought she cherished it so much when he went around testing the thing on junho. now she just sets him loose with no clear intentions of what he has to do, and she's doing it on election day.."

"i've started to question her intentions ever since she searched for the other x1 individuals in junho's little course thing that the kids infiltrated," seungyoun purses his lips. "it's like developing mimicry isn't even her ultimate goal at the moment, what she wants is to find—"

he stops himself from finishing his sentence. all she wants is to find me, the boy who has the ability to heal other people.

"find what?" wooseok asks as he arches his eyebrows. his thoughts are full of concern for the latter.

"find other x1 individuals as many as possible," seungyoun changes the sentence, covering up what he wanted to say earlier. "we need to stay cautious. if she's desperate, she might just capture yohan all over again. i think she needs more observation especially considering that what she's doing with junho and the mimicry is definitely not working."

"that's why we shouldn't let the boys wander off by themselves," seungwoo looks at the both of them. "besides, it is election day, right?"

wooseok tilts his head. "what are you suggesting?"

"he's suggesting to infiltrate the party," seungyoun grins. "and in that, i solemnly agree."

the election day. it must be taken account that xigma high takes events like these very seriously, especially when there's such an unpredictable battle between the two strong candidates, kang minhee and cha junho. like a national holiday to be properly celebrated, there were no subjects, no school hours— just a full day filled with rampant last-minute campaign and promotion standees for the students to all enjoy.

a ginger haired boy ventures through the crowd, bringing a microphone and an enormous speaker along with him. "and now we're back with haechan radio with 37,5% viewer ratings, reporting LIVE at the very center of where the election day is taking place! now we have na jaemin-ssi here with us today as our fellow student council leader~ jaemin-ssi, how do you feel about having your long period of suffering to finally come to an end?" he clings to the latter, dangling on his shoulder for support.

jaemin quickly shoves his away. "lee donghyuck, i did not assign you as the council's pr for you to play around like this."

"but you love haechan radio!"

jaemin holds unto the microphone. "i would like to thank all of the students who have taken their time to choose wisely. as your current student council president, i would also like to thank for all your support throughout the whole year, it was nice working with everyone of you."

donghyuck scoffs. "i asked for an interview, not a speech. okay, moving on!"

"lee donghyuck!" hangyul sprints towards the latter. "hyuck, i need to announce something, it's important!"

"no! there's this thing called patience, lee hangyul, you must wait for your turn to broadcast." the boy with the microphone turns away from him. "okay, now we have—"

"it's my turn!" renjun grins widely as he heads towards the microphone. "hello, haechanie, it's an honor to be featured in today's haechan radio—"

"you know what? now to come think of it, you may take over now, lee hangyul." donghyuck quickly passes the microphone to hangyul before renjun could even have a chance to touch it.

renjun scrunches his face. "yah!"

hangyul eagerly speaks through the loud speakers like the election moderator he really is. "hello! i just want to tell you guys that the kang minhee campaign team will be offering free yohan merch, including his very own signature! just show up with proof that you have voted kang minhee and get yours now! thank you very much."

the moment he finishes his sentence, a bunch of girls start to crowd around the latter to get their own personal yohan fan kits. though that best friend of his is a mutual crackhead, he is also a popular ulzzang with a pretty big fanbase, and let's just say that side of his intimidates his supporters from actually interacting with him, so the least they could do to show their love is to buy his merch.

if only they knew how yohan usually acts..

on the other side of the corridor, students are waiting in line for their chance to vote. a very nervous minhee is accompanied by no one else other than yujin, who indefinitely made him more nervous because of her presence. he dangles his long limbs awkwardly, a defined contrast from a very chill yujin who's just minding her own business.

"so who are you voting?" minhee asks yujin, starting up a conversation.

yujin glances at him and laughs. "is that even a real question?"

"uh, yeah.. perhaps you've changed your mind after you hang out with me, perhaps.." he coughs. "perhaps you just, you know, had different plans."

she giggles. "yeah, i'm voting for junho."

"oh."

"yeah."

minhee awkwardly laughs, but he didn't catch yujin laughing along with him. he stops. "oh.."

yujin flashes a grin. "just kidding! you really think i was serious, did you?" she playfully nudges his arm, making his heart beat faster.

"i hate you," minhee cracks into a smile. "i mean like, not that way, i, i just hate me, in like a lovingly way, i also hate you, i just—"

"i hate you too." yujin giggles. "you know, if we keep this up, maybe you can finally articulate a whole sentence at the end of the day, that'll be a major improvement."

"next!" the third counter is now empty, awaiting for one of them to come around.

yujin tiptoes to see the empty slot. "it's our turn! should i go first, or.."

"yeah, sure—" he pauses the second he sees the person in charge of the voting booth. "you know what? perhaps it'll be better for me to go first, okay?"

"hm? okay.."

minhee quickly takes the lead, occupying the slot before yujin has even gotten the chance to go there. in all honesty, he had no intentions of cutting her off, it only changed after he saw who was behind the voting box, the individual who watches over the third counter, the one and only lai guanlin.

"hello," minhee says sternly as he visits the counter, avoiding eye contact.

"mr candidate," guanlin clears his throat. "welcome."

minhee knows that he and yujin must have had a lot of history together, that's why he tried to break them apart nonetheless. what makes it even more uncomfortable is the fact that he isn't familiar with the guy at all; he's merely a dude from his batch whom he has never interacted with.

minhee quietly grabs a pin for him to use for his vote. "all i have to do is to push it in, right—"

"are you dating her?"

minhee raises his head in confusion. "who?"

"ahn yujin, you guys are dating, right?" guanlin flutters his eyes. "you seem to like her a lot."

minhee coughs in surprise. "um really, it's not like that—"

"if you aren't, then please do."

"wait, what?"

"she looks so happy.. being with you." he sighs. "i've never seen her so happy with anyone, including me. though i'm saying this with a heavy heart, perhaps it's for the best. yujin deserves someone better — at least someone with enough guts to volunteer himself as the student council president — unlike me."

minhee couldn't believe that he's hearing those words coming out of the guy, and in his surprise he was starting to feel bad for him too. is he really saying this as a joke or in real terms? minhee shakes his head. "i mean, we're not dating... and i haven't thought about it yet.."

"then try to man up and ask her out, will you?" guanlin snaps. "don't make her wait too long, i know her too well to know that she's not that loyal when it comes to one-sided crushes. though i have a feeling what she has for you is different... there's a possibility that she'll drop you out anytime."

minhee widens his eyes in shock. "is she really like that??"

"yeah! the first she's fawning over wooseok-ssi, the next thing we know it's junho, and then you came around and stole her heart all of the sudden. imagine how exhausted i am with my one-sided crush." he scowls. "try to make use of the situation, kang. don't let this precious moment slide."

minhee slams his hands on the table. "what do you think i should do, then? how do i get her?"

"counter three, please hurry up!" chaewon warns them from afar. "this is no time for chit chat!"

"ah yes, sorry." minhee quickly grabs a pin and his voting paper. "which candidate number am i again?"

"two."

"oh yes, two— TWO??" minhee has almost ruined his paper before the realization hits him. "are you trying to make me vote for junho??"

"what kind of candidate forgets his own number anyway?" guanlin scoffs. "if you forget yujin's birthday on a whim, you're dead meat."

"counter number three!" chaewon yells again, now annoyed.

"yes, yes! i'm leaving," minhee gives guanlin a little salute gesture. "thanks, man."

"if you win this thing, you bloody better ask her out!"

minhee decides not to elaborate with his final statement because one: he's not sure if he's able to win this and two: he's not sure that he has the guts to ask any girl out, especially ahn yujin, the girl he has a crush on in like basically forever. feeling a bit pressurized, he skids towards the corner to catch a breath.

"eunhee-yah," jaemin approaches his same-age friend in a hurry, after he started to have suspicions over something that has gone unnoticed.

"hm?" eunhee gives him a questioning look. "what's up, chewing gum guy?"

"has eunsang been extremely quiet today or has he been ignoring me?"

"neither. didn't he tell you?" eunhee purses his lips. "he's currently hiding from the mimicry, poor kid needs to stay undercover."

"at this time?"

eunhee nods. "quite strange, don't you think? during election day..."

"yah, kang minhee, come here." jaemin gestures at the blonde latter who has just finished voting after a lengthy period of time.

"jaemin-hyung.. and eunhee-noona, hello." minhee slightly bows at his seniors. "have you guys voted for me?"

eunhee sneers. "again, with your constant campaigning."

"well, a guy must try.."

"uri uri minhee, i see you're very close to yujinie. if i were wooseok-hyung, i would've separated you both already."

"but you're not~ and i appreciate you for that~" minhee awkwardly pats his shoulder. "leave minhee and yujin alone, shall we?~"

eunhee laughs. "good thing eunsang's not here right now, he would've already spammed you with disgusted faces."

"well, eunsang's not installed in my phone, so— wait, what do you mean he's not here?"

"system update, normal inspection. he'll be back in no time." jaemin replies shortly.

"hyung,"

"hm?"

"don't do things out of impulse, okay?" minhee reminds him one more time. "you have no one to remind you on the spot now when there's no eunsang... so please."

jaemin nods. "yeah, i understand, no need to bring that up again, uri uri minhee."

"YAH, ZHONG CHENLE, COME BACK HERE!"

jaemin glances around. "what is that..?"

kim yerim chasing around zhong chenle in broad daylight is probably the most believable sight that you can get throughout the whole day, considering the both have such wild personalities and have quite a rough history together.

"RETURN THEM BACK RIGHT NOW OR I'LL EXPOSE YOU TO JOY UNNIE!" yeri barges through the tough crowd, not minding their deadly glares.

yohan comes through to stop her. "yo, katy kim! stop running like you're in a marathon sweetheart, what happened?"

"chenle stole my fansite goods, the ones i printed for the election, the one we're supposed to give out!" she almost looks like she's gonna burst out crying. "all my holographic photocards, the fan banners, everything.. he stole them because he's in junho's side and he's planning to give them out for the junho supporters!"

"relax, noona, i'll pay them twice later on!" chenle exclaims, though still with a mocking look on his face.

"YOU REALLY THINK I CARE ABOUT THE MONEY— ah, shit, yes i do." she crouches down to the ground. "i haven't bought presents for sana's birthday..."

"hey hey, it's alright. we could get through this." yohan says in a comforting tone as he goes down to calm her. "besides, we have a plan b, right?"

dongpyo and hangyul heads towards them, altered by yohan's attended gesture referred to them.

"right?" yohan repeats again, emphasizing his sentences to dongpyo. "i mean, we could always invite the real deal. the real.. sana."

dongpyo flutters his eyes in surprise.

oh shit, we really are doing this.

—

HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA U KINDA COULD IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

ALSO THE FACT THAT THE SANA TEASER CAME OUT TODAY IS SUCH A WILD COINCIDENCE OMG STAN TWICE MORE AND MORE SOTY

anyway ive mentioned this on my dashboard that i'm searching for mutuals here from wattpad!! so if you have twitter reply here with your @ and i'll follow u ~ (pls do interact once we follow each other ok, i would like to be friends with you all!!!)

170 votes for next chap ~

- yuehwa