"I don't think Kihyun is completely evil."

"Yeah, he mustn't be the spawn of satan but a zombie because he's clearly infected your brain and fried your ability to think straight."

Sehyuk chortles, his hands flapping like a baby sparrow taking its first flight. "No, hear me out."

"Please do shed light on the matter so as to enlighten me with your valuable data collection on the guy that's been pummeling you to a mush for weeks."

"Urgh!" Sehyuk groans, fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Can you not be sarcastic for a moment?"

"No, Min Sehyuk, I cannot! Because you're killing my brain cells with your words, one by one." Jaemin sasses, shaking his head and folding his arms over his chest. He adjusts the books in his grip, taking a peek at his watch to check the time. It's been two months since he's befriended Sehyuk and the boy still hasn't let go of his strange inclination toward Kang Kihyun.

"Alright, back to the subject." The blond raises his palm, stopping his friend from speaking further. "What I mean is, Kihyun doesn't bully me every day, he gives breaks in between."

"And that proves he's supposed to be an angel, how?"

Sehyuk scrunches his nose. Only if Jaemin wasted so much of his mouth in something useful other than dissing him. "I never said that. But he's giving me time to recover, sometimes when he hits too hard, there's a longer interval until the next time he finds me. He may not be doing this willingly."

Jaemin stares at the younger, dead in the eyes. "You're ridiculous." He dramatically sighs, pausing outside his Financial Analytics class. "We will continue this later." He pointedly wiggles his finger in front of Sehyuk's face. "And I hope by that time you don't think it's okay to be bullied just because something is going on with Kihyun."

Sehyuk stretches his lips into a thin line and bids the shorter boy farewell, proceeding to his Basics of Psychology class. The decision to pursue psychology was on a whim. He had come to Seoul with his mind set on taking a business-related field but when he saw the options on the registration paper, his eyes zeroed on psychology, and a sudden want to learn it grew in him. He chose it as his major and for his minor, he selected the business studies he initially wanted.

"Today we will be going through different types of coping mechanisms," the professor announces as Sehyuk settles into his seat, throwing a smile at the girl beside him.

"There are several ways one manages their difficult emotions. It could be done in a healthy manner or negatively." The woman tightens her ponytail as he walks closer to the students. The classroom has about ten rows with six tables in each. It has wooden desks with chairs, a projector, and a cupboard to store any class materials. "What do you do when you've to deal with a stressful or painful situation?" She points at a random student.

"I cry," the student simply answers with a shrug, earning a few chuckles.

"Okay, and you, Yumi?"

"I do boxing."

And another student perks up. "I just turn off my thoughts."

"I paint to release stress."

"I binge eat!"

"I go out for a walk."

The varied answers bring a smile to the professor's face, looking satisfied with the interaction with the students. She adjusts her sleeves, pulling them, and eyes searching for the next answer. "What about you, Min Sehyuk?"

Sehyuk freezes, not expecting her to ask him since he's been avoiding her eyes from the very start. "Well...I—"

'I lock myself in my room for days.' The thought crosses his mind, stale emotions reminding him of his time in the U.S. Sehyuk couldn't really say that when everyone who knows him has a picture of a cheery, friendly guy and not someone pathetic. "I sleep or play football." He settles for it, not that it's a lie, just not the whole truth. He takes in a long breath and slowly exhales, calming himself, instead of freaking over the past.

"For today, we'll discuss a few common defense mechanisms put forward by Sigmund Freud, starting by categorizing what you all have said." The professor announces as she walks up to the marker board and writes a word. "Sublimation. It's when you channel your negative energy into something productive. For example, as you've mentioned, it could be either painting away your worries or playing sports or writing." She sticks her hip out and rests her hand on it. "Then we have displacement, which is when one substitutes their feelings on another person or object. For example, if your parents scream at you, you go and let out your frustrations at your younger siblings because you cannot retaliate against your parents."

The older lady explains a few defense mechanisms in detail with easy examples. "Do you know why it's important to identify what type of mechanisms you cope through?" She scans her eyes around the classroom before she continues. "It's so that we could understand and adapt better and healthy ways to cope." She caps the red marker and places it on the table before folding her arms. "Think, if you cope through the avoidant mechanism where you refuse to deal with the situation at hand and completely turn away from it, by sleeping or closing off your thoughts, the next time you do it, you'll be able to remember coping mechanisms and then try a healthier approach since you have a better understanding of them now."

As if on cue, the bell rings indicating the ending of the class hour. The students start collecting their books and other items to leave for their next course.

"Before you all go, the assignment for the week will be for you to identify which defense mechanisms are healthy and which aren't with an example each." The professor orders, earning a few groans and affirmations in answer.

Sehyuk checks his mobile phone for the time and any new messages, pocketing it after he finds none that requires his attention at the moment, only messaging Jaemin about his football practice. He goes to the locker room to change out his fit into his football jersey and shorts. The top is black with two thick golden parallel lines tuning from its neck to the end, with the university's name printed in the middle. After putting on a headband to push his hair backward, Sehyuk looks up in prayer, wishing he'd be selected to play on the team. The football club will be registering the players' names today after their final trials.

The blond blows out a long breath, taking a few sips from his water bottle and closing the metallic locker door, he's nervous yet excited. He walks into the field, already seeing students practicing, some watching the others from where they're sitting on the benches.

"You're here." Sehyuk turns at the voice, slightly bowing to the male in front of him. Jung Namshin, the football captain is a buff senior, with wide shoulders and what one may call thunder thighs, tanned skin due to all the hours he spends playing the sport out in the sun. "You'll be playing against team A, under the vice-captain."

Sehyuk nods, searching for the said guy, immediately spotting a mop of red hair tied in a man-bun.

"Alright!" The vice-captain announces once Sehyuk reaches him. "We will be playing in two teams with seven members each. The official football team needs five new members and they'll be chosen after today's match. So, let's go!" He claps, forming two groups, one headed by him and the other by one of the senior players. "The match will be only half-time."

Jung Namshin blows the whistle and all the players get into their places. The match starts and Sehyuk recalls the points he's collected over weeks about his opponent's team. Wonho's strong feat is just barreling his way through but that's where his weakness comes in, he's narrow-sighted, offering a blind opening at his sides. Yuki is smaller in stature which gives him an advantage in turning swiftly. Sehyuk assesses all as he runs with the ball, searching for a player to make a pass at. He finds Jackson covering behind an opponent, passing him the ball as they get closer to the goalpost. He kicks the ball in and the team cheers.

By the end of the forty-five-minute match, Sehyuk is panting, sweat dripping down his temple, and his shirt jersey sticking to his body. He settles on the bench, taking a break till the captains decide on the players. "That was a good game!" He turns to see Kim Gyeom grinning at him, a tissue wiping his neck.

"Yeah, hadn't had this fun with football in some time," Sehyuk smiles, offering a high-five to Gyeom, the loud smack of their hands drawing a few heads in their way.

"Round up!" The captain claps, hand gesturing to everyone who played in the practice match. "We've selected the members based on different sets of skills and competence. Ji, if you may." He signals the vice-captain to continue.

"Xang Jackson, Kim Gyeom, Cho Wooshik, Min Sehyuk, Kang Dongu, and Lee Joonki." Jiseok's lips spread wide. "Welcome to the team."

A few groans and cheers simultaneously break in the crowd, Gyeom fist-bumping Sehyuk's shoulder. "I'm glad we both could be on the team together."

"Yes!" A sense of accomplishment fills Sehyuk's lungs, feeling like a piece of him has found its way back to him. Football is not just a mere sport to him, it's an intangible limb.

"That will be all for today," Namshin says, "you all can leave if you want."

Sehyuk stretches his arms, a loud sigh leaving his lips. A hot shower sounded inviting after the match he's played. He exits the field along with Gyeom, entering the shower space after discarding his clothes. He waits till the cold water turns warm, then stands under the shower head to lather shampoo and lets the heat soothe his sore muscles.

When the blond is done with the shower, he packs his dirty clothes in his duffel bag to wash them after he gets home and changes into the outfit he had been wearing earlier, a loose black t-shirt and military green cargo pants. But on his way out, he stops at the new presence talking with the football captain. It's the first time he's seeing him on the football grounds. Why would he even be here?

"I'm sorry, Hyunnie. There's nothing I can do for you." Sehyuk hears the captain say as he closes in. "We recruited the members fair and square. Why weren't you there for the trials?"

"Something came up."

"As in a date?" The captain raises a brow in question at what the boy is wearing. A short checkered jacket with a thin silver necklace accentuating his black V-neck shirt matched with slacks. He's definitely dressed to impress.

Sehyuk impulsively snickers earning a snap of the guy's head and a sharp glare that spooks him for half a second.

"I will bre—" Kihyun starts but holds his tongue, turning to Namshin. "I'm sure I'm better than him, I've been practicing since last year."

"Oh no, Sehyuk is actually great at playing football, you should see him in action."

Kihyun lips part in offense and the transferee's chest swells in pride. Jung Namshin has officially become his favorite senior as of today. Sehyuk bows to the captain in gratitude and strides out of the place, heels skipping happily. He's one-up Kang Kihyun even without trying. His mind reels to what he's studied just an hour ago. Coping mechanisms. Kihyun definitely seems the sort of person to opt for displacement. Quite evident from the way he's been punching Sehyuk to the curb every other day. Or maybe he isn't coping with anything but is a plain spawn of satan who enjoys hurting others.

"Min Sehyuk!" The shrill voice booms as fast-paced steps close onto him, pushing the boy into the wall. "You will give up your place on the team!"

"No," the blond answers without hesitation. Kihyun could beat him all he wants but Sehyuk isn't giving up what he rightfully earned. But the other doesn't think so as a hard blow connects to his cheek and Sehyuk feels his canines tearing the skin inside, metallic taste spreading all over. He has the sudden urge to retaliate, but he only fists his hands on the side, pushing them into the wall behind him. "Instead of stealing my spot on the team, go on that date you oh so dressed up for. That's where you may be needed and not on the football field." Sehyuk mocks the boy, tongue swiping over his torn skin.

"Shut up!" Kihyun raises his fist in the air again, coming at the transferee with full force.

"Kihyun, please stop!"

By a hair's breadth, his punch halts near Sehyuk's nose.

"Please stop. This isn't you, don't do this," Jaemin pleads from behind, his voice ridden of the usual merry tone and replaced with longing and hurt. "For old times' sake, if our friendship ever meant anything to you, leave him alone." His slightly shaky fingers hold onto the material on his jeans to ground him, the other hand holding the strap of his bag.

Kihyun stares at Sehyuk as if he's trying to murder him with his glare but eventually, he closes his eyes and breathes, slowly moving away, but not before punching the wall beside the blond's head thrice to intimidate him, uncaring for the split skin that spots with crimson color. "I'm leaving not because you're begging me to stop but because I can't be late for my appointment."

"You okay?" Jaemin examines the younger after Kihyun stalks off to wherever he has to be. "Thank god he left without blasting his rage on me too, I'm too good-looking to have my face rearranged."

Sehyuk nods with a cackle. What's up with the odds being in his favor today?