School was over, but like most Friday afternoons, Taehyung and Junghan sat in the extraordinarily cold office of the headmistress Mrs. Choi. Well, Junghan was sitting, Taehyung preferred to stand behind his friend's chair and wait for the woman to speak. What was not like always was the fact that Junghan was the one in trouble. Normally it was one of his sellers or customers they had to rescue, but today it was the head of the black-market himself.

"Why is Mr. Kim here again?" the middle-aged woman with the pitch-black, shoulder-long hair and the piercing eyes asked. She was small but intimidating, just like a headmistress had to be.

"He's my attorney," Junghan said without humor.

"Your attour-" The woman shook her head in disbelieve. "This is not some interrogation." Taehyung doubted that. The whole ambience of this room screamed courthouse; the ebony old-fashioned furniture, the certificates in their golden frames over her head, the neatly arranged papers on her massive desk next to the golden lamp with the green lampshade, the thick file that was opened in front of her, even the Bordeaux carpet and her leather throne. And, of course, the fact that she had placed her filigree frameless glasses, that normally hung around her slim neck on a golden string, on the tip of her small straight nose.

Junghan tilted his head and Taehyung could imagine the cold and arrogant face with the raised eyebrow. His best friend had perfected the role of the rich kid with mighty parents. "I think it is. One is never called to this office without being asked a load of question."

The mistress sighed and leaned back. "Well then. You have been caught by a teacher while selling cigarettes to students."

"Where is the evidence, Mrs. Choi?" Taehyung interrupted her without being asked. There had been a time when he had argued with the school policy which once had only forbidden smoking and not possessing or dealing with cigarettes, but they had changed the paragraph after he had pulled it as his joker once too often.

Her jaw locked, and her lips pressed into a thin line. Then she reached under the table and placed a blue pack of cigarettes on the desk. "Here it is."

Taehyung remained relaxed. This was nothing.

"Who is the teacher you spoke with, madam?" he asked next, and Mrs. Choi looked like she wanted to burn him by just staring. They had had those battles way too often, and he had won ninety percent of them. Had he not possessed a white vest, she would have eaten him for breakfast.

"It was Mr. Na who brought me the evidence," she said calmly. The woman was a pro as well.

Taehyung had to suppress a grin. "Are you aware of the fact that Mr. Na smokes exactly this label, Mrs. Choi?" he asked her and knew they had almost won. He knew every teacher's cigarette label and favorite alcohol should they smoke or drink. Mrs. Choi preferred Marlborough red but was not opposed to Ms. Lee's red L&M's if she had run out of sticks. And Mr. Na definitely smoked Gauloises blue, the very one that shimmered in the cold light of the desk lamp.

The headmistress' mouth twitched. She knew he was right. "And you expect me to believe that Mr. Na would frame a student for no reason?" she asked agitated.

Taehyung placed a hand on Junghan's shoulder to make his friend look up to him. Junghan nodded when he did so. It was time to fight fire with fire.

"Oh, but he has a reason," Taehyung continued like they had not just had this strange little exchange, "His daughter Sunya, our nurse, and my client have a relationship which Mr. Na knows of and would want to end by any cost. Of course, without endangering the reputation of his daughter."

The woman's face fell in shock. Poor Sunya would most likely be fired, but the leader had to be protected, no matter the damage. Her father would hate himself for having made Junghan his enemy.

"Is that true, Mr. Yoon?" she asked Junghan.

His best friend pretended to be affected and hung his head low. "Yes, Mrs. Choi. I am very sorry."

Taehyung supported the claim by showing the headmistress the picture from the bet of Junghan kissing Sunya. He wasn't sure who of the cronies had taken it secretly, but it had led to nothing but his trouble so far, so he was grateful that at least something useful came off it now.

The mistress looked shaken. "You may go," she said after some silent seconds and weakly gestured them to leave. Taehyung tried to imagine the horror scenario that was playing in front of her inner eye. The school's reputation was in great danger should this kind of information leak out to any parents. He felt a little sorry for the headmistress. She was a great woman after all, never tired of their little battles.

The moment the door fell close behind them, Junghan began to fill the empty hallways with his echoing laughter.

"You're a genius, Tae!" he shouted and slung his arms around Taehyung's neck. Their faces were only inches apart, and some years ago, Taehyung might have been flustered by his friend's behavior, but by now he was already too used to it. He knew Junghan had loved to play with his poorly hidden feelings.

"You're the perfect right hand," Junghan murmured while his eyes were glued to Taehyung's lips and his body pressed closer. Gently, he placed a kiss at the corner of Taehyung's mouth. "I wish you'd wear the collar I gave you," he whispered, "You look hot when you're labeled mine."

Taehyung would lie if he said it did not affect him, that there was not this nasty little prickle that went down from his stomach to his crotch. But it was weak, reassuringly weak.

>><<