Ramen only signed up for homeroom computer science because Samyang was taking the course and Ramen didn't want to be alone in all his classes. In retrospect, probably not the best reason; Eggi letting him copy off his work was the only thing keeping him above a failing grade.

The hot guy in his class was another excuse to stay, though.

Ramen spent long boring lectures staring above his monitor at the back of Kaizo's spiky-haired head- at this point he practically had its pattern memorized. Either Kaizo was extremely precise in his hair gel application routine, or the ridiculous hairstyle was actually genetic. Ramen, having experience with the painstaking process of gelling his hair into place every morning for almost half a year, was inclined to believe the latter.

This morning, however, he enters the empty classroom to the teacher tiptoeing on a stool, reaching up to pin a garland above the whiteboard.

"Need a hand?" he offers, but she's already stepping down and brushing off her hands.

"Thank you, but I'll be fine," she politely refuses and makes her way over to her desk, producing a card from a drawer within it.

She holds it out to him. "Do you need a pen?"

Ramen sets down his backpack on a nearby chair and gestures to Samyang and Eggi to come over, and the teacher gives them cards too.

"Uh, what is this for?" Samyang scratches the back of his head while Ramen searches for pens.

"The homeroom Secret Santa exchange," she grins, and Eggi pauses.

"Secret...santa?" He quirks an eyebrow.

The teacher gapes in disbelief. "Don't tell me you've never participated in a Secret Santa before!"

Eggi shakes his head, nonplussed, and Samyang pats his shoulder gently.

"A Secret Santa is like, uh..." he starts to explain.

"Basically you get a gift for someone, but the catch is, they don't know it's you," Ramen says helpfully.

"Ooh, so anonymous gift-giving," Eggi nods in understanding.

"Well, it's only a secret till they give you the gift on Christmas," the teacher clarifies, and Ramen finally locates his pencil case, haphazardly unzipping it, and two pens and a pencil tumble out.

"Careful," she warns, as he nearly drops the pencil case on a keyboard.

"Sorry," he grins sheepishly and quickly tosses it in his bag. "So we just write our names and fold it?"

She raises an eyebrow as he illustrates his point by folding the index card...very roughly in half. Samyang, meanwhile, is meticulously matching up the corners so the edges line up exactly, like the pretentious perfectionist he is. Ramen loves his friend, but sometimes he wonders how Sam and Eggi even get along with him and Mamee. Clumsy klutzes and precise perfectionists - either they balance each other out really well or it's sheer coincidence.

Eggi carefully writes his name in neat cursive, and folds the card exactly in half like it's been pre-folded for him. Ramen can only gape in shock.

"This sounds like fun!" Eggi smiles as he puts the folded card into the basket the teacher extends towards them.

More students file in, and she guides them through the same process, offering pens for those who came less prepared. Some of their card-folding techniques are just as careless as Ramen's, and he feels less self-conscious about his own. Their teacher finally collects the last one, scanning the room for any absent students - miraculously, there are none on this fine First of December - and shakes the basket to mix up the cards.

Ramen watches as Kaizo, among the last to enter the room, takes his seat after adding his own card to the basket. Ramen drops his eyes to his monitor and stares very deeply into his computer screensaver, waiting on the teacher's signal to unlock the system. Out of the corner of his eye, his classmate does not turn his head towards him.

Ramen peeks over his monitor again to the same sight he has been graced with for most of the past semester - perfect, weeb-style spikes.

He must have gotten distracted because the next thing he knows, Sam is poking his shoulder and nudging the basket towards him. He blinks, glancing from the collection of folded cards to the unfolded one pinched between Samyang's fingers, and realization dawns on him in an instant. He quickly grabs a card off the top, shaking off the other card that attaches to it, then dropping both when it refuses to release itself. He picks another card, this one loose from its companions, and hastily slides the basket to his left.

Eggi leans past Samyang to his right, and Ramen quickly unfolds the card, though the way this one is folded specifically makes it a bit slower to open.

He stares, blinking once, twice, then shakes his head in disbelief.

Kaizo.

The surprise must show on his face because Eggi's eyes light up and Samyang gives him a Look, and Ramen immediately slaps on his best poker face. He stares back down at the card, the scrawly hand-writing that he's got memorized by now, and struggles to comprehend that he could have possibly drawn the card of the boy sitting right in front of him at this very moment, albeit with his head ducked down in introversion and disinterest.

"Way to keep it secret," Samyang whispers sarcastically.

"You did this?" Ramen asks incredulously.

Samyang's eyes narrow and he jerks his head towards Eggi, who muffles a giggle.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," Eggi apologizes. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

Well, sure, Ramen would kill for an excuse to interact with Kaizo again, even though he's moderately certain that the other hates his guts, and a randomized gift exchange would be the perfect way to throw off suspicion, but...

"What?" Eggi asks, face falling.

Ramen stares back at the card in his hand as if the single word on it has changed since his last glance. Nope, it's still definitely Kaizo.

"I guess it's time to look for the perfect gift," Ramen forces a grin, and Eggi smiles in relief.

And it had better be the perfect gift, because it's the last shot he's got at winning Kaizo over.

-

The glory of being assigned partner projects is that their teacher mercifully allowed Ramen, the exceptional programming failure, to work in a group of three with Samyang and Eggi. Samyang's presence means that Ramen has to actually pretend he's learned something in the past three months, but Eggi has gotten better at helping him hide that, making smooth excuses and careful prompts to, ahem, egg Ramen on.

To Ramen's mild disappointment, Kaizo also has a project partner. To absolutely no one's surprise, it is not Ramen. It's some other guy who Ramen hasn't bothered to learn the name of, though he can't say he's entirely comfortable with the way he looks at Kaizo.

And, to his further distaste, Kaizo doesn't seem to have an aversion to the guy. It's clearly forced, as anyone else in the room can tell, but at least he has the decency of addressing him politely and smiling. Kaizo has never once smiled at Ramen, not even in sarcasm.

On this afternoon lunch hour, their site is the computer lab. Ideally not the best dining location, given the close proximity of highly expensive technological equipment, but December means winter break is coming up, which means deadlines, which means spending their lunch hours hurrying to finish projects and assignments before they're due.

So, albeit not a mutually welcome prospect, he and Kaizo are technically lunch buddies today.

There's also no hard-and-fast rule against inviting friends here, so Mamee joins them for "moral support" purposes. And immediately calls out Ramen's staring habits.

"Ooh, what beauty are we beholding today?" Mamee's voice is not as quiet as Ramen would like it to be.

"Only Ramen's Secret Santa giftee." At least Eggi has the respect to whisper in an undertone, and Mamee's eyebrows jump.

"What coincidence," he prompts, tone skeptical, and Samyang facepalms.

"It was me," Eggi says proudly, oblivious, then drops his voice. "I rigged the draw."

"Ohoho!" Mamee's eyes glitter, "What have you been learning in the computer magic class?"

He doesn't bother to so much as watch his volume and Kaizo whips around at them and glares.

Mamee throws his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to disturb your work!"

Kaizo rolls his eyes and turns back to his partner, the corners of his lips quirking up in a small smile at whatever the other guy says in response to the incident.

Ramen suppresses a small surge of rage. He shoves his hand under the table and clenches a fist.

Samyang is still staring at Kaizo, raising an eyebrow as he turns to Ramen. "Are you sure?"

Ramen blinks. "Sure about?"

Samyang sighs and Mamee nods as if in agreement. "Bro, I know he's hot, but-"

Ramen's cheeks heat up and he ducks his head even though Kaizo isn't looking at him. "Say it a little louder, will ya?"

Mamee looks like he's almost considering the possibility for a moment, and Ramen briefly panics, but he dismisses it. "Seriously, though, what part of that prickish personality do you find attractive?"

Ramen shrugs, unwrapping his sandwich and taking a bite.

Samyang narrows his eyes. "If it's only that he's hot, man, that's kinda shallow..."

Ramen chokes on his sandwich, struggling to swallow it smoothly, and Mamee slaps his back to help him along.

"Hey, if it was just about looks, then Sam is plenty attractive," Mamee points out, which doesn't at all help Ramen clear his windpipe. "Or me, heck," he adds as an afterthought.

"Aw, thanks bro," Samyang grins.

Ramen coughs, finally able to breathe again, and Mamee tosses his hair behind his shoulder.

"Whaddyou say, Noodles?" he asks, gesturing to himself. "Would you hit this?"

Ramen tilts his head as if legitimately considering it for a moment.

"Maybe so," he decides, teasing, and they all crack up, though Eggi hesitates for a moment in confusion before joining their laughter.

"Do you mind?" Kaizo's voice is sharp with annoyance.

Ramen goes silent. "Sorry..."

"Thank you," Kaizo says, not sounding at all grateful, and goes back to discussing with his partner until the bell rings, signalling the end of lunch hour.

-

Ramen almost runs into Kaizo after school before practice, only stopping a moment in surprise at seeing him, watching through meshed windows as his classmate ducks behind a set of double doors and dashes up the staircase.

Ramen shakes his head and continues towards the gymnasium.

After practice, though, he finds himself retracing his steps and heading back towards the hallway he last saw Kaizo in, and pausing before pushing open the door and taking the stairs two at a time.

He ends up in the art wing, a completely unfamiliar hallway, and for a moment he hesitates. He's never been in this part of the school before - he doesn't know if he's even allowed to be, but also, why wouldn't he? The hallway is empty - mostly everyone without extra-curriculars left at least an hour ago, but there's sound coming out of one of the rooms, and Ramen cautiously approaches it.

The door is open, and Ramen freezes just out of its view, so he can't see who's inside, nor can they see him. He can hear them, though, and he pauses for a while, listening as they sing something he recognizes as familiar but can't identify exactly. They have a good voice, he thinks, and then realizes with a start that he's heard it before.

But, no, it can't be...

Kaizo?

The singing stops abruptly, giving Ramen a heart attack, and he freezes in place, torn between making a run for it or staying where he is. He waits with bated breath as light footsteps cross the tiles of the room, and his feet inch away as the sounds grow nearer? Farther? He can't tell, but now he's at the door to the stairwell and he doesn't think as he pushes it open and sprints down the stairs, slamming the doors open and running outside, not slowing down till he's ten meters from the bus stop.

He keels, catching his breath, then straightens, and to his relief, a bus pulls up just then, admitting him entry, and taking him as far away from the school - and Kaizo's wrath - as possible.

-

Ramen flops onto his bed as soon as he gets home, exhausted and reeling from today's events. As if the coach didn't wear him out already. Football season doesn't start until spring, but the coach insists on having them whipped into shape long before then, and Ramen is aching by the time he finally stumbles into his bedroom.

He stares at the ceiling, mind swirling with thoughts. Kaizo's name on the card, Kaizo's project partner, Kaizo singing...

Ramen reminds himself that not all his thoughts revolve around Kaizo. For example, he is also starting to worry about Eggi informing him he'd be going on an early vacation the first two weeks of December, leaving Ramen alone to convince Samyang that he wasn't a total phony and actually did pay attention to things other than Kaizo's head in homeroom.

...Which comes back to Kaizo, eh?

Ramen sighs and shakes his head to clear his thoughts, reaching for his phone and clicking it on. He has notifications, and one tap brings him to the Mee Gang's group chat.

does anyone know patrik beard?

*patrick

whomt

uh is he in compsci?

yeah i shoulde let u know i got him for ss

I can't say I know him particularly well

idk man u know i only talk tou uys

lol what is spelling

im sure youre having a fun time brainstorming

ooh yeah hows that goin for ya

uhhh idk

i only just got home so

im surprised u havent been thinking about it all day

imagining the look on his face when he opens ur present...

then pulling u in for a kiss~

mamee pls

i cant with you guys-

so long as he doeesnt throw it back in my fce ill b forever blessed

raise 👏 your 👏 standards 👏

u deserve better than weeb spikyhead

says the weeb...

shaddup were all weebs here

Does it count if I'm literally japanese?

eggi no youre not a weeb-

were way better weebs than kaizo anyway

i bet kaizo nevr naruto ran through the high school hallways

...

you did wHAT

fuck dont tell me i never told u guys about freshman year anime club

language...

>:C

eggi shouldnt u be packing

Almost done. ^w^

niceee

were gonna miss u bro :c

yeah defo :/

have fun though!!

Thanks, guys. I will.

and bring dope presents

>:c

uhh not too expensive :p

I'll keep an eye out.

ill leave u to ur packing then

hm maybe ill ask someone else abt patrick

hey sam

ask kaizo

;)

...

hes in compsci isnt he?

what part of 'secret' santa do u not get-

but u couldve gotten a hint abt what ramen shld get kazoo

LMAO

*kaizo

sorry autocorrect

SGJSBDFKSBKGJBAKJ

oh my god...

GET HIM A KAZOO

NO

NO

No...?

EGGI GO PACK

man u cant deny itd be fucking hilarious tho

LANGUAGE OMG

:C

mamee dont u have homework...

...maybe so

sgkjbsdjgbsjbaj

go do ur work

>:C

ur such a gr8 role model omg

ikr 😎

thats it im ghosting u till u do ur work

wha okay mom

ill go ask someone else in our class ig

KAIZO

not kaizo pls-

dammit-

we'll see...

woah cryptic

...

ur really gonna ghost me eh

ughhhhh

f i n e

been betrayed by my own bretheren

...

k whatever

-

Ramen is gazing at Kaizo's hair again, dozing off - his sleep schedule was not made for 8am class - while the teacher busies herself pinning garlands across the walls. Samyang clears his throat beside him and Ramen blinks blearily to his right, jerking awake with a start when he realizes the empty seat beside him.

Eggi isn't coming to class today.

Ramen almost smacks himself for forgetting, and straightens, fumbling for the button on his monitor to avoid premature underestimations of his intelligence.

Samyang raises an eyebrow and Ramen glances up at the teacher, whose back is turned.

"What?" Ramen asks innocently. "Shouldn't we be maximizing our class time?"

Samyang watches him with narrow eyes and turns on his own monitor. He nods, still eyeing him suspiciously.

Ramen swallows. "So, uh, we were working on..."

He clicks through his folders, jogging his memory, and pauses at an icon thumbnail that looks familiar. Taking a breath, he double clicks.

Samyang's eyes widen, impressed. "So you are awake."

Ramen sighs in relief and thanks his luck. To his surprise, when he lifts his eyes from the monitor, Kaizo is watching him curiously. The moment he catches Ramen looking at him, though, his expression shifts, and he sets his jaw and turns back around.

The blond blinks for just a moment before Samyang is clearing his throat again, calling his attention back to the task at hand.

Ramen prays his lucky streak lasts through the rest of December.

-

He ends up back in the art wing after the next session of football practice. It's risky, he knows, and truthfully, he wasn't even intended to come back here, but his feet seemed to take initiative of their own and now he's staring through the hallway plastered with original posters and designs, glowing display cases full of high school masterpieces.

The music room is silent this time, the door open only a crack, and Ramen peeks inside only to be disappointed when he finds it empty.