What. WHAT. WHAT WHAT WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED... ?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!

When Penny had turned around, she had............... HUGGED HIM?

For half a second, Benji had been so stunned that he had just stood there like an actual idiot (after dropping his book in surprise, also like an actual idiot). Thankfully, reflex kicked in after a moment, and he hugged her back. Granted, it was a very awkward teenage-boy-with-an-undeclared-crush-on-this-girl hug on his part, but who could blame him? He was now officially FREAKING OUT. WHAT DID IT MEEEEEEEEAN????? And could it just go ahead and happen again please?

"Hi-i," he stammered back. He had a split second of realization that PDA was against the rules, and they could both get in trouble if anyone had seen them. But, for the first time EVER in his life, Good Boy Benji Park didn't... care...? about getting in trouble??? The concept of that was entirely foreign to him. But something in his brain decided: Benefits of Hugging Penny Goodman > Detention and Also Maybe a Potential Beating with Chains and Whips Etc. from the Headmaster & Co. (That's definitely what he imagined would happen to him if the headmaster ever did get him in trouble, anyway.)

A grin was threatening to break across his face, and he was trying to stifle it, which probably made him look like he was about to barf or something. But he couldn't help it! She COULDN'T KNOW that he had reeeeeeally liked it when she hugged him and that he definitely wanted to do it again like RIGHT NOW. That was so embarrassing!!!! It was probably just a friendly thing anyway, and she was probably not even thinking about it anymore and he should PROBABLY just accept that. Maybe she hugged all her friends. What made him think he was special??? It probably didn't even mean anything at all to her. Probably.

Realizing that they were standing there in sort of weird silence, Benji cleared his throat just to make a noise, then bent down to retrieve the book he'd accidentally flung in shock. "Soooo... What's new?" (Way casual, Benj. Way casual.) "... Good to see you," he added a bit shyly, the grin finally appearing despite his best efforts to keep it at bay.

There. Totally didn't seem like he was freaking out. Right? Right. Totally.