1: because normal days aren't possible

April 2, 2002

Jeonju, South Korea

—

“Get a job, they said. It’ll be good for you they said…Yeah, right.”

Nam Woohyun, age 11, quickened his pace as he pedaled his old, rusty bike up the hill, the cement road merging with the rocky pavement. The moment he spots green patches of grass, he knows he’s close. Before long, he reaches the front yard of an aging brick building, the sign reading “Jeonju’s Home for Kids,” the paint peeling off the board and he has no doubt in his mind that the director will make him repaint it one of these days as punishment. Jumping off the metal contraption, he tosses it aside and collapses onto the lawn, his legs aching after another hard morning of work. Checking his wristwatch, another hand-me-down, he screams internally when the hands point out 7: 34 AM; he’d been up since five AM delivering newspapers. The sun was only just starting to rise, its rays shining onto his sweaty self. Arm thrown over his forehead, eyes closed, he sighs dramatically.

“Screw you, cruel fate!”

A giggle sounds out. “I’d keep it down if I were you. Kibum won’t be happy if you wake him up again with your groaning!”

Peeking an eye open, he spots the owner of the voice watching him from an upstairs window, a knowing smile on her face.

Park Chorong.

How he wishes he could smack the smile off the little-know-it-all, but he doesn’t. Kibum would never let him live it down for hitting a girl; Joonmyun would just remind him to treat girls politely because that’s what a real man would do. But it wasn’t a girl—it was Park Chorong. So Woohyun merely yells back louder in reply.

“Doesn’t matter how long he sleeps! That diva isn’t gonna get any prettier!”

Another voice speaks up from another window, this one smug.

“Yah, Nam Woohyun! Are you finally admitting I’m pretty!?”

Kim Kibum was ripped away from his beauty sleep, the young lad startled awake by the complaints of his best friend, Nam Woohyun. This being said, Kibum isn’t above ticking the boy off, even if Woohyun did just finish work.

Besides, sleep is more important, Kibum thought, It’s not like we told him to get a job.

As if reading his thoughts, Woohyun sits up, screaming, “I hate you guys for telling me to get a job!”

“We didn’t think you’d actually do it!” Chorong laughed. Kibum eggs him on further.

“Hey, Woohyun!”

“What now?”

“Get up, will you? You’re making the ground dirty!

Chorong watched as Woohyun growled, jumped off the grass and darted into the building, most likely to strangle the diva-like boy. She smiles when she sees Kibum yanked back through the window, loud yelps bouncing off the walls.

“Somebody! Help! Woohyun’s trying to kill m-Ack!”

Chorong shakes her head.

Another normal day.

—

Except it wasn’t a normal day, sadly. But Kang Minhyuk could only hope for the best. However, knowing his friends, it just wasn’t possible.

Especially not when Im Jinah was involved.

The girl could get away with anything. It was no wonder “Fox” was such a fitting nickname for her. And when the Fox had a plan, she sees through it ‘til the end. But this plan was just ridiculous.

Crazy.

Insane.

“It’s official—you’ve gone mad.”

The skinny girl across from him only rolled her eyes. She stared back at him through her bangs, brown orbs scrutinizing his own. Granted, Minhyuk knew none of them were exactly normal to begin with; they all had their own problems. But would it have killed Jinah to think practically for once?

“Don’t try to talk me out of it.”

“Of course I have to. This is your dumbest plan yet,” he said bluntly.

The girl simply groans. Leave it to Kang Minhyuk to spoil everything, she thought wryly.

“I’ve been planning this for months. Besides, I wouldn’t have even told you if you didn’t corner me today. Don’t think you can control me just because you’re older by three months. I’ll listen to Kibum before I listen to you,” Jinah whispered harshly.

Now it’s Minhyuk’s turn to roll his eyes. They both know fully well that Kibum was the most eccentric out of the seven of them. Jinah may be a trouble maker, but that boy takes the cake for weirdness.

And speaking of the diva.

The boy sets his tray down, sliding in next to the fox-like girl at the table.

“What is this about listening to me? Have you both come to your senses about the rags you call clothes?”

Nam Woohyun followed behind him soon after, sarcasm on the tip of his tongue, his hair still askew from his wrestling match with the boy earlier that morning.

“Take a look in the mirror before you diss other people, you spoiled brat.”

The diva sniffed, hand moving to touch up his own hair.

“You’re the worst of them all, Nam Woohyun.”

A young pair then comes up to them with their own trays, the girl following the boy closely, head casted downwards, one hand gripping onto the hem of the boy’s shirt. The boy, on the other hand, greets his friends politely, his hands full from holding onto two metal trays. Both take a seat next to Minhyuk.

“Did Kibum’s feelings get hurt again?” the boy asked.

Without looking at the new guests beside him, Minhyuk merely replied, “Don’t bother asking if you already know, Joonmyun.”

Joonmyun only smiles in return before looking at his seatmates, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

The bickering pair consisting of Kibum and Woohyun opened their mouths to answer, but Jinah beat them to it.

“Hot-Head over here took another jab at Diva’s ego. It’s the usual, nothing interesting.”

Joonmyun shakes his head fondly. It truly was the usual; there never went a day where his two friends never fought, no matter how trivial the topic was. But Joonmyun knew they all loved each other regardless.

“Is Chorong eating lunch today? Where is she?” Jinah asked. She ignores the look Minhyuk gives her, the one that says Don’t think I’m dropping our conversation.

“S-she’s on kitchen-duty this week. Her shift just started when we went through the line,” a small voice answered.

Five pairs of eyes turned to the owner of the voice. Feeling the stares, the girl looked up from her rice, eyes widening by the second. Joonmyun pats her back comfortingly, easing her nerves. Using his chopsticks, he moved some carrots from his tray to hers.

“Eat up, Joohyun,” he whispered softly.

Looking at his friends, he mouthed, Bad interview. They all nodded in understanding.

That explained the vice-like grip the girl, Joohyun, continued to have on her twin brother. It was an unspoken rule between the seven of them to never trigger Joohyun whenever a placement or interview falls through. It’s not something any of them can help; Joohyun just can’t be separated from Joonmyun. It doesn’t make things better when potential parents only want one of the twins.

It’s the same situation every time — a family would want one of the two, unable to take both, and either one of them would end up tanking the interview.

Joonmyun would purposely do so, knowing that Joohyun would be unable to survive without him; Joohyun, on the other hand, doesn’t do it on purpose, but her need for her brother turns families away. And at the end of every interview, Joohyun would be stuck to Joonmyun’s side like glue.

It got to the point where Jinah would volunteer to take their place, her desire to be adopted quite strong, given the fact that she’s lived within the four walls of the orphanage her whole life.

The six sat eating their lunch with the occasional jibe thrown around occasionally. But Minhyuk focused solely on the girl in front of him, a mental conversation occurring between them.

“Don’t you dare follow through with this.”

Jinah smirked. “Watch me.”

“You wouldn’t last three days out there. No one ever does.”

“If that’s what you think, then you clearly don’t know me.”

The tall boy in front of her clenched his fists tightly.

He leaned in closer to her and whispered lowly, “I know you well enough that your plans always land you in some kind of trouble.” And I always have to save your , he added mentally.

Jinah moved in as well. “Well, I guess you won’t have to deal with me once I’m gone then.”

She leaned back, her arms crossed in victory, a Cheshire grin on her face. Minhyuk only shook his head disapprovingly. Eyes never leaving her, he declared clearly to his tablemates.

“Group meeting tonight at nine. Under the slides. You guys know what to do. Joohyun, be sure to tell Chorong when you see her later.”

He watches as Jinah’s face turns to shock, the rest of them murmuring their confusion.

“Don’t think you’ve won just yet.”

Speaking up again, he said, “Remember the rules. Don’t get caught and don’t fail to show. You’re done for if you do so. That’s a promise.”

—

“You’re running away?”

Chorong looked at the girl across from her incredulously. She knows Jinah can be daring, for lack of a better word, but she couldn’t fathom the thought of this idea ever coming to the girl’s head. Chorong knows fully well of Jinah and how her head works, what with past experience, but her plans always landed at least one of them in some outrageous predicament.

The seven of them were under the slides just as Minhyuk had instructed.

This was one of their special things, their little gang. If one of them called a group meeting, it meant serious business. Failure to show up would result in that member being cut from the group. They may fight from time to time (or all the time, in some cases), but their relationship with each other was solid.

The girl in question turned to glare at Minhyuk.

“You prick. I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

He stares at her seriously. “If you won’t listen to me, then surely you’ll listen to someone else.”

“Jinah, think about it. Are you sure about this one? The world is a scary place.”

Joonmyun looked at her thoughtfully. He knew how dangerous the real world could be, knowing fully well he wouldn’t be able to last by himself. He feels a grip on his shirt again and finds Joohyun’s hand there. His eyes soften.

Hyun would have it much worse, he thought.

“Five bucks says she won’t last a day out there.”

Woohyun had a mutual relationship with Jinah, often seeing each other as allies, but he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. If anything, the only frenemy he really had was—

“Oh please, she won’t last an hour! Not with those scrawny legs!”

As always, Kim Kibum always had to open his big mouth that somehow constantly manages to grate on Woohyun’s nerves despite how long they’ve known each other.

Jinah scoffs. “These scrawny legs can make it farther than you ever could, Kim Kibum.”

“Scrawny legs or not, the point is you’re not going. We’ve put up with all of your other crazy schemes, but this is where I’m drawing the line!” Minhyuk said firmly.

The fox-like girl looks at him indignantly, opening to respond but a voice beats her to it.

“Jin, please. Don’t go. Not like this.”

She looks at the owner of the voice, their vice-like grip remaining on Joonmyun.

Oh, Joohyun. It’s always you, Jinah thought.

“Guys, c’mon! You guys know just as well as I do that there’s nothing left for us once we turn eighteen! We’ll be kicked out and then what? Not even that, we’ll be teenagers soon! If nobody’s adopted us yet, then they never will. No one ever wants to take in a teenager…”

They all look at each other. No one says a word. Yes, they were well aware of the truth in Jinah’s statement. But they knew, in their hearts, that they weren’t ready for the world yet. Even if they didn’t have a family, being in the care of the orphanage was better than trying to survive in the apathetic world outside of it.

Jinah huffs. “Look, I love you guys. Really. We’ve had our fun.”

“Yeah, if you can call it that…”

Jinah ignores Woohyun’s blunt comment.

“But I can’t take this anymore! Not having a family or even knowing who they were…you guys don’t know what that’s like.”

The tall girl in a breath and fights back the tears.

“And it’s settled. I’m going. Join me if you want. But I’m not staying.”

—

“You need to do something.”

Minhyuk merely glances at Joonmyun before returning his attention to his book. He has a hard time finding time to read it as it is with his friends (Jinah) always finding their way (Jinah) into dumb situations (Jinah). The shorter lad looks at his friend expectantly.

“Well?”

Minhyuk shuts his book closed. Why he thought he could actually get some amount peace and quiet in the library was beyond him. Oh, the irony. He turns to Joonmyun.

“Well what? I tried to talk her out of it and she refused. I called for a group meeting and it didn’t work. And now she’s going. Whatever happens to her is her problem. Period.”

On that note, he walks away, his free time completely interrupted as the school bell rings for the end of the day dismissal. Joonmyun sputters and runs to catch up with him. If only he was taller, then running would’ve been much easier.

“You can’t just give up like this! You know Jinah. There’s no way she’ll survive out there!”

“Exactly. And within three days, she will have crawled her way back to the orphanage begging for forgiveness. Then everything will go back to normal.”

Joonmyun skids to a stop into Minhyuk, who doesn’t budge from the impact. The taller boy turns on his heel to face the latter.

“I suggest you go find Joohyun. You know she worries if you’re not around.”

“Bu—Hey! I’m not finished!”

Oh, but Minhyuk was.

—

Minhyuk was sitting up against the headboard of his bed reading when Woohyun and Kibum walked in. It was nearing nine o’clock and the two had just gotten off from clean up duty. Joonmyun had yet to return from the bathroom.

“She’s insane, I tell you. Absolutely nuts. I mean, the plan sounds good until you remember it’s hers.”

Minhyuk sighs for the umpteenth time that day. He’s been doing that a lot lately ever since Jinah told them she was running away. All of their friends tried talking to the two of them individually, hoping to knock some sense into Jinah, who insisted on carrying her plan through to the finish, and Minhyuk, who wanted no part in her shenanigans. Unlike Jinah, however, Minhyuk started tuning out his friends completely. Or at least, he tried to. After all, trying to ignore Kim Kibum was like trying to bring a rock to life—it just wasn’t possible.

“Hey, Minhyuk! Did Jinah tell you her plan yet?” Kibum asked.

“No. And even if she did, I wouldn’t listen.”

“Well, I don’t know about you..." Woohyun starts, "But…I’m actually considering going with her now.”

Minhyuk’s head snaps up to the temperamental boy that was Nam Woohyun.

“You’re joking! Not you too.”

Woohyun raises his hands up in surrender.

“Hey, I mean, it does sound like it’ll work. She’s been planning this for months. I couldn’t believe it when she told me, but now I can understand where she’s coming from.”

Minhyuk puts down his book, crosses his arms, and looks at Woohyun skeptically with a raised eyebrow, signaling the latter to continue. Woohyun sighs.

“Okay well, Jinah told me she’s been scoping out a house in the town nearby. Said it had owners but they were gone on some big trip. Apparently they won’t be back for another month or two and they only have some old groundskeeper check on it once a week.”

“And…?”

“And…she was going to go and stay there before she figures out her next plan. But she's hoping that, if she's lucky enough, the family will take her in when they get back.”

Minhyuk looks at him incredulously. What kind of solid plan was that?

“You’re telling me she’s going to sneak into someone else’s house and live there until they return? That’s breaking and entering! She could get arrested if she’s caught! And you want to go with her?!”

Fire flares up in Woohyun’s eyes. He never liked being yelled at. Then again, who did? Kibum could only stare at the two and gulp nervously. It was a mistake on anyone’s part if they got into an argument with Nam Woohyun. But if that person was Kang Minhyuk, then all hell would break loose simply due to the fact that Minhyuk’s calm demeanor could easily set off Woohyun’s temper. The boy always felt belittled when the former talked in his calm voice, like he was an adult when he wasn’t. Woohyun already hated adults; he didn’t need Minhyuk acting like one too.

“Yes, I want to go with her! So what? Better than you, who just wanted to leave her to fend for herself! What kind of friend are you? And Jinah was right. Unlike her, we don’t know what it’s like to not have a family because we did have one until they decided to treat us like trash and throw us away!”

“Nam Woohyun, you take that back right now.”

They all turn to the newcomer. Joonmyun stood at the doorway in his pajamas, towel hanging on his shoulders, with his fists clenched tightly at his sides while his face hardened.

“Speak for yourself. I know you didn’t have the best life before you came here, but you have no right to talk about other people’s families like that.”

Woohyun’s hot temper and dislike for authority stemmed from his father’s abuse after his mother passed away when he was four. The man would come home drunk constantly and alcohol always made him violent, taking it out on none other than Woohyun. The abuse lasted until the boy was eight years old, when child services finally took him from his father’s custody and placed him into Jeonju’s Home for Kids. In contrast, Joonmyun grew up with very loving parents, the family having lived modestly in Daegu before his parents died in a car accident, leaving him and his twin, Joohyun, scared and traumatized, lonely and orphaned when they were only four years old. They had stayed in a group home in Daegu for a few months before being relocated to their current home at the orphanage. Although, as time passed, their internal wounds never faded—Joohyun, with her separation anxiety and Joonmyun, with a hero complex he’ll never admit even to himself. It’s why he’s so patient with Joohyun; if he won’t be there for her, then who will?

Joonmyun turns to Minhyuk and looks at him directly.

“This is why I told you to talk to Jinah before the situation got out of hand. Did you know Chorong is considering leaving now too?”

“Woah, hey, if Chorong is leaving, then I’m definitely going too. The food here will be even more mediocre if she’s gone.”

The boys stare at Kibum as if the boy had two heads. Said boy had the decency to look sheepish after realizing his bad timing. Minhyuk shakes his head.

“This is not my fault nor is she my responsibility. Can we all just stop and think for a minute? This is Jinah we’re talking about! No plan of hers has ever gone the way she wanted!”

“And what if it does?” Joonmyun whispered. “What if it works out and she never comes back. We’ll never see or hear from her again. She could be living happily with the family if they take her in, or she could be caught and sent to a completely different orphanage. Either way, we’d be losing her; we’d be losing a friend. Is that what you want?”

Minhyuk only stares hard at Joonmyun before returning to his bed without another word.

—

Jinah had just unlocked the gate when a hand on her shoulder pulls her back in shock. She turns with her hands above her head in surrender, mouth ready with an excuse as to why she’s outside at three in the morning with a backpack and flashlight. But curls with distaste when she sees that it’s Kang Minhyuk out of all people. She groans.

“You caught me. What do you want?”

Not that she actually cared. She was ready to leave as soon as possible.

“Did you actually think we’d let you leave—”

“Kang Minhyuk, I’m going to say this for the last time—I don’t care what you think.”

“You didn’t let me finish.”

Jinah crosses her arms impatiently. Even in the darkness of early morning, she could feel his annoying eyeroll and it did nothing but irk her before her journey. “Well?”

“Did you actually think we’d let you leave…without us?

Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she spots the lights shining from the flashlights in her friends’ hands. She stares back at Minhyuk in surprise.

“What changed your mind?” she asked.

But Minhyuk just snorts and adjusts the straps on his shoulders.

“Someone has to save your when this plan goes down the toilet.”

Jinah didn’t know why she thought for a second that Kang Minhyuk changed his stupid mind for her. But she welcomes her friends with open arms and squeals happily as they get closer to the two at the gated entrance. The moment is broken when Minhyuk shushes them.

“Look, if we’re going to do this, we have to do it right.”

With one last look at the orphanage, their home up until now, he turns to Jinah.

“Lead the way.”