Jiyeong’s hands trembled as she held the piece of paper. It was the application to Taejong Boys High School.

“Ji-ah! Catch me if you can!” With a laugh, a four-years-old boy tapped his sister’s shoulder and dashed away.

The little girl, who was a year younger, stumbled as she tried to chase after her brother. “Wait up!” she cried out. Then she tripped and fell, scraping her knee. Tears began to escape from her eyes just as wails did from .

The boy ran back to her. “Are you alright?” He examined the bleeding cut and his forehead creased with worry. He crouched down and turned his back to her. “Get on. I’ll take you to the Headmistress.”

A sad smile played on Jiyeong’s lips at the memory from thirteen years ago. That was one of the last moments she had with her older brother before he had been adopted by a rich family, who had wanted just one son. The couple had taken her brother away and he had been kicking and screaming until they shoved them into their car. That was the last she’d ever seen of him. Jiyeong had cried so much that day that she had been afraid her eyes would fall out.

A couple of years later, one of the employees at the orphanage told her that her brother had miraculously run away. At that time, hope formed in Jiyeong’s heart. She waited every day looking out the window, expecting her brother to run out of the blue and rescue her. However, years had passed without a single piece of news about him.

It was just last month when she had received a mysterious letter. The logo of the envelope was Taejong Boys High School’s and the only message inside had been, “Ji-ah, are you well?” The only person who called her that had been her brother. She had locked herself in her small room and cried the whole day again, clutching the piece of paper to her heart like a lifeline.

Then there were no more letters. That was when Jiyeong realized that she herself needed to take action if she wanted to see her long-lost brother.

“Jiyeong!” A voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Jungkook at the doorway of her bedroom, waving a hand cheerfully. A smile automatically appeared on her face when she saw her best friend. Jungkook had been close to her since she was in elementary school. They had been separated when he moved to attend Taejong Boys High, but despite the long distance between them, Jungkook frequently visited the orphanage to see her.

“Jungkook! What brings you here?”

He entered the room and sat on Jiyeong’s bed, which was the only place to sit at the moment. “Guess what I heard from Madam Duck?” Madame Duck was the nickname the two had given the headmistress of the orphanage, who waddled when she walked due to her immense figure. “I heard that you’re leaving the orphanage to live in a boarding school until you come of age. Is that true?” His tone was light, but his face betrayed his hurt. She had never mentioned that to him before.

“Jungkook, I…” Jiyeong cast her eyes down and it landed on the piece of paper. After a period of silence, she explained to her best friend what she planned to do.

“You’re… you’re going to transfer to an all-boys high school? To my high school?” Jungkook’s jaw dropped.

Jiyeong nodded furiously. “I have to. I need to find him.” She glanced back at the application. “I haven’t seen him for nearly thirteen years.” Her voice was quiet.

The shock on Jungkook’s face turned to concern. “I understand that you want to see your brother. However, isn’t it way too risky to attend a school for only boys? You’ll have to-”

“Disguise myself as a boy,” the girl finished. She uttered a small sigh. “I must if it’s the only way to find my brother.”

“You don’t even know if he’s a student there!”

Jiyeong closed her eyes. “Then why would he send an envelope from that school? This is the only clue I have of his whereabouts!” When she opened her eyes, pain was inside of them.

“I can try to find him for you, since I attend Taejong! I have several friends who can help me, if I manage to convince them!” Jungkook’s brow was furrowed.

Jiyeong shook her head. “Although the last time I saw my brother was when I was three, I feel like I would recognize him if I saw him now. I know him the best.”

Jungkook faltered. He knew once the girl decided to do something, nothing could stop her. “Why are you applying for a boarding room? Your roommate will find you out within days.”

“I have no other choice,” argued she. “It’s four hours from the orphanage to that school.”

Jungkook frowned, thoughts whirling inside his brain. Then he jumped up to his feet, surprising Jiyeong. “I have an idea!” he said. His eyes were sparkling. “Then why don’t you live with my friends and me? It’ll be a lot safer than sharing a room with a boy you don’t know.”

Jiyeong stared at him as if he were an alien. “What?”

“Come on, think about it! If you go into the school’s dorms, you might get caught immediately since you’re surrounded by strangers. However, if I’m there to protect you and the place you’re staying at is my friend’s, you’ll be safe! It’ll be a good idea to disguise yourself as a boy in front of my friends, because who knows what they might do if they find out I brought a girl into the house, but the only time you’ll really have to worry will be during school!” Jungkook looked excited.

The girl opened to refuse, but then she closed it. He was right in a way. It kind of unnerved her to be living in a house full of Jungkook and his friends, but it would be a lot safer than spending a year with strangers, and boys at that. His plan would lessen the chance of her being found out.

By the wavering in her eyes, Jungkook knew that he had won. “When are you leaving? I’ll make the preparations at the House of Secrets.”

“House of Secrets?” Jiyeong repeated.

“That’s the name of the house I live in. It’s actually Jin Hyung’s place, but Namjoon Hyung founded the name.”

A frown appeared on Jiyeong’s face. “How many people do you live with?”