“Are you sure this is okay?” Jiyeong looked worried. Her hair had been cut short and she was wearing baggy, boyish clothes Jungkook had picked out for her. She had even wrapped bandages tightly around her chest to make it look flat. Jungkook told her that she was passable as a boy, but Jiyeong had her doubts.

Jungkook lifted her suitcase, which was filled with clothes Jungkook had bought for her, up the last step. He glanced at his friend. “It’s going to be fine,” he reassured her. “I got permission from Namjoon Hyung. He said that as long as you abide by the rules, you’re welcome.” He smiled at her and knocked on the door. ‘You don’t know how much I had to beg him,’ he added in his head.

Two boys came to the door to greet them. “So you’re the one Jungkook wanted to invite to live here,” the tall boy on the left said aloud. Jiyeong tried not to squirm under their intense gazes. She did not like it when strangers stared at her.

“They’re the two eldest,” Jungkook told Jiyeong. She bowed to them awkwardly. “Hyungs, this is my best friend, Jiyeong. He’s going to transfer to Taejong High and needed a place to stay.”

The tall boy nodded. He looked like a calm person. “Welcome. I’m Namjoon.” He motioned to the kind-looking boy next to him, who gave Jiyeong a warm smile. “He’s Jin, the eldest.”

“Hyung? Who’s here?” A boy with chiseled features walked into the scene as Namjoon closed the door behind Jiyeong and Jungkook. The boy’s eyes widened when he spotted the girl. “Who is he?” he exclaimed. At his shout, two more boys appeared behind him.

“Taehyung, he’s Jiyeong, our new resident of the House of Secrets,” Jungkook declared. Feeling awkward, Jiyeong edged behind him. She wasn’t a shy person, but the boys’ stares were as piercing as arrows. Jungkook promptly pulled her arm so she was standing next to him, in full view.

“What the heck? I never heard of this.” A boy wearing flashy clothes turned to glare at Namjoon. “A new resident?”

Jiyeong inwardly gulped. It seemed like only the two older boys knew that she was coming.

“This is Jimin,” Namjoon said to Jiyeong while pointing to the fashionable boy, ignoring the boy’s harsh words.

“There’re only six rooms.” The other boy who spoke up had a frown on his face and his tone was cold. His emotionless expression gave Jiyeong the creeps.

“Oh, come on, Hoseok Hyung!” Jungkook whined. “I’ll room with her, okay?”

Jiyeong struggled not to show any shock on her face. She had had no clue that she’d be rooming with Jungkook. She sent a glare at her friend, but Jungkook pretended not to see. He picked up her suitcase again. “Sorry, but I have to show him the room we’re sharing. It was a four-hour-ride to here, so he needs to rest.”

“Rest? What is he – a girl?” Jimin scoffed. Jiyeong’s mouth fell open.

“I’ll properly introduce Jiyeong during the Gathering tonight.” Jungkook began pulling her suitcase towards the hall.

Hiding a grimace, Jiyeong bowed to the boys, three of them bewildered and two of them angry, and hastily followed Jungkook. His bedroom was apparently the last to the left. Another bedroom faced his. Jiyeong desperately hoped it wasn’t Hoseok’s or Jimin’s.

As soon as Jungkook closed the door, Jiyeong whirled to face him. Jungkook let the suitcase go and lifted two hands, as if warding off a wildcat attack.

“When you said I’d be living in this house, you meant in your room?” she exploded, just as Jungkook had expected.

“As Hoseok Hyung said, we only have six rooms. One for each boy,” he said simply.

Jiyeong narrowed her eyes. “I know that we’re best friends and I’m supposed to be a boy for a year, but I still feel uncomfortable sharing a room with you!”

Jungkook crossed his arms. “It’s better than sharing a room with a boy you don’t know. Also, since this is my room, I can cover for you more effectively. There’s less of a chance you’ll be found out.”

“But this is preposterous!” the girl cried out. Jungkook ignored her, opened her suitcase, and began putting away her clothes, knowing that she’d come around sooner or later.

When she was subdued, she spoke out again. “I guess it can’t be helped. And I should be thanking you, since you’re helping me big time. You’re probably just as uncomfortable as me about having to share a room.” She looked around. The room was slightly bigger than hers back at the orphanage. There was a full-sized bed in a corner and a desk against the wall. The window was open to let in fresh air.

“It’s fine. I’d do anything for you,” he said sincerely. Then before the atmosphere could become awkward, he quickly added, “By the way, did you know that the only bathroom is in the hall next to Namjoon Hyung’s room? It’s two doors away.”

“There’s only one bathroom?” As Jiyeong started to throw a small fit again, the corners of Jungkook’s lips turned up.

Jiyeong sat on Jungkook’s bed after a few minutes. She felt kind of guilty Jungkook had put away all her stuff for her. “What is the Gathering?” she asked curiously.

“It’s a bi-nightly meeting where we share important information. It’s usually held at six o’clock in the living room. Most of the time, although we live in the same house, we mind our own businesses. That’s the rule. However, when there’s something all of us should know, like the fact that the plumber is coming the next day, we share it during the Gathering. It’s practically the only time we gather together.”

Jiyeong frowned. “You said that you guys were friends. Why do you have such stupid rules such as minding your own business and gathering only during Gatherings?”

“Ah.” Jungkook looked away, bothered. “They’re just rules we have to abide to in order to live in the House of Secrets. You see, most of us are, um, people with connections.” He quickly looked up. “You know that my dad’s a movie director, right?” Jiyeong nodded. Since his dad was always busy at movie sites, Jungkook had spent a lot of time by himself or with Jiyeong, for his mom had passed away when he was young and he was an only child. Although the boy hated the fact that his dad could never afford time to spend with his son, he inherited his dad’s interest in movies and was aspiring to become a movie director someday. However, he promised himself that he wouldn’t neglect his family like his dad.

“Well, Hoseok Hyung’s dad is the CEO of Haneul Hotels, Jimin is a famous idol, and Taehyung is a new actor who is rising in popularity. We each have difficult pasts we don’t share with each other, and it is acknowledged that we have secrets we would like to keep to ourselves. However, we all needed a place to stay. That’s why Namjoon Hyung founded the House of Secrets. Jin is his best friend, and he’s apparently quite rich, for he bought this house for that purpose.”

A sigh escaped Jiyeong’s lips. “You guys are weird,” she muttered. “Although, I guess it’s good in a way since they won’t be prying into my secrets and finding out I’m a girl.” She leaned back and lay on the bed. It was way more comfortable than her old one. Suddenly, a thought pierced her mind.

“Um, Jungkook? Where am I going to sleep?”