Kim Minseok looked up at the small structure, a bag slung over his shoulder that was filled with his belongings. The van just drove off, leaving him on the side walk in front of the house.

A man walked out of the home. "Ah, you must be Minseok. I'm Heechul, the caregriver." A man (maybe in his mid-30's) greeted Minseok, holding out his hand. The younger of the two took his hand and shook it. This man seemed nice, he was smiling, welcoming almost. "Why don't you come on in." Minseok followed Heechul into the house. The group home, Minseok had to remind himself.

"All the boys are outside doing some yard work right now. You'll be able to meet them during group." Heechul explained while leading the teenager up the only set of stairs. The house seemed bigger than it appeared on the outside. The caregiver opened a door. "This will be your room." Heechul showed Minseok his bed. "This other bed here belongs to Luhan." Minseok was an only child, he never had to share a room before, not that he minded. Heechul removed a perfume bottle off of the shelf. "Sorry it's a bit messy, the boy that was here before just moved out yesterday because of an.... issue." Tense. "They just told me this morning a new boy was moving in, so I didn't really have time to prepare. Usually I'm told a week beforehand, but this was one of those rare exceptions." 

Minseok laid his bag on the bed. "It's fine, thank you." The older man seemed surprised at the boy's kindness, but his smile grew even bigger. 

"This house isn't really big enough to make fit for 12 boys. There was only originally planned to be 7, but that plan didn't really work out. And because of that, we have a schedule for shower times." Minseok held back a sigh. "You'll be taking the open slot at 6:00am. Sorry if you're not a morning person, but the old kid was." The teenage boy was not a morning person. "On school days, all the boys wake up at 6, make their bed, take a 10 minute shower, and then come down to eat breakfast. After, since the school's across the street, you will walk...."

Minseok began to involuntarily zone out as Heechul explained the rules, only paying attention enough to hear the most key details. Wake up at 6, make bed, take shower - a ten minute limit, eat, go to school, come back from school, homework, chores... That was the basic gist of things. The only good thing about living in this group home was that it is closer to school. Now, instead of having to take two trains every morning, Minseok could simply walk.

"The boys here can be a bit rude at first," Minseok zoned back in. "But they really are good kids. Just like you I'm sure." And he would be right. Minseok didn't even understand why he was here, he knew how he got here, but why was he here? His mom always told him that there was a reason for everything, but what was the reason for this? "Come down, it's early, and I can bet you haven't eaten."

Minseok spent a whole night in a cold cell with only one blanket, and when he was woken up, the police told him he would eat at the group home. The young boy was only given a short 20 minutes to go home and pack all his stuff in a small duffle bag. His mom was crying when Minseok showed up to get his things, and his dad was almost yelling at his mom to shut up. Minseok really thought that this unfortunate event would bring his parents closer together, but it only drove them further apart.

"Take a seat" The caregiver ordered once they were in the kitchen. Minseok obliged. "Now pay attention, this is the only time I will be feeding you in this house." Heechul explained. "This is where the plates and bowls are." Heechul opened the cabinet and pulled down a bowl. "This is where the cups are." The caregiver grabbed a cup. "The fridge is self explanatory, and so is the other kitchen appliances." The older grabbed some milk and orange juice from the fridge. "This closet is where the food that dosen't need to be kept cold goes." Heechul finally pulled out Coco Puffs, and mixed the two items together in a bowl, pouring the orange juice in the glass cup as well. Heechul grabbed a spoon and put the bowl in front of the younger, prompting him to eat. "Every week someone new does the dishes, it's a rotating cycle. Your week is next week."

After about 5 minutes, Minseok had eaten all the cereal and drank all his juice. Heechul told him where to put his dishes, telling him to clean them. "I would make all the boys wash their own dishes after they eat, but with 12 of us here, it would take much longer for the deed to get done." Minseok nodded, listening. "Breakfast is at 7:30, lunch will be served at school, and dinner is at 6. On weekends, when there is no school, breakfast will be at 6:30 and lunch will be at 12."

Once Minseok was done with the dishes, Heechul led him to the living room and instructed him to sit on one of the 13 open chairs that were arranged in a circle. "This is our group circle, I've already set it up today, but you guys will be in charge of doing this." Heechul took a seat in the only comfy looking chair. "This is where I sit, always." He clarified. "Group is every Monday and Friday, after dinner at 7." Group. It was the thing Minseok was dreading most when his social worker explained what it was. "You will be expected to talk about your day, and just about anything you want, as long as it's not hurtful. You don't talk, you won't make progression, and the longer it will take for you to get out of here."

Heechul left to go get the boys that were still outside working. Minseok was able to roll his eyes then, his heart beating fast. How can he be expected to talk? Minseok is a shy kid, talking was just not something he could easily do, especially in front of strangers. Minseok straightened up at the sound of voices overlapping each other. From his seat in the living room, he could see the tired looking boys. The first person he saw was tall, with somewhat big ears. Minseok suddenly felt small, more so than he already was.

The tall boy stopped in front of Minseok, a bit shocked, but after a second he took a seat. The rest seemingly ignored the new boy, and he took it as a chance to examine them.

Some were tall, like the first kid. Others were a bit shorter, but not actually short, like Minseok kind of was. Although, there was one boy who looked like they matched Minseok's height, but he wouldn't be able to actually tell till they were standing next to each other. One boy was a bit jumpy, clinging on to the boy in front of him, who seemed annoyed. Another had dark circles, and Minseok wondered if he was feeling okay, or if he got enough sleep. There were two boys that Minseok thought he could approach first, two that looked kind. One had almost heart-shaped lips. The other had a dimple when he smiled, which he was doing because the dimpled boy's friend said something funny.

Once all the boys took their seat, the chairs next to Minseok being the last to fill up, Heechul quieted them all down. "Shushhhhh!!!!" The caregiver yelled, his voice a boombox, frightening the poor kid right next to Heechul. Only Minseok noticed this though.

"As you all could probably tell now, we got a new addition." The boys followed Heechul's stare, some just noticing the new boy for the first time right now.

"Whoa, wait! Doyun-hyung just moved out yesterday, and we already got a replacement, that's a bit too fast isn't it?!" The jumpy boy from earlier noted.

"Replacement? Like this kid could replace Doyun." Another commented

"What did you just say?" The group quieted once again at Heechul's darkened tone. "Luhan, just so you know, this kid, is older than you." Some boys looked shocked, others gave no reaction.

Luhan, Luhan was shocked. "That's not possible, look at him, he looks like he's 12."

"And you look like a decent guy, but looks can be deceiving." Luhan glared at the caregiver. The boy's laughed, but Minseok just focused on the one boys expression. He's scary, Minseok thought, better avoid him. "Luhan, Minseok here is also you're new roommate"

Minseok's stomach dropped. Luhan was now galring at him, intensely. How was Minseok going to ignore this guy, if they had to stay in the same room? He'll just stay out of his way.

"Okay." Heechul gained everyone's stares again, except for Luhan, who just glared at Minseok for a little longer before turning away. "Since we have a new resident, you'll all be introducing yourself to Minseok. Tell him your name, age, how long you've been here, and the reason you're here." Collective groan amongst the group. "You start." Heechul nugged the boy next to him.

This boy was the one who got slightly frightened at the caregiver's loud yell shortly before. "Ummm.... I'm Kim Jongdae, and I'm 15, and I've been here for just about a month." Jongdae stopped for a second, looking to another boy who simply nodded, then he continued. "I pointed a gun at a lawyer. If you ask me, everyone just overreacted and I shouldn't even be here."

"Yeah, I also think I shouldn't be here." Another boy jokingly said, raising his hand and leaning forward. Others laughed.

"Jongin, wait your turn." Heechul ordered, and the boy, Jongin was his name, leaned back in his chair again with a smirk.

"I'm done." Jongdae said bitterly.

"I'm Baekhyun." He's the jumpy guy, and also the one who called Minseok a replacement. "15, here for 7 months already... Oh! And I punched a teacher, but he deserved it!" Baekhyun quickly defended. "You know how corrupt our school is." Jumpy directed his statement to the new kid, who just nodded.

"I'm Kyungsoo." Kyungsoo. This was the boy with heart shaped lips, one of the two who didn't look as intimidating. "I'm 15 years old, I stole something, so I've been here for 3 months." Simple, and it wasn't so bad, at least in Minseok's mind. He could definitely try to become friends with this boy.

"He unsuccessfully tried to steal something, I think is what he means-"

"Jongin!" Heechul yelled once again at the boy who interrupted now twice. "It's your turn now, and since you've been so eager to talk, I expect to hear alot out of you."

Jongin sighed. "Kim Jongin, 14, and I had a bit of a drug addiction." Now Minseok understood why the joke Jongin made earlier, the one about not belonging here, was so funny. Because Jongin did actually belong in this group home.

"A bit?"

"Had?"

"Okay!" Jogin laughed at the two other boys who mocked what he said, one of the two being Baekhyun. "I have a big drug addiction issue that i'm still working on, but what can I say, I've only been here for a month."

"Next!" Heechul said, the boy next to Jongin rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Zitao, 14, bullying, 5 months." Minseok knew of this kid. Almost everyone at school was afraid of him, intimidated by him. He was the school bully, and his martial arts background helped enforce that. Minseok never actually met him, they didn't have the same homeroom, but the new boy still saw the bully mess with others from time to time.

"He's from China!" Baekhyun piped in

"Duh." Zitao hissed

"Duh? What do you mean duh, Tao? It's not like it's the most obvious thing in the world you know. You spoke for like two seconds, you didn't really give this new hyung a chance to pinpoint where your accent is from." Baekhyun defensively said. Minseok didn't know if the boy was one of the people who weren't intimidated by Zitao, or if Baekhyun just didn't notice how mad the China native got.

"Next!" Heechul interrupted before Zitao got a chance to say something else, although from where Minseok was sitting, it looked like Zitao was about to get up.

"I'm Sehun, and I'm 14, the youngest here." This kid's voice was soft, contrasting to the harsh boy next to him. "I like... liked to steal stuff, I'm a.... I was a theif." The kid had to keep correcting himself. "I've been here for 4 months now."

"My name is Junmyeon, 15. I've been here for 2 months because I had a habit of vandalising things. I'm the leader in this home." At this, the others erupted in disagreements, startling Minseok.

"Junmyeon, stop kidding yourself." A boy, one who hasn't been introduced yet, chimed in over the noise.

"ENOUGH!" The caregiver was fed up. "This is Minseok's first day, okay?! I know this is a shock to you guys, cause it was unexpected, but it was also a shock for Minseok! I just asked for one thing, just to explain who you are without any fighting, was that so hard?!"

"Yes, clearly." Jongin answered. Bad idea Jongin.

"That's it! Jongin, after group, you and me are gonna have a chat outside, understood?!" Heechul's face was beat red. Jongin nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Okay, now who's next?!"

The cold boy waited a second for the caregiver to calm down, before speaking. "Yifan, I go by Kris." The boy made it clear. "I'm from China too, I lived in Canada  for a while, and now I'm here. I'm 16, and I'm here because I was a drug dealer. 9 months in so far."

"I'm Park Chanyeol." He was the first boy who Minseok saw, one of the most intimidating here, physically that is. "I'm 14. I took a tool bar and smashed a cops car with it, which in retrospect wasn't the best idea I ever had."

"I'll say." Jongdae... Minseok was pretty sure it was Jongdae, commented.

"I've been stuck here for 2 months." Chanyeol finished

"My name is Yixing." This was the dimple smile boy. The second boy Minseok thought he could try talking to. He seemed sweet, and by the way he gently spoke, Minseok knew he was. "I'm from China, like Kris and Tao. I'm 15, and I have lived here the second longest, after Luhan, I've been here 1 year." This boy is sweet, Minseok thought. "I'm in here for stabbing my father." Boom. It was like a bomb just went off in Minseok's head. The other boys must have noticed, because they all laughed when Minseok went pale.

"Luhan, just hurry and finish this up please." Heechul begged.

"I'm Luhan." This boy was bitter. Minseok's new roomate. Yay. "I'm from China, 16. I've been here for 5 years because I killed my dad... and mom to, I guess." Well, that's just great. Minseok was going to sleep in the same room as a murderer. How is this kid not in jail? Now, Minseok was scared.

"And on that great note, how about you tell us how you got here, hyung. You are our hyung, according to Heechul-seonsaengnim." Baekhyun broke the intense atmosphere.

Minseok nodded. "M-my name is Minseok." He was stuttering, and the other kids were already laughing. Great start. "I'm 16.. and...ummmm.. well I was just at the w-wrong place at the w-wrong time." The others stayed silent, for once, expecting more. "I was accused of beathing up a man with a bat, e-even though I didn't."

The others laughed another time. "Okay, now settle down." Heechul got up. "You guys, go back to doing your chores outside. Jongin, you wait on the front porch." Jongin pretended to be shock, pushing past the guys as he went outside. The others were going back to the backyard, to finish whatever they were doing. "Luhan! Show Minseok what to do outside, okay? You guys are gonna be roommates after all, better learn to get along with him."

"Why do you think I'll be the one who dosen't get along?"

Heechul cocked an eyebrow.

"Fine!" Luhan finally gave in. "I get it."

Nothing left to be said, Heechul went to Jongin, probably to yell at him, and Minseok followed Luhan, who didn't bother saying a word to the new kid.

***

Okay, so I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter! It's pretty much just like a re-run of the introduction, but with some more detail on the boys personalites. Also, some of the boys obviously don't get along, and that will be focused on more down the road! <3