Kihyun walks up to Minhyuk’s locker, a scowl set on his face as he dabs a tissue to his cut lip. Minhyuk glances over at him, shaking his head.  

“Another fight?” he asks, sighing heavily as he takes over the task of dabbing at his friend’s blood as Kihyun begins to unlock his locker.  

“They deserved it,” he grumbles, his scowl somehow worsening.  

“They always do,” Minhyuk agrees, “but you’ve got to control yourself. What if the new school hears about all this, and they deny your application? Then I’d have to leave you here, and that’s one sacrifice I don’t want to make even though I would.” He adds the last bit as a tease, and it finally earns a small smile from his same-age friend.  

“If anyone would be leaving the other behind,” Kihyun says with a smirk, “it’d be me to you.” They share a reassuring glance that, despite their teasing, assures they’d never be able to leave the other behind in this place.  

“I’m hurt,” Minhyuk pouts. He leans against the lockers, sighing heavily. “Of course, neither of us are going to get out of here if that stupid academy never gets back to us. How long does it take to get two measly applications processed, anyway? It’s been months.” 

“We’ll hear soon,” Kihyun assures his friend. “I’m sure of it.” Minhyuk chuckles, shaking his head as he lightly punches his shoulder. 

“Aren’t I supposed to be the positive one here?” he teases. “What’s with your sunny mood?” 

“I can’t help it,” Kihyun shrugs. “I can just feel it, Minhyuk-ah… We won’t be here for very much longer.” He shuts his locker, and glances at his watch with a sigh. “I’ve got to go. I’m pulling a double-shift at the store tonight, so I won’t be home when you come by.” 

“Honestly, Kihyunnie,” Minhyuk groans, “I see your eomma more than you do these days! You need to stop working so hard.” 

“I’ve almost got enough saved up to cover the costs of the new uniform,” Kihyun tells him with an excited grin. “After that, I’ll just barely have enough to begin payments on tuition.” He pauses, crossing his arms over his chest. “You complain now, but you’re the one that found me all these jobs in the first place…” 

“I forgot how much of a workaholic you could be,” Minhyuk fires back, sticking his tongue out in defiance. “You’re gonna work yourself into an early grave if you keep at it.” 

“Better to live busily than to do nothing all your life,” Kihyun retorts, and, with that, he leaves his friend in the hall to make it through the remainder of the day.  

At work, Kihyun is almost bored to tears. It didn’t take him long to restock and straighten up the shelves, or to prepare the front registers for any influx of customers. He’d honestly give his right ear to have a group of people come in right now, just so he could have something to do.  

“Honestly, hyung,” a male voice whines, “Eomma is driving me crazy with all this marriage talk. Just go pick out a dress with Dodo-noona already, or tell them the engagement is off.” 

“It’s not that simple, Kyunnie,” another voice sighs in return. Kihyun glances up to greet the newcomers, putting on a particularly dashing smile at seeing their uniforms. He can tell by the crest these boys and their friends belong to the school himself and Minhyuk are trying to get into, and he figures it’s never too early to make a good first impression. The one who seems to be their leader judging by how they all follow him like lost puppies, the one the other had called ‘hyung’, glances over at Kihyun with an almost surprised look.  

“Welcome,” Kihyun greets, ignoring the way the others have totally disregarded him. “Please let me know if you need help with anything.” The leader turns his head and continues on into the store, his lackeys following suit. All, except for one. A boy with glasses and white hair stops for a moment in front of the register, smirking over at Kihyun with a suspicious light to his eye. Kihyun pretends to be unfazed, and just keeps smiling. That’s what you have to do in customer service, after all.  

The boy finally looks away, pushing his glasses up his nose as he chuckles.  

“Interesting,” he murmurs under his breath. Before Kihyun has a chance to reply, he walks away and rejoins his group.  

Kihyun finally allows his smile to fall, and he pretends to busy himself with minuscule tasks around the register. It doesn’t take long for the leader to return to the counter, tossing a plethora of snacks down and pulling out his wallet with a flourish. Kihyun recognizes these actions all too well. It’s how those with wealth move about places like this. He has to bite back a sigh as he rings up the young man. He’d known the school he and Minhyuk applied to was a bit of a fancy school, one where parents with money sent their children, but still… As long as their personalities are decent, Kihyun couldn’t care less about their wealth.  

“Are you deaf or something?” the possibly-new-classmate’s voice says, breaking through Kihyun’s train of thought. He glances up from the register, blinking confusedly. The customer sighs in clear aggravation, shaking his head. “My friend,” he goes on to saying, gesturing towards the platinum blonde from before, “asked if you go to our school. We’ve never seen you around before.” 

“Not yet,” Kihyun answers, ignoring the annoyed light within the boy’s eyes. “I’ve applied to join the academy, though, along with a friend. We should be getting an answer soon.”  

“Well, then,” the white-haired one muses, smiling as if all this is some kind of joke, “I should introduce myself. I’m Jooheon, and this is my friend Hyunwoo and his little brother Changkyun,” he says, gesturing towards each of the other two. “Hyunwoo and I will be fourth-years next year, and Changkyun will be a second-year.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, sunbaes,” Kihyun says as he respectfully bows. “I’m Kihyun, and I’ll be a third-year next year.” He slides Hyunwoo’s card and returns it to him, though the taller still seems incredibly annoyed.  

“That school lets anyone in these days,” he sighs, “so I guess you’ll make it in. Come on, guys. Let’s leave him to his… work.” He smirks at the word ‘work,’ an expression that doesn’t leave even after he picks up his bag of food and leaves the store. Changkyun bows hastily to Kihyun and scurries after his brother, but Jooheon stays behind a moment longer, examining Kihyun with his eyes once more.  

“Who knows?” he says, though Kihyun isn’t too sure if it’s to himself or not. “School could get very interesting with you around…” He gives a half laugh under his breath once more, and then turns to follow his friends.  

Kihyun stares after them, making a mental note to avoid such weirdos once he and Minhyuk transfer.