Twelfth
StunningHis legs itched, ached to shudder, twitch, walk and move. But he wouldn't leave his post, standing straight backed and eyes watchful. Stress was an understatement for what was making him want to shudder, twitch, walk and move. He was still looking for the word that would best be suited, all around the sounds of Somi's cogs turning in her brain next to him, trying to examine Hyungwon and figure out why he was the way he was.
Hyungwon wasn't one to budge, though, not even when his lips itched to twitch and his leg dreamed of bouncing out the piled-up agitation that he was holding in. One wrong look and Somi would have him figured out; there was no doubt in his mind. He was trained for this, strictly moulded into perfection; perfection did not call for slip-ups. He would not move from his post, not an inch.
Though the pressure was rising high for Hyungwon, a tension that had been building since the day he first laid eyes on Somi, since the day his ownership was taken from one woman's hands and put into the hands of another woman, struggling with a leading resider who couldn't adjust his life for the safety of his maiden as he should. For her, he was going to do better. For her, he would find the strength he had hidden away to step up and be the greatest he could be.
Because if Hyunwoo couldn't and he couldn't, then who would be able to?
"And you'll see on the next page that there is a diagram-" The room filled with the sounds of pages being turned, Somi's hand reached out to flip the page, though she was gracefully beaten by Hyungwon, who only allowed himself one course of movement the entire lesson.
"Damn it, Hyungwon, I almost had that", Somi grumbled out, frustrated that she couldn't beat Hyungwon's efficiency. Hyungwon stood straight again, eyes focused on the front of the classroom, not commenting on the competitive streak he had started with Somi.
She looked up at Hyungwon, who hovered next to her as a personal bodyguard hired just for her safety. Hyungwon did not make eye contact between the two; there hadn't been any since they got to the school grounds. Hyungwon was hard on himself, a sore thumb that stuck out amongst the other butlers, who were all very well trained and practised in their mannerisms. But none of them compared to Hyungwon standing with his back straight like a pillar of strength, facial features pulled sternly to ward off any possible approaches.
If there was anyone stronger or more serious than Hyungwon in the room, Somi couldn't tell. Hyungwon was more focused than she had ever seen him so far.
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"You look as though something is worrying you, Somi", Commented Hyungwon. If Somi had been paying attention, she would have been able to notice the worry that would have been near impossible for anyone else to see but herself, who had been learning very well how to read Hyungwon in the past days.
"Hyungwon," As if he hadn't been talking to her first, Somi called for Hyungwon, and his reply came in the form of tilting his body to face the young maiden better with his hands neatly clasped at his back, out of sight.
"Yes, Somi?" He figured Somi must have been too deep in her thoughts to realise the point he had verbalised, as she talked with no mention of his concerned comment. Somi nibbled on her bottom lip, and her brows wiggled into a scrunch, contemplating if she was going to ask the question that had been on her mind for a day and a half now.
"Can one be called to return to their card without their will?"
"Without their will", Hyungwon hummed, his gaze lowered to the floor as he took two slow counted seconds to ponder on the thought.
"That is not something that I have personally experienced or witnessed. Hyunwoo could better answer that question" Hyungwon's uncertainty didn't do much to ease Somi's mind.
Maybe it's not possible if Hyungwon doesn't know.
For a short moment, Somi found optimism, but she was quickly returned to her troubled state.
"Have you seen something that is worrying you now, Somi?" Questioned Hyungwon, noticing that his uncertainty left Somi in her uneased state. Knowing that her heart was filled with generosity and concern for others, Hyungwon couldn't help but think Somi had witnessed something that had her feeling troubled.
"Changkyun, you found him and returned safely, but you have remained worried since that night, I have observed" He tried to open the topic with Somi. She in a breath, lips parting, ready to explain, but Somi didn't know how. She deflated, and Hyungwon observed the way her brows pulled together with her eyes narrowing and her lips twitching in search of words to say.
"I did hear something about being able to call a person back to their card, even if they don't want to return. But I just cannot fathom the action; I don't understand" The young woman's lips scrunched into a pout of confusion, troubled eyes trembling, unable to find one object to pinpoint her stare on.
"Maybe it is possible to occur, But I know you will not allow such an action" Carefully, Hyungwon placed his hand atop Somi's head. Her eyes shot up to meet Hyungwon's, blinking bashfully as Hyungwon's eyes softened, a sign of a smile that almost occurred.
"Of course not!" Somi rushed out.
"I will never treat you like that, and no one else will get their hands on you to do so either!"
"You have my trust in that."
For a moment, Somi's heart swelled at Hyungwon's words.
But she couldn't chase her underlying worry away so quickly.
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Somi's head flicked to look over her shoulder, not believing her eyes. But as soon as she had seen the lonely figure, it was gone again, and she grew confused, flustered that she may have been seeing things. There was trouble in the air, the feeling of disruption coming her way. But Somi felt like her eyes and all of her senses were playing a trick on her.
Changkyun caught onto the feeling in the air one second quicker than Somi had. Closer, he stood to Somi, eyes looming over the hallway they were in for anything that could pose a threat. Hyungwon watched behind them, his eyes able to pick up the slightest movements taking place around them. His backbone was straight, gaze hard, analysing the area not to miss a single movement.
Somi in a breath, hands unconsciously moving to her chest as her fingers curled into loose fists. She swallowed, looking at Changkyun in front of her.
"Isn't that the newbie?"
"Do they think someone will attack her? As if anyone would waste their time on someone as unskilled as she is."
"What happened to the main butler she had with her, I wonder? The one that served her actual famous family."
"Whatever was here a moment ago is gone now, Somi" Changkyun nodded, agreeing with Hyungwon, and Somi breathed out.
"I wonder", She muttered under her breath, eyes roaming around the hall they were in.
"Well, let's go to class then. If it's gone, we're not going to see what it was, right?" Somi put a perk in her step, reaching out to loop her arm through Changkyun's. The butler nodded, looking at Hyungwon over Somi's head. She had more important things to focus on, like moving to her next class so that she wouldn't get another notice of absence sent to her as a warning.
"That is the best option for us now."
"Tch, maybe Hyunwoo went to someone better, like Yuri, who's more qualified" The buzz of students talking continued around them. Somi's ears picked up the bits and pieces that were about her.
"Somi-"
"We won't listen to them", Somi instructed before Hyungwon could say anything.
"The best progress is made through actions, not talk," Somi told them. Hyungwon nodded, readily agreeing with Somi. Changkyun looked at her and away from their path, watching her face for any conflicting emotions.
"It's not a bother," Somi reassured, "while they're busy working their mouths, we're busy working on our strength. Come, I need all of the strength that I can get if I'm going to survive this math class" Somi reached out for Hyungwon, making him stand on her other side, a muscular wall that walked through the sea of students, undeterred on the path to the classroom.
"After class, there is somewhere that I want us to go", Somi informed them, surprising the butlers, who refrained from letting it show.
"Where will we be going?" Changkyun asked, and Somi smiled, suppressing a small laugh.
"I'm not saying"
"How are we to know where to go if you do not say?" Somi could see that Hyungwon was confused about their upcoming schedule and simply gave a flick of her hand to wave the worry away.
"I know how to get there, I will take us", She reassured, and Hyungwon nodded.
"If you know where to go, then we shall follow."
"Good, we will have to change out of our clothes. Our school uniforms will just get in the way," Somi commented, only fueling the confusion between the two males at her side.
"You'll understand later" This time, Somi did laugh as her arms slinked away from Hyungwon and Changkyun's to be able to enter the classroom. She smiled at them, and Hyungwon and Changkyun bowed their head, hands returned to being clasped behind them.
"We understand, Somi", Changkyun responded, and Somi grumbled on her way up the stairs.
"Oh, come on, so many of the other butlers are less strict than you are; you can move freely too" She tried to reason, but the two following behind her were unchanging.
"Shall I read the handbook to you while we wait for the class to begin?" Requested Changkyun, Somi's bag slipping from his shoulder neatly so that he could open it.
"Is this where you wish to be seated for today?" Questioned Hyungwon, pulling out the chair Somi stopped in front of.
"Seriously, you two", Somi sighed, looking at the chair that was pulled out for her.
"What will I do with the two of you?"
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"Hello?" Somi hurriedly put the phone to her ear, wide eyes blinking as she listened for a response.
"Oh, so you do have a phone still!" Came Han Mingyeol's reply and Somi grew flustered.
"I thought you had forgotten who we were or that you had a phone, you know, considering we haven't heard from our daughter since sending her off to a school in a foreign city she's never been to", Drawled Mingyeol, and Somi sighed.
"I'm sorry, dad, I should have picked up the phone sooner, things have been crazy here, I hardly touch the device anymore" Knowing that was no excuse Somi in an embarrassed breath, walking down the dormitory hallway with the phone in one hand and her other hand rubbing the back of her neck to ease the shame a little.
"Did you hear that honey, the girl doesn't use her phone anymore," Mingyeol laughed, only fueling Somi's fluster even more, "how is my daughter anyway? Is your collection growing?" Mingyeol questioned, eager to know and dropping her hand rubbing her neck, Somi nodded as their door came into sight.
"Yes, I have, I also have Changkyun and Hyungwon now," She told her father as Hyungwon kindly did the honours of unlocking the door and pushing it open, giving them entry to their small shared home.
"That's wo
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