Twenty First
Stunning"Today is the day you have all been waiting for."
"What's this teacher's name again?" Somi whispered to Changkyun. He couldn't stop himself from looking down at her, stunned by her lack of memory.
"Mr Kim?"
"Somi, you should know this by now", Hyunwoo scolded from behind Somi.
"Sorry", Mr Kim was pacing back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back.
"It is the first test of the semester. And obviously, there is a reward for the highest grading student and a card, there is also a reward for the student and a card that Taeyeon and myself give out to those who we believe have put in the best effort; regardless of grading, I know that this is what you are all waiting to hear" Taeyeon was elusive, she didn't pace back and forth like Mr Kim, she didn't even watch him she focused on the class that Mr Kim spoke to with her hands clasped neatly in front of her. There was nothing in her eyes, no emotions to tell you what she was thinking. Everyone else seemed to ignore her every class, but whenever Somi felt eyes on her, she couldn't help but look back at Taeyeon, who wouldn't even flinch at the sudden eye contact.
"Today's test is going to mimic a kidnapping situation. You will work in pairs to find one of your fellow students hiding somewhere within this building we are in today. To make things fair, class A is here also; they will be part of your test as you will be part of theirs. Class A will be holding someone from class B as their captive, and one pair at a time will search this building to find your classmate and bring them back to safety. Taeyeon and I will watch from the security rooms, monitoring you through the cameras. Class A's teacher will be with us"
"This brings me to the next part of this test. The highest grading students of class A and class B will automatically have their cards upgraded by two stars-"
"Two stars? They've never done that for us before!" Whispers broke out amongst the crowd of students. Somi looked around her, making eye contact with Changkyun, Hyunwoo and Hyungwon, silently sharing their thoughts as the class gossiped.
"As for the second reward, all of us in the security room will work together and decide who has worked the hardest. This pair, from each class, will be able to face each other for the chance to upgrade their card by one star," Somi swallowed. This was a good chance for all of them. She knew she had to work hard to make this happen for them.
"Get into your pairs. Class A will be searching first, so class B, prepare yourselves to be the kidnappers. If you have more than one card, I suggest you take the time to decide who you will be partnering with now" Everyone broke off into groups to chat while they prepared themselves for the test. Somi turned to Hyungwon, Changkyun and Hyunwoo as they trailed away from the crowd to stand together.
"How does it sound if Hyungwon accompanies you on this challenge? He has not partaken in one with you yet," Hyunwoo pointed out to all of them.
"He's right" Somi nodded after taking a moment to think back.
"Hyungwon?" She looked at the male in question, and he perked up, looking back at her.
"Yes, Somi?"
"Would you accompany me in this challenge?"
"I would be honoured, Somi" Hyungwon nodded, smiling like he was just awarded the most tremendous honour of his life.
"Alright, well, it's decided then, huh? Hyungwon and I will work together this time around," Changkyun sighed, putting down his fist, he was disappointed to have missed out on a game of rock, paper, scissors, and it showed.
"Ok, team," Mr Kim called for the attention of his class, and everyone gathered around him to hear what he had to say.
"As I said earlier, class A will be going first. That means you guys are in the building first. This is a kidnapping case, so that means to hide your kidnapped person and fend off the teams that come in. You don't have to make it easy for them. Make it a challenge and work together while you're in there, alright?" Everyone responded in their own way.
"Good. We will be going in order of your names on the roll call. Remember that for your turn. Now get in there," Mr Kim gestured to the building, and everyone filed in, looking around to decide which way to go.
"Alright, here's the person you're kidnapping. Who's taking them first?"
"We will, Mr Kim."
"Excellent, good luck team!"
"Will you all stay for now?" Somi questioned. Everyone nodded, and when Somi was content with that, she looked around.
"They're taking him upstairs, so we should follow them, right?"
"We've come up with a plan" Somi stepped back, not expecting this new face to be so close to hers.
"Right, sorry, personal space."
"Very good, Miss Dasom", A gentle voice spoke behind Dasom.
"We haven't met yet, I'm Dasom, and this is my partner, Soyou."
"This is Hyunwoo, Changkyun and Hyungwon. I'm Somi."
"I think we've all come to know who you all are", Dasom laughed, Soyou didn't react from behind Dasom, but she smiled when Dasom turned back to look at her.
"Anyway, there is a plan. We will only take the kid from class A to the second floor. We're splitting into small groups, only a few of us are staying on the first floor, and then we will populate the higher floors a little more to try and confuse them as they go looking," Dasom explained as they all began to follow her up the stairs. Somi nodded; looking around, she had lost sight of who they were supposed to be kidnapping.
"Last I heard, they were going to find a room or a closet to lock the student in and would keep guard of it. You should come with Soyou and me. We could be a group," Dasom proposed, it took Somi by surprise, and she hesitated for a moment. Hyunwoo nudged her with a hand on her back, and Somi jumped, smiling and agreeing to Dasom's proposal.
"Where will we go?" She asked.
"Where did they go? Do you know Soyou?" Dasom turned to her partner.
"They were heading that way. We can guard the hall and help defend the area," Soyou planned. Hyunwoo nodded, liking this idea.
"Alright, let's go?" Dasom smiled, looking back at Somi. She nodded.
"We do not have much time, Dasom", Soyou reminded.
"Quickly then!" They rushed ahead, meeting more of the group.
"Guy's, is this the hall?" Dasom asked.
"Yeah, we're locking him in this room up here."
"Alright, we've volunteered to watch the area, Soyou and I can watch back down at the start of the hall, but Somi has more people with her, so do you want her to stick closer? She can hide with her guys in the rooms nearby" Somi didn't miss the look over Dasom's shoulder that their classmate gave, hesitating at the sight of Somi. Dasom huffed, and Soyou crossed her arms, glaring.
"Come on, Sewoon, they're part of our class, so let them help, alright?" Dasom reasoned, Somi couldn't have cared less. They could go hide up higher somewhere if they weren't going to be accepted as part of the group.
"Alright, but if anyone else has anything to say about it, I'll send them to you to argue about it, alright?" Sewoon caved after trying to stare down Soyou, but it didn't work. Soyou's blank stare could be intimidating.
"That's fine, they're gonna be good", Dasom turned, putting a hand on Somi's shoulder as she smiled.
"You guys hide somewhere close by, right, Soyou? You can defend the doorway or signal when people are too close, right Soyou?" Dasom looked for reassurance.
"That is right, is it not Sewoon?" Soyou crossed her arms, eyes pinning Sewoon down.
"Yeah, sure, just signal when they're getting close. We can help out," Sewoon shuddered, turning to walk away quickly.
"Quick, I think they would be in the building by now!" Dasom whispered, squeezing past and running to her hiding place with Soyou in tow. She nodded and passed them by, never uncrossing her arms.
"What just happened?" Somi questioned.
"Never mind that, get into position for now" Hyunwoo brushed everything off, and they did as they said they would, splitting up and taking the rooms on either side of the one that held the kidnapped student.
"This is good," Hyungwon whispered. He was her partner in the room on the left, while Hyunwoo and Changkyun went to the room on the right. A couple more groups could be heard settling down across the hall from them.
"Is it?" Somi worried, wanting to peek out the window and into the hall.
"Yes, you have been accepted into the group and have been given a chance to prove yourself, not to mention it seems as though this Dasom and Soyou pair seem fond of you. They might have been watching you for a while," Whispered Hyungwon.
"I guess so", Somi muttered, keeping her voice quiet. In silence, they continued to wait. Everyone once in a while, there was a quick shuffle and a whisper, but nothing was happening. Somi kept her eyes on the window, waiting to see anything, and Hyungwon strained his ears to listen to their surroundings. Somi couldn't identify how long this went on. It felt like they were waiting for nothing when suddenly, it went deadly silent. Hyungwon and Somi shared a glance. They knew something was happening.
"Stay low, and I will signal when we move", Hyungwon instructed, putting his hand on Somi's arm. She nodded, and they both shuffled onto their feet, getting ready to move. A bang hit their ears, and Somi flinched.
"You will move no further" Somi could hear Soyou's demand from where she was hiding, and she looked at Hyungwon again, waiting for her sign to stand up. He shook his head as he kept his hand on her arm, and Somi sighed, nodding to show that she understood.
"Just get out of my way. We've looked everywhere. He has to be here."
"Who said you looked properly?" Dasom questioned. Hyungwon pointed to the door, and quietly as they could, they crawled towards it, readying themselves.
"Well, we'll find out when I look around here, won't we?"
"Ready yourself, Dasom", Soyou warned, and Somi imagined them preparing for a fight. Hyungwon was still holding onto her tightly, keeping her from jumping the gun. There was scuffling and grunting. At one point, there was a laugh that sounded eerily like Soyou.
"Now would be a good time!" Forgetting their signal, Dasom yelled out, and Hyungwon slammed the door open for himself and Somi to jump out just in time for two people to run into them. They collided and scuffled, Hyungwon and Somi working hard not to let them through.
"Move scum" Somi's head ticked, not sure she had heard right. She didn't need to ask. One look in Hyungwon's direction to see the face of the student from class A was all the confirmation that Somi needed as everyone stopped moving.
"Hyungwon, step down", Somi commanded. Her decision shocked Hyungwon, and he snapped his eyes to her, turning back and looking at her with visible disbelief. Somi shoved back the other student's partner like she was nothing as the student from class A smirked at Hyungwon, not hiding his laughter that belittled Hyungwon.
"You heard your owner. Step down," He mocked, and Somi nodded. Defeated, Hyungwon stepped back, releasing his grip on the other male's collar. He walked back to his default position, behind Somi's shoulder, with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Take my place" Somi looked back at Hyungwon and nonchalantly pointed to the girl with her back to the wall, watching them unsurely. Hyungwon nodded, understanding Somi's instructions.
"You had something you were trying to say?" With his big-headed smirk, the other male nodded, stepping forward like his path had been cleared.
"I was telling your little slave to keep out of my way" Somi's fist clenched, and her jaw went stiff as her heart hammered against her chest. Without another word, Somi crouched, her foot dug into the ground, and she pushed off it, launching herself at the other student before he could proceed any further. She speared through him, taking him to the ground with her weight crashing through his. She stunned him, and before he could match her pace, Somi had her hands on his collar just the same as Hyungwon had already done. She began to drag him down the hall, and he struggled to his feet.
"Haechan!" Hyungwon stopped his partner before she could run at Somi to rescue Haechan, who quickly got back on his feet.
"You're putting your hands on me right now?!" Haechan screamed as he scrambled after Somi, unable to escape her death grip on his collar.
"You don't want to make me mad new kid", Haechan warned, a tight grip landing on Somi's chest. He was back to his full height, but that didn't stop Somi from marching him right past Soyou and Dasom and out of the hallway, back into the central area of the second floor.
"Too bad you already pissed me off, ", Somi scoffed, swooping her leg behind Haechan's and flinging him to the ground, finally releasing his collar from her grip as Hyungwon came up behind her with Haechan's partner running from him.
"Haechan!" She dropped down to her knees next to Haechan, his hands were on his back and she tried to help him sit up.
"You didn't have to do that!" She exclaimed, looking up at Somi and Hyungwon, who loomed over her shoulder.
"And he didn't have to talk down to Hyungwon, my partner, like that, yet he did. If that's how he talks about you too, I feel sorry for you" Somi crossed her arms over her chest.
"You're not getting through that hall to your victim now" A crackle erupted from the speakers, and then everyone heard Mr Kim's voice.
"Lee Haechan, you can return to the main floor now."
"Damn it" Haechan slammed his hand against the cement, frustrated by the flunk he had just made on his test.
"This is your fault!" He blamed Somi as his partner helped him to his feet, slinging his arm over her shoulders and her arm around his waist to support him.
"I think it was that attitude problem of yours", Dasom commented, and when Somi looked over her shoulder at her, she and Soyou were smiling at her, Hyunwoo and Changkyun standing behind them. Hyungwon put a hand on Somi's shoulder, waking her as he moved it behind her, nudging her to move.
"You sure stopped him", Dasom joked. Somi smiled, giving a slight chuckle.
"I'll turn into the Hulk if anything is said about these guys" She attempted to joke, it worked in amusing Dasom and Soyou.
"Somi," Somi went rigid. She became alert at Hyunwoo's voice. He approached Somi, lifting a hand to brush back a stray set of hairs from Somi's face.
"You didn't have to do that."
"No, but we don't tolerate that sort of behaviour when it comes to us."
"Alright", Hyunwoo nodded, squeezing down on Somi's shoulder.
"Hulk smash" Changkyun flexed his arms and deepened his voice. Somi's lips drew in a straight line, and her eyes drooped, not amused with Changkyun's joke.
"Oh, but you were funny", Changkyun huffed and rolled his eyes, turning to walk back down the hall where the other students were regrouping.
"Ok, we have to make the decision. Do we move this person or keep them where they were?"
"Well, if we have someone taking things that seriously, we could keep them here, guaranteed that we won't be allowing them through" Someone jabbed their thumb in Somi's direction, and she blinked, shrugging her shoulders.
"That wasn't so bad newbie" Someone else complimented, stunning Somi. She had never expected to walk away from today being able to say her peers had praised her, let alone included her. There was a slap on her shoulder that Somi didn't know how to react to that was matched with a tight lipped smile from one of her classmates.
Was this the start of a new chapter?
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"Us?" Somi couldn't believe her ears. Was it really her name that she had just heard?
"It is your name that he called", Hyungwon confirmed, waking Somi up to her reality. Hurriedly, she bowed to Mr Kim to show her appreciation to her teacher. People were clapping out of respect. They actually clapped. Somi couldn't believe how today had gone for them.
"Well done, Somi, and well done to you too, Hyungwon" Hyunwoo put his hand on Somi and Hyungwon's shoulder, showing his satisfaction.
"We did it. We can battle for another star," Somi breathed out, turning to her trio and smiling, proud of her work with Hyungwon.
"You both did well" Changkyun nodded, smiling to show that he, too, was proud of Somi's efforts.
"Thank you Changkyun"
"Keep listening," Hyunwoo turned Somi to the front again, "Mr Kim will be announcing who you'll compete against from class A" Somi quickly became serious again, anxiety creeping up her spine to nibble away at her nerves.
"And the student from class A that we believe has put in the best effort is Lee Sujin" The students began to clap again, and Somi looked around. Across the room, there was a girl, possibly a head taller than Somi, bowing and looking at her partner, proud of her achievement. She was lean and muscular; Somi could see that from where she was standing.
"All of you will compete against the respective person from either class in another joint lesson next week. You will be told then if it will be yourselves or your butlers competing, so don't fall slack just because your test is over now. You don't know which of you will be competing, don't forget that" With a stern, narrow-eyed stare, Mr Kim looked around at the two classes that had gathered together. People answered and bowed. Mr Kim was harsh and stern.
"You will all file neatly and calmly back to the bus. From there, we will make the journey back to campus, and you will be dismissed for lunch, clear?" Again, the students responded. Carefully they all made their way to the buses, standing and waiting for the doors to open and when they did, they continued to remain as their names were called off one by one before getting on the bus.
"Are we going to the cafeteria for lunch, Somi?" Changkyun questioned. Somi pursed her lips to think about it briefly.
"I was kind of wanting to go home so all of us could eat together", She decided. They all nodded, liking Somi's idea.
"Somi!" Waving excitedly, Dasom came striding over with Soyou not far behind her.
"Would you like to sit with us for lunch?"
"Oh, we just decided to go and make something at home", Somi explained. Hyunwoo discreetly nudged her from behind. Somi swayed, linking her arm through Hyungwon's to try and make it look like she didn't just get shoved by Hyunwoo.
"But we've got enough food at home; you could join us?" She suggested. Dasom brightened at the invitation before she shook her head.
"Maybe another time, I made food for Soyou and myself, and I wouldn't want it to go to waste."
"That's fair. I'll see you around then?" Somi waved unsurely.
"Of course, you will", Dasom assured, waving before she linked her arm through Soyou's. It was when the pair were out of sight that Hyunwoo decided to make a comment.
"That was nice of you."
"Let's go eat" Somi rolled her eyes, turning on her heels to make her way to their dorm.
"Hoseok?" Somi kicked her shoes off before entering the living area, her head turned left and left, trying to spot Hoseok.
"Here, my lady" From behind the couch, Hoseok appeared, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Hi", Somi beamed.
"Hello, my lady", Hoseok greeted, huffing in amusement.
"What brings you home so soon?" He questioned, and Somi rubbed her stomach.
"We've come to have some lunch together", She explained, moving towards the kitchen area.
"Oh, is your test finished already?"
"It is, and guess what?" Somi stuck her head back out of the fridge to turn to Hoseok, who had followed her.
"You passed?" Hoseok guessed as the others began to work around them.
"Well, yes, but guess what else."
"I am not a good guesser my lady" Hoseok sighed in defeat, Somi huffed, shoulders slumping.
"We were awarded a competition to get another star!" Somi threw her hands up. Hearing this, Hoseok brightened, immediately clapping to match Somi's energy.
"Well done, my lady. I knew you could do it!"
"Thank you, Hoseok," Somi was delighted with Hoseok's reaction.
"So, there is only one decision left to make, right, my lady?"
"What's that, Hoseok?" Somi began washing some tomatoes.
"Who will you give the star to after you win?" All noise and movement in the dorm came to a halt. Only the running tap could be heard.
"Well, I hadn't thought that far yet", Somi admitted, returning to cleaning the tomatoes.
"There is time to decide?" Questioned Hoseok.
"The competition is next week", Hyunwoo explained to him, and Hoseok nodded.
"How will you decide?"
"Well," Somi breathed out, pulling a knife out of the drawer.
"If you ask me, Somi," Hyungwon hesitated to speak. Somi looked up, finding Hyungwon looking between her and Hyunwoo.
"What do you think, Hyunwoo?" Somi asked.
"I think it should go towards who helped earn the star in today's test or the competition" Hyunwoo
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