▬ Chapter 5: Dongwoo's Mission ▬

Hoya sat motionless for a few minutes, still unable to respond after she introduced herself. Without him noticing, the sun was already beginning to set and the evening moonlight was about to drape over his head. While the minutes continued to roll by, his mind started to feel conflicted. Should he continue to talk to her? Something felt off but as she continued to speak, the more he was drawn to her captivating and soothing voice.

“Is anyone there?” she asked for what seemed like an eternity.

“Ah, sorry,” Hoya began, “I’m listening.” He gave out a low laugh and rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment even though he knew that she wouldn’t be able to see the gesture. There was a moment of silence and after a few seconds, he heard someone snicker on the other line. Hoya twitched. “Hey, did I do something funny?”

“Nope. I just find you cute.” A smile curved up his lips as he heard her reason.

Cute? She finds me cute?

“Oh, I never got your name,” Hyerin asked.

“The name’s Lee Howon but I prefer to be called Hoya.”

“Why? I like the name Howon, though. Can I call you Howon?”

“Sure, why not,” he chuckled. Although no one calls me by that name except my parents. I guess I can make an exception.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Howon.”

“No need to be formal. I think we’re of the same age anyway.”

“Oh, really? How old are you?”

“I’m seventeen this year.”

“Ah, I’m still sixteen though so I guess you’re my oppa.” Hyerin responded shyly, “Howon oppa.”

It was the first time in his life that someone called him that way which somehow made Hoya start to feel a different kind of emotion. Without him noticing, his face became flustered and the grin that started to form from the moment he gave her his name never left.

“You know, you’re the first girl that ever called me that way.”

Before Hyerin could respond, another voice echoed through the phone. “Hyerin! We have to go!”

“Busy?” Hoya raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, piano practice. I’ll talk to you later, Howon oppa.”

“All right. Have fun.”

“Okay, bye!”

After Hyerin hung up, Hoya took the phone off of his ear and stared at the phone in his hand. A smirk found its way to his lips when he thought about what just happened and he chuckled.

“Howon oppa, huh? I made a lot of exceptions tonight. What has gotten into me all of a sudden?”

Keys jingling at a far off distance could be heard and Hoya stopped for a moment. He glanced at his watch and his eyes grew bigger when the speech from the principal that morning triggered him to frantically move. It was only then that he began to take notice of the area around him growing darker and the only light that guided his vision came from the evening sky.

He knew that he had to run.

Hoya got up and rushed towards the door, tucking in the phone quickly back inside his pocket the moment he stood up. Once he opened the door, he quickly dashed inside and started to zoom past the steps to head back to the dorms. At that time, only one word came to his mind.

“.”

“And where have you been?” Sunggyu interrogated him the moment he entered the dorms, panting. Hoya slid down the door and sat on the ground with his back leaned against it.

“None of your business,” he replied nonchalantly.

“Hey, you might not know this since it’s apparently not that obvious to you, but I’m in charge of you now ever since you were introduced to me so I do have a part of your business.”

“In charge? What makes you think you’re the boss of me?”

“Tch. Typical delinquent. Those kids reacted the same way too. Look,” Sunggyu looked at him intently as he crossed his arms, “they assign us into groups in this school. More or less, you could say they form us like gangs.”

“Weren’t they supposed to fix us to not be in gangs?” The other raised an eyebrow.

“Well, they thought that since we came from gangs, we might as well live like one since some people think of it like a family.”

“Family my .”

“Watch your langu