'Hey Minseok! You coming out for a drink?'

'Nah, I gotta revise for this test. Maybe next time, hyung-nim.'

'Oh come on! It's just one drink!'

'Ah, alright. But just one, okay?'

'Cheers!'

'Another shot!' Xiumin yelled

'What about the test, hyung?'

'I want another shot! Are you not going to give me one?!'

'Araso, araso. Here you go. Drink up, my dongseng'

The next day at school, Xiumin couldn't focus. 

'Aish, my head is killing me'

'Minseok-ah, gwenchana? You drank quite a lot last night, my little dongseng. Let's leave it for tonight, alright?'

Xiumin raised his hand but kept his head on his desk. 

'Ne, hyung. See you tomorrow'

'Yah! This brat! What's the meaning of this?! You didn't even get a pass!'

'Ah molla, eomma! Just leave it!'

'Kim Minseok!'

Xiumin left the dining table, dumping his plate in the kitchen sink. 

'Yah! Kim Minseok!'

He slammed his bedroom door shut and locked it whilst his mom banged on the door, begging him to open it. 

'Kim Minseok! Kim Minseok!'

'Oh Jinyoung?'

'Ne!'

'Go Danbi?'

'Ne!'

'Kim Minseok?'

Silence. 

'Has anyone seen Kim Miseok?'

'Ssaem, he's probably gone out with Lee Jinki and those guys'

Xiumin's homeroom teacher sighed. 'Aish, what am I going to do with those boys?'

'Did you get the cigarettes?'

'Yeah. Did you get the soju?'

'Of course.'

Xiumin sat with his hyungs in the back alley of a restuarant. 

'Hey, I heard your mom got pissed off about you flunking that test'

Xiumin shrugged. 'Whatever. Not like it matters'

'Amen to that brother. How about a drink?'

Xiumin nodded. 

'You know what, Minseok-ah?'

Xiumin looked at his hyung.

'I'm glad we let you be friends with us'

'Kim Minseok, this really isn't good enough. Your grades have been failing for too long now.'

'Ssaem, don't worry about it. I'll get better'

'I trust you, Minseok-ah but... Ssaem's a bit worried'

'Worried about what?'

'You mixing with Lee Jinki and those boys'

'Ssaem. Don't concern yourself with those matters. I'm fine and the hyung-nim's are being nice to me'

'Araso, Minseok-ah. If you know what you're doing then fine. I trust you.'

Xiumin bowed to his homeroom teacher, left and went home.

     SMS to: Jinki-hyung 16.42pm 01.04.09- 'Hyung-nim? Where have you been?'

     SMS to: Jinki-hyung 17.18pm 01.04.09- 'Hyung... Ssaem says you must come to school tomorrow with your mom...'

     SMS to: Jinki-hyung 19.52pm 01.04.09- 'Hyung-nim, are you ill?'

     SMS to: Kim Minseok 20.03pm 01.04.09- 'Mianhae, Minseokie. Hyung dropped out of school. Do you want to hang out tomorrow?'

     SMS to Jinki-hyung 20.04pm 01.04.09- 'Hyung, you dropped out of school? Waeyo? Where shall we meet tomorrow?'

     SMS to Kim Minseok 20.08pm 01.04.09- 'I'll explain tomorrow. Let's meet at the alley, ne? After school?'

     SMS to Jinki-hyung 20.09pm 01.04.09- 'Ne, see you at 6 tomorrow hyung'

'Minseok-ah, are you going already?'

'I'm going to meet some friends'

'Aigoo, surely you should finish the self study group?'

'Class president, the study group finishes at 9... It's past 9 now'

'So?'

'I'm hungry so I'm leaving, araso? See you tomorrow'

Xiumin bowed to his class president and left. The pres sat back down and sighed. 'Aish, I feel bad for Minseok'

The girl beside him frowned. 'Waeyo?'

'He's mixed in with Jinki and them lot and now look at him. He doesn't care about school anymore.'

'Pres, you can't do anything about that. Besides, I heard that Jinki dropped out of school'

The president looked up. 'Really?'

'Ne. But... Do you think Minseokie will drop out too?'

'I have no idea but I sure hope not...'

'Hyung!'

'Minseok-ah!'

'Hyung, have you been well? How's life without school?'

'It's great! Ah Minseok, it'd be great if you dropped out too. I got a job at the convenience store and another job at the laundrette too! I'm rolling in the money!'

'Hyung, is it really that great to drop out?'

'Of course! Everyone else has dropped out of their schools too.'

Xiumin looked at his group of friends. They all nodded. 

'It's like heaven, Minseok-ah'

'Complete freedom. Jinja!'

'It's the best. Jjang!'

Xiumin drank that night with his friends. He got so out of his mind that his friends ordered a taxi home for him. His mom was appalled when she saw two of Xiumin's friends practically carrying him to his front door. 

'Annyeonghaseyo' They bowed to her. 'Sorry about Minseokie...'

The friend's put Xiumin on the couch and left.

'Kim Minseok, are you sure about this?'

'Positive, sir'

'Positive?'

'Yes, sir'

'Have you told your mother?'

'No, sir'

'And why not?'

'She kicked me out, sir'

'So you're leaving school to spite her?'

'No, sir'

'Then why are you doing it?'

'There's more in the world than just studying, sir'

Xiumin stood up and bowed to his teacher. He turned around and left. 

'Hyung!'

'Minseok-ah! Over here!'

'Hyung! I have good news!'

'Oh really, dongsaeng? What is it?'

'Guess!'

'Ah, I don't have time to play games, Minseok-ah. Just tell hyung, ne?'

'I quit school!'

Xiumin's friends stopped what they were doing. 

'What?'

'I quit school.'

'Are you an idiot?!' 

Xiumin looked at his friends. 

'Hyung, why are you looking at me like that?'

'You're worthless if you're not at school! Do you really think we'd let you hang around with us if you weren't the perfect bait?'

'Bait? Hyung, what are you saying?'

'People buy cigarettes for you because they trust you. How are we supposed to get our stuff now?!'

'Hyung-'

'Leave. You're not wanted here!'

'But-'

'Get out!'

'No, wait-'

Xiumin's friends tackled him and kicked him to the ground. 

'One more please, ahjumma!'

'I think you've had a few too many, student'

'One more!'

'No. You're drunk. Get out of my stall'

'What?!'

'Be gone!'

Xiumin was thrown out of the roadside restaurant. He wandered down the street, grumbling and clutching his head. 

'Aish! My head is killing me!'

It began to rain so he rested under the cover of a jazz club. Eventually he fell asleep.

'Woah'

'Luhan, watch your step'

'Sir, there's a boy here'

'I can see that, Luhan.'

'He looks injured...'

Mr Park took one look at Luhan's concerned face and made up his mind. He clicked the unlock button for his car and pointed to it.

'Go and wait in the car, Luhan. I'll see what we can do to help this fellow'

Luhan nodded and walked away.

Mr Park bent down and gently shook the sleeping boy. Xiumin stirred from his sleep and gazed at the strange man with sleepy eyes.

'Who are you?' 

'You can call me Mr Park'

'Did my mom send you?'

'No.'

'Are you from the authorities? Have you come to lock me away?'

'Why would I do that?'

'I haven't been very good.'

Mr Park could smell the alcohol lingering on Xiumin's breath.

'Have you got a place to stay, young man?'

'No'

'Then I suggest you come with me'

'You are going to lock me away!' Xiumin shouted

'No, no. Quite the opposite in fact. I'm offering you a place to stay.'

'Why would you do that?'

'I have another young man who found himself in a situation with no way out. He could do with some company.'

'I don't like other people.'

'You may like him.'

'I doubt it.'

'You'll never know unless you come with me.'

'You'll really take care of me?'

'I would never lie to you. Now, young man, tell me your name.'

'Kim Minseok, sir.'

'Then Minseok, follow me. Let's get you home.'

Once in the car, Luhan turned to Xiumin.

'Hi, I'm Luhan'

'Minseok.'

'You're really cute.'

'Cute?!'

'Yeah. Like a bun.'

'Well you're really pretty'

'Pretty?!'

'Yeah. Like a girl'

The two boys laughed. 

'I'm from China, by the way. That's why my name is Luhan.' 

'Oh, I see...'

'Can I call you Xiumin?'

'Xiumin? Why?'

'We're going to be living together from now on so I'll regard you as my brother. Xiumin's a cute nickname for you, specially chosen by me' 

Luhan smiled. 

'Then I guess I'm Xiumin from now on.'