“Where’s Woohyun?” inquired Myungsoo, peeping into their homeroom.

All the girls started whispering at their sight and some giggled, blushing and falling over each other. Sungyeol and Myungsoo, thoroughly used to this, ignored all the drama and went to sit on their seats at the back of the class, those of Howon and Woohyun still empty beside them.

“Where’s Howon?” asked Sungyeol but as he said so, his eyes glanced over Woohyun’s desk.

“Don’t know,” Myungsoo said with a yawn. “Playing soccer maybe.” Myungsoo slid into his seat lazily, pulling Sungyeol by his cuff and making him sit down on his desk top.

“Yeah but he’s going to miss class,” pressed Sungyeol.

“He knows that very well,” Myungsoo said, pretending not to understand what Sungyeol was implying.

Woohyun was the best student of their class and the only reason he was not the Class President was because he spent too much time in detention after fighting with Sungyeol. If interactions with Sungyeol were not counted, he was positively charming, all the teachers’ pet, and whatever he did, he never missed classes.

“What do you want me to do Sungyeollie? Go hunting for them?” asked Myungsoo exasperatedly.

“Them, what them? I was talking about Howon only.” Sungyeol jumped.

“I won’t then,” said Myungsoo flatly.

“Fine, I’ll go look for Howon and bring Howon back.”

“But then you have to carry me because I’m too tired to walk right now.”

“You were doing Sungjong’s chores last night again?”

“Yep, I had to wrestle them away from him though, while you, Woohyun and Howon went to see that movie.”

Sungyeol winced at ‘Woohyun’ but let it pass.

“But you said you’re going to study for the test?”

“Well, I didn’t. I don’t want Howon to think that I’m stealing his brother or anything. It’s okay, I’m not terribly worried about the test. Woohyun will let me copy.”

“And what about me?” Sungyeol wailed. “That jerk will never let me see.”

Myungsoo openly sighed. He had this conversation before but Sungyeol, like the choding he was, needed reassurance every time.

“He knows I’ll let you see my one, so he doesn’t have to let you copy directly.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Sungyeol but he looked relieved all the same.

Woohyun always let his friends copy from him, unless he was in a bad mood after fighting with Sungyeol. Even if he didn't let Sungyeol copy from him, pretending to be angry with him, he 'd let Myungsoo and Howon do it knowing full well they would pass on the answers to Sungyeol. Howon and Sungyeol weren't particularly great students and they didn't even attempt to study. Myungsoo was better than the rest but sometimes, when he went over to help Sungjong, he'd forget to do his tasks.

The bell rang shrilly, indicating the end of freedom for the students. The soccer players left the field one by one, sweaty and red-faced, their uniforms in a mess. As Howon began to follow them, Woohyun fell onto the ground with a loud thump.

“No, you’re kidding me. Nam Woohyun will miss a class!” Howon said laughing.

“Wonnie, pwease,” said Woohyun cutely, puffing up his cheek and making a heart sign with his fingers.

“Honestly Woohyun, why?” asked Howon, sitting down beside him, letting the sweat drops roll down his forehead.

“I wuv you Howonnie,” said Woohyun and leaned on Howon’s shoulder.

As good he was in his studies, Woohyun was also a master of aegyo. Myungsoo enjoyed his aegyo and encouraged him, while Sungyeol scoffed at it—Howon’s feelings were mixed. He tried not to show he liked it too much in case Sungyeol called him girly like Sungjong but he couldn’t help giving into Woohyun when he was being that adorable. In fact, only when he was alone with Woohyun could he show his soft side. In front of the others he acted tough, although they knew it was just a pretense. They let it slide by, never confronting him. It was another of those unspoken vows.

“Woohyunie, I still think we should go now,” Howon said, casting a worried glance at the empty fields. All the students, even the tardy ones, were settled in their classes by then. It was a record for Woohyun to be this late.

“Will you do me a favor, Howon?” asked Woohyun in a serious tone suddenly.

“What?” asked Howon, looking at Woohyun’s grave face. Even a minute ago he was smiling but suddenly he looked nothing like himself. It scared Howon; as if suddenly the friend he had known even before he knew his younger brother looked like a complete stranger.

What is he thinking? He doesn’t look like himself at all. Those rigid lines on his face, where did they come from? Ususally after fights with Sungyeol, they would ignore each other until they find new insults to throw at each other. It isn’t about Sungyeol, something else. Could it be…

“I’ll tell you, come here,” Woohyun whispered, although there was no living being let alone students in their vicinity. He pulled Howon’s head close to his and said in his ears, “I’m going to escape from school, okay? You have to help me and cover it up.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Howon barked, jumping away from him. He definitely did not know this Woohyun.

“Please Hobaby, just this once, pweaswe,” he scrunched up his face in an adorable pout and looked at Howon with watery eyes. His face became more recognizable to Howon.

Even when he’s this serious, he knows how to use his weapons. This kid! Just this once maybe although I don’t know how exactly I’m going to convince Myungsoo and Sungyeol.

 Howon sighed.

“Fine, but you owe me big time. I’m not asking you anything because I trust you, you know that right?” He uttered the last sentence standing up and turning away from Woohyun. He felt awkward saying it in his face.

“I promise,” said Woohyun with a smile, getting up and dusting away the grass from his pants. What he promised he didn’t say but Howon knew it meant he was up to nothing that would cost him their friendship.

Usually the main gate of their school wasn’t locked or guarded since the students never had any reason to go out. Howon knew Woohyun could easily slip out and he just had to cover him briefly before he trudged back to class pretending nothing had happened.

Although if I do get caught by a passing teacher what the hell will I tell them? Standing by the gate like a fool—

“Aaargh!” A loud scream sent goose bumps up their arms as they were immobilized for a second. The voice was high-pitched and seemed to be in mortal agony.

“Must be her,” said Woohyun with a small smile. “That must cause enough distraction so you can run off to class.” Woohyun was gone like a flash.

 “Boy, what got her cranky?” asked Howon as he started towards their homeroom.

He was sure that the scream had come from Hyuna sunsaengnim, their homeroom and Physics teacher. She was known for her shrieks, although most of the time, they were the products of her over reaction towards something small and insignificant. She had the tedious habit of making mountains out of molehills and never listening to the student’s explanation first. As Howon walked up to the door to their homeroom, he saw that Hyuna sunsaengnim was standing in front of the class, looking petrified. The expression on her face would make people think she had seen nothing less than a dead body.

“He’s dying, take him to the hospital,” she squealed to no one in particular.

The students looked at her as if her sanity was in question. The entire school was so used to her shrieks by now so no one bothered to show up anymore when she was in one of her fits.

 Howon leaned into the classroom to see who was dying. He couldn’t say he was surprised when he saw everyone was perfectly fine.

“Sunsaengnim, Woohyun and …” Sungyeol started. He was satnding with a pained expression on his face, identical to any student who had been trying to reason with a dead tree.

“Woohyun stabbed you, how could he?” Hyuna screeched, tearing at her hair. “What will I tell everyone? Police! Police!”

“We were just fighting—” Sungyeol tried again.

“Why did you have a sword fight? Didn’t I tell you boys not to play with sharp objects! Oh no, ambulance!”

“He threw spaghetti sauce—”

“You two fought over spaghetti sauce? And now he escaped? Coward!”

“It’s not bloo—”

“Someone help him, he needs CPR!”

Although the whole situation was ridiculous, Howon couldn’t help feeling sorry for Sungyeol. He was Hyuna sunsaengnim’s most preferred target. If Sungyeol didn’t come to school one day, he had been kidnapped; if he laughed in class, he had inhaled something funny in Chemistry lab; if he was quiet, he had taken sleeping pills; if he talked too much, he had taken the wrong type of drugs. Whatever he did was wrong and Hyuna was always to the rescue. Howon wondered why Sungyeol hadn’t already killed her. Actually, he would have if she wasn’t Woohyun’s favorite teacher.

Howon was wondering what crazy antics Hyuna was up to now. He froze when he saw that Hyuna was marching towards Sungyeol, preparing to administer CPR on him.

“What the—” Sungyeol stopped as she grabbed his chin.

“Aah, Myungsooah, help you idiot! Stop laughing!” Sungyeol cried as he tried to wriggle free of her vice-like grip.

Myungsoo showed no sign of helping though; he was very amused and pouted his lips in a kiss, teasing Sungyeol.

When her lips were inches away from Sungyeol, Howon desperately shouted, "Sunsaengnim! Woohyun just escaped!”

 Hyuna turned around to look at Howon. Sungyeol took this moment of distraction to wriggle free from her and run towards the door.

“We’ll find him,” he said to nobody in particular and grabbing Howon by the shirt and dragged him out into the corridor. “Don’t stop,” he gasped and didn’t do so until they were out of the school gates.

“Can’t breathe,” mouthed Sungyeol, panting hard. Howon waited for him to catch his breath. He didn’t get breathless so soon, he was an athlete after all.

“That woman, she—” Sungyeol stopped dead as a pair of hands grabbed his middle and drew him backwards. Before he could take another breath, someone kissed him on his cheeks.

“SUN-SAENG-NIM!” he screamed louder than Hyuna had ever done, pushing the figure away from him. The birds in the tree beside them flew away, chirping loudly. Sungyeol stomped his feet angrily, as Howon stared, his eyes wide.

“You evil woman, you’re the end of me!” Sungyeol cried, rubbing the spot where the kiss had burned his cheeks.

“You liked it, didn’t you?” a mischievous voice said behind him. Sungyeol stopped rubbing his chin and said in a menacing voice, “It better not be you Kim Myungsoo, when I turn around.”

Howon and Myungsoo started laughing Sungyeol’s cheeks grew pink as he turned around. “Hyah, stop scaring me, will ya?”

“Sorry Yeollie,” said Myungsoo, wrapping his arm around Sungyeol fondly. “But your face in class was priceless. And I’m pretty sure Howon enjoyed the drama as well.”  

“Seriously guys, is it too wrong to wish she’s dead,” sighed Sungyeol, relaxing against Myungsoo and putting all his weight on him.

“Yes, since Woohyun adores her,” said Howon smiling but stopped abruptly.

“Where’s the feather head?” asked Sungyeol.

“I don’t know, he left school,” Howon said worriedly. A moment later he realised he shouldn't have said that. But Woohyun hadn't actually said anything about keeping it a secret from his best friends.

“What?!” Myungsoo and Sungyeol exclaimed together.

“Erm...something’s up. He reacted to Sungyeol so easily, then he didn’t want to go to Hyuna sunsaengnim’s class. Then he escaped,” said Howon, counting the events off his fingers.

Myungsoo looked back.

“Let’s make a run for it guys, before the teachers come looking for us,” said Myungsoo.

“W-what? We’re going to run away? B-but…” Sungyeol gulped, looking at the school gate apprehensively.

 “Hyuna sunsaengnim is looking for you Yeollie. She’s really mad that you gave her the slip. And besides, what are we going to tell our grandchildren if we never run away from school?” said Myungsoo.

That was enough to straighten up Sungyeol.

“What about our bags though?” asked Howon. He didn’t care for the books but his salary from last month was in his bag. He had brought it to pay his school fees.

“Well Howon, you’re the fastest runner,” said Myungsoo. “We’ll meet you at the restaurant.”

“That’s great, while I run the risk of getting caught by that woman here, you two are going to go on a date. So typical, Myungsoo,” Howon grumbled.

“Love you too,” said Myungsoo and took Sungyeol’s hand. “Let’s go,”

“Why are we going to the restaurant? Oh wait, Sungjong must be there by now,” said Sungyeol, looking at his wristwatch.

“That’s correct brother,” said Myungsoo.

“Hey Myung, is it okay to skip school?” Sungyeol’s voice didn’t tremble but Myungsoo knew he was scared. He called him ‘Myung’ only when he was frightened, or sad. This was the first time any of them was skipping school.

“Don’t worry Yeollie; we’ll miss the test though,” said Myungsoo.

“There’s no point taking the test without the featherhead,” said Sungyeol. “I don’t care about myself since there is no one to report to but what about your brother?”

“It’s ok,” said Myungsoo, trying not to think about Sunggyu’s face when the teacher tells him he had run out of school. “We need to find Woohyun.”

Sungyeol fell quiet.

“Why?” he finally asked.

Myungsoo looked taken aback. Sungyeol might pretend to hate Woohyun but he was pretty sure he was worried about him as well. “Aren’t you worried? We don’t know where he is and this is the first time he’s acting so weird—”

“I think I know where he is,” Sungyeol said quietly.

“What? Why didn’t you say it before? Did he tell you where he was…oh!” Myungsoo realized the moment Sungyeol looked up. “I’m sorry, I had totally forgotten.”

“Yeah me too, and I even today, of all days.” Sungyeol’s fist was clenched.

“It wasn’t your fault, all of us had forgotten.” Myungsoo looked unsure. “Should we…”

“Let him be for the moment,” said Sungyeol, biting his lips.

Myungsoo did not say anything. There was no point arguing with Sungyeol because where Woohyun was concerned, as strange as it might seem, Sungyeol knew the best. These were the times when Myungsoo suddenly felt like an intruder in Sungyeol and Woohyun’s lives.

Sungyeol and Woohyun—they are more alike than different. I know they share something beyond our scope of understanding. They share the same nightmares, the same fears…I want to do something for them but for now the best I could do is to let them feel each other.