A gentle breeze sailed in between the light, blue curtains and greeted the warm steam as the young teenage boy stepped out of the bathroom in his freshly ironed uniform. Today would be his first day attending a public high school and he couldn't be more excited. As he glanced around his simple room, he studied the plain bed with soft green duvets, the wooden nightstand beside his bed that held his alarm clock, lamp, and childhood memories; and the shelf of books, pictures, and stuffed animals next to his closet.

Taking a few steps toward his nightstand, Baekhyun picked up his cell phone and keys. As he slid the items into his pockets, he held up his fingers in a rectangular formation and closed one eye as he looked around at all four white walls of his room.

All I need is a TV hanging here, a blue curtain to divide my room, and a couple of chairs by my bedside, and everything would be like when I was in the hospital, he smiled reminiscently.

Growing up, Baekhyun was taught that home was where his parents were and where he would return to at the end of each day; and if that were true, then this place was definitely home. But he had also learned that home was where the heart was, where the people who loved and cherished him were; and if that were true, then this place could no longer be labeled as home. With a nostalgic sigh, Baekhyun slid his backpack on and left his room.

Even from the top of the staircase, the strong smell of bitter black coffee, sizzling bacon, and warm scrambled eggs was undeniable. Cautiously, Baekhyun descended the flight of stairs and stepped into the quiet kitchen. Besides the cooking of bacon and occasional turn of the morning newspaper, there was no other noise.

"Good morning mom, dad," Baekhyun politely greeted in English.

"Morning, son," his stepfather acknowledged without a single look up at him.

His mother turned to him and brightly smiled, "Morning, dear. Come sit and eat breakfast with your father and me."

Forcing a small smile, Baekhyun uneasily glanced at his stepfather and shook his head, "I'm going to leave first. I don't want to be late on my first day of school."

"Alright, dear," his mother understandingly nodded before turning back to refill her husband's third cup of coffee.

And as Baekhyun took a seat by the door to slip on his shoes, he swore he heard his stepfather sigh and say, "Misun, that son of yours will never learn manners, will he? What are you teaching him?"

"Sorry, honey. I will teach him better," she promised in that nearly-perfect English of hers.

Biting his lip, he momentarily contemplated whether or not he should go back and sit down with them, but before he could take a step back, he kicked his skateboard up into his hand and left with a gentle close of the door. Once outside, he let out a relieved sigh and puffed a big gulp of air from his inhaler into his mouth. He rotated his stiff shoulders and smiled, School.

Baekhyun's biological father had long been out of his life. Whether he was dead or alive, Baekhyun did not know, but he had learned to accept that his father simply wasn't a part of his life. When he was ten, his mother finally remarried to an American man who preferred everything Western-style. He forced Baekhyun's mother to learn English, how to cook Western meals, and even dress like classy American women. Ironically, his stepfather didn't want to marry an American lady and came to Korea to find a wife.

And towards himself, Baekhyun never found an ounce of sincerity. He didn't know if it was because they never had the chance to spend time together or if it was because his stepfather didn't want to spend time with him. Either way, Baekhyun was sure his stepfather at least liked him.

Slowing down to a stop in front of the black-speckled gates of Baram High School, Baekhyun kicked up the back of his board so that the front rose up and carried it in his arm. As he neared the gates, he got a closer look and realized that the gates were not intentionally 'speckled,' but that the gold coloring was peeling off after years of withstanding harsh rains, heavy snowstorms, and whipping winds.

With an uncertain sigh, Baekhyun glanced up at the large campus behind the gates and forced himself to step inside. This was it. His social life was finally beginning and now he would have friends to talk to everyday. After one last inhale from his inhaler, Baekhyun strode inside.

Finding his homeroom was easy since he had visited the campus two weeks prior to the first day of school, but he wasn't exactly ready to go in and take a seat yet. He placed his backpack down in a random empty seat towards the front of the class and left the room in search of a restroom. When he spotted it, he didn't hesitate to go in and use it, but he was taken aback to see a teenage boy changing inside. Speechlessly, Baekhyun watched the olive-skinned boy strip off his white shirt and pants and slip on a uniform identical to his own.

Noticing that someone else was in the room with him, the tanned boy turned around with a tug of his belt and eyed Baekhyun defensively, "What're you looking at?"

"N-Nothing," Baekhyun quickly answered and turned away to one of the urinals.

There was a shuffle of clothes as the other stuffed his clothes into his backpack and fixed his shoes onto his feet. As he left out the door, he muttered in a low but audible voice, "Freak."