Before the rising sun we fly
So many roads to choose
We start out walking and learn to run
And yes, we've just begun

Sharing horizons that are new to us
Watching the signs along the way
Talking it over just the two of us
Working together day to day

- We've Only Just Begun, The Carpenters

---

---

Under the bask of the morning sun, students started entering the prestigious school of Seoul, known as SM High.

 

One say that once you have worn an emblem of this particular school, people have high expectations of you.

 

Class, status, power, talent and wealth. That's what people expect to a student of SM High.

 

And it also reeks of rich people, which causes disgust to Kyungsoo.

 

Kyungsoo was your only average guy, and he likes to keep it that way, away from the spotlight. He doesn't excels in class but he's not at the bottom either. Just average.

 

I just have to take this admission test, then get the hell out of here.

 

"Kyungie!"

 

Breaking his thoughts of how dreadful it is to study at SM High, Kyungsoo was quite delighted to see one of his few friends at the school, Byun Baekhyun.

 

"Hey." Kyungsoo waved back as Baekhyun went beside him.

 

"Why do we have to take these admission tests every year." Baekhyun groaned. "It destroys my beauty sleep!"

"Beauty sleep my ." Kyungsoo cursed, earning a pout from Baekhyun. "Who calls a 12-hr regime of sleep, a beauty sleep?"

"Well, I do." Baekhyun smirked. "See the wonders it does to my youthful appearance." The diva flipped his hair and began twirling around Kyungsoo.

"All I could see is that its blinding you from the truth." Kyungsoo pointed out harshly. "Look out!"

 

Baekhyun, who was still twirling continuously, crashed landed to the worst possible person that Kyungsoo could have ever imagined in Baekhyun's point of view.

 

"Kris." Kyungsoo muttered.

 

Said person was already glaring towards Baekhyun, scaring the diva out of his mind. The latter immediately went behind Kyungsoo to defend himself.

 

"Watch where you're going, you classless diva." Kris said in annoyance.

Baekhyun fumed that he forgot his fear against Kris. This ! "I ain't a classless diva, you son of a-" Kyungsoo pushed Baekhyun behind him, to avoid creating a scene.

"I apologize for his behavior and clumsiness." Kyungsoo bowed his head before dragging Baekhyun and himself away from Kris.

 

Kris could only huff in anger and pride, as he proceeded to his assigned room. Byun Baekhyun, you better thank your friend for saving you. Or else, I could have smashed your petty pride into pieces.

 

Once they were out of Kris' sight, Kyungsoo immediately let go of Baekhyun's wrist and started scolding him.

 

"Baekhyun! What were you doing?!"

"That jerk! Its his fault for not avoiding me! And he had the nerve to insult me!"

"Did you ever think of the consequences of talking back to him huh? You could have get yourself in harm"

"Consequences? Ha. Doesn't mean he's powerful and the richest among us, he can boss around the rest of us!"

"He's above us, Baekhyun! He's at the peak of the mountain and no one ever lives peacefully in this school if you have ever insulted him. I dont want to drag myself to encounter something like that ever again." Kyungsoo panted.

 

I just have to take this admission test, my . Kris wouldn't be able to get Baekhyun out of his head. Wish the both of us could underperform this admission test. Screw the scholarship!

 

"I'm sorry, Kyungsoo." Baekhyun muttered. "Its just, I thought you hated those kind of people."

"I do."

"Then, why did you swallowed your pride to save me? That contradicts your belief then." Baekhyun asked.

"Its because, you're my friend." Kyungsoo patted Baekhyun's shoulder. "Just don't do it again. I hate being in the spotlight."

"Alright." Baekhyun grinned. "Let's take this test and avoid doing our best! I don't want to be near that dragon's face anytime this year."

 

Kyungsoo chuckled as he and Baekhyun entered their assigned room.

 

Give me hope to have another peaceful life this year.

---

---

Kris entered his assigned room, annoyed at the predicament he has encountered a while ago. Its so annoying and a mood-crasher for taking this stupid test. But what annoys me the most is that friend of Byun Baekhyun. Who dares to walk away from me, right after apologizing?! 

 

Suho then noticed Kris at the side of the door, who was unusually late than the rest of them. "Kris, you're a bit late." Suho greeted Kris.

"And a bit" Chen looked at Kris from head to toe. "....grumpy."

 

Kris nodded at Suho's greeting and glared at Chen. Before seating at his chair, he silently noticed that their seating arrangements were positioned to form a pentagon. For some reason, the seating arrangment in each room were positioned like this. Strange.

 

"Who made the dragon, grumpy this morning?" Chen sang, earning a restrained laugh from Kai.

"Do you want to get smashed into pieces?" Kris slammed his fist on the table, making the prankster away from him.

"Eep!" Chen yelped, in fear of getting roasted from the dragon.

 

Chen, to avoid any ugly confrontation with the dragon, sat at his seat as an alternative option. I guess I don't need to pry on what made his highness angry.

 

"What''s wrong with him?" Kai asked.

Chen shrugged his shoulders. "At least its not my fault, this time." Chen looked wary at Kris. "I bet its some students from the lower classes."

"I think you're right." Kai said. I hope it doesnt involve him or the diva. After all, Baekhyun has some unexplained bad history with Kris

 

Before Kai could even gather more information regarding to Kris' burst of temper, the teacher entered their classroom. The students were seating at the edge of their chairs instinctively, so that they could finish this test quickly. Each of them brought out their 2-B Type of pencils, and were very ready to answer. Until, Kai noticed something's missing.

 

Kai raised his hand for a question, and the teacher granting him permission to ask away. "Sir, where are the exam papers?" 

 

The students whispered to each other as they noticed too, after Kai pointed out the obvious.

 

The teacher could only smile at them before saying another word. "This admission test might be a bit different for the rest of you."

 

The teacher slammed his palm on the ground, creating a massive magic circle on the floor that surrounded the students within it.

 

"What the- what's the magic circle for?" Chen asked loudly as the rest of them were already kneeling on the floor.

 

The magic circle was dragging them towards it, intensifying the Earth's gravity. The students were struggling to fight the force that's pulling them down but there was no way they could fight this. It was too much for them.

 

As he felt the presence of his energy draining, Chen was thinking of a way to pull himself out of this. Must be this stupid magic circle's doing. Suddenly, he looked at Suho, who figured out what to do, as well as Kris and Kai. Wait a minute! This must be the reason the chairs were positioned like this! It was to create a base figure for the magic circle! But what magic circle is this?

 

Chen signalled Suho of his plan with their established eye signals, with the latter elaborating it to Kris and Kai.

 

I cant tell what magic circle is this. Suho thought as he examined the structure of the circle. Is it a Type A or Type B? Suho struggled to keep his head above the ground. I wont be able to know what type this is. 

 

There was a strong burst of wind that forced the windows open, pushing the students slightly from their positions.

 

For the other students and the teacher, it was just a disturbance.

 

But for Kai, Suho, Chen and Kris, its a message from Sehun.

 

Its neither Type A or B. Its a specialized magic circle that amplifies the ability energy source of the user then in the energy to determines its KTL. But the circle is also dependent on the energy source, that's why the greater the energy source, the greater the magic circle pushes the user to the ground.

 

So all I need to do is cut myself off from the magic circle in order to cancel it! Thanks, Sehun. Chen thought as he concentrated to cut his energy source, though there would be greater consequences if someone cuts off their source forcefully.

 

"Argh!" Chen groaned in pain as he broke away from the magic circle. His face turned bluish-white, a phenomenon that only happens when someone is out of ability energy source.

 

"Very good." The teacher grinned, as he clapped his hands and cancelled the magic circle.

 

The students groaned in pain as they lay down on the floor, regaining their energy source very slowly. Kris, Suho and Kai channelled their energy towards Chen, in order to have enough energy to reconnect it to his source. Chen slowly regained his skin color as he was able to restablish his ability energy source to his core.

 

"Its what I expected from you, Kim Jongdae." The teacher applaud, as well as the rest of the students. "Everyone should know that there is a sacrifice that is needed to be done in order for the beneficiary of all."

 

The teacher gestured the students to sit down at their respective seats, before continuing his discussion.

 

"It wasn't a need to cancel the magic circle like that since this circle is used to immediately determined your KTL. It was to be in effect for 10 mins but since Mr. Kim was able to separate himself off from the circle, the circle was in effect for only 3 mins. The circle just only needs 1 second from its activation in order to produce results."

"But, why 10 minutes? That could have prolonged the suffering of the rest of us." One student pointed out, but Kris already realized the answer to his question.

"Its an incomplete magic circle." Kris answered, earning a grin from the teacher.

"Precisely, Mr. Wu." The teacher took a chalk from the desk, before drawing three circles at the board. "It was taught to the rest of you that there are two classifcations of magic circles: Type A and Type B."

 

The teacher drew at the first circle, a sun and an inverted moon:

"This is Type A, am I correct?"

"Yes."

 

The teacher then drew at the second circle, a moon and also, and inverted moon:

 

"And this is Type B."

 

Finally, the teacher drew the last circle: The magic circle that was summoned earlier.

 

The teacher put the chalk down at the chalk board, before facing the students once again.

 

"During your first year, you were taught mainly on these two types. But these are just the basic types of magic circles. Mr. Wu, can you explain what incomplete magic circles are?"

Kris stood up from his seat, the entire attention of the class directed at him. "Incomplete magic circles are types of magic circles that known for its irregularity. These kind of magic circles are different, to the point that it doesnt classify either Type A or Type B, thus its pentagonal inner shape."

"You are correct, Mr. Wu" The teacher took out a scroll from his side jacket and laid down on the left side of the table. "....but there is a partial portion that you kind of, forgotten." The teacher grinned, before opening the scroll.

 

As the scroll was opened, numerous and different magic circles were shown visually to the class, much to the utter shock of the students.

 

"I guess no one has ever encountered magic circles like this. To point out, this scroll is known as the Scroll of Magic Circles. This type of informative scroll validates every kind of magic circles around the world." The teacher pointed out, as even the best students among the class were stunned. "As you can see, incomplete magic circles aren't really incomplete. This was a general term used by other schools, but elite campuses like SM High, terms this as a Unique Magic Circle, or known as Type C."

"Woah." Chen muttered. I never knew there are tons of magic circles.

"That was a brief overview of what would classes be like during your 3rd year here in SM High, but only a few of you can take that kind of classes during your 2nd year." The teacher reminded, which silenced the whole room. "There would be an Advanced Class, which all of you aren't guaranteed to enter, which is Class 2-A. This is the reason for your special admission test, in order to bracket those with high specifications of KTL from the average ones."

"Isn't that a bit unfair? What about the rest of us?"

 

The teacher could only smile but Kris could see the seriousness of his eyes. The former sighed before activating a magic circle on the ceiling. Kai noticed the circle immediately, and Suho realizing the structure of the circle, 

 

"Kai! Its a Type A Bomb!" Suho alarmed Kai, as the former noticed the threat of the magic circle.

"On it."

 

Kai stood up and countered the Type A Circle before it could harm the class.

 

"Type B: Teleportation" Kai chanted, activating his special magic circle.

 

The colored gray circle expanded across the class before engulfing the Type A magic circle. The class lately noticed the magic circle that they were astounded as to how Kai noticed it quickly.

 

"Very good, both Mr. Kims" The teacher clapped his hands, but none of the students were clapping along. They were too shocked to register the events that occured. "You have to be thankful that you wouldn't end in Class 2-A. Or you would have to take responsiblity if the class perished from that." The teacher snapped his fingers then a loud boom was heard outside the building.

 

I knew it. It was a bombing-type magic circle. Kai and Suho sighed in relief.

 

"Students who end up in Class 2-A have special tasks before them. Everyone who came from Class 1-A knows that, am I right?" Kris, Suho, Kai and Chen tensed since they were the only ones in the room that belonged to Class 1-A. "I expect that I will see the four of you ending in Class 2-A." The teacher grinned before activating a magic circle beneath him. "This ends your admission test."

 

The magic circle shone brightly that it temporarily blinded the students. Once the rest of them can see clearly, the teacher disappeared along with the light.

 

"Just what kind of classes do they teach in Class A?" A random student asked out of the blue.

 

The rest of the students were silent as they look at the four former Class 1-A students leaving the room first.

 

If they only knew how hard it is study with or without books. Kris thought.

---

---

"Took you long." Sehun complained, before giving a water bottle to Kai.

"How did you know I needed this?" Kai asked, emptying the water bottle in one shot.

Sehun glared at Chanyeol. "Chanyeol hyung's an idiot for countering a Bomb Magic Circle with another one of his own. I activated my magic circle in time to avert the crisis with two bombs exploding above us. Besides, I knew you were the one who teleported the bomb away earlier, thus the dehydration" Sehun snickered, making Kai embarassed.

 

Chanyeol huffed in annoyance, straightening his blazer. "At least, it clashed with each other."

Chen sighed. "Sometimes, you gotta think better than that, Chanyeol." Chen patted Chanyeol's shoulder. "You could have just engulfed the explosion yourself, since you can feed its energy, thus negating the bomb's effects against you."

"I aint a fire-breathing dragon, !" Chanyeol felt insulted. Although I am a fire ability user, I dont go and eat bomb s all day.

"Even if Chen's comment is half-ty, he's right." Suho pointed out. "You could have endangered the class you are in if Sehun hadn't absorbed it and threw it outside."

 

Chanyeol only pouted and nodded, since he is half-wrong of what he did. No one knew what will happen if two bombs did collide. Will it negate itself or create another explosion? No one can blame Chanyeol's curiousity for these types of things, thus his experiments.

 

"If your class also had a bomb magic circle, I wonder how did the rooms do." Chen asked, wondering as to why only their classes were the only ones outside.

"We'll find out on first day." Kris concluded. "I'll go home and get some rest. I dont want to lurk around here and let us deal with the magic circles ourselves."

 

Analyzing what Kris said would also be beneficial to them, they all went out of the campus together.

---

---

What on earth. Baekhyun gaped around him, as an earth wall came out of nowhere and surrounded them, as well as a loud booming sound.

 

The wall crumbled slowly to the ground and disappeared, along with the magic circle that activated it. No one had an idea who did that, except for the teacher who was in charge of them.

 

"Do Kyungsoo, isn't it?" The teacher identified the one responsible for the earth wall.

 

The class' attention was averted to a certain wide-eyed boy, who was equally shocked as to what he has done.

 

"Yes." Kyungsoo weakly nodded, hating the attention he's receiving.

"Wow, Kyungie." Baekhyun clapped his hands slowly as he registered the class' savior. "I never knew you were this strong."

"Its on instinct." Kyungsoo muttered towards Baekhyun, who only gave him a thumbs-up.

 

The teacher was astounded that there was a student hidden in the shadows who has such a rare ability. Only a number of students here in SM High has the power and blessing of the Earth itself. Especially as unique as him.

 

"That's an incredible gift, young man." The teacher walked towards Kyungsoo to give him a pat to his head. "Why have you hidden yourself from the world?"

"I just wanted to live a normal life, and this is nothing compared to what the others have." Kyungsoo quietly answered, wanting this to be known only to the teacher.

The teacher leaned closer to Kyungsoo's ear as he whispered, "The problem is, you aren't normal." The teacher sadly smiled at him, making his statement a simple but shocking revelation to Kyungsoo.

 

The teacher went back to where he stood before and asked the students to take their seats.

 

"Every one of us has unique abilities. There are many similar abilities but even if a tiny portion of difference existed, it is still considered a different ability. With the power we have, we can make a difference in this world. No matter how small or big, every small little thing counts." The teacher directly looked at Kyungsoo. "Sure, we aren't normal people like the civilians but this makes us unique because we can save lives and the future of the world. Hold on to that power and have confidence."

 

Hold on to that power and have confidence. Kyungsoo thought. 

 

"With that, let's conclude your admission test." The teacher said before leaving the room ahead.

 

Kyungsoo could only think of what the teacher had said to him indirectly.

---

---

Today was Kyungsoo's first day on his 2nd year, and he doesn't look forward in seeing his name on the class board. All he knows is, he has to be on the average class, no matter what happens. But after what happened at the test, will I be assigned to the average classes? Aish Kyungsoo, be positive.

Baekhyun patted Kyungsoo's shoulder, breaking the latter's thoughts. "Excited to see what class you are in?"

"Oh, I am so excited to see what class I'm in." Kyungsoo clasped his hands and smiled, but Baekhyun isn't going to be fooled around by that act.

"Knowing you, I can really tell that you are being sarcastic." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes then dropped his act. "By the way, are you still going to use your average protocol?"

Kyungsoo sighed deeply. "Yes, and yes. Like I will ever end up at Class A. Only the best ends up there, especially the rich and powerful."

"But you are powerful, Kyungie." Baekhyun complimented. "After your little show back at the admission test, I think you have a shot at Class A!"

"How encouraging." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes.

"That's the spirit!" Baekhyun grinned before he turned his attention to the crowd in front of them. "Excuse me, people! Stop hogging your beautiful faces at the notice board and give way!" Baekhyun announced with an eyesmile on his face.

 

I can really sense his sarcasm. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at the diva's antics.

 

"Alright, let me scan for our names and-" Baekhyun stopped talking for a second, which made Kyungsoo curious.

"Why did you stop t-" Kyungsoo stopped speaking as well, since Baekhyun froze from his place.

"K-k-kyungie." Baekhyun paled as he point Kyungsoo's visible name on the paper, along with his as well.

 

Kyungsoo's head quickly turned to look where Baekhyun's finger is pointing.

 

Holy crap.

 

Class 2-A

......

......

Byun Baekhyun

Do Kyungsoo

 

All Kyungsoo could see is the letters of his name, emphasized right before his eyes. 

 

He couldn't imagine his life at the worst possible scenario he could ever think of.

 

Kill me now. Kyungsoo paled before losing consciousness.

 

 

"Kyungie!"