The day started out fairly normal, well for Yoon it did. She woke up on time, minutes before the Academy started. However, her eyes were pink and swollen from sobbing into her pillow. Her pillow was now flaccid and drenched in tears. She pulled the pillow case off and threw it into her laundry basket that was quickly piling up. She replaced it with a polka dotted case before she showered.

For breakfast, Hana prepared a stack of thin vanilla-flavoured pancakes. Luhan was lost from sight, but Jaesun was present. He was slumped in his seat, half-asleep. His tie was askew and his hair was tousled. Yoon bet that he just raked his hands through his hair several times to substitute a comb. He only had one shoe on, and the other was upside down near his sock-clad feet.

“Geez son, this is why you shouldn’t sleep late.” Hana chastised as she placed a fresh batch of pancakes onto the table.

The savoury scent beckoned Yoon to a seat. Without preamble, she quickly gobbled the food down savouring the sweetness.

Jaesun perked up at the sight of her.  He was slightly unbalanced on his seat, barely keeping his body on the chair. “I heard you last night.” He said, swaying back and forth.

Yoon paused, “What did you hear?” She asked nervously.

Jaesun narrowed his gaze, “You know exactly what I heard.” He mumbled, before he picked up his loose shoe and attempting to shove his foot into it. Now that Yoon noticed, his other shoe wasn’t even on the right foot. The left shoe was on his right foot, and the right shoe on the other.

Hana sighed, and went to aid her son who whined throughout the whole thing.

“Stop being such a big baby.” Hana grumbled, tying his laces too.

Jaesun had his hand steadied on her shoulder, “I’m your big baby right mummy?”

Hana rolled her eyes, but there was a gentle, motherly expression contorted on her soft features. “Yeah, you are.” She said, standing up and returning to the stove.

Yoon was distracted by their relationship. Hana’s motherly decorum towards Jaesun made her envious of her friend. She missed her mum, and her dad who she still couldn’t get out of her head from last night. She still wasn't sure if what she saw was real or a mere figment of a cruel hallucination. Her appetite disappeared. She sighed, and stood up. “Thank you for breakfast Hana.” She pushed away from her chair, and placed her dishes neatly into the sink.

Hana tilted her head, “You’re full?”

“Yeah.” Yoon lied. She knew Hana was aware of the lie that spilled right from but she was grateful she didn’t call her up on it.

After forking a whole pancake into his mouth, Jaesun was up and less un-coordinated. He quickly pecked his mother’s cheek, and thanked her for breakfast before he was out the door in a silent rush. Again, Yoon had watched their sweet exchange. She ached for her mother’s affection. She tried to ignore the discomforting feeling, but she arrived to the Academy with a heavy heart.

During break, Yoon encountered Kai, or more like slammed into him accidently.

Feeling tongue-tied, she just stared at him. He now had a black coat on where the hem brushed against his thighs but his hair was mildly disheveled. He had on a pair of Khaki pants and dark dress shoes. Although the ensemble was plain, it didn’t deter his attractiveness. There were still students roaming around the corridors, so neither made a move to touch the other. Yoon awkwardly nodded in acknowledgement and brushed passed him. Kai had other plans though. He grabbed her pinky in a gentle grip, and placed his lips right at the lobe of her ear where she could feel the stubble of his jaw against her cheek. “Meet me at my office.”

“K-Kai.”

“Please.”

Yoon hesitated. She was aware how people were slowing down to look at them since Kai was known be anti-social towards his students. It wasn't normal to see him openly talking to someone.

“Okay.” She acquiesced.

He squeezed her finger, before he left without glancing back. Yoon could only stare after him, like the other students in a daze.

She spotted Sanghee across the corridor, giving her a stink eye. She ignored the woman and bee-lined to her locker. She did a quick replacement of books, before she made her way to Kai’s office. She had to get a few instructions from a few teachers, since she had no idea where his was. Apparently, he had his own little section away from the other workers. Yoon guessed it was allowed because Tao was Head Master and whatever Tao wanted, he got.

His office was situated not too far from Tao’s Office in fact. When she passed his door, there was the thumping of heavy metal rock emitting from his room. She shook her head in amusement. Tao was always eccentric- in a good way.

Yoon rapped on Kai's supposed office door. There was no name engraved on the wooden door, so she didn't know if it was his or not.

“Come in.” He replied.

Yoon stepped inside, and was shocked by the emptiness she found. She expected personal items, or atleast framed photos somewhere but there was nothing except a simple, black desk, a chair and cabinets that stored millions of documents.

“Come join me.” He beckoned, filing away a few papers into a manila envelope. He had his back to her as he sorted some other things out.

Yoon shifted towards the seat and plopped down. There were a few random ornaments on his desk, but what caught her attention was a bracelet hanging on a small stand. It was black, but aside from that, there were 2 oranges beads strung on it. Upon closer inspection, she saw that inside the small orbs were swirling colours of yellow, orange and red.

“Where’d you get this?” She asked, fascinated and in awe.

“Your mother actually gave it to me.” He said fondly, picking the bracelet up reverently. He caressed the beads as his eyes misted into a memory. It was probably the best birthday gift he’d ever received. It saved his sister. He clipped it onto his wrist and held it out under his soft gaze, “Without this, I would’ve been really lonely.” He admitted. He usually didn’t like delving into anything personal, but for some reason, the words flowed articulatel