“XIAO OUTSIDE!”

With his hand in his pocket, Xiao stood from his chair and walked out.

“Wow, didn’t see that coming” he rolled his eyes and Ms. Kim sighed in disappointment.

The bell chimed and all the students exhaled in relief. Hwanhee laid back against the wall and grabbed his phone out of his pocket, waiting for Xiao to be dismissed. Choonhee watched the hallway where Xiao’s outstretched legs were seen, he watched as the students walked past him from all directions pouting his lips bored.

As Ms. Kim was exiting the classroom, she took one last glare at them and had Choonhee caught her eye as she looked concerned for Xiao. Thoughts and suspicions ran through her mind before deciding to approach her.

“Choonhee, can I have a word with you in the teachers’ office?” Choonhee’s head sunk into her neck and nodded anxiously. Hwanhee eyed Ms. Kim as Choonhee tailed behind her, already knowing what she’s planning on doing.

Ms. Kim stopped at the front of the door having Choonhee nearly bump into her, Xiao stood up and tucked his hands in his pockets. “Come to the teachers’ office when break is almost over, I have some cleaning for you to do” Xiao ignored and looked the other way as he walked back into his class. Hwanhee stopped him as he blocked his way and stuck his head out the door. Xiao blankly looked at Hwanhee before looking at the same direction as he, where he spotted the back of Choonhee turning into a corner.

“Hey guys” Kogyeol and Wooshin nudged the kids’, bringing them out of focus. Wooshin observe their serious expressions before talking “…what are you guys looking at?”

“The witch is taking Choonhee to the teachers’ office” Kogyeol and Wooshin’s eyes filled up with worry. That teacher always wants to get in their business no matter who it affects, if she found out about Choonhee living with them then it can ruin everything.

The boys ran after them and quickly halted before reaching the teachers’ office door that was wide open. They crouched down and poked their heads through the door one above the other just being able to see Choonhee’s head.
They were too far to hear anything on what they were talking about and so Hwanhee volunteered to sneak in to eavesdropping on their conversation.

“So how are your studies going? I heard you live with your Grandma after your parents have passed away and that you have to working to support the both of you. You know the school can help you with any trouble you are having, right?” Choonhee kept her head down to avoid eye contact otherwise she would most likely give in and tell her the truth accidently.

She nodded nervously bringing a smile to the witch’s face, “good. I know I am not your homeroom teacher or principle but recently I phoned your place but apparently they said you had moved. Was this recent?” Choonhee felt panicked, she’s asking too much questions that can’t be answered truthfully, and she doesn’t want to be responsible for separating all the boys and Jun. they would all be sent to foster parents and Jun… she doesn’t want to think about that.

After the silence, Choonhee finally lifted her head and made eye contact with Ms. Kim, the teacher smiled brightly, encouraging for her to speak. She thought carefully and opened .

“I-”

“TEACHER I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING QUICKLY, IT’S URGENT” Hwanhee cut in making Choonhee silently sigh in relief. Hwanhee continued to try and keep his cool and endured the pain pulsing at his elbow that he hit on a teacher’s desk when he pounded up to the rescue.

Ms. Kim has no choice but to dismiss Choonhee, as exited she jumped in fright of the three boys suspiciously hiding behind the teacher’ office door. Kogyeol pulled her behind him as they waited for Hwanhee to his divergent.

“So what’s so urgent you want to tell me” he froze, completely blank of excuses to use.

“Uh-uhhhh... the-the food menu! Yes! Um, has the new food menu been put up yet? I mean, we’ve had pork for so many days now and I’m in a more of a chicken mood, you know what I’m saying?” She continued to stare impatiently for him wasting her time, not buying his excuse. “MR. CHOI LIKES YOU” he blurted out of panic and dashed out of the office in a blink of an eye. All the teachers stared as Ms. Kim say still in confusion, Mr. Choi who embarrassingly was in the office shouted out to Hwanhee who as long gone.

Kogyeol, Wooshin, Hwanhee, Xiao and Choonhee met up with the rest of the boys in the cafeteria who were already half way through their lunch.

“So, she’s at it again, huh” Wei sighed while sinking into his seat, Choonhee watched all of them as they all shared the same annoyed face.

Hwanhee played with his uneaten food before tossing the chopsticks on the tray. “I’m sick and tired of this pork”

“We were hoping that you weren’t going to get involved, but that’s Ms. Kim for ya. Ever since she became a teacher here last year she hasn’t left us alone, especially Xiao” Gyujin confessed.

“I don’t want to hear anything about this” Xiao kicked his chair back before walking out of the cafeteria, Hwanhee excused himself before running after Xiao in case he does something stupid again.

Kogyeol sighed before speaking, “Choonhee, you’re aware that none of us have our real names, right?” Choonhee felt taken back, her eyes widened but not largely. She didn’t need to answer as her face expression spoke for itself, “you were asked as well, right? Whether if you wanted to change your name or not.” She nodded, but never admitted if she did or not. Before anyone could ask Gyujin added his words.  

“Hwanhee is the only who chose to keep his real name. We all kept our family names so we have some of our past with us, well except Xiao… He’s ashamed to have any relations with his extended family as they abandoned him and Hwanhee after their parents past away” Choonhee’s face dropped when hearing about Hwanhee and Xiao’s parents passing.

“Wait, are Xiao and Hwanhee-”

“They’re cousins”

Sunyoul looked around the cafeteria before speaking “I don’t think we should be talking about this in such a public area, you don’t know who could be listening”

The boys fell silent. From there the conversation ended and left Choonhee lost with only a few pieces from the puzzle, she was so close to know more but it would have been rude to ask since it’s a sensitive topic to them.

As much as she felt close with the guys, there was not much about them that she knew. They already know her past and she only just found out that they don’t even go by their real names.

She realised that they all are still strangers to her and more still needs to be unfolded.

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