Hi, the name’s Hoshi. Well...it’s actually Soonyoung, but Hoshi is a lot better for fitting in around here. You can usually find me in one of two places on a daily basis, school, or at home. At the moment, I’m at school, doing the usual routine of ignoring the nonsense around me and doodling in my notebook.

    Now, my life may sound a bit boring, and I’d prefer it if everyone continued to think that way. You see, I have a secret. One I’d probably get thrown in prison or the looney house for. I come from a long, long, HORRENDOUSLY long line of...travelers. Not just any kind, no, we travel through time. Are we immortal? No, we live and die, just like everyone else.  Are we aliens? No, perfectly human...sort of. And before you make this assumption as well, we don’t travel in a blue police box with a series of y companions and supernatural screwdriver.

     I personally haven’t traveled with anyone before, but my Dad has (he thought it would impress the ladies if he showed them his abilities. I guess it worked considering my mom is...you know...my mom).

     I guess you’re wondering why I’m telling you this, well, there is a reason. I’m almost 16, and this is around the time when I’m “obligated” to find a traveling companion. As you can imagine, the task will be quite difficult for me. I mean, how am I supposed to go about telling them? Especially to...her.

Michelle Waters. Funny. Nerdy. Absolutely stunning…

Sorry, getting side-tracked.

I’ve had a crush on her ever since grade school, and honestly she’s the only one I want to be my companion.

      “Hoshi...”

Oh great, I’m getting called out, again.

       “Yes, Mr. Sampson?”

       “Mind telling me how to solve this equation please? Or are you too busy staring at the back of Michelle’s head?”

Annnnnd here we go. The embarrassment begins.

        “Alright, Mr. S, you plug in 3 for x, 4 for y, and 9 for z, then solve it as usual. Satisfied?”

Honestly, I’m not always this much of a sarcastic a-hole, but Sampson has always had problems with me. Something about how my dad stole “his” girl. As if my mom would actually go for a sleeze-ball like him. Why is that my fault anyway? It’s not my fault my dad was a “stud muffin”. My parents are weird by the way.

         Mr. Sampson turned back to the whiteboard behind him before the classroom phone began to ring.

          “Hello?...Yeah, he’s in here...Again? But I’m in the middle of a lesson I-....Alright.”

Here we go again...

          “Hoshi, you’re dismissed.”

I packed up my stuff quickly and quietly, heading towards the door. Before I could make it out, I heard my name being called out.

           “Hey, Hoshi!”

I turned and saw Michelle (who I’m surprised even knew I was alive) holding out a piece of paper towards me.

           “You almost forgot your homework page.”

I took it in my hands, and thanked her shyly. If there is a god, he’s truly blessed me on this day. She gave me this sort of worried look, almost asking if everything was okay.

As badly as I’d love to tell her, I can’t let her in.

     Alright, time to see what the fuss is about this time.

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    Family emergencies happen about once a week. However, serious ones are a rare occurrence. So needless to say, I was scared less at this point. Never in my life had I seen my parents faces like this. They were hard and cold, so stoic it was almost horrifying.  The car ride home was silent, no one talked, no music came from the radio. Nothing. By the time we got home, I was almost positive I’d become deaf. We walked in the front door and I dropped my bag quickly before stopping my parents from avoiding the obvious elephant in the room.

     “What’s going on this time? Did Mingyu and Wonwoo mess up another time line? Becau-”

       “Your father...he’s losing his abilities Hoshi. We went to visit your Grandpa up in Wilson    to get the details.”

     At first I was silent…

     “What?...How”

My dad sighed before he came up and hugged me tightly.

      “Shhh...Grandpa said I should be getting them back soon. It’s...a temporary loss”

I looked at my mom over my dad’s shoulder. Something told me that he was lying, she always had the same kind of grimace whenever my dad would cover his tail for something. The one that looks like she accidently ate dog food and is trying to cover up the fact that she did. I went with it this time, for my dad’s sake.

       “Alright dad. Could you please get off me now? My face is like right in your armpit.”

        “Right, sorry, ha”

I smiled up at him fakely (we’ll call it reassuring though) and watched him turn away and walk up the steps. Mom was starting after him before I grabbed her wrist.

         “Mom...What’s really going on?”

She looked at me warily before replying softly,

          “Wait until the rest of your brothers get here, we’ll talk to you all at dinner tonight.”

She left without letting me answer.

My...Brothers?

It had been so long since all 13 of us had been together...The older ones had moved out already, some near and some far. You know...out of all of us younger ones…

Why am I the only one who got called out of school for this?