A lone sound of an alarm reverberates throughout the empty home.

Junhoe slowly opens his eyes and shuts off his phone to welcome the silence once more. This was a normal occurrence. For as long as he could remember, he would wake up to find himself alone in the home and while he took care of his morning routine without any supervision and carried out his day.

Walking into the kitchen, a yellow sticky note upon the fridge steals his attention. Snatching it off, he read the short message – 

There’s money on the table for breakfast.

Well, if only he had the appetite.

And if his memory serves its purpose, these sticky notes would also appear around dinner time as well.

***

“Junhoe, is there another number we can reach your parents with?”

“If there was, I don’t know it.” He answered dismissively.

The teacher sighs before looking at the boy in front of her. “Then, return to homeroom for now.” There was no other choice was there? 

Getting up from his chair, he makes his way back out into the hallway. It was hard enough for him to contact his own parents – if they didn’t have time for their son, they wouldn’t have time for teachers who only called to complain.

“Are you usually on your own?” Jinhwan appeared beside him casually as together, they continued down the corridor. The time spent together and time used observing Junhoe had started to make him realize something – there was a whole lot more underneath the bully exterior.

Well, there has to be.

“That’s none of your business – don’t bother me today.”

Stopping in his steps, Jinhwan watched Junhoe walk down the empty hallway from behind. He has certainly come far – even Junhoe’s attitude can’t seem to bother him anymore. 

And he saw something else taking place…

Junhoe was starting to understand.

***

One word to describe Junhoe’s mood – 

Awful.

It was utterly awful. 

He was so out of it that Donghyuk had to make sure he wasn’t seeing things wrong. Junhoe had walked past him without a single glance sent his way. Donghyuk had longed discovered that Junhoe’s day was never complete unless the boy made him miserable in some way or another.

Donghyuk figured it was too good to be true. He stared after the boy who he thought would turn around with that familiar smirk on his face and surely, it would be any second now – 

“Get out the way.”

Donghyuk flinched in surprise as Junhoe’s friends brushed past him. 

And they too pretty much ignored him. 

Donghyuk looked down at the watch on his wrist. Well, only half of the day has passed. Unfortunately, he isn’t in the clear yet and he should keep that in mind before he starts assuming that he’ll have normal day – well, abnormal in this sense.

Watching from the corner in the hallway, Jinhwan couldn’t help but notice Do