Chapter 8 I’ll be yours if you’ll be mine

A/N: Talk about being a long time since I updated this. But it was harder than normal for this one. And the fact that i was busy for prep for chinese new year. Enjoy. next update will be...who knows.

Jun led them to the administration office. “Here’s where I drop you guys off. I’ll call you later during lunch to find out where you guys are. Cool?”

Minghao nodded. Jeonghan and Seungcheol let out sounds of assent. Jun grinned back at them before going off the class. “See you three later.”

A woman got up from her seat behind the desk. “Hello. You three must be our new students. I’m Ms. Song. I have your schedules here.” She picked up three papers off her desk. “Minghao?”

Minghao raised his hand. She smiled and handed it to him.

“Jeonghan?”

Jeonghan held out his hand. Ms. Park laid it on his palm.

“And you must be Seungcheol then,” she said. She held it out, letting him take it.

“For now, you three have the same classes. If it looks like the classes are too easy for you, you will get moved into more challenging classes. If you don’t remember from the tour if you decided to go through one the school doesn’t have a bell system as you all are hybrids as are some of the staff. We know that it can be quite sensitive. So digital clocks are everywhere. For the elementary, middle school, and high school division teachers rotate into your classes. For the more advanced courses we have different lecture rooms on different floors.” She got up. “I’ll show you to your class. You are on the third floor with the high school division for now. Let’s go.”

The three of them followed her taking a look around the school. It was well maintained and looked relatively new. Then again considering that coming here wasn’t free, it better be well maintained.

“Here we are.” She slid the door open and peeked in. The teacher came over and nodded. She turned to them. “This is where I leave you. Have a good first day. If you have any questions about the school, come see me.” She nodded to them and walked away.

Gesturing into the room the teacher said, “I’m Mr. Kim. Come in. We can start with introductions and then get back to class.”

The three of them walked in, noticing that the class was mostly domestic hybrid breeds. Nothing so wild in the bunch. Which was a good thing. No one would try to fight them for so called dominance over the class. They had no interest in fighting to be top dog. They didn’t even want to be. Instinct or not it was tiring to take care of people. To Jeonghan and Seungcheol, Joshua was the most important at this point. Minghao only had Mingyu in mind as well. Their beloved first followed by their friends.

“Class, we have three new students today. While we don’t know how long they’ll be here please welcome them with open arms.” He gave them the go ahead. “Please introduce yourselves.”

Jeonghan gave Seungcheol a little shove, making the wolf go first. He flashed a small snarl back at Jeonghan before turning to the class. He bowed. “I’m Choi Seungcheol. Nice to meet you.”

Stepping forward Jeonghan gave them all a smile. “Yoon Jeonghan. Please take of me,” bowing as well.

“Xu Minghao. Let’s get along well.”

“Wonderful,” Mr. Kim clapped lightly. He stared into the seats. “There’s only one empty seatmate…” he said trailing off. Minghao, you can sit with Jiyeon. Jiyeon raise your hand.” A cat hybrid with white ears raised her slim arm.

“Peter move one seat back. Seungcheol you can join him and Jeonghan you can take Peter’s seat and sit next to Yewon.” A dog hybrid took his things and moved, leaving space next to what looked like a hamster hybrid.

The three of them moved. Mr. Kim went over to the side shelf grabbing books for them. “Here’s the books for the high school division.” He walked back to the front taking up his marker again. “Now let’s get back to learning about the Korean language.”

Jeonghan let out a small yawn as Mr. Kim packed up his thing and waved goodbye to them. They had a ten minute break before the next teacher who was apparently going to teach them math, if the schedule was anything to go by.

Minghao got up and moved, grabbing an empty chair to put it near Seungcheol’s. He let out a small whine and buried his head onto Seungcheol’s wide shoulders. “Sooo tired.”

He laughed. “Mingyu keep you up?”

“He woke me up early. He was eagerly making me breakfast and lunch and it was noisy.”

Jeonghan turned around noticing that Minghao’s ears were slightly red though. Smirking he said, “You didn’t answer his question. Mingyu keep you up?”

Minghao gave him an answering glare, his tail twitching. “Just because you two don’t get any doesn’t mean you have to tease me.”

Pulling a face Jeonghan replied, “Just because we aren’t getting any from Joshua doesn’t mean you get to say anything back. We’re your hyungs.”

He stuck out his tongue. “You started it.”

“We’re working on it,” Seungcheol said.

Jeonghan pasted a smile on his face. “We have listeners.”

The other students were turned to them. They were curious it seemed. Ears at attention trying to listen in. Bodies angled towards them.

Flashing them a smile the braver ones came up.

“How tall are you?” A bossy rabbit hybrid asked.

“Mari,” her fellow rabbit hissed.

“We want to know,” she said with a shrug.

“We’re off the market,” Jeonghan answered back. “But. Me and him,” he said pointing between himself and Seungcheol, “we’re 178 cm.”

“179 cm,” Minghao said. “Also taken.”

A few of the cat hybrids’ tails fell. Minghao said nothing in response, playing with his nails, disinterested in their reactions. Kim Mingyu was the only person he needed.

Putting a more vicious smile on his face Jeonghan added. “We have no interest in finding mating partners if that’s what you’re looking for. Our eyes are on someone.”

A cat hybrid who stood up had a lot of guts as he didn’t sit down as Jeonghan said all of this. “Well who says one of us can’t turn your eye?”

Jeonghan smirked. “Listen, you poor attempt at a high class cat hybrid,” he paused for effect as several of the other hybrids gasped.

One of them even muttered, “Finally. Someone is taking down Sungwoo. The prissy cat.”

The cat hybrid, who was apparently named Sungwoo didn’t even twitch his ears, but his face turned red.

Continuing Jeonghan said, “You’re nowhere near the level of the person we’re watching. If I were to compare you two to candles that are lit; he’s the brightest and strongest flame. You. You’re not even lit.”

Sungwoo colored even further, his tail standing on end.

Some of the others snickered in the back. They clearly were liking how he was being taken down. And considering the haughty look on his face, no doubt he thought he was the best hybrid in the whole class.

Snarling, pitifully, in Seungcheol’s opinion, he said, “Well I bet that person is ugly as hell. I haven’t met anyone who’s better than me.”

A dog hybrid snorted in the back, coughing out, “Narcissist.”

Seungcheol stood up as Jeonghan leaned forwards and flashed fang. “You better back off kitty. We said we weren’t interested. Talk bad about him again and we’ll make sure your so called pretty face isn’t so pretty anymore.” He held up a hand, extending his claws. “Got it?”

Sungwoo gulped visibly as his ears fell in fear. He took several steps back.

“We want a verbal answer,” Jeonghan growled. “Did you get it?”

“Yes,” he whispered, the fear laced in his voice clear as the night sky.

“Good.” Seungcheol sat back down ignoring the rest of the students, retracting his claws.

Jeonghan looked at him and nodded. The only thing that ever had them in agreement most of the time was Joshua. They wouldn’t let anyone say anything bad about him.

The other hybrids whispered, either in glee over Sungwoo being knocked down several pegs or over their little display of power. It didn’t matter since the next teacher came into the room ready to teach.

The rest of the subjects passed by uneventfully. The domestic hybrids got the warning and stayed away. Half of them had mating expectations but as they shot them down and threatened to kill one of them they knew better than to try. The other half was too afraid now to try and be friendly with them.

A pair of familiar fox ears popped in the door. “There you three are,” Jun said. He tilted his head out. “Let’s go eat lunch outside. Being cooped up inside half of the day is getting to me.” He gave a little smile as he saw some of their classmates’ fearful look.

Grabbing their lunches, knowing that their belongings would be fine since their classmates were quaking in fear. If something of theirs went missing, well a few chunks from a few hybrids would go missing as well.

Walking out of the classroom Jun wrapped his arm around Seungcheol and Minghao, his arm not quite reaching over to Jeonghan. “You have to tell me what you three did. Those other hybrids were practically pissing themselves. Some of them look mighty disappointed too. But mostly afraid.”

Jeonghan snorted. “One of them tried to come onto us even after we said we weren’t interested. He decided to give us his opinion on how he was the best looking thing on two legs.” Jeonghan’s tail lashed out in mild anger still. How dare he compare himself to Joshua’s beauty? He scoffed internally.

“We set him straight,” Seungcheol added. “I guess that scared them all off.”

Minghao nodded. “Obviously. The show of claw and flash of fang made them nearly pee in fear. I guess they don’t see wild hybrids often.”

“Hmmm,” Jun nodded. “Well someone had a death wish it seems.” He turned to Minghao. “Most hybrids stay together for classes and all and then continue onto the next set. So this class probably hasn’t seen wild ones yet. And no doubt since they’re out of the facility now they’re used to having someone be top dog in the class but now it looks like you three just toppled it.”

“Troublesome,” Jeonghan yawned. “We have bigger things to worry about.”

Smirking Minghao slyly said, “We know. Getting Joshua hyung to be your lover.”

Jeonghan moved his hand and flicked Minghao on the ear.

The leopard flinched and snarled weakly back. “Just stating the truth.”

Jun laughed. “You two will get there. Eventually. Joshua hyung is a tough nut to crack but I think he’s grown to like you two a lot.” Nodding to himself Jun continued, “He takes care of you two really well and he’s actually more attentive I guess to his own health now too.”

“Now?” Seungcheol questioned.

“He didn’t really have anyone before and so he would work and overwork himself sometimes thanks to the fact that he’s one of the biggest names in heart surgery and he’s called on a lot for certain types of clients in his hospital and all.”

“We’ll take care of him,” Jeonghan said.

Jun smirked. “Got to learn how to cook and all first. But we can tell. He’s been looking much healthier and there’s a glow about him now.” Jun led them to the open courtyard that was currently filled with quite a few other hybrids. “Here we are. Open seating area for lunch and break. Let’s grab a table and eat.”

They moved around until Minghao spotted a table in the corner of the area underneath the giant tree. Sitting down they compared lunches.

“Mingyu went all out,” Jun said with a pout. “Wonwoo can’t cook well so I have to prepare our meals. I still can’t get to Mingyu’s level yet,” he said as he speared an octopus sausage from Minghao’s box.

Minghao tried to steal it back but Jun popped it into his mouth. Smiling he turned to Jeonghan and Seungcheol’s. “Well well. Would you look at that?”

Their lunch had a rather massive steak that practically mooed with how red it still was. Just to their liking. No doubt it made Joshua squirm with how rare it was. They had a layer of rice and sections of sides. Vegetable sides if Jeonghan’s face were anything to go by. But he’d eat them to make Joshua happy. And one more layer of small sides and fruit for dessert.

“Joshua went all out here too. You’re all lucky. After I learned how to cook I took over and made our food lest I let Wonwoo accidentally poison the both of us.” He put his chin in his palm. “I’m sort of jealous now.”

Jeonghan shuddered as he popped into his mouth the sprig of stir fried broccoli. “Well at least Wonwoo has with you. Joshua still won’t.”

Seungcheol nodded as he stabbed his steak. “It’s frustrating.”

Both Jun and Minghao laughed.

“Well maybe Joshua hyung will reward you once he hears that you two did well on your first day of school,” Minghao said cheekily, sticking his tongue out at them. Payback for the Mingyu digs earlier.

Jun’s eyes turned a little sharp. “Spoke a little too soon HaoHao. Looks like we’ve got company coming our way.” His tail swished. “Interesting company.”

Seungcheol and Jeonghan turned their heads. Coming towards them was a panther hybrid flanked by a small band of wild hybrids. Jeonghan made out what looked to be another cheetah and a leopard like Minghao. Seungcheol noted the hyena and what looked to be a gazelle. Odd choice of predators and prey.

“Guess we’ll just have to disappoint Shua today then,” Jeonghan drawled. “Looks like they want to fight.”

Growling Seungcheol said, “Well, what Shua doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Minghao nodded. “True. As long as we don’t go home covered in bruises.”

“Got to hide the evidence,” Jun added.

Sitting down at the table that Seokmin had commandeered in the cafeteria Joshua wondered how Jeonghan and Seungcheol were faring for their first day. If they were helping herd Minghao along or was Jun doing all the herding. He sighed. Hopefully he’d come home and they’d be sitting on the couch waiting for him, smiles on their faces.