Word Count: 3,080

 

"The first thing that I see upon coming to this place is this?" Key asked to no one, two days later, with an incredulous look on his face. He continued to stand at the doorway and watched the whole scene before him.

 

Taemin ran around the flat, screaming at the top of his lungs, as two people in clown masks run after him. Thank God we have no expensive stuff lying around, Key thought bemusingly to himself.

 

One of the clown figures tripped over a shoe and flipped in a mini somersault before landing flat on his . Key pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation and shut his eyes. "Onew hyung, get off the floor."

 

Onew chuckled and took off his mask. "You're not going to call me Jinki hyung? Not after I told you my real name?"

 

"Nah, that's too personal, and besides, I'm used to calling you Onew. Now where is Byul?"

 

Hearing the girl's name, the shorter man in a clown mask stopped chasing Taemin abruptly and took off the mask. "We were just chasing her a moment ago....." he trailed off, looking around in panic. "Cheonsa! Where are you?!"

 

Key glared at his friends. "Go find her!" he barked at them. Everyone, including Key, scrambled to find Byul. Onew looked into the kitchen, and stupidly, into the fridge. He ended up eating a buffalo chicken wing from takeout orders of a restaurant in Itaewon.

 

Taemin shivered upon seeing the clown masks in the living room and ran into the kitchen, clutching onto his brother who comforted him back. "Sorry, Taeminnie. I'll get rid of the masks right now, okay?" The younger could only nod and take Onew's offering of banana milk before going off to take the masks. He went outside to get rid of the clown masks.

 

Meanwhile, Key searched around the rooms for Byul, but to no luck. Instead, his attention diverted to how messy each room was except for his. He groaned and instinctively started cleaning Onew's room.

 

"Cheonsa?" Jonghyun quietly called out as he peeked inside the walk-in closet of his & Minho's room. He grinned upon finding Byul crouched at the corner of the closet room. He walked inside and closed the door behind him, basking in the young girl's beauty. She wore a blue & white contrast-collared Chiffon playsuit and white, ruffled crew-cut socks. Her long black hair looked silky in the closet ceiling light, tied up in pigtails.

 

He walked closer to her and crouched down beside her. "Cheonsa~ why are you hiding here?" he asked softly. Byul looked up at him and contemplated on telling him, but ended up saying it. "I....I'm scared of clowns....." she whispered shakingly.

 

Jonghyun eyes widened then held her close in comfort. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know that. I only knew Tae is scared of clowns, not you. I'm sorry...." he whispered close to her ear, her shoulder comfortingly.

 

Byul smiled and relaxed under his touch. "Xiao Gou..." she called to him softly. Jonghyun tilted his head and pulled away a bit to look at her. "Cheonsa, darling, are you Chinese?" he couldn't help but ask.

 

The young girl shook her head in response. "I like the Chinese culture, though."

 

Jonghyun nodded in understanding and held her closely again. There was a moment of comfortable silence until the closet room door was opened.

 

Key looked around and glared at Jonghyun. "Get off of her, you ert." He grimaced. Jonghyun winced, noticing how Key wasn't in a good mood. "Onew hyung is getting rid of the masks to a dumpster away from our 'home', so you have to pull Minho out of school today. I got a call from the dean of the school just now," he informed him.

 

Jonghyun stood up and helped Byul stand up as well. "How bad is it this time?"

 

"Really bad. Minho got into a brawl with 3 guys. Apparently Minho has no witness to back up his defense story. The 3 guys all stuck to theirs, saying it was Minho who started the fight."

 

While they were talking about Minho's situation, Byul looked at Minho's wardrobe and found a big black hooded pullover hanging off the rack. She carefully plucked it out and quickly checked the folded pants in the shelf rack. She pulled out a pair of pants and frowned as she unfolded them. Jonghyun turned to her and chuckled, seeing her facial expression.

 

"I know, he's really tall, huh?" Byul nodded in reply. Jonghyun turned to his side of the closet and pulled out a pair of washed, slim fit jeans. "This could be a little loose for you, but I think it'll fit you right," he suggested and gave them to her. Key snorted a laugh. "It should. If she wore high heels, maybe she'd be as tall as you are." Jonghyun frowned at the younger man near him.

 

"Can I come?" Byul asked hopefully.

 

Jonghyun smiled at the offer and nodded enthusiastically before Key could deny it. "Yeah! I should need company! You should change into that while I go change as well - Key~ yeobo~ can Cheonsa come with me?! Please~?" he pleaded.

 

Key glanced at Byul's hopeful expression and sighed. "You two are too cute..." he mumbled under his breath. "Okay, fine! You two can go while I watch Taemin, okay?"

 

Jonghyun chirped in joy and glomped Key into a hug while Byul moved to go to the bathroom to change, thinking about the conversation she listened to about Minho just now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minho folded his arms across his chest and sighed, leaning back in his chair. He was at the dean's office and he didn't look pleased at all.

 

Jonghyun walked into the office and waved at Minho a bit before sitting down beside him. He turned to the dean and smiled. "Hello, I am Choi Minho's temporary guardian, Kim Jonghyun. What exactly happened here?"

 

The dean looked as displeased as Minho. "It turns out that this is the 4th time Minho's been involved in a fight with the other male students in this university. I am sorry to say that we may need to suspend him until further notice." Minho's eyes widened in fear as he looked up at the dean. "You can't be serious, sir!" he exclaimed.

 

The dean shook his head. "I am sorry, but there is no evidence or witnesses stating that what Choi Minho says is true. As far as I'm concerned, it was him who started the fight between Ok Taecyeon, Jung Jinwoon, & Shin Dongwoo."

 

While Jonghyun was trying to plead with the dean, Byul was waiting outside of the office. Unfortunately, that was where Taecyeon, Jinwoon, & Dongwoo were waiting. All 3 men eyed her with weird gazes and chuckled. Byul simply stared at the ground, minding her own business.

 

Taecyeon made his first move and stood up from his seat. "Yah." Byul looked up to see him. Her hair was now tied in a bun from the back and most of her hair was covered with the huge hood on her head. "Are you a new student or something here, boy?" Taecyeon asked.

 

It took Byul a moment before a plan hatched into her head, slowly nodding in reply. Taecyeon smirked and immediately held her by the collar of the pullover she was wearing. "You know what we do to little boys who are new?" he dangerously asked. Byul stared at him blankly and shook his head. "We put them to a test. If you don't go through the test, we get to use you as a punching bag. Simple as that. You game?"

 

Byul thought about it and nodded slowly. Taecyeon grinned and laughed, releasing him. Surprisingly, she landed on her sneakers safely. From how tall she is and how tall Taecyeon is, she would've at least fallen backwards.

 

Taecyeon was surprised for a moment before letting out a smug smile.

 

"Try putting me down to the ground."

 

Byul's eyes widened in surprise, causing Taecyeon and his friends to laugh. "Thought so." He said amused, then punched her straight in the stomach.

 

She grunted and bent over. Before Taecyeon could knee her in the stomach, she grabbed his leg in midair and twisted it, causing him to cry out in pain. Jinwoon and Dongwoo gaped at her as she managed to flip Taecyeon's body face down to the ground. When he screamed, she quickly stiffled it with his shoe that she managed to quickly pull off from his foot.

 

"Now, let's play this my way."

 

Jinwoon lunged forward and punched Byul in the face.  She staggered a bit but kept a hold on Taecyeon still, wiping the blood that came out of .  She glared at Jinwoon and stomped on Taecyeon's back before lunging at the boy.  Taecyeon whimpered, still staying on the ground, while Dongwoo gaped at Byul, who maneuvered Jinwoon's body to the ground on top of Taecyeon.

 

She slowly stood up and smirked at Dongwoo.  "Want a taste of this?"  she asked and winked at him.  Dongwoo shook his head and immediately got down on his knees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Mr. Chang!"  A student cried out as she bursted into the dean's office a moment later.  "There are 3 students up on the roof with a stranger, and they look like they're going to jump!" she reported frantically.

 

The dean and Jonghyun sprang out of their seats to run to the scene.  At the front of the school, students gathered around in a crowd on the field, looking up in wonder.  Minho was the last to arrive at the field and look up at the roof.  His eyes widened in shock at 3 familiar men.

 

Taecyeon, Dongwoo, & Jinwoon sobbed and shook as they stared at the distance between the rooftop and the ground.  It was at least a good 3-5 stories down.

 

Byul was behind them, carrying a long metal pole.  There was a bruise on her upper jaw and over her stomach area, but she paid no mind to pain.  All she cared about at the moment was getting confessions out of the 3 scared older men before her.

 

She poked the stick at Jinwoon's back.  "You first!  Speak!"  Jinwoon cried out in pain, feeling the bruises form from earlier.  "Okay, okay!"

 

Mr. Chang, the dean of the school, stared up in wonder and irritation.  "What on Earth are they doing up there?!" he yelled at the other students, demanding for an answer.

 

"WOO HYELIM!"  Jinwoon shouted to the students down below.  "I'M SORRY I CHEATED ON YOU WITH LEE SUNMI!  FROM NOW ON, I WILL SERVE YOU AS YOUR SLAVE!  I SHALL NO LONGER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WOMEN!"

 

Students gasped and turned to Hyelim, who bit her lip and nearly cried to tears just thinking about the incident.  Jonghyun & Minho glanced at each other and stared back up at the rooftop. "Yah, Minho.  Doesn't that look like your hoodie pullover?"  Jonghyun asked carefully.

 

Minho silently nodded as he watched Dongwoo yelp when a girl in his pullover poked him with a big metal stick.  "Okay, OKAY!  SHIN DONGHO!" Dongwoo shouted, sobbing as he was closer to falling off of the rooftop.  "I'M SORRY FOR ASKING FOR THE ANSWERS TO EVERY TEST WE HAD!  NEXT TIME, I WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF MY OWN ACTIONS!  MOMMY!  DADDY!  I'M SO SORRY!  I'LL WORK HARDER, I PROMISE!"  The girl had a sickening smile on her face as she giggled and pulled Jinwoon back away from the rooftop, along with Dongwoo, who was clinging onto Jinwoon for dear life.

 

"Ok Taecyeon, your turn,"  Byul whispered right near the said man's ear.  He growled in reply and refused to confess anything.  Byul frowned and simply pushed him off the roof with her long metal stick.  Taecyeon screamed as he fell but luckily clung onto the edge of the rooftop.  His feet dangled in the air, causing him to freak out - what if he actually had fallen just now?  Byul was in his vision right above him, no emotions expressed onto her facial features.

 

Taecyeon shut his eyes and screamed.  "All right!  ALL RIGHT!  DAMN!"  He sighed deeply and continued to shout.  "I STARTED THE BRAWL AGAINST CHOI MINHO!  HE PREVENTED ME FROM ASKING KIM DASOM OUT BECAUSE HE LEARNED THAT I RUINED CHO HYUNYOUNG!"  Everyone on the ground below him gasped.  Hyunyoung tried to run away, but Dasom prevented her from running and hugged her in comfort.  Hyunyoung cried to her heart's content on her shoulder.

 

Minho, for once, smiled a bit that day.  The dean grew furious with the 3 troublemakers and apologized to him and Jonghyun for the misunderstanding.  Byul smiled in content and with her strength alone, pulled Taecyeon back up on the rooftop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minho was driving in the car, with Jonghyun in the passenger seat and Byul in the center of the backseat.  He smiled at the rearview mirror, where Byul could see him.  "Thank you, Byul-sshi.  That was brave of you."

 

Byul simply smiled back at him in reply.  The smile was so sweet that it was hard for both men to think of her as someone dangerous.

 

Jonghyun excitedly turned around in his seat to face her.  "That was so cool!  How on Earth do you have that kind of strength to defeat all 3 men?!" he exclaimed in wonder.

 

".........I hate bullies.  I don't like school."  Byul simply put it.  Jonghyun gave her a high-five and turned back around to face forward in his seat.

 

Minho bit his lip and thought it over before voicing out his opinion.  "Byul, if we give you a last name, do you want to enroll in school?  What grade are you in, anyways?"

 

Byul thought for a moment before answering, "1st year in college, I think...."

 

"Woah~ same as Taemin, maybe you're as old as him, huh?"  Minho asked.  Byul simply shrugged in response.  "....well, how about joining Konkuk University with me?"

 

Jonghyun's eyes widened and turned to Minho in protest.  "No!  What am I going to do without her around the 'home'?!"  Minho grinned and turned a direction on the road.  "Oh hell no, Choi Minho!  I am NOT going to school again!  No!  I dropped out, remember?!"

 

Meanwhile, Byul thought it over on the rest of the ride home.  Once they arrived there, she ran out of the car and into the flat.  She bursted into the living room, where Taemin, Key, & Onew watched T.V., all looking bored.  

 

"I want to go to the same school as Minho oppa!"

 

Everyone, including Minho & Jonghyun who walked in, gasped at her sudden request.  Byul blinked and stared back at them.

 

Key was the first one to say something.  "First of all, we all ditch school for a reason, except for this tall alien frog,"  he explained and jabbed his thumb to point at Minho, "Second of all, we make ends meet by finding ways to make money.  Especially Jjong, since he officially dropped out of school.  And third,"  he said lastly, scrunching his eyes at the young girl.  "Do you have a last name when you used to go to school?"

 

Before Byul could say anything, Minho answered Key instead.  "Actually, since there are 2 Kims and 2 Lees in this 'home', can her last name be Choi?  Please?"  Minho pleaded.  He even tried making a puppy pout expression to soften Key up.

 

Key sighed and nodded.  "Fine!  She goes to school with Minho - YAH, ERT!  WHERE ARE YOU TAKING HER?!"  Key shouted at Jonghyun as he grabbed Byul's hand and randomly dragged her back outside.  Minho & Key glared at him and ran after him.

 

Onew & Taemin stared at each other before shrugging and continued to watch T.V.  "......hyung?"  Taemin suddenly asked out of the blue.  "Neh, Taeminnie?"  Onew turned his attention back towards his brother.  "Does this mean we're all going to school except for Jjong hyung?"  Onew nodded in reply and added, "I'll go only part time, though.  We really need to pay the rent for this place."  Taemin nodded in agreement and the two went back to watching T.V.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Cheonsa!  Relax, they won't follow us!"  Jonghyun reassured Byul as he led her to the streets at night.  They were specifically near the Banpo Fountain at 10:21pm, according to Jonghyun's watch.  They lost Minho & Key from the wild goose chase by crawling in small spaces as shortcuts (apparently those shortcuts were very well-known for Jonghyun).  He still held onto her hand as he dragged her over to the ribbon-graffitied gate poles.

 

"Now wait for it.... 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - SURPRISE!"  Jonghyun exclaimed as the water began pouring in different colors.  Byul gasped as she watched the fountain spout out a magnificent display.  At a distance far away, the two people suddenly heard music play from the Banpo Park.

 

Jonghyun turned towards Byul as he heard her start to hum to the music.  "You like Chinese music?" he asked.  She nodded in repsonse and sang a bit louder with a goofy smile on her face.  She pulled Jonghyun's arm away from the gated poles and started to dance with him.  Jonghyun felt embarrassed at first, but then he started to giggle and dance along when he saw the happy expression on Byul's face.

 

When the song ended, an announcer suddenly shouted through the speakers.  "HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!  YEAR OF THE DRAGON!"  The announcer shouted in Korean, then the audience he formed at the park grew hysteric and hung around the park more.

 

Byul chuckled as she watched Jonghyun twirl around when there was a traditional ancient song in Chinese on through the speakers.  

 

"...........Xiao Gou....."

 

"Mhm?"  Jonghyun perked up at his nickname.

 

".......will you at least drop me off at school and pick me up if I go to school?"

 

Jonghyun stopped dancing and had a serious expression on his face.  ".......are you serious about going with Minho?"

 

Byul smiled softly and nodded.  Jonghyun smiled back slowly.  

 

"Well then, I won't stop you."  He tucked a strand of hair behind Byul's ear.  "I'll be sure to watch you enter and leave the premises of that school, okay?"

 

Byul nodded and blushed at the close skinship.  Jonghyun bit his lip and leaned in closer until a hand prevented him from going further.

 

"Oh hell no, you dinopuppy .  Not on my watch."

 

Jonghyun pouted and whined at Key as Minho came from behind Byul and carried her on his back.  "School's early tomorrow.  We need to enroll you as early as possible, Byul."