"What a piece of cake." Hakyeon nearly choked on his spit as he laughed at his own statement. Well, not really a joke. He wasn't sure about his exam at first, but now that he thinks about it again, he had been a trainee for quite a long time when he was still in Korea, so the earlier stage was just like practice for an audition he had for a huge company.

He lifted his left hand up, his performance result held delicately. His face brightening up as he read it again and again.

Cha Hakyeon /South Korea /18 
Course: Idol course
Entrance exam: PASSED
Singing skills: PASSED
Dancing skills: PASSED

Congratulations, you have been placed in class S. We hope to see you at our opening ceremony on xx-xx, please be there by eight o'clock sharp!

Hakyeon's phone started ringing, his sister's name popping up. Another handful of thank you's for the public wi-fi was mentally said before he pressed 'accept', the phone against his ear as he fixes his scarf. "Yes noona?"

⋆

The auditorium was full of students chattering as they wait for the orientation to start. Sanghyuk adjusts his red neck tie as he looks around nervously. Then suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder.

"Hey, excuse me. Are these seats taken?" A young man with sharp features was looking at him expectantly, referring to the two seats to Sanghyuk's left. It took a few seconds for the younger to translate the question in his head but he answered quite quickly.

"Oh, no they're not. You can go ahead." He nods, giving a small smile to the other's companion. The two settled beside the purple haired male, the first one who spoke was the one in the middle as he introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you by the way. I'm Kim Yongseok. And this is my friend," he gestures to the other man beside him. "I'm Zhong Ze Xian, but you can call me Casper." They shook hands as Sanghyuk breathed a sigh of relief, making the two curious.

"Great. Another person who speaks my language." He says in straight Korean, laughing at the surprised look on Yongseok's face. "I'm Han Sanghyuk. Nice to meet you Yongseok and Casper."

Yongseok saw the confused reaction of his friend, so he turns and translates the first phrase that Sanghyuk said. "He's from Korea too." And Casper nods in understanding.

"I'm from Shanghai, oh and yeah I'm seventeen years old, Yongseok is sixteen." Casper adds to their introductions, the purple haired male nods.

"You're both older than me." He points out. "I'm fifteen."

It was the youngest's turn to be confused when Yongseok started rejoicing, Casper only shook his head in disbelief at his friend's childishness, going as far as to blow a raspberry to the oldest. "I'm not the youngest anymore!" He exclaims in victory, rubbing his cheek against Casper's.

"Yeah yeah I get it." He flicked Yongseok on the forehead, immediately replacing the joy on his face with a pout. Casper immediately looked at the now-youngest instead. "By the way, what class are you in?"

"Me? I'm in class A." He answers, a finger pointed towards his self. The oldest nods, a small grin on his lips.

"I guess we will be seeing you everyday then?" He laughs quietly. "Yongseok and I are in class A as well."

As they were talking, someone came up on the stage and tapped the microphone, the feed back it created was enough to catch the attention of the students that were gathered. Everyone's attention was turned to a person wearing a big yellow sweater, with a fluff of ridiculously bright pink hair.

"We're sorry for the long wait." The person smiles. "The headmaster will be here in a few minutes, please settle down as the opening ceremony is about to start."

⋆

Hakyeon turned around just as he was about to step foot into the auditorium, he might be wrong, but he thought he just heard someone's scream echo down a nearby hallway. "What was that?" He took a glance at his watch, it was five minutes before the opening ceremony starts. Maybe checking out the source wouldn't hurt? With that thought he stayed behind for a few moments, walking back the hallway when he heard footsteps.

"Oh my goodness!" The person exclaims as he nearly rammed against Hakyeon. Said man stepped aside and grabbed the stranger's wrist to stop him from going any further.

Hakyeon blinked as he released the man, who was sweating quite a lot and breathing heavily, when he had regained his breathing. "Are you okay?" He asked, offering a small towel he had to the man, genuinely concerned for this guy who seems like he's about to pass out.

"Ye-yes... I think I'm okay." Came the answer, he fixed his posture and accepted the towel wiping his face and drenched hair. He scrunched up his face, he's going to stink and the opening ceremony hasn't even started yet. Great. "I'm sorry I had to use this."

"It's not a big deal." Hakyeon shrugged as he finally turned back to the doors of the auditorium. "Why were you in such a hurry anyway? The ceremony doesn't start until eight."

The guy perked up, eyes wide before he blinked twice, his reaction made Hakyeon face him again. "Eight o'clock? What the heck." He mumbles, switching to Korean before he shut his eyes, an awkward laugh coming from him. "I thought I was really late. Thank you for this." He gestures to the towel in his hands. "I'll give it back to you after I got it washed."

Hakyeon waved his hand dismissively, repeating that it was no big deal and that the man can keep the item.

"Ah thank you. Really." The man sighs again, giving Hakyeon a smile. "I'm Lee Hongbin. Nice to meet you."

Hakyeon returned the gesture and introduced his self, already liking Hongbin. "Let's go in now, yeah?" And so they opened the door to the auditorium, just in time as the ceremony starts.

⋆

'Why is it taking so long...?' Taekwoon thought as he looks around the auditorium, it was seven fifty nine, but there was still no one onstage. He was starting to get bored, scrolling through his sns wasn't really thrilling.

Plus there was this guy behind him, Taekwoon rolls his eyes at the thought, who had been loud ever since the other had got there and he's about to go insane from that guy's various animal impressions.

Hopefully, he'll stop when the headmaster arrives.

The lights on the auditorium's ceiling turned off, silencing everyone once more in a hush. They waited patiently for a speaker to come onstage, probably the former teacher that was there a few moments ago.

Taekwoon raised his eyebrows at the same time as his head, a clicking sound from above catching his attention.

Hongbin and Hakyeon had entered the auditorium at the same time the lights had went out, it confused the both of them, expecting for something to be going on onstage.

Slightly fidgeting Hakyeon placed a hand on Hongbin's shoulder, wanting to hold onto something while he can't see anything.

Then, something clicked and made Hakyeon jerk upwards in surprise. He looked up and saw the ceiling of the gym... opening?

Hongbin scrunched his face, and he was pretty sure Hakyeon is, too, as the sound of a helicopter suddenly became louder. A loud voice erupted from the auditorium's speakers.

"Welcome, dear students!" By this time, everyone in the venue had their heads up, squinting at the figure on the open helicopter. Wonshik shook his head, rubbing his temple at the ridiculous silhouette, great, the headmaster is like this?

He suddenly jumped down, Sanghyuk flinching when a parachute suddenly opened on his back. Boisterous laughter leaving his lips while confetti fell from the helicopter.

Taekwoon felt his eyebrows twitch at the show their headmaster had been pulling off. He's one to put up shows, isn't he? Oh well, he shrugs, at least the guy behind him isn't barking anymore.

"Congratulations on your acceptance into the school, everyone!" His voice boomed, fixing the microphone near his mouth while he slowly settles down on the stage. A spotlight now directed to his body on the centre of the stage.

"I am the headmaster of this school. Shining Saotome!" He announces, the students too astounded to even react properly.

'Who names their child Shining?' Hongbin thinks absentmindedly, just blinking at the direction of the stage. He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked over to Hakyeon who jerked his head to the right. "There are still seats over there."  He just nods, silently liking the distraction from their headmaster.

"Hey Yabu." Jaehwan calls out, head turned to his left while his eyes never left the stage where the headmaster continues to deliver his welcoming speech to the students. His friend beside him wasn't listening that attentively either, as he was busy typing on his phone while he was staring blankly at the stage anyway. So Jaehwan doesn't see any difference in calling him to ask something he's curious about.

"Yes, Jaehwan?" The brown haired male humms, looking at the mentioned through his peripheral vision. Seeing the younger blinking in an adorable manner, he locked his phone and turned to him fully. "What do you want to want to ask?" He continues.

"Headmaster's voice and name sounds familiar. Can you tell me more about him?" Jaehwan answers, turning to look back to the man in question.

Yabu blinks at his friend as he processed what he was asked to do. He faced the stage again and fixed his posture, looking at their headmaster as he randomly throws a handful of confetti as he introduces the teachers. Shrugging his shoulders before he answers his foreign friend. "Like he said, he's Shining Saotome, he used to be an idol. A really big one here in Japan before. And honestly I think he was also quite big in Korea during my junior high school days. So you might have not heard of him much since you were much younger during that. Have you heard of Due To Love?"

Jaehwan nods his head, urging his friend to continue. "I've heard it on radio a lot of times way back before. It's been so long."

Yabu smiles, finding Jaehwan adorable. "Well. Then you know the headmaster. Due To Love is his debut song." He finishes, chuckling at the way his friend's eyes widen.

"What about now? Is he still an idol?" Came another question from Jaehwan, their topic still not over with his speech.

Yabu shakes his head before he answers. "He retired a few years ago when this school first opened. He wanted to help those who are aspiring to be idols."

Jaehwan can't help but glance back towards the stage, staring at the strange looking man.

"I am not sure if I should still be saying this, but since this is the first year that we open this school even for foreign students. Maybe I should." Saotome rubs his chin, some students nods their head, the foreign ones turning quizically.

Sanghyuk furrows his brows in confusion. "In this academy. We have one big rule. Any student who breaks this will face immediate expulsion." Their headmaster explains. This didn't remove the confusion from the young man. Rule? But I've read everything that they have laid out before I enrolled here. What else is there that we don't know?

For a dramatic effect, Saotome looks down, his sunglasses glinting at the spotlight. "That rule... is the 'No Love!' Rule!" He exclaims, a finger pointed upwards.

"........ that's it?"  Hakyeon wasn't able to help his self and unconsciously said his thoughts out loud. Which were, thankfully, drowned out by the loud outrage of the other students. He glanced to his side and saw that his companion was pretty much like him at that moment. Expression bored as if he had already expected this announcement and these reactions. Hakyeon was curious, but decided to change the topic, just so there wasn't a dead air around them.

"Hongbin." He heard Hakyeon call him, he turned his attention away from the chair in front of him and to the other, acknowledging him with a tilt of the head. "Before I forget to ask. What class are you in?" 

Hongbin blinks, his mind went missing in action for a split second when he had started to think of something else that wasn't related to the academy. "I'm in class A." He answers, to be honest, Hongbin would rather make friends with new people than listen to the long welcome speeches that the teachers will give them.

Taekwoon leaned his chin on his palm, his feet and was starting to numb because of sitting for too long, he just wants this to be over so their classes can start. Plus, the kid behind him had resumed to making a mosquito impersonation, thankfully, this time in a lower volume. He was as bored as Taekwoon is, he guessed.

The black haired male was close to falling asleep, his eyes slowly slipping shut when the boy to his right snorts, his eyes opening at that. He stared at the blond seated beside him, the latter's eyes on stage. His posture is good, Taekwoon noticed, he wasn't slouching, and he carried himself with a subtle sophisticated air. 

Finally, as if feeling the eyes on him, the blond looked towards the black haired male, the smallest hint of a smile never leaving his lips. "I'm sorry." He apologised, fixing his sleeve as if he didn't just let an inhuman sound leave his mouth. "I didn't mean to be rude and disturb, but this ceremony really isn't just entertaining and necessary at all." Taekwoon had to nod, he was thinking the same thing, the boy let out a proper smile, bowing his head. "I'm Kim Wonshik, in class S. I hope we get along." 

He looked up at the other, an expectant look on his smiling face. Taekwoon returned the gesture, well, except smiling. "I'm Jung Taekwoon, in class A. Nice to meet you as well."

  ⋆

"Finally." Sanghyuk stretches out his arms as he exits the auditorium along with Yongseok and Casper. "Where are we going next?" Yongseok asks, nudging the oldest as he yawns. Casper scrunches his face in fake disgust at Yongseok who didn't bother to cover his mouth-- again as he pulls out his phone.

"We should head to the dorms. Yongseok, we're not roommates so I'm just going to walk you guys to your floor." He says, confusing the younger ones. "What floor are you in?" 

Casper holds up the paper in his hands. "I'm in the first floor. You guys got the third, right?" It was only then that the two simultaneously looked at the papers in their own hands, and just like the oldest said, they were both indeed in the dorm's third floor.

"Come on, our building's this way."

  ⋆

Taekwoon wordlessly placed his clothes into his drawer,  doing his absolute most to ignore his roommate's loud humming. Out of all the people that he could be chosen to room with, he was placed with this guy. Taekwoon wanted to rip his hair out in frustration. He was talking about no other than the same guy behind him only thirty minutes ago, the same guy who was making the weirdly accurate animal impressions.

He wanted to scream.

The guy had introduced himself when Taekwoon had arrived, he was apparently already halfway through fixed his stuff when the latter arrived. Taekwoon wanted to close the door for this guy when he saw that he was going to be his roommate, apologise halfheartedly and say that he knocked on the wrong door.

So for the whole year he will be stuck with a guy named Lee Jaehwan.

  ⋆  

"Oh! It's you!" The purple haired male cheered as soon as Wonshik smiled at him. Sanghyuk breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he recognised him, at least he knows his roommate.

After Wonshik pointed out that there were plates beside the door containing their names and Sanghyuk rubbing his head because he didn't notice it, they both started to unpack, making small talk and asking questions about one another, certainly better than Jaehwan and Taekwoon's first meeting.

"What class are you placed in?" Wonshik asked once they had finished, sitting on their beds on the opposite sides of the room, twirling a pen in his hand. "Class A." Sanghyuk answered, already laying down on his surprisingly comfortable bed.

Wonshik hummed. "Not bad. Just that we don't have the same classes then." He says, copying the other and laying down as well, just staring at the ceiling. "I got in class S."

Sanghyuk turned quickly and laid on his stomach, facing Wonshik's side of the room. "S? Wow you're amazing." He remarks, eyes glinting as he stared at the older. Wonshik smiled a little, turning his head and looking back towards the younger. "You think so?"

"Yeah. Well, S is the highest class. And you got in it. You can do it!" Wonshik laughed a little at Sanghyuk's answer, shaking his head lightly as he asked another question. "You don't think I made it there because I have connections?"

The younger tilts his head to the right in thought, not really getting why Wonshik would ask that. "Why, should I?"

Wonshik was caught off guard, his eyes widen as he leaned the side of his head against his knuckle. "You don't know me?" To which Sanghyuk only answered 'Kim Wonshik' in a joking manner.

"My father is one of the major sponsors of this academy. Well, technically he's pretty close with the headmaster. And apparently word got out and now even if it's the first day, people are already ready to talk about me." Wonshik confesses, laying his head back down onto his pillow.

Sanghyuk doesn't really know how to respond.

  ⋆  

Hongbin knocked on the door twice before he turned the doorknob, he read the name of his roommate, 'Cha Hakyeon'. Maybe he's already in there and unpacking, that's why he didn't hear Hongbin knock. "Please excuse me." He calls out as he enters, entering to the sight of the man who he almost knocked into earlier putting bed sheets on the other bed. He guessed he doesn't have a choice either since he arrived late.

"Oh, Hongbin." The man wiped his hands on a towel before helping the other with his bags. "Sorry I started unpacking without you. You took quite a while before getting here. Ah also I didn't get the chance to properly introduce myself earlier. I'm Cha Hakyeon, placed in class S."

 

 

---

 

 

 

and then for the next 6 years, hongbin had trouble getting n off of him lmao i love my subtle chabin