Daniel stretches, stirring. “We’re heading off first, hyung!” the juniors exclaim before departing.

 

He rises, shaking his head as he tries to gain an understanding of where he was. He looks to his right and sees his own reflection. It’s just the dance school… He rubs his left eye to get rid of the tiredness. He can’t believe he passed out in the middle of practice. “Hey, you okay?”

 

He turns to see his captain standing there. He smiles slightly, nodding before jumping up. “I know school’s tough kid. But things get better, trust me. Don’t tire yourself out,” the captain encourages and Daniel flashes a smile, thanking him at the same time.

 

When he walks out of the studio, smelling like cheap shampoo, the sky was high up. People roamed the streets for a place to fill their empty stomachs. Around him were couples and group of friends; he forces a small smile, adjusting his bag strap. He looks to the ground before starting to walk without a destination.

 

Daniel’s head lift from time to time to seek for a suitable restaurant and when he settles for a homey-looking Chinese restaurant, he enters to see that there was hardly anyone and the few customers littered around the place were of old age. He smiles and dips his head slightly at whoever turns to look his way, earning a smile. “Welcome to H- Oh it’s you.”

 

He turns to see the shorter girl in front of him, menus clenched to her chest. “Oh it’s peasant,” he teases and she stares at him. “You knew it was coming…”

 

She ignores his comment and leads him a small table, placing the menu down. He dips his head and sits down, plopping his dance bag on the ground with a thud. He raises the menu to browse through the items. He hears his wallet cheering as his eyes trail down the prices, his eyes slightly widened at some though, wondering how did he not know of this place.

 

“Can I take your order?”

 

He looks up, feeling that her voice was foreign. “One jajangmyun and mandu,” he recites before smiling, handing back the menu to her. “Thanks, peasant.”

 

She snatches the menu out his hand, teeth obviously gritting. He flinches slightly but pushes it away immediately. While waiting for his food to arrive, he browses through his phone but before he gets anywhere, it arrives, steam rising. He looks up and was surprised but thanks the woman who brought the food with a smile and digs in.

 

Now he really wonders how has he not heard of this place before. He takes out his phone, snapping a picture of his barely eaten meal before sending it to a group chat.

 

You guys would not believe this.
This tastes amazing.
It’s near our place.
Also, guess what?
Prices range from 2,000 to 15,000
Not even kidding.

 

:D
Up for dinner, kids?

 

A flood of replies comes and he smiles, happy to coming back during dinner. He presses the call button and the girl appears in front of him. “Hey peasant, do you guys do reservations?” he asks and she nods, a bit annoyed. “C’mon lighten up. I’ll like a reservation for tonight.”

 

“How many?” she asks, invading his comment.

 

He quickly checks his phone, glancing through the replies. “Sixty?” he says and her eyes widen. “Wait, make that seventy.”

 

She narrows her eyes but nods, walking away, glancing back at him from time to time. She writes the reservation down on the paper. Daniel ignores her weird glances and slurps up the noodles and stuffs his face with the mandu. When he was done, he leans back with a happy stomach and stands up to head for the counter, thanking the woman at the counter, assuming that she was the boss.

 

“Thanks for the meal, ahjumma,” he says with a grin, taking out his wallet.

 

She smiles back. “Are you friends with Junghye?” she asks, receiving his money.

 

Daniel looks at the back figure of Junghye cleaning his table up before looking back to her, nodding with a small smile. “Here’s your change,” she says and he opens his hand to receive it, dipping his head. “Please come back soon. It’s good to see that Junghye has friends.”

 

His smile falters but nods and leaves, thanking the woman once again. He steps out, stretching with a smile. He readjusts the strap and walks down the pathway to his apartment. At the ground floor, he greets the security guard with a wave then enters. A few boys are scattered, playing ball. At the sight of him, they greet him cheerfully, earning one back.

 

On the way to his apartment, he greets many other boys. When he gets to the top floor, he opens the apartment door at the far left, receiving the cold air. He sighs in contentment with a smile as he puts his dance bag next to the door. “I’m home~” he announces, just in case anyone was home.

 

Shuffling was heard as a shorter male appears, having to take the appearance of Sid from Ice Age. “Jisung hyung,” he greets, taking off his shirt and tosses it into the laundry bag.

 

“Put a shirt on you exhibitionist!” Jisung exclaims, whacking the hard abs, earning a goofy grin from the younger. “Need I remind you there are children around.”

 

“They’re all playing,” Daniel comments and shuffles towards the kitchen, opening the fridge to get a Coke. “Plus, it’s not like they’ve never seen me like this.”

 

Jisung rolls his eyes and picks up Daniel’s dance bag to place it in his room. He comes back to see Daniel sprawled in front of the television. “Can you go and shower or at least wear a shirt,” Jisung states dryly. “Your sweat is seeping through the new couch.”

 

Daniel rolls his eyes but sits up anyways, putting the can on the coffee table and stands up to head to the bathroom. ”Hey, your drink!” Jisung exclaims.

 

“I’ll finish it when I come out later,” Daniel replies, waving it off.

 

He hears Jisung in the background muttering about how it wasn’t going to happen and that everyone in the apartment treats him like a mother. “No one else can take up the role of a mother, hyung!” Daniel yells, discarding his pants, tossing it into the laundry once again.

 

The sky turns dark as Daniel gathers the boys, ushering the youngest, Lee Woojin. “Alright kids, we’re going out for dinner! Please behave okay?” Jisung yells and they all reply.

 

Jisung turns to Daniel for him to lead the way, which he does and in no time he arrives back at the small restaurant. He pushes the door as the bell attached above rings out and greets the owner once again. “Oh! It’s Junghye’s handsome friend!” she exclaims with a smile.

 

He returns it before mentioning that he brought his friends. Junghye comes out from the back, holding a metal drinking cylinder filled with water. falls agape slightly and her stance staggers but was held by a pair of hands, firmly on the metal cylinder and another on her arm. She sees who it was. Hyunmin. He offers a small smile, steadying her as he grabs the cylinder off her, setting it on the side table and covering it.

 

“Another friend, Junghye?” the lady boss asks and she glances over to Hyunmin who returned to her side, silently observing the boys filling up the place.

 

Hyunmin dips his head before she can say anything and introduces himself. The lady boss smiles, welcoming him warmly. Hyunmin looks over to Junghye and she glances back, thanking him ever so slightly. He shoots a small smile before getting attacked by a taller and skinner guy. He heads towards a table with the taller male, leaving Junghye by herself. She surveys the area, filled with adolescents before a smile blooms. “Excuse me!” one of the boys exclaim with his hand up.

 

“Ne!” she replies, grabbing her notepad and pen, heading over. 

 

Dinner shift continues with a lot more customers than usual, having been attracted by the huge crowd of boys. Junghye and the lady boss struggles through the shift but she serves with a smile that leaves the customers smiling back, impressed with her work ethic. Hyunmin also saved her several times in the busy shift like when she almost slipped, he grabbed onto her tightly.

 

Some of the boys started to help deliver out the food, mentioning that they have done such part-time jobs before. In the midst of that, she recognizes some of the boys as students of her prestigious school that leaves her wondering. When the restaurants come to a close, she sends off the very last customers, the group of boys, bowing. They left with promises to come back. She turns around to smile at the lady boss who returns one, tired out.

 

~~~

 

Daniel enters an Italian restaurant and was welcomed warmly. He returns the greeting before being directed to a table with the menu. He drops his dance bag on the seat next to him and picks up the menu, browsing immediately. His stomach growls with every description. “Hi. I will be your server today. My name is J-“ he looks up before smirking.

 

“Annyeong peasant,” he greets and she huffs.

 

He looks at the menu before pointing out what he wants to have and hands it over without another word. He ignores her, taking out his phone and browses through the missed messages in his group chats. He senses her presence still lingering after a while and glances up to see her deep in thought, chewing on her lower lip.

 

“Thinking about me, peasant?” he asks in a playful tone.

 

She snaps out of it and narrows her eyes slightly before turning. He chuckles and resumes his scrolling. He stops when he thinks back to her concentrated face. He wonders what that was about but before he could further ponder it, his meal was placed in front of him. He looks up to thank the server to see a different person so he simply dips his head, earning one back.

 

He enjoys the rich flavour in front of him with a small smile at his taste buds bursting. Service starts to pick up and he looks around at the quickly filling restaurant. His eyes fall upon her bustling around, almost jogging sometimes. He smiles and focuses back on his food. As he was finished, he stands up and slings his duffel bag before heading to the counter to pay.

 

When he gets back his card, a loud crash was heard. He looks for the source and sees her on the ground, tray next to her. His eyes widen and run over, sliding slightly. “Yah,” he calls out, shaking her slightly.

 

He notices her pale lips and slightly sunken cheeks. “Yah!” he exclaims, drawing more attention from everyone in the restaurant.

 

Her eyes blink but it seems that she can’t focus. She mumbles something along of the lines of her being fine and to not worry about her. Daniel furrows his eyes further and shakes her once again. One of her colleagues appears next to her and gently shakes her, getting no response. The manager appears and urges them to bring Junghye to the hospital. He immediately lifts her up bridal style, politely asking the other waitress to help bring Junghye’s items.

 

Once armed with her bag, he dips his head before leaving the restaurant, heading to the closest clinic he knows. His steady steps towards the clinic attract much attention from the dinner crowd and those who got off work. They peer curiously, wondering what he was doing but do not spare a second thought as they scurry along. 

 

He enters the clinic as the receptionist looks up. “We’re closed,” she states and Daniel strolls in.

 

“I’m looking for Dr. Park,” he counters without a care.

 

“We’re closed,” she emphasizes with furrowed eyebrows.

 

“Chae Hyeon,” a male’s voice resounds in the empty room.

 

She looks over to the male decked in a white coat and lowers herself upon her seat. Daniel looks over and the doctor beckons him in. Once the door closes, Daniel lays Junghye on the bed as Dr. Park immediately hovers over her, checking every vital. Daniel finds himself sitting in a chair, feeling a sense of loss as he stares at her.

 

Dr. Park hooks an IV and then sits behind his desk. He takes over his black-framed glasses and places it on the table before gently rubbing his eyes then his temple. “What happened to her, hyung?” Daniel asks, sitting at the edge of his seat.

 

“Dehydration and exhaustion mainly, slight malnutrition just added to it,” the older reports with a sigh. “Do you know her well?”

 

Daniel hesitates. “I’m guessing not then,” the doctor observes. “Where did you find her?”

 

“I was at her workplace having a meal. I decided to send her here after she collapsed,” the younger explains and earns a curious look. “She’s my… classmate.”

 

The older raises an eyebrow as if he heard something ridiculous. “Classmate huh?” he says with a knowing smile. “You sure not the girl you’re interested in and hoping to get a chance with but is currently in classmate status?”

 

Daniel looks back blankly, unable to answer. “Classmates only,” he reassures in a weak, soft voice.

 

The older somewhat sober up at the sight of the other’s look of melancholy on his face. “It’s complicated?” his voice falls to a soft whisper that echoes in the silent room, except for her steady soft breathing to prove the life inside of her.

 

Daniel’s eyes lowered to stare at the ground. “Something like that,” he mumbles, fiddling with the bag strap.

 

He lifts his head slightly to look at the unconscious figure. “She’ll be fine hey?” he wonders out loud.

 

The doctor follows his path to fall on the girl and the IV attached to her. “Yeah, she will, Euigeon. Don’t worry,” he replies, reassuring him. “Just take care of her when she wakes up.”