"One, two, three, four," Hyungwon counted, and Somi concentrated on being able to breathe through the sit-ups. The weighted ball on her chest made every push to get back up harder, and though it was only their third set, Changkyun looked nowhere near as exhausted as Somi was feeling, even when it was his turn to take the weighted ball. Somi was a little jealous of how easy every task was for them, she knew she was just an average human while they were something special, but her eyes would narrow, and her jaw would set as she ould try and match their pace, to be on the same level as them.

"Remember this isn't a race, thirteen, fourteen fifteen," Unlike Somi's experiences with Hyunwoo, who would snap and bark at them, training with Hyungwon was calm, never rushed or forced and mentally Somi always felt better coming out of a session with him. 

"Twenty, you can rest now" Somi didn't need to be told twice; she dumped the weighted ball and fell onto her back, legs going weak while she fought to catch her breath again.

"Can I ask a question?" Somi puffed between words. Changkyun and Hyungwon nodded.

"Hyunwoo is always very serious about training and being the best we can, but no one ever talks about why we do all of this training" Somi swallowed and in a breath. "I know it's important for us to be bonded. Your abilities are considered a gift, and my power to hold a deck is considered a gift, but what is it all for?" Finally, Somi sat up, leaning on her arms to look at Changkyun and Hyunwon. She caught the warning stare Hyungwon gave to Changkyun and snapped her head to Changkyun in time to see him shut his mouth, whatever he had wanted to say going unsaid.

"What were you going to say?" Somi asked, and Changkyun swallowed.

"Changkyun", Hyungwon breathed out, for the first time coming across as strict and brooding, not wanting Changkyun to speak.

"I- Hyungwon" Changkyun struggled. Somi hated the sight of it.

"Hyungwon," Changkyun tried again, "do you think we can keep being like this? Is this the best way to protect Somi?" Pure worry and anxiety looked back at Hyungwon, and Somi swallowed, her stomach getting a bad feeling.

"Please, don't talk as if my single question is going to change my whole world again" Somi visibly began to panic. She sat up properly and scooched back, colliding with the hand that Hyungwon had put behind her to stop her from creating distance between herself and the pair.

"We are not supposed to say anything", Hyungwon reminded Changkyun.

"Hyungwon, Changkyun"

"Do we have to listen to what Hyunwoo was asked to do by Somi's father? It is Somi we are here for, after all."

"My father, what do you mean?"

"Stand up, if you would please Somi. I think we are finished for today," Hyungwon requested instead of answering her. Somi did as he wanted with his help, and Changkyun followed them.

"Hyungwon" Changkyun kept the discussion going. Hyungwon turned around and wholeheartedly glared at Changkyun.

"This is not the life for Somi that has been decided."

"You said that anything would be ok so long as it means Somi is taken care of"

"What do you mean?" It was clear there was an internal struggle going on within Hyungwon that he wasn't allowing his face to show. Somi was learning to read such signals from the men around her. Changkyun cleared his throat quietly next to Hyungwon, who had Somi's confused eyes latched to him.

"Yes and this-"

"I do not see this as taking care of Somi", Changkyun interrupted Hyungwon.

"Woah woah woah, I think I can make decisions about my life" Somi waved her hands in front of them, calling for a time out.

"Hyungwon, tell me about what decisions my father is making, and why do they involve Hyunwoo?" She looked at Hyungwon, hands reaching out for his arm so that they wouldn't move.

"I do not know the exact details as of right now; with Hyunwoo in your fathers care, they have likely advanced their idea for your time here at Moonstar Academy", Hyungwon replied, looking away from Somi.

"What do you know?" Somi questioned, Hyungwon breathed in, clearly struggling between what he was taught was done for Somi's safety and what Somi felt she needed.

"We were instructed not to say a thing; that is why Hyungwon is struggling", Changkyun explained for the other male. Somi in a breath, gathering her thoughts as her head slowly began to nod.

"Ok, let's call it a day for now and go home. I don't think I'm in the state to be hearing about it either" Somi's fingers plucked at her sweaty shirt, Hyungwon bowed, and Changkyun agreed with her, picking up their water bottles for them. As they made their way to the exit, leaving the school gym behind, Somi glanced at Hyungwon with a puzzled look in her eyes.

What is my father hiding from me now?

"It will be alright" Changkyun put his hand on Somi's back. Somi glanced at Changkyun before crooning her head over her shoulder to try and look at his hand.

"I don't think that was your best idea, Changkyun," Somi told him, implying to the bucket of sweat he just put his hand over.

"You are right," Changkyun nodded, "very gross" He wiped his hand on Somi's arm, making her gasp with offence.

"Changkyun!"

"It is your sweat", He reminded her, voice raising a pitch higher.

"Doesn't mean that you need to wipe it on me!"

"I do not see why not; it is your germs after all", Muttered Changkyun, cringing at his hand and wiping it against his pants.

"Come on you two, a shower and food are in need", Hyungwon chastised, putting an end to the bickering between the two. 

Outside of the campus gym, Somi came to a stop slowly. Changkyun and Hyungwon were quick to notice her lagging behind and spun around. Changkyun's mouth was quick to move, smiling at Somi gently through his words.

"Is this a protest for us to tell you the secret? Let us go, Somi, before you wound up catching a cold in this weather" Changkyun walked back towards Somi, but she didn't look at him or acknowledge his words. She just swallowed, eyes stuck looking at the side profile that was growing familiar.

"I thought maybe you could entertain me, but just as I thought, you're as disgusting as every other snobby human."

He was busy talking to someone, but it didn't look like a conversation he was enjoying, not from the view Somi had of his side profile anyway. His eyes were glaring, brows pointed, and jaw tense. His hands were thrown up, and Somi realised that Jooheon was engaging himself in an argument with someone. Changkyun cleared his throat, and Somi startled, feeling Hyungwons arm behind her back, gently coaxing her forward, his body blocking the view she had of Jooheon.

"As Changkyun said, Somi, we should go before you catch a cold in this weather" Somi breathed out a sigh, her head bobbed, looking forward and agreeing with Hyungwon, giving up on watching Jooheon arguing with the other person, someone that she couldn't recognise. The chill in the air nipped at their skin on the walk back to the dormitories. The jacket she was wearing was to work out in. It wasn't keeping her warm. And so, her body trembled in response to the cold latching onto her.

Hyungwon glanced back, his eyes narrowing. Silently he warned the stranger to stay away from them when he cast a glance over his shoulder. His eyes lit up in recognition of Somi, Hyungwon saw it happen. Jooheon's eyes met Hyungwon's, and he scoffed, shoulders bouncing as he smirked, looking away again. And Hyungwon moved closer to Somi, muttering how the dorms weren't far away now, but they couldn't reach them soon enough for Hyungwon, who wanted them all out of the sights of Jooheon. His sudden reoccurring appearances weren't appreciated by Hyungwon, who had no idea what Jooheon was trying to do by sticking within the vicinity of Somi. Changkyun looked back as he held the door open for Somi and Hyungwon, both of them thanking Changkyun.

Hyungwon passed Changkyun; a knowing look exchanged when eye contact was made. Changkyun nodded, understanding what his job was. Somi beat Hyungwon to the button for the elevator and poked out her tongue at him. It earnt Somi a deadpanned expression from Hyungwon that she couldn't help but laugh at. His perseverance to stick to his strict and reserved ways proved amusing for her when he refused to break. In the warmth of the building, Somi could breathe out a sigh of relief, already having forgotten about Jooheon outside. Instead, her mind wandered back to a previous topic.

"No, Somi", Hyungwon responded to her staring. Somi didn't yield. She continued to stare at Hyungwon, who stared forward at the elevator doors.

"Hyungwon" Somi reached out to tug the sleeve of his jacket. Hyungwon cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes. Somi gave another attention-grabbing tug, and Hyungwon turned his head to look down at her, expression unchanging.

"I am not speaking under command for your safety Somi."

"But if this has to do with my safety, why am I not allowed to be told what's going on? This seems to be about me after all."

"Because it is the keeping of this secret that will keep you safe, Somi" Somi didn't want to give up, but Hyungwon was insistent on dropping the conversation. So instead, Somi breathed out, her narrowed eyes turned to the elevator doors and her lips pursed as she became deep in thought.

Safety? What about my safety is or isn't guaranteed by being here? The thought of this place being dangerous is ridiculous. Is there something out there I need to stay away from for my safety? If so, why can't Hyunwoo and my father openly tell me about it?

If I couldn't get anything out of Hyungwon, Somi looked to Changkyun.

Maybe Changkyun will tell me, won't he? No, that would get him in trouble. But perhaps, just perhaps, he can help me get whatever is being kept from me out of Hyunwoo or my parents.

Somi breathed out heavily. Something was wrong, and she knew finding out what it was wasn't going to be easy. In temporary defeat, Somi left for her room, intending to take a shower where she could calculate her next step. The hot water was calming on her muscles, but it didn't stop Somi's mind from running. She couldn't help but worry about what was being kept hidden from her.

I will get to the bottom of this, for my own sake.

------------

"Can we talk now?" Sulking, Somi was sulking, with her arms crossed and bottom lip jutted out. There was no denying it.

"I understand that you wish to know what your father has chosen for your life here at Moonstar Academy" Hyungwon nodded, and Somi quickly did the same thing, trying to urge Hyungwon to tell her.

"That is right because this is my life that we are talking about here", She confirmed. Hyungwon let out a deep breath, maintaining his patience.

"Yes, it is," He agreed with Somi and her repeated argument, "Though Hyunwoo does not wish for us to inform you of this decision, it is bad enough for us that you are aware that there is a decision that has been made about you-" Hyungwon rattled on.

"Hyungwon", Somi gently cut off, telling Hyungwon that he began to ramble.

"I do not want to get in trouble with Hyunwoo when he gets back, and we should start on a good note when he makes his return", Hyungwon pointed out. Somi heaved out a sigh, eyeing the time on the clock high on the wall.

"I don't want you to get in trouble with Hyunwoo either", Somi muttered, looking down at her toes, not knowing where she was to go next.

"But if secrets are being kept about me and decisions being made on my behalf, I want to know what they are", Somi objected. Hyungwon refrained from sighing. He couldn't get frustrated with Somi.

"Somi, let us finish getting ready. We cannot be late for your first class of the day."

"Can I be late for the second?" Somi muttered under her breath. Changkyun bit down on his lip, an action that Hyungwon immediately noticed, and he narrowed his eyes at the other gentleman as he warned him;

"Do not encourage her" The scolding was done in a monotonous voice, and Changkyun turned his back to Hyungwon and Somi to not further encourage Somi's attitude by letting her catch a whiff of his enjoyment for it. Somi still sensed it and bit down a smile of her own, complying with Hyungwon to not further stress him out.

Once breakfast was eaten and shoes were put on, the trio left their home and took the elevator to the ground floor, where Hyungwon opened the door and the cold air bit at their skin as they stepped out under the sun. Somi tried to look around at her surroundings as they got closer to the school campus, but nothing was ou