COMPLETE (FINALLY after 2 months!) Still jetlagged, forgive my randomness.

Heechul and Hangeng having been promised that the second meal was no longer part of any test happily dug in and ate their "clean" food voraciously. Who knew that fake eating could be a very stomach demanding task? Hangeng after swallowing 5 spoonfuls of food in to his mouth finally takes notice of his partner whom he finds scanning the rest of the people in their table. Geng nudges his partner and gives him a questioning look.

"Sizing up the competition" Heechul says as he gives a critical eye to each of the table's occupant.

Over at the corner he sees a young boy using his aegyo on his partner. The young boy utilizes his very very plump lips in to this cute pout against his partner who in Heechul's opinion stood no chance against the younger. At the other side of the table was the couple who two-faced their table mates early on. The female partner looked deadly if you ask Heechul, sharp eyes and prominent features complimented her two-faced nature as she delicately picked at her food. Her partner also had this features, the said male had a strong jaw line, set eyebrows and bulging muscles which he had no intention of hiding - definitely a threat.

Heechul scanned the others and found no other couple that would prove a huge threat. After a while the dinner was finished and they were lead to their respective rooms. To both Hangeng and Heechul's relief, all partners would be placed in a single room. They settled in to their small but comfortable room only to be disturbed by a knock. 

A guild member stood outside which then informed them of a meeting and led them to a room. Upon entering the room they found most of the examinees already seated. Heechul and Hangeng sat down at the nearest available chairs and proceeded to wait. A few minutes passed before the door once again opened revealing the young boy with huge lips clinging on to his visibly irate partner. The partners sat down next to Heechul which then made all the chairs occupied signaling that all partners were accounted for. 

"Come on hyuuuuuuung don't be mad at me anymore. We got here in time" said the younger one as he pouted his fish lips. 

"I'm not mad Neil, just take care of your belongings next time. I told you to unpack your things already instead of lazing in your bed." Said the older one as he removed the younger's hold on his arm only to be captured once again by the younger’s grasp once the younger heard his statement.

"Really Cap hyung? Okay I'll unpack everything once we get back to our rooms."

Someone scoffed at them causing the whole room's attention in to the "deadly" girl that Heechul once pegged.

"Anything wrong?" Cap said emotionlessly to her.

"Yeah, you guys make me gag with your antics. Is that fishy lips your pet?" Said the other partner which caused his partner to guffaw and laugh at loud.

"Good one Taecyon! Look at him I think he's about to cry!" 

"You're right Jessica!" The partners cackled maliciously.

Heechul looked at Neil who was already biting his lips willing it not to tremble. Cap on the other hand was positively fuming, glaring at the two only to be held back by Neil's grasp. Watching Neil awakened this motherly urge from Heechul that he once felt when he first saw Baekho and Ren. 

"Hey Jessica, why don't you stop all that laughing and snorting huh? It makes you sound like pig." Heechul said as he gave her a cold look effectively stopping her laughing.

"This none of your business flower boy" Taecyon spat.

"Better to be called a flower boy unlike you horse ." Heechul countered obviously adept at tearing people's confidence down.

"Watch yourselves" Taecyon glared.

"Don't mind us horsey, we can take care of ourselves."

That finally silenced the "deadly duo." Neil looked at Heechul and gave him a dazzling smile, tugging at Heechul's umma instincts. Heechul had to restrain himself from smothering the cute boy losing his badass rep. Cap inspected both Heechul and Hangeng gauging them before giving a grateful nod.

The door opened revealing Philippe and his lackeys. 

"Once again congratulations to all of you. I hope that you find your accommodations fit for your residence. Though I do hope that you do not get to attached to them. All of you will be put to strenuous and rigorous tests that will surely sift those who are unfit to join the honorable ranks of this guild."

Philippe circled the room eyeing all of the examinees. "Each week there would be a weekly test where we would pit all of you against each other. Fear not, for even if you may lose, we will still evaluate your performance accordingly. We will not give a free pass to those who are lucky enough to be pitted against weak. I will now leave the rest for my subordinates to discuss. "

Philippe signaled to one of his men before heading towards the door to exit the room. The said subordinate cleared his throat to gather the room's attention.

"I am Milleard the second in command. Tomorrow will be the start of your intense lessons, not only does this guild test you, but its other goal is to produce smart, battle ready and educated aspiring guild members. You see, even if you fail this year's exam, the lessons that you will learn here will be a valuable and advantageous factor to those who will be retaking the test 5 years from now." 


"Now that is all cleared, you may now retire to your rooms. Someone will wake you at 8am for breakfast. Sleep well and good luck."

Heechul and Hangeng slowly stood up from their seats and made their way towards their rooms. Heechul upon reaching the door felt a tug on his sleeves; he turns around and finds the hand tugging his sleeve connected to the young boy with fish lips, Niel.

"Hyung, thank you for sticking up for me against that witch Jessica. My name is Ahn Daniel, but you can call me Niel."

Niel introduced himself before dragging his partner to do the same.

"My name is Minsoo, but you can call me Cap."

Heechul smiled at Niel's cuteness before introducing himself.

"I'm Kim Heechul, you can call me Heechul-hyung" he then looked at his partner signaling him to do the same.

"I'm Hangeng nice to meet you too."

With the introductions over, they proceeded to their rooms with Niel clinging on to Heechul while the other gushed on how cute he was. Cap and Hangeng watched the two before looking at each other and shaking their heads.

Promptly 8 o'clock the following morning, Heechul and Niel were happily chatting while eating there eay morning feast. At the far side of the table, the deadly duo was glaring daggers at them which the other took no notice of. Today will be start of training. Time to show off their skills.

"Niel, don't eat so fast! You're getting food all over your face! Aish!" Heechul nagged as he grabbed a napkin and wiped Niel's face. 

"Okay umma- I mean hyung." Niel smiled sheepishly.

"Aigo my son is so cute! You should see my cute dongseang Ren!" Heechul gushed as he pinched the younger's cheeks.

Cap looked at the two clearly amused of their motherly connections. He then looked at Hangeng.

"Is he always like that? I thought he was a sharp tongued cold guy?" He asked.

"Oh he is, don't let yourself be fooled. He can tongue lash anyone till their emotional core bleeds. He does however have a weakness for cute dongseangs." Hangeng replied as both he and Cap chuckled at the pouting Niel that was forced to be spoon fed by his new umma Heechul.

Upon finishing breakfast all of the table's occupants were ushered in to another room. Upon reaching a room that had two doors one on each sides, the partners were asked to separate. Brewers go to the left while warriors go to the right. Heechul glanced at Hangeng while the other did the same. No more words were needed between the two, their time of "companionship" apparently long enough for them to establish a telepathic link.

Heechul watched Niel hug his partner Cap, once they separated Heechul tugged at Niel's arm and started leading him towards the door to the left. After a few steps however, he felt a resistance coming from the other. He looked back to see Neil shaking his head, causing Heechul to raise one of his brows.

"I'm the warrior umma. Cap hyung is the brewer."

Heechul paled as he imagined his son Neil playing with sharp swords. He then gave his deadly glare at Niel's partner, Cap who visibly staggered upon meeting his eyes. How can Niel be the warrior when he has a partner who is twice his size and has the same musculature as his horse classmate Siwon? 

"Umma, we have our reasons. Don't worry about me okay? Be nice to Cap hyung okay?"

"But he-" Heechul started

"Please umma" Niel looked up at him with his pouty lips and big eyes. Check mate. 

"Fine, fine. Take care of yourself my baby. Don't get too near those sharp swords."

Heechul followed by a reluctant Cap sat down at the very back of what's surprisingly look like a science classroom. Instead of stoves there were cauldrons and instead of black counter tops there were granite tables. 20 tables each having their own cauldron were neatly arranged in the room. Heechul and Cap both occupied the two tables at the back just as the door opened with a loud thud. It was then soon followed by the fluttering and billowing of black robes as a man in black robes came in. This scene definitely reminded Heechul of a movie that he once watched. 

The robed man stopped at the very front of the class with the whole room's attention gathered towards him because of his one of a kind entrance. He swept his black shoulder length hair and smirked at the dumbfounded expression of his class.

"There will be no silly sword fighting, body conditioning or hand to hand combat in this class."

He said to the whole room. He stepped down from the elevated teacher’s podium and swept his students with his steely stare. 

"I can teach you to bottle fame"

"Brew glory"

"And even put a stop... to death."

Definitely, Heechul has most definitely heard these lines before, as to where he could not remember. It has been almost 2 months since he last had any contact to his world. He did however know better than to write notes while his professor is giving out his opening speech.

"Others call me as Potions Master Snake but for you my students, you may call me Professor Snake."

"If you would look at your tables you will see a book entitled Debilitating Potions, a comparative study to Deadly Brews. I expect you to read and memorize that by heart by the end of the week, just in time for the weekly test."

The whole room groaned much like high school students assigned with a book report. Heechul smirked at the unlikely comparison. 

"Now who can tell me what is the uses of a Tundra Snorcack Flower and how do you properly extract its juices?"

The whole class became silent. Heechul looked at Cap who just shrugged back and mouthed an "I don't know." Professor Snake raised his eyebrows expecting his students to know such basic things; he searched the room for a random victim to plague. Slowly he scanned the room; heads were turned while gazes were averted. He then caught Heechul's eyes.

"" Heechul thought.

Hangeng watched Heechul disappear before he walked towards the other room with Niel. He watched the other boy happily walking besides him, is he for real? He looked at Niel's thin and slight frame wondering how he could fight - could he even hold up a heavy sword?

They came upon a huge room that looked like a stadium. Some parts of the room were sectioned for sparring no doubt. A huge running track encircled the whole track while a plethora of weapons were displayed on one side. At the middle of stadium was a hulking man, in armor. All warriors came up to him. 

The armored man looked at them intensely. Hangeng felt a crawling sensation when the armored man's gaze travelled to him. It was as if he was looking for the weakest link to kill.

"I am Master of Arms Alexander. I have been training guild members for almost 70 years. I have trained and honed the skills of all well known and note worthy guild members for most of my life. Will you all be a worthy addition to the guild as warriors?!" He shouted.

"Yes!" The warriors shouted including Hangeng, while Neil was half a second late giggling at himself.

Alexander eyed Neil for a time before moving on smirking

"This year may be a good harvest after all... "

"GIVE ME 100 LAPS! MOVE! Last to finish has to clean the track!" Alexander's voice boomed throughout the stadium.

Hangeng grabbed Neil and they both ran. They ran for their lives.

It was lunch time when the 4 of them all met. Heechul and Cap were already seated at the table with plates both filled with delicious and most importantly drug free food. Both brewers were not taking any chances when it comes to things that were meant to be ingested. They would like to keep their bodies mobile thank you very much. Both brewers were silently conversing when a tired Hangeng and Niel flopped down, Niel on the left side of Cap while Geng on the right of Heechul. Geng was about to whine at his partner about his day when he Heechul spoke, stopping his words.

"What happened to you my baby??" Heechul said as he grabbed Niel's arms not caring that Cap was in between them. Heechul dragged the younger towards him, still not caring of the one in between, forcing Niel to sit on Cap's lap. Heechul checked Niel's pouting face and his body, looking for any bruise or scratches. Satisfied that he has yet to see one, he stopped his fussing.

Geng who was now pretty sure that Heechul was done fussing with the younger one started to speak again.

"Hee-"

"How was it Niel? Did you have a hard time?" Heechul interrupted again causing Hangeng to groan and rest his head on his folded arms on top of the table.

Niel who was still on top of Cap's bounced, eager to his "umma" what they did. Cap grimaced at the sensation but nonetheless didn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt the boy's lively storytelling. (Yeah right, Minsoo!)

"Well at first Professor Milleard asked us to run 100 laps around the track! It was a lot of fun! Hangeng hyung however didn't think it was fun."

"Em-erfgetic kidf ranf likef it wasf nufing" Hangeng's incoherently said as his face was still rested on his arms.

Heechul looked at his son weirdly before looking at his partner. He chuckled at his partner causing the other to raise his head and glare at him.

Hangeng opened his mouth to speak when, to everyone's surprise, he got cut off again by Heechul. Geng's only response was hitting his head repeatedly on the table's surface.

"What are you doing after lunch? Professor Snake told us we're going to a green house to meet our Professor in Herbology. Oh joy!" Heechul sarcastically said.

"Hmm... Still in the same room but another class, combat class. We're going to using swords!" Niel said happily as if swords were made out of candy. Heechul started to lose blood in his face when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. It was Cap.

"After what he told you about the track you still doubt his abilities?" Cap said.

Heechul looked again at his adopted son before nodding at Cap and smiling. You're right, Niel can handle himself.

Meanwhile, Hangeng was in his own world feeling dejected and unwanted.

"Niel, Niel, Niel. Are you okay Niel? Are you hurt Niel? Do you want me to change your diapers Niel?!" Hangeng bitterly thought.

He then felt someone poking his cheeks. He turned to the source of poking and saw Heechul holding a pair chopsticks clearly trying feed him. 

He looks at the chopsticks for sometime clearly not processing what the other was trying to do. He looked at Heechul's face looking back at him expectantly using his eyebrows to signal him to open his mouth. Hangeng dumbly stared at the red haired man and slowly opened his mouth. Heechul fed him and spoke.

"You should plenty Geng. By the look of things you will be in for another work out." Heechul picked up more food and brought it to Hangeng's waiting mouth. They did this a couple more times when they heard Cap snickering with Niel.

"Looks like you've got an appa Niel." Cap said causing Heechul and Hangeng to finally realize what they were doing.
Both blushed a tomato red causing the NAP(cap and niel) partners to laugh out loud.

Heechul not liking the feeling of being laughed at sweetly spoke to Niel who was still unconciously aware that he was still sitting on his hyung's lap..

"Baby don't bounce around too much. You don't want to wake up Cap Jr. from his sleep now do you?"

This caused Cap to choke at his own spit and turn blood red at Heechul's green joke. Heechul smirked and turned to Geng waiting with his left arm raised in the air. Heechul had taught the concept of high-fiving to Geng a while back, he high-fived the other with a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Cap hyung? Who is Cap Jr.?" Niel innocently asked his hyung. Cap however avoided the question by lifting the other to the seat beside him and pushing the plate filled with food towards Niel.

"No more questions. Eat." Cap said without looking at the other's innocent questioning gaze.

After lunch, the group parted ways. Heechul and Cap went to the green house while Hangeng and Niel returned to the arena.

The brewers and warriors left the cafeteria separately and went to their respective classes only to return once again at the big noisy cafeteria for dinner.

"Did you see how that woman grabbed it's neck?!" Heechul asked Cap as he flopped down at their usual table.

"Mrs. Vine is a whole lot of woman, I agree." Cap said in reference to their hulking Herbology professor Mrs. Vine.

"Who grabbed who's neck? I thought you guys were playing plants?" Hangeng asked as he half-sat-lied down on the seat besides Heechul.

"We were, but somewhere along the way we studied LIVE plants." Cap said.

Neil giggled as he back-hugged his hyung and rested his chin on Cap's head. "Aren't all plants living?"

Cap furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at Neil. "Technically your correct but when I mean about LIVE plants, I mean plants that are sentient and moving."

"And biting, don't forget biting." Heechul added as he raises his arm to show of his shredded sleeves. 

"Are you okay? Did it bite you?" Hangeng raised his head.

"Aniyo, don't worry. I was able to dodge it, I'm fine. Though I can't say the same for my wardrobe." Heechul said making the table's occupant laugh.

"OH! How are you my baby Niel?! I almost forgot about your combat training!" Heechul panicked as he looked worriedly at his adoptive son.

"It's Hangeng hyung that you should worry about umma. I'm fine see?" Niel stood in front of Heechul and wiggled his arms.

The red haired man looked at his partner and found the other with his face buried in his arms.

"Geng look at me." Heechul asked Geng which the other only responded with a shake of the head refusing to look at the other.

"Gengie, please look at me. I'm getting worried." Heechul tried to sweet talk the other but still made no progress.

"Geng. Look. At. Me." Heechul threatened the other, this time the other complied, making Heechul gasp.

"How did you get a black eye?!"

Geng slumped further in to his seat and buried his face in to his arms.

"Hyung was trying to use the knuck-chucks then it hit his eye." Neil said clearly trying to stop from laughing.

"It's only the first week, our first day and our first class meetings, somehow you already got a black eye and I almost got my arm ripped off. Something is telling me that we are not starting things right."

"Mmf uummff mfff uuffff" Geng ummffed and mfffed in agreement.

Thankfully for Heechul and Hangeng their last class, Healing and Battle Tactics were mostly desk work. The week passed uneventfully and soon it was the night before their weekly task.

"Hey Geng, you still awake?" Heechul asked the lump that was on Geng's bed.

"Pssssssssst! Hey! Pssssssst!"

"YAH!" Heechul threw a pillow causing the other jolt awake on a tangle of bed covers and roll of the bed.

"WHAT?!"

"Never mind! I just wanted to say I couldn't sleep!" Heechul huffed as he turned the other way.

"Aish! You're crazy! Fine! I'll go back to sleep now!" Geng angrily climbed back on his bed willing himself to fall asleep. Only this time he couldn't.

"Heechul..."

After a few moments of silence Geng thought that the other was already asleep or worse, ignoring him. Getting in to a fight right before the weekly task would not be a great way to prepare for what lies ahead. He sighed as he tried to close his eyes again to sleep. 

"Do you miss your village Geng?"

Geng's eyes immediately open with the question.

"Yeah, especially my umma. What about you? You haven't told me much about where you came from..."

After another lenghty pause Heechul answered.

"Yeah, I really miss my home. Even my dad which is really weird." Heechul chuckled.

The two kept on talking about each other past, their home towns, their likes, their friends that they both sorely miss -  everything. It was like meeting each other for the first time. Heechul would try describe how riding a train was like to Geng who still could not get over the fact that vehicles in Heechul's home no longer needed horses while Hangeng on the other hand tried to explain the beautiful lights that would shine in their village under different lunar cycles. The partners talked for hours until the wee hours of the morning blissfully unaware of the tests that they would both be undertaking in a couple of hours.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Hangeng exclaimed, frustrated as he hurriedly scanned and flipped through the pages of Heechul’s notes.

“What’s the point of making us go through hours of lectures and dividing us if we would be tested on each other’s classes? What the hell do I know about botany and medicine?” Hangeng continued to rant.

“Don’t forget brewing, you don’t know squat about that” Heechul added.

“Thanks, that’s one more topic that I would surely flunk” Hangeng deadpanned.

Earlier this day at breakfast, their first test was announced. It turns out that the first test was literally a test, you know, the same kind of test given to students near the end of the year? Yes, that kind of test. It was announced that it would be a series of identification, multiple choice and of course, the dreaded essays. Each essay with a minimum of 1,500 words PER QUESTION. What makes it even worse is that they wouldn’t be tested on what they have learned on their individual classes, but the lessons of their own partners. Talk about a shocking twist. Did we also forget to mention that if the partners failed the test, that is the end of their applications this year?

“This promotes team work and camaraderie among partners, in the field it’s up the two of you whether one or both of you will survive. It’s about learning and sharing… blah… blah… blah…” Hangeng copied the Guild Master’s speech mockingly.

“Teamwork my …”

“Camaraderie my …” Hangeng continued to grumble, pouting like a kid on time out.

Meanwhile Heechul just stared at his partner bewildered on how a simple test could make the usual cool, calm and composed Hangeng in to this grumbling 4 year old. He concentrated on reading Hangeng’s messy scrawl trying to decipher whether it’s really the English alphabet or some form of ancient pictograph writing. After 10 minutes of unsuccessfully trying to read the first line with Hangeng’s grumbling on the background, he did what everyone would expect Heechul to do. He threw the notebook at Hangeng’s head of course.

“Yah! Stop talking about your ! We all know mine looks better than yours! At least my notes can be understood easily, yours on the other hand looks chicken scratch marks! Now will you shut up and read quietly or will you waste-” Heechul glanced at the wall clock “the remaining 45 minutes grumbling?!”

Hangeng gulped and picked up his notes, the same flying projectile that caused him a bruised head and ego. He slowly made his way to Heechul’s bed and handed it to his partner.

“I’m sorry Chullie, it’s just that I’m not confident of my academic skills. I’m not like you or the rest of the competitors here who had proper schooling. I’m a farmer’s son, not a scholar.” Hangeng rubbed his eyes in frustration.
Heechul looked at his partner and put a friendly arm at his shoulder, “We’ll get through this Gengie, my name is Kim Heechul, there hasn’t been a written test made that I could not fully answer.”

“But that’s just it Chullie, I know you can pull out a passing grade. Your way smarter than me, our scores are gonna be added in the end. It would take me a miracle to answer even a quarter of the test correcty.” Hangeng stood up from the other’s bed and slumped on his own.

“Teamwork my …” He grumbled with his face buried on his pillow.

Heechul looked at his partner, annoyed that the other is back to his grumbling. He then began to replay what not only Hangeng has been repeating, but what also the guild master said.

“Teamwork my ” Heechul spoke loudly.

“Teamwork my ” He then repeated this time louder.

“Teamwork my !” This time nearly shouting.

Hangeng lifted his head “Okay, okay I get it Chullie, it’s annoying if you keep repeating it.”

“TEAMWORK MY CUTE, BUBBLE, APPLE-BOTTOMED !” The other shouted.

Hangeng looked at his partner contemplating whether he is being mocked or the other finally cracked under the immense stress. “Chullie I think you need to lie down and -”

Heechul tackled the other. “Don’t you get it Gengie?! TEAMWORK, That Guild Master Milleard kept repeating it over and over again. He said we needed teamwork!”

“Yeah, that’s why we gave each other our notes and he gave us this unfair 1 hour study break, in which we only have 40 minutes left to study.” Hangeng said.

“No, no, no, no Gengie, don’t you find it weird that they suddenly sprung this one on us?” Heechul rambled clearly enlightened with his new found discovery.

“Yeah, it’s weird, but I guess it what we have to expect in this whole admissions test thing…” Hangeng said as he maneuvered the other to lie beside him and not on top of him.

“They are expecting us to cram a whole week’s worth of class lectures in an hour, and they are promoting team work. Think Gengie, a classroom, classmates, a test and of course TEAMWORK….” Heechul spoke slowly, accentuating each word.

“I don’t get it how - Oh…” Geng stopped mid-way and figured it out.
Heechul stood up and smiled at his partner, “Get your notes and brush up on your lectures. I’ll meet up with you in front of the comfort room near the testing area okay? Leave everything to me.” Heechul strode out of their shared room with a purpose leaving his partner guessing on what he was up to.

30 minutes later, outside the testing area, Heechul and Hangeng waited with the rest for the doors to open.

“Umma, did you study everything?” Niel asked as he clung on to Heechul’s stiff arm.

“Y-yes baby, your arms are so cute…” Heechul awkwardly said.

“M-my arms umma?” Niel asked, baffled how anyone’s arms could be called cute.

Hangeng cleared his throat “He means your pouty lips baby, forgive Heechul-umma. He’s probably too stressed about the test. Let me give you a back rub Chullie.”

“No, I’s o-” Heechul said only to be roughly turned around by Hangeng.

“OUCH!” Heechul shouted causing all of the people outside to look at them.

“Oh don’t mind him, he likes it rough.” Hangeng waved on at the onlookers.

Meanwhile, Cap looked at the weird pair and smirked. He sauntered over to Hangeng and whispered in his ear. “I know what you’re doing, clever, very, very, clever.”

Cap, relished the doe caught in the headlights look on Hangeng’s face. He whispered again “Isn’t it kind of awkward to you know… I mean you can see…” Cap purposefully leaving words out for the imagination.

After shaking himself out of it, Hangeng schooled his expressions and looked at Niel who is desperately trying to get the right reactions from Heechul. That’s when he noticed one thing, Hangeng called over Niel.

“Niel, can you come over here?” He beckoned the other over.

“Yes appa?” Niel looked at the other uncertainly.

“What happened to your lips? They are more swollen than usual.” Hangeng brushed his thumb over Niel’s pouted lips and smiled predatorily at Cap.

There was only one word that came across Cap’s mind as he watched Hangeng’s victorious smile.

“”

Suddenly the doors were opened, Cap quickly grabbed Niel. “Come on Niel, we must get a good spot.”

Hangeng looked at the partners fighting to get inside when he noticed Heechul crossing his legs. He walked towards his partner.

“HOLD IT IN” he whispered fiercely and threateningly at the other and began pushing the other towards the room.

Heechul and Hangeng took the front row seats, usually their over achieving and eager applicants would pounce on the chance to sit at the front, but today was the exception. Everyone was seated at the back with their heads low. Another door opened which revealed Milleard strutting in with his usual posse.

“Good day, everyone. This is your first test, a test that will measure not only your mental aptitude but your team work as well. No doubt you made use of the hour given to you to teach each other a week’s worth of lessons. Before I leave I will give you this short poem to help you in this test.”

Milleard cleared his throat before speaking,

 “Look up for inspiration, look down for desperation, but never look left or right for that will earn you expulsion.”

As he spoke this, a couple of guild members entered and position themselves at the start of every row no doubt looking for those who might cheat. The applicants fell stiff with the lurking presence; some bowed their heads looking as if they’ve already given up. Pretty soon phials were being passed through the rows, a clear somewhat blue liquid was encased on each.

“Nullifying potion, removes mind enhancers and other effects that we judged to be a compromise to the integrity of taking this tests. Everyone is required to drink it, you have my word as the Guild Master that this isn’t some trick to get you debilitated, and it is but a precaution for we take this test and cheating very seriously. You cannot always rely on mind enhancers to know the answers.”

Heechul looked at Hangeng before drinking the potion, looking at each other’s eyes both of them drunk at the same time.

“Very good, now let the test commence! Good luck.” Milleard said as he walked outside the room.

After the first hour, someone got caught cheating.

“You at table 26 and 27, stand up.” One of the guild members said.

“W-what?! We weren’t cheating!” One of the partners said.

“Yeah, how can you prove that we were ch-” the other said but was silenced when he was shoved and pinned at the wall.

“Get. Out. Of. The. Room.” The member said threateningly.

After that incident no one dared to cheat, some didn’t even dare to look at their sides or even at the clock posted on the wall.

“Times up, put your quills down.” A member said when the 4 hour marked was reached.

Everyone gathered their materials and went outside the room.

“Umma, how did you do?” Niel asked Heechul ask he clung on to the older.

“I-I think I did quite good.” Heechul replied shakily.

“Come on Heechul let’s go back to the room” Hangeng said as he watched Heechul squirm, and cross his legs.

“Don’t you want to hang out first? I mean we don’t have classes…” Niel pouted.

“Maybe later okay? I think Heechul is feeling quite unwell.” Hangeng said as he grabbed Heechul’s elbow and dragged them towards their shared bedroom.

After dinner in Heechul and Hangeng’s room, Niel was being babied by Heechul while Geng and Cap were having a quiet conversation.

“It’s nice that your back to normal umma, a while ago you didn’t seem like yourself.” Niel said as he relished the feel of Heechul combing through his hair.

Cap looked at the “mother and son” before he spoke “It’s because he really wasn’t himself a while ago.”

Hangeng and Heechul exchanged a worried glance before Heechul sighed.

“Cap was right, I wasn’t myself a while ago…”

“What do you mean umma?”

“Well, what’s the point of going through all of those lessons separate from your partner if you would be tested on what each other learned? Second is the way Milleard chose to repeat the words team work, collaboration and camaraderie.”

“Cheating, that is what we are being tested on.” Cap said.

“Cap is right, we are not being tested for book knowledge but on how we could use each other’s strengths and team work for the benefit of us both. I used a simple body switching potion before the test.”

“Oh” Niel’s lips turned in to a cute “o” shape.

"The nullyfying potion floored me though, when he said we had to drink it, I really thought the jig was up. Good thing it was a weak nullyfying potion, only works on basic enhancements."

“So…” Hangeng looked at Cap.

“So what?” Cap answered.

“How did you cheat?” Hangeng huffed.

“Mfuind Lerink Pershion…” Cap grumbled.

“What?” Hangeng asked.

“Mernt Lernk Pershun….” Cap incoherently said.

“Will you just spit it out?! You’re eating your words!” Hangeng shouted.

“MIND LINK POTION!” Cap shouted back.

“A potion which links two minds, enabling them to form a telepathic link, basically you were talking in your minds.. Ahhh… So that’s why…” Heechul smirked haughtily at Cap.

“That’s why what umma?” Niel asked.

“Nothing baby…” as Heechul brushed his thumb over Niel’s lips looking at Cap’s blushing face through his peripherals.

"Heechul! Where are you? Hee- mfff"

"I'm here babo" Heechul said as he silenced the other.

"So what are we doing here in the bathroom?"  Hangeng asked.

"This" Heechul got 2 phials from his pocket and handed one to his partner.

"What do I do with it?" Hangeng asked.

"Stare at it, the potion will reach your body that way" Heechul said lacing it with a hevy tint of sarcasm.

"It's a body switching potion, after we drink this we would exchange bodies. Simple. We do each other's test and BAM! We're golden."

Hangeng smiled at Heechl no doubt praising his clever friend. 

"Bottoms Up" THey both emptied their phials.

1 minute passed

2 minutes passed

"I don't think it's working Heechul" Hangeng said as he faced Hangeng.

Hangeng smiled at Hangeng.

"Oh it worked... Heechul..." Heechul said in Hangeng's body.

"Now come on, let's go to the testing area" The new Hangeng said.

"Wait, I have to go to the bathroom." Heechul said.

"Okay make it qui- HOLD IT! That's my body! You ert!" Hangeng blushed as he hit Heechul's arm.

"Bu-but I really have to go!" Heechul said.

"No way! If you must go then i'll be the one to hold my own body parts thank you very much." Hangeng said flustered.

"But those are my hands your using!" Hangeng said.

Suddenly the door opened, revealing one of their fellow applicants. The applicant looked at the two blushing men in the center of the bathroom. The applican t washed his hands clearly feeling the heavy awkwardnbess radiating off the room - he left quickly.

"How about I close my eyes?" Heechul said.

"NO! You are going to hold it in!" Heechul glared at Hangeng. Poor Hangeng.
 

“There is no way I could memorize all of this Cap-hyung…” Niel whine as he flopped on top of CAP’s bed.

“Me neither, I mean there is just too much to learn…”

“I wish we could do what we used to do back in primary school, you letting me copy off of your paper.” Niel sighed.

“Maybe we could do that Niel-ah, but instead of copying each other’s paper we could look in each other’s mind…” Cap said.

“How are we going to do that? It’s not like we could read minds…” Niel said.

“Well, we can’t read other people’s minds, but we can talk telepathically… I know how to brew Mind Link Potion…” Cap mulled.

After brewing the potion in less than an hour the two drank the potion. They looked at each other and waited for something to happen.

‘I wonder when it will work’ thought Neil

‘It’s working now…’ Cap thought back

‘This is so cool Cap-hyung!’ Niel mentally shouted.

‘Ouch, not too loud or else we’ll both have headaches.’ Cap reprimanded.

‘Hyung looks so manly when he frowns, tee hee…’

‘I heard that Niel’

‘Oh right, you can hear everything. Stupid potion…’ Niel blushed

‘There’s that cute blush’ Cap thought.

‘Yah! Hyung! I am not cute!’

‘Yes you are, the way you’re acting now I could just kiss you.’ Cap can’t help but think, thus broadcasting it clearly to his partner.

‘Oh… Uh… oh it… I think your cute Niel. Might as well admit it.’

‘OMO Cap-hyung thinks I’m cute what should I do?’ Niel panicked.

‘Don’t ask me, you decide what to do’ Cap playfully answered.

‘I can’t believe I’m about to do this…’ Niel thought.

‘Do what Niel? What are you-’ Cap asked.


KISS


‘…………..’ Niel thought.

‘…………..’ Cap thought.



‘perfect…’       They both thought.

"That mental link must be really taxing the two of them right? I mean to be able to read anything that comes to your partner's mind and vice- versa is..." Hangeng shivered at the idea.

"Why Gengie? Are you thinking mean things about me?" Chullie asked.

"No..."

"What about naughty erted things?" Heechul stood up and slinked towards Hangeng's bed.

"Wha? NO way! Now if you would excuse me, i'll be going to my training room early."

Heechul laughed at the retreating figure. 

"Heh, that telepathic link can be closed at will, they can filter what they want to boradcast..."

Heechul smirked and thought of wonderful and painful things to inflict upon Cap for quite possibly tainting his baby. 

The first trial has been passed, but rest not. Do not sheathe your dagger, do not put away your shields, the worst has yet to come.

 

SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT.

Long story short, 2 months vacation backpacking in England!

#Pisces play games, but play to win.

An #Aquarius lover is honest will tell you straight-up if you .

#Capricorn's get bored with people easily so find a way to keep em intrigued.

#Sagittarius gets tired of bull real fast.

The #Scorpio has a guarded heart.

Dont expect to be able to control your #Libra -- they drift off.

#Virgo is more persistent than most. They can deal with setbacks better than you can.

#Leo is a very proud person. Dont ever embarrass them.

#Cancer's Weakness: Fear of the past repeating.

#Gemini minds can bounce around from one topic to another with great ease making them the best party and social talker.

A #Taurus doesn't like to pick sides in an argument, they like to

#Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac. They cant help it but be first in everything.