Hearing a vibrating sound coming from his side, Woohyun tried to sit up, supporting himself using his arm before he reached for his phone. A small smile reached his lips when he noticed the figure sleeping next to him with an arm draped around his waist.

 

            “Hello?”

            “What happened to Junhong?”

 

Woohyun rubbed his eyes as he casted a glance towards the clock only to see it flashing 3:45AM. A small groan escaped his throat.

 

            “I’m not sure… Are you calling me at this hour only to ask me that..?”

            “You’re supposed to take care of him. What were you thinking anyway? Did you know that your mother almost had an attack when the hospital called?”

Woohyun inhaled deeply, “I was thoughtless, I’m sorry…”

            “… You’d better be. I want him to be discharged by tomorrow.”

            “I’ll try to do something,” Woohyun mumbled. Woohyun’s ears perked up at the rustling sound behind him.

            “I’m not trying to burden you, Woohyun… I know that you’re a good son.”

            “I… You never burden me…” Woohyun said in a low voice.

            “Woohyun..? Why are you up at such an ungodly hour..?” Sunggyu groaned, voice raspy.

            “… Woohyun? Who’s with you?”

            “Uh. My friend is staying the night. I-I’ll do something about Junhong, you don’t have to worry,” Woohyun blabbered as quickly as he could.

            “Woohyun, you’d better—“

            “I’ll call you later, abeoji,” Woohyun quickly cut the line and threw his phone away, not minding the loud thudding sound it made as the phone made contact with the wall.

 

The boy turned around to face the man who had a pretty much blank look plastered on his face. The redhead was obviously still half-asleep.

 

            “Woohyun…” Sunggyu mumbled. Woohyun hushed him and lied him back gently on the bed.

            “You’re dreaming, hyung. Just continue sleeping,” Woohyun said soothingly. The man just muttered out some more incoherent words before he drifted back to sleep. Woohyun sighed.

 

‘How in the world… I can’t get Junhong out of the hospital as quickly as that… Except… Except if I kidnap him or something…’ Woohyun thought. He ruffled his hair in frustration and sank back to the bed.

 

            “Well… I just have to think of a more legal way,” Woohyun muttered to himself.

 

The moment the boy let out a small soft snore, Sunggyu sat up slowly and stared down at him, an unreadable expression plastered on the redhead’s face.

.

.

            “Woohyun-ah… Come greet your parents.”

Woohyun muttered with a small frown, “They’re not my parents.”

 

A woman—seemingly to be in her 50s—sighed and tugged at the boy’s wrist. Woohyun didn’t budge. He just sat there, hugging his knees to his chest. She let out another sigh when he noticed the boy simply looked out the window instead of paying attention to her.

 

            “Woohyun-ah…” The woman forced a smile. Woohyun’s frown deepened even more.

            “Mrs. Nam…”

            “Everyone grows, Woohyun-ah… Soon you’ll become a teenager, and it will be even harder for people to adopt you,” Mrs. Nam said, putting both hands on his shoulders.

            “I… I don’t want to leave…” Woohyun whispered. “It’s scary out there…”

 

Mrs. Nam smiled sadly. The boy was dropped in the orphanage about a year ago, and apparently he didn’t have any intention in leaving the house. The boy didn’t even try to make any friends.

 

            “Come on, Woohyun-ah. Soon or later you’ll have to leave this place,” Mrs. Nam said. Woohyun kept quiet but followed her nonetheless.

 

Mrs. Nam led the boy out to greet his soon-to-be parents. Woohyun looked up hesitantly to see two adults smiling warmly at him. He felt slightly relieved somehow.

 

            “Woohyun-ah, meet Mr. Choi and his wife. They’re going to be your appa and eomma soon,” Mrs. Nam sent an assuring smile. Woohyun gulped and took a seat across both adults.

            “Annyeong, Woohyunnie,” the young woman smiled warmly at him. Woohyun directed his gaze towards the table.

            “A-annyeong…” Woohyun mumbled.

 

The couple shared a look before they glanced at Mrs. Nam. The caretaker smiled awkwardly before she gently nudged Woohyun’s side.

 

            “Woohyun-ah, introduce yourself.”

 

The boy let out a small shudder. He didn’t want to leave. He wasn’t ready to leave yet. But the woman was right, soon or later, he had to leave. Woohyun looked up and gave a small smile.

 

            “U-um… Annyeonghaseyo… M-my name…is W-Woohyun…” Woohyun said shakily. The couple nodded, smiling enthusiastically.

            “How old are you, Woohyun?” Mr. Choi asked.

            “I-I’m going to be 11 this year,” Woohyun said shakily.

 

Noticing the boy’s agitation, Mrs. Choi extended her hand and placed it on Woohyun’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Woohyun blinked and looked up to see the woman smiling softly at him.

 

            “You can lean on us, Woohyunnie,” Mrs. Choi sent a comforting smile towards the boy. Woohyun swallowed thickly and nodded.

            “So, when can we bring the boy home?” Mr. Choi asked. Woohyun tensed up slightly.

Mrs. Nam patted the boy’s shoulder, “Woohyun will be ready when the documents are ready.”

 

The three adults exchanged more words before Woohyun raised his hand. Mrs. Choi ruffled Woohyun’s hair soothingly when she noticed the boy’s hesitation.

 

            “What is it, Woohyunnie?” Mrs. Choi smiled.

            “I… I’m wondering…” Woohyun mumbled, making the three adults turned to him, “I’m wondering… If you can… Uh”

 

Woohyun shut his eyes tight. He could feel his palms getting sweaty. He was scared. He never had the chance to talk to anyone aside from Mrs. Nam and some other caretakers. Hence he didn’t really know how to deal with other people.

Suddenly, he felt a small comforting hand rubbing his back gently. He looked up only to see Mrs. Choi’s smile again.

 

            “It’s okay, you can tell us anything,” Mrs. Choi said.

            “Um… I’m wondering… If I can keep my surname even after the adoption…” Woohyun said almost whispering, but the adults could hear him clearly.

Mrs. Nam was astonished, “Woohyun, you don’t—“

            “What is your surname, Woohyunnie?” Mrs. Choi asked. Woohyun glanced at Mrs. Nam before he replied,

            “Nam. My name is Nam Woohyun.”

 

After the couple left the place, Mrs. Nam sent the boy an amused look. She took a seat next to the boy quietly. The silence remained in the atmosphere until she heard a small sniffling sound coming from her side.

 

            “Why are you crying, Woohyun-ah?” She turned towards the boy, gently wiping his tears.

            “P-please don’t ask me to take back my words…” Woohyun mumbled.

            “I must say I was really surprised with your sudden outburst. But why did you suddenly request for such a thing?”

 

Mrs. Nam’s eyes went wide when Woohyun circled his arms around her shoulder.

 

            “Because this is the only way I can repay you for all this time,” Woohyun mumbled. “Because this is the only way I can recognize myself…”

 

            “Please don’t take away my identity… Because there’s nothing else I can identify myself with aside from my name.”

 

            “Woohyun-hyung!”

 

Woohyun snapped out of his trance and looked to his side to see Jongup raising an eyebrow at him. He blinked and looked around to see the others staring at him with the same look.

 

            “Gosh, you’ve been daydreaming for like the whole day. Are you sure you’re all right?” Sungyeol frowned. Woohyun waved his hand dismissively.

            “I slept throughout the whole day. Don’t worry about me,” Woohyun grinned lightly.

            “Yeap. Even Jung-ssaem fumed this morning because this guy slept throughout the whole period,” Youngjae chuckled, patting Woohyun’s shoulder.

            “Pfft, please Youngjae. As if we don’t know your thought about him already,” Sungjong rolled his eyes. Youngjae looked across the canteen to find a certain Psychology teacher giving him a sharp look.

            “Well… He didn’t have to fume to look hot,” Youngjae muttered. Woohyun rolled his eyes and shoved Youngjae’s arm away from his shoulder.

            “Man that’s nasty. I thought you don’t do teachers?”

            “I don’t! Unlike Jongup here, at least I keep it in my pants!” Youngjae said raising both hands. The whole table turned to look at Jongup this time.

            “W-what..?” The boy almost choked at the sudden attention he got.

            “You… You did the nasty with a teacher..?” Myungsoo raised an eyebrow, scooting away from the boy.

            “No, I did not…” Jongup muttered frowning before his eyes trailed at Woohyun’s shocked expression. “Well… Except if you count that infirmary nurse then—“

 

The boy didn’t even have the chance to finish his words as Woohyun slammed his hand on the table and scurried away, leaving his group staring at him agape.

 

            “The heck happened just now,” Sungyeol blinked, staring at the direction Woohyun disappeared to.

            “Did you really do those kind of things?” Hoya asked, looking unfazed as he continued stuffing his face with his lunch. Jongup shrugged.

            “Nope. As if I have any intention to do—Ouch!”

            “My office now, Moon Jongup.”

 

Jongup looked up to see Himchan smirking down at him, with his infamous stick securely placed in his right hand. Rubbing the sore spot on his head, Jongup frowned at him.

 

            “What did I do wrong this time?!”

            “Spreading false rumors about your teachers, minus three points on your records,” Himchan said shrugging. “Now come on.”

            “Wait, I didn’t—Yah, why are you guys just staring like that?!”

 

The rest of the group simply watched the younger got dragged away by the teacher. They didn’t want to get involved with the tyrannical biology teacher, especially when the stick was in his possession.

 

            “I pity the boy…” Sungyeol sighed.

            “Me too,” Sungjong shrugged.

            “I finally find a small similarity between you siblings,” Youngjae sighed shaking his head when the brothers started to quarrel again.

.

.

Sunggyu jolted in his place when he heard a loud slam. The redhead frowned as Woohyun marched into the infirmary, not forgetting to slam the door shut after.

 

            “The is your problem..?”

            “MY problem? The is your problem?!” Woohyun spat out. Sunggyu blinked at the sudden attitude.

            “Nam Woohyun, calm down and tell me what’s keeping your pants under fire,” Sunggyu sighed.

            “You want to know what? It’s you! It’s YOU, I tell you!”

 

Sunggyu’s eyes went wide as he couldn’t help but think of what possibilities of him making Nam Woohyun’s pants ‘under fire’. He mentally slapped himself before he stood up abruptly, making the chair let out an obnoxious screeching sound.

 

            “Calm the down and tell me what’s wrong! SLOWLY!” Sunggyu went out of his desk and jabbed a finger at the boy’s chest.

            “How do you expect me to calm down when I let this monster spent the night in my place?!” Woohyun grabbed Sunggyu’s collar with one hand, glaring at the older.

 

Sunggyu quickly swatted Woohyun’s hand away and fisted the back of the boy’s uniform with his other hand. He shoved the boy down to his desk, not minding the small groan escaping the boy’s lips. Sunggyu grabbed the nape of Woohyun’s neck, pressing it slightly before he leaned down to the boy’s ear.

 

            “Do pray tell what made you barge into my office like an angry rabbit?” Sunggyu asked in a low tone, making the boy shuddered slightly.

            “A-angry rabbit?! What the fu—“

            “Answer me now, Nam Woohyun. Because my patience is running out,” Sunggyu growled. Woohyun whimpered slightly as Sunggyu pressed his fingers even harder.

            “Y-you… And Jongup… Doing things… T-things...”

            “The ?!”

            “W-wait, Sunggyu-hyung… Stop—Don’t—A-ahn…”

Sunggyu raised an eyebrow at the boy below him, “Nam Woohyun, did you just freaking moan?”

            “H-hyung, it tickles… Seriously, please let g-go now,” Woohyun bit his lips, trying to wriggle out of Sunggyu’s grasp.

            “Not until you tell me what made you think that I have with a freaking student,” Sunggyu narrowed his eyes.

            “Well… I guess the view here should be more than enough..?” A voice suddenly spoke up.

 

Sunggyu snapped his head to see Dongwoo smiling awkwardly with a lunchbox in his hand. He raised an eyebrow at him, as he was about to question the other man until he realized the awkward position he was in.

Sunggyu let go of Woohyun, who apparently wasn’t lying when he said it tickled since the boy’s face was beet red, and cleared his throat.

 

            “Dongwoo,” Sunggyu said.

            “Uh… I’m sorry, did I disturb you? Because you know, I can give you guys a few minutes to, err, finish up..? Oh wait, a few minutes won’t be enough, how silly of me,” Dongwoo laughed as he turned around.

            “W-wait, Dongwoo, seriously—“

            “Don’t worry, Sunggyu! I will keep this thing between the two of us!” Dongwoo grinned before he slammed the door shut, making both Sunggyu and Woohyun winced at the loud sound.

 

The atmosphere turned even more awkward as silence quickly eloped the two of them. Woohyun cleared his throat.

 

            “Well, I guess the teachers are not any better compared with the students,” Woohyun scratched his head awkwardly.

            “Shut up, it’s all your fault,” Sunggyu muttered.

 

‘I knew it. This school is mental. No one here is sane. How long am I going to last in this place? Oh God, please give me strength,’ Sunggyu frowned.

 

The man looked at the door direction to see Woohyun silently making his way out. Quickly, he grabbed the boy’s collar, pulling him inside.

 

            “Hold your horses, I’m not done with you.”

            “G-Gyu-hyung, you shouldn’t say things like that… They’re outside pressing their ears to the door—GYU-HYUNG!”

.

.

            “I knew it… I knew I’m not the only one,” Himchan wiped an invisible tear from his eye.

            “Congratulations for finally finding a buddy,” Dongwoo flashed a thumbs-up at Himchan.

 

Daehyun’s right eyebrow twitched as he stared at the two men eavesdropping in front of the infirmary.

 

            “You guys seriously need to see a psychiatrist…” Daehyun mumbled before he joined the other two pressing their ears to the door.