ii. School Applications
Flower Lover“Baekhyun-ah!” Yoonhae exclaimed, as she got nearer to the forest.
Baekhyun came from around the trunk. “Yes?” he asked.
Yoonhae sighed, as she kneed down to his level. “I can’t explain much, or talk to you long, but I promise I’ll find you a place to live,” she told him.
“Okay,” Baekhyun said simply, before he added, “but do I still get to see Jaekyu?”
“No,” Yoonhae snapped.
Baekhyun widened his eyes in surprise.
“I don’t want her to get hurt, like I did. There are reasons why I’m doing this Baekhyun-ah. Reasons,” she muttered.
“But I won’t hurt her, I promise!” he squeaked.
“I can’t take any chances right now. I bet you really are a good boy, but I’m afraid she’ll get too attached to you.”
Baekhyun stared at her. “You’ve gotten one before... haven’t you?” Yoonhae only sighed, and nodded her head.
“Yes, but that’s an entirely different story that would take too long to explain to you.”
Yoonhae handed Baekhyun a pair of pants, and a black and white plaid button up shirt she found. It would be the only clothes that would fit Baekhyun. “Here, wear this. When you’re a human, people judge you if you don’t wear what they wear, and that’s no good,” she explained.
Baekhyun stared at it. “How do I put this on?” he questioned. Yoonhae gave him an amused expression, which only reminded her of Luhan. She’d have to push through it this once. “Come on, I’ll help you.”
“Minhae unni! Sehun oppa!” Yoonhae exclaimed, as she walked up to the porch of their house, with Baekhyun in her arms. Sehun opened the door, and peered out. His expression brightened, as he saw who it was.
“Yoonhae-yah! Come in, come in! Who’s that?” Sehun asked, as Yoonhae came in.
“I’m Baekhyun,” Baekhyun repeated, with a big smile on his face, “I’m 13.”
“Ah... You’re Jaekyu’s age,” Sehun said with a chuckle.
Yoonhae gave him a look, before she put Baekhyun down in a chair. “Can't you feel it Oppa?” she asked him.
Sehun looked at Yoonhae in confusion. “What are you taking about?”
“He’s a flower, Oppa. A daisy,” she explained.
Sehun widened his eyes, before his attention turned to Baekhyun. He moved closer towards Baekhyun, and the vibe was there. “How many are you planning to get, Yoonhae-yah?” Sehun joked.
Yoonhae scowled. “One was enough, okay? It’s not like I planned for him to come. Jaekyu never sheds tears!” she exclaimed.
“Ah... So it’s your family line that gets the special treatment,” Sehun chuckled.
“Stop making this a joke. This is serious right now. I don’t want him to be like Luhan,” Yoonhae told Sehun.
Suddenly, Sehun stopped smiling. “You mean...”
“I mean it, Sehun. I don’t want him to abandon Jaekyu, leaving her heartbroken and in tears. I don’t want you to have to summon the flower god again, and I don’t want you to send him off. I just want Jaekyu and Baekhyun to be happy, seperately,” Yoonhae sighed.
“So what do you want me to do about it?” Sehun asked, as he crossed his arms.
Baekhyun watched in wonder. He had a feeling that Yoonhae would’ve had a flower before, but he never knew how sad the story had become. Usually, flowers are very helpful. It would be a miracle if you were chosen to become a human. It was a flower’s duty to protect and help the person they were assigned to. But he guessed that ‘Luhan’ didn’t follow the rules.
“I need you to keep him for me. Don’t ever let him near Jaekyu, okay?” Sehun pursed his lips. She doesn’t get it. Baekhyun’s supposed to help Jaekyu. If he’s not with her, then he’s just going to have to turn back into a flower. I don’t want him to turn into a flower. Being human is a privilege.
“Alright, I’ll keep him,” Sehun agreed.
Yoonhae gave him a stressed smile. “Thanks Oppa. Now, I have to go and check on Jaekyu. She could be getting an infection, and I can’t let that happen.”
Baekhyun was presented with a new wardrobe as soon as Minhae got home.
“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe Jaekyu got a flower... You’d think she’s well of with how Yoonhae and Jongin takes care of her,” Minhae told Sehun, confused at why Jaekyu out of all people got Baekhyun to transform. “Well, she’s clumsy. Baekhyun told me that she was crying when a branch stabbed her in the shin. You know how many times that girl gets hurt,” Sehun shrugged.
Baekhyun looked up at them with wide eyes. “Are you guys my parents now?” he blurted.
Sehun’s and Minhae’s attention turned to Baekhyun. Minhae smiled, before she nodded.
“Yes! You’re my son now. I’ll enroll you into school, and you’ll be showered with love,” Minhae gushed to Baekhyun, as she hugged him tightly.
“Baekhyunnie-yah, you want to see Jaekyu again, right?” Sehun asked him with a smile.
Baekhyun started to nod furiously. “Yes!” he exclaimed. “But wait... Jaekyu’s mom told me not to see Jaekyu anymore,” Baekhyun whispered dejectedly.
Sehun pursed his lips, and said, “Well, what’s a job of a flower in a human form again?”
“To protect your transformer, and to make him or her happy! Mr. Goo made me repeat it four times before he let me go to transformation school!” Baekhyun exclaimed cheerfully, as he nodded his head. Sehun tilted his head in confusion.
“They have transformation schools now?”
“Yeah! The pollen had been gossiping about how this transformed flower never got the rules on what to do when it transformed, so Zhu Hua created a transformation school for flowers who are granted to transform. I went, and I had all high marks!” Baekhyun bragged.
Minhae chuckled at his cuteness.
“And what did they teach at the transformation school?” she questioned. “Hm...” Baekhyun hummed, as he tapped his finger on his cheek to help him remember. “They taught us rules, and how to write, and how to find out if someone is really sad or not. They didn’t teach us anything about clothes, though...”
Sehun shook his head. “Oh Luhan... Look at this revolution he’s created,” he muttered to Minhae.
Minhae laughed. “I think it’s cute how they’re teaching the little ones what to do. Now they won’t make the mistakes Luhan did,” she commented.
Baekhyun looked at Minhae. “Mom... who’s Luhan?” he asked.
She gave him a bitter smile, as memories of a heartbroken 16-year old Yoonhae came flooding back into her mind. “He’s the one who made Jaekyu’s mom think that you’ll do something bad to Jaekyu. Luhan was her flower. Luhan was the whole reason why the transformation school was created, I’m guessing,” Minhae explained.
Baekhyun gasped. “But I’ll be nothing like him! I’m very caring towards people!”
Sehun nodded his head.
“We know, we know Baekhyunnie-yah... That’s why I’m going to sign you up for the same school as Jaekyu. Just... Promise me that you won’t let Yoonhae ever see you, do you hear me? We’ll all be in trouble if that happens.”
The next day, Sehun and Baekhyun went into Seoul’s School of the Arts at 5 pm sharp.
“Hello mam’, I would like to enroll my son into this school,” Sehun told the office lady.
She looked up at him, with an unamused look. “Sir, do you realize that only the best of the best students take place at this school? You can’t just waltz in here, and ask to enroll your kid. He at least has to have some type of talent,” she chided, before she looked back down at her paper work.
Sehun looked down at Baekhyun, who peered at him with wide eyes.
“At least give him a chance,” Sehun suggested, as he looked back up at her.
She sighed, before she looked back up at him.
“You’re not going to give up, are you?” she asked him.
Sehun smirked, before he shook his head.
“My son has to go to this school. Give him a chance,” he pressed, as he leaned against the counter.
The lady rolled her eyes, before she pulled out an application from her desk’s drawer.
“Fill it out, and I’ll get one of the music teachers who is still in the building to tend to you in a bit.”
“Byun Baekhyun?” Mr. Jang asked, as he raised an eyebrow.
Baekhyun jumped out of the seat he was waiting in, and beamed. “I’m Baekhyun! I’m 13!” he exclaimed.
“Hi Baekhyun, I’m Mr. Jang.” Mr. Jang chuckled, before he motioned Baekhyun to take his seat back. He sat down in front of Baekhyun.
“So what is your talent? Rapping? Dancing? Singing?” he probed, as he scanned the list on the form.
The talent section was blank, except for the words, ‘Please find him one’.
“Hmm...” Baekhyun hummed, as his lips jutted out in thought.
“I don’t think I can rap,” Baekhyun confirmed with a nod.
Mr. Jang laughed light heartedly, before he suggested, “Why don’t you try to sing then. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Baekhyun thought about it, before he broke out into a smile and nodded his head.
“Okay! My dad sung me a song yesterday. Maybe it would work!” he told Mr. Jang.
Mr. Jang smiled, before he nodded.
“Alright. I’m ready when you are.”
Mr. Jang braced himself for medicore, and maybe a bad sounding voice. Maybe this kid doesn’t have what it takes.
“But I won’t hesitate, no more, no more. It cannot wait, i’m sure. There’s no need to complicate, our time is short. This is our fate, i’m yours~ Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, ehh~ Eh~ So open up your mind, and see like me, open up your plans and then you’re free. Look into your heart and you’ll find love, love, love, love (I’m Yours, Jason Mraz)... Uhm...” Baekhyun hummed, as he forgot the rest of the lyrics.
He his lips, as he looked at the wall. How come he can’t remember it anymore?
“I’m sorry Mr. Jang, but I forgot the rest of the lyrics,” Baekhyun told him sheepishly.
Mr. Jang had no emotions right then. He had to process everything, which left Baekhyun confused.
“Mr. Jang?”
Mr. Jang shook his head, which caused him to snap out of his thoughts.
“Wow Baekhyun, Wow! Your voice is amazing! Are you sure... you’ve only heard this song once?” Mr. Jang asked, impressed that such a young boy would posess such a voice. Baekhyun nodded his head, smiled, and his eyes turned into little cresents. “Of course! My dad sung it to me yesterday, when it played on t.v. I think he’s my new favorite singer! I think his name was Jason Mraz. He’s from America!” Baekhyun shared happily.
Mr. Jang just nodded his head, and returned Baekhyun’s excited smile.
Baekhyun was going to fit in just fine, Mr. Jang thought. Just... Fine.
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