The five children sat themselves down at the edge of the sandbox tapping their chins deep in thought. It was recess and they didn’t have even the slightest idea of what to do. The oldest, Onew, was thinking extra hard since he felt that he was like the leader of his group and that he should be the one coming up with the best ideas. Jonghyun, though he seemed to be thinking extra hard, actually had his mind elsewhere. Kibum stared at his leader impatiently waiting for his answer, Minho joining him with his large brown glossy eyes. Taemin being the youngest stayed quiet as to not interrupt the eldest’s thoughts.

“How about we…?” Onew stopped midsentence to rethink. “No… we did that yesterday… What do you think, Kibum?”

“How am I supposed to know? We’re wasting recess, hyung!” Kibum complained irritated. “Let’s just play here then…” Kibum picked up a bucket and shovel. He started to shovel large amounts of the box sand into the bucket.

“But, but!” Onew protested. He eventually gave up and joined Kibum on his sandy project.

“Minho-hyung…?” Taemin asked pulling at the elder’s sleeve. Minho looked down at him and nodded. “Can you push me on the swing…?” He smiled his partially toothless smile. Minho fell for that face every time.

“Okay, Minnie-ah!” Minho agreed taking Taemin by the hand to the swing set. Taemin sat himself down on a big kid swing and grasped the chains tightly. Minho stood behind him and gave his back a few good pushes. “Is that high enough, Taemin?”

“Yeah! Thanks, hyung.” Taemin called out. Minho stood to the side and continued watching his friend enjoy his aerial experience.

When Jonghyun finally snapped out of his dream world, he realized that everyone was off doing their own things. “No one told me anything!” He shouted kneeling into the sand. “This stuff takes too long…” He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the half built sand castle. In actuality it was more like a big lump with stones on it for decoration.

“This is going to be the bestest castle ever, Onew-hyung!” Kibum exclaimed excitedly. He continued to shovel sand into the bucket with a look of determination.

“’Course it is, Kibum! It’s because you’re building it with me.” Onew told him proudly. “This will be known as the bestest sand castle ever!” Kibum nodded happily.

“You guys are no fun.” Jonghyun said grumpily. He slowly made his way towards the jungle gym. “Hey, Yoona! Play with me!” He ran over as soon as he called her. When he caught up with her, they started to play Save the Princess with Kikwang and Yoseob.

“Yoona! I’ll save you from the fierce dragon!” Yoseob exclaimed bravely holding a branch to the air. He started to pretend hit Ki-dragon with his weapon.

“Oh Yoseob! Save me!” Yoona called out waving a white handkerchief in the wind.

“Not if I save you first, Princess Yoona!” Jonghyun shouted bringing in his own branch of mass destruction.

“Minho, thanks for pushing me.” Taemin said jumping off the swing once it slowed to a stop. Minho ruffled his hair and the two joined Kibum and Onew at the sandbox once again.

“Hyung… what is that…?” Minho asked hesitantly. The two looked down at the pile that was to be known as Princess Castle Awesome due to their cooperative naming project.

“Isn’t it amazing?!” Onew shouted happily. “To finish it off…” He took a stick from the ground around the box and stuck it through the middle. “A flag!”

“It’s beautiful!” Kibum said tearing up. “So beautiful…” Minho still stared down at it not knowing what to think. He was trying hard to comprehend exactly where everything was.

“This here’s the washroom.” Onew explained pointing to a small lump next to the larger one. “And here’s the living room.” He then gestured towards the right part of the large bump.

“Uh-huh…” Minho said still confused. “Well… it’s nice…” Taemin tugged at his sleeve again. Minho bent down for the little one to whisper in his ear.

“What is it…?” Taemin mumbled taking quick glances towards the sand. “I don’t get it…”

“It’s a castle…” Minho replied as though in disbelief.

“Ah…” Taemin still sounded puzzled. He was picturing the big gray stone castles that he always saw when he read books. “It’s really great, hyung!” Kibum and Onew exchanged prideful expressions. Just then Jonghyun came crashing into the sandbox. When the smoke settled down, Jonghyun was on the middle of the ‘extravagant castle’ with Kikwang under him.

“I have caught the dragon, Princess Yoona!” Jonghyun cheered throwing his hands up. “Now Princess Yoona, you have to marry me!” He didn’t notice the fierce almost deadly eyes that Onew and Kibum were shooting him and continued with his capture.

“Jonghyun, that hurts! Stop it!” Kikwang yelled out from underneath him. He was half buried into the sand but Jonghyun was too zoned out to notice.

“Yah!” Onew screamed. He slowly earned Jonghyun’s much divided attention.

“What, hyung?” Jonghyun questioned innocently. When Onew pointed angrily down at the sand beneath them, Jonghyun’s eyes widened. “Uh, hyung. I didn’t know! I didn’t!” He frantically looked around for an excuse and instead decided to run off. Of course Onew and Kibum were right behind him throwing their fists into the air.

“If I catch you…!” Onew threatened him. Soon enough they were out of sight.

“And the dragon lives again!” Kikwang shouted towards the sky. He followed his exclamation with a mocking laugh and proceeded with flying away; and by flying away, I mean fluttering his tiny little hands beside him making ‘woosh’ sounds.

“Well this was a rather normal recess, huh, hyung?” Taemin pondered looking up at Minho. Minho’s eyes were still fixated on the now hollowed sand.

“I still don’t get it!” Minho yelled frustratingly. He started to kick the sand back into the emptied spot only to realize that he only got the sand inside his shoes as he walked away. Just then the bell rang signaling all the students to head inside. All the children frantically made their ways to the door.

Yoona climbed down the steps from the jungle gym slowly. “Hey! I’m still in danger! Yah! Yoseob-ah!” She screamed watching the blond head of hair skip nonchalantly away. “I swear, the nerve of knights these days…”

And that was how their twenty minute recess went that day. Adventurous, dangerous, strange and weird, which is actually normal for this group of children at this one of a kind school.