[CONTENTID1]

twenty-two: extracurricular activities part two

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[CONTENTID2]

[Juyeon felt an overwhelming feeling of warmth and peace when she saw the brightness of the orb.] [/CONTENTID2][CONTENTID3]

Baekhyun slowly and patiently led her to the exit through the forest, and Juyeon couldn't help but shiver slightly. She would be the first student from the other three Wings to actually enter the forest. The forest that many claimed were haunted. The forest where you could hear howls and strange noises sometimes at night. The mysterious forbidden forest no one else was allowed into because staff claimed it was 'too dangerous'.

That forest.

Baekhyun pressed his hand against the scanner, which immediately lent him access. His face flashed across the electronic screen, along with his student ID and information, and the door unlocked with a loud click. Baekhyun pulled it open and said, grinning, "After you."

Juyeon walked out, staring in amazement. There was a small clearing around the door, showing a star-sprinkled sky far away from any city pollution, but everywhere else she turned there were tall trees, some so close that the trunks grew right next to the Academia walls, branches crawling up the sides like ivy. It was the middle of October, which meant the leaves were changing colour and beginning to fall. However, there were enough leaves still on the trees and enough conifers to cast deep, dark shadows. As Juyeon peered deeper into the forest, she saw some parts were so dark it could have been a black hole in the middle of the world.

There was a mysterious sense of beauty, timelessness, of the place. But in the middle of the night, it was also intensely creepy. Juyeon instinctively moved closer to Baekhyun, then when he looked at her, blushed and pretended she wasn't doing anything of the sort.

"Don't worry, there's nothing dangerous living in there," Baekhyun said cheerfully to her. "Well, besides the wolves, and the bears, and the snakes, and the rats …"

Juyeon gave him a look. "Are you going to say lions and tigers, too?"

Baekhyun laughed. "Maybe. But no, really, there are no super dangerous animals in the woods. Just us."

"The most dangerous animals of all."

"Yep. Now come on, it's this way." Baekhyun led her towards a small dirt path that twisted away into the darkness. Juyeon wondered how many times she'll trip in the dark.

"So, this fighting thing," Juyeon said as they walked through, with her brushing her fingers lightly against the back of his uniform jacket to make sure she wouldn't lose him and hoping he didn't notice. "Does Class 44 fight every single night?"

"Of course not," Baekhyun said. "The two classes are picked beforehand, although kids from other classes can go and cheer on the fighters if they want. We always go to see the fighting. Best to keep an eye on the competition. We don't need anybody taking our title."

"Title? You mean, Exo?"

Baekhyun laughed again, although this time it was a surprised laugh, and he sounded slightly nervous. "I can't believe you even know that term. It's kind of embarrassing."

"And stressful, I imagine," Juyeon observed.

Baekhyun abruptly stopped in the middle of the path, and Juyeon, unable to see anything, smacked right into him. She felt him turn to her, sounding amazed when he said, "You think it's stressful?"

Juyeon frowned, rubbing her nose. "Well, duh. You guys are called Exo because you're the strongest in the Korean generation of PCs, right? Of course that must be stressful. If you make one wrong move or show some sort of weakness, then people will start doubting your position. You're constantly living in fear that one wrong move will ruin your reputation."

Baekhyun seemed at a loss for words, which surprised Juyeon. Maybe he's never heard anyone sympathize with being an Exo before―considering all the Problem Children revered and practically worshipped the Exo in the first place, they probably would think it's shameful to complain.

Juyeon knew it all. She saw that kind of stress take its toll on mama. She knew what it could do to people.

"So, you … let's say―" Baekhyun seemed to be struggling to let it out. "If―if someone were to―to lose in a fight, would it―would it change your opinion on hi―on them?"

Juyeon tried to figure out what he was getting at. "No. Why would it?" Suddenly, she realized what he was trying to say. He wanted to be sure she would still be his friend if, for some reason, he lost the fight. She remembered Sumi's words and, in a burst of compassion, added, "Normals don't care about strength. As long as the effort was real, or whatever."

Did she actually think of herself as a normal now? She was definitely staying here too long. These psychos were getting to her.

Baekhyun was so quiet Juyeon thought he had left her in the pitch black forest. Then he gave a loud whoop of delight (which scared the bejeezus out of her) and pulled her into a boa constrictor-like hug. Juyeon would have blushed, but she was pretty certain her entire torso was cut off from its circulation.

"Aaack," Juyeon managed to say, which was all she could do when her rib cage was crushing against her lungs.

"Alright!" Baekhyun shouted, sounding much more spirited and lively than before, as he finally released her. "Let's go! We have a fight to get to!"

"Uh, yeah, whatever you say," Juyeon choked out, massaging her sides. "I think you pulverized my insides with that hug, Baekhyun. And you control light, right? Mind giving me something to, I don't know, look at?"

"Oh, right." There was a sudden burst of light that made Juyeon's eyes water. When she blinked back spots, she saw Baekhyun holding a soft, pulsing ball of pure light. It lit up the area, casting even creepier shadows on the trees. But Juyeon felt an overwhelming feeling of warmth and p