The rest of the boatride to Noksaek Island passed in a whirlwind of babbling speculation. 

"When did you recieve your letter?"

"Where did you go to school before this?"

"How did your parents react?" 

These and many other questions where asked and answered in a confusing flurry, but it was all done with an air of joy and anticipation. Jongin stood in the middle of it, swept up in the madness with a smile on his face and laughter dancing from his lips with an ease he had previously only known around his family and closest friends. He had just met these boys; in fact, he didn't remember some of their names, but there was something about the boatride and their destination that seemed to bond them.

No one knew how long it actually took them to reach the island, but by the time they did the sun had climbed a ways into the sky and the morning fog was almost entirely burned away. As they docked, there seemed to be no sign of anything on Noksaek save for trees, larger trees, and some more trees. The island had only a small band of sandy beach to speak of stretched out as a welcoming mat to the thick green forest. After sounding the horn for a few seconds, the ferry conductor stepped out of the cabin and onto the deck.

"Hello, students!" he cried in a bright, clear voice, "and welcome to Noksaek Island, home of the prestegious Shinbi University. Please leave your bags here, as they will be picked up and delivered to your dormitories by University staff. Proceed down the plank, to the dock, and onto shore, your guide will meet you to lead you up the trail towards campus. Thank you, and enjoy your semester!" 

The twelve of them shuffled and bustled down the damp wooden ramp, their elbows and shoulders bumping together due to the narrowness of the dock. Jongin fell in line towards the back of the group whilst some of the more boisterous boys raced ahead. Soon, though, they were all gathered in a loose semi-circle around their guide, who was an older female student. She was very cute and tiny, Jongin noticed, with round cheeks and a sweet eye smile. Her short blond hair curled around her face in a flattering way and her bright eyes sparkled in an almost hypnotizing manner. 

"Hello, First Years! It's great to see you all here this morning. I hope you're not too tired, for it's a little bit of a hike up to campus. Please form a double-file line behind me, and we'll start up the trail," she said, her voice melodic and bubbly, "Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself! I'm Sunny, a Fifth Year student here at Shinbi. Now. Follow me!" 

"WE'LL LEAD YOU GUYS!" Chanyeol shouted, wriggling up to the front of the group with Jongdae. The rest, with a laugh or a roll of their eyes, followed. Clambering up the trail in two neat little columns went Chanyeol and Jongdae, Baekhyun and Junmyeon, Kyungsoo and Yixing, Minseok and Luhan, Yifan and Sehun, and finally Jongin and Tao.

"Ah, if I had known there was going to be a hike through the woods, I wouldn't have worn these shoes," Junmyeon chided himself, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks as he strolled along. 

"Every day on campus is like a hike through the woods!" Sunny called back, motioning to the thick vegetation that surrounded them. Trees of all species and sizes grew thickly on either side of the path, letting only dappled pools of golden sunlight make it down to the forest floor. There, ferns and vines and moss intertwined with one another, covering almost every rock, log, and available patch of rich brown soil. The path upon which they walked was well worn and packed down and lined on either side by clean white stones. "When the University was founded, they made attempts to control and maintain the foliage, but soon gave up. Though the paths and courtyards are kept neat and clear, the areas between the buildings are like little forests."

"Dude. I'm going to be so good at climbing trees by the end of term," Sehun declared proudly. Jongin had to chuckle at that. "You want to join in? We can have daily training sessions," the other boy joked, looking over his shoulder at Jongin.

"Sure!" he replied.

"Ooh me too!" chimed Tao.

"Yes! Tree Climbing Club! I'm in!" Minseok exclaimed with a cheerful fist pump, which sent Luhan into a small fit of giggles.

"Whoa whoa whoa, but what if you fall?!" fretted Yixing, his kind face painted with of worry, "make sure you practice on small trees first. Like, really small trees. Sapplings." All thirteen of them, Sunny included, couldn't help but laugh at such a sweet remark. Everyone was still b with energy and excitement, and it was mounting with every step they took that led them closer to the mysterious University.

The hike up to the school was mostly uphill, and by the time they crested the final hump, everyone was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Sunny paused at the top and wated for everyone to catch up and gather around her again. The campus, which was spread out in a small valley before them, was breathtakingly beautiful. Clusters of grey stone buildings, neoclassical in architecture were visible between the patches of forest. Corinthian pillars, narrow archways, and tall windows accented each of them, giving them an individual personality whilst maintaining a cohesive overall design. In the center of it all rose a large long rectangular structure that looked more like a gothic cathedral than a University building.

"That's the Main Hall," Sunny explained, gesturing as she spoke, "it is located directly in the center of campus. In the buildings in front of it you will find the practice rooms and training facilities, flanking it are the classrooms, and behind it are the dormitories. All meals and University-wide meetings are held within the Main Hall. That is also where the professors have their quarters and offices. Oh! The infirmary is located there as well."

Gasps and murmurs of awe rustled through the twelve boys like wind through the leaves of the trees that surrounded them.

"It's beautiful," Luhan whispered, his large doe eyes glistening.

"There's so much room for activities," said a bewildered Chanyeol. Baekhyun snorted with laughter, breaking the magical moment of silence and snapping them back to reality.

"And down there is the front gate! Let's not stand around here any longer, campus is so much more exciting when you're actually on it!" Sunny proclaimed, and with that they were off once again. 

xxx

"These gates have stood here since before the University was even founded; they were originally part of the research facility that called Noksaek home for several decades before Shinbi was established," she lectured as they walked beneath the intricately wroght black iron gates that marked the offical entrance to campus. Here, the packed dirt trail turned into a set of beautiful cobblestone paths that wove from building to building between the patches of trees. The sun was high and bright in the sky now, but a cool, soft breeze was blowing in from the direction of the docks. "For the sake of time, we will just view the outside of the practice and classroom complexes, then tour through the Main Hall, and finally drop you off outside of your dormitory."

"What's in the practice facilties?" Jongdae asked, raising his hand like an primary school child as they walked along the path that curved around the large twin buildings. A covered walkway bridged the gap between them, below which stretched two large yards of pistinely groomed emerald grass.

"Inside, there are several rooms for dance, piano, and other musical training as well as an art studio, swimming pool, and basketball court. Outside, as you can see, is home to two courtyards. Although they have no official denominations, one is typically used for soccer and the other for track and field."

"There's a soccer field?!?" Minseok and Luhan yelped excitedly in unison. 

A dance studio? Jongin thought. He had trained in ballet from a young age and had been worried that he might have to give it up upon coming to Shinbi. A smile washed over his face as some of his distress melted away, replaced by the tantilizing thought of long hours of practice. 

"Does Shinbi participate in athletic competitions with other schools?" Junmyeon asked, furrowing his brow, "I've never heard of any team from this University." Sunny laughed nervously before replying.

"Oh, no. These facilities are just for student health. To compete against other schools would be...well...let's just say unfair for the other teams." Unsure of what she meant, several of the boys exchanged confused glances, "Anyway! Moving on! To your left you will see the buildings that house the science and business classrooms. And over on the opposite side of the Main Hall are the liberal and fine arts complexes. Now, let's take a closer look at each quad."

Sunny went on to explain class schedules, lab usage, and other important information as she led them around the grounds. Jongin remained silent, soaking in all of the scenery and as much of the information as he could. Some of the others were chatting under their breath while a few (mostly Chanyeol and Baekhyun) were trying to engage Sunny in conversation unrelated to her scripted tour. Jongin hadn't noticed that Kyungsoo had fallen back into step with him until the other boy spoke.

"Don't you think it's weird?" he asked, gently nudging Jongin with his elbow and looking around them.

"Think what's weird?"

"Have you seen any other students? This campus is like a ghost town. Where is everyone?" Jongin paused for a moment, suddenly realizing that what Kyungsoo said was true.

"You're right...maybe they're all in classes? Or orientation? Or haven't moved in yet?"

"Yeah...maybe. We've been walking around for almost an hour, though," Kyungsoo replied, his gaze already disengaged from the conversation. Jongin nodded and fell silent, but he was now on the lookout for any sign of upperclassmen.

"Alrighty! Now it's time to go through the Main Hall! I'll just take you around the first floor, since the upper levels are more of a private area for professors and staff," Sunny announced.

"Arts major! I'm going with arts major," Chanyeol concluded loudly, "look at the tips of her hair. They're dyed pink and green and blue and stuff. Telltale sign of an arts major." 

"Okay, okay. Yes, you guessed it," Sunny said with a sigh before pointing out and talking about some sculpture above the entryway of the Main Hall.

"Now was that really so hard? You could have just told us your major, instead of making us guess for the past fifteen minutes," teased Baekhyun, but if Sunny heard him, she didn't acknowledge it.

"In we go for the last leg of the tour!" As they filed into the hall after her, their exclamations of wonder bounced back at them in the large, echoy hall. Inside, they found themselves dwarfed by enourmous vaulted cielings held up by massive columns. Intricate designs were carved and sculpted into every available stretch of stone, and the ceiling was adorned with beautiful mosaics and frescos. Unlike a cathedral, however, they did not depict anything of a religious or biblical nature. Instead, they showed images of fantastic creatures and beasts; of faeries, nymphs, trolls, centaurs, wolves, bears, elves, warlocks, and the like. Beautiful vines and flowers framed each section, all of which seemed to be set up in a pattern that spiraled towards the center of the hall. Below all of this beauty sat six long wooden tables and twelve long wooden benches. Stained glass windows depicting similar scenes to those on the cielings ran along the walls of the room, casting colorful pools of light across the tables and stone floor. Giant iron chandeliers, coated in the wax of a thousand candles, hung low above the tables. At the opposite end of the room was a set of grand oak doors identical to the ones through which they had entered.  

"Wow! What's that?" Yixing sputtered, excitedly pointing up at the center of the ceiling. Nestled in the middle of all of the other mosaics and murals was a large circular piece that shimmered as if it was made from gemstones. It appeared to be a giant tree, with large twisting roots of gold that stretched out to connect with the edges of all the other images.

"That is the Tree of Life," Sunny explained, "it is said that it once lived at the center of this island, but there's no record of its location ever being described."

"Well, if it was here, and if it was that big, I'm pretty sure you could find it without needing a map or location description," Jongdae reckoned, "but I'm not really an expert on tree-finding."   

"You're right," giggled Sunny, "it's just a legend that makes for a pretty piece of artwork."

"Ooh, like a fairytale! I like fairytales," Sehun cooed. As Sunny explained mealtime schedules, they walked through the hall, past the tables, and out the other side.

"Because of unusually high enrollment in the upper classes, you First Years will have a dormitory building all to yourself for now! That may change, as we do sometimes have spring semester enrollment, but please enjoy this rare priviledge while you can. It is our oldest and smallest facility, but it is equipped with all the amenities you will need and should be quite cozy." 

Kyungsoo shot Jongin quizzical look and raised an eyebrow. If the University is at capacity, where is everyone? Jongin thought. Kyungsoo, as if reading his mind, shrugged.

Their new home, which looked like a storybook cottage, was set a little bit behind the other dorms, separated from them by a small stretch of pine trees that encircled it like a protective hedge. The building was made of wood and stone and had a sloped roof, out of which sprang several chimneys. The whole thing seemed a bit crooked in a charming way. There were a mixture of round and square windows, each with a different color of shutter. It looked less like a dormitory and more like a large house, and was even surrounded by an overgrown garden. Sunny nimbly led them through the bushes of flowers before stopping in front of the bright green front door.

"Here you are! This is as far as I need to take you, for I think you'll be able to find everything inside on your own. Your luggage will be in your assigned rooms. Switching is not allowed, unless you file an official request through the administrative offices above the dining area of the Main Hall. Remember, dinner service begins at seven and ends at eight thirty, so make sure you get there sometime in between then. Tomorrow you will each be summoned for a meeting with your advisor to sort out your class schedules, and the day after that, your first term begins! I hope you all aren't too worn out. Are there any more questions?" Sunny asked, blinking at them expectantly. They all stood in silence for several moments, shuffling awkwardly.

"Have the upperclassmen not arrived yet?" Kyungsoo asked, his usually quiet voice now loud and clear. 

"Oh! Um...no...I mean, yes, they have arrived and are on campus. As explained in your acceptance pamphlet, due to the complexity of the registration process for First Years, the upperclassmen start classes a week before you."

"Huh." Kyungsoo replied blankly, unsatisfied with the answer he recieved. Sunny's face, which had up until this point been friendly and open, now looked unsure.

"Alright. Well. I uh...I guess I'll be seeing you guys around. I know that this is a lot of information to take in all at once, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask your advisors tomorrow. Okay. Well. Have a great rest of your day! And good luck this semester!" She then split her way through the crowd and hurried off towards the other dorms. 

"Well that was weird," Yifan scoffed.  

"I think Baekhyun probably scared her," drawled Tao. Before the clearly offended Baekhyun could protest, Chanyeol interjected.

"Come on! We have a whole house to explore!" he shouted, bounding up the steps in a single leap and eagerly opening the front door. Equally excited, the other eleven quickly piled in as well.