Jaejoong turned around at the sound of Sanghyuk's voice, his eyes wide. "Hyuk," he whispered, obviously just as startled as Hyuk was himself. Jessica looked between them, and for a moment Sanghyuk felt bad about how confused his new friend looked.

     "You two know each other?" she asked. Hyuk didn't answer, his gaze searching Jaejoong's face. He didn't know what, exactly, he was looking for there. Answers, perhaps? An explanation for the older boy's actions just a few short minutes ago? Or maybe just reassurance. Confirmation that the friendship that had blossomed between them was still there, still something that he trusted he could fall back on though he had known it for such a short time. But he found no such answers in Jaejoong's face. The older boy remained expressionless, his slightly feminine features giving no hint to either his thoughts or his feelings.

     "I... I guess you could say that," Hyuk muttered uncertainly, his gaze still fixed on Jaejoong's face. "We... we met this morning."

     Jessica seemed to notice his discomfort then and turned her attention to Jaejoong. "What did you do to the poor kid, Jae? He seems terrified of you."

     "I didn't do anything," Jaejoong snapped, his eyes flashing a dark black. Hyuk jumped, startled by the reaction, and his frightened gaze darted over to study the faces of Jaejoong's two friends, Max and Xia. The two boys appeared as startled as he felt, and that fact both comforted him and scared him. What could he have done to anger Jaejoong so? But he did not have long to contemplate it, for Jaejoong sighed, letting his gaze drop.

     "Sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to snap like that, Jessy."

     Jessica smiled faintly. "It's alright, Jaejae."

     Jaejoong gave her a small smile, then turned away from the office again. "Let's just get going, guys. We'll be late if we don't leave soon."

     Max nodded, motioning for Sanghyuk to join them. "Yeah. Come on, Sanghyuk." He pasued, biting his lip. "Can I just call you Hyuk?"

     "Sure," Sanghyuk said with a smile. "Most people do, anyway."

     "Cool," he said, smiling warmly. "I just wanted to make sure it was okay with you. I know I don't really like people to call me Changmin unless I'm close with them, and I've had some nicknames that I just hate."

     "Like Changchang?" Xia asked, speaking for the first time. Max winced at the name, galring at his friend.

     "Yes. Like Changchang. If you ever call me that again," he added, "I will wound you."

     Xia laughed, and after a moment Max joined him. Max motioned again for Hyuk to join them, and the three of them left the office. As they walked, Jaejoong joined them, though he said nothing to any of them. Max and Xia fell into an easy