11: a glimpse in their academy life
Alt. Title: scars are hot
z. yusheng-gege
eat properly, little leader
Minutes passed yet Ho-Jun's eyes never shifted away from this short message.
Even though the person who sent this could not be seen, Ho-Jun had a feeling that the one who sent this text message was not Yusheng-gege at all.
In fact, it felt more like his... brother.
Annoyed, he threw the phone on the desk while he lied on the bed. Taking off the masks, it revealed his scowling expression but if anyone were to see it, they would only call him cute.
"... stupid, annoying brother."
Yet, at that moment, not a hint of annoyance laced those words. Just fondness, one that Ho-Jun did not even realize.
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"Do you think he knows?" Tian Longwei glanced at his secretary's phone in worry. Even though he used Yusheng's number to send his didi a text message, he thought that perhaps Xiao Yuyu would figure out that it was him who sent it.
Xiao Yuyu was so smart, after all.
Speaking of Xiao Yuyu, those subordinates of his didn't even manage to get a single photo of his didi! The last time Longwei saw Xiao Yuyu was three fucking years ago! "Yusheng!"
"What?" The secretary stopped reading the documents on the desk to glance at the man-child about to throw a fucking tantrum.
"Go to Korea and take a selfie with Xiao Yuyu. Then, come back here."
"..."
"Why are you giving me that look?" Longwei saw the utter disgust written on Yusheng's face before the secretary schooled his expression.
Yusheng then rolled his eyes. "You're ordering me to go to Korea, just to take a selfie with little leader?"
"Yeah? Why are you still sitting there?"
"..." Fuck my life. "Got it. I'll get the Xiao brothers here to take care of the paperwork."
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Ah, gotta get this to Jiwoo and Wooin before they eat the cafeteria's shit. Ahn Ho-Jun picked up the pace, making sure that the two lunchboxes in his hold did not sway. He had finished his spars early, so Ho-Jun went on ahead to the unaffiliated area instead of waiting for Jisuk and Subin, that pair of dumbasses.
"None of what you said is true, you prick!"
A voice came from the cafeteria. Oddly enough, Ho-Jun was wuite familiar with it. After all, that guy - Kang Sucheon - had been giving him the death stare since day one. Though, he would always look away once Ho-Jun stared back.
What greeted Ho-Jun the second he stepped inside was Kang Sucheon about to hit Jiwoo. Stunned, Ho-Jun only felt relief when Lee Jaehyuk - that moron who once sent people to search Jiwoo's house - stepped in to mediate. Well, more like to protect Shinhwa's name.
"Hey, Sucheon, he's a kid that Shinhwa brought. I'm not letting you lay your hands on him." Lee Jaehyuk might have disliked Seo Jiwoo, but this kid now holds the name of Shinhwa, so the both of them were on the same side right now. Jaehyuk was not going to let anyone disrespect Shinhwa.
But when he caught a glimpse of a pair of electric blue eyes in the background, all the courage Jaehyuk mustered popped like a balloon. What's that crazy guy doing here?!
In an instant, Jaehyuk stood straight, like a soldier, stunning everyone. Even Kang Sucheon was slapped in the face by surprise.
Seo Jiwoo then saw the reason for Jaehyuk's odd reaction. "Ho-Jun!"
That name made Kang Sucheon freeze.
"Kang. Su. Cheon," Ahn Ho-Jun emphasized each syllable of his name, causing Kang Sucheon to straighten up.
Though Sucheon was an arrogant person, he didn't believe that he could beat Ahn Ho-Jun on his own. Don't make him laugh, there was a reason why the older generation deemed that crazy guy as the strongest in the new generation. He once had the luck to witness Ho-Jun few years back. It was when his father took him abroad to widen his horizon.
The Cai Shen Clan was recruiting unaffiliated Awakeners, discovering those who had powers but had no idea of their identity, and giving them a place in Cai Shen Clan.
At that time, Kang Sucheon was just an eleven-year-old kid.
There, at the site of recruitment, was a child around his age, surrounded by intimidating men in what seems to be traditional chinese robes - were they called changshan? He couldn't remember. But their aura intimidated not only him but also the people from Baekdu who came along with him and his father.
The child had a gloomy aura around him, eyes narrowed in anger, eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Sucheon could even imagine a scowl behind that medical mask the child wore.
A commotion occurred in the crowd of unaffiliated Awakeners, and someone rushed out. That person appeared in a frenzy, like a wild animal set loose. A ball of flame flickered into existance at the palm of his hand, his figure heading straight to the gloomy child.
At first, Sucheon thought that his bodyguards would take that person down before he could approach the child but what he saw appeared to be beyond his imagination.
Instead of waiting to be protected, that child reached out his hand, fingers spread open. From afar, Sucheon couldn't hear a single word but a gray shadow rushed towards the frenzied person out of nowhere.
In the next second, a pool of blood formed at that person's feet. The gray shadow was a mechanical wolf; it bit into that person's shoulder, and a deafening crack echoed in the silence.
Then, a scream of utter fear and pain filled Sucheon's senses.
Ever since, Kang Sucheon hoped that he would never again see that child.
But fate was a bitch.
That child who terrified him so much now stood behind him, grabbing his shoulder with one hand. His very presence sent shivers down his spine, and Sucheon couldn't find the strength to speak a single word.
"I think I've been a bit too behaved in class that you have the fucking guts to lay a hand on my friend."
Electric blue eyes emitted an ominous glow. Now, not only was Kang Sucheon afraid to speak, but the rest of the students in the cafeteria as well.
Hell, one of them dared not breathe lest Ho-Jun directed his attention towards them.
"That's enough," Jang Giwook arrived just in time before Ho-Jun could do anything. "What are you guys doing here?" His eyes swept over them, only looking at Ho-Jun for a second before he fixed his stern gaze on Sucheon and his group
Knowing that they were saved, Sucheon and his group quickly made their way out, not even looking back.
Now that they were out of sight, Ho-Jun scoffed and handed the lunchboxes to Jiwoo and Wooin.
"I told you," the germaphobe scowled behind the mask. "To not eat the cafeteria's shit."
"..." Jiwoo chuckled nervously. "Sorry, we were too hungry."
"... sorry."
The both of them looked down, as if they were children being scolded by their mother.
Jeongsu and the others were gobsmocked by this. The speed of which Ho-Jun changed was fast enough to give them a whiplash.
"You three," Jang Giwook eyed the three affiliated students, not even giving Ho-Jun any special attention. "Go back to your dorms, too."
Lee Jaehyuk sighed in relief. "Yes, sir."
Choi Boyoung glanced at Jiwoo, and nodded in farewell. This surprised Jiwoo who thought that they would ignore him now that Kang Sucheon was gone. While the two Shinhwa students left, Ahn Ho-Jun stayed in place, causing the atmosphere to tense up yet again.
"Well?" Jang Giwook raised an eyebrow at the youth, who stubbornly glared at him. "Don't make me call Yusheng."
Like a cat whose fur stood up in fright, Ahn Ho-Jun quickly left but not before waving a hand at Jiwoo and Wooin.
Fuck, Ho-Jun huffed as he made his way back to his dorm. I forgot Yusheng-gege gave his number to Mr. Jang.
And by 'giving his number,' Ho-Jun meant it in a 'Yusheng-gege's romantically interested' way. His Yusheng-gege had a thing for buff, handsome men, after all. And in Yusheng's words, "The scar adds to that handsomeness!"
Well, Ho-Jun fell into deep thought. I guess Yusheng-gege has a point.
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"This proves that Shinhwa and the Union are still looking down at us. If not, they wouldn't have made such a decision."
"Ah," a melodiuos voice came from the head of the table. But none of the teachers present felt something out of place. "How could you say that? Perhaps Shinhwa and the Union are just moved by those kids' determination to get stronger? If I were Mr. Inhyuk and Mr. Giwook, I would also make the same decision."
"Hey, just whose side are you on-"
Seong Siyeong, Kang Suhan, Ko Miyoung, and Young Chul froze.
A stranger now sat at the head of the table, drinking what seems to be tea in a thermos cup. The scent of osmanthus tea - sweet and buttery - lingered in the air.
Obsidian eyes narrowed even further, giving this man a fox-like image. "Do you think our Cai Shen Clan's objective - to give unaffiliated ones a place to train their powers - is a joke?"
The temperature in the room drasticaly decreased.
Zheng Yusheng had arrived a couple of moments ago. He wanted to wait outside to meet the principal - Han Seongik - when he overheard the conversation inside the faculty room. Although Cai Shen Clan was built for one person, their surface objective was to help unaffiliated Awakeners. Not only would they voluntarily join Cai Shen Clan, but they would also be loyal members.
Most of Cai Shen Clan's members used to hide from society, thinking that they were different and an abomination. Some were terrified because they were afraid that mad scientists would dissect them to figure out where their powers came from.
Yusheng himself thought the same way. If it weren't for Longwei reassuring him that having powers was nothing abnormal, and that there was a society just for them, Yusheng might have locked himself up in his room for the rest of his life.
Cai Shen Clan was not just an organization that solely focused on their little leader - though there was a group specifically assigned to him - but also to the unaffiliated. Even though Longwei and Longyu were two different crazy idiots, they still followed the teachings of their ancestors, and helped the unaffiliated in any way they can.
So, hearing these people belittle the unaffiliated ruffled Yusheng's nerves.
"Well?" Though he smiled, that smile contained killing intent.
Fortunately for the four idiots, someone arrived just in time to quell Yusheng's anger.
"Yusheng?" Jang Giwook stiffened at the sight of Zheng Yusheng in the faculty room. Giwook just wanted to get something from the faculty, who would have thought he'd see Yusheng here.
Instantly, the biting chill around Yusheng morphed into a sparkling aura. His cold expression turned bright and warm. "Mr. Giwook! You look as handsome as ever."
Jang Giwook whose face resembled the color of rouge: "..."
Seong Siyeong, Kang Suhan, Ko Miyoung, Young Chul: "..." Is this still the same guy who was ready to fight us just now?
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"Fuck off, bitch!"
"C'mon, you have such a cute face but you're hiding it from the world!"
Subin and Ho-Jun wrestled each other on Jiwoo's couch, while Jisuk watched them and ate popcorn. On the other hand, Jiwoo was busy showing the unaffiliated kids his tabby cat - a.k.a. Casein Nitrate, a k.a. Kayden.
A phone suddenly rang, playing the japanese folk song sakura but someone seemed to have edited it. Instead of a normal folk song, it became like a horror movie theme song.
A chill ran down everyone's spine and sent Ho-Jun baffled looks, wondering what was up with his brain to set that song as a ringtone.
"Hello?... Ah!... Yeah, I'm free. Wait for me, Yusheng-gege!"
And they watched Ahn Ho-Jun skip out the room.
He skipped out of the room.
For some reason, they were more frightened at that sight instead of the ringtone.
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"A spar with the unaffiliated kids?"
Jisuk, Subin, and Ho-Jun shared a look before saying, "Yeah, we're not taking part," at the same time.
The rest of the Union and Shinhwa also dropped out of the spar.
Don't make them laugh, Jiwoo and Wooin were considered unaffiliated but they were already a member of Shinhwa and the Union - though, unofficially.
"Ya'll are the very best, huh?" Although Sucheon spoke, he didn't even dare to glance their way. As if he had the courage to accidentally make eye contact with a certain crazy teenager.
"Sucheon, stop with the bullshit." Subin said in exasperation. Didn't this idiot get tired of antagonizing everyone?!
"What bullshit? How rude. It should have been us fighting each other, instead of that so-called spar we've been doing since day one." Unlike normal spars, the spars the affiliated students had been doing were done in a way that everyone had to analyze each combatant's moves and decisions.
They couldn't go all out nor could they injure each other.
The spar was more on analyzation instead of testing one's combat prowess.
"Ho," Ho-Jun breathed out, causing Sucheon to shut his mouth. "If it's a shitty spar you want, I think I can give you that." After all, even if Ho-Jun made a scene, no one - not even the principal - would dare to scold him.
Well, actually, there was Jang Giwook.
"Just prepare to get your ass kicked, fucking wimp."
Jisuk, Subin, and Ho-Jun high-fived each other, causing the others to blankly stare at them in an unamused manner.
"Beat his ass 'till it's flatter than Subin's!"
"What do you mean by that?! Do you think my ass is flat, bastard?!"
"Duh, look in the mirror."
"Fuck you, Jisuk!"
"Please, you're not my type."
"Will the both of you shut the fuck up?! You're getting on my fucking nerves."
"No, you shut up!"
"Did you just fucking yell at me, you ugly bitch?!"
The affiliated students watching the three of them get into a brawl: "..." Psychos!
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EXTRA
"Ho-Jun, give us money."
"Money?" Ahn Ho-Jun furrowed his eyebrows. "Why the fuck are there so many broke shits like you guys?" Scratching the back of his head, he pulled something out of his pocket.
A simple, undecorated wallet.
Then, he pulled out a black ATM card. "Help yourselves out, this shit has no limit."
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"Take off your mask."
"Do you want me to fucking die from being exposed to all sorts of germs? Do you know just how shitty the air is, how many microscopic dirt lingering in the air, and just how fucking dirty everywhere is?!" The more he spoke, the more agitated Ho-Jun became.
By the end of his rant, Ho-Jun passed out from scaring himself.
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"Please clean my house."
"It's a fucking deal."
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"Wanna go fishing?"
"Give me a sec to throw Jisuk and Subin in the pond. Then, we can fish."
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"Can I be your sugar sister?"
"No." Ho-Jun then grabbed something from his wallet.
It was a spare ATM card. "Stay the fuck away from me, germ."
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STELLE/CAELUS, THAT'S NOT YOUR TRUE LOVE, IT'S DAN HENG'S DRAGON FORM-