Lucas and Ten sat outside principal's office, unable to stay still as they watched the time tick by on the clock. Their Mom had been called in after an incident, and it had been made obvious their side of the story wasn't about to be heard.
The two of them had simply been playing together on the playground during lunch recess. Their lunches were at the same time, so it wasn't uncommon for them to ditch their classmates and play their own game.
It also wasn't uncommon for them to get in trouble for being too loud or for accidentally almost running kids over in their games, but that was all in harmless fun. Nothing had ever gone further than a warning.
Today, though, they were seeing who could throw a rock the furthest. It wasn't even like they were throwing it into a crowd of kids playing, they were in the lawn portion near the playground and no one was even near the rocks. The rocks were even being picked up afterwards, so it truly was a harmless game.
Until they hit an underground bees nest and stirred up an angry hive.
The playground monitors claimed it as a direct act of public terrorism after a kid who was deathly allergic to bees was stung and sent to the hospital, and Lucas didn't even know what those words meant. Ten had tried explaining their game to the principal when they were escorted from the playground by one security guard too many, but he wasn't listening.
Their Mom had been in there talking with the principal and one of the monitors that had witnessed the event for almost half an hour now, and not once were they asked what had happened. They were thought of as delinquents that would lie to their faces just to save their skin and do it all again. Maybe next time targeting school officials.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Lucas whispered, even though his whisper tone wasn't that quiet, and Ten shrugged.
"I don't know. I can't hear them."
The door to the office swung open and the adults exchanged smiles and handshakes before their Mom left the room, a folder of papers in her hands that she hadn't taken in with her. Her smile dropped as soon as she saw them, and the only thing she said was for them to stand up.
It wasn't until they were buckled into their seats that Ten dared to ask what was going on.
"We're going home and packing. You two have made it clear that you are incapable of behaving when you are with each other." Lucas looked at Ten for an explanation of what was going on, but the older just stared straight ahead.
"Why packing?"
"The principal and I have decided that a boarding school is the only way to straighten you two out. We found two very nice ones in China and Thailand where you both will learn how to act properly." Her tone showed she was very pleased with her decision, and the two children in the back froze in fear.
Lucas barely even knew where China was on a map, let alone Thailand, but he did know it wasn't close to home at all. And if you weren't close to home, you weren't going to be visited. That much was learned when Taemin left for Sri Lanka more than a month ago.
"It was an accident! We can be good! I promise! Please don't send us away!" Ten pleaded, tears spilling down his cheeks and frightening Lucas even further.
"You've had plenty of chances. Trust me, you'll thank me when you've grown up enough to see what I'm doing for you."
...
Baekhyun paused as he entered the house with Taeyong. He had stayed after regular school hours just so he could walk home with his younger brothers, but only Taeyong was there. When they asked the office staff where the other two had gone, she simply said their Mom had picked them up from school.
Their Mom was never home when they came home from school, and the fact that she wasn't even though she had picked them up was terrifying.
"I don't even want to look for a note." Taeyong mumbled, his face paling at the multitude of scenarios running through his head.
Baekhyun took the younger's hand in his, clutching his necklace tightly with the other. They both could see the white paper sitting on the table from where they stood, but they didn't dare to come any closer.
It was obvious enough that now even more was riding on the wait until their oldest brother turned eighteen.