Sunwoo's eyes fluttered open.
A pair of soft eyes came into view. Then his eyes travelled down along the nose and landed on a pair of plump pink lips. Sunwoo stared at it for a while, then closed his eyes again.
He licked his lips unconsciously. Wait, eyes....nose.....lips?
He opened his eyes again and shut his mouth with his palm. His hands brushed the side of Chanhee and he panicked. Chanhee let out tired noises.
"Youngjae-ah, let me sleep a bit more." He groaned out. Sunwoo daren't let out a sound.
Suddenly, Chanhee lifted his leg and attempted to cuddle anything in his reach. Unfortunately, Sunwoo was the only thing in his reach.
Sunwoo's breath hitched. His eyes darted all directions and he didn't know what to do.
"Huh? When did you grow taller, Youngjae?" Chanhee asked, confused.
No, no, don't wake up just yet, Sunwoo thought. But of course, luck wasn't on his side.
Chanhee opened his eyes, slowly and came face to face with Sunwoo. Both of them took a while before screaming at the top of their lungs.
Chanhee pushed himself away from Sunwoo while screaming. But Sunwoo grabbed his waist and pulled him closer. He stopped screaming for a moment.
Sunwoo and Chanhee stared into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. Sunwoo noted the way Chanhee's eyes were reflecting brightly and innocently. His eyes were clear and relaxed, something Sunwoo hadn't seen since the first time he met Chanhee.
(Cue in some cheesy drama ost😉)
"Ahem, what are you guys doing?" A voice snapped the two out of their trance.
Chanhee and Sunwoo turned their heads to the footboard to find Hyungseo and Hyunjae with a judging look.
They turned back to each other and pushed away.
"Ow~~" Chanhee let out a small cry of pain as he landed butt first on the floor. Sunwoo groaned and rubbed his back.
"Why did you hug me!?" Chanhee yelled as he stood up, fists clenched. Sunwoo felt wrongly accused and scoffed.
"Excuse me!?? You hugged me first!" Sunwoo pointed an accusing finger at Chanhee.
"Me? I thought you were a cushion!" He yelled back.
"And I thought you might fall off the bed!" Sunwoo yelled back.
"And I think we need a peaceful morning!" Hyungseo yelled, possibly louder than the two.
Sunwoo and Chanhee continued their glaring contest. Hyunjae looked between them thoughtfully, not saying anything.
"Come on, let's go get breakfast." Hyungseo pulled away Sunwoo as Hyunjae walked up to Chanhee.
"Don't fall for my charms." Chanhee warned Sunwoo, mockingly.
"Ha! Your charms? As if you had any!" Sunwoo retorted back arrogantly, not believing Chanhee had said that to him.
"Come on, breakfast?" Hyunjae suggested. Chanhee huffed and followed Hyunjae to the door.
Hyungseo opened the door and in tumbled Haknyeon. Hyungseo didn't look surprised as Haknyeon stood up and gave him a grin.
"Good morning!" Haknyeon greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning." Hyungseo said, then took a look outside. All of them were here. Hyungseo quirked a brow at the others pretending not to notice. He turned to Sunwoo, Hyunjae and Chanhee and clasped his hands together.
"I think our room's famous!"
"So, you mean that I'm going to be stuck with those three idiots for the whole time here." Chanhee deadpanned. Changmin gave him a pitiful grin.
They were now sitting in the dining room with Younghoon and Joonyoung at one table. Joonyoung had just explained to Chanhee that the room they got and the roommates were going to be permanent.
Chanhee kicked his legs as he thought of his roommates, Hyunjae, Hyungseo........ and Sunwoo.
"It's not that bad. At least you aren't roommates with Sangyeon." Changmin bit his chopsticks and casted his look down as he added, "Alone."
"I don't like it." Younghoon huffed. Changmin beamed at him and pinched his cheeks. Younghoon pouted. He didn't like the fact that his boyfriend was sharing a room with another (possibly hungry) man. But then, no one here knew about their relationship, yet.
"I'd rather stay with Sangyeon. He minds his own business." Chanhee huffed as he stuffed his face with a spoonful of rice.
They heard laughter and giggles erupting from another table. The four gumihos looked over at Youngjae to see him laughing heartily, talking to Haknyeon, Hyungseo and Hwall. They had a proud smile on.
"At least someone is satisfied." Joonyoung said.
Youngjae was rooming with Hwall and Haknyeon. The three kids seemed to get along very well. Chanhee was relieved Youngjae was adjusting well.
"Then if Changmin's with Sangyeon, and Youngjae's with those two, what about you two?" Chanhee asked.
"Juyeon." Both of the answered in unison. Chanhee nodded. Juyeon's not bad, just too quiet but he's fine.
Joonyoung winced as another headache washed over him. He put down his chopsticks and massaged the side of his head.
"I hate alcohol." He muttered.
"At least you are not Haknyeon. He threw up on Hwall's bed this morning." Changmin chimed in.
Chanhee laughed at that, then he felt a stare on him. He whipped his head around to see Sunwoo staring at him intensely. Chanhee gave him a brief side glare and turned back to his breakfast. He didn't need to waste energy bickering with him again.
"Chanhee! How was last night?" Hyunjae walked over, smiling ever so cheerfully. Joonyoung let out a grunt as he covered his ears.
"Oops, sorry." Hyunjae said, sheepishly.
"I'm fine. Just a little bit hangover and a small headache. That's all. But you seem quite fine." Chanhee said.
"Of course, stuff like this is a breeze for me." Hyunjae said proudly as he scooted over to sit next to Chanhee. As they were talking, Jungkook came into the room.
"Lessons start now." he announced and a stream of groans followed.
The twelve boys looked in confusion as Hoseok strolled in the lecture room with his teapot. All of them stood up and bowed to greet Hoseok which he waved it off.
Sunwoo watched as Hoseok sat down and rummaged through the papers on his desk.
"Is he gonna teach us gumiho facts?" Hyungseo whispered.
"It'll be fun, then. I need to know more so I can at least win Youngjae in something." Haknyeon replied. Youngjae was sitting right behind him. He nudged Haknyeon with his foot and frowned when Haknyeon gave him an innocent grin.
"So!" Hoseok clapped his hands together, startling most of them. Hoseok smiled somewhat mischievously at them. It made the twelve boys nervous.
"You already know my name. It's Jung Hoseok, you may address me as Sir during lecture time."
Youngjae raised his hand and Hoseok nodded, giving him permission to speak.
"And outside of lecture time?"
"Sir."
"Oh. Okay."
"Now, as Namjoon had told you before, you are going to be facing supernatural creatures. And I see that the gumihos here are incompetent yet," He side-eyed Younghoon, " and the normals here are....... well, in a lot more disastrous condition. But I am here to fix that."
Sangyeon rolled his eyes when Hoseok turned his back to write on the board.
"I saw that, Sangyeon." Hoseok said in a cheeky manner. Sangyeon remained silent.
"What's that?" Juyeon asked. Everyone looked at what Hoseok had drew on the board. It was a plain circle with arrow symbols pointing up and down with a swirl in between.
"Umm...., you, what's your name?" Hoseok pointed at Joonyoung.
"Bae Joonyoung."
"Ok, now Joonyoung, can you tell me what's this circle?" Joonyoung took a careful look at it, then at Hoseok.
"A fox marble, sir." Hoseok smiled, pleased.
"Correct. Of course you know. You should. Now, this is a fox marble and it's extremely important for the gumiho. And why is that?" Hoseok pointed to Hyungseo. Hyungseo looked puzzled and looked around for help.
"Umm... because he needs that to think?" Hyungseo answered, knowing full well it's wrong.
"Not that kind of marble." Hoseok grumbled and pointed to Changmin. Changmin hesitated before answering.
"It contains the knowledge of the sky and ground."
"And?" Hoseok tilted his head. Changmin looked up at him.
"And... the life essence of the gumiho." Changmin finished. A collective soft murmurs resonated the room. Hoseok nodded, satisfied.
"Yes. As Changmin has explained, the fox marble is extremely precious to its gumiho since it could typically be the life of the gumiho. Once it gets taken away, then puff!" Hoseok wriggled his fingers.
Hyunjae furrowed his brows. Then when Joonyoung helped Sangyeon, that glowing ball... was that?
Hyunjae turned to Joonyoung who was focusing on the teacher.
"Joonyoung, was that your..?" Hyunjae asked, quietly. Joonyoung side-eyed him and nodded. Hyunjae gasped a bit too loudly and slapped his hands over his mouth.
"Yes? Hyunjae? Anything interesting?" Hoseok asked, hands behind his back. Hyunjae shook his head, trying to appear normal. Hoseok smirked.
"Please, do share with the class what you were so amazed about."
"Oh, nothing. Just the first time hearing about fox marbles, that's all." Hyunjae grinned a little, hoping Hoseok would just let it pass now.
"Oh, so it's not the first time to see it?" Hoseok quirked his brows.
"Huh? No! I've never seen that glowing ball."
"I didn't say it glowed."
"I just thought it would?"
"Why? A fox marble doesn't glow. It's just a small marble."
"But I saw it glow in Joonyoung! He-" Hyunjae slapped his mouth shut again. Joonyoung squeezed his eyes shut out of frustration.
"Oh? So Joonyoung used his fox marble?" Hoseok grinned mischievously.
"Umm...sorry." Hyunjae mouthed to Joonyoung who just looked at him blankly.
"So, Joonyoung, is your fox marble that powerful to use it anywhere? Or just what situation was it for you to use it?" Hoseok asked. He looked like he got the juiciest gossip in town.
Joonyoung's eyes darted to Sangyeon who was also looking at him. Joonyoung averted his gaze and looked elsewhere.
"A person was in danger."
"Who?" Hoseok pushed on. Joonyoung gave a slight glare.
Chanhee was confused at Joonyoung's sudden reluctance to answer. He nudged Younghoon asking him why. Younghoon just patted his head and turned to Joonyoung again.
"It was me." Everyone whipped their head towards Sangyeon, "He saved me when I got shot by a poisonous arrow"
Hoseok's face brightened up with delight.
"Oh, he saved you using his fox marble? Then, you two must've... oh ho ho ho." Hoseok chuckled. Chanhee gasped.
"Joonyoung hyung did what!?" He was shushed by Sunwoo. Chanhee gave a glare at him and Sunwoo returned the favor.
Joonyoung's face was red with embarrassment while Sangyeon was confused. Hyunjae looked between them and decided to enlighten Sangyeon.
Sangyeon's eyes widened as Hyunjae told him the deeds. His face contorted into confusion, then to realization, then to embarrassment, then to... anger or humiliation, Joonyoung couldn't decipher.
"Oh, then I won't be needing to explain the procedure." Hoseok smiled widely.
"Umm, what procedure are we talking about?" Haknyeon raised his hand up. Hwall followed. The two of them hadn't seen Joonyoung saving Sangyeon.
Hoseok smiled at them.
"How we maintain the energy in the marble and how we use it to heal ourselves... and others."
"So how?" Hwall asked.
"Well, would you like a demonstration?"
"Sir!!" The five gumihos almost jumped off their seats as they raised their voices. Hoseok clutched his heart after bumping into his desk behind him.
"I. Have. A. Weak. Heart." He gritted out.
"Why do they need to know about this? I don't think it's necessary." Younghoon spoke out.
"Well, if you're a human and your opponent is gumiho, there may be necessary measures to take in times of desperation." Hoseok shrugged.
"Seriously, what are you talking about?" Haknyeon and Hwall looked around. Hyungseo patted the two's head as he pulled them into his embrace.
"Later." He whispered.
Once they were out of the lecture room, Haknyeon and Hwall pulled away Youngjae.
"What!" Youngjae said, as he shook off Haknyeon and Hwall's hands.
"So what about the fox marble? How do you use it?" Hwall asked with big round eyes. Haknyeon followed. Youngjae cringed at his two friends.
"Well, the marble is in our bodies. So we transfer it outside."
"How?"
"....mouth."
"Mouth? As in..." Haknyeon gasped. Youngjae nodded. Hwall still looked confused.
"Youngjae, promise me one thing." Haknyeon held Youngjae's shoulders tightly. Youngjae got startled by Haknyeon's sudden seriousness. Hwall gasped in the back after realizing what Youngjae meant a bit later.
Haknyeon looked right into Youngjae's eyes and said,
"Whatever grave situation I am in, even if I'm about to die, don't kiss me." He spoke in all seriousness.
Youngjae and Hwall remained silent, eyes blinking.
"Ew! Noooo!" Youngjae pushed away Haknyeon and strutted off.
Haknyeon stayed back, still in his serious state. Hwall shook his head.
So, these two were his roommates?