Matryoshka Doll - NoRenMin ✔︎

Chapter 2

July first to August twenty-seventh wasn't that much time to prepare but it didn't matter if they each started getting everything together as quickly as possible.

Uniforms, spare clothes, books, backpacks, miscellaneous things. Everything had to be prepared but at least the school would provide their necessities such as groceries, toiletries, and beds along with the sheets and pillows.

Renjun's two older brothers had gone near feral when they found out about the recruiting letter and their parents had to shut them up before the police came for them. They normally made a ton of commotion but this time they had been making so much noise of excitement that the neighbours had started going outside to look at what was happening in the Huang household.

On the opposite side of the country, Jeno had a dinner with his entire extended family on his Dad's side. He found out his cousin, Donghyuck, had also been recruited and he was glad he would at least know one person. His entire family was so proud of the two boys and just knew greatness would come of them.

Then there was Jaemin. He had been in a good mood since the day he found out he was able to go and his parents liked that. He was almost never so joyous and they thought it was a nice change. Jaehyun always brought him a little something after summer classes each day as a way of showing happiness and pride for his little brother.

The days were going by quicker and quicker and as each day passed, butterflies started building in their stomachs. The day before they were due to mount the boat that would take them to the school, each family had a goodbye party and a road trip to the boating dock so they wouldn't be late the following day. Early sleep was necessary in order to arrive on time and before they even realized, the one memorable day in August had arrived. They didn't have to wake up extremely early to get to the boat but sometimes, such rare life occurrences were enough to wake you up before you wanted. So in that case, the lower Northern centre of the country had activity going on before the sun even peeked through the sky, activity from the East, West, and South preparing for the travel in a few hours.

The station was crowded. Yeah, it was normally crowded but this time, there were more people than usual. Several students were spotted in the uniform along with their families. The neat, black dress shoes, grey trousers with a black belt, and a form-fitting, purple, long-sleeved turtleneck with the school logo was their uniform. 

Turtleneck? Yes. Especially since the school was in the North and it was normally chilly there. 

If it were a normal institution, it would've been in a location where it'd have easy access but for some reason, it was situated two days driving from most civilization and so they had constructed a path through a river that'd allow them to get to the location within an hour. It was mysterious but it had worked for as long as the place had existed and no one had questioned it since it was constructed.

"Hurry up, Ren."

"Shut up, Yukhei. You have longer legs than I do and why do you seem more excited than I am?" Renjun asked his eldest brother as he struggled to keep up with his giant brothers.

"Just walk faster and stop talking," Kunhang, his other brother, said carrying one of Renjun's bags.

Renjun looked adorable to all who saw him simply because he was tiny compared to his two giant siblings and his fluffy hair bounced as he tried to keep up with them. They coo-ed at him internally but the moment they spotted Yukhei and Kunhang stomping their way carrying Renjun's luggage, everyone parted like the red sea to prevent being possibly stepped on.

._._.

"Hurry up, Jeno," Taeyong complained. 

"I'm going as quick as I can! You just have long ass legs!"