The air in the hallway was heavy again when Ten turned back to the group. The playful tone he just carried -and the boys usually know- was gone. Instead it was replaced by the sharp edge of a furious older brother
"Now to you guys!" he snapped. The boys stiffened.
"Do you even know how furious hyung was when the principal called?! His office looks like a storm hit it. He threw every damn stack of paper he could grab onto the ground. If it hadn't been for Johnny hyung, Doyoung and Lucas holding him back, he would have stormed in here himself- and trust me, he wouldn't have come to talk. He'd beaten the sense back into you!" Jeno flinched under his glare. "Especially you should-"
"Okayyyy, that's enough scolding now, Ten." Taeil cut him off gently. "Taeyong will do the rest..." he looked at the group. "Taeyong's waiting for you in the van. He wants to talk to you himself." he pointed toward the black vehicle parked outside the school gates.
The boys' heart dropped. No one liked "talks" with Taeyong. Those talks felt like standing trial.
They were just about to head outside when a sharp voice cut through the corridor.
"Sungchan!" Ryujin's voice carried across the hall like a whip.
The group turned around. Ryujin stode toward them- her steps portraying anger. Behind her, the girl emerged from the restroom with a towel draped around her neck- looking behind her friend confused.
"H-Hey...." Sungchan said awkwardly, walking toward the two girls too.
"Where are you going?" Ryujin demanded, stopping right infront of him- completly ignoring the rest of the boys. "You still have school..."
The boy scratched his neck nervously. "Y-Yeah... I just-"
"You promised your sister you'd stay with her today! And now you're leaving her again?! Was it not enough that you disappeared for almost a month, leaving her on her own?!" her voice cracked slightly at the end- not just from anger, but disappointment.
"Ryujinnie...." the girl's soft voice broke through the tension.
Sungchan swallowed hard, glancing over his shoulder at the boys- signalling them to leave already.
The others nodded and slipped away, leaving the siblings and Ryujin behind. "Ryujin, I was-"
"-Not there when she needed you! Again!"
Sungchan eyes flared- hurt yet with rage, clenching his fists. "You were not there either! Otherwise, she would not be standing here soaking wet!" he argued. He felt as if she's treating him unfairly.
"Guys..." the girl tried to stop their argument.
"And where are you going now with them?!"
"Guys, stop it!" the girl's voice echoed through the hall.
Ryujin's gaze never left Sungchan's- glaring at him. "Come on, Soul... I'll lend you my sports clothes..." she said, pulling her friend with her.
The girl turned to look back at her twin. He stood motionless in the hallway, watching her leave with a face that was both worried and ashamed. When they disappeared around the corner, he let out a long, frustrated breath and rubbed his face. "Great start of the day, Sungchan" he muttered, then headed outside to catch up with his friends.
¤
Outside, the van door slid open with a low mechanical hum- just enough to reveal their leader's face in shadow. His eyes were cold, sharp.
"Get in" Taeyong ordered, his voice low and monotone.
"But hyung-"
"I. said. COME IN!" He said through gritted teeth, interrupting Haechans sentence.
