"What have you guys seen so far?" Daewhi asked, his tone bright with curiousity. Haecgan scratched his neck. "Uhmm... the hallway, the classroom, the campus, and, well... the entrance" He listed, counting on his finger.
"And this garden here.." Renjun added with a small smile, brushing his hand over the leaves of a nearby bush.
Daehwi's eyes lit up. "Ahh! Then you still have a lot to see!"
"Do you guys know where the principal's office is? Or the cafeteria?"
All the boys shook their heads almost in unison.
"You really need to check it out- the food there is surprisingly delicious for a school cafeteria." Daehwi insisted.
Sungchan laughed lightly."I was just about to take them there!" He said, nudging Renjun.
Ryujin rubbed her stomach dramatically, "Oh, I am starving already! We planned to head there too. Do you mind if we join?" Ryujin asked, her eyes sparkling.
"No! Of course you can!" Sungchan said enthusiastically.
"Soulie? Are you coming?" Her brother asked her. All eyes turned toward her. She wrapped her arms around herself, her shoulders tense, and shook her head, biting down on her lip.
Daehwi tilted his head, concern in his eyes. "Are you really sure?"
She nodded once, slowly.
"I'm staying with you!" Bic said firmly.
"A-Ani, you can-" she began, but he cut her off with a smile.
"No worries. I still have the breakfast you packed me. I don't need to eat in the cafeteria! Felix hyungs breakfast is always my favourite, after hyungs!" he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Why don't you want to come along?" her brother asked softly.
She swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat, and turned her face away. He sighed, his voice a little gentler now.
"You don't have to be afraid... I told you- I'll never leave you... not today, not ever. I'll stay with you... as long as you need me... my whole life if I have to..."
Her eyes lifted to meet his, shimmering with unshed tears. Hearing his words made her feel guilty, worried even. "But I want you to go.... be with them"
He hesitated, torn, until she whispered again, almost pleading. "Please...."
"O...kay..." Sungchan said slowly, still unsure. "If.. that's what you want?" He hesitated. He would lie if he said he was not hurt or worried.
"We'll see you in class then!"
With a last concerned glance back at his sister, he followed the group out of the garden.
A silence settled over the garden, broken only by the rustling of leaves.
"Should we do a little training?" Bic suggested.
"I'm sorry..." her voice was small.
"For what?"
"For making you stay with-"
"Soul," he interrupted firmly but kindly, "I'm not here because I have to be. I want to stay. Honestly, I'm not even hungry."
"But you-"
"Soul. It's fine. Let's train a little, okay?."
Relief softened her expression, and for the first time that day, she managed a small genuine smile.
*****
The next lesson started innocently enough- a few giggling voices as the girl entered the classroom, Bic behind her. But laughter grew sharper, more cutting.
"Well, if it isn't the little dancer again," one girl muttered. "Or just the shadow- sister?" another boy sneered. The girl froze. Her hands tightened around her books. She wanted to say nothing, to show nothin- but suddenly her egs felt heavy.
"Ignore them, Soulie.." Bic whispered to her, lovely pushing her to their seats. Her brother and the others were not there yet.
"So tell us," one began, as more studentsentered the classroom. One of them- her brother." "How does it feel to always be second? Next to your brother? How does it feel... to be unimportant?"
