from zero » hyungwonho

x

"Class, this is Hyungwon," Hoseok's mother introduced to the children, who were sitting around the two - Hyungwon and Hoseok's mother - on the carpeted floor. "He'll be a new classroom assistant starting today so I expect you all to treat him with as much respect as you treat Hoseok and I."

Hoseok couldn't stop smiling as he sat at the back, a little girl in his lap, as he watched Hyungwon become a part of the class.

He bowed down at a ninety degree angle before introducing himself timidly and all the children said hello back to him in unison. Hyungwon caught Hoseok's eyes and gave him a playful look that said 'if you don't stop smiling I'll throttle you'.

But Hoseok continued smiling anyway.

"Alright, class, you know the drill. Play time for a bit before we have snack time," Hoseok's mother announced and let the children go their separate ways.

Hyungwon immediately made a detour for Hoseok as he put the little girl in his lap down and stood up to meet Hyungwon halfway.

"That was surprisingly quick," Hyungwon commented, and Hoseok's mouth opened in a silent laugh.

"What can I say? My mum likes you," he shrugged and Hyungwon was about to answer before a little boy tugged on the leg of his jeans.

"Play with me!" The little boy explained, and Hyungwon was about to give in easily before Hoseok stepped in.

"Ah-ah, what do we say, Leemin?" He asked cautiously yet firmly.

"Please!" Leemin added on and Hoseok smiled.

"Go on then," Hoseok slapped Hyungwon's ass playfully before letting the two go outside to play.

"Hoseok, dear, help me cut up these fruits, will you?" His mother asked from the sink and Hoseok was quick to obey.

He sat down at one of those tiny tables meant to children while his mother joined him and handed him a tiny chopping board and knife. Everything in this place was tiny and Hoseok oddly loved it.

"So, what's the deal with you and Hyungwon?" His mother asked now that it was just the two of them.

"What do you mean?" Hoseok asked, concentrated on cutting up the slices of fruit perfectly so each child got the same amount.

"Well, he left for three years, you didn't say a word about him, then all of a sudden he's here again and you two are practically joint at the hip," she elaborated and Hoseok smiled.

"He left for college in Seoul, Mum," Hoseok explained, and his mother let out a long 'ah' in understanding as she nodded. "He just came back a couple weeks ago."

"Seoul? That's a long way to go for college," his mother mused under her breath and Hoseok chuckled at her bluntness.

"His parents were dead set on sending him there since the education is better in more urban areas of South Korea apparently," he decided to go further. Besides, none of this was secret information anymore.

"Well, thank God he didn't come back as one of those city snobs," she mumbled and Hoseok nearly cut his finger from laughing too much.

Hoseok could sense Hyungwon's eyes on him from a mile away, whether they were outside or inside, and he found it quite amazing to say the least.

When the class had settled inside for snack time, Hoseok made sure to sit at the opposite side of the circle from Hyungwon so he would always see when he was looking at him.

Hyungwon seemed amazed at how well Hoseok could deal with children, whether it be through human contact, discipline or settling those childish disputes they may have between one another. And he was so good at fitting in with them and keeping them interested and amused - much better than Hyungwon was.

So far, all Hyungwon was good at was being the tall guy who all the children wanted piggy backs from. But Hoseok found that cute above all.

~*~

"Minhyuk, are you alright?" Hyunwoo asked warily, noticing the deep scowl on his younger friend's face.

Kihyun cast his gaze over to Minhyuk, fully aware of the situation but deciding to lay low until things turned dire, which he doubted they would.

"I'm fine," Minhyuk answered coldly, standing up and turning on his heel without looking at any of the others. "I need to go."

And with that, he began walking off, and Kihyun sighed to himself, quietly so no one else could hear. He decided to leave Minhyuk to his own devices for a while as a way to let him cool off. When the others went home, then he would try and catch up with Minhyuk.

Home was where Minhyuk was headed. He didn't want anyone to follow him and was glad when they didn't, but something else caught his eye, and also yanked his heart to the bottom of his stomach.

Hoseok and Hyungwon. Walking on the other side of the street, talking and laughing and having a whale of a time. Judging by the time, Minhyuk assumed it was Hoseok's lunch break, but why was Hyungwon with him?

He decided not to dally for too long, as he really wasn't in the mood for attracting Hoseok's attention, especially not when Hyungwon was there too.

Pulling his hood up over his head, Minhyuk stuffed his hands in his pockets and made sure to keep his head down as he strode past them, hoping for the love of God that Hoseok didn't see him.

~*~

a shorter chapter at last