Alone | NCT

Prologue

It's that time of year again. The summer night, where the H.I.D.D.E.N. board members go through the Academy entrance exams to see if any freshman are strong and smart enough to join the agency right from the start. The H.I.D.D.E.N. board consists of two members from each class, each with the two highest marks from both their academic and physical exams, in addition to the H.I.D.D.E.N. leaders. H.I.D.D.E.N. board members will spend the entire night looking at results from the two entrance tests, one physical and one intellectual, from each applicant and discuss the results and finally determine whether the applicant will be given access to the H.I.D.D.E.N. facilities and training in the fall.

This year, Jaehyun was no longer a class representative, but a leader for the agency. Jaehyun walked down the long and narrow hallway, until he saw the black door at the end. He entered his fingerprint and waited for the scanner to scan his eyes. When the door opened, he was glad to see that a majority of the board members had arrived.

There had been little changes to the class representatives. Jungwoo and Sejung represented the seniors by default, as the only two agents in the senior class. Mark and Yuri now represented the junior class, and for the sophomores, it was Jaemin and Rena. Jaehyun took his seat beside his best friend Johnny.

Jaehyun sat in silence, blankly staring in front of him. This would be first summer meeting where Sora wouldn't be by his side. The first year where Sora wasn't a class representative alongside him. The first school year where Jaehyun would go through, alone.

Johnny noticed his friends abnormal behaviour, poking the male on the arm, breaking his trance.

"The leaders are finally outnumbering the representatives." Johnny pointed out. Jaehyun did realize this as their graduating class had increased the number of agency leaders by three, with him, Johnny, and Winwin graduating from the Lower School.

"Who are we missing?" Jaehyun asked, looking around.

"Just Taeyong, Ten, Kun, and Doyoung." Johnny told his friend. Finally the door opened, the remaining members taking their seats.

Ten prepared the holographic screens as Taeyong began speaking to the group.

"Hello everyone, thank you for taking time out of your summer to meet with us. Today, we will be completing our annual agency selection, to choose students who shall begin training with us at the start of the school year." Taeyong started as the lights began to dim.

"To refresh everyone, last year's leaders have marked the applicants based on their Academy entrance exams. There are two parts, one intellectual and one physical. We will use these scores along with a video of their physical to determine who we shall choose. There are 45 applicants in front of us today, and we will go through all their applications and discuss. 5 of these applicants have applied earlier than their time, meaning they cannot officially enroll, but if we chose to take them, they may train with us for a few years before officially enrolling at the academy."

This was rare but not uncommon. Mark had enrolled with Jaehyun, training alongside him for two years until he became an official student at the Academy. A few others include Haechan, Chenle, who will be enrolling this year, and Jisung, who began training last year but will not be enrolling at the Academy until next year.

"The creature type will not be revealed until discussion begins, to ensure that there is no bias. Are there any questions before we begin?" Taeyong asked the group. The board members shook their heads.

"Amazing let's begin with the easiest." Taeyong said, motioning to Kun as Ten brought up his files.

"Zhong Chenle, intellect of 86/100, physical of 88/100." Kun read out as his scores appeared.

"Winwin, do you have any comments as his mentor last year?" Taeyong asked the faerie. Winwin shook his head.

"No, he's been training well, don't see why he shouldn't continue, especially since he completed the initiation mission last year." Winwin said.

Initiation mission, Jaehyun chuckled at the thought. H.I.D.D.E.N.'s trademark was a silver pin with the agency's logo that the agents wore on their chest during missions. It was their symbol, their access pass, a mark that was well respected amongst the kingdoms. In order to receive the pin, new members of the agency would have to pass the initiation mission, typically capturing a creature on the loose.

"Good let's move on then." Taeyong said.

"Park Jisung." Doyoung read next.

Man, I hate how long this meeting is every year.

...

Jaehyun rubbed his temples. They had gone through about forty of the applicants but this year's pool was definitely not the greatest. Aside from Chenle and Jisung, the agency had yet to select any others.

"Intellect of 60/100, physical of 67/100." Kun read, exhausted. The board members watch the poor boy's physical exam, flinching as they saw the examiner flip the boy over.

That's got to hurt.

Taeyong shook his head as he crossed the name off. Ten brought up another file and Jaehyun noticed Jaemin and Rena perk up.

"Woo Naeun, intellect 78/100, physical 83/100." Kun read to the group.

"She dropped out since she missed half of the first semester last year so she's enrolling as a freshman this year." Doyoung informed them. Jaehyun remembered the faerie, the poor thing was held captive for two months.

"She has decent skills." Sejung pointed out. Jaehyun agreed as they watched her video. The girl was a lot better than the other applicants they had seen.

"We'll take her." Taeyong said to Doyoung, adding the name to the list.

"Kang Minjee, intellect 90/100, physical 77/100." Kun read to the members.

"Take her." Doyoung said before Ten could even pull up her video. The members gave him a confused look.

"Doyoung, we haven't even watched her video yet." Yuta pointed out.

"Just trust me on this one." Doyoung replied. Taeyong nodded slowly, allowing it.

"Alright, here's the last one for today." Kun told them, sighs of relief filling the room.

"Na Jimin, she's only a year younger than Jisung so she's applying early. Intellect 85/100, physical 86/100." Kun said.

"No." Jaemin said after they began watching the video.

"Why not?" Rena argued back. The room tensed at the disagreement between the board's two youngest memebers.

"She's too young for this." Jaemin said, shaking his head. "She barely knows how her vampire form works." Jaehyun sighed deeply, deciding to speak up.

"Jaemin, I know it's hard to allow her to enter this world, but I think she needs it especially since..." Jaehyun's voice trailed off but the room knew what he was going to say. Especially since you're father is dead.

Jaemin inhaled sharply, debating for a moment before letting it out.

"Fine."