1.1 | Desiderium ✓

24|twenty four

Shin never knew that simply filling out forms, asking people for contact details and giving them a congratulatory handmade soap hamper could be so tiring. At the end of the day, Shin alone had filled up about a hundred and fifty such forms. And there were six boys working alongside Shin.

Min Suho's drive was a massive success, and at one point, even Principal Yoo decided to show up. He stopped by Shin's table, as he had his old laptop and a couple routers to discard.

"Why are you so wide eyed?" Yoo SeJeong chuckled gently, his eyes filled with kindness. Beside Shin, Jeon Noah fumed in jealousy. He was quick to offer the man a bottle of water, while Shin wasted time thinking why was he there in person. He was rich, he could have sent a maid instead.

"Thank you," Yoo SeJeong said to Noah and took the water bottle.

"Didn't expect you here, Sir. How did you come by?"

"My students set up something so grand. It was my duty to come, of course," he said with a gentle smile. His tired eyes scanned the camp of sorts, stopping once a while to stare and take a deep breath, proud and firm.

He was different, kinder, gentler, and Shin found himself entertaining the thought of having someone like Yoo SeJeong as his father.

At least, he didn't look like he would leave a child on a shoreline and pray for the waves to swallow him.

"Uncle!" YooChan's voice rang loud and clear, and shook Shin's thoughts. "Smile here!" He shouted in a foreign language, and Principal Yoo put a hand around a flustered Shin's shoulders before smiling for the camera.

"Hah, you look like a mouse, Shinnie," YooChan said, trotting up to them and showing the camera screen. It was true, Shin did look like a very scared hamster in the picture, but Principal Yoo simply chuckled and patted YooChan's back before walking away.

"By the way, did you see? Min Suho's gonna get featured in the newspapers tomorrow," YooChan pointed towards the big pile of e-waste they had collected. It was being shipped on trucks, and two of them were standing in a line. "Min Suho asked them to use my photographs. Can you imagine? My photographs, in the newspapers, finally!"

Little by little, all of Shin's prejudices had to be broken down. At the end of the day, every single boy wore a dusty blazer and sported tired, proud faces. They were, despite all differences, a team. Still, there was still a lot to be done. And Min Suho would probably make the juniors pick up trash.

"That's great," Shin said loudly, "but help me clear up all the trash these people littered around."

"You do that. I'm gonna take more photos, and play with Scooby," YooChan grinned.

"Is it something to brag about? Getting photographs in newspapers," Jeon Noah scoffed, "must feel good to get cheap validation. Since you don't have any at home." He slammed his collected forms on the table to stack them, and roughly pushed YooChan on the shoulders as he walked past them.

"What is that guy's problem?" YooChan kicked a stone behind Noah, and it missed by a large margin. Instead, Scooby the dog caught it in his mouth and came running over, wagging its tail.

"Maybe he wants to be friends with us," Shin said. YooChan had squatted down and was checking Scooby's teeth. He loved that dog, and oddly, YooChan resembled that canine more than he resembled humans.

"Is he MaRoo Seonbae's dog?" Shin squatted down beside him.

"Yeah," YooChan grinned, ruffling the dog's ears. Scooby barked, and his snout turned into an expression that could only be described as pure happiness.