[Neo Zone] Population: 23 Kids

Non-Parents Parents

With Xiaojun helping Johnny in the cafe, Jaehyun struggling with the macarons upstairs with Mrs. Suh, Taeyong and Jaemin at a volunteer event, Chenle and Kun with their granny, Mark at his Mom's house, Ten and Shotaro at the dance studio and Taeil with his Dad, it felt like the basement was kind of empty. 

Not that it was. There was still twelve kids down there.

"You know, sometimes I forget some of us have parents." Lucas said, breaking the silence that wasn't really silence because they were all doing things.

"Forget we have parents at all or forget some of us have two?" Yuta asked, and Lucas shrugged.

"All of the above."

"Do you forget you have parents?" Sungchan questioned.

"Sometimes?"

"Are you okay?" Haechan followed up teasingly, making Lucas hit his arm.

"No, like, I forget Jungwoo has parents because he never goes there, and I forget Jisung has parents because he kinda didn't for a while, but I know Mark, Sungchan and Shotaro have them because they keep having to go spend time with them."

"Again, are you okay?" Haechan teased, Doyoung having to step in before Haechan got strangled.

"We get it, he's just messing with you."

"If I try really hard I can probably make it so we don't have parents." Renjun offered.

"You'd probably need Skip for that kind of power." Haechan pointed out, Renjun nodding in agreement.

"Who's Skip?" Jisung asked.

"Your Mom."

"Let's not get rid of our parents." WinWin butted in before Haechan could think of a better comeback.

"Yeah, but your parents suck. It wouldn't hurt to get rid of them." YangYang pointed out, WinWin throwing a pillow at him, which he caught. "Dodgeball rules, you're out."

"Doesn't matter if they suck, they're still my parents."

"I think the point of this whole conversation was that the Suhs have been non-parent parents to us for so long it's weird thinking we have blood parents too." Doyoung interrupted.

Hendery tilted his head. "I thought the point was that Lucas has a terrible memory."

"Me too," Jeno added, even Lucas himself agreeing.

"I give up with you kids."

"I mean, the Suhs might as well be our parents at this point. Mrs. Suh even got herself as my emergency contact for the school when I swear my Mom filled out the forms." Renjun commented.

"I think I saw her doing that for everyone..." Jungwoo muttered, his attention having been mainly on petting Bella as she slept in his lap.

"I know he's not a parent, but you and whoever Skip is are very welcome to make my brother disappear." Hendery offered, a smirk crossing Renjun's face.

"Done."

"Ren, bring him back. Un-kill him or whatever. You're not making people disappear." Doyoung scolded.

"Isn't that why we kept him?" Yuta questioned, ignoring the daggers Doyoung was staring at him.

"Did you actually kill his brother?!" Sungchan screeched.

"Calm down, I can't do that. It's against some stupid moral code or something."

"The only thing between you and killing is moral code? That's it?" Haechan's eyes widened. In fear or admiration, no one knew.

"There's probably more than that." WinWin tried reasoning.

Renjun shook his head. "Nope, that's it."

"This is why I wanted to keep him." Yuta repeated.

"Can we stop referring to Renjun like he's a pet we found?" Jungwoo spoke up, everyone immediately apologizing.

"Nah, but like, who is Skip?" Sungchan asked, and Lucas suddenly gasped.

"Is that the demon in the clock?! Do you know him?"

"There's no demon in the clock, Cas. I don't know what you're talking about." Haechan tried messing with him, but Lucas started shaking his head.

"I know there's a demon in that clock."

He got up and sprinted up the stairs two at a time, YangYang only a few seconds behind him. Jeno got up to follow just to see what they were talking about.

Sure enough, the clock's "batteries had died."

I know I keep it light and fun, but would anyone be opposed to some angst?