"It isn't what we say that defines us, but what we do." - Jane Austen: *Sense and Sensibility* [1811]
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"You look like a washed-up molerat."
Hyunjin, mid-bite into his cereal, stopped and glared at the girl beside him. "Excuse me?"
She repeated it, unfazed by his offense. "Your new haircut makes you look like a washed-up molerat."
Hyunjin touched his bleached blond hair, currently twisted into a half-ponytail. When loose, it grazed his mid-neck. He’d gotten it cut just before they left for Korea a few days ago. "I like my new hair." He stated it with the confidence of someone who didn't need style advice from an eleven-year-old.
"Do you?" She observed him quietly, knowing her brother well. American girls used to swarm him, but he pretended not to understand English to avoid them. "Or do you just like the women it attracts?"
Hyunjin jutted his chin out and took another bite of his Honey Nut Cheerios. "You think you're so smart."
The younger girl leaned in, her hot pink housecoat sleeve nearly dipping into her breakfast. "I *am* so smart." She hopped off her stool and strutted away—yes, strutted.
Hyunjin rolled his eyes. He loved his sister, but she was a deliberate provocation, born seven years after him. He never voiced this resentment to her face; it was too cruel. He glanced at the clock, tossing his dishes into the sink. He was already late for school.
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"H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-hyunjin?" Jisung stammered, horrified. It had been over a year since they’d last seen each other. "That's… a haircut."
"I like it." A boy chimed in, dropping his binders onto the lunch table with a thud. "Makes you look…"
"Like a whore?" Jisung finished, his face contorted in disgust.
"Hey!" Hyunjin reached over and smacked him upside the head. "Don't talk to your elders like that."
Jisung rolled his eyes. "Okay, boomer." He snickered.
Hyunjin was about to retort when someone tackled him from behind, slamming his forehead into the table. "Jinnie!" A familiar voice called. "You're back!"
Hyunjin slowly lifted his head, feeling his brain cells disintegrate one by one. "Hey Felix." His voice was higher than usual.
"Nice hair." Felix dragged his hyper friend with him.
"Thank you, Chan. You're one of the only people who say that to me. Mi-Young says I look like a washed-up molerat." He shook his head.
As Felix took a seat beside him, Jisung laughed under his breath. "Your sister's a genius, dude, I swear."
Changbin arrived, stopping short when he saw Hyunjin. He thought he'd grown, but then realized his friend was wearing two-inch platform combat boots, barely making him 5’8 compared to Hyunjin.
Changbin froze, staring. "You grew…" he stammered, disbelieving.
Minho bluntly pushed past him to sit down. "Get over it. You're the only one who hasn't."
Changbin huffed, taking a seat across from Felix, who always managed to make him smile. The group continued their usual chaos, catching Hyunjin up on everything he’d missed—tiny plastic babies hidden around school, a blood-red swimming pool, a mysterious student shitting in every trash can.
They also mentioned someone named Seungmin. Apparently, he enjoyed picking fights.
"He came up to me and slammed my back into my locker for literally no reason." Felix complained. "I had a bruise for weeks."
"He likes to knock things out of my hands." Jeongin added. "Like when I'm walking down the hall, and then I have to stop and pick up all my papers." He shook his head in disapproval.
Chan shrugged. "He hates everything. I've never seen him smile, even when he's with his friends." The others seemed at least a little bit afraid of this ‘Seungmin’ character.
"He seems like a dick." Hyunjin shrugged. "What was his name? Seungmin—?"
He didn't realize someone was standing behind him. All of his friends' eyes widened, staring at a boy who looked anything but threatening. Blond hair a shade darker than Hyunjin’s, a soft physique. His face, though, was what caught Hyunjin’s attention—soft skin, doe eyes, a puppy-like expression. "You talking about me?" he asked, his voice cold.
"Just didn't expect you to look like… that." Hyunjin shrugged, turning back to his friends. He smiled.
Seungmin didn’t like this, not at all. He scowled. "I get that you don't know me, but maybe you should take some advice from your friends and back the fuck off."
Hearing a swear roll off this boy's tongue made Hyunjin fight to suppress a laugh. "Yessir." He turned back to his friends. He heard the boy let out a growl and walk away, not instilling any fear into Hyunjin.
Hyunjin took a deep breath, calming his laughter. "That's the boy you're all so scared of? He literally looks like a puppy."
Felix gave him a weary look. "I'd seriously be careful about him, Hyunjin. Looks can deceive."
"Nothing he said scared me." Hyunjin chuckled.
"Just wait till you see what he can do." Jisung shrugged. "He's a mean dude."