-ssi - (Read as -shi - Mr/Mrs/Ms) is an honorific used when speaking to someone. It is a respectful way of addressing another and can be used in different settings.
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Leaning against the window, Min-jun stared out into the moonlit night, his phone pressed to his ear. His lip caught between his teeth, anxiety intertwined with a flutter of excitement surged through him. Each ring on the other end felt endless, amplifying the tension in his chest as he waited, the stillness of the night only deepening the weight of his anticipation.
"Hey, Changmin-ah. What do you know about the Hwang twins?"
Chang-min's deep voice rang through the phone.
"Who… Ah… Handsome devils. Nothing much, except they're practically attached to Seung-joon at the hip. They do everything together, go everywhere together." Min-jun detected a hint of playful teasing in Chang-min's voice.
"But why?" Min-jun asked with an exasperated voice, ignoring Chang-min's subtle teasing.
"Why do you ask me why… Ask them… Am I their mother? Why do you expect me to know everything?"
Chang-min's voice exploded through the phone, and Min-jun instinctively pulled it away from his ear, grinning at his friend's outburst.
"Woah... Woah... Calm down, Changmin-ssi. But hey, dig up some details if you can. Bye!"
Before Chang-min could hurl any colorful language his way, Min-jun quickly ended the call, tossing the phone carelessly onto the bed. He flopped down beside it, staring up at the ceiling, his mind swirling with thoughts that refused to settle.
His thoughts wandered back to the moment he first laid eyes on the Hwang twins; the way they stared at him had instantly triggered alarm bells.
'Was it hostility in their gaze?'
The unsettling feeling gnawed at him, the twins' behavior lingering in Min-jun's mind. He desperately wanted to ask Seung-joon about them, but it was the weekend, and they'd never swapped phone numbers, so calling wasn't even an option.
The next morning, Min-jun hurriedly dressed, his mind racing as he urged his driver to get him to school as fast as possible. He knew Seung-joon always arrived early, and his plan was simple: catch Seung-joon before he went to his class!!
He picked up Chang-min on the way, mindful not to mention Seung-joon in front of the driver. No matter how much he tried to play it cool, Min-jun couldn't stop sneaking glances at Chang-min with pleading, puppy eyes. The entire ride, Min-jun silently begged for some kind of reaction, but Chang-min continued to ignore him completely.
As soon as they stepped out of the car, Min-jun spun toward Chang-min impatiently. Chang-min raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand the silent demand in Min-jun's eyes.
"Come on, man. I know you've got something. Spill it. Tell me..." Min-jun begged.
Chang-min shook his head in disbelief, his lips curling into a teasing smile.
"Hwang Tae-jon and Hwang Tae-min. They're carbon copies of each other, but you can tell them apart by their personalities. Tae-jon's the quiet one, Tae-min's fiery. Both are brilliant students, but no one, not even the teachers, can control them. They're models, already signed with an agency. Seung-joon? He sticks to them like glue, doing whatever they say. They live in D*, but I'm guessing you already knew that part."
Min-jun's mind raced as he studied Chang-min's unreadable face, still uncertain about what truly linked the twins to Seung-joon.
'How did they manage to get so close to Seung-joon when no one else could?'
A flicker of jealousy sparked within Min-jun as he positioned himself by the staircase leading to the 11th-grade hall, doing his best not to attract unwanted attention. Spotting Seung-joon walking down the corridor, he quickly glanced around, checking for any signs of the twins. To his relief, the hallway was deserted. Min-jun exhaled quietly, and as Seung-joon neared, he grasped his hand without warning, tugging him into a nearby empty classroom.
Seung-joon's eyes were round with surprise.
"Hyung, what's going on?"
Min-jun shook his head, ignoring Seung-joon's question.
"Joon-ah, tell me quickly, what's your relationship with the Hwang twins?" Min-jun's voice trembled with anticipation, his anxious gaze locked on Seung-joon. For a moment, Seung-joon hesitated, watching Min-jun's concern with a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Hyung, they're my brothers."
Min-jun blinked in disbelief, his eyes glued to Seung-joon's small face, mouth agape.
"What… But… your surname is Kim."
Seung-joon responded with a calm smile, but Min-jun noticed a shadow of sadness beneath it.
"I'm adopted."
Min-jun froze. A flood of questions rushed through him, but they all dissolved when he saw the lingering sadness in Seung-joon's voice, hidden behind his calm exterior. But before he could speak up a loud bang echoed through the room. The classroom door flew open, revealing the twins, their faces dark with anger. One twin strode past Min-jun and grabbed Seung-joon, pulling him away as he glared icily. The other stood inches away from Min-jun, his eyes piercing into Min-jun's as tension crackled in the air.
"Tae-jon, take Joon-ah and go," Tae-min commanded, his voice low and laced with barely contained fury, his eyes locked onto Min-jun with a chilling intensity. Min-jun stood frozen as Tae-jon dragged Seung-joon away, gently but firmly by his hand. As Tae-jon guided Seung-joon out of the room, Seung-joon's blue eyes locked with Min-jun's, filled with a silent apology that tugged at Min-jun's heart.
Once Tae-jon and Seung-joon were gone, Tae-min stepped closer, his face contorted with anger. Min-jun could hear Tae-min's heavy, uneven breaths as the tension filled the room like an invisible dark cloud.
"Don't ever think of coming near our Seung-joon again or even dare to look in his direction. If you do, I'll bury you alive," Tae-min growled, his words dripping with a menace that belied his age.
Although the threat seemed far-fetched coming from a high schooler, Tae-min's steely resolve made it clear he meant every word he said. Min-jun watched Tae-min leave, feeling a profound sense of loss and despair.