Seul came down the stairs, still yawning, but his first instinct wasn't food—it was to wrap his arms around his mother in a lazy hug.
"What's for breakfast?" he asked, half hoping for something sweet.
"Cheese toast," his mother replied warmly.
Seul's eyes lit up instantly, and right on cue, his stomach growled like a wild beast.
"Sit, I'll bring it to you," she laughed.
"Let me feed the birds first," Seul said, grabbing a small bowl and a piece of bread. He crumbled it into small pieces, humming quietly, then stepped outside.
Underneath the big tree by their house, he placed the crumbs in the bowl beside a dish of fresh water. He tossed a few crumbs onto the wall nearby, watching as sparrows already gathered, fluttering down to eat.
"Feeding the birds as usual, huh, Seul?"
A familiar voice caught his attention. Seul glanced over to see Zeddy, returning from his morning jog. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his shirt clinging to his frame, his well-trained muscles on full display.
"Damn… let me check the time—oh, it's just 7 AM? I thought it was already 10 when I saw you," Zeddy said with a grin.
"That's because I usually wake up late," Seul muttered, shrugging. "Today's an exception."
"Late or Early I will get ready before you." Seul smirked, crossing his arms.
"Don't worry, I'll be ready in a minute," Zeddy winked playfully before rushing into his house.
Seul shook his head, amused.
"Seul!" his mother's voice echoed from inside.
"Coming," he sighed, brushing the crumbs off his hands before heading back in.
An Hour Later
The bus horn blared outside, cutting through the calm of the morning.
"Seul, the bus is here, honey!" his mother called out.
From upstairs came a groan. "Do I really need to go…? Ugh, I don't wanna go."
"Seul!"
"…In a minute!" he shouted back, dragging himself to grab his bag. He forced a smile onto his face before heading downstairs.
His mother met him at the bottom step, pulling him into a tight hug before planting a kiss on his forehead.
"Take care, honey. Don't roam around too much, no talking to strangers. And if anything bothers you, tell your teachers, alright?"
"Aye aye," Seul replied with mock seriousness, earning a giggle from her.
Just then, his sister peeked out from the living room, rushing over to pinch his cheeks. "Aww, you're leaving already? I'm gonna miss you, Seul!"
"Ah—stop it!" Seul groaned, prying her hands away.
The bus horn blared again, longer this time.
"Bye!" Seul waved, stepping out the door.
"Take care!" his sister called after him.
Seul hopped onto the bus and slid into an empty seat near the window. Spotting his friends already inside, he lifted his hand to wave.
"Hey, Seul! Where's Zeddy?" one of them asked.
"I don't know," Seul shrugged, pulling out his phone. He tapped a quick message to Zeddy.
A few minutes later, the sound of a door slamming echoed from down the street. Zeddy came sprinting at full speed, his bag bouncing against his back.
"Wait for me!" he shouted, leaping up the bus steps at the last second. He stumbled inside, breathing hard before dropping into the seat next to Seul.
"At last…" he panted, finally catching his breath.
"I thought you said you'd be ready in a minute," Seul said, raising an eyebrow as Zeddy collapsed beside him.
Zeddy scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "Well, I was… but after jogging I thought I'd take a quick five-minute nap. You know… just five minutes."
Seul let out a small sigh, arms crossed. "Which, knowing you, turned into way longer than five minutes. As usual."
Zeddy laughed, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "Ha! You know me better than anyone, don'tcha?"
The bus lurched forward, carrying the students towards their destination. Zeddy leaned back, stretching. "By the way, it's your first trip in… what, forever? Since first year of middle school, right?"
Seul's expression soured. "Yeah. I didn't even want to come. But it's compulsory… and we're getting points for this year." His tone carried more irritation than enthusiasm.
Zeddy puffed out his chest and grinned. "Well, don't worry, buddy. I promise you won't regret it. This time you've got me around. I won't let you get bored for a single second!" He threw his arm around Seul's shoulder in a dramatic flourish.
Seul rolled his eyes, sighing mockingly. "That's exactly what I'm most worried about."
"Hey, come on! You're joking, right?" Zeddy laughed, his usual carefree energy radiating.
Before Seul could respond, a voice called from behind. "Hey, Zeddy! Check this out!"
"Coming!" Zeddy hopped up instantly, jogging back to his other friends with his usual boundless energy.
Seul watched him go, then shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Turning back to the window, he let his gaze drift outside, watching the scenery roll by as the morning light painted the world in gold.