"Let's check everywhere."
"Did anyone close the terrace door when we left?"
"I closed the balcony side."
"Maybe she went out through the bathroom vent?"
"The bathroom door was closed too."
"Then where could she possibly be?"
Frustrated, Haewoon ruffled his hair. Despite searching for a while, they couldn't find Pia. They had called her name several times already. Amid everyone's puzzled expressions, Haru let out a sigh.
"Hey, the window..."
Multiple pairs of eyes glanced at where Haru was pointing. They noticed a slightly open window in the living room. It was small, just enough for a small creature to squeeze through.
"Oh..."
"We thought everything was closed."
"We were so out of it this morning..."
Sighs and frustrations followed. Sihyun, with a feeling that Pia might have gone out through there, tapped his temple with his finger.
Could she have gone out that way?
The distance from the bed to the window was considerable. Thinking back to when Pia couldn't fly for even a minute and crashed, it seemed absurd that she could have flown out of the window. But if she did...
"...She might be nearby."
If she went through the window, she had to be somewhere close. Considering she fell asleep only after crying all night until morning, Sihyun guessed she wouldn't have been awake for long. It was just past 7 AM, with three hours left until roll call. They had to find Pia within that time.
They put on their shoes and headed out to look, with three of them following Sihyun to room 207.
"Should we check the window area first?"
"She might have already left from there."
"Do you know? Maybe she's resting somewhere? She can't fly for more than a few seconds."
"Or should we split up the search?"
While contemplating, Haewoon grinned.
"Should the four of us search separately?"
"No, then it'd be hard to thoroughly check one place. You guys go to the window. We'll check around the dorms."
As Sihyun paired Haemin and Haewoon together to look at the window, they immediately understood. They agreed to contact each other if they found her and started to split up. Suddenly, Haewoon looked back.
"Sihyun!"
"...?"
"What if someone else picked up Pia?"
"Ah..."
Haeru's eyes wavered with worry at Haewoon's question. If they took Pia to the terrace themselves, there was no rule that others wouldn't do the same. Feeling even more concerned that someone might have taken her or reported her, Haeru fell silent, growing pale.
"...Let's just keep searching."
It could be a possibility but not a certainty. Seeing Haeru clearly worried, Sihyun didn't want to add more stress. Even trying to reassure him didn't seem to ease his expression. A sigh escaped. They had to take care of Haeru and find Pia, making it feel like they suddenly had two children to look after.
Sihyun, having decided to check the school surroundings, wrinkled his brow as Haemin and Haewoon focused on the window. Finding that small creature in this vast school wasn't an easy task. If it was publicly known, they could have asked others, but it wasn't.
That's why people shouldn't speak too hastily.
Sihyun sighed briefly, noticing that Haeru's expression darkened as they spent more time looking for Pia. It was already gloomy before, but now it seemed that he might start digging the ground any moment. Watching that expression, Sihyun clicked his tongue. In hindsight, it wasn't strange for Pia to hide even in such a place, considering she was the first animal Haeru had ever picked up.
Everything is precious at first.
Wasn't that why Haeru held onto her so dearly?
Lost in thought, Sihyun slowly sank into contemplation. Understanding followed reflection. He felt he might have been too harsh.
Scratching his itchy throat due to frustration, Sihyun wiped the tiredness from his eyes. If only he had brought a cat, he might not have acted this way.
People easily say, "It's good to bring home shy animals, take care of them!"
"...What if she gets stepped on?"
"Don't think like that, hyung. She's really loud. She would have cried before getting stepped on, right?"
"...Pia."
"No, not her. Pia."
Whether he was dealing with an eighteen-year-old or just an eight-year-old, Sihyun couldn't tell. Giving a messy pat on the head as a gesture to ease up, he received that touch quietly. They had scanned the few visible places but had many more to check.
"Found her?"
"No, you?"
"We didn't see her either. We even checked near the garden, but she wasn't there. What if someone took her for real?"
"Stop jumping to conclusions and look around. Where else can we look now?"
"Haemin suggested going to the dining hall. We're going there. What about you?"
"We've seen the dining hall, so look around other places nearby. We'll go inside the school just in case."
It was already past 8 o'clock. Even after an hour of searching, they hadn't found a single feather of Pia's. Sihyun brushed his hair aside and ended his call with Haewoon, then looked at Haeru. When he mentioned they hadn't found her, there was no reply, as if he had resigned himself. Amid the heavy atmosphere, Sihyun walked toward the main entrance. From now on, they would look inside the school building, where they might run into the teachers.
I wish they'd let us off.
He wondered what he would say if he encountered them, pondering excuses.
"Pf-phew!"
Sihyun halted at the faint sound coming from somewhere. Unsure, he looked at Haeru, who seemed to have also heard it. Their gazes met, exchanging silent thoughts. They soon felt more convinced.
"Was that Pia just now?"
"...Yeah."
"I didn't quite catch where it came from."
"It was from the front... but not sure."
It was tiny, and they had only heard it once. Sihyun slowly walked forward, scanning the printing room, principal's office, administrative office, and the main office. He had a strong feeling she might be somewhere around there.
"Pf-pup!"
"...!"
As they walked at a slow pace, a sound reached their ears once again. It was ahead of the printing room. Sihyun and Haru boldly continued down the hallway, stopping their steps.
"If it just sounds one more time, I feel like we'll know for sure..."
There was a brief silence. Amidst it, Sihyun sent a message to Haewoon, saying it seemed like they found something, then added one more message asking him to go first, tucking away the phone.
"Pff, pfft!"
The sound came at the perfect timing. However, Sihyun and Haru couldn't move as boldly as before.
"...."
Why did it have to be there among many places?
The sound heard beyond the closed door of the principal's office made Sihyun halt his steps. Slowly, he leaned in closer to the principal's office, distinctly hearing a faint, whistling sound. Whether closing his eyes, covering one ear, or straining to listen, it was familiar - undeniably a whistle.
"It seems to be coming from here."
Sihyun whispered, and Haru nodded in agreement. His expression showed both confusion and uncertainty. Then suddenly, the door to the principal's office opened.
"....!"
Startled by the sudden opening, Sihyun accidentally stepped back, colliding lightly with Haru behind him. Apologizing quietly, the teacher glanced at Sihyun.
"Sihyun and Haru, right?"
As their presence was recognized, the teacher smiled warmly. "What brings you both to the principal's office at this hour?"
Lifting his gaze, Sihyun looked at the teacher. As the teacher started to speak, it sounded familiar, making Sihyun's blue eyes involuntarily roll downward.
"Pffet!"
The creature nestled in the principal's arms flapped its wings.
It was Pia.
"Oh, Pia...!"
"Hmm?"
Haru, noticing Pia, reached out to call him but then hesitated, freezing his movement. It was an obviously hesitant action.
The teacher alternated gazes between Sihyun and Haru, considering them carefully. Sihyun, feeling suspicious gazes, rubbed his tense forehead. It seemed as if calling Pia to the principal's office at this time or Haru's presence there made little difference.
"Shall we come inside and discuss?"
Although presented as a suggestion, it felt more like a directive. Sihyun, feeling a knot of embarrassment in his throat, reluctantly followed, feeling stifled in his response.
"So, you want to raise it, is that what you're saying?"
"Yes."
"...."
Though I had explained the situation, Haru's interjection shifted the conversation back to raising Pia. Frustrated, Sihyun felt his throat dry up in this unexpectedly reversed situation.
"I have a duty to protect students. I understand it might be difficult to listen to what Haru is saying."
"Yes."
Of course, even though the principal might have sounded suspicious to them, Sihyun couldn't think of a proper place to report this bizarre situation.
"However, there might be a way."
"Yes?"
Sihyun, inquisitive about this sudden turn of events, gazed at the teacher with perplexed eyes. The principal, smiling, continued to stare at Pia nestled in Haru's arms.
"It seems this little one is fond of both Haru and Sihyun, so I might allow it under one condition."
"...A condition?"
"Yes, it's simple in theory but quite challenging in practice."
Haru rolled the hand he had resting on his knee into a fist, contemplating Pia. Without a hint of hesitation visible in his crimson eyes.
"I don't know what the condition is, but I'll try."
"Bro?"
"Alright. The condition is simple. Achieve first place in this month's evaluation to obtain a wish voucher."
"...."
Sihyun, caught off guard by the conversation's rapid progression, blinked in bewilderment. Astonishment and confusion swirled in his mind.
Can this really be allowed? Using a wish voucher to obtain permission for an alien creature they don't even know the identity of...
Lost in thought, Haru nodded. Sihyun, perplexed about where to report this absurd deal between the teacher and student, found himself at a loss.
"Alright, then until the results of this month's evaluation are out, I'll take care of this little one. Haru, cooperate well with Sihyun for the partner evaluation next month."
Accepting Pia from Haru, the principal nodded. As Sihyun left the office, still overwhelmed and confused, he couldn't help but feel parched.
As the door closed behind them, the principal holding Pia glanced at the door through which Haru and Sihyun exited. Except for the tiny creature, there was no one else present to hear his murmured words.
"...Tamed a fantastical species."
A solitary mutter lingered in the office. Except for the small creature, there was no one else to hear his voice.
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