The village woke before the students did.
Smoke curled from chimneys long before the sun fully rose, thin and pale against the cold sky. The ground was stiff with frost, crunching softly under boots and shoes as students gathered in the open space near the communal hall.
There were no lectures today.
No slides.No notes.No comfortable classrooms.
The Headmaster stood at the front, hands clasped behind his back, coat buttoned neatly, posture straight despite the cold. He looked less like an administrator this morning and more like a man who had lived many lives before choosing this one.
"Today," he said calmly, voice carrying without effort, "you will work."
No murmurs. No complaints. Just attention.
"You will serve," he continued. "You will labor. You will feel tired. And you will understand something no textbook can teach."
He turned slightly, gesturing toward the village.
"These people live without convenience. Without shortcuts. If you want to be trusted with knowledge, you must first understand effort."
XH felt the words settle deep.
This wasn't punishment.
It was intention.
Health Track — Hands to Work
The health-track students were assigned first.
Free medical checkups. Blood pressure. Basic consultations. Health education. Simple advice delivered with patience and respect.
XH found himself sitting across from an elderly woman, explaining hydration and diet with slow, careful words. Kitty was a few tables away, calm and gentle, her voice warm as she demonstrated basic exercises. June stood nearby, explaining medication timing to a middle-aged man, her tone firm but kind.
NS moved between stations, focused, precise.
There were no flirty glances here. No games.
Just service.
Photos were taken too. Not for vanity, but for documentation. Proof of presence. Proof of learning. Villagers smiled awkwardly, some shy, some proud, standing beside students who looked suddenly very young without their campus armor.
XH noticed something quietly powerful.
The villagers listened.
Really listened.
And the students spoke differently here. Less arrogance. Less performance.
More sincerity.
Labor Divided by Major
When the medical portion ended, the Headmaster clapped his hands once.
"Now," he said, "you will earn your warmth."
Tasks were divided by major.
Health track, engineering, business, computing. Boys and girls stuck largely with their own groups, instinctively, naturally.
The work was simple.
And brutal.
Wood had to be collected from the edge of the village. Heavy logs stacked near the forest. Axes leaned against a wall, worn smooth by years of use.
Water had to be fetched from the well. Carried back in buckets. Then boiled.
Fire had to be started. Not with matches. With flint and patience.
XH picked up an axe.
It was heavier than it looked.
TZ grinned beside him. "This is man work."
JP cracked his knuckles. "Watch me."
NS took a quiet position near the woodpile, already assessing the cleanest swing angles.
They worked.
Sweat replaced cold.
Hands stung.
Breath came heavier.
The sound of axes hitting wood echoed through the village like a slow drumbeat.
JP surprised everyone.
He swung hard. Fast. Loud. Log after log split cleanly. TZ matched him, laughing every time a piece cracked open perfectly. Their energy drew attention.
Engineering majors worked efficiently, methodical, but slightly slower.
Teachers watched.
Points were counted.
"Who can split the most wood in one minute."
JP won.
Barely.
TZ came second.
Engineering followed.
JP raised both arms, triumphant. "I told you."
TZ bowed dramatically. "We are built different."
NS didn't celebrate.
He just kept working.
Steady. Reliable. Silent.
Fire, Water, and Competition
Buckets sloshed as students carried water from the well, arms aching, shoulders burning.
Girls worked too. No separation of effort.
Kitty carried her bucket with quiet determination, hair tied back, jaw set. June moved beside her, pace even, eyes focused forward.
XH caught June's eye for half a second.
No smile.
Just understanding.
This is hard.
Yes, it is.
Cooking followed.
Each major was given ingredients and judged on taste, efficiency, teamwork.
Health track surprised everyone.
Simple food. Balanced flavors. Comforting.
Engineering tried to be innovative. Business focused on presentation. Computing… burned something.
Laughter broke tension.
Points were tallied.
Health track and engineering traded top spots.
Teachers nodded approvingly.
The Headmaster watched it all silently, eyes sharp, satisfied.
Why It Mattered
By late afternoon, everyone was exhausted.
Hands sore. Muscles trembling. Jackets damp with sweat despite the cold.
That was when XH understood the Headmaster's plan.
You couldn't fake brotherhood after shared labor.
You couldn't posture after chopping wood.
You couldn't pretend strength without earning it.
The boys walked back toward the monastery heavier, quieter.
JP finally exhaled. "I'm dead."
TZ laughed weakly. "Worth it."
NS nodded. "Now I understand."
XH glanced back.
Kitty and June walked together with the girls, shoulders close, tired but calm. Kitty looked peaceful. June looked thoughtful.
Their eyes met XH's again, briefly.
And something unspoken passed between them.
You saw me work.
I saw you work.
That mattered more than words.
The monastery was darker the second time.
Not because the lights were off.But because they knew the way now.
XH moved first, slow and careful, bare feet brushing against cold stone. Behind him, TZ followed, then JP, then NS. Four shadows slipping between shadows, breathing shallow, hearts loud in their ears.
They didn't speak.
They didn't need to.
The hall behind them was full of sleeping bodies. Long rows of boys on thin mats, breaths rising and falling like waves. Someone turned in their sleep. Someone muttered a dream-word.
XH paused near the door.
Listened.
Nothing.
The old backdoor stood where it had before, patient, almost welcoming. JP reached for the handle again, this time slower, wiser. The wood creaked softly, but not enough to betray them.
They slipped through one by one.
Cold air hit them instantly, sharper than before, slicing through warmth and alcohol like a reminder.
NS exhaled slowly, almost a laugh. "We're really doing this again."
TZ grinned in the dark. "Once you taste it, you can't go back."
JP whispered, "No screaming this time."
NS shot him a look. "I swear, if you shout—"
"I won't," JP said, offended. "That was a first-escape thing."
They moved down the narrow road, the monastery shrinking behind them, the town lights ahead like quiet invitations. Snow dusted their shoulders. The night swallowed their footsteps.
This time, it wasn't about freedom.
It was about talking.
They found the same place as before. Small. Warm. Private. The kind of room where walls didn't listen too hard. The red button was still there, glowing faintly like it knew them now.
JP pressed it without hesitation.
The waiter appeared, nodded once, and didn't ask questions.
Cheap whiskey. A few beers. Tiny plates that vanished too fast.
They sat on the floor again, backs against the wall, jackets tossed aside. No one rushed this time. No chaos. No loud laughter.
Just four brothers and a bottle between them.
JP poured.
They drank.
Not to forget.
To loosen.
TZ leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "You notice how quiet it gets when we're not joking?"
JP snorted. "That's because we're idiots most of the time."
NS didn't laugh.
XH watched him carefully. NS had been quieter since the first escape, since the hall, since the messages that waited on phones like unanswered questions.
XH took a slow sip. "Say it."
NS blinked. "Say what?"
"What you've been holding," XH said. "You don't get this quiet for nothing."
TZ nodded. "Yeah. You're doing the 'I'm fine' thing."
JP leaned forward. "And that's never true."
NS stared into his cup for a long moment.
Then he sighed.
"Other guys have been texting them," he said quietly.
No names.
They didn't need them.
JP nodded immediately. "Since the first week."
TZ added, "Nonstop."
NS continued, voice steady but tight. "Good morning texts. Late night texts. Compliments. Jokes. 'Did you eat?' 'What are you doing?'"
XH felt his chest tighten.
NS shook his head. "They reply cold. Short. Sometimes not at all."
JP muttered, "Seen."
TZ nodded. "Classic."
NS looked up now. "But they reply to you."
Silence settled.
Not accusation.
Observation.
XH didn't look away. "I don't ask them to."
"I know," NS said quickly. "That's the point."
He leaned back against the wall. "You don't chase. You don't flood. You don't make them feel like they owe you attention."
TZ snapped his fingers softly. "That's it."
JP added, quieter now, "You don't make it heavy."
XH swallowed. "I just… talk."
NS nodded. "Exactly."
The bottle passed again.
They drank.
NS continued, voice lower. "After that kiss… I thought maybe…"
He stopped.
JP closed his eyes briefly. "Bro."
NS laughed quietly, without humor. "I know. I know it was stupid."
XH spoke carefully. "It wasn't stupid to feel something."
NS looked at him. "But it was stupid to hope, wasn't it?"
XH didn't answer immediately.
Because the truth was complicated.
"It's not stupid," XH said finally. "It's just… not simple."
NS nodded slowly. "I've been texting her. Nothing crazy. Just checking in."
TZ asked softly, "And?"
"She replies," NS said. "But it's polite. Safe. Like a door that stays half-closed."
JP stared at the floor. "And with XH?"
NS exhaled. "It's different."
No bitterness.
Just fact.
XH felt the weight of it settle on his shoulders.
"I never wanted to stand in your way," XH said.
NS looked at him sharply. "I know."
"Then why does it still hurt?" TZ asked gently.
NS smiled faintly. "Because feelings don't care about intentions."
JP raised his cup slightly. "Damn."
They drank again.
The room warmed.
Not with alcohol.
With honesty.
TZ leaned forward. "Here's the thing though."
Everyone looked at him.
"Right now," TZ said, "they choose who feels quiet."
JP nodded. "Who doesn't make noise in their head."
NS added softly, "Who feels safe."
XH stared into his cup.
He understood it now.
Kitty's messages weren't long, but they were real.June's replies weren't playful, but they were direct.
They didn't text him because he was loud.
They texted him because he didn't demand.
NS broke the silence. "I don't hate you for it."
XH looked up.
NS continued, "I just needed to say it. Before it turned into something ugly."
XH nodded slowly. "Thank you."
JP clapped once, sharp but quiet. "This is brother talk."
TZ smiled. "Painful, but necessary."
They sat there longer, sipping slowly, letting the night do its work.
Eventually, JP sighed. "We should go back."
NS nodded. "Before someone notices."
They stood, quieter now, more careful. The second escape back felt heavier than the first.
The monastery loomed again.
The backdoor creaked.
They froze.
Nothing.
They slipped inside, breath held, hearts steady.
Back on their mats, the hall smelled the same as before.
Old wood. Cold stone. Sleeping boys.
XH lay on his back, phone vibrating under his pillow.
Two messages waited.
From Kitty.From June.
He didn't open them yet.
Around him, his brothers breathed quietly.
NS turned slightly, voice barely audible. "Whatever happens… we stay like this."
XH whispered back, "Always."
In the darkness, the monastery held their secrets.
And somewhere between two escapes, a bottle, and words finally spoken, the future shifted—just a little—into something none of them could stop anymore.