Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Everyone knew Shinwoo lived alone. It wasn't something he intended to become common knowledge, but news spread quickly among middle schoolers with nothing better to talk about. 

By the time he started high school, at a place so nice he still felt out of place half the time, he'd grown accustomed to it all. Everyone knew Shinwoo lived alone, so he didn't bother to try and hide it. 

He lived alone, his father worked overseas, and Shinwoo could take care of himself. These were the three truths that never really changed. The three constants of his life, even when everything was shifting around him. 

Shifting, like ordinary, troublemaking Shinwoo, getting accepted into a school like Ye Ran. It was something he still didn't quite understand. 

He was in on a scholarship, of course. Overseas or not, his father's job wasn't glamorous enough for Shinwoo to afford Ye Ran’s base tuition on a single salary. But something about the scholarship made Shinwoo wonder…

It was an athletic scholarship, was the thing. And normally, that wouldn't even raise a question in his mind. But Shinwoo was a martial artist. He was decent at other sports, but he was no soccer star like Hwan Eunji (she was already being scouted by universities even in first year.) His only specialty was martial arts, a sport Ye Ran didn't even have. 

Shinwoo wasn't stupid, despite his trouble keeping up with his grades sometimes. There was some other reason he was here. And there was only one incident he could really pinpoint that might explain his presence at Ye Ran. 

His last year of middle school had been full of fights. He didn't try to get in fights, no matter what his old Principal thought, but Shinwoo just couldn't stand by when someone was being hurt. So when he'd come across some thugs cornering a couple of Ye Ran students, well. He hadn't even thought about it before stepping in. He would have done it for students from any school, and had, but for some reason this time was different. It was enough to draw the attention of someone at Ye Ran, because he got the offer of a scholarship less than a week later. 

Ye Ran, Shinwoo thought, might have been the best thing to ever happen to him. The teachers cared in a way that he'd never really seen before. No school was completely free of bullying, but it was stamped out at Ye Ran as soon as it showed up, by students and teachers alike. 

Most importantly, Shinwoo had friends here, ones who actually cared about him beyond just using him to hide from bullies. Ikhan and Yuna, he'd known for forever, but they hadn't gone to middle school together. Actually having them there, at school with him was so much better than just occasionally hanging out after school if their schedules lined up. Suyi joining their group was a surprise, but a welcome one. She clicked with them easily, like she'd known them just as long. 

Shinwoo loved Ye Ran. He understood why the students, faculty, and even the alumni had such school pride. It felt like home in a way that was difficult to describe unless you were one of them. 

He loved Ye Ran, and never wanted to leave. It was why, when the checks his father sent slowly dwindled until they stopped coming altogether, he told nobody. He couldn't let things change, not when it was finally so good. Besides, he could take care of himself… he had to. 

Shinwoo wasn't stupid. The school faculty were mandated reporters; if they knew the checks had stopped coming, protective services would get involved. And what were the chances that Shinwoo would get placed in the same district? What were the chances that a random foster family would allow him to go to Ye Ran still? Sure, it might change nothing, but that wasn't a chance Shinwoo wanted to take. 

So when the checks finally stuttered to a halt, Shinwoo gritted his teeth, learned how to budget, and found a job. 

He could take care of himself. That was one of his truths, and he wouldn't let his deadbeat dad change that. 

Technically, Ye Ran students were allowed jobs, with one important caveat: it had to be cleared by the Chairman first. That would have been fine, had Shinwoo just needed pocket money, or if his family had fallen on hard times. But when Shinwoo was trying to hide the fact that he was now providing for himself? Forget it. It had to stay a secret. 

It made Shinwoo’s gut twist uncomfortably, hiding this from the Chairman who was so nice and understanding any time Shinwoo ended up in his office. But he was too nice. He would want to make sure that Shinwoo had someone taking care of him, which could end with Ye Ran being taken away from him. And so, the Chairman was left in the dark. 

It was going so well. Nobody, not even Ikhan, had figured it out. Shinwoo had gotten used to eating cheap meals, and leaving the power off in his house most days. 

He'd picked his job carefully too. An antique shop might not be able to pay as well as other places, but it was nice, consistent, and had a relatively niche customer base. What Ye Ran student would come here? And he just couldn't see the modern, foreign Chairman coming into a kind of shabby shob like this one. 

Until, one day, he did. 

Shinwoo had never really liked roller coasters. The swooping feeling in his stomach at drops was uncomfortable; it made him feel completely out of control. The dread he felt when he saw the Chairman of Ye Ran, holding an old looking teapot in front of Shinwoo's cashier station, was a lot like that swooping feeling. 

When they met eyes, the Chairman blinked in surprise. It was the most off guard Shinwoo had ever seen him, and his stomach twisted unpleasantly with guilt at the sight. Then, the Chairman's eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses, and Shinwoo knew he was fucked. 

“W-will that be all, sir?” Shinwoo asked, falling back on his customer service training in his nerves. 

“Yes, I think that will do,” said the Chairman, smiling oh-so-gently. For a moment, Shinwoo started to hope. Maybe Chairman Lee thought he'd just forgotten he'd given Shinwoo permission? 

The Chairman turned to leave and Shinwoo sagged in relief. And then: 

“Ah, and Shinwoo?” 

“Y-yes, sir?” He subtly wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. 

“Meet me in my office before school begins, tomorrow, please.” 

Shinwoo's stomach dropped. 

“Yes, sir.”

The door chimed pleasantly as Chairman Lee left, and Shinwoo slumped against the counter. Yep, he was completely fucked

Chapter Text

Frankenstein cared a great deal about his school. It was truly his pride and joy, and not just because he was an educator at heart. 

It was a place of safety as much as it was a place of learning. Each of his students and faculty was under his protection, even once they left. Very few ever realized that, of course, but it meant that Frankenstein had a personal investment in the well being of each person who walked Ye Ran's halls. 

Scouting Shinwoo had honestly been an impulsive choice. When he'd heard about a middle school student stepping in between some of his students and some violent thugs, he'd looked into it. At first, he wasn't sure why the name Han Shinwoo rang a bell- then he remembered a student he'd recently offered a scholarship to, Woo Ikhan, who had mentioned him. That, and his clear desire to protect people, was what spurred Frankenstein into offering a scholarship to the boy. 

Shinwoo, Ikhan, Yuna, Suyi. Four “difficult” first year students who had slowly started to bloom in Ye Ran; really, all it took was a bit of patience and care. 

Frankenstein, or rather Chairman Lee as he was in the school, tried to keep an eye on the first years especially, as that was where most problems arose before the students truly got comfortable. But there were hundreds of students in Ye Ran, and Frankenstein was only one man. An incredibly smart man, who had enhanced himself to the point that he barely needed sleep and could multitask more efficiently than any other human alive, but still a man. He couldn't keep an eye on every student every second of the day. 

Still, he had noticed that Shinwoo was more tired than usual. He'd suspected the teen was pushing himself too hard, likely in his martial arts training, but hoped he'd be able to find a school-life balance on his own. Learning independence was important for teenagers, after all, though Shinwoo likely had a head start on that because of his living situation. Frankenstein had intended to intervene before midterms if nothing had changed, but those plans had just gone up in smoke. 

Shinwoo's former Principal - an odious man, when Frankenstein had spoken to him- had warned him that Shinwoo was a troublemaker, a handful of a student. He'd all but insinuated that he wasn't worth the effort, which had truly irked Frankenstein. 

So far, Frankenstein had seen very little evidence that Shinwoo was even close to a true troublemaker. Sure, he was a frequent flyer in Frankenstein’s office, but fighting bullies was hardly a ‘troublemaking’ quality in his eyes. 

But now… seeing the teen fidget nervously behind the register, trying not to meet Frankenstein’s eyes? Well. It was certainly troublesome. 

It was almost amusing, how the teen tried to pretend that he wasn't doing anything wrong. Maybe if Shinwoo weren't so clearly nervous, Frankenstein would think he'd just forgotten to ask permission. 

But no. Shinwoo clearly knew what he was doing. Which raised the most important question: why? 

Despite what that joke of an educator said, Shinwoo did not deliberately cause trouble. Once you met him where he was at, he was perfectly respectful to authority figures - well, in his actions, if not verbally. He was not a rebellious student. 

So why had he deliberately hidden this? Why had he not just asked for permission? Perhaps he didn't think the request would be accepted. 

If it were a different teenager, Frankenstein might think that the reason for wanting a job was something too frivolous to be accepted. But this was Shinwoo, who despite his lackadaisical manner was truly dedicated to the things he cared about: namely his friends and martial arts. Having a job would mean less time with his friends. The exhaustion meant not doing his best in his martial arts studies. 

There was something more, and Frankenstein intended to get to the bottom of it. 

Though he kept the sweet smile that was all ‘Chairman Lee' on his face, Frankenstein could easily read the dread on Shinwoo's face. It just made him more concerned.

Yes, he would get to the bottom of this, and quickly. 

The next day, Frankenstein brought the tea set he'd just purchased. It had always been a great source of amusement for him, finding “antiques” to use in his daily life that were so new to him. He was over ten times the age of this particular tea set.

He hadn't just brought it for fun, however. He had a feeling this conversation with Shinwoo wouldn't be the easiest. If that was the case, it might help to have some tea. Even if the teen didn't drink it, just holding something warm might help calm the nerves a little. 

The knock that came at his door a little before school started was so timid, he was unsure it was Shinwoo at first. But when he called out a calm, “Come in,” it was the redheaded teen who entered. 

Frankenstein studied him carefully, hiding his scrutiny behind the calm facade of the Chairman. It wasn't the first time Shinwoo had gotten in trouble for something; he should be aware that Frankenstein was quite reasonable. And yet, he was visibly nervous about this meeting. 

“Go ahead and take a seat,” he said, waving Shinwoo to the couch. Normally, the energetic teen would throw himself onto the comfortable couch with little thought. Today, he sat down gingerly, like the cushions might bite him if he weren't careful enough. 

“I've just started some tea; how do you take yours?” 

“Just sugar,” Shinwoo muttered, fidgeting and not meeting Frankenstein's eyes. 

An awkward silence suffused the area as Frankenstein poured them each a cup. He didn't let it bother him, though it was a bit odd to hear Shinwoo so quiet. 

“Now,” he said, and the boy tensed. “Let's talk about why you felt the need to secretly find a job, shall we?” 

“I-it’s crazy, I just completely forgot to ask,” Shinwoo tried. Frankenstein raised an eyebrow. 

“Do you want to try again?” He said dryly, unimpressed. The teen's shoulders slumped, and he fell silent.  

“...How much trouble am I in?” He eventually asked. 

“Not as much as you seem to think,” Frankenstein said. He sipped at his tea. “As you know, quite a few students at Ye Ran are employed. Your friend Suyi comes to mind.” 

Shinwoo held the teacup, but hadn't drank any yet. He nodded at the mention of Suyi, but still, he didn't look at Frankenstein. 

“The issue here is not that you have a job, but that you didn't inform anyone,” Frankenstein said. “As long as it doesn't affect your studies, there is nothing wrong with working after school. And if there is a need to work in such a way it conflicts with school, we can make accommodations.” 

Here, Shinwoo stiffened, and Frankenstein’s attention sharpened. He let the silence sit for several seconds. 

“Five to six weeks,” Frankenstein said, breaking the silence. For the first time since entering the office, Shinwoo looked up. His confusion was so clear on his face that Frankenstein had to fight a smile. 

“That is how long you've been employed at the antique shop, isn't it?” 

The teen's face went from confused to baffled. 

“What? How did you…?” 

Frankenstein slid a folder to Shinwoo. His student opened it with trepidation and went very still when he saw the papers inside. 

Five weeks was when Shinwoo had started to show up to school tired and unfocused. It was when Frankenstein could pinpoint the drop in his grades and an increase in late arrivals. It wasn't enough to truly get the teen in trouble, but it was noticeable. 

He didn't need to walk through his logic for Shinwoo. His student was smart; Frankenstein could practically see the realization clicking into place as he looked at the data. 

“So. You know we allow accommodations for part time or even full time jobs. Why did you hide this, Shinwoo?” 

Shinwoo was silent for several seconds. The teen's knuckles were turning white with how hard he was gripping the teacup. 

Suddenly, there was a shift. It was painfully obvious to Frankenstein, though it might've fooled an unobservant man. Shinwoo plastered on his usual uncaring grin, and leaned back, scratching his head in a way Frankenstein had never seen him do before. 

“Haha,” he said- no, truly, he said the words rather than faking a laugh- “it's embarrassing, really. I'm saving up for this… uh… cool concert I wanted to take a girl to. I should've asked, I know, but it was just so embarrassing-” 

“Shinwoo.” Frankenstein cut him off. His voice was gentle, but he could see the way it cracked the teen's facade. “The real reason, please.” 

Shinwoo's face crumpled. 

“...Why can't you be like every other teacher, and buy my bullsh- er, I mean…” he trailed off awkwardly. Frankenstein didn't bother calling out the language; it was not the time. He waited for Shinwoo to gather his thoughts and continue. “Why can you see through me so easy?” 

“The wellbeing of my students is a top priority for me,” he said. It didn't answer Shinwoo's question, not really, but it answered the unspoken one: why Frankenstein was putting in so much effort to see through Shinwoo. 

It was several minutes before either spoke again. Frankenstein sipped slowly at his tea. If Shinwoo was trying to wait Frankenstein out, he had quite the long wait. Being immortal tended to extend one's patience quite a bit. 

“I don't want to leave Ye Ran,” Shinwoo finally said. 

Frankenstein hummed vaguely, but his alarm was spiking. 

“Even at our most harsh, the punishment for getting a job without permission would not be expulsion. Your scholarship completely covers your tuition, and that would not be taken away without a very good reason.” So what could possibly force Shinwoo away from Ye Ran? 

His student was trembling, Frankenstein realized with a shock. His enhanced hearing meant he could hear the way Shinwoo's pulse had sped up, and his breathing had quickened. He was gripping the teacup a bit too hard as well. Shinwoo might be a normal human, but he was strong enough that he could break a teacup if he lost control of himself. 

Frankenstein reached across the table and gently took the still full teacup from Shinwoo's hand. He didn't want a mess, of course, or to lose his new antique, but he also didn't want shards of porcelain in his student's hand. 

Without the teacup to hold, Shinwoo wrapped his arms around his body. He was so close to spilling whatever it was that was upsetting him, Frankenstein could tell. He just needed one last push. 

“Shinwoo,” he said, waiting until the boy looked up at him. “Whatever it is, I will help you. You are a student of Ye Ran, and we will not give you up without a fight.” 

“I-” Shinwoo let out a shaky breath. Frankenstein watched the teen’s inner conflict play out over his face- he truly wore his heart on his sleeve. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision. “You know how I live alone.” 

Frankenstein nodded. Dread pooled in his stomach, even though he'd already suspected it might have something to do with his home life. 

“And… and my dad lives overseas.” Another nod from the Chairman. “And… and I can take care of myself, but-” 

The boy's voice broke here. He took several deep breaths, clearly fighting for his life to keep from breaking down in Frankenstein's office. The immortal waited patiently for him to regain control. 

“But I… about two months ago he- the checks stopped coming.” 

Frankenstein stilled. A deep, destructive rage was building, but he forced it down. That was not what Shinwoo needed right now. 

Shinwoo was a very resourceful, independent young man. He was also fifteen. He should be worried about math grades and martial arts competitions, not whether or not he could pay the bills or get food on the table. 

“And. And I know that's not ok,” Shinwoo said, voice quivering. “I shouldn't have to-” 

Again, he took a moment to call himself. 

“I… I know I could have come to you or any of the teachers. But… I'm probably going to end up in a foster home, right? And I don't… I know I have a scholarship, so they wouldn't have to pay for Ye Ran but. What if it's too far? What if it's across the country? What if I don't even get to stay in Korea?!” 

And Shinwoo was hyperventilating now. Past time to intervene. Frankenstein moved to sit by his student and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“It's alright, Shinwoo. Follow my breathing, alright?” 

Carefully, he guided his student through the panic attack, until Shinwoo's pulse was back at a normal level. 

“I'm not going to say it's ok,” Frankenstein started. He wasn't looking at Shinwoo, but he could feel the teen's eyes on him. “It's not ok that your father isn't providing for you. It's not ok that you were left to fend for yourself, and felt like that was the only option. But I said I would help you, and I meant it.” 

In the corner of his eye, Shinwoo sat up a little straighter. 

“It is unlikely that you would be taken far enough that you would not be able to attend Ye Ran,” he said, “but that is not something I will leave to chance.” Even if he had to foster the boy himself. His papers should still be in order, and it wasn't the first time he'd fostered a student in a rough situation. 

“You… you can do that?” Shinwoo said in awe. Frankenstein turned slightly to hide his smile. 

“I am the Chairman of Ye Ran,” he said. “This school has produced many exceptional students who have gone on to do many important jobs. Jobs such as police work and social services.” 

He looked back at Shinwoo. The teen's eyes were sparkling with awe- or perhaps the tears he was trying so hard to keep from shedding. 

“I, and the alumni of Ye Ran, will take care of you, Shinwoo.” 

It was enough to finally break the dam of emotions he was holding back. Shinwoo collapsed into Frankenstein’s side, sobbing. Frankenstein gently rubbed his back. 

Luckily, he'd had the foresight to clear his schedule until after lunch. He had a student to comfort and a murder to plan. 

Good thing Frankenstein was an incredible multitasker.