Took a while longer than anticipated. But this is the longest chapter (or even finished story) I ever wrote in English. So, yeah, hope there's still somebody who's going to read it.

The next chapter is going to be shorter. And faster in the release.

Chapter 2 - Costumes

It was late afternoon on Friday, two months until open day at the Ye Ran High School and one week after the announcement of what they would do on that special date. Normally, Regis would eye the accumulation of snacks, papers, and crumbs with a resigned stance to the upcoming cleaning. But not now. His mind was occupied with something else. It was red and lay on his nightstand. It should be the dwarf's hat that he would sew for the play, but it looked like a bag instead of a hat - ridiculous, deformed and unfitting for a noble.
Thankfully, the children were occupied with talking about the shared role of Suyi and Yuna. The beautiful queen and the vicious witch, the same character, but oh so different.
"I still don't get how you will make it seem like you are one person. I mean, you don't look alike."
Both girls exchanged a glance and smiled at each other. They stood up synchronously, flung their hair over their shoulders, and put their hands akimbo. All their movements were perfectly timed and, a little proud, they shared another conspiratorial glance, a huge grin on their faces. Regis really had to admit that he didn't expect those human girls to be able to move so synchronously and elegantly.
"Wow, like a studied dance."
"Suyi came up with the idea."
"Only because Yuna helps me with my choreography most of the time. It's more fun learning that stuff for my concerts when we're doing it together."
"Speaking of being on stage. Have you all started, or even finished, sewing your costumes yet?" Regis flinched at Ikhan's question. He was once again reminded of the funny looking piece of red fabric that didn't even slightly resemble the dwarf's hat that he had to make.
"I finished last weekend." Of course Seira, as a clan leader, carefully and diligently completed her duties instantly.
"I'm half way through. Thankfully, my mother helped me with the hard parts. I'm really sick of quillings right now." If the sigh Suyi heaved was an indicator of how much she hated her costume, it really seemed to be annoying to sew. If Regis remembered right, the dress should be really frilly and good looking since Suyi was the bad but beautiful queen in the play.
"Ah, I got my neighbor to do it. She's a nice older lady and learned to tailor ages ago. She's going to do it in exchange for me helping her with a computer problem," chirped Ikhan, grinning broadly before turning to Regis. "How far are you?"
"I tried to start, but it seems that I'm unable to do it," answered Regis with as much composure as possible for him to exhibit. Human children could do it, but he failed at sewing. That was humiliating.
"If you want, I can sew your costume."
Regis turned towards Yuna. He almost allowed himself to look at her with hopeful eyes but refrained in the last moment. At least, he hoped so.
"I'm already finished. My costume isn't as lavish as Suyi's. And, somehow, I had fun while sewing it, so I stayed up last night to finish it."
"Yuna, I can't ask you to sew my costume. I have the obligation to do it myself, because…"
"Nonsense! I would love to do it!"
"I gratefully accept your offer," answered Regis, slightly bowing his head in thanks. He would have declined, but he knew that it was impossible for him to finish the costume all by himself. It was more embarrassing to appear on stage with an unfinished costume than to ask for the help of a friend.
"That only leaves Shinwoo and Rai," declared Ikhan adjusting his glasses.

"My costume is taken care of."
Regis sighed inwardly. If Frankenstein would do his costume, too, he wouldn't have a problem. But considering the way the house owner looked at him as they told him about the costumes, Regis was positive that even asking him about sewing it was totally in vain. Repressing another sigh, he turned his head towards Shinwoo, who chuckled in embarrassment.
"I can attach a button, but that prince costume is so frilly. I don't think I can make it properly."
"Then I can give you a hand if you would like to." Everyone's head turned around towards Seira, who was sipping her tea. She ignored the surprised, and in Shinwoo's case, hopeful, looks the kids gave her and acted composed as a clan leader should do.
"You would do that for me?" Shinwoo sprang up, grinning across his whole face and clutching Seira's hands in his exuberant way. The human children giggled as their friend noticed what he was doing after a few seconds and blushed while letting her hands drop.
"Ah. Sorry, I wasn't thinking!"
What an improper way of asking for a favor! Shinwoo should be grateful that Regis considered him a friend or else… He wasn't really sure what he would have done or if there would be a reason to do something. Seira could handle every problem by herself, but even so, he felt responsible for this kind of thing. His grandfather had taught him the right way to behave toward women.
But as expected of Seira, she reassured Shinwoo with few words that she wasn't mad and that she would gladly help him with the costume. Considerately, Yuna diverted the attention from those two back to the costumes by asking when they should sew them together. And without waiting, she answered her own question.
"Why don't we do it today? It's Friday, so if we call our parents, there shouldn't be a problem if we stay here late."
"There is no need to rush," Shinwoo reminded her. He seemed to feel a bit bad for letting the girls do all the work, and Regis felt the same way, not wanting to foist the sewing on them this fast. But before he could say so, Suyi chipped in, "If you sew it today, I'll stay, too. I had my half finished costume with me at school since I wanted to use the free period for it. But in the end, we just chatted, so I didn't get a chance to do so."
"So if the headmaster allows it, we'll have a girl's night?" Yuna's eyes were almost glowing with anticipation as she looked at Seira questioningly.
What was a 'girl's night?' Regis knew the words, but that didn't explain the excited way Suyi and Yuna were acting. Would the three girls stay the evening and sew? Or was there more to that kind of special night? Whatever it was, it couldn't make more trash and disorder than the kids playing. Considering the name implied that it excluded boys and Shinwoo was the epicenter of most of the chaos, Regis felt quite safe to assume that the girls would leave the room in a proper state.
"So, you want to stay here for a while longer?" Regis raised his head to look toward the owner of the voice. Frankenstein stood in the entry to the living room and clearly had heard the last few sentences. Or even more. Regis didn't know when that guy had entered the room, but he was sure that the older male knew almost everything that went on in this house. Sometimes, it was almost creepy.
"Yeah, we would love to. If you'll allow it," Suyi answered with a genuinely bright smile.
After a glance towards his master, Frankenstein's face lit up into his trademark fake smile.
"If you want to but make sure to call your parents beforehand. I don't want to make them worry without a reason."
The children didn't notice it, but Regis clearly saw the way Frankenstein looked as he turned around. More mess in his precious house. Less time alone with his master. Yes, he was torn between exploding with anger and regretting ever inviting the children inside in the first place. But then again, from what Regis heard, he didn't have a choice in letting the children in or in forbidding them to enter. Shinwoo was too forceful in this kind of thing.
It only took Suyi a few minutes to convince her father of letting her stay over a bit longer than normally, until the moment she said something about it being a girl's night.
Regis listened closely and what he could understand from the conversation, Suyi's father was worried that she would be heading home alone in the late evening. Regis could have told, even without listening to the words, as Suyi's face looked crestfallen per longer she talked.
"Tell him that I'm going to bring you and Yuna home," Shinwoo pitched into the conversation. It seemed like even Shinwoo guessed the main problem of the girls staying here and offered his help. You could call Shinwoo many things, but he always was there if a friend needed help. They had talked about a girls' night, but from the look of it, even the boys would stay longer. Even after measuring their sizes for the costumes.
Suyi's and Yuna's faces clearly told that they were a bit disappointed and sorry for forcing Shinwoo to stay longer. And Regis thought about the mess Shinwoo would create while he stayed over for a few more hours. That would be disastrous.
"Give me the phone for a while," Regis asked politely and took the mobile phone of Suyi as she reluctantly held it out to him.
"Hello? This is Regis Landegre speaking. I can assure you that neither Suyi nor Yuna are going to go home alone. You know that three of the security guards of the school live here. One of them escorts them home. Yes, thank you. Bye."
Regis finished the conversation and snapped the phone shut with a content face. Like this, Shinwoo wouldn't create a mess he would have to tidy up and the girls would be glad, too. From the underlying smile he saw on Seira, he could tell that she was content with this conclusion, too… And that she knew what his intentions were behind the help he provided the girls. Now, he only needed to convince one of those three guys to escort the girls home, but that wouldn't be a problem at all.
"Thank you, Regis. But are you sure that they are going to be pleased with bringing us home that late?" Yuna's voice sounded a bit reluctant as she asked that. She was clearly anxious to force the three men into things. Even so, he could tell that she really, really wanted to stay over for a little while longer. He could tell from the eager glow in her eyes as she made the proposal to finish the costumes.
"They will be glad to help us," Regis tried to reassure the girl.
"Says who?"
Regis and the others turned around towards the doorway again. This time there wasn't a smiling Frankenstein but a smirking M-21. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking somewhere between amused and angered.
"Che, as if you would let either Suyi or Yuna go home alone in the dark. Something could happen to them at night in town."
"That still doesn't allow you to sell me off."
"Ah, don't pretend like you would hate it. If I didn't say so, you would have offered your help either way."
Regis shared a conspiring glance with the enhanced human. He didn't know if the children could see it too, but M-21 forced the corners of his mouth down as if to hide his amusement in this little 'argument.' This time they were of the same opinion, and all the words flying back and forth were only for their own enjoyment.
"Ajussi, if you don't want to, we can always sew another day." No, Yuna definitely didn't get it, judging by the way she wanted to leave M-21 a loophole to escape the forced role as escort. Big brown orbs looked at M-21 with an apologetic glance. Regis chuckled inwardly. If that guy was weak against something, then it was the begging from the children. And as he expected, M-21 waved the question aside, "It's not like I have something better to do tonight. Additionally, Tao wanted to rope me into something. It's a good excuse. So call me whenever you want to head home."
A few thanks were heard from the children and M-21 nodded. He waved goodbye as he headed out of the door into the hallway, not even once looking back. Regis could hear the enhanced human knock on Takeo's door. Perhaps he was going to ask him for help, so they could bring Yuna and Suyi back home because they lived in different directions? But more important, what had M-21 been talking about? What did Tao intend to do? Hopefully, it wouldn't be something concerning RK-4 because he would end up involved, too. And knowing Tao, it would be something embarrassing.

The next few hours went by in a flash. The children talked and played games, until the boys decided to head home as it already had gotten dark outside. Regis brought Ikhan and Shinwoo to the door, leaving Rai to his tea and the human girls in Seira's presence.
"Seira is going to sew the costume I'll wear," Shinwoo said and then giggled. Yes, he actually giggled.
"And Yuna is helping me with my costume," Regis answered tentatively and looked at the red headed boy. The girls would sew. So what? He looked a bit confused at the human boy, who was putting on his shoes.
"I mean, SHE is going to do it for ME."
"Shinwoo, stop being creepy," Ikhan said while rolling his eyes. He shared a glance with Regis, clearly wanting to say something along the lines 'Just ignore him. He has his five crazy minutes.' The bespectacled boy shoved Shinwoo out of the door and waved one last time toward Regis. The young noble closed the door, inwardly shaking his head. He still didn't get what Shinwoo was implying and he would make sure to ask Seira. But then again, Seira was perhaps the wrong choice as the words concerned her, too. Perhaps M-21? If he couldn't answer his question, he could at least tell him what Tao planned so Regis could avoid whatever came his way.