KIM JONGIN

The very next morning, I went to Seoul Arts University to apply to the dance faculty. My parents had argued with me all night over my decision but they couldn't change my mind. I knew they were just worried about me and wanted me to be happy. I understood that they didn't want me to fall in love with Sehun, then end up alone and devastated for the rest of my life. It happened often and many a times those of us whose hearts were broken ended up deleting their own code, which is the equivalent of killing themselves and disappearing completely. They didn't want me to meet such a fate, and I knew that.

But everything about Sehun just felt so right. I knew what I was putting on the line for him, but I wasn't scared. Something was pulling me to him, and it was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Eventually my parents gave up and let me go for it. They'd never seen me so determined to do something ever before. They were still worried for me, but they knew I was old enough to make my own decisions and do what I felt was right.

The university was holding tryouts for entering the dance faculty later that month and I sent in my application that morning. It was only a matter of a few clicks on my coder to upgrade my dance skills anyway, and then getting through those auditions should have been a breeze. The officer told me I was free to take a walk around the campus. The first thing that came to mind was looking for Sehun. I didn't even need to talk to him, just seeing him from the distance would have been enough for me.

I walked around the campus for a while, taking in the atmosphere I was going to be studying in soon. There were many students walking by in the hallways, rushing to their classes, talking to their friends or having group discussions. I spotted a few girls giving me the once-over and even sending me bold flirtatious smiles (which was something I was used to by then). I didn't really care about seeing anyone but Sehun though, so it didn't matter.

And then it happened.

I was mindlessly scanning the announcements on a green board in the hallway when I caught someone staring at me from my peripheral vision. Instinctively, I turned to look at them.

And there he was.

Just standing there, staring at me. And by God was he even more beautiful in real life. He was dressed in a plain full-sleeved shirt and washed out jeans. When my eyes met his, he suddenly stepped back in shock. It took everything in me not to burst out in a smile at his adorable reaction. Instead, I pretended to look confused. I could only guess he recognized me from his dream.

I wasn't sure how long we both stood there just staring at each other. It was as if time itself had stopped at that moment. I admired every single feature of his face. His eyes, his nose, his lips, his hair, everything about him was just perfect. I didn't care if he was a boy or a girl.

I wanted him.

I could feel the growing tension in the air, the awkwardness. Next thing I knew, he diverted his gaze and walked away, as if realizing he had been staring for too long. I watched him get further and further away from me, almost disappointed our little moment had ended. I decided I'd follow him around for a little bit, just to know some more about him.

The first place he went to was the dance studio. After he walked in, I peeked though the window in the door to see a bunch of other guys, four to be exact, sitting in a circle on the floor, seemingly working on some project together as Sehun joined them. I watched them for a minute, even though I couldn't really hear what they were talking about. My eyes were mostly on Sehun though. He seemed to be focused on what they were talking about, occasionally throwing in a few comments. I wonder if he's the quiet type...

"Excuse you."

I abruptly turned around when I heard someone speak behind me. A tall, blonde boy with prominent dark circles stood in front of me with a raised eyebrow, carrying a few bags in his hands.

"What do you think you're doing, peeking around like a creep?"

"Uhh..." I muttered, saying the first thing that came to my mind, "I was uh, looking for my cat."

The boy lifted a brow, "Your cat?"

"Uh yeah. I thought I saw it enter this room earlier. Looks like it's not here though so I'll go look somewhere else."

Without waiting for a response, I walked away, letting out a sigh. Cat? Really Kai? Is that the only thing that came to your head?

I heard the guy mutter, "Animals aren't even allowed on campus," under his breath before shaking his head and entering the studio.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all...

OH SEHUN

Two weeks passed by relatively eventless. We were still working on our music video and Luhan, being the perfectionist that he was, wanted to make sure there were absolutely no loose ends. Thankfully, I didn't have any other weird dreams, nor did I see that guy again, which was sort of a relief. It was a lot easier to focus on my work. But I would sometimes find myself wondering where he was and what he was doing.

"Oh yeah," Yixing spoke while chewing on a french fry, "They're holding the auditions for the dance program today. Did you guys wanna go check it out?"

Luna's shrugged, "Sure, I'm down. Hopefully there'll be some hot guys."

I chuckled, "I don't mind either."

"We're not going anywhere until you finish your plate though. Don't think I haven't been watching you," Luna reprimanded.

I stuck my tongue out at her childishly and began eating my pasta, not realizing I'd been picking at my food for a while now.

"Now that you mention it," Yixing spoke, narrowing his eyes at me, "You've been kinda pale these days. Are you under-eating again?"

I bit my lip and looked down at my plate, "Well... not really. It's just been a busy few days."

"Which is exactly why you should be eating well," Luna scowled at me.

"Alright, alright, stop lecturing me, omma."

"Luna's right though," Yixing pointed his fork at me, "You need to stay healthy to be able to give your hundred percent at the filming. Or Luhan will have your head."

"Sheesh, tell him Yixing. He only seems to listen to you anyway."

"I do not," I retorted, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks, "And seriously, you guys don't have to worry about me. I feel fine."

"That's what you always say before passing out," Luna rolled her eyes, "Come on, eat up. We don't wanna miss the auditions."

This was my childhood best friend, Park Sunyoung, but she preferred to go by Luna. We'd been best friends ever since the first grade, and it all started off with us fighting over a pack of potato chips. She was older than me by a year and was a major in dance and music. Luna tended to be very overprotective of me, especially ever since I was diagnosed with anemia back in high school. I always tried my best not to worry her too much. But aside from that, I trusted her and could pretty much tell her anything, and vice versa.

I forced myself to eat the rest of my food as the three of us engaged in casual banter. When we were done, we left the cafeteria to go to the studio where the auditions were to be held. It was always fun to watch the new applicants try out, and many of them were actually really good. When we arrived at the studio, auditions had started and a few students had already gathered outside the clear walls of the studio.

About fifteen minutes into watching the auditions, a lot more students started to gather around to watch as well and the hallway was filled with indistinct chatter.

That was when I saw him again.

The seventh applicant had just finished his audition and left the studio, and the eighth was called in. He walked into the studio, dressed in a simple black full-sleeved t-shirt and sweatpants. I recognized his face instantly. It was him. I was surprised at first when I saw him, but it made sense that he'd show up again. He must have come that day for a reason.

Despite the fact that I hardly knew the guy, I found myself anticipating his audition. He stood in the middle of the studio, staring at the hardwood floor as the music came on. He then looked up and started to dance to the classical piece, spinning and twirling around gracefully. Out of everything, I didn't expect for him to go for ballet. But God damn did it suit him. He looked graceful, his limbs moved flexibly and swiftly, yet with impact. No doubt that he was an amazing dancer, and his technique was impeccable for someone who was just trying out.

I was definitely taken aback by how good he was, but yet, I couldn't help but feel like something was amiss. He was the perfect example of a model dancer, and he moved almost like a professional. Even the judges seemed impressed. But it almost felt like he was dancing soullessly; there was no passion behind it. It was like he was dancing just because he had to, or just for the heck of it. He didn't seem like he was genuinely enjoying what he was doing.

"Damn, he's good," Luna commented in awe, "Like really good. And not to mention hot as hell."

I found myself nodding, "Yeah, he is."

The entire hallway had gone silent at his performance, save for the occasional impressed compliments from the students. He might have been even better than some of the seniors here.

"He's definitely getting in," Yixing said.

I noted the similarly captivated look in his eyes. He wasn't the type of person to be easily impressed or to compliment someone, but when he did it meant he was really impressed. Dare I say I was even a little envious of the dancer to have gotten Yixing's attention.

When he was finished with the dance, he bowed down to the judges. Once he looked up, his eyes connected right with mine. I froze for a second, staring back at the boy. It wasn't long before he looked away and left the studio. 

I felt like every time I looked into his eyes, I would just freeze all over. I'd be reminded of that dream once more. I knew might have been overreacting with this whole thing but I couldn't really help it. There was just something odd about him, even though I never even talked to him. Something about him just made my heart beat that little bit faster, especially when he looked at me.

I went back to my dorm room to take a nap after the auditions had ended since we had some shooting to do later that day. I glanced over at the empty bed in my room and realized I was probably going to get a new roommate soon, since there would be some freshmen joining this month. Of course I liked my privacy, but I didn't really mind the idea of having a roommate. I used to have one a few months ago. He was nice guy from the film faculty and we got along pretty well, but he transferred to America before the new semester started and I didn't have a roommate ever since.

With a sigh, I flopped down on my bed and closed my eyes. My thoughts automatically went to the boy and the way he danced. He was great at it, maybe even better than me, even though I was a second-year student and he was still just trying out. But something was off about him, and it was like I was the only one who noticed it. His eyes were inexpressive throughout the routine, he looked almost robotic. But his skill seemed to overshadow that fact.

I remembered those few seconds that our eyes locked together and how just like the first time, I had that hollow feeling in my stomach. He was good-looking, that was for sure, and incredibly so, but I wasn't the type to be affected by looks alone. He could have been a terrible person for all I knew.

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. Why was I thinking so much about him anyway? It's not like I could keep getting this affected every time I saw him, especially since I'd probably be seeing him more often around campus now. I just needed to get some rest so I could do my best at the shoot.

*a week later*

I sat slumped against the wall in the studio, eyes closed with my arms wrapped around my knees. I wasn't sure how long I sat there, all sorts of miscellaneous thoughts spinning through my mind.

"Hey," I felt a nudge at my shoulder. Opening my eyes, I saw Yixing smiling at me gently, handing me a cup with a straw. "Here, it's a protein shake."

"You didn't have to..." I said, gratefully taking the drink from his hand, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," He sat down next to me, "You shouldn't overwork yourself so much, you know? You're already great the way you are."

I blushed slightly as I took a sip from the protein shake, "Just... don't tell Luna I passed out again. You know how worried she gets."

"She has a reason to."

"I know. I just can't help it sometimes. I just find myself dancing for hours on end and still not being satisfied. I don't realize how hungry and exhausted I get."

Yixing sighed and put his arm around my shoulders comfortingly, "At this rate you'll need someone keeping an eye on you all the time."

I chuckled, "Probably."

"You should probably go rest for the rest of the day though."

"What about today's shoot?"

"We postponed it. You're in no condition to dance right now."

"Yixing, we can't afford to lose time-"

"We can't afford to lose you, Sehun. We only have one more scene anyway. Just take the rest of the day off and we can do it tomorrow. No complaints. Or I'll tell Luna."

I sighed and nodded resignedly, "Alright."

"Come," Yixing stood up, holding a hand out for me, "I'll walk you to your dorm room."

"I can go alone you know," I said, rolling my eyes as I took his hand anyway and stood up.

We then left the studio and made our way across the campus towards the dormitories, making small talk. I really was glad I had a friend like Yixing. He didn't talk much and wasn't very expressive, but he was thoughtful and smart. He always silently did things for others without expecting anything back. And not to mention he was a great dancer. We met for the first time at the auditions last year and instantly became good friends.

When we arrived outside my dorm room door, I faced him and smiled shyly, "Thanks again for the shake. I feel a lot better now."

"Like I said, you don't have to thank me. Just take care of yourself, okay? Remember what you promised your parents."

I sighed, "Yeah, I know. I'll try to be more careful."

Yixing smiled, "That's better. Well, I have a class now. Catch you later."

"Bye."

I watched him walk away, feeling warm all over. With a sigh, I unlocked my room and walked in. I was taken by surprise when I heard the noise of the running shower from the toilet. I furrowed my eyebrows, catching sight of the a suitcase on the floor and another one open on the bed that wasn't mine.

So the new freshman's moved in today?

I kicked my shoes off and hopped into my bed, lying down on my back comfortably. Soon enough, I could hear the shower turning off and the toilet door unlocking. The doorknob turned and out walked a tall boy with only a towel wrapped around his hips as he dried his hair off with a smaller towel. His head was down so I couldn't see his face and I took a second to observe his bronze, tanned skin and toned abs. Once he lifted his head, he gasped in surprise when he noticed me laying there, staring at him.

My eyes widened as I took in his familiar features.

It was him, the brown-eyed boy. He himself seemed surprised to see me there.

"H-Hi," He greeted after brushing back the initial shock, smiling politely, "Sorry if I startled you there, I just moved in today."

His voice was deep and smooth, and it instantly reminded me of the dream. It sounded so familiar.

"Ah no, that's okay," I stammered, "I wasn't really startled anyway."

"Um, okay then. I'm Jongin, by the way, your new roommate. Nice to meet you."

"Oh Sehun. Nice to meet you, too."

I wasn't sure why but he just stared at me quietly for a second, before turning around to grab his clothes from his bed. I decided it'd be awkward if I just watched him change so I turned over so my back was facing him and closed my eyes. I could hear some rustling behind me and thought I'd break the awkward silence.

"I uh, saw you at the audition last week. You were quite good."

"R-really? Thanks..."

I felt like I could almost hear the blush in his voice.

"Congrats on getting through the auditions."

"Ah, thank you. So Sehun, what are you majoring in?" He asked.

"Dance and acting. You?"

"Well for now just dance but I might take up something else later."

"Oh, I see." 

I wasn't sure why, but there was a certain awkwardness in the air. We never spoke before, but we had a few odd moments of eye contact and the awkwardness of our previous encounters slowly began to sink in. It was just weird to be talking to him, it almost felt unreal. And out of everyone else, he had to be the one to become my roommate.

Shaking my head at myself, I turned over to look at the boy. He was now fully dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, sorting through the suitcase that was on his bed.

"Um... Do you need some help with unpacking?" I asked, trying to be polite.

He looked at me and smiled gratefully, "Nah that's okay. I've got this. But thanks."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then. I'm gonna take a nap now but if you need help with anything you can just wake me up."

"I'm sure I'll be fine. But if you're free tomorrow morning, could you show me around the campus?" He asked politely, almost a little timidly.

I smiled, "Sure thing."

"Thanks, Sehun."

"Anytime," I said, closing my eyes. There was nothing really odd or unnatural about Jongin himself, he seemed like a perfectly normal freshman. And from our small conversation, he seemed like a nice person as well. Surely it was all in my head. I was overreacting just because of that stupid dream.

I kinda hoped we'd become good friends. Something about him just made me want to get to know him better. 

 All I needed to do was forget that dream ever happened.

Hey guys! I'm sorry this chapter was kinda late and possibly dull lol. I guess I'm still kinda adjusting to this genre. I plan to update at least once a week and I'll try my best to stick to that. I hope y'all are enjoying it so far! Until next time!