Kai’s eyes were puffy due to lack of sleep, his back ached from sleeping in a scrunched position, and if was being honest he could feel the fatigue already set in when his bare feet met the cold mahogany floorboards of his dorm. He slouched as he walked out to the bathroom, and his eyes refused to look up. He felt the world was punishing him for something, but he hadn’t felt like he had done anything intentionally.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror and saw his pale face, and turned the knob to get some cool water flowing. In one fluid motion, he splashed the freezing water onto his face, he felt a rush as soon as the cold water smacked onto his face. The energy hit him like a train, and a grin immediately replaced the space on his face that was occupied by a straight line.

I’m ready for the road ahead.

Now Kai may feel ready when the bell rang, but the moment he realizes a certain doe-eyed boy isn’t at his seat yet his mind draws a blank. He forgets all about being ready to face the day and finds himself almost tripping on the way to his seat. That earns him a few chuckles from a few jocks sitting in the back row, and a few giggles from some cheerleaders in the front row. He looked over at Xiumin’s seat, and he wasn’t there either, and he sighed. How was he going to face the day with nobody there by his side?

Kyungsoo’s slumber was disturbed by his alarm clock buzzing, and he unplugged it violently. His arm yanked at the cord, and the clock itself almost fell off his desk. He went to his dorm’s bathroom and washed up. He ignored his untidy black locks, rushing back to his room like raging thunder, he snatched a jacket out of his small closet and took off. He left school campus, not ever looking back. He needed a break, he needed to be alone, and he needed to figure himself out.

If you ever have been terribly late to an event like a funeral, or your best friend’s birthday party, then maybe you understand how lost Kyungsoo is right? How could someone so sure of himself not know what he wants right now, and so he finds himself kicking at the gravel road. His heels scratching against hard cement, and just hearing his heart skip beats.

“Hey, so are we going to talk about this or not?” his conscience came back, and he internally huffed at him.

“listen, I’m not in the mood for this, I’m not myself right now.” He crossed his arms at the sudden breeze that came by.

“Did you ever think that maybe it’s time for a change my friend?” he asked, and as soon as he asked that Kyungsoo felt something fall on his head.

He looked down to see a flyer.

Fifty percent off all haircuts, and hair dye, one time only.

Kai wanted to believe today was going to be a good day, but Xiumin hadn’t gone to any of his classes, and neither had Kai. Instead of moping around he came to the decision to just stroll around outside of campus. He’d never really gone off campus for anything, but he decided that it’d be better than staying in his room alone all day.

He exited through the giant gateway that got locked every night at around ten, or at least that’s the curfew time. He was quite far away from campus, and he noticed a small convenience store around the corner, and he decided to settle in there.

He noticed a red hair individua