A/N: Second chapter up! The story is currently going at a pretty sluggish pace, but I think I'll keep it mellow for now. This is supposed to be a somewhat relaxing story, after all. Enjoy <3

♫ Relaxing BG playlist

“Sayuri!” A familiar voice calls out to your breathless, panting self, and you finally skid to a halt in front of the station, and two boys you’ve never met in your life. One of them cranks a million-volt smile – you immediately know it’s your new roommate. Twinkling, excited eyes, a thick, heavily masculine jawline, and a soft mop of deep chestnut hair that you itched to run your fingers through.

Now, the one next to him…had an intensity that you couldn’t shake off, no matter how friendly he seemed. His eyes, so sharp and defined looked like they could spot your every move, even with minimal movements. You also guessed he was a tad bit older, with broader shoulders and tired lines lightly etched across his face, each telling their own story.

You bowed deeply in front of them.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Your lips twitch into a reserved smile. “What are your names?”

“I’m Jongdae!” Your mystery caller chirps, then briefly motions the man to his side. “And that’s Minseok. Don’t worry about him, he ain’t mean or anything.”

“Excuse me.” Minseok raises an eyebrow. “I can speak for myself, thank you very much.”

“Hey!” Jongdae whines. “First impressions are crucial! I’m doing you a favour!”

“I think not.” The elder rolls his eyes, then turns to face you, arms crossed over his chest. “Shall we get going?”

“Yes, let’s.” You agree, and make a one-eighty degree turn, back towards your home street. Through the gusts of wind, rustling tree saplings and broken cobblestone sidewalks. Despite walking in more or less silence, it was undeniably therapeutic. Just the three of you, hands stuffed deep in your pockets, enjoying the sounds around you.

Questions were beginning to pop up in your mind more and more frequently with every step, though you weren’t feeling quite chatty yet. They were just strangers, after all.

Strangers that you were casually inviting over to your house.

…that…really didn’t quite right with you. What if they weren’t your new dorm mates after all? You had no way of checking, after all. Perhaps it would be wiser if they showed you the dorm first?

Oh, the discomfort was really starting to weigh down on you now.

“Uhm.” You manage to squeak out, at the price of stopping dead in your tracks. “I-I just remembered, uh. The dorm. T-The address, what’s the address again?”

“Huh?” Jongdae stopped next to you, confusion evident in his features. “Didn’t you check the papers?”

“Tell me what the address is!” You raise your voice, only just realizing how loud it was that you sounded. Embarrassed beyond words, you stifle any further sounds with your hands, now covering your mouth tightly. All the blood rushes to your face, making your cheeks glow and heat up to the point where said heat seeps into your palms and makes you wish you’d disappear.

“Hey, Sayuri. Calm down.” Minseok’s eyes are piercing you. You do not calm down. “Could it be that you don’t trust us?” He tilts his head to the side, still searching your downcast eyes for answers.

“Oh, right. We should show her our university cards.” The other starts rummaging through his pockets.

“You could have faked those.” You mutter.

“Seriously?” They both gape at you, deadpan. “Are you really this paranoid?”

“I’m an only child, how could I not be? My mother is always worried.” Your discomfort is on its way to trickling off, until you remember another something you had in mind. “Besides…how did you get my phone number?”

“Oh, that?” Jongdae spreads a grin. “Junmyeon told us!”

“…You mean…wait, you guys know Junmyeon?” Something about the situation is making you feel weirder and weirder by the minute. “Are you telling me he’s in the same dorm?”

“That’s exactly what we’re telling you.” The elder nods. All your dread and accumulated angst falls deep into the pit of your stomach. There was no way they could be speaking of a person other than the one you were thinking of right now.

Memories of the high school president flash through your mind, and you’re reminded of the man with a flawless appearance, flawless grades, and equally as flawless manners. Of course you never stood a chance with him. Everyone at school loved the president and how hard he worked for the sake of the student body.

And no matter how much you tried to get close to him, he would always slip through your fingers like elusive little grains of sand. Even when you finally mustered up the courage to face him directly…you remembered that tight-lipped smile clear as day.

“You’re not really my type, Sayuri. I’m sorry.”

He walked away shortly after, leaving you to pick up the broken shards of your heart, that you barely managed to hold together once your hard work began being noticed by the teachers and they recommended you join the student council. And it was only natural that all student council members stayed in contact with each other.

Seeing him every day after that was agonizing. Group meetings, paperwork, organization. He was always there, in the corner of your eye.

But why…

…why does he still have your number?

“-Earth to Sayuri!” Jongdae chirps, and kneels down in front of you. “Are we really freaking you out that much?”

“Oh, no.” You shake your head apologetically, hands now folded neatly in front of you to bow. “I just realized whom it was you were talking about. It would make sense that he gave you my number.”

“So…” Minseok raises a sharp eyebrow, waiting on a proper answer. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” You manage to slip a smile back onto your face. “This way.”

…

“Why does it smell like someone opened a bag of frozen shrimp and left it outside to rot?” Ugh, what a sorry state the kitchen is in. Stacks of unwashed plates, tupperware with leftover noodles from last night, and…

“Oh, god, you’re right. It’s a bag of frozen shrimp that’s been left outside to rot.” Jongdae pinches his nose, and frowns deeply. “, is that mine?”

“I swear to god, you’re a public health hazard.” The elder pushes your crates out of the kitchen and into the safe zone, which happens to be the dusty corridor connecting all of the individual rooms. You barely avoid the splatter of sticky soy sauce on the floor and follow Minseok, heaving a quiet sigh. The state of the whole building was a little disappointing…

The pictures you originally saw depicted an extremely clean looking environment. But this is appalling.

“Are you telling me that this is how the kitchen usually looks like?” You don’t want to come off as too rude, but a part of you wishes that they had put in a bit more of an effort to make the building seem inviting.

The man ahead of you heaves a stack of crates into his arms and begins making his way up the stairs, you on his tail.

“I’m sorry. This is what happens when Kyungsoo and Junmyeon aren’t there to supervise everyone.” He shakes his head sadly. “There’s only so much I can do on my own. They’ll be back soon, however, so don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of the rest later.”

“Thank you.” You supress a light giggle, because everything seems just a little bit lighter, all of a sudden. “What about the bag of frozen shrimp that’s been left outside to rot?”

“Sayuri, if you don’t stop, I’ll make you clean it up myself.” He snickers, then stops in front of one of the doors on the left of the corridor, hands fumbling in his pockets for his key. “But on a more serious note, this is where you’ll be staying. Come inside.”

Afternoon sunlight filters inside and onto the minimalistic round carpet through thin, cream-coloured curtains. There’s an instant warmth to the room, despite the lack of decorations, save for a large analogue clock above your desk off to the right, and a single empty vase on your night stand on the opposite side of the room. The rest of the furniture is very basic, including a boxy-looking closet complete with a few hangers, a one-person bed with cornflower blue sheets, along with two newly fluffed pillows.

You take a moment to open the window and breathe the fresh air deep into your lungs.

“Sayuri?” Minseok calls out softly.

“Could you give me a little moment, please?” You whisper, body still turned towards the wide open window. “I just need a few minutes. To adjust.”

“Alright.” He concedes, just before turning back to the corridor. “Jongdae will be here with the rest of your boxes in just a bit. I also left your key on your desk, so make sure you don’t lose it.”

“Thank you.” Happiness wells up and blooms from deep within your chest. There is something about the rooms atmosphere that fills you with inexplicable comfort, and you quickly turn to lay down onto the bed, splayed out on the newly washed sheets. You’re surrounded by the subtle scent of detergent, the slight grit of the sheets against your skin, the light dip of the mattress underneath you…

…and just that is enough to make you forget everything.

…

Later that afternoon, when the early evening hours begin rolling around, you finish unpacking the last of your belongings. You consider staying in bed for a little while longer, but you don’t want to end up like a couch potato, and there also happens to be a commotion downstairs – in the kitchen, you presume.

With as discreet as possible steps, you tip toe down the flight of stairs and towards the dusty main corridor. The echoes of the voices are a lot clearer, though you still cannot quite make out what they’re saying.

“Uhm. Good afternoon.” You step inside, body still semi-hidden behind the door. “It’s me.” All the heads turn towards you – one familiar, and the two others not so much.

“Sayuri!” Jongdae whines. “Back me up here!” He seems to be in the midst of cleaning up, with the two others glaring down at him.

“Shut it. You just keep scrubbing.” The shorter one taps his foot impatiently on the tiled ground. “I can’t believe I take my eyes off you for one second and you’ve already soiled the entire place.” He then turns to face you, where you’re finally able to get a good look at him. Soft, obsidian eyes and plump, heart-shaped lips. He seems a little bit stern, despite what his appearance initially suggests.

“You must be our new dorm mate.” He bows low. “Kyungsoo. Pleased to meet you.” Just as you return the bow in his general direction, the man next to him gives you a bow as well. However, he towers over the rest of the boys you had met that afternoon, and blinks back with innocent eyes, then a huge, all-consuming grin.

“Hey.” His voice is rich and lightly gruff, quite the contrast to his baby face. “My name is Park Chanyeol. I hope we haven’t scared you away yet!”

“No, that’s quite alright.” You shake your head. “I’ve probably experienced worse. Do you need any help?”

“Yes!” Your caller waves you over to the counter where he was removing all the stains and grime. “You can help me clean here!”

“No.” That earns him a slap to the head from Kyungsoo. “Take responsibility for yourself and your shrimp. Sayuri can help with dinner.” He sends a quick glance in your direction. “Is that okay?”

“Yes sir!”