#1: Courage

 

You raised an eyebrow at Lu Han, shooting him a questioning look as you observed his pale face down to his quivering fingers, and finally his fiddling feet. You didn't say anything but you knew your expression was enough to convey your question to him. Lu Han avoided your gaze, and turned to the towering Gyro Drop, lifting his head to expose that milky neck of his.

 

One second.

 

One second was all that it took for him to swallow nervously, and immediately shift his eyes to his feet.

 

"Yes, I'm sure," he mumbled, his voice a mere whisper. His delicate fingers wrapped around the straps of his back pack, as if to gain some sort of encouragement or support from the piece of expensive lime leather. "I really am," he insisted, but you knew better than to believe him.

 

Lu Han was afraid of heights and loops. The mere mention of "roller coaster" and "Gyro Drop" could have him convulsing in pain and anxiety. It’s actually a bit of a shock to you that even though the thing was right in front of him, he had yet to enter a violent seizure. But the ghostly white of his cheeks still showed his trepidation.

 

You remembered the first time you found out about his phobia. In your first year, he had taken a Geography subject. When he was informed that the field trip would involve hiking in the mountains, he didn’t think twice in backing out, opting for extra credit work instead. It was a good thing his professor was understanding and downright cool, so your roommate was able to escape both forms of work. When you discovered why he didn’t want to go on that field trip, you and said that it was the opposite for you—that you’d be spending the rest of your life climbing mountains, with your future job and all. But when you saw the displeased, embarrassed face he had on, you stopped in an instant; you didn’t like the pout he displayed, and he looked genuinely scared. And just last year, during your outing with EXO, all the poor boy could ride were the harmless attractions in Adventure Land, plus a few in Magic Land such as Lord Nelson’s Armada—which, to your and Chanyeol’s proposition and everyone’s approval, he rode with Se Hun. You felt bad because you rode every ride out there, while Lu Han was stuck, alone—and with all those bags slinging on his tiny body, too—waiting for all of you to finish.

 

 

"Lu Han."

 

He looked up at you, and you saw the determination in his eyes—that same flame when you played against him during your volleyball match. It was just as strong, if not more. “I want to,” he said through gritted teeth.

 

“What are you trying to prove?” you continued to interrogate him, folding your arms over your chest.

 

“I want to conquer my fear,” he simply said, fists forming.

 

“And if you vomit—which I know you’re bound to do?” you argued. You were against this idea; you were so against it. The last thing you wanted was a hurling deer and a roommate on the verge of death.

 

“Then so be it,” he replied.

 

You sighed.

 

“Suit yourself.”

 

~

 

Lu Han shut his eyes in an effort to disregard the fact that he was at least a hundred feet above the ground. The creaking sound of the platform as it rose made him even more nervous, and he knew there and then that this was the worst decision he has ever made. His teeth were chattering, his heart racing in an abnormally fast rate, and his stomach suddenly felt heavy. “Don’t look down, don’t look down. This, too, shall pass,” he repeated, thinking of happy little thoughts.

 

But to no avail.

 

What the hell was I thinking?

 

"I want to conquer my fear?" Pshaw, as if that would happen.

 

WHY LU HAN? WHY?

 

Lu Han cautiously cracked an eye open.

 

Bad move. He accidentally looked down, and closed his eye immediately, cursing in his mind.

 

OH.

 

MY.

 

GOD.

 

I am going to die.

 

. . . .

 

Maybe I should tell her now, while I’m still alive and have some pride and dignity left?

 

I love you?

 

Wait, but this situation is…

 

Ugh.

 

I don’t.

 

I can’t even.

 

 

“I told you this was a bad idea,” you reprimanded him, looking straight ahead at the pretty sky slowly fading from blue to yellow as sunset approached. “We’re rushing to the nearest bathroom the minute we step out of here,” you announced.

 

Lu Han wanted to roll his eyes. He couldn’t believe that you still had the nerve to say that even with him cowering in fear right beside you.

 

A huge lump of anxiety caught in his throat the moment the creaking noise stopped, signaling that the platform finally arrived at the tower’s highest point. And in a few seconds, it would be dropping down to the ground in one swift, painful motion—something Lu Han was not looking forward to experiencing.  

 

His breathing quickened as he let out short, shallow and audible breaths. He couldn't believe that this was actually happening. His feet twitched, looking for a surface to settle on, but found none. They dangled helplessly, the lack of anything concrete underneath scaring Lu Han to the bone. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” he rambled, feeling the contents of his stomach travel up his throat. He puffed his cheeks, putting his right hand on his mouth to stop whatever was threatening to shoot out.

 

And suddenly, warmth.

 

A reassuring squeeze.

 

He would have opened his eyes if not for his stupid fear of his heights.

 

Somehow, with that nice, tingly feeling his left hand was getting, he felt a little better—regret being flushed down the drain. Maybe this was such a good idea, after all?

 

Because he discovered a very interesting fact:

 

 

 

Your hand fit his perfectly.

 

~

 

Lu Han lurched forward—bending on all fours—the second you two stepped off the ride and outside the metal fence. He was muttering incoherencies, his entire weight supported by his mere, brittle-looking elbows as his face inched closer to the floor—as if he wanted to kiss it.

 

And then you just knew.

 

Your roommate was about to puke his guts out: it started with his shivering frame, evolving into a mini-panic attack as he began to hyperventilate. His hand flew to his lips as he tried to restrain the sour acids already in the cavern of his mouth. He rocked forward so his head was already on the floor, while his other hand clutched his stomach.

 

You heard that ugly sound of him attempting to stop his own vomit.

 

Your eyes widened. 

 

Now?

 

You have to do it now, Lu?!

 

Worried and frenzied, you hunched to his level, propping yourself on one knee. Unsure of how to make the situation less attention-grabbing, less excruciating for your roommate, you reached a shaky hand toward his lower back. You started to rub slow and uncertain circles, croaking out an, "Lu! Calm down! For the love of all that is good, calm down!" You grabbed his arm, and helped him up. Lu Han staggered on his wobbly legs, falling down a few more times before you could finally stabilize his posture.

 

“Lu Han! Lu Han!” you screamed, too hysterical to even bother caring about the people who stopped and stared at the both of you. You realized that this day has done nothing to you but break your cool. “Damn it, man! You have to hold it in for a few more minutes!” you encouraged him, putting one of his arms around your shoulders. You lightly slapped his cheeks, trying to knock some sense into him and keep him alive.

 

“Wash…washroom,” he managed to murmur.

 

The both of you took off with a bolt with you leading your sickly roommate to the nearest bathroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But you didn’t make it.

 

 

---

 

 

#2: Opportunity

 

Simply put, you and Lu Han smelled like mixed with vinegar and lemonade.

 

You didn’t know whether you should be embarrassed, disgusted or sympathetic toward him. You were only a few feet away from his refuge when his stomach erupted and he ended bursting out…a lot of things…on the floor, on his shirt, and on you. You couldn’t blame him, though, because to your dismay, the “nearest” washroom was not as close as you wanted it to be (or at least, not for someone who was about to hurl). And with not even a map for reference, you still had to stop a few times in order to ask the guards or theme park employees.

 

You rubbed soothing circles on his back, his blonde locks as the feeble deer continued to barf.

 

“It’s okay, Lu, just keep at it,” you consoled him. He was on the verge of crying from so much humiliation, letting out a series of pitiful whimpers and mewls as he emptied his stomach. You, on the other hand, glared at anyone who tried to judge or laugh at him, mercilessly stabbing them with your piercing, hard stare. Your eyes softened, however, when you turned to him, caressing his back in the most comforting manner you could muster.

 

Honestly, you’ve never seen him this…pathetic. From your perspective, Lu Han had always been a strong-hearted, resolute young man in spite of his innate wallflower and shy personality. As an all-around athlete, Lu Han showcased prowess in the sports he played, especially soccer. Back at the dorm, he would always be the one leading his team during the annual dorm sports festival. Whenever he was around the twelve of you, meanwhile, he always seemed so happy—his cheerfulness rivaling even Chanyeol’s—as if there was nothing he should be worried about, as if he locked away all his problems just so he could smile and laugh with all of you. And you’ve only seen him cry once, too: back in third year, when his precious grandfather died.

 

So, this pathetic, pitiful hurling Lu Han was something you weren’t used to.

 

But that's okay, because you were roommates. 

 

Because you were roommates. And roommates accept each other no matter what.

 

~

 

“I’m so sorry!” he said for the umpteenth time.

 

Lu Han was now clad in the only extra shirt you brought along, while you were left with nothing but the tank top you wore underneath the button-up polo you donned earlier in the day.

 

(You thanked the heavens for letting you make the decision of wearing a tank and a polo today. If you hadn’t…You didn’t even want to think about it)

 

His pants, and yours, thank goodness, did not have a single drop of vomit, so neither of you needed to change. Still, the two of you look wretched, and you could smell the putrid stench of acids and artificial flavoring on your bare arms. You sniffed your wrist, and quickly pulled it away, frowning.

 

“Damn,” you cursed.

 

“I am so so sorry!” your roommate cried, dropping the plastic bag that contained your dirtied shirts. He shook his head, pounding on his forehead in guilt and frustration. “You were right. I shouldn’t have played hero, and gone on that ride. I’m so stupid,” he rattled, ruffling his hair. He let out a troubled groan that resembled a donkey’s horrible neigh. You didn’t think a sound like that would ever leave Lu Han’s lips. He pouted, jutting out his lower lip in guilt.

 

You sighed. “Lu, listen,” you said, blankly staring at his contorted and upset face. “You really have nothing to be worried about. happens,” you assured him, shrugging.

 

He gawked at you. “How can you be so calm?”

 

You shrugged again, a tiny smile tugging on your lips. “I’ve done nothing but lose my cool all day, I refuse to let one more incident get the best of me. And besides,” you put a hand on his head and let it stay there, gently patting his soft, blonde hair. You weren’t sure why you were doing this, and it freaked the hell out of you, but you knew it was the only way to get through the stubborn boy. “You’re the one who suffered embarrassment, not me,” you teased.

 

Lu Han’s doe eyes grew big at the unexpected contact, and all he could do was simply gape at you. His eyes trailed from your thin wrist, to your long, slender arm marred by that ugly scar, and lastly, to your angular shoulder blade exposed thanks to that tank top of yours.

 

Lu Han blushed.

 

That wifebeater clung to you like a koala to a tree, displaying not a curvy figure, but one that was lean and fit after years of being hardened by Taekwondo and gory fist fights. His eyes unconsciously traveled to your chest, which, in spite of the tight tank, looked impossibly flat. His sight stopped there, his thoughts nothing short of malice. And it was weird, it was really weird because you were nowhere near like the large bosomed girls who were the thing of other men’s--him, included--fantasies. You didn’t resemble the image of his ideal girl.

 

She was supposed to have flowing, black hair that settled pleasantly on one shoulder—lovely waves cascading over her petite frame. She was supposed to have a heart-shaped face—just like his—her cheeks and lips tinted with the perfect shade of pink. And she would always have a pretty smile, matched with a melodic laugh that would have him melting and yearning for more. She would love wearing cute dresses and feminine clothes that did well to show her slender figure. And finally, she’d call him “Oppa” or “Jagiya” or “Bao Bei”—just about any term of endearment would be fine with him.

 

(All right, so he realized he just described his first love, but that was only because back then, his stupid, sixteen year-old self faithfully believed that she’d be his wife.)

 

Lu Han continued to stare at you, taking in the sight of you wearing a tight tank top.

 

 

You weren’t like his ideal type.

 

 

But Lu Han liked that.

 

 

You frowned at the obvious rosiness of his cheeks and his clouded eyes. His pink lips were parted as he continued to gaze at you, an unfamiliar emotion in his pupils. Unconsciously, his tongue poked out and his lips, taking its sweet time to lap over them. You blinked at the sudden action; Lu Han had never done that before—or at least, not with that look in his eyes. You retracted your hand and clapped right in front of his face, snapping him out of his peculiar daze.

 

“Lu Han!” you called. “I think the ride has made you gone bonkers!”

 

He blinked, startled by your loud clap. He closed his mouth and looked at his feet, fiddling and shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Sorry, I…I don’t know what’s happening to me,” he mumbled, bending to retrieve the plastic on the floor. “I’m sorry,” he apologized again, unable to look you in the eye—or, unable to look at you at all.

 

“Stop. You’ve been saying ‘sorry’ so many times already—it’s annoying,” you scolded.

 

“So—“

 

“I don’t want to hear it, bro,” you stopped him, raising a palm. “Let’s just go home so we can sanitize ourselves. I can’t wait to get out of this tank top. I’m not sure how much more I can take with exposing this much skin.” Now you wanted to hurl.

 

"No, wait!" he exclaimed, rushing to effectively block your way. You deadpanned at him. "It's only four o'clock!" he blurted. That earned him another blank stare. "I mean...I want to ride some more!"

 

You facepalmed, not knowing how to feel as of the moment. Here was your roommate, basked in the glory of his own acids, and still he wanted to get on some more rides? You knew Lu Han liked to have his fill of fun every once and a while, but after the whole vomit fiasco? You didn't think that he'd still be up for any ride no matter how innocent or harmless it was. "Lu Han, you just vomited on yourself and on me. I don't think going on any ride--and I mean, any ride--is a good idea."

 

He shook his head. "But Myung Soo and Amber treated us to all-day passes! I don't want that to go waste!" he argued, whining like a spoiled brat. "And besides," his cheeks started to flush, "Let me buy you a shirt. I can't have you walking like that!"

 

I won't allow anyone see you like that.

 

~

 

You hated buying souvenirs with simply because you couldn't bear to spend a dime (and everything in theme parks experienced a heart attack-inducing price hike, you noted). You liked to gaze at the amazing graphic shirts, or feel the soft faux fur of stuffed toys through your fingers, or marvel at the colorful and eccentric items of whatever souvenir shop you entered, in whatever place you visited. But you never bought, except for the occasional trinkets such as keychains or pencils--the usual cheap commodities. Never the things you really wanted to bring home.

 

You ran a finger from the shirt's neckline down to its hem--its smooth fabric gentle and soft against your callused bones. No words could describe the quality of the shirt in front of you: it was the perfect Lotte World souvenir and graphic shirt. It showcased an exceptional design, combining the strength of a geometric pattern (triangles! triangles! you absolutely loved triangles!) and the cuteness of the brand's mascots. The shirt came in all sorts of colors, but without a doubt, the blue variant impressed you the most.

 

You shook your head, reminding yourself that besides the shirt's awesomeness, there was one more thing you had the consider: the price. Of course, you could have just taken it even without looking at the tag, but you were being treated, so choosing a relatively inexpensive item was the least you could for Lu Han. Plus, you didn't want him spending haphazardly again.

 

"You should try that on," a puff of warm air blew over your practically bare shoulder, and without hesitation, you mercilessly elbowed the owner of the voice. You whipped around, looking down at your roommate who held the side of his stomach as he writhed in pain.

 

"Lu Han, I know you just vomited, but I can't help what I did," you said. Your roommate grunted in reply, his right hand crawling over his mouth as his cheeks began to inflate again. You instantly regretted what you did and said, and bent down in front of him. Fortunately, the two of you were located in the more isolated corner of the boutique (you figured that people preferred the couple shirts in the others racks), so there were no customers looking at you. The guilt, however, still stung you like a horde of bees, as you flailed your arms. "Lu, I...I...Please don't vomit," you pathetically pleaded.

 

He looked up at you, a smug grin on your face. "I didn't think I'd see the day you'd fall for my acting!" he cheered, eyes gleaming mischievously. "You've always prided yourself with your deductive skills and exceptional profiling, but I've finally defeated you!" he gloated, laughing as he stood up.

 

But just before he could fully stand upright, you pulled him down to your eye level and gave him your infamous "Lu..." you seethed, locking eyes with him. Even though Lu Han was the type to never directly meet anyone's eyes--especially not yours--your gaze was just too menacing, too piercing to look away from. Lu Han remained still, his mouth hanging open in horror.

 

She's going to kill me.

 

A smile broke out on your once pursed lips, your eyes softening to match the new grin on your face. "Congratulations," you told him, patting his head. "Your horrible acting skills have finally left the 'horrible' stage and have now progressed to 'acceptable.' For a split-second there, I really did think that you were going to barf again." Chuckling, you grabbed Lu Han's wrists and pulled him up, his eyes bloodshot the entire time.

 

"I...I thought you were going to kill me," he muttered, putting a hand on his chest as he tried to catch his breath.

 

"I really did think I would, too. But then, I should be the one worried. Sorry for hitting you like that--with your condition and all."

 

He shook his head, finally smiling. "It's all right. I didn't realize I was too close to you."

 

"Anyway," he peeked over your shoulders, glancing at the shirt he's seen you ogling at for the past few minutes, "Is that what you want?"

 

You blinked; you almost forgot why you two were even at the store. You turned back and grasped the hanger. "Yeah, but it's expensive," you said, checking the price tag.

 

"Let's get it then," he replied.

 

"No. I don't like expensive things."

 

"But you like that shirt. Let me buy for it you."

 

"Lu Han, just because you're rich doesn't mean--"

 

"It's my hard-earned money, not yours," he retorted, stealing the hanger from you. He stuck his tongue out playfully, and stormed off to the closest cashier. "Wait for me outside!" he said, "We don't want you attracting others with your smell!"

 

~

 

You leaned against the wall, arms crossed as you patiently waited for your roommate to come out.

 

Any minute now, you told yourself, watching all sorts of people exit the store: lovey-dovey teenage couples, families, children, senior citizens--all of whom carried numerous bags filled with nothing but Lotte World's pricey souvenirs.

 

You furrowed your eyebrows; what was taking him so long?

 

And speak of the devil, Lu Han finally, finally strolled out, smiling innocently at you. You, on the other hand, wasted no time in shooting him an exasperated glare, and interrogating him as to why it took twenty long minutes to pay for your shirt. He merely shrugged and told you that he found something he wanted to purchase as well. You decided you couldn't stay mad--he did, after all, treat you to a shirt, and Lu Han had every right to buy himself just as nice.

 

"Oh, right," you answered, scratching your head.

 

"Anyway, here," he said, handing you a pretty plastic with Lotte World's logo, "Go change."

 

You gratefully took it from him, and after a very elated "Thank you!" sprinted to the washroom to try on your new shirt.

 

 

 

As soon as you were gone, Lu Han smiled, removing the heavy backpack from his shoulders. He ped the largest compartment and took out the souvenir he had just bought. He unfolded it and happily stared at the item:

 

 

 

A pink shirt to go with yours.

 

 

---

 

#3: So This is Love Part 1

 

Despite everything that happened, Lu Han insisted on riding one final thing: Lord Nelson's Armada. He said that while you did have a point in needing to go home, he reasoned that the two of you should at least ride one attraction he liked--and that was the peaceful and effortless swan ride. He also added that the day-pass would be worthless if the only attraction you rode was the Gyro Drop.

 

You were against the idea because of two reasons: the first being the need to take a bath, and the second...

 

Lord Nelson's Armada was a ride popular among couples. The year before, when you had gone to Lotte World with EXO, Lu Han had ridden it with Se Hun--much to your delight. Unfortunately, you couldn't even go near the lake-area to watch your favorite ship because your overly sensitive PDA-radar was driving you nuts. Your unusually keen vision could spot a smooching couple a mile away, and because of it, you couldn't even take a step closer to the dock-area without cringing. Good thing Kris was there to calm you down, and your HunHan needs were ultimately satisfied.

 

You sighed, feeling helpless against your roommate's valid argument combined with his unnaturally cute demeanor. You clicked your tongue, grimacing.

 

"Fine."

 

~

 

Ten minutes later, you found yourselves amidst a load of couples as you fell in line. You closed your eyes, disgusted at the lovebirds kissing each other right in front of you. Your breathing quickened, cold sweat running down your forehead amidst the afternoon heat.

 

Talk about "in your face," you groaned inwardly. These kids have no shame.

 

You squirmed as you heard the sloppy noises of lips against lips and the sweet nothings that lovers whispered to one another. You cursed your abnormally acute hearing, because at that point, you were beyond revolted. You actually felt like killing yourself then and there. Your only consolation and comfort, it would seem, was Lu Han's awkward laugh beside you as he fiddled on his spot. "Just bear with me for a while," he murmured, tugging on your new shirt. He held it tight, scrunching a handful of cloth in his fist. "I really like this ride," he said.

 

You sighed and nodded in defeat, but were still unable to open your eyes.

 

"Why, though?" you asked, "It's such a boring ride."

 

"Because," he cleared his throat and stepped closer to you, "It's relaxing."

 

"Liar," you mumbled, lowering your voice so he wouldn't hear you. And from his lack of reaction, he most likely didn't.

 

You knew the real reason behind his affinity for the sappy ride: your roommate was quite the lover-boy. He probably got it from reading too much Shakespeare and other romance novels he was too embarrassed to be seen passionately perusing. Lu Han was a bit clingy as well, never walking without Se Hun or Kai or you--or anyone in EXO--beside him. He was the type who simply enjoyed and appreciated others' company no matter who it would be. But unlike the maknae who liked to hold hands with whomever he can find, or Tao who loved to glomp or cuddle, Lu Han was more subtle, more toned down. Yixing had told you that even when your roommate was dating She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Lu Han was affectionate but not very enthusiastic about the idea of PDA. They held hands, yes, but EXO had only seen Lu Han kiss her thrice during their long relationship. The mushiest they got in front of EXO was to call each other nicknames.

 

 

"Gege just absolutely loved alone time with You-Know-Who," Yixing said, his dimples showing as he smiled cheekily. "He always pushed us away whenever he felt like we were going to ruin the moment--which, by the way, we would never do!"  

 

You laughed at Lay's very animated narration, and your chin in thought. "So Lu Han's that kind of boyfriend, huh," you mused.

 

Kris raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound so negative."

 

You shook your head, chuckling. "No, that's not it. It's just...He never really sticks to one girl, so I don't know how Lu Han would be as an actual lover. Honestly, though, I did expect him to be the 'intimate but private' kind. He never talks about his dates, but I know he usually takes them to somewhere far off and hidden." You grabbed the cheese curls on the coffee table, and shoved the rest of the chips in your mouth.

 

"Wait, so is that a bad thing or a good thing, Noona?" Suho asked.

 

You merely shrugged, stood up, and walked to the kitchen to get some more cheese curls.

 

Lu Han liked private moments. He liked alone time with his dates (even though you knew he was just doing that to make the heartbreak a little less painful). He also liked the cute, little things that, while not as flashy as kissing or holding hands, were good enough to define and develop an existing relationship.

 

 

 

 

 

And apparently, riding Lord Nelson's Armada was one of those "cute, little things."

 

 

---

 

#4: So This is Love Part 2

 

You narrowed your eyes at the swans and flamingos all arranged in one line. Oddly, the couples who came before you were still seated in their respective swans, confused as much as you and Lu Han were. You also noticed how the entire layout of the ride looked different from what you remembered; it wasn't as complex as this a year or three years ago. The path before you had more twists and turns that were nearly impossible to maneuver through with a paddle-type ride.

 

You glimpsed at the employee, about to ask her about the strangeness of the entire thing, but she simply offered you a knowing smile and ushered you to a pink flamingo--the last among those in the line. You hesitantly obliged, and settled uncomfortably next to Lu Han who seemed restless as he inspected his surroundings.

 

"What's going on?" he asked.

 

"Beats me, man," you answered, looking at the other couples.

 

"Good afternoon, our lovely lovebirds!" a perky voice boomed out the high speakers planted on the dock. A few feet from where you were was the same employee, speaking through a microphone. Her eyes sparkled in excitement as she glanced at all of you. "I know you're all wondering what is it with our special layout for today, but please don't be afraid! In fact, we've prepared something amazing for all of you!"

 

You heard sighs of relief from the couples behind you, but you remained skeptical, frowning at your roommate. "I don't like the sound of this," you told him to which he responded with a nod of agreement, his eyes bloodshot.

 

"Today is such a wonderful summer day, isn't it, everyone? It's not too hot, not too cold--it's perfect for a romantic date with your loved one! And with sunset only a few minutes away, what better way than to spend it here, at Lord Nelson's Armada?!"

 

Her voice was too chipper for your liking.

 

"Anyway, besides being a lovely date day, today is actually the start of Lotte World Hotel's one-night promos! Starting from today, our attractions will be holding a series of events that will give you, our patrons, a chance to win a one-night stay at our luxurious hotel! And the firs of many hundred vouchers will be given away to one lucky couple today!"

 

The couples around you started to cheer and clap their hands. You heard the girls squeal, and you cringed at the sight of most of them wrapping their arms around their boyfriends, nuzzling against their necks.

 

"Our event for today is...drumroll please!" the perky employee swiftly tapped the podium she was standing on. "Lord Nelson's Amazing Race!" All of a sudden, a loud bang was heard as party poppers behind her launched a multitude of pink confetti. Parade music started to play, and the girl's smile widened to an impossible length. "I am so excited!" she cheered, flailing her arms. "And I hope you all are, too! The rules are quite simple: just do whatever it takes to reach that pink ribbon over there!" She pointed to the said marker in all its pink, frilly glory.

 

"While we don't encourage bumping your rides against others, it's not prohibited~" she sang, winking at all of you. "It's a great way to see the chemistry you have with your lover~"

 

Lu Han's mouth hung open. "Is this girl deranged or something?" he mumbled.

 

You, however, were thinking otherwise.

 

The mere mention of "amazing race" and "winning," and, "brutal sabotage" (so the girl didn't exactly say that, but you knew that's what she was implying), had your blood boiling in thrill. You felt the adrenaline rushing to your head, your heart pumping faster than usual. You looked over at the race course, already thinking of a way to navigate through it at the short amount of time possible. Next, you peeked at the other competitors, the image of their crestfallen faces and weeps playing in your head. 

 

And suddenly, the whole stupid idea of this stupid swan ride and of these stupid lovebirds wasn't so stupid.

 

"Lu Han," you said, grinning wickedly, "We're going to win this thing. I want to crush those couples' dreams and rub it in their faces."

 

Your roommate paled. "Oh, no."

 

"Oh, yes."

 

~

 

As soon as the shotgun sounded to signal the start of the race, you and Lu Han gave no second thought and began to paddle at lightning speed, as expected of a black belter and a star soccer player. At the rate you were going, it was as if your legpower knew no limit. You laughed in triumph when you saw the large distance between your flamingo and the others' swans. "Faster, Lu!" you commanded, quickening your pace as well.

 

Despite the maniacal appearance you were starting to show, Lu Han chortled. "All right, but we can't go too fast, otherwise, we might break this thing!"  he half-warned, half-joked, moving swifter to match your rhythm.

 

You scoffed. "Okay, but we have to win this race! For the honor and glory of single people!" you cheered, laughing alongside him.

 

And everything was going so well, even with the wind blowing against your faces, and the water splashing from all sides. In spite of your initial refusal to go on the ride, you felt happy that you gave in to Lu Han's request. And it wasn't just because there was a competition involved.

 

Although not quite polar opposites, you and Lu Han had a stark difference in opinion when it came to amusement parks. You loved the thrilling rides, whereas he preferred the gentler ones. But today, the two of you decided to go out of your comfort zones to try and experience what it was like to be in the other's shoes. Even though you were so against him going on the Gyro Drop, you had to admit that you were proud at his display of courage, even if it failed at the last minute. You appreciated Lu Han's willingness to get rid of his fear--probably the same reason why you found yourself in this ride with him.

 

You glanced at the deer's ecstatic face, and you couldn't help but chuckle to yourself.

 

 

It was nice to go on new heights with your roommate.

 

 

---

 

#5: So This is Love Part 3

 

In life, there will come numerous times that a person would come face-to-face with a problem, and would have to make an extremely hard decision about it, if he wanted to move forward. As with a race, there will come numerous problems in the form of intersections, the first of which is usually the most difficult to make a judgment for.

 

For some unknown reason, your unusually keen eyesight was hibernating, and even when you tried to crane your neck and look over at the vast expanse of the lake, you couldn't figure out which path would be the easiest and shortest to take. So instead of depending on your sense of sight, you thought best to rely on something women took pride in: intuition. 

 

"No, Lu, my instincts tell me to go right!" you declared, putting all your weight to the right side. You grabbed the steering handle and tilted it to the said direction, ready to paddle.

 

Your roommate, however, slapped your hand away and turned the handle the other way. "Well, my instincts tell me to go left!" he argued.

 

You snarled at him, annoyed because you didn't even understand why, of all times, the two of you were arguing. You and he almost always mutually agreed on a single choice.

 

"Right!" you shouted, reaching out for the handle again. Soon, a tug of war of sorts commenced between you and Lu Han. The both of you childishly shoved each other's hands away from the steering handle as the two of you fought for control. The capricious shifting of weight from left to right and right to left caused the flamingo to start rocking, creating large ripples on the surface of the water.

 

"Damn it, Lu Han!" you screamed, grabbing the handle with both of your hands. You gripped it tight, twisting it to your side with the force of a dozen men.  

 

The sudden motion violently shook the flamingo, producing an awkward yelp from your roommate, but your brilliant footing and quick thinking eventually stabilized the ride. When all was calm and still, you wrapped your arms around the handle, practically hugging the metallic rod, and defiantly looked at Lu Han. "You just try grabbing this from me and I will kick you out of this flamingo," you threatened.

 

Lu Han harrumphed, holding on to his side of the flamingo for his dear life. "But it was my idea to get on this ride!" he whined, reaching out to snatch the handle.

 

"Yes, well, I'm the one who wants to win," you answered nonchalantly, bringing the rod closer to your chest.

 

"I want to win as well!" he reasoned, pouting.

 

"I have better instincts than yours," you boasted, and proceeded to paddle. But your roommate wouldn't budge, and with only you to drive forward, the flamingo was going at an amazing speed of a centimeter per hour.

 

"Lu Han, stop acting like a kid!"

 

More reason to deepen his pout. "Me? You're acting like one, too!"

 

You rolled your eyes, sighing exasperatedly. "We both are, all right? But you've already conceded defeat the minute you let me start paddling, and because we can't turn back anymore, we have no choice but to keep moving--"

 

Another tremulous rock.

 

"Whoah!" the both of you cried, lurching forward from the sudden force.

 

"What the hell!" you roared, sitting up. "Hey!" you shouted at the swan that had just bumped onto your flamingo. The cocky bastard riding it with his girlfriend looked back at you, a conceited smirk on his conceited, acne-infested face. He stuck his tongue out, and then continued to paddle, waving mockingly at you. His girlfriend, who was too pretty for him (and you wondered how he was able to snag a girl like her) also looked back, shooting you an apologetic smile.

 

You shot up, leaning forward to keep the flamingo balanced."You bastard!" you screamed, not caring who would hear the string of curses that was about to be spewed from your infamous potty mouth, "Grow a pair, why don't you?!"

 

You sat back down and nodded at Lu Han, who merely giggled at your outburst. "When you're not a stoner, you're a cuss-ing machine," he said, smiling boyishly at you. You simply shrugged, fine with either descriptor, and then ordered him to get moving.

 

Lu Han let out another chuckle.

 

"That's really not attractive, though," he added, a sing-song tune in his voice.

 

Your mouth hung open. "Lu Han, this is not the time to point out my flaws. The swans are right behind us, and if you want to win, because I know you want to, then we have to start...moving!" you exclaimed, putting all your weight onto your foot as you started to paddle again. Lu Han joined you, but even with your forces combined, the flamingo would not start moving.

 

"Harder, Lu!" you encouraged, clenching your jaws.

 

"Why isn't it moving?" Lu Han wondered, his face contorting into a funny shape as he put more weight on the pedal.

 

You signaled for Lu Han to stop, shaking the handle to check what was wrong. You could hear the clanging of some metallic part stuck in between the pedal and the body of the flaming.

 

Crap. It must have gotten there when that bastard swan bumped onto us.

 

"Damn," he muttered, realizing what was causing the flamingo to keep still amidst your combined forces. Helplessly, Lu Han sighed. There was no point in trying yank out the metal part; an attempt at it would probably just cause more accidents and unwanted situations. Honestly, he didn’t know who to blame: there was you and your competitiveness, and then there was douche bag and his doucheness. Maybe it was both of your fault. Or perhaps it was actually his, because he had insisted on this ride in the first place. He always knew that you weren’t compatible with this ride, but it was only now that he realized how truly incompatible you and this gigantic, gaudy pink flamingo were.

 

Lu Han closed his eyes and settled against the uncomfortable, hard surface of his seat. Maybe if he imagined hard enough, all of this bad luck would go away, and that he would miraculously have the power to turn back time so he could prevent you from turning the handle. Obviously, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, so Lu Han shook his head, and turned to a more rational plan. What would be the gentlest, most foolproof way to get that metal part out without gaining anymore casualties?

 

It’s a bit silent for a while as Lu Han crosses his arms and remains in deep thought. You know what’s running through his head as he sits still like a statue right beside you. But you’re a bit impatient today; with everything happening, your infinitely indefinite amount of patience was reduced to a mere thumb’s length. And you so badly wanted to win. The calming sound of the water as ripples marked it did not soothe you; it only intesified your desire to win. And soon enough, the shallow ripples became more frequent, developing into tiny waves as other swans passed your flamingo. It infuriated you. You were already doing so well!

 

You bit your lip, mumbling an apology to Lu Han before yanking the handle again. Even though the possibility of it working was but an ant’s size, you decided to take the risk and pulled it to you.

 

You were hoping your resolve was good enough to bring you good luck.

 

 

---

 

#6: So This is Love Part 4

 

You didn’t really know what to feel at that moment. It was like a thousand deadly blades pierced through your heart and ripped you into a million more pieces. No. It was more of a huge wave of “I told you so” that crashed into you, hitting you like the golden palm of some divine judge. You could even hear your own voice screaming at you, inside your head, scolding you for doing something stupid and risky and stupid.

 

You’re too ashamed to look at Lu Han. This was one of those few moments you’re actually afraid of him. It’s always been you who has dominated this roommate-relationship.

 

On instinct, you wrapped your arms around yours knees and brought them closer, tucking your chin in between them. “Well, this was certainly an unexpected turn of events,” you mutter, tracing circles on your right knee.

 

“You’re too competitive,” Lu Han states a little bluntly, but it’s not icy nor aloof. It’s actually quite friendly, almost joking. He chuckles, and copies your position. “Well, we’re stuck here.”

 

“I really wanted to win.”

 

You knew you weren’t really in the position to say something like that, and you probably deserved to be thrown into the shallow lake, but you’re naturally just frank and stubborn.

 

Lu Han knocks on your head thrice, showering you with a mouthful of ‘tsks’. Even though you could have easily grabbed his wrist and twisted it, you don’t because you figured that Lu Han was the only one who could stop you from doing any more stupidity. And those knocks served their purpose well, because for the next two minutes or so, there is complete silence over the two of you. You manage to restrain yourself, hampering your fighting spirit so that it won’t sputter out any nonsense and whatnots again.

 

Usually, you were the voice of reason, playing the role of EXO’s big sister perfectly, as if they were your own brothers. But when you’re distraught, or when you just can’t seem to say anything with substance, Lu Han was always there to bring your voice back. It was strange, because you thought it’d be Kris or Suho, but it was neither. It was your roommate who understood your complexities perfectly well (kind of. You knew he was doing his best).

 

“I’m sorry, Lu,” you apologized pathetically. “I really wanted to win. I wanted to show them that being in love .”

 

Lu Han deadpans at you. (It’s quite funny, because his rendition of your infamous look was almost exactly like yours). “Do you want me to knock on your head harder? I thought what I did was enough to—“

 

“Let me paraphrase that!” you interjected, flailing your hands. You didn’t know why you were panicking.

 

“What I meant to say was…I really wanted to show them that you didn’t have to be lovers to get on this boat. I mean, look at us, we were doing so well, weren’t we?” You showed him a boyish, but sheepish grin. “Remember the couple that bumped into us? The guy was a total bastard; makes you wonder how he snagged a girl like his girlfriend. You could clearly tell that the girl was nice, kind—she was such a doll from the way she tried to offer us an apology. Even though they were the first to pass us, I doubt they'd win. You could tell: their relationship isn’t going to last.”

 

“You talk as if we didn’t quarrel over that intersection.” Lu Han’s smirk showed his amusement at all the hulabaloo you were sputtering.

 

You furrowed your eyebrows at your roommate’s counterargument, wracking your brain for a retaliation. You realized, however, that logic wasn’t going to cut it this time. It wasn’t your style: to let emotions get the best of you, but it was moments such as these that your usual style wasn’t most suitable.

 

“My point is,” you scratched your cheek—nervousness showing for some unknown reason—but you looked at Lu Han in the eyes, nonetheless, “I think that even though we aren’t lovers, our friendship will last us a lifetime. I mean…we’re connected by something stronger than romantic love, so whatever happens, we’ll always be…together?”

 

You end in uncertainty, because you have no idea what’s gotten in that head of yours. It’s usually calm, and your superb skills in critical thinking enable you to swiftly come up with good things to say. But this time, it would seem, is an exception, and you’re quickly losing face because of all the you’ve been telling. You couldn’t stop them; they were an unstoppable river with an unstoppable current. You were afraid that going against it would just result to even more .

 

Lu Han stares at you for a while, processing what you just said. From the twitching of his small lips, you could easily deduce what he was thinking: that you were probably on crack right now, and that he didn’t know whether or not to believe what you just said. A part of him, of course, is happy with your little slip-up. Stronger than romantic love, hit all the right targets, accelerating his heartbeat in a matter of milliseconds. But you just had to say friendship. Well, judging from your self-doubt over your own words, plus the lackluster in your eyes that told him your true self was probably drowning in an imaginary lake, friendship may or may not be the force stronger than romantic love you were talking about. It could very well be...

 

Lu Han sighed.

 

Was I just friendzoned, or what?

 

“You’re obviously not in the right condition,” he said, inching to inspect your eyes and face.

 

You extend an arm, however, stopping him from coming any closer. You buried your head into the walls of your arms, “This day has been very, very tiring. I can’t even begin to say how exhausted I am.”

 

Your roommate smiles, surrendering at the sound of your words. He also decides to cherish them in spite of their ambiguity. They don’t exactly help in establishing as to where the two of you currently are in the game of love, but it’s okay, because he realizes that they are better than nothing, and that even though you are in this state of crack or something, you’re sincere. Or at least, in the “We’ll always be together” part.

 

Lu Han takes one last look ahead of him, where white tails of the swans move in sloppy zigzag patterns. He can’t quite see the couples themselves, but he knows that some of them are struggling, while some—the special ones who exhibit a unique chemistry with each other—are enjoying and having the time of their lives.

 

“Well then, nothing to do but wait,” he mumbles, before replicating your position.

 

---

 

#7: Saturday

 

The two of you arrived in the dorm just in time to smell the wonderful aroma of D.O.’s kimchi spaghetti and velvet cupcakes. Myung Soo was nowhere to be found, Hoya and his friends decided to eat out again, and the foreign students were back in their respective homelands.  That left you and the EXO boys in the dorm; it was the usual Saturday night.

 

Lay, who was assisting D.O. in the kitchen, peeked out to see who had just arrived. When he saw you and your roommate, a tiny smile graced his face and he waved at the two of you before returning to the work area. The usual three were battling it out in yet another round of cards (Kai and Chanyeol decided to switch to something old-school, Go Fish, because they had given up on trying to defeat Suho in Tong-Its). Se Hun, Tao and Baek Hyun were all on the floor, holding their own controllers as they maneuvered their virtual cars. You chuckled at the sight of their swaying bodies, moving in tandem with their vehicles. Over at the reading area were Kris, Chen and Xiumin. It was a duel of wits between the giant and the baozi as they gazed on the chessboard. Chen was the silent observer, coming up with tactics in his head, and making predictions in the game before him.

 

 

 It was the usual Saturday night that you had come to love.

 

~

 

“Oh, hey, back already?” Kris asked when he finally noticed that you and Lu Han had come in. You grinned, shooting him a quick peace sign, before walking inside and toward the reading area.

 

Kris stared at the chessboard in front of him, analyzing the current layout of the pieces as they stood still on the black and white panels. His eyes darted over at the white pieces he had captured; they were his prisoners, and he, their black god. Only a few more white pieces survived, just waiting to be eaten by Kris’ army. He looked at the white king at the farthest end of the board, just in front of Xiumin. It was defenseless, and Kris could already see what the outcome of this game would be.

 

It was such a joy to destroy an empire that was once high and mighty.  

 

“Checkmate. You lose again, Hyung,” Kris smirked, knocking over the white king.

 

Xiumin puffed his cheeks in response, refusing to accept his second loss that day. That wasn’t how it usually worked; he would be the victor under normal circumstances. And it was usually an easy win, as well. Kris was a careless player, always forgetting that his king was left unprotected when he moved the other players. Today, however, Kris had done nothing but thwart Xiumin’s advances, and had executed a strategy that balanced offense and defense.

 

He didn’t know where Kris was getting all his good luck.

 

“I lost again? Damn, Kris, what’s your secret? You’re usually not this good,” Xiumin teased, laughing at the younger’s reaction.

 

“Just accept it, Hyung,” Chen said, patting the baozi’s fluffy apricot hair. “It’s nice to lose once in a while. Proves that you’re still human, you know?”

 

“Oh, twice already, huh?” you mused, stepping next to Xiumin.

 

“That’s okay, Baozi!” Lu Han laughed, poking Xiumin’s porcelain cheeks. Your roommate proceeded to gathering Xiumin in his hug, rubbing cheeks with the older. “I missed your cheeks, Baozi!” Lu Han exclaimed, “After this day, I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to do this again!”

 

You looked at Kris and Chen who both gave you sheepish, crooked smiles. “I know,” you said, “My roommate is such a .”

 

“Dinner!”

 

---

 

#8: The Future

 

Se Hun had asked you and Lu Han why the two of you came home so early. He pointed out that the fireworks wouldn’t start until 9 pm, and he thought you two would stay to watch. With a sigh, you explained in gruesomely accurate details the events of today: from the MyungBer couple's pranks, to the Gyro Drop accident, down to the weird phenomenon on Lord Armada’s lake. Everyone in the table burst in laughter, and even you and Lu Han couldn’t help yourselves.

 

“Good job, Hyung!” Se Hun cheered, frosting smearing all over his lips as he congratulated Lu Han for conquering his fear. Lu Han frowned, reaching over to spread the cream cheese on Se Hun’s cheek. The maknae's eyes widened in alarm as he whined at Lu Han and wiped the sticky substance off his face. “Hyung!” he shrieked.

 

Lu Han grinned in triumph, but frowned at you when he settled on his seat. “You didn’t have to be so detailed!” 

 

You shrugged. Even though the things you said on that flamingo were embarrassing, you didn’t mind talking about it with EXO. It was really nice sometimes, to just say things without thinking twice or being hesitant about it. “I wasn’t being my normal self, anyway, so…”

 

“But I was!” Lu Han reasoned, automatically puckering his lips. “So in the end, it’s just me who’s embarrassed,” he sulked, twirling a bunch of pasta and stuffing it in his mouth. Another fit of laughter explodes from his friends and you, and Lu Han wants to bury himself alive. That would seem better compared to facing humiliation caused by none other than his roommate. Still, the chirpy melodies coming from everyone’s mouths brought a sense of home in him, and he realized that his usual Saturday night wouldn’t be complete without it.

 

~

 

“You know,” you began, taking a slow bite out of D.O.’s heaven-sent cupcakes, “We should visit Lotte World again soon—right before graduation.”

 

It’s just you, Kris, Lu Han, Suho and Xiumin left at the table, munching on the leftover cupcakes (at least you and Xiumin were). The others had gone up ahead: Se Hun, Kai and Tao still had summer homework to start on, D.O. and Lay were tired after cooking a feast, and the ’92-liners were…well, who knew what they were doing. But they were aware of this little gathering you and the older members had after every Saturday dinner, so they had left you to do what it was that the five of you did.

 

Kris returned to the table, holding bottles of everyone’s favorite beverages: cold barley tea for you, iced coffee for Lu Han, chocolate milk for Xiumin, lemonade for Suho, and cola for himself. You thanked Kris, getting the nearly freezing bottles from his long, numb fingers. You took the bottle opener and popped the caps open for each one.

 

You took a swig of the half-bitter, half-bland tea, letting out a very audible “Ahh~”. It was the perfect counteragent against D.O.’s sweet confection, its bitterness complementing the sugary taste.

 

“You were saying?” Kris asked, requesting that you repeat what you said when he was still in the kitchen.

 

“We should go to Lotte World again—just before graduation.”

 

Suho daintily sipped his lemonade, taking time to let the sourness fade so he could savor the sweetness that would come after. “Why before graduation? Isn’t it more convenient for everyone if it was during the break?”

 

Xiumin nodded, smiling in delight as the rich taste of premium chocolate milk rolled along his tongue.

 

You blinked, thinking that your reason was obvious enough. “Well,” you looked at Kris and then at Lu Han, “Aren’t the two of you going back to China? I mean, it has been a long time since you’ve been home, right? You spent high school and college here…Wouldn’t it be obvious that you’d go home and work there?”

 

Lu Han froze, putting his bottle down before he could even take a sip. Kris, on the other hand, smiled calmly at you. “I might go back to China or Canada—I don’t know which yet—but it’ll only be for a while. I’ve decided to stay and work in Korea.” Beneath the table, his knee nudged Lu Han’s, snapping the latter out of his daze.

 

You, Suho and Xiumin nodded, smiling as you did. So Kris was staying?

 

That was nice.

 

No, it was great.

 

That was wonderful news.

 

“How about you, Lu?” Xiumin asked, staring at Lu Han’s iced coffee still untouched.

 

“I…I don’t have plans of going back to China anytime soon,” he looked down at his fiddling fingers, and then at you, “I still have a reason to stay here, and until I accomplish it, I’m not going back to Beijing.” Lu Han had sounded so determined, and it brought a smile to your face. His eyes burned that same beautiful flame that went ablaze whenever he experienced a surge of desire and tenacity. It was a magnificent flame, so contagious that you can’t help but reflect it back. You grinned at his words, shooting him a thumbs-up and bidding him to do his best.

 

“Good luck with that, Lu!” Xiumin cheered; he already knew that Lu Han was going to say something along those lines. It was a very subtle confession to you; nicely done, is all Xiumin could say to himself. “As for me,” he said, “Just wait and see! I’ll be South Korea’s next ambassador in, well, I haven’t figured out which country yet, but just wait and see!”

 

You all laughed at Xiumin’s enthusiasm, telling him how much you would look forward to seeing his name on the newspaper or television.

 

“And you, Suho?” you turned to the most quiet among you.

 

He flashed you an angelic smile, and then took another sip of his lemonade, pondering over his own future. “My original plan was to teach high school kids, but now…I think it’s better to start with toddlers or those in the kindergarten level. I’ll take it easy first, and then slowly accept harder challenges.”

 

You and Kris smirked at Suho. “Such a grandpa,” you uttered in unison.

 

Suho stuck his tongue out, scratching his head. “Don’t say that.”

 

“Can’t help it, Joonmyeon,” you said, grinning at his frazzled state.

 

A preschool teacher, huh?

 

Well, you always knew he was going to end up in a similar profession. Suho always did have the disposition of a preschool teacher: responsible, good-natured and down to earth. His patience was limitless; in fact, you’ve never seen him angry in the four years that you’ve known him. That was something you admired him for; even with your usually calm demeanor, you were easily stressed out when it came to mischief-making children and troublesome people. He was always so gentle, so kind—it wasn’t hard to see why everyone loved him.

 

When you first met, you thought Suho was the oldest among the four. That was insulting on his part, of course, but he couldn’t blame your assumption. Amidst the serious personality of Kris, the cheerfulness of Xiumin and the messed-up, bipolarity of Lu Han, Suho was the beacon of light, of quintessential maturity that made it easy for you to relax in their presence. He reminded you of Jinki who had always stood by you when you couldn’t adjust to the crowd.

 

As you started meeting the rest of EXO, you realized that Suho, despite his young age, did an amazing job at being their father-figure. Kris was the leader type who shared and carried the same responsibilities, but there was just something about Suho that made him the perfect dad. He treated and talked to them as if they were kids, much to their chagrin. He was never harsh, even when he scolded them, and gave them words of wisdom even the great Buddha wouldn’t have thought of.

 

“You know what, you should just find a wife, have kids, and settle down,” you blurted, causing Suho and the three to laugh.

 

He waved your suggestion away, “Not yet. The family life isn’t for me yet. As long as I have five troublemakers under my belt, I don’t think I can have kids of my own yet.”

 

“Anyway, Noona,” he smiled at you, “Are you going back to your hometown as soon as graduation ends?” He peeked at your roommate who stiffened at his question. Lu Han looked at you warily, worry filling his eyes in an instant.

 

You put a finger on your chin, tapping it in the hope that it would produce some answers. Of course you were going back, especially after all those failed attempts to return over the course of four years. That was something written on stone even before you left your village. “Of course I am,” you stated, “But…”

 

You looked at the half-filled bottle in your hands.

 

It wasn’t unusual for country bumpkins to dream of working in the big cities. You, however, were an exception. You absolutely loved your quaint village. The scent of barley and rice fields was the first thing that greeted you every morning, and you’ve longed for that aroma ever since you started college here in Seoul. The crowded districts of the capital were unlike the small but lively park in your subdivision where everyone knew everyone. Sometimes, you felt suffocated. Still, in spite of your crystal clear homesickness, you’ve hardly gone home. There was something—there were people—who were unintentionally, subconsciously stopping you and you subconsciously let yourself be stopped. And over the course of four years, you found yourself changing into the very person you didn’t want to be: a country bumpkin who longs to stay and work in the city. But you had a different reason, and you felt like it was a good enough reason. It need not justification.

 

“Only for a while, just like Kris. I’m staying here in Seoul. I have a reason to do so, too.” Your eyes met your roommate’s for a split second, before you grabbed your bottle of cold tea and finished the remnants of it.

 

 

---

 

Bonus ending:

 

“In that case,” Xiumin clapped, “We should rent out a huge apartment for all five of us! Wouldn’t it be awesome if we became flatmates?”

 

You smiled at each other, considering the suggestion.

 

“That would be nice,” Suho commented, already imagining what life would be like to live with his college friends. He laughed at the scenario in his head: it was of you and Kris burning the kitchen because Lu Han was out and couldn’t cook for the five of you.

 

“What's so funny, Suho?” you asked, noticing the youngest laughing to himself. He shook his head, assuring all of you that it was nothing, and that he was looking forward to renting an apartment with you.

 

Xiumin raised his bottle. “Shall we toast on it, then?”

 

Each of you took your bottles, raising it as well.

 

“To an awesome life after college!”

 

“To an awesome life after college!” 

 

---

 

Author's Note:

 

Hello, everyone! This certainly took forever! I hope you enjoyed these deleted scenes :-) 

 

Also, make sure to check out my short drabble collection: The Taste of Tea. It's Sehun-centric, because I just love Oh Se Hun so much :)) There's something about that experimental fic I feel so proud about it. I don't know why, but I absolutely love that work of mine. I'm not bragging or anything, but I just feel so proud about it. It gives off that feeling of disconnectedness or something. It's like in that universe, in Oh Se Hun's world, there are only three people. I don't know, there's just something about it that makes me proud of that work :))

 

In other news, well, this is just something that might spark your curiousity. As you can see, Roommates has no character profiles (well, I'm absolutely against profiles, but I do like seeing pictures of what the author wanted their original characters to look like). We used to have a main image, but I lost that because AFF no longer allows Dropbox urls (and I'm just too lazy to upload it on photobucket, haha). Anyway, when I made Roommates, I didn't give a character photo for the protagonist because I wanted readers to mould her into what they wanted her to look like using only my characterization, so I guess Kwonnie has no permanent face. The closest thing to being my muse is the one and only Amber, but since she's in this story, obviously, she can't be Kwonnie :)) 

 

Anyway, one day, I discovered an ulzzang named Kite who worked as a model for Coii. She would have been perfect, but something about her was off. There's a tumblr site dedicated to her and the other Coii models. When I looked into the profiles of the girls, I finally found someone who epitomizes the protagonist of Roommates. Her name's Dan, and she's the very first in their profile. She has longer hair now, but on the profile I saw, she had the classic mushroom cut hair (which wasn't really what I wanted for my character, but it was something I could forgive because Dan's over-all impression got me smitten :)) ). I think the factor that made think "Dan is the one!" was her eyes. They were exactly how I wanted Kwonnie's eyes to look like: piercing--the type that would look into your soul and kill it. It was a plus that Dan was one of the tallest among the girls. 

 

The current photo they have on her profile isn't as good as the one before, the one that totally captured my eyes, but yeah, it's nice, too :))

 

Well, that ends my story :)) Sorry if I wasted your time with my random gushing, heehee

 

Happy New Year! 

 

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