Do you ever use other distractions to get away from the main focus of something? It’s too stressful to even contemplate that you end up either socially or mentally distracting yourself from it? Well, Kyungsoo would like to believe that’s why he was putting off studying for the huge semester exams that determined whether he would stay in college; Kai and Jongdae and his story.

But, in all reality, he just forgot.

Of course, the exams weren’t for a month. Kyungsoo still had plenty of time. And, as far as he knew, none of his friends had fathomed the idea of cracking open many, many textbooks and studying until unearthly hours in the morning. Just for that good grade.

But if he was his high school self, he would’ve slapped himself too many times to keep count.

He groaned quietly when one of his professors reminded him that the exams were coming up and that anyone who was seriously going to say they survived the first year of college better start studying. Chanyeol had this course with him, and he was sitting right next to him, completely ignoring the professor.

“So how’s it going with Jongdae and all of that? Baekhyun told me about your new friend last night,” Chanyeol asked quietly, barely even hiding that he was talking. Kyungsoo, however, was more careful, and hid his mouth under his shirt.

“Fine, I guess. Is this really the place to worry about that, though?”

“Well—“

“Park Chanyeol!” The shout from the professor in the front of the room immediately shushed everyone; if any of Kyungsoo’s teachers were the strictest, it would be this man right here.

“Why the hell are you talking when I am? I told you the next time you distracted Kyungsoo from me, there would be more severe consequences than just a scolding,” he snarled, and everyone’s eyes were wide with fear. This side of the professor wasn’t rare, but it scared everyone in the room.

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“Sorry isn’t enough. Step outside. Junghwa, do me a favor and fetch the long measuring stick?”

Everyone “oohed” and cringed for Chanyeol. He was about to be beat; even though it was rarer to be beaten in college than in high school, if you pushed your professors hard enough, they would take their choice of weapon out and take many painful, hard swings to your screaming hips.

Kyungsoo had been beaten once for talking back in high school, ten swings to each hip.

Now you know why he stays quiet now.

There was buzz with chatter, while Kyungsoo just stayed quiet; he was so worried for his friend. Would he be alright? Would he be able to sit? He couldn’t bear the thought; but at least they were in the last row, so he wouldn’t get as many stares as if he were up closer.

In a few minutes, the door was opened and the professor returned with a face recovering from the horrible shade of red it had turned, and a limping, obviously in-pain Chanyeol. Kyungsoo stood up when the professor wasn’t looking and helped him into his seat. “I’ll get you ice later, okay?”

Chanyeol nodded, biting his lip.

Kyungsoo sighed. “How much does it hurt?”

“Like someone set my hips on fire.”

“It’s because he uses two hands and makes sure you’re in hell when it happens.” Kyungsoo patted his friend’s thigh closer to the knee just in case the professor accidently hit a little lower. “You’ll be okay.”

Chanyeol nodded again, not looking Kyungsoo in the eye.

The rest of the class more or less dragged on, and after that was lunch. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol left last, Kyungsoo having to support his friend out of the door. Whatever the professor did, Chanyeol couldn’t walk without whimpering like a lost puppy.

They soon met up with Jongdae and Baekhyun, who both immediately rushed over when they saw a groaning Chanyeol resting against Kyungsoo. There were gaining a little attention, but no one really cared.

Baekhyun took Kyungsoo’s place. “What happened, baby?”

“He got beat in the period we were just in for talking to me,” Kyungsoo explained, since Chanyeol obviously wasn’t up to answering for himself. Baekhyun helped his boyfriend while Jongdae and Kyungsoo just watched, the sight being too painful to both watch and look away from.

“Hey, Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo asked quietly.

“Mm?”

“I’m going home for lunch, do you want some ice when I get back?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Okay. Hang in there, hyung. It’ll die down in a few hours.”

Kyungsoo never called Chanyeol hyung since it was just by months. But this was pretty important.

When the other three decided to eat off campus so they could use a car, Kyungsoo strolled home, his thoughts never leaving his friend. He’d never seen him in so much pain before. He shook the thoughts from his head when he entered his apartment with the help of his key.

It felt the same; it was just his normal house that he came home to every day, nothing special. He threw his bag down and picked up some leftovers from dinner with Kai the night before out of the fridge. He shoved them in the microwave and started it being heated up.

After his short lunch, he grabbed some frozen ice packs and shoved them into two plastic bags; Chanyeol could stick these by his hips and keep them hidden under his pants. He grabbed his bag and threw the bags in, sprinting so they didn’t melt in the scorching weather.

In two minutes, he was back on campus, panting and bending over when he found his three friends. Chanyeol was walking, but he was slow and limping, his lip bit in pain. Kyungsoo took in a deep breath and digged out the bags, handing them to him. “Here. Stick these under your pants on your hips so you can hide them.”

Chanyeol took them and bowed his head graciously. Baekhyun helped him into the bathroom to go put the ice packs in his pants while Jongdae and Kyungsoo were left in the hall. Jongdae sighed. “I’ve never seen Chanyeol more vulnerable in my life. It’s heartbreaking.”

“Yeah, I know,” Kyungsoo agreed silently. “We weren’t even talking that much, but I guess the professor just snapped and took out the stick.”

“How many swings did he get?”

“No telling. I didn’t get to ask.”

The two stayed silent when Baekhyun and Chanyeol emerged, obvious bulges by Chanyeol’s hips, but they were far enough to the front that they could pass as electronics in his pockets. He gulped. “I hope these don’t melt soon. It feels really good.”

“They were ice frozen. You should have a while,” Kyungsoo assured him, pulling him into a quick hug when the first bell rang. Immediately, the hallways filled. “Stay strong, hyung. And whatever you do, don’t make any noises of discomfort in class if it hurts. That just draws attention.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Kyungsoo separated from the three and went to class.

~*~

“So, are you in?”

Kyungsoo still wasn’t sure about it. He had to at least study a little before he slacked off… but, still, Jongdae’s suggestion of attending a college freshman party sounded so tempting.

Kai was there, as well. They were standing on a subway platform, about to go to the outskirts of Seoul for a really good restaurant to eat at. Kyungsoo was on the phone, the place not very quiet, so his un-used ear was plugged by his finger.

“Wait. Are you allowed to bring people that aren’t a freshman?”

“As long as they’re from our old school, is what I heard.”

Kyungsoo glanced at Kai, who was immersed in a game on his cell phone before turning back to his original position. “Fantastic. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Kyungsoo put his phone in his back pocket, the subway crowd dispersing when Kyungsoo and Kai pulled through, the arrival of their subway right on time. The only other person on the car was a drunken man, completely passed out. The two eyed him for a second, but then ignored him.

He would find his way eventually.

“I remember riding this thing to school every day… most of it was spent studying,” Kyungsoo remembered, leaning against a conveniently placed pole. “Man, high school was hell for me. It was all study and really no other time. How are you holding up?”

“Hyung, I’m pretty much a kingka at school,” Kai laughed.

“Yah. Whatever.”

“I tend to avoid studying. I mostly guess on my exams. And, most likely, I’ll guess when the semester exams come along,” Kai explained, nonchalantly resting against the wall of the car. This was a five minute long ride; there was no point sitting.

Kyungsoo had to resist the urge to smack some sense into Kai. “You’ll never get into a good college.”

“I’m not going to college.”

Kyungsoo’s mouth dropped. “You’re not what?!”

Kai, however, looked completely relaxed. “I told you. I dance. I’m going to SM to become a trainee and hopefully, eventually debut. You said you can sing, right?” When Kyungsoo slowly nodded, he continued. “They can train you in your weak points. You just need potential.”

“Wait… are you asking me to be a trainee with you?”

“Yes.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. “Absolutely not.”

The subway slowed to a stop, and a woman came over the cackling intercom, stating where they were. Kai and Kyungsoo stepped off, leaving the still knocked out drunk alone in the subway. Kai sighed. “Look, we still have a while. Just think about it, okay? Even Joonmyun promises it isn’t horrible.”

“Fine.”

They walked out of the station and up the steps. When they came out, Kyungsoo grinned. Even though downtown Seoul was much prettier, it was peaceful here. The streets were alight, and many people walked the streets.

“I forgot where the restaurant is,” Kyungsoo admitted sheepishly.

“That’s okay. I didn’t.”

~*~

“YAH! KYUNGSOO HYUNG! Open up!”

Kyungsoo groaned and ran over to the door, letting in an exasperated Kai. He was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, while Kyungsoo still didn’t have a shirt on and was combing his hair. Kai just laughed. “Hey, it’s your tummy.”

“Shut up and amuse yourself while I finish getting ready,” Kyungsoo ordered, rushing back into his room and pulling on a shirt. This party better be good, he thought with another groan as he noticed the time. They had fifteen minutes to get there. Damn his naps.

But it would be worth it.

College parties were insane here.

When he was finally done, he and Kai left the house and got into Kyungsoo’s car. They made a deal not to get ridiculously drunk, and the one who was least wasted would be the designated driver. It probably wasn’t the healthiest idea, but Kyungsoo only planned on a beer or so.

Kyungsoo quickly located the house on the street where it was, even though he didn’t know whose house it was, since it was the only house this late with all the lights on, music booming, and people hanging out outside of it. Kyungsoo parked his car, stuffed his keys and his phone into his pockets, and got out with Kai.

“Hey, Soo! Glad you could make it!” he heard almost instantly. He looked to his left and spotted Jongdae walking over to him. Kyungsoo grinned and turned to Kai, who was smirking at Jongdae like he was some kind of meal.

“I don’t believe we met. Jongin.”

“Jongdae.” They shook hands, and when Jongdae got pulled over by someone else, Kyungsoo asked, “Why didn’t you say Kai?”

“You and Joonmyun hyung are the only ones allowed to call me that now.”

“Since when?”

“Since now.” They both smiled and walked into the house, immediately hit with the strong stench of beer and various alcoholic drinks. People were grinding on each other, everyone completely unsophisticated and looking like this was the best day of their life.

Kyungsoo looked over at Kai, who smirked.

This was going to be too much fun.

~*~

Ello guys! Sorry this took a while. I wanted to post before school started on Monday, but I was dead, and I was reading an amazing fic called Kyuhyun It's Been Hard On You, and then school filled up my schedule, and I'm sorreh, you guys. >.< But at least this chapter's a little longer than the others. :P

I WOULD start writing tonight and post tomorrow, buutt I'm going to the amusement park tonight with my friend. :3

Anyway, I love you gaiz! The comment box and subscribe button are waiting for yooouuu! :D