DongHae POV

 

The all too familiar gong echoed through the room and announced the end of my lecture. Our professor tried to make us stay in the classroom a bit longer to say a few more words about the current subject, but most of the students made so much noise by putting away their books and pens that his words only partially permeated to me.

I sighed and looked at the little book in front of me. Throughout the whole day I haven’t paid attention to any of my lessons. It's not that I didn't try. I tried to follow the lessons at first but soon my interests in learning faded. Instead of listening wholeheartedly to the teachers words I started to write down everything that recently happened to me in this little black book that Lee HyukJae gave to me yesterday.

A big question mark graced the end of my entry. Lost in thought, I stared at it and tapped it with the tip of my pen over and over again. I had hoped to gain more clarity by writing down all recent events. But instead of clarity more questions appeared in my head.

"Diligent, diligent. Looks like I'm able to pass my exams with waving colors”, I suddenly heard someone say behind me. I immediately closed the book and turned myself to the person behind me.
The young student from yesterday noticed my hasty movement and came a few steps closer. He stopped next to my table and began to eye the little black book satisfied. He was about to grab it, but I beat him to it and put it in the new bag that Lee HyukJae had bought for me as well. Disappointed the young man watched my motion.

"Yah! How come you won't let me take a look at your notes? It's not like you were writing your diary or love letters during class”, he cried, and wanted to grab my bag but I immediately drew it closer to myself, to prevent him from reaching the little book. KyuHyun raised his eyebrows in surprise. Slowly he raised his left hand and pointed to the bag in my arms.

"Please tell me that in that book are notes from the past lesson, DongHae-yah. One of us needs to take notes”, he said with slight panic in his voice.
Confused, I began to blink quickly. Why should I take notes for him? We hardly knew each other. Still I had to admit that he was right. Technically I had wasted another day by doing nothing again. I should have focused on those lessons today as I still have to catch up on the missed subjects from last week. If I didn't put any effort in studying soon I wouldn't pass the upcoming exams. But are those exams really this important right now? My life is over. Why would I even bother to even get my degree?

As KyuHyun noticed that I didn't bother to answer his question, he draws his own conclusions. Immediately, he grabbed his hair in frustration and said, "You haven’t taken any notes? Please don't tell me that this is true! DongHae-yah, do you want us both to fail our exams? You can't do this to me!"
"I don't see why it should bother you that I didn't take any notes. If you would leave your toys at home you could easily write your own notes", I said with a serious tone and pulled the rest of my books closer to me to put them in my bag as well.

My fellow student starred at me in shock. Determined I stood up. I gave him a brief smile before I turned away from him and walked toward the exit. I almost reached it when the young man ran after me and grabbed my arm firmly.
"I can't do this course without help. Please help me”, he begged.
"Why did you change your major if you already know that you can't do it on your own?", I asked seriously while starring at the taller man intensely.

KyuHyun glanced to the side before he answered me almost inaudibly.
"I thought that literature would be easy. I mean nowadays there are audio books, right? I thought that I could listen to the books, we would read. Unfortunately most of those books weren't made into audio books yet. If it only would end with the reading part. In addiction you have to analyze what happened in those books. How am I supposed to know what the weather can symbolize the feelings of the main characters. Had I known all this before I probably wouldn't have chosen literature. Unfortunately I can't switch my major again until July. Staying until July means that I have to pass the next exam to even stay in college. But since I don't understand what the professor is talking about..."

I thought for a moment and then nodded slowly to show him that I'd try to help him.
He noticed my head movement and began to grin broadly.
"Assa! You're the best, Hyung!", he cried joyfully while happily jumping up and down.
"Hyung?", I asked, astonished and continued to walk to the exit again.
The young man follows me immediately and quickly began to explain: "I'm one of the youngest here in college. I'm a faster. I entered this college together with the 87-liner"
"You knew that you were younger than me and continued to speak in Banmal with me?", I asked in horror and noticed how my fellow student, who was very pleased with himself, began to nod.

I sighed. What happened happened. I couldn't change his previous behavior anymore still I need to pay attention how KyuHyun treats older people in the future. Not everyone will be alright with a behavior like this. KyuHyun could get into lots of trouble if he continues to act this way.

"Still... I think Hyung is somewhat incongruous. We barely know each other”, I remembered him but the young man put my remark away with a simple hand gesture.
"Hyung you forget that I have saved your life. I've earned myself to call you hyung,”, the younger man said firmly not willing to tolerate the backtalk anymore.

I stared at him wide-eyed. He had courage. I had to admit that. Not everyone would talk to someone older like that. Every normal Koreans would now probably read him the levites but I liked it somehow.
"OK. Then I'm your hyung", I said to him and smiled kindly.
He began to smile too. The younger seemed visibly pleased with himself and the newly established friendly relationship between us.

Together we left the building and headed toward the main entrance of the college. Just like me KyuHyun had no more lectures today. KyuHyun was very happy to leave this early as he finally was able to live his other 'life'. When he noticed my confusion regarding his statement, he explained that he spent a lot of his free time on the Internet to play an online game.

"Not play. That sounds like I'm a little kid. I game! If you're interested, I'll show you how it works. I promise you; once you start you can't stop. In high school I often gamed all night long and in the morning I managed to appear in school. Well, most of the lessons I didn't pay attention but slept instead but since my grades were always more than good the teachers weren't able to scold me. Even my parents had no reason to take action as my school results were always good", he said.
It was easy to see that he was completely in his element now. With pride he began to talk about moves that sounded good, but as I never played this game before I wasn't able to say anything. Although I didn't understand much of what he was talking about, I let him talk and didn't interrupt him once.

"Hyung ~", I suddenly heard a familiar voice call.
Curious, I looked up and was able to see Sora, who joyfully bounced up and down. Wait a minute. Sora Noona doesn't call me hyung. Therefore...
I glanced in the direction which I had just come from. No. I couldn't see Lee HyukJae anywhere in this area. But who else would she call this way?

I quickly turned back to face her. She began to wave with her arms, as if she was afraid that the person she's calling wouldn't see her among all those people. Since I still wasn't sure whether she meant me or someone else, I raised my hand and pointed my finger at me. She seemed to understand immediately and nodded vigorously.

"Do you know her? That's a woman, right?", I heard KyuHyun ask beside me. I didn't answer him. Instead of answering I grabbed his wrist and pulled him with me. With huge steps we past several students and achieved our goal soon: Sora

We barely stood in front of her when she threw herself at me and took me in her embrace. I was more than surprised by her action. When she finally pulled back from the hug she grinned widely and my hair. I tried to avoid her hand but it wasn't able to.
"Noona”, I shouted in protest and took a few steps away from her again to put my hair back to its original state. Sora was watching me with a big grin on her face.
"It's only hair, little fish. So... that is the place where you and my monkey Hyung are studying together? Seems a bit ... boring. I couldn't imagine wanting to study here. On the other hand I never really was the academic type. Let's change the subject. Who is that? Is that a friend of yours, Hyung?”, she cheerfully asked and turned, without waiting for an answer, towards KyuHyun.
KyuHyun, who had followed the previous scene with a big smile, seemed somewhat embarrassed when Sora began to eye him from head to toe. I watched how she walked a few steps towards him to take a closer look. KyuHyun who was visibly irritated by her behavior, made a few steps away from her.

"Wah~ why are all students so good-looking? Maybe I should give studying a chance. With that much eye candy around me four years of torture should pass in no time", she cheerfully said. Her eyes started to sparkle while imagining herself as a student surrounded by flower boys. A broad grin loomed on her face. Not long and she seemed to find her way back to the reality as the wide smile disappeared.
Embarrassed she patted KyuHyun's shoulder twice before turning back to me. Her features were a little more seriously now. Her voice on the other hand seemed still as cheerful as before.
"Do you have time for me, little fish? Hyukkie told me that all of your classes are over now. I would like to take a walk in this area, but it's not fun walking alone. Noona felt bored staying at home alone all day", she said while gesturing that she was meant with the Noona she talked about.

My eyes darted to KyuHyun. He nodded and gestured me that he won't mind if I decide to leave him. I smiled apologetically at him and I just wanted to turn back to Sora, as my eyes recognized two well-known figures behind KyuHyun. My guard dogs. Through the day, I had noticed that they always stayed somewhere near me. No matter where I went, they followed. Lee HyukJae made his threat come true.

I turned back to Sora to agree on her proposal to take a walk. My smile had collapsed at the sight of my two guards and yet I managed to let a weak smile appear on my face. Sora, however, seemed to have noticed the change. Concerned she looked at me before she let her eyes wander in the direction of my supervisors. She quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled me away towards the exit. A few meters after we passed the exit she let go of my wrist.

When we reached the main road I wanted to turn left as I knew that his is the way to go back to Lee HyukJae's home, but Sora seemed to have other plans. A short touch on the shoulder made me look at her. She still said nothing, but gestured with her hand in the opposite direction. With a nod, I made her understand that I agree and started following her wherever she wanted to go with me.
For a while we walked silently side by side. The atmosphere was completely different from before. She seemed less cheerful now. I still could recognize a smile on her face, but it didn't seem real. I had a suspicion that I was to blame for this strange atmosphere between us. Was it because of the question I asked last night? Yesterday, she didn't want to give me a clear answer. Somehow understandable, she likes her little brother very much. Getting asked such a question, must have been quite a shocking.

"Um... Noona... About yesterday... I..."
"I think he'd be able to do it" she said, interrupting me in my timid attempt to start a conversation. Her statement astonished me. Why isn't she defending her little brother? I would have done that for my brother.

Curious I eyed her from the side. Her gaze was fixed to the front. The forced smile didn't leave her face, but I realized soon that it's now even more cramped than before. I was aware that she wanted to indicate with that smile that everything was fine, but that was not the case. Like her brother, her true feelings were clearly visible in her eyes.

"I'm not saying that my brother is a bad person. On the contrary. Your question is the same as asking if he was capable to murder someone. Even this question I would answer with yes. The answer is not tailored to his character but on humanity itself. The human race is an amazing Art. Although you think you know a person inside and out, there will always be a part that remains hidden. A part of which the person itself may not even have an idea of. Human are capable of anything if they're own live depends on it", Sora said, somewhat depressed while leading me to a nearby park.
The just spoken words seemed to cost her an incredible amount of effort to go on. I could see how much she was suffering from these words. Because it