Wooyoung’s POV

Why is life so difficult? Do you want to know how difficult it is? Let us just say that you fell into a stinking manhole and you almost lost your voice shouting for help but no one seems to notice. Isn't that irritating?! And you know what's worse? It's that you only have to put one exclamation point in your text message to send then suddenly your phone died because it ran out of battery! WHY!!! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME

I think it is already past 7pm and I am still here stuck in this manhole. I think I am already getting immune with the stinky smell of the air here, what more can I ask for? Ah, right I know!

“Lord, I wish you didn’t give me a sprained ankle when I fell into this manhole so I could have gotten out of here already.” Aish, what am I going to do.

I was in the middle of thinking when a hard thing fell from above and hit me.

“Hyung! Hyung! The ball it fell into the manhole!” a young boy shouted.

WTF is that?! Aish it’s a basketball ball huhu, it hurts!

“Hold this bag for me will you? I will go down and get it.” A boy said, and if I am not mistaken it must be his older brother.

Yehey! Finally! Someone will come and rescue me!

I can feel him going down but I cannot see his face and only his silhouette.

“How am I going to find it here? It’s so dark.” The boy said while scratching his head.

“You don’t need to look for it anymore, I am holding it now.” He was suddenly surprised that he suddenly fell back.

“Ahhh!! A ghost!” He screamed. What is wrong with him? Me? A ghost? I could see him about to climb and so I tried to stop him.

“Yah!”

“AHHHH!” He shouted.

“Can you please calm down? I am not a ghost!” I approached him and gave him the ball. He grabbed the ball and threw it up.

“Hyung! I already got the ball” the younger brother said.

“Yah, aren’t you forgetting something?” I asked him

“Oh, yeah I forgot…thank you my good friend”

“Ugh?! Aren’t you going to help me?” I asked him almost feeling desperate.

“Why are you haunting this manhole?”

Aish, just one more and I will punch this guy in the face.

“I told you already, I am not a ghost! I fell here earlier. My foot got sprained so even if I wanted to get out of here by myself I can’t”

“Oh, is that so? Why didn’t you ask for help?” he asked in a matter of fact tone

“I tried, but no one seemed to hear me.” I told him

“Ok, let’s go I will carry you.” He said and I was like “Finally!”

And that is what happened. He carried me until I can hold on to the ladder. I waited for him to step on the ladder and we resumed.

“Ouch! Are you trying to injure me more?!” I said when he unintentionally hit my injured foot.

“Why are you so unlucky?” he commented.

As if I don’t already know that.

When I was able to smell the fresh air of the road, I felt like I was the happiest man alive! Haha. Yes it’s already night. In fact it’s already 8 pm. When I looked around I saw the face of the younger boy who was holding the ball

“Hyung, do you live there?”

Wait, I don’t live in the manhole! 

Then his older brother came out of the manhole, he was staring at me. I mean who wouldn’t stare at me? I guess anyone would with how I look right now.

“What’s your name kid?” I asked the younger boy.

“Chansung” he said in a very happy tone.

“Chansung! Such a lovely name! But, you know, I am not a ghost!”

“Ahh, I am sorry hyung.” The young boy apologized

“Hey what’s your name?” I asked his older brother

“Awesome”

“Your name is Awesome?” I almost laughed

“Yes!” he said proudly

“Really? You almost cried when you thought I was a ghost in the manhole!” It was then that I laughed really hard. But instead of him getting angry or insulted he also laughed with me. Hmmm…maybe he is awesome after all.

“What is your name?” He asked me

“Wooyoung”

“Wooyoung, why don’t you go to our house first. It’s just near”

“Yes Hyung let’s go to our house and let’s play!”

“Ah..no thanks” I refused. “I will just ride a taxi..”

“No one will want you to ride in their taxi! I mean look at you, and you smell!” He exclaimed, and I was like, “You have a point, I smell and I look like a beggar”

~~~

Not for too long, a house that is not that big, appeared in front of me.

“Umma, we are here. Sorry if we were late!” Awesome shouted while entering the house.

“Don’t be shy.” He softly whispered to me.

“It’s ok my dear sons, I already got used to it!” His umma shouted from the kitchen.

“Umma, Wooyoung is here with us!” Chansung shouted

“Who is Wooyoung?” their mother asked while she was approaching us. Her eyes widened with what she saw.

“Uhmmm…good evening to you Ma’am” is all I could utter. She nodded as a response.

“Uhmm Umma, it’s like this, Chansung was playing with the ball when it fell down into the manhole and then I went down to get it. And when I was there Wooyoung here was also there inside so I tried to help him. DOn't you think I am so great Umma?”

“Oh my, how did you get into the manhole? Are you fine?” their mother asked me with worry in her voice.

“Uhmm, I was texting that time and I didn’t know that there is an open manhole there because there were no signs and then…I fell inside and sprained my foot.” I explained to her.

“It’s your entire fault that you fell into the manhole!” Mr. Awesome said.

I shoot him daggers telling him that’s a lie. It’s the fault of the ones who are maintaining the manhole.

“Yah, Nickhun stop it.”

I almost laughed at what I heard. Hahahaha! Whoo! Their mom is the best.

“Why are you laughing?!” He asked me angrily

“Your name is Nickhun…haha and you call yourself Mr. Awesome.”

“Please forgive my son, he’s just like that” their mother said

“Umma!” Nickhun whined.

“Yah! You prepare the shower so Wooyoung can take a bath.” Their mother ordered her son. And Nickhun followed her obediently.

After a few minutes, Nickhun was finished preparing the shower and then they gave me the privacy and so I started washing off. I finished taking a bath. I removed the towel from the hanger and rubbed it around my body and finally wrapped it around my waist. I exited the bathroom fresh and clean and…oh my god! In front of me is a half guy holding a folded towel and some clothes (Mental nose bleeding! ! That abs!) I quickly covered my chest as if I have a full cupped . I am not really confident being because I can only get in the four corners of my room.

“Isn’t that my towel?”

“Oh?..this?”

“Yeah that! Take that off!” He ordered me

“Are you kidding me? No way!”

“Nickhun, use that other towel instead, if he removes that he will be completely !” I could feel that their umma was teasing me seeing me cover my chest.

“But that is my favorite towel!” Nickhun was throwing one of his tantrums just like a child. Then he handed me the clothes that he prepared.

“Here wear this. Don’t worry it’s clean.” He assured me

“Are you sure?” I doubted

“Of course!" He said.

Then he went inside the bathroom.

Chansung told me that I should change my clothes in the room upstairs. And so I entered and examined the garments starting with the underwear. Hmmm…should I wear another’s underwear? My good side told me “No, it’s unhygienic” My evil side told me “Yes, What do you want, to go home without wearing any underwear and let that thing free?” And you know what? I sided with the evil one. Anyway, it looks like it’s new and unused. So I immediately changed my clothes before he enters the room and see me fully .

I took a quick glance in the mirror first before heading down when suddenly I saw a picture of Nickhun and a girl just beside the mirror.

“Ugh?! Nickhun’s girlfriend looks kind of cute. I wonder what her name is.”

“Her name is Victoria”

“Yah!” I suddenly shouted. “You scared me! You should knock first before entering!” I suggested as I clutched my chest because of the sudden surprised that I had.

“Why should I knock at my own door? Do you kcokc at your own door?”

“Of course not, why would I do that if it’s my room.”

“Same things apply here.”

“Ok, I will go down now.” I said after putting the picture back to its original place and trek downstairs. As I was going down I saw their father.

“Hon, this is Wooyoung, Nickhun and Chansung’s friend”

“Hello Wooyoung”

“Uhmm…good evening sir.”

“Appa you are already there!" Nickhun said as he was approaching his parents.

So I went to talk to their mother, “Uhmm excuse me, I know it’s kinda bit abusing but can I charge my phone for a while? I need to call my driver so he can pick me up.”

“Right now? You should eat first before you leave. Give me your phone and I will charge it.

“Thank you very much. I will just text my driver then I will follow you for dinner.

After sending the text to my driver I went to their dining area and ate with them. I feel shy but I cannot help it because I am really hungry now. I sat between their mother and Chansung, opposite of Nickhun and their father and they won’t quit looking at me.

“Is there a dirt on my face?” I asked

“None. You look so handsome and cute.” Their father told me. I don’t even know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. But of course, it could never be an insult so I just said,

“uhmmm…thanks?”

“Hyung where do you study?” Chansung aske with his mouth full.

“I go to Seoul High School and I am a senior there” Suddenly all their eyes widen especially Nickhun.

“I also study there. I am also a senior there.” He informed me.

“Really but, I haven’t seen you there.”

“Me too, I haven’t also seen you there.”

“I belong to the top class, how about you?” He suddenly distanced a few centimeters and it seems like I had said something wrong.

“That is why”

“Why? What class do you belong to?” I asked him

“Don’t even ask” HE said

“He belong to the average class.” His father said

“Appa! Why did you tell him?!”

“What is there to be shy of? You are even classmates with one of my friend there” I told him so that he would feel a little happy.

“You know, not everyone in the top class is smart. Other are just using their money to stay there. The top class is not a good place to be because the pressure there is high. “

That is why we don’t see each other is because the top class is located at the new building. That building was exclusively made for the top class. Sometimes I think the school is very discriminating. They treat as differently. That is why the lower classes think that we are not approachable and some of them think that we are nerds. I think there is really a problem in the sectioning system.

I had a decent dinner in fairness before my driver beeped his car outside.

“Oh is that your driver? Nickhun what are you staring at invite the driver to go inside and eat.”

“I’ll do it honey.” Their father said

 While my driver is eating, I grabbed the plastic bag that contains my dirty clothes and I throw it in the van. Before we leave I expressed my gratitude.

“Thank you for being really nice to me especially you Nickhun! I will never forget your name. Ermmm… don’t worry I will return this clothes to you at school. Sorry Chansung we didn’t have the time to play, maybe next time. Thank you for everything, we will now go ahead.

Then off we go.