Chapter 1
Looking Back
Parents always say it is during college that one can learn what he really wants - what he wants to be and what he wants to achieve. Thus, in the sense, it isn't really surprising that universities and colleges become a fury of questions and false hopes. But, of course, these things aren't always limited to what the textbooks state.
"I give up!" Baekhyun growled as he lifted up his hands.
"Keep quiet!" Kyungsoo said. "We're in a library, not in our dorm."
"I can't help it if I can't understand what we're supposed to do for this assignment."
"Look for the author's stance regarding 'family issues'..."
"I know, but how are we supposed to do that if all his book is about are ants and carrying grains of rice?!"
"Then you're not looking properly."
"I'VE ALREADY READ THE BOOK THRICE!"
"Then shut up and make it four."
"AHRG! Hyung!" Baekhyun rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to the other person with them. "Luhan-hyung, have you found out the answer to the assignment?"
"Oh, huh?" Luhan replied in a daze. "No... Not yet... I'm not even done reading the book yet..."
Luhan, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo were three of the few individuals that decided to take up "Literature & Arts" for their major. All of them were interested in writing poems and essays; but Luhan was specifically inclined in the way a good poetry is mixed with the visual arts. They were optimistic to take up the course and had high hopes of learning the styles of all the famous authors. But two years into the course, they discovered that a simple knack in the field isn't enough to keep your grades up.
"Not yet done? You've been holding that book since the day before..." Baekhyun commented.
"I'm a slow reader...?" Luhan smiled faintly.
"That's weird."
"Maybe because he's busy rubbing the embossed letters of the book's cover - just like he is now." Kyungsoo noted the way Luhan continuously ran his fingers on the title, particularly on the letter "S".
"Wha- I am not!" Luhan defended himself immediately.
"'S'?" Baekhyun spotted Luhan's finger still on the letter. "Seriously, hyung... are you that easily caught up with anything that reminds you of him?"
"What?! This does not mean anything! And Sehun has nothing to do with it! Why would he?! Now let me read the book!"
"Hyung, aren't you dragging this whole 'forgetting him' period a bit too long?"
"I agree," Kyungsoo said. "I thought that one week of crying in our dorm was enough."
"I was just playing with the book's cover! You guys are thinking too much." Luhan continued to defend himself.
"We better..." Baekhyun said. "That Sehun should've stopped having an effect on you. It's been, what, three months?" he asked Kyungsoo.
"Two months and a week..." Luhan whispered softly.
"HYUNG!" Baekhyun scolded as he heard the other.
"WHAT?! I simply corrected you!"
"This is why we still doubt you..."
"Well, Baekhyun, we can't really blame him. He and that Sehun have been together for quite some time... right?"
"Yuh..." Luhan softly nodded.
"But they've broken up for three - two months and a week now." Baekhyun corrected himself as soon as he saw Luhan's mouth open to correct him once again.
"That's true. But they've been together for a year... a year and - ?"
"Four months," Luhan added.
"A year and four months," Kyungsoo said. "Or have you perhaps calculated the weeks as well?"
Luhan stayed silent but raised his fingers showing a two.
"See. They've been together for a year, four months, and two weeks! And that is on top of the days, hours, and seconds that I'm willing to bet Luhan-hyung knows as well."
"Kyungsoo, I think what you did just highlighted my point..." Baekhyun sighed.
"Hi, you must be Luhan?" Luhan heard suddenly as he was reading this book about fairytales. "Yup, but who are you?" he asked as he put down the book and looked at the person who is now standing in front of his desk.
"Hi! My name is Sehun," the person said as he extended his hand. "I'm not normally this social, but my friends kept saying that we look alike and that I had to introduce myself personally... so here I am."
"I don't think we look alike..." Luhan commented.
"I agree; I don't think any two people do. But I had to personally make sure just in case you happen to be my doppelganger or something..." Sehun explained with a bright smile.
"If you thought I was your doppelganger, shouldn't you have avoided me more?"
"True. But if it was MY duplicate, then I wouldn't miss meeting another handsome being."
"Are you sure that you're as anti-social as you say? Such arrogance doesn't exactly fit the image."
"That's because I rehearsed these lines. This may probably be the first and only time you can see me talk this lively."
"If liveliness turns you to an arrogant person, then I'm looking forward to seeing your normal self."
"Well, that's everyday from now on, I guess." Sehun shrugged. "It was nice meeting you, Luhan-hyung. Let's normally greet each other as we are classmates and you are my doppelganger."
"Thanks for introducing yourself, Sehun, the 'me of the other dimension'..." Luhan said before Sehun walked away smiling.
"Hey, Sehun-ah! Come eat with us somewhere..." Kai said as he walked towards the bed Sehun is on.
"C'mon, there's gotta be somewhere cheap enough for the three of us..." Tao added as he followed.
"Sleepy... Go on your own..." Sehun mumbled as he turned his back on the two.
"Yah. Stop being so lazy." Kai said. "Keep this up and you'll end up as an old man eating nothing but potato chips and taking care of puppies."
"I don't mind..." the youngest said.
"Let's go!" Tao said as he pulled Sehun's leg, dragging the younger out of the bed and to the floor.
"YAAAAHHH!!!" Sehun growled.
"Oh, you're up?" Tao faked innocence. "Good. Since you're out of bed, you're inviting Kai and me to go out and eat?" he added with a smile.
"That's a great idea, Sehun-ah!" Kai joined in. "I'm actually a bit hungry." he said as he tugged Sehun up the floor.
"I swear on my next life, I'll give anything to be older than the two of you."
"That's on your next life..." the two older chorused.
"More sunlight wouldn't hurt you; you've been too exiled lately..." Tao added.
"I agree! It's like you just got out of a relationship or something!" Kai joked, knowing too well that it was the truth. It wasn't really a secret Sehun kept. And, of course, his roommates/classmates Kai and Tao would know - rather would have to know.
"Say whatever you want; I'm not listening to the both of you." Sehun deadpanned.
"How can you now listen to your hyungs?!" Kai asked.
"Because I'm too busy listening to the gods' conditions to my request of having the two of you single for life."
"Good morning, Sehun!" Luhan happily greeted the other a day after the introduction.
"Huh? Oh, hi, morning!" Sehun replied half awake.
"Wow. You ARE different from the you of yesterday."
"Told you. I'm normally like this... there are just days that I'm in the mood of playing around..."
"Hmm. Fair enough; we all have those moods." Luhan said with a smile.
"I guess..." Sehun shrugged.
"So, what are you doing?"
"Huh?"
"Why are you tracing that book's cover again and again?"
"I just want too. It feels nice."
"Because it's embossed?"
"Are you normally this perky?"
"Nope. Just thought I needed to return the favor of 'a lively hello'."
"You did great."
"Thanks!" Luhan smiled pleasantly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll see for myself if embossed book titles are indeed relaxing..." he said as he walked away and towards his own desk in the classroom.
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A/N: first chapter! wwhew. XD hahaha.
A/N: first chapter! wwhew. XD hahaha.
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