"FRIENDSHIP MARKS A LIFE EVEN MORE DEEPLY THAN LOVE. LOVE RISKS DEGENERATING INTO OBSESSION, FRIENDSHIP IS NEVER ANYTHING BUT SHARING."

HYUKJAE POV

Since the rehearsal ended late last night, I barely have three hours of sleep. The proposal of Leeteuk hyung doesn’t help me have a good night sleep either. Arghh! So many things to think yet my brain is too small to handle all of it.

As I came rushing through the entrance gate of Seoul University, I noticed a black BMW parked on the other side of the road. It’s not like I haven’t seen such expensive car but most of the students and employees usually parked their cars inside. Another strange thing about the car is that its supper tinted! Like those being use by celebrities and idols.

‘STOP BEING A BUSY BODY AND GO TO YOUR CLASS!’

I don’t know if it’s just me or it’s really loud around the Business major building. Students were chatting here and there not really paying attention if there’s someone beside them that wants to have an alone time while reading their notes. Honestly, I’ve been little slow these days. I don’t know if it was caused by my lack of sleep or there isn’t really interesting going on in this department. Once I over heard a student in the library saying that business majors are boring. I got offended by that but not anymore.

‘JUST A LITTLE MORE, HYUK AND YOU’LL BE OUT OF HERE.’

I walked inside the classroom, which wasn’t too noisy thankfully, and take my spot beside the window. I bring out my book and marker to continue reading the assigned topic for today. I’m not a genius type of student but I managed to get above satisfactory grades even with a little time to review. My mom said I got it from my dad who was a teacher in Paran Boys Academy.

Few minutes into reading, the bell rings signaling the start of today’s class. I close the book when I heard the door to the room opens, revealing our gorgeous professor, Ms. Shang.

“Good morning class.” She greeted with a smile.

After checking the attendance, she stride her way to the still open door and grabbed someone that must’ve been there for a while now.

“I’d like to introduce to you your new classmate, Mr. Kim Ryeowook.”

Before us stood a petite young man with fluffy chestnut brown hair, high cheekbones, well-defined jaw, and crescent brown eyes. His height is somewhere close to mine but a little shorter. All in all, this Kim Ryeowook guy looks like a high school student!

“Hello everyone, I’m Kim Ryeowook. I-I’m looking forward to be friends with all of you.”

The gentle voice dissolved all of the sleepiness I have at the moment.

“I hope you guys will not give Ryeowook-ssi a hard time. Hmm… where will I place you?”

Ms. Shang roams her eyes around the room, looking for a vacant seat and spotted the one beside me.

“You can sit beside Hyukjae-ssi over there.” she gestured the newbie to the back row which was vacant ever since the semester started.

As the shy boy takes his sit, I can’t help but ask him.

“R-ryeowook-ssi?” I called him tentatively.

“Hmm?” he answered but didn’t make an effort to meet my eyes. I guess he’s really a shy boy.

“I hope you don’t mind if I ask your age? You look so young to be a college student. No offense.”

I saw the little corners of his mouth lifted into a smile. “I turned eighteen last week.”

“WHAT?!?”

-----*****-----

That’s the reason why Ryeowook and I ended up sitting side by side inside the rather crowded cafeteria. We had gathered our food even before the queue started, thankfully. Since I didn’t get to have a descent breakfast before leaving the house, I picked up a bowl of rice, kimchi stew, pork cutlets and strawberry milk – strawberry maniac, I know – while the petite man beside me settled for a clubhouse sandwich and bottled water.

As I munch on my food, my mind keep on thinking why Ryeowook looked so sad and distant. I once felt the same after my dad passed away but I managed to overcome it with of course the help of my mom. Taking that in consideration, I asked myself: is Ryeowook dealing with a lost, or he’s just introvert in nature?

“Ryeowook?” I uncertainly called him.

He stares at me, eyes blank from emotion. “Hmm?”

“Are you perhaps a genius? I mean the normal age to enter college is twenty. Sorry if I keep on questioning your eligibility to be one of us. It’s just… uhmm… amazing.” I laughed awkwardly.

‘WHY IS HIS AGE A BIG DEAL TO YOU, HYUKJAE? ARE YOU THREATENED BY A TEENAGER?’

“My age does bother you a lot, I see Hyukjae hyung.” he’s not mad. Thank goodness!

“I can’t help it. Sorry.”

“Its okay, at least you’re interested to get to know more about me. To tell you frankly, I was accelerated twice in my school in Canada and if given the chance I would never have returned here.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“N-nothing, just forget it hyung.”

‘WHY DO I FEEL THAT IT’S NOT NOTHING?’

“Okay…”

Both of us halted when his phone went-off. He fished it out of the bre