All the students got in the basketball court where was held the assembly. The seats were getting filled bit by bit with chitchats here and there. Although Chanyeol could be considered as a giant, he felt small in this crowd. He managed to find Sehun and they sat next to each other. Unlikely of Oh Sehun, he had dark circles slightly showing under his eyes. He also seemed in a very bad mood. A cranky Sehun was a whiny Sehun but as a good friend that he was, Chanyeol asked anyway.

“… Want to talk about it?”

Sehun scoffed at Chanyeol and crossed his arms to rant everything out. “My roommate is immature, idiotic, stupid, brainless, dirty, sloppy and an ! He is such a mess, it’s like living in a jungle! I tried to tell him to just keep his things off my side but he just tells me,” Sehun put on a fake smile and an exaggerated joyous tone, “Chill man. We’re not in the parental house anymore. So, I told him I liked being clean but then he just stared at me as if I was an alien. Do I look like an alien?”

“Well…”

“I am not done Park Chanyeol. Do you know how he blasts music out loud? And that he walks around only in his boxers and hell do I need to tell you how improper it is? And how he touched EVERY SINGLE THING that was on my desk? AISH!” He threw his hands desperately in the air as if he was also complaining to the Gods and put the blame on them for his fate.

End of the rare Sehun monologue. The Oh Sehun doesn’t lose his cool easily. Chanyeol was one of the only people who could witness such sight.

“My roommate is cool. He has the same course as me.” Chanyeol smiled as he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Are you rubbing your happiness on my face right now?” Sehun gave his best friend his usual poker face.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“.”

A hand rested on Sehun’s shoulder which made the blonde snap his head up.

“Hey, roommate.” The owner’s hand greeted. “You left early this morning. Afraid of getting late?”

“Sorry, your face is not something I wish to see in the morning.” Sehun pushed the hand away and glared at the tanned boy.

“Aw… That is not a nice thing to say.” The boy pouted then saw Chanyeol blinking in confusion turning his mouth into a bright smile. “Yo! I am Kim Jongin!”

“JongOUT!” Sehun tried to shoo him away but Chanyeol grabbed the hand that Jongin offered.

“I am Park Chanyeol, this guy’s best friend.”

Jongin’s smile fell. “Are you joking?”

Chanyeol laughed and shook his head.

“Nope.”

“, I am so sorry for you.” Jongin patted Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Let’s get along Park, and be my new best friend!”

“Chanyeol! Don’t talk to him!” Sehun angrily ordered trying to not lose his stoic expression but Chanyeol found the situation pretty amusing. Jongin seemed like a normal kid to him. Maybe witty but that was what Sehun needed in his life. The only person capable to not anger him even if it’s insults was Chanyeol. Sehun had to get used to other people.

“Oh, I was wondering if you could be Sehun’s new best friend. But that can work too.”

“Bahahaha!” Jongin highfived Chanyeol and gave him some slaps on the giant’s back. Chanyeol thought he would have red marks later on. “I like you. Come hang out whenever you like.”

“Chanyeol! Only come when I decide you can come!” Sehun was losing all his composure.

“Students, please get all seated. We will start the assembly.” A woman spoke in the microphone. It was the secretary, Chanyeol recognized. She had given him a pad yesterday. His eyes recognised a lost figure in the crowd. “Kyungsoo! Come sit next to me!” He called out as he waved at the petite boy.

“Who is it?” Sehun inquired with his anger dropping down.

“My roommate.”

The boys didn’t see but Jongin’s eyebrows furrowed slightly when Kyungsoo walked up with his heart shaped smile. “Chanyeol,” he said shyly when he sat next to the tall male, “thanks.”

“Your welcome.” Chanyeol pointed at Sehun. “Here’s Sehun, my best friend. Sehun, this is Kyungsoo.”

“N-nice to meet you.” Kyungsoo greeted with a polite nod.

Sehun had a surprise face. “Your eyes are big.” Was all he could say.

“H-huh?” Kyungsoo blinked puzzled.

“Don’t worry about him, he’s rude from birth.” Chanyeol looked at Jongin behind him. “This is…”

“We know each other.” Jongin cut him off. “Hi Kyungsoo, long time no see.” Jongin kept a straight face which would seem unlike him as he was a smiling virus a while ago. A certain tension had built up.

Kyungsoo’s eyes dropped on the floor. “Hi Jongin…” His voice trembled a bit as if a certain uncomfortable feeling was starting to overwhelm him.

Sehun’s head turned to Jongin then Kyungsoo, then back to Jongin then back to Kyungsoo. Chanyeol was about to say something to lighten up the mood but the director tapped on the microphone to get the attention. The crowd of students slowly quietened down to listen.

“Welcome to EXO University to the first years who have joined us. I hope the older students will guide them through this year and help them when they need it.”

The director went on with the welcoming speech then talked about the rules in school to which Sehun showed a very clear I-don’t-give-a-single- face.

“I would like to call out third year Kim Junmyeon and Zhang Yixing and thank them for the useful and absolutely wonderful pads that they have created for this school. Boys.”

A black haired guy walked towards the director with a smaller male with chocolate brown hair covered by a black beanie, who seemed awfully sleepy. The black haired third year bowed to the director and took over his place.

“Greetings students, I am Kim Junmyeon, Second Year in Programming. We are proud to have made something that would be used by all of you. It would be too much to get all the credits but I would like to thank a few people who also made this project possible thanks to their hard work. A few of them turned into second years, Kim Jongdae and Kim Minseok.” Sehun elbowed Chanyeol and his friend nodded. Yes, they were the ones who welcomed them in the dorm. “And fellow fourth years have greatly helped us. Choi Minho and Park Jungsu. Thanks to them, we have made the finest and the best for our school. This year, you may give some feedbacks on our work as you manipulate them. We will do our best to work out every single problem you may have. Thank you.”

Yixing was next and his yawn could be heard in the whole room. “Zhang Yixing… Robotics… I love to sleep… Eat candies… My favourite animal is the unicorn…” His voice trailed slowly as his head was dangerously giving up staying straight onto his neck.

“Aren’t drugs illegal?” Sehun whispered in Chanyeol’s ear making the giant grin.

“Sleep…”

Junmyeon pulled Yixing away in panic and bowed to the director before going back to their seats as he dragged the sloth boy. The students murmured between them at this strange third year.

“Ehem, well, I guess we can wrap this up...” The director muttered then talk aloud. “As a final word, good luck for your studies and make EXO University have the best students.”

The students clapped altogether. They only spent half an hour so they could chill for a bit before attending classes.

“Kyungsoo has the same course as me.” Chanyeol told Sehun while they were in the garden area. The gardening club had grown beautiful flowery bushes as well as flower beds.

Sehun couldn’t get his eyes off Kyungsoo’s face. He was fascinated by the eyes which made Kyungsoo uncomfortable but not as much as Jongin’s hard stare. The happy-go-lucky boy had been glaring at the poor soul ever since they went out of the assembly. Sehun didn’t complain about Jongin’s quietness but Chanyeol could feel that the relationship between those two wasn’t friendship at all.

“Kyungsoo, how about heading towards our building?” Chanyeol suggested as he swung an arm on Kyungsoo’s shoulders with a smile plastered on his face.

The smaller boy nodded quickly and let himself pulled away with relief.

“See you, Sehunnie! Let’s eat together!”

“Wait! Don’t leave me with HIM!” Sehun protested but Chanyeol was already skipping away and couldn’t hear him. The blonde looked at his roommate and hissed. “Hey, I don’t mean to budge in but why were you being a rude to Kyuso.”

“Kyungsoo.” Jongin rectified. “Then don’t budge in. It’s none your business.” Jongin left Sehun alone to the blonde’s satisfaction.

Sehun shook his head and was about to walk to his own building until an arm wrapped around his. Who dared touch Oh Sehun?!

“Yo! Wassup!”

The party boy who welcomed him and Chanyeol and threw confetti at them. Sehun frowned and shrugged the second year off with a swift movement.

“Excuse you. I don’t think you can act so familiar with me.” Peasant, Sehun wanted to add.

“Ah… Sorry…” Kim Jongdae laughed as if Sehun’s reaction was the funniest thing ever. “I was thinking that we could walk to the Programming Department building together.”

“I don’t…” Sehun tried to say but was cut off by the man.

“Cool! Let’s go!” Jongdae slipped his arm around Sehun’s again and dragged him with him.

“Yah! What the hell you think of doing?!” Sehun did not want to be touched by a man who was a total stranger to him. He did not like the way he seemed trapped. And that smirk on that man’s face was the worst. It was like a tiger who had set on his prey.

“Come on, don’t be rude to your guide.” Jongdae kept his smile and was making sure to not let go of Oh Sehun. He was important. Too important. Even though it seemed like a difficult task, Jongdae wouldn’t let his prey go.

Never.

Poor Sehun.

Not too far away. Two new students were discussing. A pink haired boy with a pretty face and a chestnut haired one.

“Baek, this school is amazing. Did you see all the facilities? I visited them all yesterday!” The pink haired boy chirped.

The other boy’s lips curved upwards. “I didn’t. But I will.”

Byun Baekhyun was still getting used to this new atmosphere. He was more of a countryside boy although he had a thing for Programming.

“Luhan, do you think I can…” Baekhyun didn’t let himself finish to not gather useless attention.

“Maybe. I heard from rumours that there may be something kind of underground.” Lu Han said as he pushed his glasses upwards. “I know you can achieve it.”

“Thanks.” Baekhyun brushed his hair on the front nervously.

“Now, be yourself. Be the Byun Baekhyun I know.” Luhan punched friendlily his best friend’s chest. “You being worried is not a good sight for me.”

“Tch. Worried? Me?” Baekhyun raised an eyebrow as he rubbed his chest where Luhan hit. “At least I have a better face than you.”

“Says who?!” Luhan gasped in obvious exaggerated dramatic tone.

Baekhyun laughed aloud and patted Luhan’s back. “I’ll head to my first class. I’ll text you later.”

Luhan smiled and whispered. “Don’t get into trouble, Baek.”

“Have I ever gotten caught?”

**********

“Kyungsoo, has Jongin bothered you in the past?”

Chanyeol was a direct person. Each problem had to be solved quickly so if something was wrong, he immediately had to solve it.”

“Well… Not really… He actually saved me.” Kyungsoo admitted as he tugged on his shirt. “He hates me for some reason.”

“Hates you?”

How could anyone hate Kyungsoo? Chanyeol thought that Kyungsoo was the nicest of all beings, even though he had that scary look sometimes. Chanyeol always never judged people by appearance. Kyungsoo was someone who was caring of others well-being in his own manner. He didn’t think there was something to hate about him.

“I don’t know why myself.”

Kyungsoo seemed saddened by this situation so Chanyeol got an idea. “How about making sure you two become friends?”

Kyungsoo looked at Chanyeol with his wide eyes. “I don’t think it’s…”

“Oh come on! Maybe you two can make up and talk about it.”

Chanyeol made it seem all simple. He was that kind of guy who didn’t like complicated things. Kyungsoo laughed at it and strangely agreed to his roommate. “I’ll try.”

“Good! Now let’s go to class.”

Kyungsoo followed Chanyeol with thoughts running through his brain. Maybe he could discover why Jongin hated him after all these years. He didn’t know what he did wrong. He was even ready to apologize to the boy but no occasions appeared. He could have more chance this year. Because deep down he knew what the real Kim Jongin was like. A good person.

***********

Lunch time.

Oh Sehun was nowhere to be seen. And Jongin was certainly not around. Chanyeol found it pretty strange. Sehun wasn’t one to ditch him for someone else. Not like he would anyway with his attitude. His blonde friend wasn’t the type to make friends easily.

“Well, I guess it’s the two of us, Kyungsoo.” He turned his head to his roommate with a shrug of his shoulders.

They queued up for the food and swiped their Student ID cards to pay. The machine spoke up their names aloud when they did so. Then they got themselves seated on one of the tables. The tables had adverts appearing here and there around their trays. Food, beauty products, new technology, and the one that Chanyeol disliked the most. The MISC one. Kyungsoo noticed the giant’s face frowning.

“What’s wrong?”

“That ad.” Chanyeol pointed out.

“Oh. Why not? It’s only a normal thing.”

“Well, not when your own mother tries to make you meet girls to get a compatibility test with.” Chanyeol sighed as he started spooning out his rice and gobble it up. “I am way too young for that.”

“But isn’t it amazing? To find someone to be compatible with?” Kyungsoo kinda envied this situation.

“But your parents don’t force you to do it.”

“I don’t have any parents…” Kyungsoo said quite bluntly.

“Oh… I am sorry…” Chanyeol realised his mistake and looked down in embarrassment.

“No, that’s fine. I should stay happy for them. It’s not something I should be sad about.” The boy smiled softly. “All I have to say is you have to treasure the people who care about your well-being.”

“Yeah… But… I want to think about myself as well. I am grateful however… it’s not my time yet.”

Kyungsoo was about to talk back but he was interrupted.

“Chanyeol!” Sehun’s voice rose up with huffs. The prince must have run. How unusual of him. It made Chanyeol almost laugh if Sehun didn’t have that panicked face.

“Wow, what happened?”

“He is following me! Like everywhere I go, he’s there!” Sehun spoke quickly looking around as if the devil was after him.

“Jongin?”

“No! And I am glad I haven’t seen him. I mean that confetti dude.”

Kyungsoo was in deep confusion while Chanyeol knew exactly who Sehun was talking about. “The Second Year? Why would he follow you?”

“How do I know?! Hide me!” Sehun shook Chanyeol’s shoulders hoping that his friend’s brain would pop out a great idea.

“Uuuuuh, where?”

“Sehuuuuunniiiiiiiie!” Jongdae appeared like a wrecking ball. “Let’s eat together!”

“I don’t want to!” Sehun hugged Chanyeol tightly.

If it wasn’t in that kind of situation, Chanyeol would hug Sehun back because Sehun was no hugger and this was just too precious. However, Sehun was practically crushing his bones which made Chanyeol just trying to pry Sehun away from him.

Jongdae watched the three first years. Maybe plan B would work. “Then let’s all eat together!”

Sehun almost strangled Chanyeol when the giant said, “Okay” to save his body from being broken into pieces.

**********

Welcome, Kim Jongdae. Had a nice day?

The screen on Kim Jongdae’s pad showed in bright letters.

A program appeared on the screen and a percentage bar started to fill up.

How could Jongdae’s pad be used when the owner wasn’t using it and had his Student ID card with him? How come the Student ID looked exactly like Jongdae’s card with his picture on it?

Data copied.

The intruder took his card out and placed the pad back in Jongdae’s locker. His ID card into normal with his own face and name on it. He quickly took his phone out and set up the security cameras again when he was far away from the crime scene. Like he never had been there. He was a genius afterall.

“Baek? Where were you?” Luhan found his friend going out the Programming Department.

“I was just taking care of something.”

**********

TheBigTroll: I failed so much.
Baozi: This is too weak to describe how much you ruined every little chance we had.
Chips: It was comical though.
Leader: You better make everything better @TheBigTroll
Baozi: How about I take care of it? I am afraid he would only make it worse.
TheBigTroll: T-T
Leader: Agreed.
TheBigTroll: …….
TheBigTroll: Guys, something is wrong with my pad. Who touched it?
Chips: Not me.
Baozi: I didn’t.
Leader: What happened?
TheBigTroll: Someone managed to break in my firewall! I have never seen such a thing. It says in my activity history that I copied my own data but I didn’t do such a thing! My card was with me all along!
Leader: …. Does this mean…?
Chips: …. Are we in danger?
Baozi: This is bad. We have to find out who it was.
TheBigTroll: Wait, the person left me a message.
TheBigTroll: .
Leader: What does it say?
TheBigTroll: “Catch me if you can. Maybe I can help you. Eyeliner.”
Chips: Maybe it was that guy.
TheBigTroll: Nah, I was with him almost all day as he was running away from me.
Baozi: Is there something we missed?
Leader: Either way. Eyeliner is a genius.

Didn't expect an update so soon huh? Haha~ Anyway it's a longer chapter :3

Critics are very well appreciated~ Q&A is always open for any inquiries. uvu

Binary translations have been updated for Chapter 0

Character profiles updated in Description

New design made by moi (ugh this poster is ugly)

Thank you for reading, subscribing and commenting~ <3