chapter THREE 

 Fraternity Rivals

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"Not bad, Soojung. Don't even seem nervous," he commented before finally backing away.

Phew! Seems like my acting skills are still working. It would be kind of embarassing to get nervous over...nothing? Yeah, told you Myungsoo's not that kind of person. But hey, he totally was leading me on earlier! Ugh, annoying attitude of his. Old habits die hard, I suppose?

"This is my room. And Sungyeol's," he began talking as he went to introduce this room. "Yours? I thought rush just ended earlier? And you're already accepted into Infinite?" I asked, confused. As far as I recalled from Eunji's explanation earlier, all students need to go through rush and if they're accepted, they would have to go through some official ceremony.

"As much as you have your legacy connection, I have mine. These are the hyungs I've known over the last 2 years. They always go to America for a vacation every year and that's when I met them. Sunggyu hyung persuaded me to go here to study and of course he offered me a spot in Infinite. He said that Infinite would be having the best MVP this year if I were to join," I could sense that he was slightly proud by the compliment. Tch, what MVP? In being the most annoying frat on campus? Yeah, they'd be #1 in that.

"So that's why you're here again, Myungsoo? Because of Infinite?" I spurted out the words that I had kept inside ever since the surprise encounter few days earlier. I crossed my arms as I went to sit on one of the beds in that room. I couldn't really tell if it was Myungsoo's or Sungyeol's, but oh who cared? Now, my main focus was figuring out his purpose of coming back to Korea. He could've just stayed in America, but why, why do you have to come back and made me waver like this?

As if he was reading my thoughts, he too went and sat beside me. His face was void of expression, but I could tell that my question earlier made him feel uncomfortable. Why? Because it's true? Or maybe because it's not? Is it because of me? Oh, who was I kidding? Myungsoo would never come back to Korea just to be with me. He didn't even love me to begin with.

"I..." he sighed. Just give me an answer, Kim Myungsoo. "I came back for another reason. For someone," his stern gaze landed on me, his face was now serious rather than the playful one he had earlier. That menacing gaze teleported me way back to the first time I met him.

A familiar face passed by me and there was something calm but menacing in his gaze. It felt as if we've locked our eyes for one second, that exact moment when I felt as if the world stopped suddenly. The look in his eyes, the gaze, caused adrenaline to rush rapidly in my body. I tried recalling who he was, and when my memory identified him, I froze. Kim Myungsoo.

"Soojung-ah," he slowly reached for my left hand with his right, the warmth slowly invading as his palm grazed against mine. He intertwined our fingers together, his firm grip made me feel secure. Even with the slightest contact like this, bits of electricity rushed throughout my body as my heart pounded even louder. Kim Myungsoo...he was making my heart beat slower and then faster and then slower again all at the same time. "And that reason is...." he leaned in closer, enclosing the gap between us. I could feel the adrenaline surge but nothing could be compared to the feeling I was experiencing at that time. I was curious, nervous, impatiently waiting for his next choice of words.

When his face was extremely close with my own, I could only blink at him. He opened his mouth to blurt out the reason but just then a smashing of the door startled the both of us. Myungsoo's reflexes caused his body to stay away from mine, he was awkwardly pretending to be looking at the ceiling. The innocent person stood by the door, with his hand still firmly on the knob. "Uh...I probably should've knocked. Sorry, dude, Soojung," Sungyeol closed the door shut afterwards. Great, now this is hella awkward. And I am really bad at awkward situations.

"I should get going," I shot up from my seat earlier, maybe a little bit too fast. "Uh? O-okay," his voice sounded disappointed as he glowered. His feet remain rooted on the ground, he was not even planning on to walk me out. Fine by me, then. I'm not some princess who demands stupid stuff like that, alright? I strided forward and pulled the door open. To my surprise, I felt a heavy weight being put on me suddenly. I froze. Was this....some random guy? The strong alcohol smell infiltrated my nose as he laid motionless against me. His head was on my shoulder, and it was getting heavier by the second. Oh great, this is just great.

"Um...Myungsoo? A little help here, please," my head turned to the back, I really need him to get this random drunk dude off of me. Or else someone's face was going to greet the floor later on.

"Oh my god! Who the hell.." "Help. Now," I commanded.

Myungsoo obeyed as he quickly put the guy's left arm onto his shoulder, supporting him from falling off. "Let's just put him on your bed, okay?" I suggested. There was no way Myungsoo could hold on to him for the rest of the night. I helped him carry this drunken person from the other side, his right arm on my shoulder. Man, this guy was heavy! To make it worse was that stench smell of alcohol. How many shots did he drink to get this wasted? "Phew!" I exclaimed as we finally tossed him onto the bed. Okay, not toss. We weren't that mean. Just lay him on the bed, okay?

"Now I'm really going," I informed Myungsoo, although there was really no need to do so. I my heels and was ready to leave when I felt a hand grabbing my wrist. "Don't go..." the slurry voice resonated in the background.

I turned around to see this drunkard mumbling something incoherent later on, but he was nowhere near letting me go. "Yoona-yah...Don't leave me." Yoona? What, did this dude got dump by his first love that he's willing to drown himself into alcohol like this? Some cliche story, alright.

Wait, didn't I got dumped too? Whoa, whoa, Jung Soojung, where's your pride? You did not get dumped, you didn't even confess. You got me? Oh great, now I'm giving myself a lecture of my own. I'm crazy tired alright.

"I still love you...." he kept on slurring, begging whoever this 'Yoona' is to not leave him. I slightly took pity in this guy. Maybe because I know how much it hurts when the person you love left you? Haisy, why am I even thinking about this again? I walked towards him and carefully sat beside him. He looked hurt, even in his unconscious, drunken state. His eyes were closed, but I could feel his deep emotions. He was like a lost puppy now, and I couldn't help but to feel sorry for him. That was when I noticed he was shivering a bit even when the atmosphere didn't felt cold. I hovered my hand over his forehead and placed my palm on it. Quickly, I retracted my hand when I realized he was burning hot. Why would he go around drinking when he's sick like this?

"Myungsoo, can you get me a basin of water and a towel? He has a fever, I think," I requested.

From my lateral view, I could see he was not even moving. I turned around and repeated my request, only to be meet with a cold stare from the latter. "Why help him? He's just drunk," he spatted. Was he being serious? Like really? This dude is sick, and it's because he was drunk that I needed to help him.

"I know this guy, okay. He's from our rival frat."

"So? Does that mean you want to see him all sick like this? Now go and get me what I asked for," I motioned for him to move and with a very heavy sigh, he finally did.

"Don't leave me, please..." his lips quivered, sweat was trickling down his face. He looked extremely sick now. Out of conscience, I grabbed his hand and hold it tightly, grasping it firm enough for him to realize amidst him pass-out state. "I'm here. Now shushhh...You need to rest," I didn't know why I said thatm probably just to calm him. He looked like he was having a nightmare, and if by being this Yoona meant saving him from it, then I had no choice.

"Here," Myungsoo handed me the things I've asked for earlier. He had his eyebrows creased, as if displeased about something. Maybe it was this guy. This heartbroken, drunken, lost puppy. I soaked part of the towel with the warm water Myungsoo gave me, then gently dabbed it over his face. I examined his features as I did, and I noticed that his looks were not so bad actually now that I got a good look at it. He had double eyelids on both of his eyes and long lashes that compliments them. A high bridged nose with perfectly angled jawlines. His lips were chapped though, slightly pale due to the fever. But above all that, there was a distinct feature about him that stood the rest.

He was tan.

"So I called up EXO, they'll be here in a few minutes," Myungsoo came into the room with his phone in his hand.

"EXO?" I inquired, not familiar with whatever that was. "The rival frat. Where he belongs to," he replied. Somehow I could sense that he didn't like dealing with this EXO in his tone. It had been quite some time since this guy last murmured, calling Yoona and begging her to not go. Well, begging me in a way. He was now totally passed out, soundly sleeping like a baby. I told you he was like a lost puppy.

Then, Sungyeol entered the room. He volunteered to take care of Tan Guy over here, but I hesitated to leave. I was afraid that he might stir up and look for his Yoona again. I didn't want him to feel that as I perfectly know what it felt like. To have someone you yearned for not by your side...it was just unbearable pain. A pain that I had to suffer over the years. A pain that was now slowly going away. Not because I finally rejoice success in moving on, but because a certain someone reappeared again in my life.

"You want to wait with me for EXO to come?" Myungsoo offered and I nodded instantaneuosly.I took one final glance at Tan Guy before leaving, convincing myself that he would be just fine. I thanked Sungyeol although I was sure that he was asked by Myungsoo. Our first meeting might've just been a couple of hours earlier, but I knew how Sungyeol was like. Definitely not someone generous enough to be nursing a drunkard.

I followed Myungsoo to wherever he was leading me; outside of the rave party. He kicked a pebble that was on the sidewalk before sitting on the bricks cornering the bed of flowerless plants behind him. I did the same as well. Rubbing both of my palms for warmth, surely the humid air of autumn was slowly kicking in. Damn, why did I wear this mini dress again? Oh yeah, because Eunji insisted that I do. Now, I was regretting it. Something draped over my shoulders and I was only to realize that Myungsoo took off his jacket to protect me from the cold. I glanced at him, half thankful, half giddy that he did what he did. At least he was worried about me getting the cold.

"So what's with this deal with EXO? Aren't you guys the number one frat on campus?" I casually started a conversation, well maybe I was curious about them. "Well, they'd be number 2 then. We wish to keep it that way. Infinite has been number one over the last 4 years," he clarified.

"What happened before that?"

"EXO was number one of course. Sunggyu hyung took charge and everything changed. He never wishes to have lose that title again, so we need to be really careful around them. Frats and sororities are no joke, here. They would do ANYTHING to be on top. It's social standards, blame the community." I nodded my head, trying to digest this new information. Boy, if I am going to be in f(x) then I really have to know about these things. As if schoolwork was not enough to keep me occupied.

"Which is why I try very hard to act as the MVP Sunggyu hyung hoped me for. I don't want to lose anything to EXO. Or anyone for that matter," he stared at me, as if sending me some sort of encrypted message. I looked into his eyes, and the only thing I could decode was fear. Fear of losing. I grabbed his hand and gently rest it on my lap. A warm smile was formed on my face as I assured him, "You know, I'd always be on your side. Forever and always."

His lips parted to form a smile as well, and I could see he was genuine about it. It was the most sincere smile he showed me after all this while, and I was glad to be able to see it again. Something about that smile screamed warmth and honesty. I liked it. It was one of the little proofs that he had this approachable side of him rather than the icy cold image he usually portrayed.

"Where's Kai?" a voice snapped us out of our reverie. I turned to my right side and naturally let go of Myungsoo's hand. There were three of them actually. One had handsome facial structures and I could already sense his leadership even from like this. The other was a little short with narrow shoulders and huge eyes. Like literally, it looked like he had too many whites of the eyes. The last one had blonde spiked up hair with his black roots still visibly seen. They were all wearing designers, I could tell by just one look. Rich brats.

"Upstairs," Myungsoo answered shortly. Soon after the call Myungsoo made, Sungyeol appeared along with Tan Guy and Woohyun also helping to support him. I asked Myungsoo in secret of why didn't they just went and brought Tan Guy from upstairs on their own. Apparently, EXO wasn't allowed to be at Infinite's after rush party. This was just strictly for Infinite and Pinkf(x). Now what kind of stupid rule was that? A dude was dead sick and his friends couldn't even help him? Ridiculous.

"Thank you," their leader spoke up while the other two helped their friend to stand up. That was when I realized he was talking to me. "Me?" I was bewildered. It was our first encounter after all. "Yes, Myungsoo told us that Kai mistaken a girl friend of his as Yoona. That girl apparently nursed him and I'm guessing it's you?"

Okay, bad choice of words. Did he meant girlfriend, or girl friend? I wasn't sure of whether there was a pause between those two crucial words, but let's not get imaginative here, shall we?

"Ah, yes. Well, I couldn't just leave him like that," I modestly replied. It was true, though. I was not that heartless, okay? "I'm Suho, and that is Kyungsoo and Sehun," he pointed towards the other two earlier. "I'm so sorry for Kai's behaviour. We didn't even realize he went to your after party with Infinite and even got drunk like this."

"Well, when you lose a person you love, you tend to do idiotic things," I reasoned, slightly giving hints to Myungsoo. Like seriously, I bet he didn't know the pain of losing the one you love considering he was the one to leave me and disappear without any news. He didn't bother to call me or anything, tch, good for him. Because that pain could hurt you a lot. "We'll be leaving, then," Suho bowed slightly, followed by Kyungsoo and Sehun. They took off on foot considering EXO's frat mansion was just within a walking distance. Just like Pinkf(x)'s.  

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 author's note 

» kai has arrived! he's drunk but still yeah... do you guys ship kaistal too? hmmm just wondering. subscribe and comment! more kai coming to bug myungsoo like hell lol xD