18 August 2013

A body so slick it was like touching a fountain of water brushed against Ryeowook’s arm and that was the moment he knew he was done. He covered his mouth, nearly vomiting right then and there. People said that college was a partying experience. You were supposed to do things like get drunk, jump into pools, wake up in a stranger’s bed, and become hearing-impaired.

Those were the cornerstones of the “true college experience”,

Ryeowook knew after the second night of welcome week that he wasn’t cut out for that. The amount of bodily fluid everywhere was enough to make him sway and run screaming in a direction he could not ascertain.

A hot hand caught his wrist on the way out. Turning his head, he saw a girl giving him a lazy grin. Her eyeliner was smeared, and her water-proof foundation held up against the leech attached to . “Hey cutie,” she called over the blaring music, her already tiny cut-off denim shorts riding up under the ministrations of a greedy hand “Wanna join us?”

“I’m on my way out, sorry,” he said hastily, jerking away from the slack grip. Ryeowook stumbled out of the party, breathing in lungful after lungful of late August air. The street was lit by flood lamps, acting as guiding lights back through the maze of upperclassmen housing to the freshmen dorms. He had been in there for precisely twenty minutes before effectively ditching his floormates who had dragged him along, convincing him that every college kid who wanted to be someone needed to party.

Clearly, they were already drunk before even arriving.

Ryeowook bristled, shoving his hands into his pocket as he strode further away from the heavy bass and roaring voices. Slowly, the street calmed until there was only the soft chirping of crickets and the occasional cooing of a bird.

Closing his eyes, he tried to calm the bile that dared to rise up and burst out of him. “Disgusting,” he ground out, taking slow breaths.

“Hey are you alone?”

Ryeowook stopped, heart skipping a beat. He slowly lifted his head, looking around worriedly. There was nothing but an empty strip of houses. Or well, he thought they were empty. His eyes shifted around. “Hello…?” he called nervously.

A light, infectious laugh caught the wind, carrying it down to him. “I’m up here. To your right…I’m on the balcony of the house just beyond the low fence,” the voice explained.

The freshman nodded very carefully, biding his time as he followed the instructions. A light suddenly flickered on and his eyes darted to a lanky young man leaning back over the railing of a modest balcony. His face was rather shadowed, but the smile was clear between the artificial light and the moon. “Hello,” Ryeowook greeted quickly, bowing his head. He peered back up in confusion, “Do you need something from me?”

“Well, I was just wondering if you wanted an back to your place. Girls shouldn’t walk around alone at night,” he explained, “Is that wrong?”

“Uhm…,” he kept his smile up despite the irritation bubbling inside, “excuse me. I’m fine.” Ryeowook his heel, stomping off.

“Now, now, don’t be so hasty!” the male called after him. “I was just trying to be polite! Wait, wait, let me—”

Ryeowook gritted his teeth, looking over his shoulder at the flustered figure. “I am a boy. Now leave me alone. Good night.” He picked up the pace, just barely catching the Balcony-Guy yelp in surprise. All Ryeowook wanted was to get back to his dorm, take a long shower, and fall into bed for the next hundred years.

That was certainly a great plan.

***

Eunhyuk watched the petite-apparently-male figure stalk off. A smile played on his lips as he leaned over the railing again, sighing tiredly. This was the treatment he got for trying to be nice? Well, with the way that kid looked, it probably would’ve been worth it to walk him home anyway. Anyone that small and feminine really should have had an .

He idly considered chasing him down, sure that he could catch up, but then decided against it as he heard his phone ringing.

Tugging it out of his sweatpants, he tapped the answer button when he saw Kyuhyun displayed on the screen. “Not partying yet?” Eunhyuk inquired sardonically.

“Oh shut up,” Kyuhyun retorted. “The party sounded creepy. It was with a bunch of upperclassmen at one of their apartments. They were super pushy. I didn’t feel like it and besides, Sungmin said he would stay over tonight so I’m with him.”

“If you’re with him, why are you calling me?”

“Because I’m bored and Sungmin is picking up take-out right now,” he sighed. “So? How’s your first week back. Tell me about it.”

“It’s fine,” Eunhyuk shrugged, “I just saw a really pretty boy walking down the street and I mistook him for a girl. I’m positive he thinks I’m an .” He laughed softly.

Kyuhyun chuckled. “You should’ve gone after him if he’s so attractive. What did he look like?”

“I guess he was short,” he explained, conjuring the image in his mind, “and his hair was dark. He had really prominent cheekbones and a super cute pout. Oh, and I’m almost positive that he’s gay. No straight boy is that adorable.”

He whistled through the phone. “That sounds like a missed chance. You should’ve taken the opportunity. Maybe he’ll come by again.”

Kyuhyun lounged on his dorm room bed, hoping and praying to the almighty that the heat wave would die down. Sweat trickled down his forehead and neck, leaving unpleasant stains on his shirt. Frowning, he fanned himself in an attempt to increase the air circulation.

“Is that all you wanted from me?” Eunhyuk asked. “Nothing exciting has happened yet, so I don’t have much of a report for you, sir,” he mocked.

“Boring, boring,” Kyuhyun huffed, “and here I wanted to know all of the insider stuff. That’s your specialty since you go to a tiny school. You have to know everything. It’s not fun if you’re out of the loop.”

“I’m fine with not knowing who’s ing who, Kyu,” Eunhyuk responded wryly. “I think you’re gonna be okay without that knowledge too.”

There was a brief silence before the whining came on full force. The next ten minutes or so was spent listening to Kyuhyun complaining and pestering Eunhyuk to be a better social data collector.  

When Eunhyuk finally got the chance to hang up effectively, Kyuhyun was squealing about the arrival of his food. It was always such a whirlwind talking to that boy. Exasperated, the college sophomore pushed off the balcony railing and sauntered back into his warmly lit apartment.

The space was small with only one hallway leading to two bedrooms and a bathroom. He glanced at the kitchen table where his roommate indulged in a late night snack. A thick textbook lay open and covered in sticky notes beside him and his bowl of reheated stir-fry. Eunhyuk slowed and veered over to him, getting a better look at what he was reading.

“Whoa, seriously? Biology for dancers?” he guffawed, breaking into a grin at Shindong’s scowl.

“You’re gonna have to take this eventually,” the latter retorted, “might as well get it over with as soon as possible.” Sighing, he stuffed a spoonful of hot food into his mouth before suddenly yelping and trying to fan his burning tongue.

Eunhyuk made a face, lightly shoving the other male. “Close your mouth!” he laughed, turning and heading to his bedroom.

A moment later, Shindong watched the lanky youth come back out with a sports bag slung over one shoulder and a hat neatly tugged over his hair. “Where are you headed so late?” he asked, wincing at how sensitive his mouth felt.

“The dance studio,” Eunhyuk answered, “seeing you working so hard makes me all fired up.” He flashed a grin.

Shindong rolled his eyes, but couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips. “Well good luck. Don’t wake me up when you get back.” He waved as the other male headed out the door, shutting it softly behind him.

The air was cooler than he thought it would be. Eunhyuk ambled down the sidewalk, mind drifting to the stranger who had passed down that same street not half an hour ago. Would they meet again? The campus was pretty small after all. Maybe they would become friends or something. Eunhyuk smiled at the thought. For some reason or other, it seemed like they would be able to get along just fine…that is, if they ever crossed paths again.