Four weeks later and it was late-October. Yixing had settled into a comfortable routine of school, work, studying, a brief period of sleep, and more studying. He was happier than he had been in a long, long time. The depression that had haunted him throughout his adolescence lifting slightly in the face of a safe, new place and friends. He and Chanyeol had become increasingly close, and he had become better acquainted with the other interns as well. He and Tao texted each other regularly, mostly just to see Chinese characters appearing on their phones once in a while, and Yixing often studied for tests with Chanyeol who took many of the same classes as him. After a time, he and Baekhyun had even been able to have a conversation without being simultaneously terrified of upsetting the other. His relationship with Jongin was...a little different. They never just chatted or went out for a coffee or a snack like Yixing did with the other interns. Their encounters were spread out, interesting, and usually involved deep discussion. Nonetheless, Yixing felt like Jongin let his guard down when he was around the Chinese boy, showing off a childish side that was rarely revealed during his daily activities.

His busy life and peaceful heart even let Yixing sleep better. Not that he slept much more than he used to, but his dreams were less painful, and he slept more restfully.

5 o’clock? I slept for four hours straight! Yixing cheered himself as he stared blearily at the digital clock on his desk. He hadn’t even had nightmares! Happy with the cheerful start to his morning, Yixing bounded out of bed and went to go shower.  After he had washed and dressed, he headed into the kitchen to make himself some toast in the little toaster he had bought himself a week back. He had been out with Chanyeol and Luhan when he’d found it in the department store sale bin.

“What in the hell is that?” Luhan had asked, staring at the pink monstrosity in Yixing’s hands.

“It’s a toaster. I’m going to buy it.” Yixing had said in his usual spaced-out fashion, staring at it with reverence.

“Yixing, you know that kind of toaster is for little girls, right? That’s why it burns the shape of unicorns into the bread as it’s toasted.” Chanyeol had told him slowly, as if he didn’t understand. Yixing had looked at him with curiosity.

“But that’s why I’m going to buy it! It’s cute.”

“Oh my God he’s a kawaii.” Luhan had whispered to Chanyeol, eyes fixed on Yixing as if he was afraid to look away in case the younger Chinese boy tried to strangle him to death with a ribbon or something similarly diabolical.

His unicorn-patterned toast popped up, and Yixing smiled at it. Unicorns made mornings better. It was simply a fact. He had even started bringing extra pieces of unicorn toast to work to leave where Luhan would find them. Luhan was under the impression that he had been cursed by a kawaii ghost, and that was why he kept finding the adorable, if stale, breakfast food in his bag, desk, dinner, folders, and once in his pocket. Yixing was under the impression that he was brightening Luhan’s day.

Yixing poured a mug of steaming water and dunked a teabag in it methodically as he listened to a new album Chanyeol had recommended on his ipod. The tea steeped to perfection and Yixing tossed the teabag into the trashcan, idly noticing that it was full. He finished eating his breakfast before he started to take the trash bag out to the dumpster because toast, even magical unicorn toast, isn’t good at all when it’s cold.

He walked outside, bag in hand, and half-danced down the stairs, shivering a little in the cold. Too lazy to put his ipod in his pocket and use one of his hands, he hip-checked the door that led to the rear of his apartment building where the dumpsters were kept, and backed through. The door closed behind him, and he spun around only to meet a rather large obstacle and fall on his .

“Oh my goodness! Are you alright?” Came the gentle voice of the man hovering over him, offering a hand. He was wearing scrubs, Yixing noticed.

“Oh! Yes I’m fine! I’m so sorry I bumped into you! I should pay better attention I guess...” Yixing was very embarrassed and yanked his headphones down around his neck so that he could hear better.

“Do you live in this building?” The man asked, glancing between the Chinese boy and the building with a smile.

“Oh! Yes I do. I moved in a little over a month ago.”

“I moved in last week! My name’s Kim Junmyeon, by the way. I’m a resident at Seoul National University Hospital.”

“I’m Zhang Yixing. I’m a student at Seoul University. It’s very nice to meet you!”

“It’s nice to meet you as well!” Junmyeon said happily, his tired eyes brightening the more he spoke. Unexpectedly, he took the garbage bag out of Yixing’s hands and threw it into the dumpster for him while he continued the conversation. “I live in 3E, how about you?”

“Oh, um,” Yixing was still a little startled by Junmyeon doing his chore for him. “I live in 3H. Thank you for throwing away my trash for me...” Junmyeon looked surprised, glancing around him as if he’d just discovered the fact that he had moved ten feet to his right.

“Did I do that?” He asked, a little horrified.  “Oh, wow, you must think I’m so weird!” Junmyeon blushed, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’m really tired, and I instinctively mother people, so I guess that sort of counts as an explanation, but you’re probably still creeped out, huh?”

“N-no, I was just, um, surprised? It was very nice of you to do that for me, though...” Yixing laughed nervously, hoping Junmyeon wasn’t really upset for doing something nice.

“You’re a very understanding person. Most people would have run away from me....but I’m rambling. Sorry. I’m just getting home from a ten hour shift, so I can hardly function right now.”

“Really, Junmyeon. It’s okay!” Yixing chirped, offering the young man a smile as the two walked inside together. As they walked up the stairs, Junmyeon managed to give Yixing a short history of himself through the fog of medical residency exhaustion.

“So that’s that! Wealthy Gangnam kid studying to become a doctor won’t let his parents buy him a super plush apartment and insists on buying one himself. That’s me!” He finished with a smile as he stopped in front of his door. “I hope we can be friends, Yixing. You seem very nice! I’ll see you later, okay?” With a sleepy wave that was mirrored by Yixing, Junmyeon practically fell through his door and disappeared.

What a kind person. He seems very hard-working, too. I’d like to learn more about him. Yixing decides as he unlocks his own apartment. He checks the clock as he walks in. 6:02. With a sigh, he walked to his desk and dragged out a textbook.