Chapter 2: New Friends

Baekhyun was confused.

A few minutes ago, he was pretty sure that his roommate was normal and likable enough for him but as he was in the middle of unpacking his things, Chanyeol just sudden exclaimed a very loud “WHAT?!” which shocked him off his feet making him fall right into his bed. But when he asked what the problem was, all Chanyeol said was that his friend texted him something shocking and that it was nothing to be worried about.

Well, Baekhyun really had no idea what could have happened, but he couldn’t help but worry because as soon as Chanyeol said that, he rushed out of their room saying he had to hurry over to Jongin’s to talk to him about something.

“Oh, my. Please don’t let him be as annoying as Jongin. I mean, I know half of my annoyance of Jongin is because he’s Kyungsoo’s boyfriend and he’s stealing a lot of my best friend’s time away from me, but you get my point, right?” He said while looking out the window, glancing at the clear blue sky outside with a dramatic sigh.

He couldn’t help but sigh at the thought, but then forgot what he was worried about a few minutes later because he was suddenly very relieved that all his unpacking was done. At least for the moment, that is, because the rest of his other things would be delivered some other day. He only brought the few things he could bring and those he knew he needed the most, but he didn’t want to bring everything because unlike Kyungsoo, he didn’t have a huge to bring his bags for him.

Not that he was hoping for one, of course.

His best friend, Kyungsoo might be gay, but that didn’t mean he was as well. Byun Baekhyun was straight for as long as he could remember and he would like to keep being that way for a long, long time. Besides, if there was a College fantasy he was hoping for, that’s for him to meet a pretty girl who will sweep him off his feet when they meet. He had a lot of fantasies in his head about his ideal girl being petite, cute and completely feminine, but still with a strong and decisive personality. But then again, sometimes, even he could tell that his standards are pretty high, so he decided that he would also be happy if he could just meet a cute girl who could make his heart race like it never did before.

It took about half an hour of him simply sitting on his bed and browsing the internet while fantasizing before he decided that it was time to stop and instead, start touring the campus with Kyungsoo. He thought he gave enough time to let them get settled in so if they still weren’t, then he’d have to go anyway and tell them to hurry up.

Even before he was able to knock at Kyungsoo and Jongin's room though, the door suddenly opened, revealing a pissed off looking Kyungsoo who looked just as shocked as he was when they almost bumped into each other.

“Baekhyun!” Kyungsoo suddenly exclaimed. “How long have you been standing there?”

“I just got here. I was just about to knock when you opened the door. What’s the hurry, Kyung?” Baekhyun asked with the scoff, but when he looked again at Kyungsoo’s face and realized that he still had some of that pissed off face on, he started to worry.

“What’s the matter? Did Jongin do something?” Baekhyun asked while the funny look he had on just a second ago quickly was replaced by a dangerous look as he looked back inside the room and found Jongin standing there with a wide-eyed Chanyeol.

“No. It’s not what you think Baek. It’s just that Jongin’s being too slow although I’ve been telling him that you’d be waiting already,” Kyungsoo quickly answered.

Baekhyun looked back at his best friend when he heard him reasoning out and Baekhyun couldn’t help but wonder why Kyungsoo was so obviously trying to lie to him.

They both know that Baekhyun could tell very easily when Kyungsoo was lying to him so why even bother trying? Baekhyun wanted to point that out but the way Kyungsoo pouted made Baekhyun bite back his words and just nod his head quietly.

Kyungsoo smiled at him sweetly upon seeing that before his best friend pulled him by the arm towards the elevator. Jongin and Chanyeol were quickly behind them after Jongin locked the door to his and Kyungsoo’s room.

They got a map of the school at that guard house they’d been to earlier, the one that gave them the instructions towards the dorm. There was a total of 6 buildings in the school.

The very first building to the left was a corporate-looking building that could easily belong to a business street, and it's where the business classes would be. As they walked towards there, that’s when Baekhyun found out that Chanyeol would be going there. To say that Baekhyun was shocked was an understatement. As soon as he entered their shared room, Baekhyun quickly assumed that his roommate was someone who would major in music. For a moment there, he even thought that Chanyeol was trying to pull their leg, but then Jongin mentioned that Chanyeol’s father was the current CEO of Phoenix Entertainment and Baekhyun and Kyungsoo’s jaws quickly dropped.

“The Park Yeol Hwan?!" The best friends chorused as they looked at Chanyeol with wide, unbelieving, eyes

"Of course you would both know my father," Chanyeol answered with a bitter chuckle that made the best friends swallow with a little bit of guilt.

They didn't mean to sound so excited upon know that Chanyeol's father was none other than the current CEO of the most successful entertainment company in the country even before they were born. But then again, they also didn't expect that Chanyeol would look so unenthusiastic as soon as the topic was brought up. Chanyeol must've noticed them both panic for a moment though because right the next second, he was smiling at them again as if nothing happened.

"I didn't mean anything by that," Chanyeol said, obviously trying to save the happy atmosphere they had before. "I just didn't want that kind of information about me going around. I don't mind that you guys know because Kyungsoo is Jongin's boyfriend and Baekhyun is my new roommate, but the rest of the school might not react as calmly. If you know what I mean?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. We were just shocked. Don't worry. If you don't want people to know about that, both Kyungsoo and I are pretty good at keeping people's secrets. Unlike Jongin," Baekhyun said, throwing a displeased look towards his best friend's boyfriend because how dare he just reveal something that his friend obviously wasn't comfortable about.

Jongin looked apologetic towards Chanyeol though, who simply just laughed it off while shaking his head. Kyungsoo also looked apologetic for a moment, but when he saw that Chanyeol looked fine again, his worried face dropped back into discomfort, bordering to a disliking expression he had on earlier.

Baekhyun couldn't take it anymore so when they started walking towards the next building which was a building for Fine Arts students— this one looked like one that could be found during the Renaissance except it was taller, actually made of modern materials although painted to look like wood and with more stained glasses for windows—, he subtly pulled Kyungsoo aside so they were walking just behind the taller boys who were busy admiring the building structure.

"What's the matter, Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun asked his best friend with a serious look on his face.

"What do you mean?" Kyungsoo asked, looking quite nervous because, at that point, they both knew what the matter was. Baekhyun wanted to know what Kyungsoo was lying about of course.

"Kyungsoo, you can tell me if something's bothering you, you know that right? Did Jongin do something you didn't like? You are aware that I am capable of kicking his , right?" Baekhyun asked, gently because he was worried about his best friend. Kyungsoo wasn't the type to lie after all, so when he saw the doubtful look that showed on his best friend's face, he started to get infuriated at once.

"He did do something, didn't he?! That burnt piece of—" Baekhyun started to mouth off, but Kyungsoo quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

"No. It's not Jongin. It's your roommate. I... Baekhyun, I don't like your roommate. Maybe we should talk to the management of the dorm? Maybe we can ask them for a last minute roommate change. I changed my mind about rooming with Jongin. If I ask him nicely, I'm sure he won't mind me moving in with you instead." Kyungsoo said, biting his lip again.

Oh, so that's it. Baekhyun couldn't help but smile as he realized what his best friend was worried about.

"Oh, how sweet. My Kyungie is worried about me being close with my new roommate," Baekhyun said, giggling while hugging his best friend so tightly that they both had to halt from walking.

"No, Baek—" Kyungsoo tried to pry him off but Baekhyun was still the stronger one so Kyungsoo didn't have much of a choice but to let his best friend keep on hugging him when he got tired.

"Don't worry, my Kyungie. I still love you the most. Even if Chanyeol is my new roommate now, you will always be my favorite person. Besides, I know how much you really want to room with Jongin. You even kind of betrayed me for it, not that I'm still completely mad about it, but I'm sure we will both get used to this setup. Don't you think so?" Baekhyun asked and Kyungsoo had to agree.

He did like being roommates with his boyfriend. But he really didn't want Baekhyun to room with Chanyeol anymore, especially now that he knew the reason why Chanyeol was so willing to room with Baekhyun.

If only he could tell Baekhyun. If only Jongin didn't make him promise to not tell Baekhyun, with a promise from Chanyeol that he wouldn't do anything to Baekhyun. He didn't even know if this meant he was betraying his best friend anymore, but he decided to trust Jongin's words and trust that Baekhyun can protect himself.

"Alright. But Baek," Baekhyun hummed when Kyungsoo started to hug him back. "Promise me you won't trust Chanyeol too much, alright?"

"Alright. If Kyungie says so," Baekhyun answered playfully with a huge grin, so finally, Kyungsoo also smiled back with more enthusiasm.

They were too caught up with their best friend moment though that they didn't notice that Chanyeol and Jongin had also stopped walking at some point and just kept on watching them there for a moment.

On some levels, Jongin was at least expected to be jealous, but he'd learned months ago that it was useless because not only did Kyungsoo and Baekhyun do that way too much, they also just did it in a platonic way. So he wasn't seething in jealousy... but somebody was. Only, the best friends didn't realize that at all.

In fact, it was only when the two taller guys approached them and cleared their throats did the best friend remember that they were actually busy with something else at the time.

"What are you two talking about?" Jongin inquired while looking at his boyfriend who quickly shook his head, and Baekhyun followed in doing the same.

"Best friend thing. Nothing that concerns you, KkamJong," Baekhyun said.

Chanyeol laughed upon hearing what Baekhyun said though and when Baekhyun turned to his new roommate with curiosity, Chanyeol answered, "You call him KkamJong too? I can't believe there's somebody else other that me calling him that."

"Oh, I'm not the only one?" Baekhyun asked, looking quite ecstatic to have found someone who teased Jongin the same way he did.

Jongin was frowning of course, and so was Kyungsoo. As soon as Baekhyun let him go in favor of laughing with his new roommate, Kyungsoo went to his boyfriend and kept mumbling, "Stop calling him that. He's not that dark! He's nicely and healthily tanned. Meanies."

None of Baekhyun nor Chanyeol cared what the pouting Kyungsoo said though and just kept on laughing and even started on talking about what other names to possibly call Jongin. As if Baekhyun quickly forgot what he just promised his best friend, he went with his roommate straight to the third building which was for Literary Arts— it was the building that looked like a publishing house, even with an average-sized globe on top which made it look like a cute parody of The Daily Planet building— although they didn't stay there for too long since none of them were going there anyway.

The next one they passed by was the gym which inside was dominated by a long indoor pool with rows of bleachers on the sides. There were a few people there who looked relieved to have found a place to rest. They looked like freshmen like the four, but they didn't look nearly as energetic. On the far side of the gym were doors that lead to the shower rooms and locker areas— one for the boys and one for the girls. There was another door that led to the back of the gym, and it surprised the four that the area back there was actually larger that the gym itself. Back there were covered courts for sports like basketball, badminton, tennis and more.

They liked it, really. But not in the same way. The taller two liked it because they both liked playing outdoors, while the shorter two simply liked it because it looked cool and relaxing. Kyungsoo wasn't much of a player though while Baekhyun just hated sweating unless he was at the gym or a PE class.

They were slightly surprised though to find that there were guys playing on each court already. They didn't look like freshmen though. But then again, no freshman could probably be as bold to just grab a ball and play on the courts without supervision even before their first day came. The four just assumed that they were older students.

They didn't really think of resting when they got there, but the relaxing aura of just watching the older students play on each court and the spacious area where they could watch seemed to have pulled the four into the benches where they simply sat quietly and kept on watching.

It wasn't long after they got there though, that they got the attention of some people on the nearest court. They weren't really sure about it at first so the four just exchanged unsure glances, thinking that maybe they shouldn't be there. It wasn't until the tallest among the guys— the one with the handsome yet really scary straight face on— playing basketball stopped for a moment, grabbed the ball to stop the game and made his way towards them.

"I think this is our cue to leave," Jongin whispered loudly enough for only the four of them to hear.

Not even Baekhyun felt the need for any sarcasm towards Jongin at that point as all of them got ready to get on their feet. It was when the tall guy approached closer a little bit faster while displaying a small smile did the four stopped feeling the need to run away before he said a word.

"Hey. Freshmen?" He simply asked and the four looked at each other before they all quietly nodded.

"Thought so. I was just making sure," he said, his smile growing wider as he looked at each of them. His eyes seemed to focus more on Chanyeol and Jongin though as he seemed to be measuring their heights as he towered over all of them.

"I'm Kris Wu. I'm in my 3rd year this coming term. I'm the captain of the basketball club and well, I know it's a little too early, but it would be great if you guys try out for the basketball club," the tall person finally introduced himself, considerably reducing the fear he instilled onto the four freshmen. They also realized for the first time that he was none Korean, but they only realized that because of his name. His talking was flawless so they wouldn't have noticed that at all if he didn't mention his name.

For a moment, the freshmen just kept on looking back at the tall guy but when he finally asked them to introduce themselves, they looked pretty embarrassed before each of them said their names. He listened well as each of them said their names, but it obviously seemed like he was most interested in Chanyeol and Jongin only, but then again, he introduced himself as the captain of the basketball club so he must have really focused on their heights.

"Well, now that we know each other, would you like to play a game?" Kris asked. He also looked at Kyungsoo and Baekhyun as he asked, but the two quickly shook their heads.

"I'm not really into outdoor sports," Kyungsoo quickly refused, while Baekhyun simply followed his best friend with a, "I agree with Kyungsoo. You guys go ahead though. We'll just watch you from here."

And played they did. Chanyeol and Jongin followed Kris to the court where Kris introduced the two to the other guys he was playing with. They began the game not long after and if their audience had to say, the two were actually playing well. At first, they looked like they were in doubt of how to play or approach the other players, but a few minutes into the game, they finally looked more comfortable. It wasn't just a few times that they got past whoever was guarding them and got a shot in and earned a point. They were even able to snatch rebounds from the other players a few times, and continued to score.

For every point, of course, they both turned to their two companions with proud smiles on their faces and the two enthusiastically cheered for them. Well, Kyungsoo energetically cheered for Jongin, but he didn't say anything whenever it was Chanyeol that got a point in, so Baekhyun made up for it by cheering extra louder which Chanyeol appreciated a lot, judging by the goofy smile on his face.

It was when the skies started getting darker that the four finally noticed that they actually spent the rest of their afternoon at the gym instead of going on with their plans. They didn't feel like they've wasted the afternoon though because two of them looked like they had fun playing, while the other two looked like they had fun watching.

They parted with their seniors after a promise from Chanyeol and Jongin that they would come to the tryouts once club recruitment began and maybe play again if they meet each other again before the term started. After that, the four went back to each of their dorm rooms with a promise to meet in an hour to eat somewhere nice. Kyungsoo was against the plan at first because he preferred to cook for them but the other three convinced him to just let it go for the day and then they could just go grocery shopping the next day so that he could cook all he wants for the following days.

After an hour, they did meet up again, with Chanyeol and Baekhyun knocking on Kyungsoo and Jongin's door. The two just finished getting ready as well, so they proceeded to find a place they could eat at.

Unlike Baekhyun and Kyungsoo though, who looked pretty clueless on where to go, Chanyeol and Jongin lead the way as if they knew exactly where they were going. It didn't even take long until they reached a fairly crowded smokeless grill restaurant and that's when the two taller ones mentioned that they'd eaten there before.

The two shorter ones wondered for a moment if the two were being serious, but as soon as they entered the place and heard somebody call out, "Chanyeollie! Jongin-ah!" they started to wonder instead of just how many times the two had been there before.

As they turned, they found that the voice came from a pretty looking guy who approached them with a huge smile on his face, his eyes focused on only Chanyeol and Jongin.

"You guys should've told me you were coming over. I'd've prepared a good seat for you," the guy said as he hugged both of the guys.

Baekhyun quickly saw the way Kyungsoo's confused expression turned into a frown, but the way Jongin quickly loosened up the hug made it easy for Kyungsoo to pull his boyfriend back to his side. It seemed that when Kyungsoo did that did the pretty guy noticed for the first time that Chanyeol and Jongin weren't alone.

"Oh, who are they?" The pretty guy asked with a wide smile.

"Hyung, this is the guy I've been telling you about. This is my boyfriend, Kyungsoo," Jongin answered giddily as he hugged Kyungsoo from the side, making Kyungsoo feel embarrassed all of a sudden because of the way he got too quickly jealous just a few seconds ago.

"Hi," Kyungsoo timidly greeted which the pretty guy giggle at.

"And Hyung, this is my new roommate, Baekhyun," Chanyeol took it upon himself to introduce Baekhyun because Jongin didn't look like he had the intention to.

"Guys, this is our Luhannie Hyung. He's our senior in high school, although he graduated a couple of years ahead of us. He's now in his third year here," Chanyeol added, answering Baekhyun and Kyungsoo's unvoiced question.

"Oh, you guys are so cute," Luhan hopped towards the shorter two and pinched each of their cheeks, making the two wince and slap his hand away by instinct. Just when the two worried about being rude to their senior though, the guy just laughed it off before leading them to a table.

"This is the best table we have now because these two overgrown punks didn't tell me you were coming. But next time, I'll give you a nicer table if you just notify me you're coming," Luhan said with a glare at Chanyeol and Jongin who answered him with sheepish smiles.

"But Hyung, we wanted to surprise you," Chanyeol was the one who answered, but Luhan just shook his head to the guy.

"By the way, it's nice meeting you, Kyungsoo and Baekhyun. If you guys need anything, or you have concerns regarding the campus or even problems with these overgrown idiots, don't hesitate to ask me for help. You can get my number from them," he said with a smile towards the shorter ones and both simply nodded back to him with awkward smiles.

They watched him leave their table and then signal for a waiter to bring them a menu before he went to the door that led to the kitchen.

Effectively confusing Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, from the way he giddily greeted them to the way he enthusiastically talked to them like they didn't just meet a couple of minutes ago to the way he started acting like a boss at the place, all the best friends could do was exchange confused looks. The taller two seemed to have noticed that easily though.

"Luhan Hyung's cousin owns this place," Jongin said and the best friends finally understood somehow. "They're Chinese and they moved to Korea years ago due to some financial circumstances. When they became financially stable again, Luhan Hyung's family moved back to China but Hyung didn't want to leave anymore because he liked it here and he had already started his senior year. Hyung's father didn't want to leave him alone though, so his father sent his cousin here to watch over Luhan. That cousin, Yixing Hyung, although he's actually younger than Luhan Hyung, was managing his family's restaurant back in China so as a consolation to watching over Luhan Hyung, Yixing Hyung was given this restaurant."

"There's some huge back story to how Luhan Hyung's father was able to buy this restaurant from the previous owner, but it's too detailed to tell. It's literally been here way before Luhan Hyung started going to the University two years ago and we've eaten here every time Luhan Hyung invited us to visit," Chanyeol further explained.

The best friends just nodded, not really knowing what to say. They were just thankful that one of the waiters came over to hand them the menu so instead of talking about the Hyung, their talk became more about food and what they would like to order and to that, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo knew more things to say.

They were given two different menus. One was a menu for the Korean food and the other was a menu for the Chinese food. The shorter two quickly went over both menus while the taller two simply just watched in amusement as the two read the menu with completely serious looks on their faces.

"I think I'll go for Beef Intestine Soup. How about you, Jongin?" Kyungsoo quickly decided and then turned to his boyfriend whose eyes quickly went from his boyfriend to the menu, and then back. He knew some of the food they had there already but he was confused all of a sudden because of the way Kyungsoo expectantly looked at him as if hoping for him to choose something really good.

"Well, why don't you choose something for me, Baby Soo?" Jongin, later on, thought of saying, and if for a moment he was scared that Kyungsoo would think badly of him for not knowing what to order, he was quickly relieved when Kyungsoo's eyes went back to the menu with a pleased look on his face.

"How about some Marinated Beef Short Rib to grill? We can just share both, right?" Kyungsoo suggested shortly as if he'd had it in mind even before Jongin asked him to choose, so Jongin just nodded with a smile.

"Good idea," he quickly answered, pleasing Kyungsoo whose eyes turned to the other two who sat across them.

"What are you having Baek?" Kyungsoo asked his best friend.

"I don't know. There are a lot of good ones I want to try, and I can't choose what I want to have right now," Baekhyun said with a worried and completely serious look on his face.

"Well, how about this," Chanyeol suddenly interrupted Baekhyun's ranting that was just about to start. "Since I can't really think of anything I want to eat and I've pretty much tried most of the things they have here, why don't you just order everything you want to try then I'll just help you finish whatever it is that you order?"

"Seriously?!" Baekhyun enthusiastically asked, even jumping off his seat a little as his eyes shone in hope towards his new roommate.

"Y-yeah," Chanyeol answered with a slight stutter, looking slightly scared of the level of enthusiasm in Baekhyun.

"OMG, you're awesome!" Baekhyun simply declared before looking back to the menus with more enthusiasm.

After Kyungsoo told the waiter what he'd decided on ordering before with an additional order of Pajeon and Kimbap, Baekhyun finally made up his mind on Sweet and Sour Spareribs, Pork Szechuan Style, Kimchi Stew and Makchang. Just when the waiter was about to leave, he also added an order of Fried Mandu.

It was pretty normal for Kyungsoo to witness, but Jongin and Chanyeol looked pretty shocked as they both looked at Baekhyun after he recited everything that he wanted to order.

"What?" Baekhyun asked the two when he finally felt uncomfortable because of their stares.

"How are you not fat?" Jongin was the one who asked, and to that, Baekhyun simply shrugged.

"Amazing genes," he simply answered with a smirk towards Jongin, but when he turned to his roommate, his smile turned into a more genuine one. "Chanyeol, have you tried any of those dishes I ordered?"

As Chanyeol answered him accordingly, Kyungsoo simply watched the new roommates interact and he was not liking what he was seeing. Baekhyun looked too happy and the smiles he was giving Chanyeol wasn't good for him. He subtly warned Baekhyun earlier to stay away from his roommate but Baekhyun must've taken it lightly because he thought Kyungsoo was simply jealous of him having a new friend. Baekhyun should've known how impossible it was for Kyungsoo to feel that way now because, in the first place, Baekhyun has always had a lot of friends. It was pretty late for Kyungsoo to start feeling jealous if he was, really.

What concerned Kyungsoo was knowing Chanyeol's real feelings for his best friend. If Baekhyun let his guard down and Chanyeol sees it as an opportunity to attack his best friend and he succeeded, Kyungsoo won't be able to forgive himself. He'd feel like it was his fault of course, because if it wasn't for his desire to room with his boyfriend, then Chanyeol wouldn't have an unlimited access to his best friend.

While Kyungsoo worried though, he didn't notice that Baekhyun had stopped talking to Chanyeol for a while to look back at him. Baekhyun quickly noticed the worried look on his face but still assumed that it was just jealousy, as he thought before.

It was when Baekhyun kicked him under the table and gave him an inquiring look when Kyungsoo finally snapped out of his thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Baekhyun mouthed, trying to be subtle although the other two with them could decipher what he asked without effort, anyway.

Kyungsoo simply answered with a nod.

Baekhyun must've thought of what Kyungsoo felt though so he slightly kept his distance from his roommate and avoided talking too enthusiastically with him for the rest of the night.

Baekhyun was starting to really like his roommate and he thought they would get along well. Maybe they can even be close friends, but if Kyungsoo wasn't comfortable with the idea just yet, Baekhyun thought he'd give Kyungsoo time for his best friend to get used to it. Surely, soon enough, Kyungsoo would like Chanyeol more and then they can all be friends. At least that's what Baekhyun thought.