A new semester, of course, brings about new ideals and resolution for the many months ahead. Every single time the teacher said the same thing: improvement in whatever you are doing, but sometimes it really isn’t as easy to accomplish in contrast to simply saying it out. Everyone can say anything, from gaining riches to getting the most beautiful woman in Korea, aka goddess Yoona who was probably years older than them young lads. No matter how exaggerating and impossible their resolutions and ideals be, even if unrelated to academics, all those only proved one thing; you can say anything, but you cannot accomplish everything.

However for Jonghyun, as a young man with raging hormones, it was a surprise that his thoughts weren’t wired towards those impeccable directions. He only wanted something simple: a roommate. That was exactly the same reason he had applied for the school’s hostels in the first place, a friend to confide with, a mate to share his joy (and perhaps sorrow with, talking about his far from ideal grades in subjects especially his favourite Mathematics, of course, sarcasm intended). He had realized from a tender age that he really isn’t suited for things like academics, and would very much rather play with his sports genius neighbor Choi Minho on the school fields, running after some soccer ball to waste away the evening. Or perhaps, engage in one of his secret but definitely most enjoyable activity – he loved penning about the day, of his opinions about love, or even a simple encounter with a roach could entail him inspiration for a song verse. That was how simple Kim Jonghyun could be, yet the society which only focuses on academics doesn’t make his life any easier, since he wasn’t talented in that arena, and even if he tried his best, the grades just doesn’t go up. So he kind of just decided to leave it up to fate and enjoy his moments in school. He doesn’t return to the hostel room until the sun sets, because when he returns, all he sees are the messed up space which belonged to him, and him only, and the loneliness sets in once again.

Therefore, when he heard that there was going to be a newcomer to their hostel block, he was nothing but palpating with happiness. Yet another side of him tried to keep the excitement toned down for it hasn’t been decided if this newcomer would be rooming with him. Although, there was already a sound speaking into his mind, telling him that yes, this roommate will be yours. It could really just be imagination, but Jonghyun is the kind who believes in fate – oh god how many songs had he penned about fate, and he believes that this roommate, if really his, is there for him, for a purpose that is all up to him to find out.

A knock on the door woke him up from his beauty sleep, not that he was a ravishing beauty to begin with because Jonghyun was more of the manly kind of teenager who went to gyms on a regular basis to tone his muscles but wait, he thought he saw a fairy descend from Earth. Let’s be honest Jonghyun never thought that a man like the one at the door could exist. Surely there were pretty ones in school too, like Lee Taemin who roomed with Minho who was well deserving of nicknames such as princess because he could totally fool the entire school if he wore a pretty wig that complemented his feminine features, but this – this man with skinny tight black jeans with interesting accessories around his neck and that pair of slanted eyes semi covered by blonde locks. Even if he was tall (or wait, was he wearing insoles? Jonghyun thought, a well considered possibility for someone who wore insoles on a frequent basis), he isn’t that kind of muscular tall which rendered him perhaps somewhat of a petite although that word definitely suited Jonghyun better when talking about their heights. He blinked once, it wasn’t a dream, that this pretty boy was standing right smack in front of him for real, and blinked another time, to realize what the entire scenario meant: this was his roommate for the semester ahead, and did he just embarrass himself in front of the roommate for staring too much? He wondered.

He cleared his throat as he spoke, “Hi.”

“Uh huh, are you going to let me stand here forever or…”

Did this man just snarled back at him? Jonghyun frowned in reflex, and you know about those initial grading system about a person based on first impression? Jonghyun did one on the pretty boy and boy, don’t those numbers just fell instantly based on his first sentence?

“Come in.” He replied with disinterest. Perhaps having a roommate isn’t really going to be all rainbows and unicorns, Jonghyun thought to himself, especially how his roommate just emits the kind of y aura since the first sentence.

“Are you… annoyed with my presence or?”

Jonghyun didn’t expect the boy to speak up, or even worse, ask or confront him regarding his earlier behavior.

But really, did the boy expect Jonghyun to be straightforward about something like this as equally?

“No, I’m not. What makes you think so?”

“Because one second you were smiling like an idiot and the other second you were frowning. Did I say anything weird? Because all I asked was if I could enter and then you just frowned, like I just offended you or something.”

Jonghyun let out a sigh. Wait, was he smiling like an idiot initially? Why would he? He didn’t understand what was happening to himself either. It’s like a pretty bubble busted once the boy started talking. What is he even saying now?

“I… I just tend to ramble when I’m nervous. Plus the outside is really horribly cold so I wanted to come in, but you weren’t even showing any slight intention of inviting me so I just kind of self-invited.” The boy continued as he bit his lower lip, not knowing what he should do since the host already seemed unbothered and that just meant a horrible start to their semester of rooming together.

Jonghyun turned to face the boy. He perhaps didn’t seem as bad as initially thought, Jonghyun thought to himself.

“You just sounded y, not like I don’t , but then it’s just not exactly pleasant.” He explained.

“I don’t!” The boy replied with a slightly higher tone. “At least I don’t with random people.”

So was he a random person now? Jonghyun scratched his head, not knowing if it was sarcasm from the boy or he just didn’t consider much when speaking – like speaking off without thoughts.

Seeing no reply from the other, Kibum skimmed through the words he just said. Oh god, did he read too much into my simple comment? He wondered. Why is this roommate so difficult to deal with? He thought to himself.

“Just… don’t read too much into my words okay?” Kibum continued. “I don’t mean that you are a random person, if that’s your concern. You’re my roommate, and I plan to make you more than a random person.”

“So what do you want to make me, to you?” Jonghyun questioned out of curiosity while fiddling with his desk because that isn’t really his desk to begin with. His desk was filled with all the piled up work that he used the other desk for his creativity corner, if you know what it means.

Kibum wondered what was wrong with his roommate for running after every single thing he’s said.

“Roommates, good friends? I guess it depends. By the way, where would I sleep?”

Jonghyun pointed to the upper deck. “You take the upper?”

“I feel insecure facing the ceiling.”

Don’t people all sleep on bed facing the ceiling? With the exception of the lower deck which faces the bottom of the upper deck. Jonghyun wondered what kind of roommate he had invited into his room.

“I’m used to the lower deck.” He rebutted, not willing to give in because, that would mean another thing to clear up, and his desk filled with papers and eraser crumbs are not making things easier.

“I just want the lower deck.” Without warning Kibum ran towards and plopped on the mattress of the lower deck, marking his territory.

Of course, Jonghyun was not someone who gave in this easily, so he laid himself on top of Kibum in those imaginative top/bottom position, and not helping things was Jonghyun trying to immobilize Kibum’s arms by holding on to his wrists and keeping them at his sides.

“This is mine.”

Kibum wondered for a moment if Jonghyun was referring to the bed, because at this point, it felt like something else Jonghyun was marking ownership over, and he refuses to let his mind wander to the forbidden regions because for one, they only met minutes ago, and secondly, he knew Jonghyun would not be interested in him that way.

“I owe you a big favour if you let me have the lower deck.”

Jonghyun thought it sounded fair, plus a favour sounded really enticing. Who knows if he would need urgent help from his roommate someday?

“Any favour?”

“Any.”

“Anytime?”

“As long as you ask,” Kibum on hindsight thought that didn’t he promise too much to his roommate? What if he was in the middle of something really important and this guy asks for some stupid request?

“Deal,”

But a deal was a deal. Kibum couldn’t do much about it. Plus he got his lower deck, perhaps it could be all worth it.

His roommate got off him and continued clearing the desk that was meant to be his.

“Kim…”

Both of them spoke at the same time, and stopped at the same word.

Kibum slanted his eyes to the side, gesturing for Jonghyun to continue. Jonghyun, surprisingly, seemed to have caught on to Kibum’s intentions.

“Kim Jonghyun.”

“Are you my long lost brother or something?” Kibum joked, “because I’m Kim Kibum.”

“I’m born in 90,”

“That makes you hyung.”

“You?”

“Don’t you know that you shouldn’t blatantly ask someone about their age?” Kibum smirked back.

“I only know that applies to girls, but I don’t recall you being one?” Jonghyun joked in return, “or did you cross dress like in those dramas? Some Hana Kimi or … the girl was really pretty though, but you…”

“Yah!” Kibum pouted. Jonghyun thought his pout was actually adorable. “I’m 91! 91! Younggam you don’t talk so much beware of your cholesterol.”

“I’m only one year older than you! What younggam?”

Kibum gave a contented smile and turned to unpack his stuff.

“Yah! Kim Kibum. Say that I’m not a younggam!” Jonghyun roared in annoyance while Kibum just gave that dubious looking smile as he continued dumping his gazillion of clothes into the wardrobe. Jonghyun wondered how wealthy he must have been to be dumping piles after piles of branded clothing.

Or what did he get himself into because the wardrobe was packed like the second time he opened it.

“Kim Kibum~!!!”