( ･◡͐･)’◡͐’)`◡͐´)°◡͐°)^◡͐^)

Weeee! Donghae meets some new friends!

It had been a long day that Donghae would like to forget.

“Open up! If anyone is out there, please help me!” He pounded on the metal door one last time before leaning his back against it. He slid down to the floor. The grumbling in his stomach grew louder. Why am I so gullible? he thought miserably.

The day began so well. Students were milling outside the professor’s office, anxiously waiting for their grades to be posted. Many students were fiddling with their phones, some were pacing back and forth, while others were joking around about switching majors if they failed the class of Professor Park. Ahh, Dr. Park Jungsu, the youngest professor in the university, having earned his PhD at 25 years old. His class was notorious for having the brainiest and most competitive students in the university. He stepped out of his office; in his hand was a white piece of paper.

“Boys and girls, your grades are here. I wish each and everyone of you the best of luck,” he announced before pinning the list on the bulletin board.

The hallway was soon filled with a mixture of cheers and sobs.  “I’m in the Top 10! Awesome!” a pretty girl exclaimed. “Me too!” a second voice chimed in.

“Where’s my name?” a frantic voice shouted, “Yessss!!! Number three! Party at my house tonight!”

 A guy slammed his head against the wall, muttering expletives. “I bombed the test. My dad’s gonna kill me.”

 “Who’s number one? Lee Donghae? Who the heck is that?” a classmate asked out loud among the crowd. “That’s the transfer student, isn’t he?” someone answered.

Multiple pairs of eyes were directed at the brown-haired Donghae who was at the far end of the hallway like a deer caught in the headlights. “Who the heck do you think you are, newbie? You can’t come here and show us all up.” someone growled.

This isn’t good, he swallowed hard. Donghae shifted uncomfortably in his sneakers. One minute he was pinned against the wall being jeered at, the next minute he was locked in one of the laboratories. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time he’d been shut in somewhere, but this was the first time he was trapped in a tiny room for getting a better grade than anyone else in the class. On the bright side, it’s better than getting beaten up, he told himself.

 It was 8.30 P.M. on a Friday night. Seven hours had passed. He thought about calling his mother several times but decided against it. No point in worrying her. He must figure something out on his own.

His phone began to sing. “Yeoboseyo?” he answered without looking at the phone screen.

“Donghae, are you busy?” Hyukjae asked. He was in front of the bathroom mirror, preparing for a night out.

“Nah, just…hangin’ around here. What’s up?” Donghae answered truthfully.

“Some of my friends and I are going to the movie theater tonight. I thought you might want to join, meet new people. Don’t worry, they’re cool,” Hyukjae gargled the water in his mouth.

“Um. I would like to go but I have a bit of a problem.”

“I’m listening.”

***

 “This is soooo exciting!I feel like James Bond,” Ryeowook said enthusiastically.

“Keep your voice down, Double 007 or we’ll get caught for trespassing and land in jail,” Sungmin whispered.

“We won’t get caught,” Hyukjae replied. He looked down at the campus map again, a flashlight clenched between his teeth. “Are we at the right building?” he asked the tallest one of his friends.

“Yup, we are definitely at the right place,” Kyuhyun confirmed, viewing the map. He pointed up to a room located on the second floor. “Look, the light’s on over there.”

Hyukjae picked up a small rock and threw it against the window. “Psstt! Donghae! Are you up there?” he loudly whispered.

A head popped up behind the window. “Hyukjae?” Donghae looked down and saw four figures standing on the ground, one of them sporting a familiar bowl-cut hairstyle.

“Yeah, it’s me and some of my friends.” The four boys began to unfold an extra large comforter. “Okay, now jump,” Hyukjae instructed.

“This was your great plan? I’m going to jump from a second-storey building into a blanket?” Donghae was incredulous.

“Well, yeah. I’ve seen it done in cartoons many times,” Hyukjae shot back, insulted. “We’re not firemen; we don’t have those safety net things. We had to improvise. This was the best we could find. Either you jump or stay there until Monday. It’s your choice.”

“Okay, okay! Just give me a second to gather up my nerves.” Donghae sat on the ledge of the window. It was at least 25 feet to the ground. If he missed…

“We’ll catch you,” Hyukjae reassured.

“What if you don’t, I break my neck and end up in a wheelchair forever?” Donghae knew he was being overly dramatic, as he envisioned a worst case scenario.

“Then I guess I’ll be stuck with pushing your wheelchair wherever you want to go,” Hyukjae replied fast.

For some reason, this pacified Donghae. “Give me a countdown,” he requested as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the night sky.

“On the count of three, hana, dul, set….”

***

“That was such a rush! Let’s go do something else,” Ryeowook was jumping up and down, grabbing Kyuhyun by the arm.

“Like what?” Kyuhyun chuckled at his friend’s excitement.

“I don’t know; let’s steal something…like a mailbox or a baby!”

Sungmin doubled over in laughter. “Wookie, that’s kidnapping.” He looked over at Donghae. “Are you okay?”

“I’m getting there.” The color was slowly returning to Donghae’s face. He was the same color as the white shirt he was wearing earlier---which drew worried glances from the other guys---when he landed on the comforter.

“Told you we’d catch you,” Hyukjae was smiling broadly. “You did good, Hae.” He put his arm around Donghae’s shoulders. “Still want to watch a movie?”

“I would rather eat. I haven’t had anything since breakfast,” Donghae admitted. “My treat. It’s the least I could do for all your help.”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes good-naturally. “You don’t have to do that. Budget’s tight for all of us college kids. Besides, Hyukjae seems fond of you.”

“Exactly. If Hyukjae likes you, then you’re also good in my book,” Sungmin grinned.

“Mine, too,” Ryeowook chirped, “A friend of his, is a friend of ours.”

Donghae looked down, his face tinged pink upon hearing their kind words.

“Guys, you’re embarrassing him,” Hyukjae turned to Donghae, “If it makes you feel any better, I’ll let you treat me.”