Dear Readers~

Future chapters will not be so lengthy. However, since this is the first one for this sequel, I made it extra long :) Enjoy~

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The snow had turned to slush, the slush then turned to water which rejuvenated the dead earth and brought a new beginning; a new beginning to the year, a new beginning to the semester, but most importantly a new beginning to bonds.

“Your composition is getting better, Ryeowook,” the teacher praised, studying the music score, “I’m rather surprised by the vast difference between a few months ago and now.”

Ryeowook smiled, looking down as a blush colored his pale cheeks. “Thank you. I’ve been working hard on it. I think there’s still a lot I could do with it though.” He turned back up to his teacher, seeing that the older man was nodding in agreement.

“Keep working at it. Our next lesson is in two days. Don’t forget, okay?” He handed the music score back to the red haired youth. “By the way, I was thinking about this while listening to your piece, but what would you think of incorporating some lyrics?”

Ryeowook shrugged slightly, sliding the papers into his book bag. “If I can think of some words, I might add lyrics.” He bowed respectfully before turning around and walking towards the door. It was a lie though. Ryeowook had written lyrics a long time ago. The piece was actually meant to have those words go with it. However, he didn’t want some teacher hearing his deepest feelings. They were too personal. No one was allowed to hear it. Even Ryeowook refrained from singing it or reading it too often. The emotions that welled up were too much to handle at times…or well, all the time.

Standing at the door was Sungmin, holding two cups of hot chocolate. He handed one to Ryeowook as the latter exited the practice room. “How was Composition?” Sungmin asked as the pair started down the hall.

“My teacher says I’m getting better,” Ryeowook said happily, smiling familiarly at the other. The hot drink in his hands warmed cold fingers, sending heat up through his arms. “Thank you for getting me a drink, Minnie. I was really thirsty.”

“No big deal,” Sungmin replied, returning the smile and brushing Ryeowook’s shoulder with his own, “So do you wanna get dinner?”

“Uhm, naw,” Ryeowook shook his head, “I already ate before Composition lessons. I’m just gonna go back and study Music Theory.”

“You sure?” the other boy attempted one last time, but again, he was shot down by Ryeowook’s slight head shake and gentle smile. They parted ways at the dormitory, Ryeowook entering the building whilst Sungmin headed off t the Dining Hall.

Ryeowook gazed after Sungmin for a moment, brief guilt flashing across his features. But then he was turning away, tossing the mostly full hot drink into a trash can and climbing the stairs to his dorm room. His stomach growled slightly but Ryeowook brushed it off, reaching his floor and turning down one of the hallways.

The red head unlocked the door to his room, smiling as he saw his roommate. “Hey,” Ryeowook greeted, locking the door and tossing all of his books and supplies on the floor by a desk, making it quite obvious that they would not be touched again until tomorrow. Ryeowook sat down on the floor across from YoungSaeng, sticking his hand out. “Can I have one?”

“Sure,” the third year shrugged, passing Ryeowook a dark glass bottle, “I was getting bored drinking alone.”

“Sorry, I going to come straight back, but I ran into a friend,” Ryeowook explained before sipping the bitter liquid.

“Oh, is he cute?” YoungSaeng prompted.

Ryeowook rolled his eyes, ignoring the comment. “Is class going well?” he asked knowingly. Perhaps to other people, it sounded like small talk, but between them, there was no such thing as small talk. There were jokes and then there was simple concern. They had come to realize neither of them wanted to bring weepy emotions into the mix. There was enough of that between them and their friends.

When Ryeowook and YoungSaeng were together, it was to forget and to reflect and to just let go. It was honestly they best time of the day for both of them. Ryeowook had never really liked night time until he moved in with YoungSaeng, but now he lived off of it. It was the best part of the day cycle.

“tier every day,” he sing-sang, “but what can you expect from a bunch wannabe singers that actually and just drag the whole class down?” Ryeowook nodded slightly, finishing half the bottle of beer. YoungSaeng fished a coin out of his pocket, flicking it into the air with a bland expression. “Call it.”

“Heads,” Ryeowook replied, watching the coin launch into the air between them. He watched it sail back down into the palm of YoungSaeng’s hand, the Tails side up. A small bitter smile curved his lips and he brought the bottle up.

“Drink up,” the older boy chuckled, leaning forward and tipping the bottle. Ryeowook opened his mouth wider, feeling the cold, foul tasting liquid slide down his throat. YoungSaeng smirked, “You can seriously huh?”

“Shut up,” Ryeowook laughed after pushing the bottle away and his wet lips, “I like singing. That makes throats strong, right?”

YoungSaeng shrugged, rolling his neck languorously. “Hmm, maybe that’s why…” A loud knocking at the door caught their attention. “Come in~!” the third year called cheerily. The door clicked open and a person entered the dimly lit room. Neither Ryeowook nor YoungSaeng had bothered to switch on the lights, instead relying on the bleak gray skies reflecting equally dreary light into the dorm room.

“Man, you guys need to stop drinking in the dark,” the friend remarked, flicking on the lights and setting a glass bottle of liquor on the floor, “it makes you look like alcoholics.”

“Aren’t we?” Ryeowook grunted, finishing his beer and placing the empty bottle next to the previously consumed ones. “It’s not like we have anything better to do.”

“We sing!” YoungSaeng retorted casually, grinning.

“And how much of your day is actually spent singing?” the friend sighed, laughing and slumping down on one of the beds.

“A few hours,” Ryeowook murmured, yawning and peering at the liquor bottle, “What is that?”

YoungSaeng grabbed it, taking a whiff after removing the cap. “Straight up vodka, Ryeowook,” he smirked, reaching over to snatch the red head’s chin, “Drink up, babe.” And then he pulled the younger one’s jaw down, pouring vodka down his throat.

Ryeowook swallowed the burning liquid, wincing and shoving the bottle away. A small, sputtering laugh slipped from his lips and he glared at his roommate. “Jerk, why did you do that?” he coughed, nonetheless enjoying the mind numbing pain shooting up and down his throat.

“Aw, don’t like it?” YoungSaeng mock pouted, placing the bottle down and crawling over to Ryeowook again. “Don’t be mad…you know I love you~!” he snickered, pecking the boy’s cheek.

“Back off, old man!” Ryeowook cried, giggling as he pushed the third year away. A wide grin was on his face as YoungSaeng pretended to feel hurt. “Serves you right,” he nodded approvingly and turned his attention to their friend. “Where’ve you been until now, KyuJong?”

The latter took a beer from the cooler, turning back to look at Ryeowook. “Ah, I was signing up for clubs. Tennis season is starting soon and we have conditioning until it is warm enough to start practicing outside.”

Ryeowook eyed the very obvious alcoholic beverage in KyuJong’s hand. “…Are you their star player…?”

“What?” KyuJong blinked in confusion but then glanced down at the drink in his hand and smiled sheepishly, “Well, I’m a regular this season. I swear this is my last one!” He took a swig of the foul, addictive liquid. “Or else I’ll be too fat and slow to play well.”

“Who do you guys play, KyuJong?” Ryeowook inquired.

“Just call me Kyu, Ryeowook,” the third year laughed, smiling easily.

Ryeowook’s expression faltered and he shook his head, quickly fixing his face. “I like saying your full name, KyuJong!” He grinned brightly, effectively fooling the boy.

There’s no one named Kyu anymore…

Sungmin sighed, tapping his pencil on the table top. Studying was always so dull. Usually he didn’t have such a hard time focusing but on that particular night, something – he wondered what – was keeping him from putting forth all his effort. Maybe it was realizing that the whole academy was a blow off school? Yeah, you could be failed, but the classes were so ridiculously easy, you would have to be set on failing to actually succeed in failing…if that makes sense.

Furthermore, there were strange things going on. No, it wasn’t about Mir or Ryeowook. Both of them seemed to be fine. They were still normal for the most part – if not a bit more stressed. Mir appeared to be caught up doing something or other with Taemin. Maybe they were a couple? Sungmin didn’t know.

As for Ryeowook…well, after Sungmin realized what happened between him and Kyuhyun he had tried to console the other boy. However, after two weeks of sulking, Ryeowook started getting better and Sungmin had no idea why. After the new term began and they got their room assignments, Ryeowook had started smiling more and although he avoided Kyuhyun and the topic of Kyuhyun like the plague, there was life in the boy. Aside from him losing weight, Sungmin wasn’t too concerned about his friend. Ryeowook couldn’t be that lost without some no good, control-freak like Kyuhyun, right? In the first place, Sungmin couldn’t understand why Kyuhyun was so important to Ryeowook when it was obvious that Kyuhyun barely gave a damn about the sweet boy.

“Sungminnie, I don’t think you’re studying~,” murmured Minho as he pressed warm lips to other boy’s neck. He wrapped his arms around Sungmin’s slight frame, a smirk curving the mouth claiming the latter’s throat.

The black haired boy’s eyes widened and he yelped, struggling in Minho’s grip. “W-Where did you come from?” he hissed in the quiet dormitory library. There was no one else around, just dusty shelves and a strangely permanent musty smell.

“Dinner,” Minho replied, kissing down Sungmin’s neck, ignoring the wriggling and flailing, “I went to your room but you weren’t around. Taemin is busy with Mir. I haven’t seen Ryeowookie in ages. Where the hell is his dorm room anyway?”

“Would you stop kissing me?” Sungmin snapped, moving away from the greedy mouth. “And if you’re so bored why don’t you go play video games or read a book? I’d never tell you where Wookie’s room is. You’d probably go and molest him too.”

“I wouldn’t call this molestation,” he replied, moving his hand under the hem of Sungmin’s shirt, “however, now I might call it that.”

Sungmin scrambled away, adrenaline pumping strength into his muscles. Minho lost his hold on the boy and stepped back, smiling cheerily at the flustered Sungmin. “Stop doing that!” the smaller growled, fixing his clothes with a huff. “I’m trying to study.”

Minho snorted, crossing his arms, “You were just sitting there when I came in. I bet you haven’t even written anything for a while now.”

“S-Shut up,” Sungmin muttered, grabbing his stuff and placing it in his book bag, “I’m going back to my room.” He shrugged the bag over one shoulder, trying to bypass the boy in his way. “Move, Minho.”

“What’re you so upset about tonight?” he questioned, catching Sungmin’s chin, tilting it up. “You’re not usually so jumpy. I mean, you’re jumpy but never this bad.” Minho laughed at the glare directed at him. “You know it’s true.”

“Just thinking…,” Sungmin said softly, swallowing hard when he realized that Minho’s face was growing closer. “…stop…?” he whispered, eyes closing of their own accord as those warm lips found his own. There was something strangely comforting about the way the kiss felt. It certainly wasn’t heart stopping or anything, but it was…nice.

Would Sungmin have preferred kissing Ryeowook? Well, of course.

Every time Minho managed to steal an intimate touch, it just worked to reaffirm the feelings that Sungmin held for Ryeowook. There was special warmth – firework – that burst from his heart when Ryeowook was in his arms and returning the affection.

Mir backed away from the approaching honey-blonde. “T-Taemin, w-what are you doing?” he stammered, eyeing the handcuffs dangling from the slender boy’s fingers. “Where did you get those?” Mir managed between uneven breaths. The bed frame brushed the back of his knees and before he could stop himself, both legs were flying up and he found himself on the empty bed.

“I found them,” Taemin replied vaguely, climbing on top of Mir with a small, innocent smile that was truly terrifying. “Don’t you like this sort of stuff? I mean, I thought you were a masochist.”

“W-What?!?” Mir cried, scrambling to get away from the boy straddling his hips.

Taemin clicked his tongue, frowning down at the startled youth. “Why else don’t you push me off? I can’t think of any other explanation for your liking forceful behavior.”  The pretty boy snickered and captured Mir’s lips, sliding his tongue across those soft, sputtering lips.

After an insurmountable time period, Taemin broke away and Mir gasped, struggling under the slender boy. “I care about you! That’s why I don’t mind your forceful behavior!” he blurted as if those words had been bubbling up inside of him for a long time. And perhaps they were. It wouldn’t be very surprising huh?

“That’s cute,” Taemin remarked easily, squeezing the handcuff shut around Mir’s wrists after looping it around the head board, “But y’know, cute just isn’t y. Can’t you make some sounds for me?” He grinned, running his tongue down Mir’s jaw. “Your voice is the best.”

“C-Can’t we go on a d-date or s-something…instead?” he breathed, writhing under Taemin. Why did things always have to go that way? It wasn’t fair. How did Taemin always end up getting his way? Mir swore that they weren’t headed down that path that night. He had done nearly everything to prevent it! They even came back to Mir’s room specifically because Thunder was around all the time. But – of course – the latter just had to break that chain.

When Mir had arrived with Taemin, a note was left on the table explaining that Thunder went to a sleepover. How horribly perfect was that? So instead of bringing Taemin back for a late night chat and friendly encounter, it came off as Mir bringing the other boy back to an empty dorm room for the night. It really wasn’t like that. Really, really! You have to believe Mir. He’s just not that sort of person!

Unfortunately, Taemin didn’t really care. He had been trying to get Mir to go all the way for months and tonight was the night. No exceptions.

“Why don’t you wanna sleep with me?” Taemin asked, gazing down at the blushing boy. He ran fingers through Mir’s dark brown hair, pulling the latter into a deep kiss. Mir made a muffled noise, eyes closing reluctantly. A soft little moan vibrated through Taemin’s mouth and he smiled, using his free hand to push Mir’s shirt up. “So you do want to sleep with me?” he mumbled against Mir’s lips.

“I…I-I don’t know,” he stammered, eyes shifting off to the side, “I…I think that without love is pointless…that’s all…”

Taemin gave the boy’s words a moment’s thought before shrugging and jerking Mir’s belt loose. “ and love aren’t that closely related. It might be good for keeping bodily order or whatever but really, they’re separate things aren’t they?”

“Your mind and body need to agree…to make the experience the best, right?” Mir murmured, swallowing a groan as fingers danced over his clothed member.

“…I don’t know,” Taemin replied, “but I wanna you. Is that bad? Actually, don’t answer that. You’ll spoil the mood like you always do.” He chuckled, covering Mir’s mouth with his own.

Mir sighed internally. There was no way to get out of that night’s activities it seemed.

Kyuhyun gently pressed his lips to Zhoumi’s forehead. The lights were off in their room, moonlight pouring through the square window. Nothing disturbed the night, not even the rustling of dead tree branches against glass. There was only the soft murmuring of air and other residents, but for the most part, the couple didn’t listen to it. They were wrapped up in each other, figuratively and quite literally.

The older boy cuddled close to his lover, arms wrapped around his upper torso. Their bodies were close together beneath the warm, thick blankets, skin contact keeping the heat centralized. All of their clothing had been discarded, tossed around the room carelessly. In fact, a trail could almost be found leading to the bed.

“Are you tired?” Kyuhyun asked softly, absently kissing Zhoumi’s hair.

“Mm, yeah,” the third year mumbled sweetly, enjoying the warmth radiating from his lover, “we should go to sleep soon, don’t you think?”

“Math Team is over for the season…there’s nothing to worry about tomorrow,” the younger replied.

“Well we have to find a new club don’t we?” Zhoumi chuckled. He closed his eyes slowly, nuzzling Kyuhyun’s neck tenderly. “There are a lot of cool things to do…I think. We’ll find something. Or well…you’ll find something.”

Kyuhyun frowned, “What do you mean?”

“I’m taking over KUG,” Zhoumi muttered, sleep overtaking him, “there’ll be no time to do clubs…”

“You’re ditching me, Mi?” his lover whined playfully.

“Go to sleep Kyu~,” he sighed, murmuring some incoherent thought afterwards. The older boy’s body grew limp in Kyuhyun’s arms and his breathing became even.

“Cute,” the second year whispered near Zhoumi’s ear before snuggling closer and tightening the arms he had around the boy.

This was the life. This was what Kyuhyun had always wanted. There was no one to worry about. There was no one dragging him behind. Zhoumi could take care of himself and he was absolutely, positively gorgeous in every way. To describe the difference Kyuhyun felt those days would be impossible because quite simply, the difference was too vast. Being someone’s lover rather than their caretaker had so many perks. No longer did Kyuhyun spend his waking hours worrying if his most important person was eating enough, or staying out of trouble, or feeling unwell. With Zhoumi…everything was perfect. There was never a reason to distress.

The boy was exquisite. How could someone so great be anything less than flawless? In Kyuhyun’s eyes, it wasn’t opinion. He knew that Zhoumi was the ideal lover. And for once in a long history of pain, Kyuhyun had possession of something – someone – who could make him feel completely at ease.

Love was a magical thing, hmm?