Something was different that day, the air was sharp and crisp as Taehyun began his day’s walk to the college campus, the foggy breath that left his lips soon dissipating into the thin air as he trudged up the hill with determination. He always liked arriving at the college earlier than everyone else; it gave him time to prepare for class, and of course to miss the mad herd of students trying to cram through the gate entrance. With a sigh, he fixed the scarf that was already half way up his face, ensuring that none of his skin was visible to the cold, the thought of catching the flu so close to his exams causing him to tut in annoyance.

It took him a while, but eventually Taehyun entered the college grounds, making his way to his locker in the janitor’s room. His old locker near the sports stadium had been so vandalized beyond repair, that the janitor had kindly offered him the spare room that contained cleaning materials, enabling him to have his own private area to sit and eat. Not ever having any real friends, Taehyun found comfort in the dull walls of the small room, it’s isolation bringing him security and stability within an uncertain atmosphere of immature students. It wasn’t easy for him, nothing was, but the kindness of the janitor gave him a glimmer of hope, that somewhere, there was good in the world.

Snapping out of his minor thoughts, Taehyun shoved a few books into the locker before closing it and making his way to the classroom in which he’d spend the majority of his morning there. Slithering to the back of the classroom upon arrival, Taehyun took his usual seat in the corner against the wall, aligning his notebook and stationary in an orderly fashion on the desk; people called it OCD, but he preferred the term ‘good organisation’, and within moments of him sitting down, the first wave of students poured into the classroom. One female, had curled her hair that morning to stand out, but Taehyun noticed the small piece at the back that had failed to have been captured by the curling iron, a spark of amusement igniting inside him, however it was short lived as one of the soccer players threw a ball on his desk, sending the stationary into havoc. Without raising his gaze, he outstretched his arm to offer the ball back, which was snatched away with a sneer in his general direction, the words the player spoke to him merely sinking in; the only thought in Taehyun’s mind was the mess of paper, pencils and pens on his desk.

“Settle down class!” The stern voice of the teacher brought everyone to their seats, soon beginning the start of another laborious day for Nam Taehyun. He hated college, he hated how stupid he felt, he hated how people treated him, but worst of all; he hated how he had no one to talk to. He spent his days in college alone, in the janitor’s room, rushing to and from lessons to avoid the cluster of sports players and girls in their short skirts, and at the end of the day, he would either rush home or wait till everyone else had left before making his own way home.

“Mr. Nam? Can we have your attention please?” The stern voice rose louder, catching Taehyun off guard and dragging him away from his thoughts only to enter a room of snickers and a taller, unrecognisable male standing beside the teacher, the corners of the lips of the unknown curving upwards into what seemed to be an amused expression.

“Everybody, this is Song Minho, he’s transferred from Seoul’s Western Institute so let’s all treat him kindly. Minho, you can sit at the back where there’s space.” And without a moment to prepare himself, Taehyun found the new male sitting beside him, an