Sometimes Kyungsoo wondered about the ways of a real university. What might it be like, to lazily wander around a giant campus, seeing new faces everyday? To sit in a giant lecture hall, drowning in between sleeping people that just bothered to move when it was time for food at the mensa?
Well, it was probably just like any other educational hell.

Instead, Kyungsoo was studying fashion design at a tiny school in an irrelevant city district where only residential buildings and small companies could be found. The highlight was probably the nearby supermarket, where the students would regularly pilgrimage to in their free periods, whenever they got hungry. Or frustrated. Or bored.
Nothing too surprising considering their school had a total of 5 rooms only, not counting the huge floor area that connected the classrooms.
Classrooms? Well, actually they looked like some of those Matrix-visions: As if you had imagined a room but forgotten to fill it, creating a blank, white space. Adding some chairs and tables into the nothingness and voila - You got a 'clean and un-distracting workplace'.
Or maybe a mental hospital room. As if it would make a huge difference.
The only thing weirdly standing out between the dark chairs and the white tables was a colorful, absolutely ridiculous designer-clock on the wall. It was so weirdly shaped that most people had a hard time even reading it. Fortunately enough, you could always hang it up in a crooked way to deceive the teacher into finishing early.

"Mornin'." Kyungsoo mumbled sleepily as he stuffed his bag under his table and sank into his chair.
"Hey~! What's up? Have you done your homework yet? Can I compare?" Dara happily chimed as the black-haired boy wordlessly handed over his folder.
"God, Dara... You're too loud..."
Getting up at 5 A.M every morning to take a train to school, Dara was always up for some talk in the morning.
Unfortunately, she was absolutely alone on this.
"You won't believe what happened to me this morning!" she began as she engaged in a lively story about some strange girls sitting in the train. Half-deliriously Kyungsoo watched her hands move as he wondered whom she was talking to in the first place.
Bom was leaning her head on a wall and absentmindedly braided some strands of her freshly died red hair as she obviously stared right through her.
Minzy was busy copying his homework as she was bobbing her head to the sound of her headphones. Was that Eminem playing? Chaerin's seat was still empty and if she'd ever appear before the teacher did, Minzy would owe him one. It had seemed like a fair enough bet for Kyungsoo back then. Now he had only about three semesters left and was beginning to feel anxious about it.

Still Dara was talking energetically. Kyungsoo couldn't help thinking she'd make a great politician with all those gestures as he sipped his orange juice. They greatly distracted you from whatever she said and he got the mental image of Dara, holding a speech in front of an audience that looked at her with bleary eyes. Maybe she'd also make a great radio host for the morning radio show. At 5. A.M she'd chirp: "Good morning guys - and girls! How are you all doing? What have you eaten for breakfast? Would you prefer some super-happy song to wake up or rather some retro-stuff from America? Leave me a message with your opinion - And while you're at it you can also tell me about your most favorite hair color on a man - I'm dyeing to know it, Haha-"
"And then he said 'Just ME.' So yeah, I thought it was a good idea."
Kyungsoo choked on his juice.
"Huh?"
"Who?"
Even Minzy paused her music.
Dara pouted and crossed her arms as she glared at the three of us.
"Why am I even telling this if you won't listen?!"
"So you wouldn't forget it?" Bom suspected, seeming to seriously consider it.
"Or maybe so the guy would sneeze somewhere because you're thinking of him?"
"Which guy?"
"The one you just talked about."
"There was no guy."
Bom gave her a disappointed look as if to say: 'What are we going to do with you.', which made no sense.
Which was still a lot more sense than Bom usually made.
Kyungsoo internally facepalmed and reached for his phone, immersing himself into the latest chapter his favourite author "IcyEyes" had published on the literature-platform he was a member of.
A modern take on Shakespeare's 'Much Ado about nothing'; Kyungsoo sighed. It was perfection. How he'd love to meet this author in person to thank him for existing. Maybe he'd even write a mini-script for a promotional clip of his fashion collection.

Or better yet, he should just script his life. Sure, he might become vulnerable to car accidents and he'd probably be prone to memory loss at some point... Just for the sake of falling in love with someone harbouring a mental illness... But in the end everything would be all sunshine and rainbows, wouldn't it?
Okay. Maybe he just wanted to meet his certain someone.
Couldn't everyone live like those fictional story characters? With your soulmates' name inked onto your forehead or something? So that even the dumbest wouldn't die alone?

"Yah, Soo, whatcha you thinking about?"
"Tattooing my forehead."
"Okay?"
After a few seconds of silence, Kyungsoo spoke up.
"Guys, what kind of name would you tattoo yourself?"
They stared at him.
"Like, any name?"
"A guys' name."
"Hum, Alec would be a nice one." Minzy spontaneously said, tapping her cheek in thought.
That was the plus side on living with weirdos - They didn't as silly questions.
"I like the sound of Robert." Dara swooned, deep in thought about Robert Downey Junior, obviously.
"Rex." Bom dreamily said.
Now they all stared at the red-haired girl judgingly.
"Isn't that what the dinosaur in Toy Story's called like?" Kyungsoo slowly asked.
"I don't care, it's hot." she simply stated with a faraway smile.
Dara shuffled a few inches away from her.
"What about you, Kyungie~" Minzy speculated with a fond grin.
"How about Kris?" Dara suggested.
"Yeah, that sounds awesome."
"Why are you only listing American names?!"

How was he ever going to find his soulmate if he's in America?

If you ever thought of fashion students as some smug elite snobs that just bought some kind of degree to flaunt their artistic selves at cocktail parties at a young age... You're in dire need of correction.
Unfortunately, most people Kyungsoo met lived with this false impression. If only they knew the insanity he was living with, he thought as he protected his ears from the obnoxiously loud "Last Christmas" one girl blasted through her laptop speakers in mid-ing July.
Fashion students weren't glamorous. Not the least bit.
Ever since the fourth semester Kyungsoo was the only guy left in his year. There was no sort of bullying, no. Actually he was even met with genuine acceptance and friendliness, since he was a hardworking person. Still, sometimes he wished those girls would just be a bit more... Girly?
Years before he had been speculating about what girls might be talking about in their free-time.
The hottest actors maybe? The latest episode of 'Running Man'? Another girls' relationship trouble?
"So I called my boss and said I couldn't come. I just said I had diarrhea, he could hardly say anything against that!" one girl said laughingly. Kyungsoo scrunched his nose. Gross.
"So my collection'll be about death this time, I've already imported some bone fragments, you wanna see them?"
Yikes. How about no.
As one girl burped loudly, the other ones clapped in acknowledgment and Kyungsoo shook his head blankly.
Just why. This was definitely not the reality he had signed up for.

Besides their obnoxiously straining individuals, his daily student life also involved lots of trouble only fashion students would know. The regular shortage of construction paper, causing Kyungsoo to draw on baking paper. An ironing station that was on a never-ending strike against the students' poor treatment. And then there were the rather unusual issues.
Like dysfunctional bathroom sinks, clogged with whatever weird crafting substances a student had carelessly dumped.

It was a late afternoon on wednesday, the facility nearly deserted, except for Kyungsoo and three other girls.
The perks of attending a school like this was the ability to occupy the building whenever, for however long. For the better time of his semester(especially the last third), Kyungsoo practically lived there.
He was busy with constructing a pattern, a measuring tape carelessly thrown around his shoulders, as he tipped the pen against his cheek absentmindedly.

"Uhm, hello?" he suddenly heard a deep voice calling out from the entrance.
A little confused, he got up and padded out of the classroom, looking to his right, where a man stood at the far end of the corridor. He was obviously unsure whether he could just come in. The closer Kyungsoo got, the taller the guy seemed to become. He was wearing a rugged-looking uniform that might have once been blue, but had more grayish specks and black patches than anything else. The black-haired boy internally sighed at the amount of pitifulness this garment deserved.
"I'm the new help from the craftsman-firm next door~ This is the fashion school, right?" the deep voice happily continued and finally Kyungsoo looked up at his face(don't judge, it was practically his job to pay utmost attention to clothing, wasn't it?).
He almost made a double take.
The man was handsome. Gorgeous, even. He had dark-red hair and huge, brown eyes as well as a boyishly handsome face with cute ears. Starstruck Kyungsoo looked at him with huge eyes. He probably looked like a deer in the headlights.
"Uhm... Hellooo...?"
Oh, shoot. Need to talk.
Something.
"Ehm..."
Anything!
"Ah... Yes. Yes, this is a school. I'm a student here, so I would know."
Well, duh, obviously he was a student. What else. Internally he facepalmed.
That came out kinda arrogant, didn't it? He wasn't a sterotypical smug snob, though!
Hastily he added:
"Wouldn't I? Ahaha..."
The guy kept smiling, though his expression got more of this polite: 'Keep smiling. He's creepy. Don't set him off'-vibe that Dara had when talking to Bom occasionally. Or maybe that was just his imagination.
"...Riiight.", the guy said politely, "I've gotten sent for a problem about your bathroom sinks?"
"Oh. You did. Well, that's good."
A few seconds of silence.
"So... Are you gonna show me where the bathroom is?", he slowly asked, "So I can fix your problem?"
You can fix me right now, if you want.
"Yes. Yes, sure. F-follow me." Kyungsoo squeaked as he whirled around, hiding his red cheeks. God, why did his brain shut down in situations like these?
Why did those mental  blue screens always occur when you least needed them?!

"Okay, one more and- Oh God, what's this?!" the handsome guy exclaimed as he had dismantled parts of the pipes. Kyungsoo, who had been standing nearby, dreamily staring at him (like the creeper he was) in case he needed anything, immediately knew what he was referring to. The stench was chemical, biting, and very likely the most aggressive thing he had ever smelled. Hastily, he scrambled to open the ceilings' window as the guy even more hastily threw the pipe into a plastic bag. And then he put the plastic bag into another plastic bag. For good measure.
Still, the air had been poisoned and Kyungsoo took a few steps back.
"Aw God, I'll never smell anything ever again." he mumbled the smell drove tears to his eyes.
The craftsman laughed slightly, but scrunched his nose in disgust as he inhaled the stuff.
"I'm guessing it's some form of resin, nothing would reek like that. I thought this is a fashion school? With clothing and stuff? Why the heck would you need fluid resin?"
Kyungsoo shrugged.
"Be happy you didn't find any chicken bones in there."
A weird look.
"It's not my stuff!" he defensively said.
"I couldn't think of anything more dangerous to dump into a water system - Who would even do that?" he said, referring to the resin-whatever stuff, before fumbling with the remaining pieces.
"Okay, we'll clean the rest with this... And replace this part... Oh, that's a standard size, I have one with me." the handsome guy exclaimed as he was kneeing on the floor, with a spanner in one hand.
Kyungsoo wasn't actually listening but wondering whether his muscles would be flexing nicely as he increased the pressure on the tool.
"...You can do that?"
"Nah, I'm not one for sports."
Another skeptic look.
"It's not actually that much of an exercise...?" the deep voice said hesitatingly.
Kyungsoo blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"I said,", he patiently repeated, "That the substance I filled in to clean the remaining pipes should be washed away with warm water in about 12 hours. Can you do that - Or tell someone else to do it? Before then, this sink shouldn't be used."
He nodded slowly. Did that mean he'd leave now?
He wouldn't like that.
But before his brain could make out anything else that was broken, the guy had already packed up and they were standing at the entrance door.
"So, give us a call if you experience any other trouble." he said, smiling brightly.
Panicking, Kyungsoo blurted out:
"W-wait! Are you maybe called Kris, for instance?"
"Excuse me?" he asked with a tilted head.
"Uh, kidding, I'm kidding. So what's your name?"
"I'm Park Chanyeol. Oh, but you can call me Kris, if you consider complaining about me at the company. Could save me from trouble."
"I wouldn't. Sorry. I'm being weird. I-I'm Do Kyungsoo." he said and as they shook hands he couldn't help feeling relieved.
A Korean name would look better on me anyway.

After two steps, Chanyeol turned around once more, hesitating.
"Look, I don't wanna be an , but I just wanted to make you aware of those paint markings on your face - Just in case you go out like that. See ya around."
As Kyungsoo looked into his reflection on the door's glass, he could clearly see the numerous violet dots and marks his waterproof pen had left before.
...Oh well, where was the pen?
Maybe the tattoo would also be obnoxious enough on his cheek.

"Is there an actual reason you're having a tribal drawing across your cheek? One that wouldn't scare me?" Chen asked as soon as Kyungsoo had entered the room.
He just shrugged at his roommate.
"I had no fluid resin at hand. Or whatever burns away waterproof pen markings. And that's an African traditional tribe pattern, mind you."
"I... See. So you accidentally drew an African tribe pattern onto your face."
"Don't be silly. I'm not that much of a natural. Those take practice."
"Then what... The hell?" he carefully asked as he handed Kyungsoo a bottle of waterproof Make up remover he gladly accepted.
"Well, I had tons of pen markings on my face and nothing to cover them up with - I didn't want to look like an idiot, obviously!"
Chen looked at him, blinked, and ultimately just sighed.

"Jongdaeee!" Kyungsoo whined loudly as he sat in his friends' room on the floor, supporting his arms on the mattress, now with a spotless face.
"Hmmm? Oh I hate Campers." he absentmindedly mumbled from his position at his desk where he was playing an online-game.
"I'm lonely!"
"Aren't we all..."
"Do you know those socially awkward penguin memes?"
"Hmm... Ugh, NO, I do not want virtual money from you. Would that make me his virtual hoe?"
"I think I'm that penguin."
"Mh... Wait, what did you say?"
"I am the penguin and the penguin is me."
"...Does that have to do with your latest collection? Way to go from Africa to the Antarctis."
Kyungsoo sighed while Jongdae died another, virtual death.
"...Why are we even friends?"
"Because we're awfully similar?"
"That'd make you a penguin as well."
"Mind you, I'm the multi-colored penguin though. The one whos hopes get built up just to be crushed down the next second."
"Huh. Well, at least I'm a failure through and through then, huh?"
"Exactly."
"Yah."
"Goddamnit! Those damn, cheating kids! I bet they're cheating... Ugh. I'll wait here for the others." He virtually sat down and turned to his wailing roommate.
"So, what happened little penguin? Hey, that reminds me of this penguin-cartoon, 'Pingu'."
"Noot-noot." Kyungsoo monotonously said.
"Yes, exactly!"
"..."
"Okay, now tell me what's wrong." Jongdae inquired, probably 90% of his attention on his troubled friend.
"Well, Chenchen, have you ever thought about your soulmate?"
"Uhm... Not exactly? I find the idea of only one person in the world to match with you extremely depressing."
"Well, thank you for being romantic."
"Being romantic never brought me any boyfriend."
"Maybe you should try to find some real life 4D romance?"
"Oh please. It's so hard to block people in real life if they're getting dumb."
"At least you'd make a fantastic real life troll?"
"That I would. Pity that people can't appreciate some fun nowadays."
Kyungsoo shook his head in order to get back on track.
"Aaanyways! Whatever you believe, I met an amazing guy today!"
"Really now? When?"
And Kyungsoo went on and on about Park Chanyeol.

"Are you aware of how cliche this sounds? This whole 'y craftsman repairs the damsels... pipes'?"
"Oh shut up!", he exclaimed and buried his head in his arms, "Go fight against some virtual sheep or something. You don't understand this sort of stuff."
"Rude. May the cliches be ever in your favor~" he teased as he turned around and put one of his headphones in, partially keeping up with the ongoing Skype conference he was in.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if you're that deep into those cliches it can only be a matter of time before you crash into each other, sending some fruit flying or something. Watch out for the sunsets, bro."
"Very funny."
"That's what you get for- NO, I definitely need no checking up on my pipes. Shouldn't you help your mom with the groceries or somethin'?! Goddamnit. I always forget to switch this off."
"Great, now everyone knows about my non-existing love-life." Kyungsoo grumbled as he left, giving one last call in an extra loud voice for his 'audience', his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Don't give up, Chen just loooves to be courted intensely! Those pick-up lines are a huge turn-on!"
"Just go away!"

Hey guys~
Am I spaming already?
Well, I already have a couple of chapters written and am quite eager to get this rolling, so...
Enter Chanyeol and Chen(And a few classmates~)!
I realize that some may be bothered by me not only writing about exo characters exclusively, but... That's the whole point, poor Soo being the only guy.
Give the other characters some time, they'll join in on the action soon enough~
As always, thanks for any form of feedback, support or suggestions! c:

Love,
Sugar-and-Salt ♥

P.S.: If you're wondering about the chapter title... I just literally translated the obnoxious jingle of the kinder pingui commercial - no idea whether it's a European thing, but it was the only 'song' I could connect to this c: