The next morning, around 8:45, Evan shuffled into the kitchen to get a drink. Aiden was still sleeping when he slipped out of the room, and his mouth was begging to be freed from how dry it had become. He had been kept up late in the night by Aiden who had insisted he stay in his room for the night because there would be a bed for him. As many times as he had tried to politely decline and tried to tell him the floor would be fine, he gave in so he wouldn’t have to hear the boy whine. He searched in the fridge for milk or juice, but then settled on a bottle of water that was on one of the shelves. He wasn’t yet accustomed to the new place, and considering he had been home for the break, he was still getting used to the fact that he was back in Berea… Back for school.
        Evan sat on the couch in the living room, still trying to wake himself up completely. He was a little peeved that Aiden had the audacity to keep him up so late, and then have an alarm set for the morning that he himself wouldn’t wake up for. He knew that with the addition of Jin to the roommate list, he would literally beg him to allow him to become his actual roommate. He sighed, and allowed himself to fall over on the couch, head falling just barely an inch away from the arm rest. The situation had become more convoluted than he had expected it to, though there was still the glimmer of hope that he could room with Jin. He gave up, and allowed himself to close his eyes. Maybe he could get a little more sleep before Jin would get there with his things.
         “Evan...” A voice invaded Evan’s subconscious, dragging him back into the land of the awake and living. He opened his eyes, giving Aiden a glare as he realized who the voice came from that woke him from his beautiful slumber. “Did you come and sleep out here?” Aiden’s tone indicated his concern, mainly that Evan hadn’t been comfortable during the night.
        “No,” Evan said flatly, sitting up. “I came out here after your alarm this morning and fell back asleep...Why would you even set an alarm for 8:30 if you weren’t going to wake up for it anyway?” He looked up at him, the annoyance he had felt returning to take shape in his words.
Aiden tilted his head slightly. “My alarm went off at 8:30?” He sounded genuinely confused by this information. “I didn’t wake up for it.”
        “Obviously...” Evan muttered. “I had to get up and shut it off for you…” It made him wonder just how deep of a sleeper Aiden was, and compared to his own generally light sleeping habits, he had to be the deepest sleeper he had ever met. He couldn’t even fathom how he managed to get up on time for anything. “What time is it, anyway?”
“I had my second alarm set for 10:00,” Aiden responded, scratching the back of his head. “So... Jin should be here any moment with his things. You don’t mind helping move him in, do you?” As much as Evan had approved of their new roommate, he wasn’t sure what boundaries he had when it came to what he would and wouldn’t do, and he wasn’t sure how to ask without the fear he would think it rude.
        “I don’t mind…” Evan stood up and stretched out his back. The couch was comfortable to sit on, but to lie on for long periods of time, not so much. “It’ll get done faster this way.”
“True that!” Aiden went and peeked out the door, curious to see if he was there yet. A car was pulled up against the curb, and Jin was unloading things from it diligently with help from another guy he assumed had come with him to help. “Come on!” Aiden beckoned Evan as he walked to the door excitedly. “He’s here!” He opened the door and called out to him, “Jin! We’re coming, okay?” He turned back inside to look at Evan before he grabbed his shoes and scrambled to put them on his feet.
        Evan sauntered over to the door to get his shoes as well, not as enthusiastically as Aiden. As positive as he had tried to seem about helping out, he wasn’t exactly looking forward to lugging things into the house. They only had a limited time before school would start again, and he didn’t exactly plan to use those days moving around heavy things. He had a more... Lazy idea in mind: video games, lounging around the house, and eating delivery pizza for the few days before food service would open again.  
        Thankfully for Evan, Jin didn’t have a great amount of luggage to haul in, plus he already had the help of a friend of his that he had met the previous year at Berea. Rhodon Hope, a sophomore this year, was living in the same neighborhood as Jin over the summer, so he offered a ride to take him back to the Berea campus where he was apparently moving to. Without a moment to lose, Rhodon’s helpful nature kicked in, and he was quick to get in on the action, assisting Jin in unloading the car.
        Once Aiden arrived on the scene, Jin paused from the task at hand and grabbed Rhodon’s attention, gesturing for him to meet Aiden, “Rhodon, this is Aiden Valentine. Aiden, this is Rhodon Hope.” he introduced them simply to be polite before throwing his backpack over his shoulder and picking up a box in one hand and his suitcase in the other. He waited patiently for the two to greet each other so that he could follow Aiden into the house. Because he wasn’t officially living in the home yet, he wasn’t particularly comfortable walking in without him leading, at least upon arrival.
         Rhodon beamed at Aiden, somehow pleased to be meeting someone that Jin would be staying with for the entire year at Berea. He personally had only gotten to actually know Jin during his second semester, but that didn’t change the fact that he wanted him to be happy with his new living arrangement! “Hey, how are you doing?” he greeted him casually, but in a friendly manner. Of course, he was only saying this as though to say that it was nice to meet him, but Aiden was all too ready to answer his question!
            “Great, actually. Thanks for asking! How are you? Also, where are you from? You don’t exactly have the country accent or anything…” Aiden remarked with curiosity as he assisted in picking up a box of what seemed to be cooking supplies while Rhodon grabbed a box of the cooking ingredients to go along with that. The three of them headed into the house, but not once did the two stop conversing with one another.
            “I couldn’t be any better myself. I’m originally from Canada, but my family moved to New York when I was twelve years old, so I guess I’m considered a bit of a New Yorker now.” Rhodon laughed as he followed them inside.
Evan didn’t even act mildly interested in this new guest, but what he did find to be absolutely annoying and far beyond his grasp of understanding was the fact that he PUT ON HIS SHOES. He was prepared to go outside and help out when he didn’t want to in the first place. He put a little kindness out there because it was only right. BUT THIS WAS DONE IN VAIN. The car… it was empty. Everything was taken care of; all that Jin had ‘needed help with’ was in the arms of the three people that just passed him. With a roll of his eyes, Evan muttered a few curse words under his breath as he his heel and retraced his steps back into the house, closing the door behind him. Evan was so bitter about the entire situation that he stopped Aiden in his tracks by grabbing hold of his shoulder only to throw his hand into the box he held and pull out a saucepan. Slightly satisfied, he gestured for the group to continue on, ignoring the odd and confused expressions plastered on their faces. Didn’t it make sense that he didn’t want his efforts to be a waste of his time? If he did something, there was ALWAYS a reason. So, with the saucepan in hand, he joined the group that ventured first into the kitchen to put the cookware away. “Where do you want this?” he asked, turning his attention to Aiden once more, still ignoring the look on his face.
        Aiden tried to understand Evan’s reasoning behind the singular pan in his hand, even with him asking where he wanted it to be put, but at least he was putting in a little effort! “Um... In that bottom cabinet there..?” Was it Evan’s attempt at participating in the move in? Out of place, a little strange, but all the same, it made him smile.
“Oh..! This reminds me.” Rhodon remarked excitedly as a thought popped into his head at the sight of the ingredients packed in the box he set down on the floor. “I have a few coupons for a Chinese buffet down the road across from Walmart if you guys are interested. The food isn’t /that/ bad for a buffet, and it would save all this food for another time.” he suggested as he looked from one person to the other to see what they had to say.
            “Are you kidding?! I love that place! I agree it’s not the greatest place, but when you’re hurting for a little Asian food, it’s like a saving grace.” Aiden chimed in, absolutely thrilled by Rhodon’s offer. “Add in the fact that it’ll be free, and we have the chance to get to know each other-- it just makes everything better!” He was sure the others would agree too! A little outing just sounded absolutely perfect.
The idea of free food was definitely an appealing one, but get to know each other? Evan was very hesitant about the matter because he personally wasn’t interested in making new relationships due to the ones he had previously experienced in his life. He didn’t need relationships. “I don’t know... Don’t we have a lot to do today?” he asked in response in an attempt to get rid of the chance to go.
“We have a few hours, I don’t see why it should be a problem. Actually, I have been meaning to attend that restaurant. I have been here nearly three years, and somehow my friends have not asked me to go. I would like to try.” Jin remarked in agreement with Aiden. He could tell Evan was really just making up excuses to stay at the house, but as curious as he was, he didn’t ask him why or anything. It was his own business after all, and because he was a stranger, he had no right to ask.
“Okay, then let’s get this done and go then! My stomach is already making crazy noises.” Rhodon laughed as he assisted Jin in placing some of the food ingredients inside the cabinets above the kitchen counter. He and Aiden seemed to be quite unaware of why Evan was so hesitant, but who could blame them? They didn’t know him on a personal level, and frankly, they weren’t the most observant people either. Apparently they were all going!
Evan breathed a small, silent sigh as the decision was made, but he made no argument against it. It was three against one, and he just didn’t care to speak out about it. He would be living with two of these people, so might as well begin to understand a little about them anyways.
 
-----
 
            Only fifteen minutes had passed before the group was able to leave for the restaurant, mainly because very little was able to be done with the lack of furniture currently in the house. Upon their arrival at the restaurant, a waitress of Chinese ethnicity showed the group to their seats before they were released to the buffet area. Jin had actually asked for a larger table, for reasons unknown, so they were taken to one of the larger group tables that remained in the center area of the restaurant. The four of them dispersed throughout the room to the foods of their personal liking, and one by one they all returned to their seats.
            Evan was the first to be seated with a single plate of steamed rice and a variety of meats he placed in front of him. His eyes fixed upon the dishes that each of the group members brought with them, curious to see what they had decided to eat and maybe even to see the amount as well. Such things told him a lot about the person he was getting to know. He observed as Rhodon sat across from him with a single plate of similar items to his own as well as a smaller dish of sushi as a side. He was a sushi kind of person? Interesting... So he wasn’t terribly picky, he seemed to like to section off the types of foods on his plates, and he didn’t eat that much... Though perhaps he would go back for more. Perhaps this meant he was a pretty well-organized person.
            Next to sit down was Aiden, who, to Evan’s dismay, took the liberty to sit beside him, holding a plate in each hand while another rested upon his inner elbow. Carefully Aiden set all three down and immediately began eating once ready to do so. This came as no surprise at all to Evan. His plates were a hot mess of combined meats, sauces, and rice... just like his personality. However, his hazel eyes tore away from the boy next to him when he spotted Jin approaching the table holding two plates of his own. Okay, so he was norm--- wait. Both plates contained only rice. Lots of it. Not just that, but Jin didn’t sit down either. He left as soon as he had arrived, just to grab himself more food from the buffet. This happened not once, not twice, but three times. THREE. Jin had a total of eight plates at his disposal, all of which were unique in some way. After the first two rice plates, every plate held a different type of meat or noodle or whatever he happened to have the liking for. None of it was mixed.
            Evan, Aiden, and Rhodon all stared with their mouths agape as he finally sat himself down to join them. How could this... this tall, scrawny Korean guy eat eight plates full of food and not gain anything? Evan’s eyebrows knitted together as he tried to comprehend just what kind of person this guy was. Completely organized... Not a flaw in any of his sorted foods, and he could assume he was the same way with his living situations. But… if he ate this much, how in the world was he supposed to cook for them when they decided to eat at the house? He’d eat everything! He might as well turn the cooking pot into a bowl for himself! He could imagine it now... Jin announcing a dinner of hot, steamed rice and some sort of Korean dish he knew nothing about... The smell of the food would linger throughout the house, arousing a hunger in all of their stomachs. And when all of the other roommates including himself hurried into the kitchen for a bite to eat, there… there would sit Jin with the entire pot of rice placed in front of him on the dining room table, pouring the chicken or beef or whatever onto it with no hesitance at all... And the very spoon he used to cook it all with would be the utensil he used to shove it all into his mouth... The four of them would be standing in the doorway, staring as Jin ate all of the food he had made... and when Jin finally noticed them, darts would fly out of his eyes, as if to show his claim over the food was to be shared with no one.
            “Evan! Hello~. You okay there?” Aiden called to his fellow roommate as he waved his left hand in front of his face with concern. Evan held the expression of someone who was confused, possibly offended, and maybe even a little mad… Had he eaten something that didn’t sit well with his stomach while he was still grabbing his own food? Was he trying to figure out what it was that was making him feel unwell? Was he mad that he couldn’t figure it out?
            Evan’s head twitched to the side as his eyes finally broke away from whatever concentrated spot they were fixed on. Immediately, he was once again immersed into reality at the table. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” he questioned Aiden with quite the disgusted look upon his face. In fact… why were ALL of them staring?
            “You seemed a little spaced out is all. I think Aiden was just worried; no need to be upset.” Rhodon assured him, as though that was supposed to make him feel better. People should always be appreciative of those who worry for them... it shows how much they are cared for and loved.
            Evan glanced over at Rhodon with a raised eyebrow before clearing his throat and lowering his eyes to his plate. His hand then reached for the silverware that lay beside his cup, but he paused when he realized... that silverware didn’t include chopsticks. He forgot to ask the waitress! Again, he lifted his eyes to examine where the chopsticks might be accessible, but low and behold-- there were three pairs lying at arm’s length away to his left. While observing the chopstick placement, he just happened to catch a glimpse of Jin practically stuffing his face with Chow Mein noodles as his chopsticks guided the soft noodles into his large, gaping mouth. It was like watching items being fed through a machine… it never ceased. He didn’t know why, but something deep inside him caused him to feel anxious... as though he was worried that Jin might choke. He didn’t want to be a witness in something as serious as that! He had no CPR skills whatsoever, and if Jin’s life depended on his CPR skills to bring him back to the living, there was no way that HE of all people was going to be the one to do it. “Hey, hey, slow down, will you? You’re making me nervous.” Evan finally spoke up to the newest roommate. Didn’t he even want to enjoy the food?
            Jin paused in the middle of a strand of noodles to obtain eye contact with Evan, a completely innocent expression plastered on his face. His deep brown eyes reflected the fact that he was questioning what exactly was wrong with the act he was doing. Carefully, he kneaded the rest of the strand of noodles into his mouth, chewed, and then swallowed before finally speaking up, “Are you worried? I won’t choke; I enjoy eating my food this way. Please, eat and don’t worry.” he flashed him a smile, humbled by the fact that Evan of all people cared enough to ask him to slow down so that he didn’t choke. Immediately after speaking, though, he returned to eating just like before.
            “It’s true; this is entirely normal for him to eat this way. It’s a little nerve-wracking at first, I’ll admit, but you get used to it. I don’t think anyone could defeat him in an eating contest!” Rhodon pointed out with a grin of sorts towards Evan as he himself continued eating with a fork in hand. It seemed he didn’t know how to use chopsticks, though there was always the possibility that he just didn’t feel like using them today…
            Evan wasn’t exactly sure how to react to the comments he was given, because he felt that no matter what he said, his voice was always overridden. So, without another glance to his fellow tablemates, he grabbed a pair of chopsticks and finally began eating and didn’t stop at all to take part in conversations that erupted at the table as the time passed. He only responded with a sound of agreement or a facial expression when his input was deemed necessary.
            Meanwhile, even though Jin was quite busy shoving all sorts of food into his mouth, his eyes were constantly observing the others around him. Evan in particular caught his eye because he had become distant after the comment he had made about his eating habit. He wasn’t entirely sure what was on his mind, but this would definitely be something to look into. Why was it so hard for Evan to take part in these conversations, and why was there a wall between him and everyone else? Jin was accustomed to being responsible for people of all ages younger than eighteen, so he had the gift of being able to read someone like a book as time went on. So, rather than harboring on the fact he didn’t understand him right now, he left well enough alone and ate in peace, knowing that this mystery would be solved eventually.
            As for Rhodon, he was a little confused as to why the aura of the table was so tense. He wasn’t aware of the fact that Aiden and Evan had only just met yesterday, and he wasn’t even aware that this was normal for Evan to be such an introvert. For all he knew, Evan could just be having a bad day. Hopefully his day would gain a little sunshine as it went on... Still, he was grateful for Aiden’s presence because it definitely lifted his spirit. He felt welcomed, and that in and of itself was an amazing feeling to experience.
            As the four of them finished up their meals, a total of six plates had been eaten by Aiden, but the rest of them remained with the same amount of dishware they had begun with. Also, Aiden actually had decided to raise a question to Rhodon, simple because he had grown to like this new acquaintance, “Say, Rhodon, do you have a place to stay over the school year? If not, you’re welcome to stay with us. I’m still missing two more roommates.” he offered with a smile, hoping that he would agree to it.
            Rhodon took a moment to sip his glass of water and set the cup down as a frown came to his lips, “Actually... I’m not sure I can. I have an interview later today for being a roommate, and I’m hoping that goes well. If not though, I’ll contact Jin and let you know whether or not I can accept. Thanks for the offer.” he said as he forced a smile back to his lips. Aiden didn’t seemed too happy about his response, but he completely understood prior engagements were unavoidable. Was it bad that he hoped his interview didn’t go well?
            This conversation that had emerged between the two left both Jin and Evan questioning something inside their minds… Both of them seemed to have gears turning in their heads as they considered everything they knew to be correct… So, Aiden was holding an interview later today… And Rhodon also said that he was being interviewed later today, but he failed to mention where and by who… What if..? Jin and Evan exchanged looks of speculation, and the simple fact that both of them were considering the possibility made it seem even more like a coincidence. Did Aiden and Rhodon not want to look into this a little farther? Well if not, they didn’t mind staying silent until the time came for the answer to pop up later.
Once the group had finished dining at the restaurant, Rhodon paid for his own meal and used the coupons for the others’. He was definitely grateful that a friend had given these to him, though he hadn’t really expected to need them. He followed the others to the car, and after he had positioned himself in the driver’s seat and made sure everyone was buckled up, he began the drive back to the house. “Jin, you said you hadn’t been here before, right? How did you like it, I mean... for oriental food? I know it’s not the best stuff available, but it’s not too bad when you’re at a college.”
Jin had taken the window seat in the back to allow Aiden up front, and currently he was staring out the window, watching as the traffic and landscape flew past them. “How did it taste? Um... that would be... as the Americans say, like cardboard. I didn’t quite understand the meaning of that when I first came here, and I assumed that my friends were being very literal when they said so. I thought... did they eat cardboard? It was very unexpected. They did end up explaining to me, that it was just expression, so I say this to you in same way. The food was not of high quality, but it wasn’t the worst either.” he replied, leaving the comment at that. After a few moments, however, he realized he may have been rude and spoke up once more to show his gratitude, “Ah, Rhodon... thank you for taking us. I said it wasn’t so good, but was very nice. Better than Berea’s food service. I would come again,” he added, this time facing the driver with a softness in his eyes. He hoped he hadn’t offended him.
It tasted like cardboard? Evan’s eyebrows raised at the usage of the metaphor, finding the comment to be rather... misplaced. The food wasn’t at all that bad, especially compared to food service! If he says that this restaurant was like cardboard, what did he refer to Berea’s food as? Honestly, he didn’t think Jin disliked the food that much once he finished his piece on the matter; perhaps he just lacked another metaphor. He seemed to eat enough of it, so he couldn’t have hated it. Or was he too polite to not eat it? This guy was weird...  
Rhodon’s eyes lifted to the rearview mirror to glance at Jin once he had responded. He could tell by his expression that Jin was being sincere, and he really appreciated all he had to say on the matter. Compared to the food he was used to having in Korea and making for himself, he was sure it really did taste bad! “Oh... that reminds me. You have a couple boxes you left in the trunk. I forgot we had put anything back there.” he remarked thoughtfully.
Evan’s eyes formed a glare when Rhodon said that there was more luggage to be found in the car. Did he mean... that he DID have a reason to leave the house earlier? His head hit against the headrest of his seat, and slowly he rolled his head until he faced the window as he kept his mouth shut. What did he get himself into?
Little conversation was held over the next few minutes of the trip back to the house thanks to the food coma that was beginning to hit all of them. Once back at the house, even their movements were sluggish. Each stood from their seat and closed the car door only to stretch and begin walking in what seemed to be slow motion. Food coma was real. Jin and Aiden made a point to grab the boxes out of the trunk while Evan just headed straight for the door. The opportunity for him to help had passed, and he no longer cared to grab the luggage he could have carried earlier. It was their fault he didn’t get it before. The three of them waved to Rhodon as he closed the trunk, and he left soon after to prepare for the rest of the day or something... Whatever he had going on. The rest of the group entered the house to await the next interview, which would be in only an hour! One could only guess what they did in that time... Zzzzz
It wasn’t long at all before the interviews started, and basically… it was just like the day before, except Evan had Jin to help him run the interrogations (they were pretty in depth with Jin around). It seemed that even when Evan didn’t like someone, Jin would purposely put them through an interview after it was already decided they wouldn’t be chosen. He just wanted to make sure they weren’t judging the interviewees by their appearances. It was better to actually know more about the individuals. So, three more of these passed and still, they agreed none of them would be able to live in the house. Surprisingly both Jin and Evan agreed on all of the decisions made.
            The three of them had just finished the third interview and were waiting on the next, and all of them seemed to be rather bored in doing so. Evan sat on the window’s ledge, which was just beside the front door, as he watched for the next person to approach. He liked to gain a little preview of the person before he was aware of people watching him. Jin was in the kitchen grabbing himself a glass of water before the next guest arrived, and Aiden just sat on the couch, positioned as though he was pondering something... That was odd.
            As Evan watched out the window, he spotted some guy wearing a loose pair of black skinny jeans as well as a simple, loose, solid white t-shirt with an ped, black, hooded sweater. He seemed to be rather confused as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose to peer at a piece of paper he held in his hand. He wore on his back a smaller backpack that seemed to be stuffed to the brim with whatever was inside. He wasn’t looking for this house was he?? Evan watched as someone else approached the same spot this guy was standing in, and once he came to a stop beside him, he began to speak with him. The first guy didn’t speak at all, but this one was able to look at his piece of paper and come to an understanding of what he needed, or at least that was the impression Evan got. After a few moments, the first one continued on his path down the sidewalk while the other began to walk up their driveway. Perhaps this was just coincidence, but was it possible that the guy that was coming had told him the wrong directions just so he could have the interview first? He couldn’t help but think the worst, but... this guy really didn’t seem all that innocent either.
            “Hey, we’ve got company.” Evan remarked as he stood from his seat at the window and made his way across the living room towards the door that led to the garage. “You go ahead and interview him; I’m gonna go check on something.” He said to Jin before he left the room. Evan hurried through the garage door and exited the home entirely to try and catch up with the guy that had previously been in front of the house. He wasn’t too far ahead, but he had to pick up a little speed to shorten the distance between them. Wait a minute... why did he seem to be going faster? Ugh... the last thing he wanted to do was participate in a workout of any sorts... “Hey--!” As soon as the word popped out of his mouth, this person just took off running! What the..?! With an exasperated sigh, he contemplated quickly over whether or not he actually should chase after him. He could be mistaken for all he knew, but his instincts told him differently. His right foot took a step backwards as he turned slightly to head back to the house, but with a few choice words flying out of his mouth, he finally convinced himself to go after the person.
            Evan’s eyes kept him in sight as he picked up speed to try and gain on him as he made the attempt to figure out where he was going. Honestly though, he wasn’t sure this guy even had a direction. He was completely lost in the first place! The longer he raced after him, the more he realized he wasn’t going to catch up without using the landscape as an advantage. Whoever this was, he was going at full speed to get away from him. As they came around the parking lot of Deep Green, Evan noticed that he was heading in the direction of the parking lot entrance to Boone Tavern while he approached Papaleno’s. So without any hesitation at all, he did as much as he could to pick up his pace and ran around the front of the shopping strip to try and block him off. This was definitely the longer route of the two, but it was quite possible to succeed in catching him if traffic could delay him.
            Just a little longer... just a little longer... He cursed as he tried to push himself to continue, realizing that there was a reason he hated running. After this, he wasn’t going to do anything. Anything at all. Finally, he reached the stop sign at the end of the shopping strip and immediately turned to hopefully cut the guy off, but to his surprise, he crashed right into him and while he himself stumbled backwards, the guy he was chasing fell right back onto his . Both gasping for air, Evan immediately grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him to eye level, leaning over to make himself clear, “I…” he huffed as he tried to steady his breathing, “I am SO done chasing you right now.” he said with a hint of disdain (mainly for the running bit) as he looked into the scared eyes of this.. kid. He looked like a kid. Honestly the longer Evan held him like that, the more guilty he felt in doing so; therefore, he released his shirt and allowed him a little space, though not enough for him to get away again.
            This was the first time the blonde that Evan held at arm’s length had actually seen Evan, considering he hadn’t once looked back to see who was chasing him. The eyes of this guy were so threatening that he felt he could just melt where he knelt on the sidewalk. W-What was he going to do? Why was he even chasing him in the first place? Was he a gang member? Did he somehow do something wrong that offended him in some way? Did he want something from him?? Once he was released, the poor guy quickly pulled his arms out of the straps of his backpack and pushed his belongings towards his attacker, not even daring to look him in the eyes anymore. “T-Take it! Whatever you want, it’s yours!” He insisted in a rather thick English accent.
            Evan quirked an eyebrow as the backpack was practically pushed into his arms, and then when he spoke… it all became clear. Wow. Heeeeee’s an international. That made a lot of sense. He just scared the living crap out of this poor international kid. He breathed a very long sigh as a million curse words surged through his brain, as he tried to figure out how to amend the problem he had created. “Look... I don’t want--” The international dropped hold of his bag and turned to run again once more, but he was quick to grab hold of his shoulder and spin him around to face him. No way was he going after him again! “Now just wait a second, I’m not going to kill you! Stop running and listen for a second!” he blurted out as he became more frustrated with the situation. How could he calm him down if he wouldn’t let him??
            The international looked as though he was about to experience some sort of hyperventilating fit of sorts the longer Evan had him under his hold, and the fear was practically emanating from the poor guy’s entire aura. He just wanted to get away! He gave him his backpack already, and now he’s not letting him go?? S-So... it WAS him he was after! He was done for! The realization hit him pretty hard, and it was very evident that he was close to tears in that very moment.
            “Hey, hey, hey… hey. Settle down.” Evan asked of him as he raised his hands into a surrender pose, the international’s backpack dangling from his elbow. “Look... I’m not going to hurt you.” he insisted softly as he tried to assure him of it. This was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Then again, he was sure this kid had never been chased down by an American before either. Carefully he reached for the backpack’s handle and lifted it from his arm only to hand it over to the guy across from him, though he didn’t let go just yet, “The only reason I was chasing you was because you looked like you were lost. I saw you just outside of the house I was staying in, and someone turned you away from going in. I was pretty confident that he was telling you the wrong directions, so I was just trying to help you out. Okay?” he said as calmly and seriously as possible. He felt like he was treading on frozen water!  
            The international froze where he stood as Evan pulled away from him again and raised his hands to show him he wasn’t after him for any bad reason. It took him a few seconds to take in everything he had to say, but slowly he began to relax a little… When he returned him his backpack, he immediately took hold of it and was ready to pull it completely towards himself to embrace his belongings, but this guy didn’t let go! It was like... he was being held captive and yet not at the same time! He listened to the rest of Evan’s piece and little by little it began to make sense... and he wasn’t so on edge anymore. Who WAS this guy? He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Nothing.
            “Can I see that sheet of paper you were holding earlier? I think that’ll answer both of our questions…” Evan asked of him as he allowed him to finally take his backpack and reached out his hand for the paper. He felt that it was safe now and that he wouldn’t try running again, so hopefully he was right... Man, his body felt all sore and sweaty... He definitely deserved something for this.
            Hesitantly, the international pried his eyes away from Evan to pull the sheet of paper from his pocket and unfolded it for Evan to look at for himself. As this stranger looked over the information he had been given over the internet, he slowly pulled the backpack back over his shoulders where it belonged and awaited a response from him.
        Evan’s eyes traced the piece of paper left to right and top to bottom until he finished, and he pursed his lips when his instincts had been proven right. This had the address to Aiden’s house for sure, and apparently he was told he would be having an interview of sorts as well. Was this serious? Shouldn’t he be living in Berea’s dormitories? “Well... it looks as though you were at the right place and that guy back there told you wrong. Damien, is it? I’m Evan. I’ll take you back to where you’re supposed to be.” He said as he handed the paper back. He was relieved to have seen his name on the email he had printed off because he wasn’t so sure this kid would have told him otherwise. Evan gestured for Damien to come with him, but he didn’t dare let him walk behind him; this kid was a hazardous running machine. He was not going to be going on any more runs.
        Damien received the paper gratefully, folded it up and placed it back in his pocket as he nodded in response to his introduction with his eyes averted to the ground. Without a word, he reluctantly followed Evan, or… walked alongside him, slightly behind him because he was being watched like a hawk. Evan really knew how to be intimidating. Hopefully he was doing the right thing listening to this stranger. For all he knew, he could be taking him somewhere he didn’t want to be. He could be pretending to be someone he’s not. Courage, Damien, courage.
Every minute that passed during the walk back to the neighborhood they started in was terribly excruciating for both of them. Evan was through with walking and ready to be back at the house while Damien was still contemplating whether or not he was being led to certain death. Once they reached the driveway Damien had initially found himself, however, his mind was quickly changed. He led him back! As promised! He really wasn’t going to do anything to him! A small smile came to his lips as the relief washed over him, but the look that Evan gave him quickly washed it away. Why was he gesturing him to follow him still? Damien gave him an apprehensive look but continued to walk with him anyways until he was taken to the front door and even allowed inside.
        Evan had no intention of waiting until this recent interviewee was done being questioned. He walked right into the house with Damien in tow, closed the door behind him and then steadily crossed the living room floor until he came to an abrupt stop beside the guy being questioned on the couch. “Hey. Get up. Your interview is over.” he declared, his expression as dulled as usual, though his eyes hinted that he was quite irritable at the moment.
Jin and Aiden exchanged glances immediately after Evan’s comment, and Jin himself was quick to stand in case anything happened. He didn’t know Evan very well, and frankly, he didn’t know whether or not something would ensue after his little remark. “Evan? What is it? He has a reason to know why you’re asking him to leave.” he insisted so that there could be at least a bit of resolve before everything went down.
        Evan gave Jin almost a glare as he pointed at the guy that sat on the couch accusingly, “This guy… is the reason I just ran all the way around the d*** shopping area and back to get this kid over here. Damien was here first, and this a**hole told him he was at the wrong house and sent him somewhere else. He is not staying here.” he informed all of them as poor Damien stood awkwardly by the door with his hands clenched tightly around his backpack’s straps. Should he leave? This really wasn’t the ideal situation...
        The guy stood up from the couch, putting on an expression that indicated he was a little hurt by his words. “Me? I couldn’t do such a thing on purpose. I read the paper wrong.” He placed his hand on his chest and over his heart to express his sincerity. “Honestly. It can happen to anyone.”
        “I don’t want to hear that bull--CRAP!” Evan pulled back on his words, attempting to reel in his anger about it all. There was a child in the room, after all. “I saw you do it, and with a smug grin on your face after you did it, too. I want you out.” He kept his hands at his sides, balled into fists as if they were the only things holding all of his frustration inside.
        Aiden was watching in awe more than fear. It was the most passionate he had ever seen Evan in the time that they had been together. It didn’t compare to the way he sounded when he spoke about his favorite video games. He was beginning to see the red hot fire that lied beneath the apathetic exterior that he had started getting used to, and it validated his choice. Man, he was really cool…
        Meanwhile, Jin was more concerned that the two guys were going to get into a fight. While he could admit Evan had said more words than he had even heard from him since they met, it was the last thing on his mind. “Evan, Paul... Please stop this…” Jin stepped forward and placed his hand up in front of Evan, gesturing for peace.
Evan looked over at Jin as he moved forward, unable to drop the anger in his look. “I want him out,” he said again blatantly. “He tried to confuse Damien in an attempt to place himself first... Damien doesn’t know any better... he’s an international student. And he made me run.”
        Jin blinked at his last statement. He made him run…? His thoughts were interrupted when the bickering began once more.
        “You don’t know anything about me,” the guy, Paul, stated, getting Evan’s attention back. “You can’t accuse me of nothing.” His aura had become almost threatening, though Evan stared unwaveringly. Was there anything that could make him flinch? He looked past Evan’s form and noticed that Damien was standing by the door. His expression shifted into a sly grin, and he pushed his way past Evan slyly. “Hey! I didn’t even notice you there!”
        Damien stared as Paul walked over, fear overtaking his body once more. Why did this have to happen to him?? He just wanted to go to school in peace! He didn’t want to be the object of a fight or an argument or whatever was going to come out of this situation... He just wanted out! He was wrenched out of his inverted moment when Paul placed his hand on his shoulder in a way that indicated friendship of a long time, but in their case, didn’t even exist.
        “Why don’t you tell them what actually happened, huh?” Paul said, trying to coax him onto his side. “It was just all a big misunderstanding between us. No harm done, right?” He smiled a very friendly smile, nudging Damien with a squeeze to the shoulder. “Right?”
        To Evan’s surprise, Jin was the one to take the initiative. “It was very nice to meet you, Paul, but I believe it is time for you to go.” He took hold of Damien’s arm, firmly enough to pull him away from the guy that had suddenly taken up his personal space, but not tight enough to frighten him. “Thank you for answering our questions.”
        Damien stood at Jin’s side, watching as Paul looked between them, and then the rest of the people in the room. “Yeah... Fine.” He moved past Jin and Damien to grab the hat he had placed on the table in front of the couch. He glanced at Evan as he did so, still receiving no form of wavering determination from him. “See ya around,” he said as he opened the door, and took his leave like a tornado at the end of a storm.
        The room was quiet when the door closed. As soon as Paul was gone, Evan walked over to the couch, and without hesitation, fell upon it. For a moment, Jin was concerned about Evan’s sudden collapse, but he was more concerned about the shaking he felt in his hand coming from the one Evan had called Damien. “Are you alright?” Jin asked Damien, releasing him from his grip. “Maybe you should sit down and have a glass of water.”
        Out of all of the things that had been happening to him, from being chased, to almost witnessing a fight, Damien appreciated the words falling from Jin’s mouth. They were possibly the nicest things he had heard since arriving in the States just a few hours ago. He gave Jin several nods in response, still avoiding eye contact for the meantime. He was beyond uncomfortable here in America thus far, and he was beginning to regret coming. Was this normal for America?? If so, he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to get used to it...
        Jin gestured for him to follow him to the kitchen and told him to sit down at the breakfast bar while he grabbed his drinks for him. He understood what he was going through as an international individual, but he really couldn’t say that he had experienced the same thing on his first day in America. He himself was living in a dormitory his freshman year, and the Berea staff was very kind to him in assisting his every need when it came to where to go, who to contact, and everything related. This poor kid didn’t have that cushion at all. He searched the cabinets until he was able to find a cup, which just so happened to have the image of a Pikachu printed on its rounded side, and then filled it with water that drained from the water filter located on the fridge’s left door. He returned to Damien and placed the cup in front of him on the counter with a smile before leaving him to join Aiden and Evan in the living room. Jin was not pleased with how Evan handled the previous situation, and he intended to set a few things straight now that they were all to be roommates.
        First, he sat himself down in a chair beside Aiden and across from the couch Evan currently sat on. He leaned forward in the chair, with his elbows resting upon his thighs as he tried to think of what to say. He closed his eyes for a moment as he thought of how to be constructive with what he was going to tell Evan without being offensive. He didn’t need to blow a fuse of any sorts, now that he knew he had one. “Evan… Next time, please… PLEASE… try and be careful about what you say to people you don’t know. I’m sure all of us would like to avoid arguments and especially fights. Anyways... Damien’s a little shaken up, so I think we should give him a bit of space until he’s ready. What did you do to him while you were out? You /chased/ him?”
        Evan seemed unamused by Jin’s attempt at talking him into peaceful conversations, but he did acknowledge to himself that it was a little risky. He didn’t know why he didn’t control himself better. Actually... he did. All this time, his voice was not heard when spoken, at least in his opinion. So when this moment came, he wanted all of them to hear loud and clear that Paul was NOT staying and for good reason, too. His cause was justified. He could have held his anger in, but then what would have happened? Damien would have been left in a more awkward situation than before because he’s already learned that he’s too soft spoken. And if he hadn’t interrupted the interview would Jin have decided he was a good guy? THAT was the question. “Jin, Aiden… before you knew about this, did you like Paul?” he completely ignored the other questions Jin had to ask because he felt this was more important at the moment.
        “Yeah… yeah we did. He seemed like a good guy, and he held similar interests to us. I think with the way the questions were going, we might have accepted him…” Aiden admitted before biting his lip and rubbing his head with embarrassment. He felt he had been getting better in telling who had good character and who didn’t, but he almost failed again!
        “So if I hadn’t interrupted, it would have been too late, don’t you think? Maybe I didn’t control myself as much as I should have, but isn’t it better that you were aware of the situation? It’s done with, and if you look on the bright side, you don’t have to see his face every time you walk around the house.” Evan muttered as he lay himself on the couch and rested the back of his head on the palms of his hands with his eyes closed, “And yeah, I chased the kid. He began running before I had the chance to tell him why I was going after him.”
        Jin frowned as he listened to Evan and Aiden, and soon enough, he found himself wondering the same thing Evan was. Perhaps he was right in interrupting like that… Would he have done the same thing? Not with as much temper perhaps, and he definitely wouldn’t be spouting the curse words that left his mouth, but maybe he would have accused him like he did. Evan was just trying to do the right thing, even if it was for the wrong reason. He couldn’t have yelled at him just because he made him run after Damien, right? He was worried for Damien… maybe just a little? At the thought, his eyes raised to catch a glimpse of Damien getting himself some more water out of the fridge, gulping it down… getting more water, gulping it down… At this rate, the kid was going to drown himself from water intake!
        Aiden tapped his fingers on his knees nervously as he felt the seriousness of the conversation to be a bit more than he’d like. To rid himself of this situation, he stood and made a beeline for the kitchen to speak with his new guest, like Jin had specifically said not to. He needed space? No, he needed comfort. He was good at that! Casually he pulled himself up into a sitting position on the island and began speaking to Damien cheerfully, “Damien? I’m Aiden Valentine; I’m the one who’s renting the house out. He said you’re an international right? Where are you from?” he asked curiously.
        Damien jumped a little when a voice erupted from behind him, and he ly to find the one person he had yet to have contact with sitting on the kitchen island. Wasn’t that for food?? His eyes stared up at Aiden nervously, but he eased up a little as he continued on with the conversation. He seemed to be really friendly… He finished his gulp of water after that thought and he carefully wiped his mouth to make sure no water lingered on his lips, “Uh... England.” he replied simply, still in awe at the fact that Aiden was sitting on the island talking to him in a very friendly manner.
        “England? That’s amazing! I’ve always wanted to visit there, but then again, who doesn’t? I’ve heard great things about Europe. I personally have lived here in Berea all my life. It’s not all that interesting compared to somewhere like England, but it’s home. You come to appreciate the little things here.” Aiden assured him with a smile, “Oh, by the way I’m a freshman here at the college. I’m eighteen years old, and I really enjoy video games. And also cooking and shopping too! I guess I’m a little weird that way, but I find a lot of things interesting. How about you?”
        “Me? Well... I like science I guess; I’ve never played video games before.” Damien replied as he was slowly easing into the conversation. Even a small smile could be seen grown at the edge of his lips. Listening to Aiden speak about things he liked and where he was from did make him feel a little homesick, but it was a relief after all that had happened at the same time. “This creature on your cup... what is it?” he asked as he showed the cup to him. He actually found the Pikachu to be quite adorable in and of itself, and he was more than curious to learn about it! Not that he... was that into adorable things.
        Aiden’s mouth dropped when Damien claimed no knowledge in video games, and he stared in disbelief at the poor, deprived teenager in front of him, “What?! You’ve never-- No way!” he exclaimed as he tried to grasp how he must feel with that emptiness inside of him where no video games flourished. “You’re telling me that you have never, ever in your life played on a game system??” he asked again for confirmation to which he received a shy smile and a nod. “Wow… WOW…” he shook his head as if to show his amazement even further. Then his attention was turned back to the cup he held and the image he referred to and couldn’t help but laugh a little, “That creature? That, my friend, is Pikachu. He’s a Pokémon in… well, Pokémon. It’s a video game that you’re definitely going to have to experience among many others.” He grinned at the thought of revealing all of the video game glories he had to offer and nodded to himself. This was a good thing. “So what’s your major anyways? You said you like science, so is that what you’re looking into?”
        This question received a large nod and an excited smile to go with it, “Yeah. I’m not entirely sure of what I will do with it after college, but I believe science is what I’m most interested in. And you? Are you someone who works really well with technology?” he asked curiously, considering the fact that he liked video games so much.
“Ahahaha… Actually… I don’t know how to work with anything more than my computer, television, and phone. I don’t know how to fix any of it either. I’m a theater major! I really enjoy acting and being on stage.” Aiden replied with a grin. This guy was great! He thought he was a technology nerd? Pfffft! He couldn’t help but laugh, “By any chance, are you someone who stays up late, or do you go to bed relatively early?” he asked. Aiden was giving him an interview, and thankfully, Damien didn’t seem to be catching onto that just yet!
        “Uh… I’m not really sure. I’ve stayed up late reading before, but it’s not frequent.” Damien replied uncertainly. He didn’t go to parties, he didn’t hang out with friends, and he didn’t do anything teenagers typically do, so he hadn’t been exposed enough to really find out what kind of person he was when away from home. Usually there was nothing better to do than to sleep.
        “I see… Then do you get along with others very well?” Aiden received a shrug on that comment. “Do you… like animals?” Again he received a shrug. “Oh! Do you like Evan?” A pause… and then another shrug, slower than the others. “Hmm… me too.” he nodded in agreement.
        “Aiden.” Evan’s voice spoke up from the breakfast counter as he sat beside Jin and gave a small, unenthusiastic wave accompanied by a sarcastic smile. Both of them had been listening into the conversation soon after it had begun because they were amazed by the fact Aiden was interviewing… and interviewing Damien of all people. Aiden was asking good questions (until the last), and Damien was replying! Being roommates, they had to listen to the interview. Jin made Evan get up to do so.
        Damien’s eyes averted towards the two at the counter, and he nervously looked up to Aiden, who seemed to have dug his own hole by the comment he made. Why were they sitting there anyways? He thought they were in the living room! How did he not notice?
        Aiden scrunched his eyes closed at the sound of Evan’s voice, and he slowly turned around on the island to face him, give him a wide grin and a nervous wave in return, “Say, I didn’t know you guys were there! I was just, you know… talking to Damien. I think he’s okay to stay. What do you guys think?” he asked to sort of take the spotlight off himself.
        Jin smirked slightly at Evan and Aiden’s interaction and held in a laugh as he raised his hand to his mouth to cover it. The fact that he was through interviewing with Damien was all good, but he did have one more question, “Damien, what’s something we should know about you?” he asked sincerely, though a grin left its trace on his face.
        HE was questioning him now? He didn’t know him that well! Suddenly this was really nerve wracking! “Um…” what should he say? What was something people should always know about you? Or what did he like about himself that he wanted others to know too? He couldn’t think of anything now that he was put on the spot! “Uh… If I may ask… what’s yours?”
        Jin was surprised to have the question turned towards him instead, and he himself wasn’t even sure he knew the answer. What could he tell them? Ah! That’s it! With that grin still on his face, he allowed the answer to come out of his mouth as a slight shade of red came to his cheeks, “I am really, really, really into Mario. The others helped me carry in boxes from my car to move in, and two of them were Mario merchandise. If he gets to be the one to teach you about Pokémon, I’m going to teach you about Mario.” he said as he pointed to himself and laughed.
        Evan turned his head to look at Jin and raised both of his brows with interest and complete judgement. TWO of those boxes? He was serious? No wonder he didn’t let them open them earlier! He better be as good at playing Mario as he was in collecting it. He needed a challenge.
        Aiden laughed at Jin’s confession and slapped his knee a few times to show his approval. He didn’t know he was such a nerd! “Okay, okay, me next! So, something that you should know about me… Ah. Ah, I got it. I um... I really, REALLY love to cook.” he said with a nod to himself and a cross of his arms. Jin and Evan nodded at him to go on with the remark because they knew there had to be more to it. “But I absolutely cannot cook. My mom tried my cooking once. She said never again… There was another time I tried to cook again to prove her wrong. I told her, just you see…” he paused once more, “The fire alarm went off, and she hid the cooking ware from me after that,” he said as he pressed his lips together into something that was sort of a smile but also one that said ‘yeah, my bad’...
        Jin slowly reached over and grabbed hold of a spoon that was sitting out on the counter and held it tightly in his hands as he closed his eyes as if to pray and protect the utensil, “Please… do not touch this kitchen…” This kitchen was far too wonderful for someone to mess it up… it was a miracle nothing had happened yet!
            “You… are a Godsend. Don’t leave.” Evan remarked to Jin who responded with a nod as he continued his prayer or whatever it was he was doing.
        Damien bit his lip as a grin spread across his lips, his stomach practically begging him to let out a laugh. Perhaps this wasn’t so bad after all! A Mario lover and a terrible cook? What about Evan?? All of them were now waiting for Evan’s answer in fact.
        Evan acknowledged their questioning looks and cleared his throat to ease the awkward tension he had given himself, “Well… I’m a rapper. And before you ask, Aiden, no I am not a candy wrapper.” that remark itself was enough to make Aiden laugh. How did he know he was going to ask that??
        “But, but wouldn’t it be funny! Your last name is Sugar!” Aiden laughed as he took the moment in. Jin on the other hand seemed to be slightly impressed but not at all surprised by his confession. He sort of looked like the type… And now, it was Damien’s turn…
        Mario, bad cook, rapper… They were all so interesting; how was he supposed to compete with that! “I uh… I have an identical twin brother.” he said finally. He knew it wasn’t as interesting as everything else they had to say, but to him it was very important. His twin was his other half, and he wasn’t with him anymore when he always was. This was his first time separated from his brother, and that said a lot. He took a big chance coming to America, so maybe this could show he wasn’t as much a coward as they may think at this moment.
        “Wow… so cool.” Aiden remarked with interest, thinking how awesome it must be to have another self. You could do a lot of things with a twin! However, Jin and Evan didn’t have much of a chance to respond because immediately after Aiden’s comment, the doorbell chimed, which signaled it was time for the next interview.
Aiden quickly jumped from the island and patted Damien’s shoulder with a grin, “Welcome aboard!” he cheered before hurrying to the door to answer with Jin and Evan following after. Once he pulled open the door, though, he was greeted with an unexpected surprise. There he stood with dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a Canadian face... It was none other than Rhodon Hope! Aiden beamed at the sight of his acquaintance, but he was a little confused... did he forget something here?? “Hey, Rhodon! Did you forget something while you were here??”
Rhodon seemed to be a little embarrassed about something as he rubbed the back of his neck with a smile, obviously happy to see him as well, “Actually... I was wondering if your offer still stands. It turns out, my interview was with you.” he admitted sheepishly.