7 years back at Incheon International Airport

Myungsoo parted from his parents with tears in his eyes. He was sad to leave his parents, his home, his friends, the surrounding he grew up in and most importantly his hyung. He had never been far from his hyung even for a day. His hyung was always there to support him, to comfort him, to love him. He felt so lonely at that moment that he cried so hard when he sat at his seat. He didn’t care about people, their stares, the pitiful faces the others were making, because he just needed to let go of all his melancholy.

He loved his hyung immensely and he thought the feeling was reciprocated but he had never known he has been a huge burden to the other all this time.

While he was bawling his eyes out, he saw a tissue paper being passed on to him with his blurred eyes. He used it with a thankful heart thinking it must be the flight attendant. Only after the plane took off, he was able to compose himself.

He heard a soft voice from beside, “Are you okay now?”

On sudden question, Myungsoo jolted in his seat making the other person startled.

“Ah…sorry. Did I scare you?” The stranger asked again.

“I…I am okay.” Myungsoo said with a hoarse voice since he had dry throat due to crying for a long time.

“Here, have some juice. This will make you feel better.” The blonde guy handed him with a bright smile. Myungsoo felt the person really nice, he has that vibe to make anyone feel comfortable immediately and his smile felt like a bright sunshine.

“T…Thank you.” Myungsoo took the offered juice.

“No worries.”

Myungsoo was deep in thought so after a while he felt asleep.

When he woke up, his seat mate was reading a manga.

“Are you awake now?”

“Nae. Thank you for earlier.” Myungsoo humbly showed his gratitude.

“No problem. Were you missing your home already or you were just afraid of height?” The person asked making Myungsoo a bit taken aback. But he thought that the burden he is feeling must be lifted up so, he started to tell his part of story to the stranger.

“Ah…I see. By the way you described, I have a feeling that your hyung had some reason to do that. No any dongseang is burden to his hyung/noona. Anyways, give him some time. And don’t worry, you are going to start a new life in new nation with new people, you will get over your misery.” Myungsoo felt so much comfort from the strangers’ words.

He mumbled, “I hope so.”

As they were taking the leave, Myungsoo blurted, “By the way, what’s your name? You seem like a hyung to me.”

The blonde guy gave his signature smile and said, “I am Jang Dongwoo. I too assume that I am your hyung.”

Myungsoo smiled for the first time after he left Korea, “Thank you Dongwoo hyung. I am Kim Myungsoo. And you were a great help for me.”

“No problem. Take care of yourself, nae.”

With this they parted their way.

 

 

 

 

This is the new beginning and Myungsoo is going to change himself completely and be a different person rather than the person back in Korea who used to rely on his hyung. 

 

 

                     

 

 

 

 

Upon reaching Tokyo University, he finished the formalities first at the uni then headed to his dorm.

The dorm was huge and it looked very sophisticated. He got his room number and went there.

When he entered the room, someone had already occupied the bed beside the window, which he wanted so, he had to unpack his things at the next bed. Seeing the messy bed, he guessed his roommate is not a clean freak as he is. He just wished now that his personality would not be as such. 

A tall boy with pale skin came out of shower with only towel wrapped in his lower body. Myungsoo immediately closed his eyes.

His roommate bowed, “Gomenasai.” And quickly dressed up in a speed of ninja.

Myungsoo was so flustered and his cheeks became so red at the mere glance of the other’s beautiful body.

“It’s done. I guess you are my roommate.” The tall boy spoke and forwarded his hand for a handshake.

 “Khonichiwa, nice to meet you. I am L.” Myungsoo even got himself a nickname to get rid of his image completely.

“Wow! Your name and image exactly fits with Death Note L. Anyways, I am Lee Sungyeol.”

Myungsoo didn’t want to indulge more with his roommate.

“If you are done, can I use the shower?” Myungsoo said with stoic face.  

“Yeah, sure dude. Go ahead!”

When Myungsoo was locked in the bathroom, Sungyeol mumbled, “Even his character is similar to L.”

 

 

 

                     

 

 

 

 

Sungyeol was the talkative person but L on the contrary was like breathing doll, seriously. It was rare to hear him speak.

Sungyeol always got one word answer to his questions, which made him really frustrated.

“Aish…this is going to be long year~”, Sungyeol thought. It’s not that his roommate was mean and troublemaker, it’s just he is quite, so quite that he sometimes forgets L is in the same room as him.

While Myungsoo is majoring in Photography, Sungyeol is majoring in Acting. It has been his dream to be one famous actor. Since his roommate is not someone with whom you can talk to, he better stay at his other friend, Sungjong’s room. Both were majoring in acting so, he could be friends with the younger immediately.

 

 

 

It had already been a month since the university started and this means it had been a month since staying with the living statue.

Sungyeol’s patience was reaching his limit.

“Yah, what’s your problem?” Sungyeol yelled at L one day.

L didn’t even look up from the photo book he was focusing on.

This enraged Sungyeol more so, he snatched the album from the other’s hand and yelled again, “What’s your problem? Your mouth is not just for eating, it can be used for talking as well, if you don’t know.”

Myungsoo didn’t faze a bit by his roommate’s action. “I don’t have any problem and I don’t think me being quite is any of your problem as well.”

How can a person be so calm in any situation was out of understanding for Sungyeol.

“I am going out to stroll.” With this Myungsoo went out of the room leaving Sungyeol perplexed.

 

 

 

 

Sungyeol went to Sungjong’s room to vent out his anger.

“Jong-ah. I can’t understand this boy.” Sungyeol lay down in the bed with his face burying in the pillow. Though his sound was muffled, Sungjong could clearly hear it.

“Don’t try to understand then. Simple.” Sungjong shrugged, drinking the juice in a sassy style.

“You are so mean.” Sungyeol sat up in the bed with a pout. “And you are not shooting a commercial right now. Drink your juice normally.”

“This is how I drink normally.” Sungjong took another sip and rubbed his lips in a y way.

Sungyeol cringed at the sight. Sometimes he feels Sungjong as the coolest person, that’s the reason why he befriend him but there are times he wonders how he became close to this diva!

“Aw~ I have to cleanse my eyes now.” Sungyeol face showed he was about to puke any time.

“Now if you will excuse me, I need my beauty sleep. I am already late by 2 min.” Sungyeol wanted to throttle the sassy boy at that exact moment but held himself.

“You can’t go to sleep before you listen to me.” Sungyeol said sternly.

Sungjong sighed at the determined Sungyeol.

“Speak.” Sungjong glared.

“Why do you think he is always quite? I tried to find out if he is like that with only me but no, he is same with everyone. The entire university knows him as the Silent Prince…..”

Sungjong tried to lend his brain to stop the blabbering of the other. “Some people are introvert hyung. Not everyone loves to talk as you do.”

“I know Jongie that people have different nature but I think L was not like this before. I seriously feel from heart that he just changed recently.” Sungyeol peeked around to check if anyone’s listening. When assured he said, “I hear him sob at night many times. I feel that he went through something.”

Sungjong felt bad for the mysterious boy. “Maybe he had some accident or may have directly seen one! Such accidents can cause people big trauma, which can be a major reason for the personality change.”

Sungyeol hugged Sungjong screaming, “Wow! Jongie, you are brilliant. I’ll confirm this with L tonight.”

 

L was doing his assignments when Sungyeol reached the room.

“L-ah, did you have some accident before coming here?” Sungyeol asked softly fearing he would refresh some wounds.

But the Silent Prince stayed unfazed and just said, “NO.”

“You may have witnessed some of those tragic scenes, maybe. That could have given you trauma!” Sungyeol couldn’t say all his thoughts as L spoke, “NO” again.

Sungyeol thought this may not be the reason seeing L focus on his assignment.

 

 

 

 

                     

 

 

 

 

The first thing in the morning, Sungyeol did was find Sungjong and cried, “Jong-ah, that’s not the reason for his coldness. It had no effect on him. He does not want to talk to me…..”

Sungyeol’s rant was interrupted when Sungjong said, “Maybe he is heart-broken. Had a fight with his girlfriend before coming to Japan.”

“Ah…maybe…that’s right! Maybe he is still in love with her and can’t get over her so, he wants to stay in his own world.” Sungyeol was jumping as if he had found a new game making Sungjong roll his eyes.

“I am going to ask L.” Sungyeol dashed off to his classroom for now and Sungjong sighed in relief. Sometimes he wonders who is the real maknae here.

 

 

 

 

At evening when he got back to his room, L was already asleep so, he kept the question for tomorrow.

 

 

 

L was already getting ready for his class when Sungyeol woke up. But he had to ask him as soon as he opened his eyes.

“L, did you break up with your girlfriend before coming here?”

L was taken aback by the sudden question but still his face had that signature expression, which is blank.

Since L didn’t speak a single word, Sungyeol continued, “If so, don’t worry. I hope she understands you. You are here for study, nowadays long-distance relationship is made easier through development of technology, you know. And you can meet her in the vacations…”

“Where do you get all these ideas from? I don’t have a girlfriend, stop assuming.” L took his bag and went out of the door.

 

 

 

 

                     

 

 

 

 

Sungyeol looked dead tired at the cafeteria. He was walking like a zombie with only an Americano so, Sungjong invited him to join him so that he can have some real food.

“Ah..Yeol hyung, why are you like this?”

“Jong-ah. He does not have a girlfriend. So, why is he like that?”

Sungjong sighed. He didn’t need to ask who ‘he’ was.

“Maybe, he fought with his parents to come here. I have seen in many movies, the protagonist’s parents don’t want their children to be away from them but the actor wants to pursue his dream so, he leaves his house to follow his heart.” Sungjong said with so much drama which made Sungyeol laugh out loud.

“Hahaha..Jongie! You are such a drama-queen! Our acting class has awesome future!” Sungjong felt proud at the compliment.

“I’ll go and ask L tonight.”

That evening Sungyeol was waiting for L’s arrival impatiently.

When he saw his face, he jumped from his chair, “I know now, you fought with your parent right!”

Seeing the straight face of L, Sungyeol tried again, “Maybe your sister or brother?”

At the mention of his brother, Myungsoo couldn’t hide his resentment, which gave the biggest clue to the curious cat.

Sungyeol jumped in excitement, “Ah…so you fought with your hyung!”

While the tall boy was enjoying his victory, Myungsoo turned around and went out of the room slamming the door hard.

 

 

 

                     

 

 

 

 

Next day, Sungyeol found Sungjong to celebrate his achievement.

“I finally knew the reason of his silence.” Sungyeol said smiling.

“So, what is it?” Sungjong asked not because he is curious but knowing the fact that Sungyeol is not letting him off without him listening to the whole story.

“He had a fight with his hyung before coming here.”

Sungyeol informed but was not jumping around like Sungjong expected him to.

“Congrats, hyung, on unrevealing the biggest mystery of the century. This calls for a party right!” Sungjong hi-fived.

But Sungyeol didn’t return the gesture making Sungjong wonder what’s the problem now.

“Hyung, aren’t you happy that you knew the reason what’s bothering L?”

“Yeah, I found out the reason but….” Sungyeol sighed long. “But, he just slammed the door and went out without telling anything. I want to know why he is bothered by the argument because sibling quarrel is the common thing. I and Daeyeol are always dissing each other. And if he had some BIG dispute, what was the reason?” Sungyeol was serious.

“Why do you want to know about him so much? He is just a roommate. Or….do you have crush on him???” Sungjong said in a teasing tone.

“CRUSH…Hmm…whom do you take me for, Jongie? I am not going to fall for some stone-head like him, I will only give my love to my prince charming.” Sungyeol clasped his hands and had that dreamy look which made Sungjong roll his eyes.

“I…I just want to talk. The silence in the room is killing me. If I know the reason, I could try to help him to come over his grief and be friend with him.”

“And why would you like to be friend with him? When for talking, you always have me.” Sungjong was persistent.

Sungyeol wanted to avoid the question, not because he didn’t want to tell but really didn’t know why he was so determined to make him talk.

 “Argh…this would not have happened if I was assigned to the ordinary dorm. Why the rooms were packed to let me stay in the special dorm of these foreign students??”

Sungyeol collected his stuffs and scurried out of the cafeteria as soon as possible.

 

 

 

 

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A/N : Many times I feel easier to talk to a stranger about my problems than to a close ones because those strangers would not judge you since they don’t know you personally and moreover, you are not going to meet them again in real life. So, I made Myungsoo blurt out his feelings to Dongwoo, who he just met. This can lighten one’s burden, I feel that.

And the meaning of the last sentences will be revealed in the next chapter. So, please look forward to it^^