/ˈbeɡər/

. . .

Several weeks had passed since that night, Taeyong passing through university life by doing the utmost bare minimum. He felt sad for a moment, but just like what he has been doing the past 4 years, he disregarded his feelings, put them back into the vault of his brain, and continued living with the same, degrading attitude.

Even so, there’s no avoiding changes despite how much he hasn’t, no matter how big or small. Now that it was finally feeling like summer, it called for a haircut. Which was long overdue, because Taeyong had been putting his long hair in a messy man bun for weeks, before considering Yuta’s beauty advice and getting a haircut. Now he didn’t have to worry so much about greasy hair and losing hair ties, but styling it like Yuta had taught him. There was a lot more to hair then he thought.

An unexpected change Taeyong never expected to come was making his own money. It wasn’t until then that he realized how carefree he was with his mother's money. With no support coming from his family anymore due to loss of contact (he convinces himself that), he had become the most frugal person in existence. The most money he spent on anything was on his new, prescribed glasses Yuta forced him to buy. His terrible eyesight had worsened the last four years and his old ones made the world even blurrier. With new frames and prescription, the world wasn’t so blurry anymore. He realized now with clear vision that the lifeless blob of flesh he saw in the mirror was an actual person. However, he was disappointed that the new frames did not come with a sugar mama included like Yuta insisted it would.

Although he saw many changes, there was one change in mind that truly mattered. He finally felt secure in his dorm, which felt more like home than his actual house ever did. Since that night, he never took his roommates for granted again. It was true that the snobby kids never changed around here and they multiplied by the second in this campus, so the odd stares and mumbling never ceased. However, he felt secure, knowing he can get to his dorm after a long day at work, with his roommates greeting him and asking if he had eaten already.

Maybe it was out of pity, but he was grateful either way. They were the only two people on campus who didn’t stare at him oddly, or felt second-hand embarrassment that he wore the same hoodie for an entire week. He wasn’t saying things changed completely. In fact, nothing did, the very first day he moved in.

He was just now realizing that in this world where appearance determines a person’s worth, there were still pure people out there, and they happened to be his roommates.

“Hey Taeyong,” Doyoung entered their room, “Do you - What are you doing?”

Taeyong looked over, not realizing he’s been sitting at the end of his bed in the middle of putting on his shirt, staring at the ceiling and thinking for the past few minutes.

“N-Nothing…” Taeyong blushed from embarrassment.

Doyoung laughed, “Weirdo. I was going to ask, wanna grab lunch later?”

“Ah, sorry… I can’t… I have classes.”

“Oh, really?” Doyoung pouted, “That … How you seem to only go to class when I invite you out.”

Taeyong was confronted, in the middle of pulling on his sweats, stumbling when it processed in his head what he had said. He wasn’t wrong. When Taeyong says he’s doing bare minimum, he means it. It’s a miracle if he goes to two classes in one day. He found that not only did the people of this campus annoy him, but learning as well. He’d rather make money dealing with annoying teens and old people who have forgotten how to count money then be surrounded by equally forgetful and stupid people his age in a seminar. Yet, despite now trusting his roommates, he still couldn’t bring it in him to tell them he had a full-time job at a convenience store that let him buy the hot pockets their privileged asses fell in love with after trying.

Taeyong sighed, feeling stuck. He could ask Yuta to fill for his shift knowing he did nothing all day, but he also feared not making enough money for the week.

“I get it,” Doyoung whined, “You’re embarrassed to hang out with me because you’ve fallen for me, but I don’t like eating alone. Or being lied to.”

“I’m not…” Taeyong sighed, finally giving in. “Alright. What time?”

“What’s a good time for you? I don’t want to interfere with your ‘class.’”

“Whatever time. I’m not going anyway…”

Doyoung smiled widely, as if he won a nonexistent argument. He nods his head and goes over to his bed to grab his backpack, “Alright! 1 PM is fine, right?”

Taeyong shrugged and waved Doyoung goodbye as he went ahead to go to class. Taeyong should get going too, but suddenly his body feels heavy, and he sinks back into bed. As he lays down there, he can’t help but question Doyoung. He has plenty of friends, most from theatre arts, so he can’t understand why he is so persistent in asking him to eat with him. Pity? Does he feel sorry that I do nothing when I’m here? It’s not like Taeyong stays in the dorm all day. In fact, he’s out most of the time because of work. Yet, Doyoung still acts as if he’s still the hermit from earlier this year, never seeing the light of day or when the sun sets for weeks…

Then a ludicrous idea comes to mind, but his head is too drowsy to formulate it.

5 more minutes…

___

Taeyong woke up at 12:29 P.M, well aware he overslept and missed class. He would feel guilty, if he had any passion of being here. So he jumps up and refreshes his face, thinking it’d be better to visit the convenience store than text Yuta to fill in for him, since at this time he’s working with the manager who’d kick him if he saw him on the phone while on shift.

Finally with a phone that can download Lyft, he gets one there and makes it under twenty minutes. He rushes inside, knowing that he was on a tight schedule, and isn’t surprised to see that Yuta is in charge of being the cashier. Their manager was probably off in the back doing “paperwork,” or in other terms, playing Clash of Clans on his phone. Yuta greeted the new customer when he heard there was a ding of someone’s entrance, smiling even wider when he saw it was Taeyong.

“Wow! You couldn’t stand being away from me for that long?”

“Stop speaking out of your ,” Taeyong muttered as he approached Yuta, “Where’s the manager?”

“Probably taking a ,” Yuta responds casually, “So you really didn’t come just to see me?”

“Not even in an alternate reality,” Taeyong scoffs, “I actually came to ask you a favor -”

Yuta rolled his eyes, “You want me to fill for you?”

“Just for like… 2 hours? 3? I don’t know!”

“How do you not -” Yuta sighs and being his noisy self asks instead, “What for?”

Taeyong shrugs, “Class -”

“For lying to me, NO.”

“I-I-I told a friend I’d eat lunch with him,” Taeyong confesses, “He guilted me into agreeing and we agreed on 1 P.M. Please, Yuta?”

Yuta’s eyes widened and he started laughing. Taeyong stares at his co-worker confusingly, not sure if this reaction was a yes or no.

“You’re going on a date and you don’t even tell me with who?”

“A date?” Taeyong freezes, letting that word sink into his mind. Yuta continues to giggle at the thought of loser Taeyong getting a date, perfectly envisioning how awkward it’ll be. “It’s not a date… He’s my roommate.”

Yuta’s mouth dropped and he started cooing, “A date with your roommate? At least you guys don’t have to worry about getting caught doing it.”

“S-Stop!” Taeyong blushed, “It’s not a date. Just lunch.”

“Was he persistent in taking you out?”

“... Yeah.”

“Then he was asking you out on a ing date, genius. Don’t screw it up Taeyong, this might be your only chance to lose your ity.”

“I’m not a and -” Taeyong suddenly realized, “So you’ll fill me in?!”

Yuta shrugged, “I’m feeling a little Christian today. Let me know how it goes later. You owe me!”

Taeyong smiled and began walking away, “Thank you so much!”

Yuta smiled and waved bye at his co-worker who was practically running off. When Taeyong exited the convenience store, he sighed to himself, leaning on the counter as he stared at Taeyong get back on the car.

“Don’t get hurt, Taeyong…”

___

Taeyong was 10 minutes late, thanks to his Lyft taking the wrong direction and getting lost on their way to the address Doyoung had sent Taeyong for where they were having lunch. He was feeling suffocated suddenly. He couldn’t stop from wondering if Doyoung had left already. It was only 10 minutes, but from what he knew of Doyoung, it was that he most definitely didn’t take bull well.

He entered the small cafe, glancing around to see if he could find his roommate. He looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was 1:11 P.M. Even if Doyoung had left, he would’ve seen him on his way out, right? Taeyong felt anxiousness build in his chest, as the exit was looking more tempting than ever. Should he spare himself the embarrassment of waiting alone? Facing him?

The cafe had an upstairs for sitting, so he decided to check there as well. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Boo!”

Taeyong flinched, almost punching whoever startled him on the jaw before he realized who it was.

“What the hell, Doyoung…”

His roommate simply laughed, “You’re such a scary cat. Here.”

Doyoung handed him an Americano, leading Taeyong to the table he reserved for them. Taeyong was unsure of whether to apologize to being late, but seeing how Doyoung didn’t seem to mind, he figured Doyoung wasn’t on time either then.

“So did you see the menu? Decided on what to get?” Doyoung asks when they sit down, their table right next to the glass window, where the scenery of the fast-pace city can be watched from above.

“Oh, no…” Taeyong glanced around, Doyoung handing him a menu, “Thanks…”

“No problem,” Doyoung smiled as he leaned on the table with his elbows and looked out the window.

Taeyong couldn’t help but sneak a glance at his roommate, who looked so at peace by watching the cars pass by, going to their own unique destinations. Taeyong gulped, feeling the points of his ears go red. He didn’t want to think much of it, but he couldn’t help it anymore. He repeated the word in Yuta’s voice. Date. Date. Date.

He knew more than anyone that it wasn’t. Yet he still felt himself getting nervous as if it was one, like he and Doyoung were meeting for the first time. He was regretting not checking himself in the mirror to see if he looked okay, which he never thought of doing until now. Maybe it’s a psychological thing, but Doyoung looked extra handsome simply looking out the window, as if he knew Taeyong would be mesmerized by his dazed face. Could it really be…?

No. Yes. No. Yes. No--

“D-Doyoung,” Taeyong found himself blurting out his name suddenly.

Doyoung tilted his head to glance over at Taeyong, who was stunned by his eye contact to speak. He could only shift uncomfortably in his seat and feel the red hues of his cheeks rise more vibrantly. His roommate noticed his odd behavior and rose a suggestive eyebrow, teasing him.

“What? Why does it look like you’re about to confess to me?”

. . Taeyong froze completely, only managing to respond with jumbled up words and avoiding eye contact.

“Have you never seen someone so beautiful or what?” Doyoung teased again, unaware of the effect he was having in Taeyong’s confused, fooled mind.

“Uh… Uh…