It was already a few weeks into Dowoon’s first semester of college and if he had to be honest he already wanted to give up. He was never the hard worker in school and he was lucky enough to get by in highschool thanks to his counselors help. Now that he was in college he didn’t have people to help him, he didn’t have the luxury of counselors and teachers helping him, it was all up to him. Yes, there were definitely people there to help at college but rather than them calling him up to the office to tell him, he needs to work harder, and what to do, it was up to him to meet with counselors, teachers, or even tutors. Dowoon, being the lazy he is, would never take the time to get help, mostly because he just didn’t care.

Why he was going to college, well he didn’t know, because if it were up to him he’d rather just start working and spend his extra time with his friends. Not that he didn’t do that already. He actually mainly only hung out with his friends. Skipped class a lot, didn’t really do the homework either. His parents were honestly just wasting money on him.

His parents on the other hand were to busy making money, and lots of it. His parents worked for a really high up business that paid big time, but meant doing most work away from home. Basically his parents didn’t care what the hell Dowoon was doing, as long as if he was “going to college.”

He didn’t really know how his parents would react when they find out their son failed his classes and that they just wasted money for those classes, but knowing them they’d just yell at him for a little while then tell him to do it again, and just spend more money on classes he would most likely fail again.

But that was Dowoon’s life, and if his parents didn't care about him, then he didn’t need to care about what his parents wanted.

Dowoon was walking down a long pavement path that led to a class he had in a few minutes and he was debating so hard to even go to class. He had four classes and two out of the four he was already failing so he didn't bother to come, but this class was one of the two he wasn't failing, so he didn’t know whether to actually go or not. Meanwhile the other class he was passing was the only class he found incredibly interesting and didn’t mind going to that one.

As he walked and continued to debate whether to go or not, one of his friends he hadn’t seen in a while suddenly turned the corner in front of him. They both caught each other's attention and they smirked at each other standing ten feet away.  

Dowoon made the first move and walked over to his friend. He put his hand up ready to side five him when they reached each other.

“Damn Dowoon, its been a while. You look even more handsome since the last time we saw each other,” The taller guy with styled dark black hair said with a big smile.

“What up Brian,” Dowoon greeted, his ears getting a bit red from Brian’s compliment , “Thanks. Do you have a class right now?”

“No, actually I just got out of class. You wanna go grab lunch?”

The moment he heard the word lunch he knew he had decided he was going to skip class, “heck yeah.”

“Great,” Brian said putting his arm around Dowoon’s shoulders, “lets just go eat at the school's cafe, since I’m to lazy to go off campus, plus have you see our schools cafe. It’s really nice.” Brian said as the two walked along.

Dowoon looked up to his friend and thought he seemed different. Definitely not in a bad way, and not just because the last time he saw him his hair was dyed a mixture of pink and blue due to the fact that said he was going through some so called, “i’m trying to be cool” phase, but rather he seemed so much more happy.

The last time he saw Brian was their high school graduation, which wasn’t to long ago but it was at least a good four months ago. Despite all the excitement most teens would be going through on the day of their graduation, he knew his friend Brian wasn’t going through the best of times. He knew the reason his friend dyed his hair wasn’t because he was trying to be cool, but it was the first time he was actually rebelling against his parents. His parents weren’t like Dowoons, but rather the complete opposite and worse. They didn’t care, and couldn’t give much. To most that wouldn’t seem that bad on the outside, but in reality his parents told him what not to do and what to do or else. He basically was an abused punching bag for his family, whether it was verbally or physically. His last year of high school was probably the worst, because all his parents wanted was him to get a job and support his family, when all he wanted to do was leave that house and be something more than a slave to his family. Maybe he actually did.

Once the two got some food from the cafe, they went and found a seat outside. It was much more quiet outside so Dowoon was fine with the idea of sitting outside.

“Its such a nice day, we’d be wasting it if we sat inside,” Brian said smiling up at the trees and the sky as they found a table.

He was definitely more happy, Dowoon thought.

The two ate a little, while they had some small talk about classes. Dowoon explained how he just didn’t care, and Brian jokingly tried to convince Dowoon to take school more seriously. But they both laughed their asses off after Brian made the joke about it because they both knew he wasn’t going to change.

“So how’s your parents business going,” Brian brought up, “Still racking in cash?” he joked.

Dowoon sighed, “Its all the same.”

“Still not coming home?”

“Yep.”

They both sat quiet for a seconds, but the thought of Brian genuinely being happy made Dowoon so curious, how exactly was he was doing.

“Brian,” Dowoon started, “How are you doing?”

Brian smiled, “You know pretty good, taking classes here and there.”

“No, seriously Brian. How are things?” Dowoon sat up in his chair.

He could tell Brian knew exactly what he was talking about, and for a second he regretted asking him.

Seconds later a smile grew on Brians face, “They found out I was saving cash up secretly.”

Dowoon could recall the time he and his friends were hanging out after school at the basketball court and their friend Jae had found a 50 dollar bill on the ground. Dowoon and Brian were close, but Jae and Brian were definitely a lot more closer. Sometimes he thought there might of been something going on between the two.  Besides that, he remembered how Jae whispered into Brians ear,  talking quietly to each other, it seemed really serious. He saw as Jae insisted Brian to keep the money, even though Jae had found it. Later that night Brian had made an announcement to his friends that he was secretly saving up money, so he could get out of his hell hole of a house.

Maybe he did get enough?

“My dad hit me a  little bit,”Brian laughed, “and my mom was cussing me out saying things like ‘I ruined the family’ because I wasn’t going to give them the money. I just left honestly.”

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter