The new term was starting soon and it marked minseok’s senior year. The huge dormitory hall was filled with new, unfamiliar faces of the first-years that got accepted into the chungdam private school. Minseok let out a yawn (what were they so damn early for?) as he descended down the stairs—Junmyeon’s voice gradually became clearer. He was giving a speech.

“Cut it short. Don’t you see they’re bored?”

Several heads—roughly sixty (minseok didn’t get to count)—turned to him almost immediately, halting him mid-step. Minseok looked around; there were definitely more than sixty and that meant more students were interested to spend their school life in this old building than there were last year. What a waste, Minseok thought.

“Please don’t mind me. I’m just going to get something from the vending machine over there,” he said generally for everyone to hear but directed his gaze at Junmyeon who gave him a confused smile before nodding.

When Minseok turned his head, his eyes caught a tall student who was looking at him with a pair of lazy eyes. He shrugged and went to get his canned coffee because in the meantime, he could only afford something out of a vending machine until his parents send him enough sum of money to supply his daily dose of caffeine (he wanted real coffee from the coffee shops, okay?).

“This year is crazy! There are even second-years!” Minseok felt Junmyeon’s palm slapping his back first before hearing the delighted tone of his voice—the guy’s face looked equally as bright when Minseok turned around, tucking the warm canned coffee under his armpit. The warmth seeping into his body was pleasing.

Minseok hummed. “Weird.”

The morning assembly had been dismissed (Junmyeon really cut it short) and the first-years had been dispatched to their assigned rooms. The hall was almost empty, save for some third and second-years waking up. Minseok laughed as he walked past Yixing who was laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling blankly. It was so hilarious to watch Baekhyun trying to keep his eyes open so his head didn’t fall into the cereal bowl.

“Shouldn’t you be glad?” Junmyeon asked.

Minseok left Junmyeon, who stopped at the end of the stairs, to walk the rest of the flight of steps up to his room. “Well, I’m not the dorm president.” he intentionally raised his voice. He thought he saw Baekhyun jolted awake, spilling the milk with the sudden movement.

“Jerk.”

“Good morning to you too, Jongdae,” Minseok said sweetly.

Jongdae held out a book towards him without a word.

Minseok eyed the second-year curiously. “Did you forget how you literally begged to have my notes last week?” but he took the book in his hand anyway. “I really don’t care so don’t come looking for me later no matter how much you need it.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes. “Junmyeon’s notes are color-organized. It’s easier for me to read.”

Minseok chose to ignore the second-year and went straight to his room at the end of the hallway. He couldn’t wait to have his morning coffee while it was still warm. The rain started falling heavily when he arrived at his door—school didn’t start until tomorrow, thankfully. He just hoped it wouldn’t be raining tomorrow too because he hated having to use the umbrella.

Sehun looked out the window, all he saw was a dull and gloomy sky. He cursed his luck; getting assigned to the room at the very end of the hallway—which basically was the source of whatever horror stories that went around in this dormitory— and it had to rain on the day he promised to hang out with his sister in the city. He always disliked the rain and now nothing could turn his dislike into like.

There was a noise at the door and it brought Sehun’s attention back to the room. Was it really haunted? he was sitting in the middle of the room, unpacking and only now noticing the amount of unnecessary stuff he brought along with him. He looked down on a framed photo of him and his sister and a fresh bed sheet, thinking hard. Which was more important? of course it’s the photo! the bed already has a sheet anyway, he thought gleefully, putting the bed sheet away.

Speaking of, there were two single beds and both looked immaculate. He just hoped his roommate was not a clean freak but it seemed so judging by how organized and clean everything was in this supposed ‘haunted’ room. Sehun decided to pay it no mind as he got up to put the framed photo on the nightstand next to what he assumed was his bed because the other bed’s sheet was a bit too colorful for his liking.

“Oof!”

Sehun whipped his head around so fast at the cries and moved instinctively forward to keep the guy from falling face-first on the floor. He took his time to be amazed by his quick reflex.

“You’re that kid with lazy eyes!” the guy exclaimed, straightening himself up. There was a faint shade of red on his cheeks (not that Sehun looked) when he realized he had been in Sehun’s arms even just for a few seconds.

Sehun blinked. “Lazy eyes?” he didn’t know what the guy meant but he recognized him now that they were standing face to face. It was the guy from this morning, probably a third-year since he seemed close with the dorm president.

“Forget it. What’s with all this stuff laying around? You see, the room is not that spacious so can you at least be mindful of your own stuff?”

He was so pretty, Sehun thought. If only he didn’t run his mouth off since day one.

“I’m unpacking?” was all Sehun could say.

He watched as the guy walked over to pick his basketball and bought it to him. “Don’t put this dirty ball on the carpet.”

Great. Sehun’s roommate was a third-year and a clean freak (prick) who ran his mouth at the first time they met. He was inhumanely pretty too. What a lovely combination. He was looking forward to the rest of his high school life (not).

***

They went to Junmyeon's room and Sehun only agreed because Minseok threatened to kick him out of dorm since the rooms were all occupied. He was not afraid of the threat but he remembered what his sister said before she dropped him off at the dorm this morning. He wouldn't want to make his sister sad by causing a trouble on his first day, especially not with a third-year.

“I can't room with Baekhyun?”

Junmyeon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; the glasses were wearing him out. “I have already reported it to the principal,” the dorm president said. “You bicker a lot with Baekhyun too.”

“But at least he's better than this kid.”

Minseok was just so- ugh.

It was still raining and they had school tomorrow but they were sitting on Junmyeon's couch, discussing about the room arrangement and a childish complain about hygiene. Sehun wished he didn't promise his sister to stop using his fist to solve a problem.

“Let's just have some rest for now, okay?” Junmyeon then turned to Sehun with such kind eyes. “You must be tired,” then the dorm president looked taken aback. “What did you say your name was? Oh Sehun?”

Sehun nodded, confused. “I believe that’s my name.”

The situation was so weird. Even Minseok was quiet but it seemed like he was used to seeing the dorm president like this. Junmyeon only stopped looking like he wanted to jump off a cliff after a while. “Oh! I’m sorry!” the dorm president cried then turned to Sehun dramatically.

Okay, he was scared now. What is happening?

“Minseok, treat him well,” Junmyeon scolded.

At the smug smile that split across Sehun’s face, Minseok frowned. “Why?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were the founder’s grandson?” Junmyeon asked Sehun—there was a hint of frustration in his voice.

“That’s not important,” Sehun replied with a smile.

Minseok nodded in agreement. “Yes, he’s still a freshman,” he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “He should listen to what his seniors say,” then he pouted and glared at Sehun. He didn’t care if Sehun came from a family that apparently had a major influence on their school, he was just a kid… a tall kid—absurdly tall for his age. Is it allowed to be that tall? Minseok cursed his height.

They went back to their room with none of Minseok’s complaints heard and he still had a first-year as a roommate. It had gotten colder nearing midnight even though the rain had stopped (finally) and Minseok had lost all the energy to waste on scolding the kid.

“I’m going to take a bath first,” Minseok said, gathering his pajama in his arms. “I expect to see your stuff gone from this whole space on the floor by the time I’m finished.” then he went to the bathroom without waiting for Sehun’s reply.

It had been a long trip from home to the dormitory and Sehun wanted nothing more than to lie on the bed and sleep for the rest of the year but instead, he had to organize his stuff. He should’ve just started unpacking tomorrow because now all of his stuff was scattered around on the floor and he didn’t know how to sort out the things he needed. Shoving them back into his luggage seemed to be the best option—he could put them back inside and start organizing his stuff after school tomorrow.

Sehun spared his uniform, using the hanger he found near the laundry basket because it slipped his mind that he would need a hanger to hang his uniform. He went to sit on the bed in mint blue colored bedsheet, contemplating to take a bath or to just go straight to sleep without one but before he made a decision, Minseok appeared from the bathroom. The air immediately smelt refreshingly of citrus.

The clean floor was the first thing he noticed and he smiled. It didn’t last long though; the smile faltered once he saw Sehun sitting on his bed with the basketball in his lap. The kid was still in outfit for the day which meant whatever dirt that stuck in his clothes would fall to his bed. Minseok freaked out.

“Get out of my bed,” he gritted out.

Sehun gave him a look. “Your bed?”

Minseok wanted so bad to punch him in the face. “Whatever. I won’t let it go easily next time,” he said, shuffling towards the other bed with a childish pattern on the bedsheet (the space, really?). It was already here when Minseok first got to the dormitory and he was informed that it was a gift from the previous occupant of his room so he really couldn’t throw it out. The bed was in unoccupied before Sehun came anyway.

The silence that fell after Minseok turned off the light was not the same; Sehun was a prominent presence in the room and he couldn’t shake the feeling of nervousness heavy in his stomach. He laid on his back and closed his eyes but found that he couldn’t sleep. The idiot had dozed off in his jeans and shirt and a basketball on the pillow (his pillow, Minseok sobbed) next to his head. He thought he’d be fine using this bed from now on—he was going to graduate soon anyway.

A pair of arms around his waist woke Minseok up (when did he fall asleep?) and it was still nighttime when he opened his eyes. He shifted under the blanket and turned to face Sehun though he couldn’t see his face in the dark, he knew the kid was awake. He was only aware of how close their faces were when Sehun spoke, “Stay still,” with his soft voice. Something stirred in Minseok’s stomach.

“What are you doing here in my bed?” he tried to keep his voice neutral.

“Don’t worry, I’ve changed into my sleepwear,” Sehun said, clearly avoiding the question.

It was when Minseok put his hand on Sehun’s chest to push him off him that he found out the kid’s sleepwear consisted of no shirt and (hopefully) a boxerㅡMinseok wasn’t curious at all. “If you want this bed you should have said so earlier,” he whispered, still trying to calm his racing heart. God knows why he was blushing like a schoolgirl being in a man’s arms (he had to admit bitterly that Sehun looked more like a man than he did).

“No, the bed sheet is ugly,” Sehun said a few seconds later. Minseok thought the kid had fallen asleep on him. He was about to kick him off the bed.

“I can tell Junmyeon to have it changed if you-”

“Can we please just sleep?” Sehun asked irritably. “...sunbae.” He couldn’t afford to make Minseok mad twice on their first day of being roommates. Sehun held his breath nervously when the guy was silent.

“Alright.” came a reply after a long while. Sehun thought he was going to die because of the lack of oxygen.

In the morning, Minseok woke up and found himself still in Sehun’s arms except it was now bright enough to see that the kid was indeed sleeping shirtless like he couldn’t feel the cold and it irked him. He kicked the first-year when he realized Sehun didn’t take a bath before bed. “I can’t believe I allowed your unshowered in my bed!”

Sehun rubbed his bottom, letting out a yawn. It was morning already? The night felt so long before he moved into Minseok’s bed. He was surprised at how well he slept, being away from his sister and all, so he didn’t feel angry or anything even though he just had his kicked out of the bed (no one had ever dared to kick him). He only chuckled at Minseok who gave him an incredulous look, then got up to start the day.

First, he needed shower.