Wonwoo’s cheeks were tinted pink from the kiss of the autumn breeze, but he didn’t mind. The journey to Baekhyun’s house wasn’t too bad a trek, so he enjoyed the outing with his friends. Albeit the cracked sidewalks, his friends kept him entertained. 

“I heard there’ll be a bunch of seniors,” Soonyoung noted, and even though it was nearing 10 PM, Wonwoo could sense there was a toothy grin on his friend’s face at the thought. “Byun’s got connections from all parts of the campus.”

“I wonder if Boo will be there…. I hope none of us end up on tomorrow’s Mansae Mess article,” Junhui shuddered, quickening his pace. 

Wonwoo could Junghan laugh as they approached the steps of Baekhyun’s house.

Baekhyun’s house wasn’t anything too grandiose. He lived off-campus towards the city in a run-down white condo with his “friend” Park Chanyeol (although the campus was convinced they were -buddies). 

From the outside, the house seemed lowkey and reclusive, but the neon multicolored lights seeping through the drafts of the door tonight said otherwise. Soonyoung climbed the steps and briskly knocked on the door, pressing an ear to it when he heard no response. 

Scoffing, Junhui shoved past Soonyoung and pushed the door open, revealing a house b with drunk college students. There was a poorly hung disco ball in the center of what appeared to be a living room and clusters of students grinding on each other beneath it. Wonwoo could already feel the claustrophobia kicking in. 

Junghan wrinkled his nose at the smell of weed wafting through the air as he followed Soonyoung, gingerly placing his index finger on his nostrils. 

“Hey Soonyoung, you made it!” A slurred, husky voice said, sauntering towards the group. Despite his intoxicated state, he exuded arrogance and . He extended his arm and caught Soonyoung in a single-handed embrace before pulling away. He was probably Baekhyun. He was clad in a striped blazer that exposed his torso and his neck was dotted fresh in hickeys. His kohl-lined eyes narrowed at the sight of 4 other guests. “Oh, I see you’ve brought along friends. Welcome, make yourself comfortable.” he gestured to the crowd behind him before proceeding to grab a guy’s neck and making out with him. Wonwoo wasn’t sure if it was rude to keep looking, so his eyes flitted around uncomfortably till they landed on a (surprisingly) empty couch.

Praying there weren’t any suspicious stains, he made a beeline towards it and propped his legs up on the cluttered coffee table in front, soaking in the atmosphere. He wasn’t too close to the party scene but was within comfortable proximity. He watched the students, faces blurred by the iridescent ball, envy bubbling up within.

He yearned to join them but was reluctant because of his inexperience. It was so obvious he wasn’t a regular in the party scene and he was scared he’d stand out like a sore thumb. The students here smelled like expensive cologne and here Wonwoo was, smelling like cheap soap and deodorant. He didn’t always mind his wealth (uh, lack thereof) but his inferiority complex began to pester him constantly once he moved to Pledis University. 

Students nonchalantly walked through the campus hallways draped in high-end clothes, the latest technology in their hands as they epitomized the top 1%  of society. His ego took a dig when people would smile at him pitifully as if chastising him for having the audacity of stepping onto Pledis campus. 

“Hey Junhui do you mind coming with me--” he turned to look at the boy but he had disappeared into the swarm of people too. He was probably doing god-knows-what with some senior. Sighing, he threw his head back and closed his eyes, mentally berating himself for deciding to come to this dumb party. 

Suddenly Wonwoo felt the seat beside him sink someone plopped beside him and placed a hand on his. Immediately turning his head, he made eye contact with a glossy-eyed sandy-haired boy. His posture stiffened when he recognized the face, scooting towards the opposite direction of the boy. He jerked his hand away and cringed at the sight of the boy. 

“Y-you’re Jeon Wonwoo of the E-english department, right?” the boy quipped. Wonwoo’s eyes widened at the sight, what did Boo Seungkwan want with him? He was clearly inebriated by...was that a vodka bottle wrapped around his palm? Who knew the campus-famous Boo Seungkwan also fell victim to the dangers of alcohol? His eyes were bloodshot as he sleepily rubbed them, pink twinging his cheeks. Wonwoo assumed this was a result of the groups of people swarming out of Chanyeol’s room, mirth and intoxication dyeing their laughter. 

This motherer in front of him was clearly wasted and stoned as hell.  

Seungkwan’s doe eyes followed Wonwoo’s gaze, grinning at the vodka in his grip. “Why? This? Y-you want some? Don’t be shy Jeon, open up..” he mewled as he tilted the lips of the bottle to Wonwoo’s face. The boy jerked away from the couch, hovering over Seungkwan and shaking his head profusely. 

Just as Seungkwan was shrugging and about to down the bottle, he clutched his stomach and watched in horror as the contents of the bottle spilled onto the carpet floor. He gaped at Wonwoo before clutching his stomach and lurching forward, one hand grabbing onto the sleeve of Wonwoo’s jacket. 

Caught up in the haste of brushing the boy off his sleeve, he was too late: Seungkwan threw up all over Wonwoo’s shoes and sleeve. As the liquid began seeping into his shoes, Wonwoo felt like throwing up too.

Seungkwan let out a sigh of result and burped, reclining back to the couch and closing his eyes. “, Seungkwan wake up!” Wonwoo began shaking him, but the man had passed out cold. “What the hell?” he asked himself as he looked at his now soaked arm and feet. The smell of vodka was getting to him and he needed to leave: fast. Where was Junghan when he needed him? 

His mind was a flurry of emotions while he sadly gazed at his sorry state, first cursing Junhui for even bringing up the idea of going to this party, then Chan for convincing him, and then regret reeling on his brain after he realized he probably couldn’t afford to get Soonyoung’s clothes dry-cleaned. He stared at Seungkwan, withholding himself from shoving him out the nearest window for being the root of his woes. 

His eyes flickered to the indifferent crowd of students still on the dance floor and spotted Junhui making out with some kid amidst the weirdly-flopping bodies. If he were not in an emergency, he would’ve hooted at his best friend’s flirtatious attempts but alas, his timing was not ideal. The idea of Wonwoo weaving his way through the crowd soaking in foul-smelling vomit was sure to spread like wildfire through campus, so he decided to salvag