New year, new school, new Jisung. This might sound cheesy yet it was something that he truly believed when he first stepped his foot in the Seoul Institute of Arts. He still couldn't believe he actually got in. The recruitment process was extremely stressful and competitive. Now that he was in, he should make sure to make the best out of it.

Jisung didn't really care about getting acquainted with his peers. Studies were the priority. He'd be satisfied not getting bothered by fellow students and staying out of the university drama. He's never been a social butterfly anyway. In high school, he was often teased for his unusual behaviour. The teachers were responsible enough to keep his condition a secret but teenagers are highly observant of any signs of abnormality. They were quickly able to figure out that something wasn't right.

"Not this year though", he thought as he unfolded a map of the campus in order to find the location of his first class.

Although his major was dance, acting classes were a part of the curriculum. A dancer's communication with the audience, although non-verbal, requires a deep understanding of the performed piece as well as a skillset of emotional expression. That was why it was important for aspiring dancers to get into the acting shtick.

It took Jisung a good quarter of an hour to find his way to the auditorium through the labyrinth of hallways and stairwells. He wouldn't dare to ask older students for directions. The map wasn't of much help ot him either. Or maybe he was just bad at reading it. There was already a handful of students present in the auditorium sat in small cliques on the stage. They probably got to know each other during the orientation week that Jisung gladly skipped. He took a seat at the edge of the stage, his legs dangling over the edge freely, his heels sporadically kicking the wall. On the other side of the stage there was another young man sat in a similar fashion. The stranger was occasionally peeking at Jisung trying to match the rhythm of the dancer's kicks. Jisung felt someone's eyes on himself. The uncomfortable realisation making him skip a beat in his tapping. He looked up at the intrusive student who smirked at him and mouthed "you messed up". Jisung scoffed at the inaudible comment but honestly, he found it pretty funny.

He noticed that the student started to kick the wall in a different tempo. Jisung's competitive spirit wouldn't allow him to pass at a chance of revenge so he quickly followed suit. The sound of heeled boots against the wooden parquet of the stage made the other boy look up at the approaching professor, his kicking routine stopping abruptly.

Ms Yoo was a seasoned actor of the Seoul's Charlotte Theatre. She was a favourite among the students of the Institute because of her unconventional approach to theatre direction as well as the care and patience of a true mentor. The play she had in mind for them this semester was Midsummer Night's Dream. The classic Shakespearian comedy about the capricious nature of love.

"Don't worry too much, friends. I'm not going to bore you with a script reading right now, although this is a fantastic piece that I'm sure you'll find very enjoyable. What I want to achieve with you during this semester is an ability to disect your character to the closest common denominator. You don't have to imagine you're a king to play one. That is what leads to disingenuity or exaggeration. All I want from you this semester is raw emotion"

Ms Yoo made the students pair up. The orientation week crowd rushed to find their friends. Jisung's eyes involuntarily wondered towards the only somehow familiar face. The boy's gaze met his. He tilted his head with a playful smile encouraging Jisung to come over.

"We're even" asserted Jisung referencing their kick off ending in a stalemate. The other replied with a "just you wait" kind of glare which made Jisung chuckle.

"I'm Park Jisung by the way"

"Zhong Chenle"

"An exchange student?" Jisung inquired curiously.

"Nah, an expat. My father does business in Korea" explained Chenle, his Korean almost fluent.

"Are we same age friends?"

Chenle looked slightly embarrassed as he replied:

"Well, when we moved they sent me a grade lower because of my poor language skills" Jisung nodded with understanding.

"Oh, so hyung..."

" it, let's be friends. I was born at the end of the year so the difference really isn't significant"

"Are you sure, hyu-" Jisung shook his head immediately correcting his mistake "Chenle"

"Yeah, don't yourself. It's no biggie" Jisung wished he was that laid back. Chenle seemed very cool to him but not in an intimidating way. He was radiating a positive and confident attitude. Jisung didn't come to the Institute to look for a buddy yet he might have just tripped and fallen into a friendship.


 

Author's note:

Hi, I hope this small introduction encourages you to follow this story. Before you continue reading I'd like to let you know what you're getting into.

The character of Jisung is portrayed as a neurodivergent person diagnosed with DID (Disassociate Identity Disorder). If reading on that topic is in any way triggering to you or you simply didn't sign up for that kind of content, I think it's better for you to find a different story to read. I'm aiming to approach this topic in the most informed and respectful way possible so feel free to educate me if you find something I wrote inaccurate.

Have a nice day ~