Click.

Damn, too bright. I muttered, annoyed, as I press a few buttons before looking back into the eyepiece again.

Click. Click.

I look back onto the preview screen and smiled, satisfied. “Perfect.”

My name is Kris, a college student with a hobby – a very passionate hobby. I’m an amateur photographer, though I’d like to consider myself an expert already. I carry my reliable DSLR camera often with me and take random shots here and there.

This passion all started when my parents gave me a toy camera for my 5th birthday. I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world. In the end, they had to throw it away because I wouldn’t stop taking pictures of my dad in the bathroom – was it my fault I was a curious, artistic child?

Anyway, in my grade school year I got another one – from my uncle. He gave me the SLR camera – which I believe is immortal – that lasted till high school. I took a part-time job, because it was getting rusty (the pictures weren’t worth looking at, trust me). I managed to get a replacement SLR camera which I used till I graduated senior high school.

My parents – presumably feeling guilty of giving me a childhood trauma by throwing away my first camera – decided to give me my current DSLR camera as a graduation gift. I have been using it for the past 2 years now. It’s still amazing.

The pictures I take are mostly sceneries. I don’t prefer taking pictures of people. They bother me. Plus, they don’t really make good models – my dad in the bathroom is a pretty good example.

I clicked the gallery button on my camera and view my works of art. I look back up at my inspiration – the wide botanic garden behind the main building. The green plants, the flowers, the trees – they’re all beautiful... and deserved to be photographed.

I lifted the camera to position again, ready to take another shot – when something jumped on my back.

“Oof!” I stumbled forward, trying to carry the weight of the weirdo with my bag while trying to not fall face first on the pavement. “Chanyeol!”

“Hyung!” The giraffe – er – Chanyeol – grinned while peeking up from behind my shoulder, his signature grin... check. “I finally found you!”

“Get off me!” I grimaced.

“No!” Chanyeol whined, wrapping his arms tighter around my neck evidently choking me. “If I do, you’ll disappear again!”

“I – won’t--” I choked, grabbing one of his arms trying to pull it away. “Let – go – I – can’t – breathe!!”

I managed to pull his arms off and he landed on his on the pavement. I turned around giving him my extreme ‘-face’. “What were you thinking? Trying to kill me?”

His eyes widened, shocked. “I would never kill hyung.”

“Well, you nearly did.”

He grinned and laughed. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

This giraffe, as I like to call him, is Chanyeol. He’s younger than me, and we’re childhood friends. He was my neighbour for as long as I can remember – and he still is – in the dormitories. It must be the work of fate. Or the school administration.

He stood up, patting the back of his pants clean. “I was looking for you in your last classroom, but you weren’t there. I thought we were going to have lunch together.”

I looked at my camera, checking to see if it had any scratches – none. Good. “Sorry, I’m not hungry right now.”

“Again?” Chanyeol pouted. “You said that yesterday too! How many pictures do you have to take of this place for us to have lunch together again?”

“Hey,” I raised an eyebrow at him. “If you want to eat, go ahead. You don’t have to eat with me. Oh and don’t bother about my hobby.”

“You’re hobby’s weird.” Chanyeol mumbled. “It’s more like an obsession.”

“Say that again, giraffe.” I looked at him with the intention of drowning his pet gerbils. He’s got two in his room called Peanut and Butter. A giraffe with two gerbils.

He grinned back at me nervously, scratching the back of his head. “Um – Well – H-How about taking pictures of something else for once?” He shrugged.

“Like what?” I didn’t like where this was going.

“How about taking pictures of people?” He grinned.

I looked at him like he was a real giraffe. “No.”

“Why?” He frowned, his bottom lip pouting out.

“Don’t bother with this again,” I clicked my camera off. “You know I don’t like taking pictures of people. They’re a hassle.”

“Well, you could take pictures of specific people?” His eyes gave a twinkle. “How about me? Take a picture of me, hyung!”

I looked at him disturbingly. “What did you drink for breakfast this morning?”

“Eh~?” He slumped his shoulders exaggeratingly. “Why do you have to be so mean?”

“And why do you have to be so weird?”

“Why can’t you take a picture of me?”

“I don’t really want to take a picture of a giraffe.” My lips twitched up into a small smile. Damn. There it is. His happy virus. See, this is why I’m not comfortable having Chanyeol around – he’s too happy – too happy that it’s infectious.

“Aha! You smiled!” He grinned wider and I instinctively cover my mouth. “I did it again! Hyung can’t help but smile when he’s with me!”

“It’s because you’re a virus. A bacteria. An unidentified lifeform.” I started to walk away.

“Wha-? Hey! Hyung!” He turned around and caught up with me. Of course, it wouldn’t be so hard for him to catch up – he’s got those long legs to use.

We’re one of the tallest in our years so we stand out a bit too much, as much as I don’t want to stand out with a giraffe. I turned my head to give him another ‘-face’, when he suddenly grabbed the camera in my hand.

“Hey!” I reached out but he did a t