“So?” Key found himself surrounded by four curious faces.

“Well, Jonghyun was right,” he said. Jonghyun leaned away with a triumphant smile.

“Not much to get excited about, neh?” he said. Onew sighed.

“I guess that’s for the best anyway, we wouldn’t be able to let Key share a room with some model looking girl…” he said and Key glared at him.

“Yah! I’m a gentleman,” Key protested.

“Yeah, and a ert,” Minho teased.

“I want to see her,” Taemin whined.

“There’s nothing to see,” Jonghyun said casually. Key gave him an angry stare. Just because the rest of them had grown up to become shallow players there was no point in destroying Taemin the same way.

“She’s an ordinary girl, Taeminnie, you can see her everywhere. Also, I’m sure you will meet her when you come visit me.”

“Did you meet Lee Joon?” Onew asked Minho who immediately put on a frown. “What?” Onew asked.

“I met him yesterday and for some reason he seemed to hate me the moment I crossed the threshold, and probably even before that.” He sighed crestfallen. “No soccer team for me I guess…”

“Yeah, and Soohyun seems to hate me even more than last year,” Jonghyun said thoughtfully.

“Soohyun? You’re rooming with him again?” Onew asked surprised. Jonghyun shrugged.

“The ensemble teacher thought the rivalry between us helped us develop our vocals so much last year so he told the principal to pair us up this year as well. Who’s your roommate then?”

“Some Eli-dude, but apparently he’s overseas right now. He’ll be back, some time…”

“And how about you, Taemin?” the maknae quietly asked himself. “Oh, me? Well, I’m still living at home, the usual, thanks for asking…”

“Stop pitying yourself,” Key said and slapped him on the back of his head.

“Ow! Will you stop that!?”

“So, he didn’t do anything?” Soohyun asked for the umpteenth time. Junghee sighed.

“No, he didn’t. Actually, we barely talked to one another,” she said.

“The further away he stays the better it is…” Joon muttered.

“You better roommate-zone him, at once,” Woohyun said. “Then he’ll know from the start that he doesn’t even have a chance." 

“Roommate-zone? Guys…” Junghee adjusted herself in her seat. “You clearly can’t face reality. Key… he doesn’t see me as a girl.”

“Of course he sees you as a girl. He’s a guy and you have s. ert alert!” Joon blurted. Junghee narrowed her eyes at him.

“Joon, you’re making me awkward…” She abruptly turned to Soohyun. “How do you see me?”

“As a friend,” he said without hesitating even for a second.

“Exactly, you guys have friendzoned me, even though you say that guys never friendzone girls. Now we all know that that is bull and Key and I will have no ual interaction during the coming year. End of discussion.” The three young men hissed at the phrase “ual interaction”.

“Don’t say things like that!” Woohyun shuddered.

“And guys never friendzone girls, the three of us are just your exceptions,” Joon said as if it was the most logic thing in the world.

“Since we grew up together we have a brotherly slash sisterly relationship and, normally, siblings don’t feel ‘that way’ about each other. That would be uous,” Soohyun said. Junghee glanced at him.

“You thought hard about that one, didn’t you?” she asked. Soohyun scratched this neck without answering her question. Junghee sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Does this science apply to your friends, that didn’t grow up with me, as well?” she asked. The guys started mumbling inaudibly at the same time. “Didn’t think so… Well, it’s time for my rollcall, see you around guys.”

The freshmans were pushing their way through the doors that led into the auditorium and Junghee found herself being shoved around among the others like a weak-willed jellyfish. She would get passed the doors eventually anyway.

“Yah, move it fatso!” Junghee was harshly pushed aside and fell flat on her onto the floor. Some of the other students laughed while passing by her.

“Sorry,” Junghee said quietly and tried not to get stepped at while getting back on her feet.

“Let me help you.” A hand was put in front of her nose. She grabbed it and let the person pull her upright.

“Thank you…” Junghee trailed off but Key just smiled back at her.

“It’s nothing,” he said. Another hand came flying and pushed Key’s head away from in front of Junghee.

“Junghee! Are you okay? Are you hurt? I saw what happened. Who the hell did this!? Are you hurt?” Woohyun grabbed her cheeks and angrily stared into her eyes.

“Is it me you’re angry with?” Junghee asked calmly. Woohyun quickly let her face go and scratched his nose awkwardly.

“No… Sorry… Who should I get YaDong to punish!?” Junghee brushed her palm over his face.

“Just shut up. Let’s go inside or we’ll be late.” She gave Key a small smile before pulling Woohyun along with her inside of the auditorium. Woohyun glanced back over his shoulder and glared at Key who was left among the last students in the hallway with a confused look on his face.

“Was it him?” Woohyun asked.

“No…” Junghee said with a dejected sigh.

Key looked after Junghee as she dragged her “guardian” along into the aula. Hadn’t he helped her? What was that guy so upset about? At least this time the encounter with his roommate wasn’t as tense and… unpleasant as the first one.

Junghee closed the door behind her and took her shoes off.

“Are you bullied?” The sound of Key’s voice startled her and she quickly turned the ceiling lamp on.

“What the… why are you sitting here in the dark?” she asked and walked over to her bed. “Is it some kind of weird ?” She thought about when she had entered the apartment just the day before.

“No, it’s not, I was just saving energy, it’s good for the environment I’ve heard. Anyway, don’t try to avoid my question. Are you being bullied?”

“Why are you asking?” Junghee asked in return while picking up the book she was currently reading from her night stand.

“I saw you getting pushed, and I wouldn’t want my reputation getting dirty for hanging out with a bullied person,” Key sad with a shrug. Junghee gave him a glare.

“Thanks, how thoughtful of you,” she said ironically and stood up to dig in her bag. “Well, first of all, we’re not ‘hanging out’ so… but, no, I’m not bullied, so don’t worry, your rooming with me won’t ruin your ‘reputation’.”

“Oh, good,” Key leaned back against his pillows. “So, who was your guardian angel?”

“Who?” Junghee stood up with a chocolate bar in her hand.

“That guy who rushed to your rescue.” Was he referring to Woohyun?

“A friend.”

“Oh…” Key fiddled with his sleeves. She wasn’t very informative. Junghee threw the candy wrapper in the trash and looked at Key who glanced at her. She took a bite of her chocolate bar.

“If you really want to know he, and a few other childhood friends, were the ones who supported me when I was younger, and I was actually bullied, for real.”

“So you were bullied!” Key said triumphantly.

“Yes, were, as in past form. Some stupid girls kept harassing me, but the guys helped me.” Junghee shrugged and smiled a little at the thought of her friends. So overprotective. Key sat up in his bed and looked at his roommate. He scrunched his nose a little.

“Well, there is a lot to tease you about,” he stated after studying her for a while. Junghee raised an eyebrow.

“Excuse me?” she asked incredulously. Key stood up and slowly walked a took a turn around her to get a better look.

“Hm, bad skin, small eyes, big nose, crooked teeth, ah God, those eyebrows! Your hair is so worn out and ugh, very bad breath.” Key waved his hand in front of his nose but abruptly stopped and grabbed her hand. “Look at these nails! And there really are a few kilos you wouldn’t suffer from losing… terrible…” Key studied Junghee’s chewed down finger nails a few seconds before she pulled her hand away.

“If I didn’t already know you were a complete dickhead I would definitely take the opportunity to say it now,” she said with contained anger. Key narrowed his eyes at her.

“You just did,” he stated.

“And you just insulted me in the most shallow way possible. I can’t believe I, even for a second, had one single good thought about you.” Junghee walked away from him to return to her bed. “I feel sorry for you.” Key stood still for a moment. He was just stating facts.

“I’m just being honest,” he said, speaking his thoughts as usually.

“You’re not my beauty-manager. I don’t need you to point out all of my flaws, I’m the one who’s most aware of them. Now, stop talking to me, or I’ll show you how I got rid of those bullies…”