Chapter 7: “We must insist that the world is what we have always taken it to be - TS Eliot”

11:17 pm, Building 13, a very important meeting was being conducted by the hyung-nim, confessing his inner thoughts about the trip.

“Why hadn’t anyone informed me that Kim Taeyeon lived in ing dorm 18? Am I the only one who still couldn’t get over the fact that the just lives with the rest of your sweethearts? How is this possible?” Eeteuk ranted in the living room; his audience was already half-asleep.

All the boys had changed into their nightwear, PJs and bunny slippers. Yesung, whose eyes were shut, stayed on Kyuhyun’s lap, consuming the whole couch with his legs. Donghae sat by the armrests, Eunhyuk on the opposite side. Kibum sat on the floor, craning his head on the sofa. Siwon sat on the other chair, legs crossed and arms holding up his head to stay awake. Sungmin set himself he on the table, lying on it like a cat. Heechul brought his pillow along for Ryeowook (who was undeniably tired and drunk) to sleep on while Eeteuk held the meeting. Already in dreamland, Hangeng was cuddled on the other chair near the TV.

“And guess what, I think she saw me driving,” Eeteuk mumbled. “Man, I hate her.”

“Eeteuk-hyung,” Siwon took part of the boredom. “Please tell us what happened to you guys and why it took you this long to get back.”

Pouting, Eeteuk agreed. “Donghae-sshi should tell it. I’m not very good with telling stories. He was the one who saw it all. I only spied with a tiny binocular.”

Everyone else laughed, knowing that it was hard to spot anything with that instrument. It was more appropriate to use your own eyes than aiding it with something useless.

Donghae yawned, sleepily pleading Eeteuk-hyung that he wasn’t willing to do it. But he stood up, sat up front on the floor.

“Tiffany,” Donghae began, unable to speak up straight anymore, “is a real .”

Chuckling, Eunhyuk clapped his hands in agreement. “You got that right, brother. She asked for a thousand won for the necklace I gave Boa. Yes, it was originally mine. So, I suppose it should have been free. But she ripped me off and told me she’ll only give it if I paid her what she asked for.”

“Damn ,” Sungmin muttered, eyes officially closed, “I know why Sunny doesn’t like to be near her all the time.”

“What happened to Sungmin and Sunny?” Heechul asked.

Donghae sighed. “I don’t know. Sunny doesn’t seem to like Sungmin-hyung at all.”

Sungmin sat upright, throwing a pillow at Donghae childishly. He laughed when he got him. “She likes me. She just doesn’t like to show it that much. You’ll see.”

Donghae grinned, “Whatever, Sungmin-hyung.”

“And Kibum-sshi? How did his night go?” Yesung joined their conversation.

Kibum raised his fist up in the air, wanting to scare his Yesung-hyung by what was capable of those fists. Although Yesung ignored Bummie’s attempt of keeping him quiet, he still managed to silence him at one glare.

“Kibum met a noona,” recalled Donghae. “What was her name again, Hyuk-sshi?”

“Kwon Yuri,” responded Eunhyuk. “But it wasn’t this girl. It was someone named Yoona whom I’ve overheard, was sick.”

“Is that why Kibum-sshi wanted to go?” Smiling, Eeteuk, all along, had no idea why the second maknae went with the big boys to go girl hunting.

“How was Kyuhyun’s performance? Did he do well?” Hangeng rubbed his eyes from the drowsiness.

All of the five boys that left Building 13 decided not to spill the beans just yet because Kyuhyun all gave them a warning that he would not hesitate in murdering them with his bare hands. And it was his right, after all---to protect the absence of emotions inside him that stirred in a blink of an eye every time he saw Seohyun.

“Well, I’m sleepy!” stretched the maknae from his seat. He slapped Yesung gently on the cheek to make sure he was still awake. “Let’s go to our room. I need to rest.”

“Yeah,” seconded the eldest, yawning. “I’ll be late tomorrow if I spend another minute awake.”

”Gee, thanks for breaking my beauty sleep you guys!” complained Heenim as he traipsed up the staircase.

All of them got up, waking slothfully back to their rooms. Tomorrow was another day to be wasted, to be spent on boredom, to be shouted upon by the professor for being tardy.

-o0o-

Two weeks had passed, and Siwon was still intently focused not only on his studies but also in playing basketball. He had been dying to be in the varsity club, along with Donghae-sshi. One afternoon they had been practicing nonstop, all the sweat and hard work paid off when Siwon was finally accepted during the try-outs, all thanks to his friend.

During that day, Siwon planned to meet Donghae by the gym to get started on a few warm-ups. Luckily, for them they both had 2:00 vacant on Fridays. The venue seemed to have been packed with players in the team, all competing against each other for the ball. He quickly changed into his outfit, and entered the game with the rest of them. Of course, they knew him by his name and face, but they never really took much appreciation for the way he had shot some hoops for them.

During the first half of the game, Siwon accidentally miscalculated his throw in a matter of centimeters, falling on someone he didn’t even know by face.

The ball bounced off her head, her camera falling off onto the ground as the response to the girl’s shock. Siwon immediately approached her, instead of the ball that was what the other members protested.

“Are you hurt? Can you hear me? Can you still see? Are you okay?”

The girl mumbled some cursing words he too was unsure of; her eyes looked at him angrily, thinking how he could do this thing to a girl who was innocently taking pictures of smelly men.

“No, I’m not hurt,” she remarked.

“Is there something I can do?”

She picked her camera, turning it around and around but the screen no longer appeared---it was all pitch black darkness.

“See what you did!” she growled. “I had to spend so much on the film for my assignment but you broke it! Thanks a lot!”

She stormed out of the gym, scratching her head furiously; her feet mad stomping movements as she walked away worrying Siwon a little.

“Do you think she was in condition to walk just like that?” He asked one of the team members.

“Do you think you should be worrying about matters like that?” he replied, giving him the ball. The team captain blew his whistle to restart the game.

-o0o-

ANOUNCEMENT: STUDENTS OF MR. YOOHYUN LEE, PAST STUDENTS AND PRESENT ONES, ARE OBLIGED TO ATTEND HIS RETIREMENT POOL PARTY AT THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE BUILDING 4 AT EIGHT O’ CLOCK IN THE EVENING NEXT SATURDAY, SEPTEMEBER 25, 2010. PLEASE WEAR SOMETHING FORMAL. MATH CO-TEACHERS ARE INVITED TO COME.

At the notice board, Hangeng looked at it for a while, remembering Mr. Yoohyun from his second year. He taught geometry back then, and he wasn’t very popular. Doubtful, Hangeng texted Heenim, telling him that there would be a party held for Mr. Yoohyun’s retirement. He was that old. He didn’t seem like a 60-something. He was the best teacher in the world, and it was a shame he only taught a few selected courses in the school. He wasn’t the quiz-type person---he hardly gave them any of that stuff. He was honest and considerate. Anyone who became his student learned so much.

“Eh, Mr. Lee’s retiring?” a girl said behind him. He glanced at the girl’s tie. She was only a sophomore.

“Please don’t do that,” Hangeng told her.

The girl noticed he was a senior, so she bowed her head in respect. “Do what, oppa?”

He sighed, rolling his eyes as he folded his arms. “Startling