Before you.

The alarm has successfully brings Chunji back to the real world. How Chunji hate his alarm right now. He can’t sleep last night because Ricky kept him awake the whole night yesterday just to splash him with his ‘crush’ problem. That kid really needs to get his timing correct. Ugh.

He kicks his cover away and pushes himself as hard as he can to sit. Another annoyed groan passes his mouth. He really is not in the mood to walk to school. If not for that stupid hyung of him broke his bike, he wouldn’t even have to wake up early so that he can walk to school on time. Stupid stupid hyung.

He forces himself to get into the bathroom and get ready for school. As he is done with wearing his uniform, he glances at his trustful gadget that connects him to the wild world outside his room, his phone.

No new message. No missed call. No new instant message. No nothing.

He shrugs. No one ever had the need to contact him at 7 am in the morning anyway. If he does have message that means either one of his dongsaeng had forgot that they had homework to do and ask him to help them before the school start. That particular dongsaeng would be Changjo. That kid had too much time dancing that homework kind of slips off his mind. If it’s Ricky or Niel, then that means they want to spazz.

He walks down the stairs to find Cap grinning at him from the dining table.

“Walking?”

Did he really ask that? After what he did? This stupid hyung!

“Yeah. Thanks to you,” Chunji smile cynically.

“Your welcome. Don’t worry. When you come home, you’ll see it will be as good as when you bought it!”

Chunji rolls his eyes. When you deal with Cap, you have to do two things. Ask him any help, but trust him never. That bike will have to be sent to ‘hospital’ (that repair shop near his house) and it will be there for this whole week. Yay him.

Before you.

Walking to the school as expected boring as ever. This is Chunji’s summary on his walk to school.

Walk. See old man with his dog. Smile. Walk. Look left, look right. Walk. Take out IPod. Curse since he forgot to charge. Walk again. Pass by his favorite coffee shop. Remember that he didn’t get to eat breakfast this morning and make a mental note to steal some food from Niel. Walk. See the school building. Thank his guardian angel for ending his most amazingly boring journey to school. Ever.

He walks through the hallway to his locker, only to see his dongsaengs –minus Niel. That kid never punctual when it comes to school– are already there waving at him and shouting at him to hurry. How do they have that much energy in the morning will forever be a mystery to Chunji.

“Hyung!”

Ricky tugs his sleeve as he open his locker.

“How could you sleep while I was telling you a story last night?!”

“Ricky. I don’t mind you tell me your crush story but please. Nonstop talking until 3 in the morning is a little bit extreme for me.”

Ricky pushes his mouth forward, giving Chunji his adorable pout and Chunji looks pass it effortlessly. Ricky grunts as he knows only Chunji seems to never been effected by his pout. But Changjo does catch a word Chunji said.

“Crush? You have a crush and you didn’t tell me?!”

A sweat form on Ricky’s forehead. He glances nervously at Changjo.

“Crush? What crush? I think Chunji hyung said crash. I… crash into… my bedroom door yesterday. Yeah, and so I called Chunji hyung,” Ricky smiles awkwardly.

“You called until 3 am just to say you crash into your bedroom door?” Changjo gives Ricky a look that Chunji likes to call an are-you-ting-me look.

 “One thing lead to another?” Ricky lifts his shoulder.

“Changjo. Trust me. You don’t want to know,” Chunji pat his arm. “Now, could you please tell me where the hell is Ahn Daniel? I need to eat breakfast.”

“He should arrive right about… well what do you know? There he is.”

Changjo points to a guy with his trademark lips walking to them.

“Oh. He is two minutes early. Did he went to bed early yesterday?”

“I heard that Ricky,” the said boy says while opening his own locker that is two lockers away from Chunji. “I had to walk my niece to school since my brother had an early meeting.”

Chunji nods. He then smiles while putting his hands on Niel’s shoulder.

“Can I have a bit of your breakfast?”

“Here,” Niel fishes out two sandwiches from his bag and gives it to Chunji.

“Thank you!” Chunji grins, patting Niel. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have a Chemistry test to score.”

Ricky, Changjo and Niel watch as their hyung makes his way to his class.

“Sometimes I wonder if he should just marry his book.”

A statement agree by Ricky and Changjo.

Before you.

Originally his plan after school is to go back home and relax while finishing his homework. Maybe play some games, have dinner, fool around with Cap, and sleep early. Being a third wheel on a date has never been on his to-do list after school. Yet, here he is now in the karaoke room with the ‘it’ couple in the school despite both being a male.

“Yah, stop that!”

“I’m helping you!”

“Then use your hands! Not tongue!”

“Not my fault you eat like a baby.”

Chunji sighs. He grabs the microphone, select the loudest hard core rock song that he could find and put it on a blast. He shouts to the lyrics and bobs his head to the music. As the music end he hears a clap besides him.

“You really let it out there.”

Chunji scoffs.

“Where is Woohyun hyung?”

“Washroom.”

“Oh. Did you guys done getting mushy yet? Cause I really need to go home.”

“Oh come on. You’ve been inseparable from your book. Can’t you just take a break and enjoy for a moment?”

“Hyung. Really. The one who enjoy is only you. I’m bored to death here. I don’t know why you asks me. You could have ask Daehyun and have a double date.”

“I asked him but Youngjae has stuff to do,” Sunggyu shrugs.

“Then ask the others! Why me?”

“Because you have amazing voice. This is a karaoke room.”

Sunggyu has this grin face that Chunji just want to punch.

He groan and pick another hard core rock song.

Before you.

“HYUNG!” come Ricky’s voice as soon as he slides the green button on his phone. “It’s holiday! Lets hangout!”

Chunji slides further into the couch and resumes his favorite past activity. Watching rented movies.

“Not today.”

“Don’t tell me you lock yourself in your house watching yet another boring movies?!”

“What if I do?”

“Hyung. You need to go out. Have fun.”

“I am having fun.”

Chunji could imagine Ricky face palming himself. Someone seems to snatch the phone from Ricky.

“Hyung. Out. Now,” Niel.

“Don’t want to. Lazy.”

“Hyung!”

“Force me and I’ll never help you with homework ever again.”

…

…

…

“Fine.”

The line is dead. Chunji happily focuses on his movie.

Before you.
 

The whole evening he spends it in the library, finishing his three pages long essay. It is supposed to be a very peaceful evening for him and his books. Until a depressing Daehyun slips in the seat in front of him, pouting. Chunji ignores his gloomy friend, crosses out the wrong word he wrote.

“Chunji yah,” whine Daehyun softly.

Chunji sighs and put down his pen, giving Daehyun a pointed look.

“I’m sad.”

“I can clearly see that.”

“Jaejae is not answering my calls.”

“He is probably with his study group.”

“Can’t he text me a Hi or something?”

“He is studying. Something you should be doing too.”

“I just want a Hi.”

Chunji pulls his phone reluctantly and scroll the phone book.

“Niel, pass the phone to Youngjae. Ah hey Youngjae,” Chunji glances at Daehyun. “Sure, I’ll help you. But now, you need to help me. Say hi to your boyfriend.”

Chunji holds out his phone which Daehyun takes it quickly.

“Jaejae! Babe, I miss you. Oh you left your phone. Okay, I’ll wait at the gate. Just message me when you’re done. Love you!”

Daehyun smiles and waves even if Youngjae can’t see him. He gives the phone to Chunji.

“You are the best of best friend a friend could have,” he beams.

“I know,” Chunji smiles.

“You always helps us lovebird, yet you are single. How did you do it?”

“I want to know it myself too.”

“You should hook up with someone.”

Chunji smacks Daehyun with his math book.

“Now, study.”

Before you.

Chunji walks pass Cap’s room with a glass of orange juice in his hands. He is about to go into his room when he hears Cap talking in his phone. He stops his track and takes a peek at his hyung’s room.

“Yeah.”

Chuckles.

“I miss you too. How about a movie date tomorrow?”

Laughs.

“Anything for you, beautiful.”

Chunji cringes and quickly hides in his sanctuary. He closes the door, put his class on the table and sits on the bed. Being single is fun, but a bit lonely. It wouldn’t be if his friends and his hyung aren’t busy being mushy and spend time with him. By spend time he means just talk and joke around, not arcade 24/7 like his dongsaeng. Moreover, he is always with his books. Maybe Sunggyu hyung is right, he should take a break and enjoy. Or go out and have fun like Ricky said. Or get hook like Daehyun said. Ugrh. He doesn’t want to know anymore. Chunji throw his head into his pillow and closes his eyes.

Before you.

That is before you come knocking.