CHAPTER 14

N e w    B e g i n n i n g s

It was Saturday and they have barely 3 days before class starts anew for the school year. The universities and schools were all abuzz with both students and parents cramming for one final time ensuring everything they need is prepared for Monday. KyungSoo is no exception.

“Umma! What are you doing!? I won’t bring those with me!” KyungSoo dubiously looks at a light brown knitted sweater that seems to have been made to humiliate him.

“Oh no it isn’t that bad KyungSoo, look it will keep you warm at night when you’re sleeping in the dorm. You said it yourself that nights in there can be lethally cold.” KyungSoo dreadfully takes the hideous jacket from his mother and looks at it like it was a vegetable salad amongst a table of pancakes, bacon, and almost anything pleasantly edible. Urgh.

He forces himself to stuff it inside his luggage and makes a mental note to burn it once he reaches his dorm room. He’ll just say the bed bugs decided to adopt it and make it their queen. He chuckles at the thought.

“How about this one honey?” His mother yet again manages to procure a strange looking tracksuit and now dangles it in front of him. “I think it’s kind of fashionable. I’ve seen idols wear something like this in Inkigayo.”

“Idols? Inkigayo? Umma are you sure you were watching the right show? Because it looks more like Grandma been sifting through her old wardrobe again.” She throws the tracksuit at her son and they start laughing together. KyungSoo comes up to her mother to hug her.

“I’m gonna miss you and dad so much.” KyungSoo says affectionately as her mother kisses her cheek.

“You know we will too honey. Why do you think we created that Facebook account?” KyungSoo cringes as he remembers the social media account that her parents created so they can keep in touch online. They’ve literally riddled it with his embarrassing photos and some baby pictures of him to boot.

“Umma, remind me to unfriend you.” His mother laughs genuinely and pinches his cheeks.

“So will you and BaekHyun be going together later to the University?”

KyungSoo has been trying to avoid any conversation that concerns his bestfriend with anyone. He’s not particularly keen on discussing what’s happened between them. He’s not even sure why it happened in the first place.

“I’m not sure. He's gonna go there tomorrow I guess.” KyungSoo lies as he continues to pack his bag.

“I miss BaekHyun, I haven’t seen him whole summer. In fact, I haven’t seen you guys together for two months.” His mother quickly picks up, “Are you guys fighting?

“Nothing serious, just friend fights. You know.”

“Well you better fix that quick. It’s not nice to be mad at someone especially with your bestfriend and roommate inside the dorm.” KyungSoo flinches at the mention of the word roommate. He didn’t write down BaekHyun’s name as his roomie on the dorm application form. He just ticked random. He was pretty sure BaekHyun did the same.

“Umma what’s for lunch? I’m hungry!”

--

JongIn is waiting for someone. He keeps looking at his watch and then stares outside the café window. His eyes widen at the sight of that familiar face.

“KyungSooyah!” He immediately dashes and takes the luggage and big bags that KyungSoo is carrying with great difficulty. He smiles at him and attempts to seal a kiss on his cheeks.

“Whoa Cap’n Smooch-a-lot. Can you kiss-me-not?” KyungSoo smiles affectionately as he pushes the taller boy away. He’s not one to publicly display anything other than a sign that says mind your own business.

“I just missed you so much Kyung-Kyung!” He ushers the younger boy to the table and they both settle down comfortably. JongIn takes KyungSoo’s hands and starts playing with it. It was soft and white. He had this inclination to just put it in his mouth and chew it like he would a bubblegum.

“I missed you too JongIn. Have you eaten already?” The other boy nods and resumes smiling at him. It has been a week since he let JongIn become a part of his life. He needed someone to lean on and JongIn was that person who was there for him. There’s no talk of exclusivity or commitment, they just let things become what they are right now.

“I’ve been here since lunch time, because I was so excited to see you and accompany you to your dorm. It felt like I’ve been waiting for ages that I thought I was growing a beard already and that weird things have been making their way inside my body.”

“Maybe they have. You’re sitting on a rather old chair on a damp corner of this café. I won’t be surprised if something slimy comes crawling out from under your shirt.” KyungSoo says halfed-amused. He flashes heart-shaped lips which elicits a soft moan on the other’s lips.

“Oh Kyung, what I wouldn’t give right now to be able to eat those lips of yours.”

“Kim JongIn you byuntae!” JongIn laughs and tenderly caresses KyungSoo’s cheek with his free hand.

“I’ll miss this.”

“Then why not switch to our school JongIn? I’ll help you with the paperworks.”

“We’ve talked about this already Kyung. Beside I’ve already laid out my plans on how we can get to spend time with each other. You’ve given me your schedule and I’ve mapped out everything nicely. Look here.” JongIn pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket, lays it out on the table and shoves it in KyungSoo’s direction. It was a mishmash of subjects, schedules, arrows and names of places that KyungSoo found so hard to understand. He continues to stare at it with an air of someone trying to solve a trigonometry problem in his head while being chased by a serial killer.

“Oh.”

“You didn’t understand anything didja?”

“Not a single thing.” KyungSoo smiles mockingly. JongIn pouts as he shoves the paper back in his pocket. How adorable, a pouting JongIn, KyungSoo mutters to himself.

“I just wanted us to be together. We just started and already we’ll be spending school apart. Won’t you miss me?”

“JongIn right now, if there’s anything nearly as important as how I value you, I want it hunted down and fed to the wolves.” KyungSoo assures the other.

“What’s with you and this fascination with wolves?”

“That’s right wolf. Neaga wolf, awoooh.” They both laugh at the silliness building up between them. This is what they’ll exactly miss about each other. They haven’t spent a lot of time together, and whatever they are to each other right now and however KyungSoo wants not to talk about it, the fact that neither is complaining is a silent declaration of anything but just being platonic.

--

They take a cab as a bus ride will only inconvenience them with the amount of stuff that KyungSoo was bringing to the dorm. His father offered to help but KyungSoo lied that BaekHyun decided to accompany him today instead.

“Will you miss me Kyung-Kyung?” JongIn presses.

“Of course I will. Every once in a while we miss that annoying cousin we all have, or that bothersome aunt that insists on pairing you up with a girl she is tutoring. Or sometimes a pebble in your shoe.”

“What? Am I that annoying?”

“All I am saying JongInah is that, I’m not a silly romantic like you. You won’t see me texting you mushy stuff at how my day was dismal because I didn’t get to see you.” He looks at JongIn and sees a vacant expression, “but that doesn’t mean I like you any less.”

“If I asked you to just stay with me in this cab until, god knows where we end up in or where the money in our pockets takes us, would you say yes?”

“You’re so ridiculously random you know that?”

“Would you join me and just forget the world Kyung?”

“Shut up. We’re almost there.”

“Will you drop everything and come with me?”

“The only thing dropping is my bag on your foot Kim JongIn. Yes please just stop there in front of the gate. Here’s our cab fare. Thanks. Now let’s go and help me bring my stuff to my room.”

They made their way to the second floor where KyungSoo’s room assignment was at. He is to occupy Room 2712 with yet an unnamed schoolmate. JongIn opens the door, props the bags on the floor. The room is small and it has two beds opposite each other and flanked between them is a wide window. There’s a small bathroom just almost enough for one person. Two will mean intimate contact for the occupiers.

“See, that could’ve been your bed if you just enrolled here.” KyungSoo pointing to the bed at the right side of the room. He sits on his chosen bed and rests himself.

“I would’ve done that in a heartbeat Kyung, but you know why I chose the school I’m in now. It’s because of my first love,” KyungSoo raises an eyebrow, “dancing.”

“I know. I was just teasing.” KyungSoo closes his eyes as he envisions his school year with JongIn. How they’ll be spending short but meaningful times together. Then BaekHyun suddenly appears in his head. He frowns a bit. He should’ve been sharing this room with him instead. How he misses him, but pride has its own distinct ruling. What will he do once they get together in class? Will they be civil? Or will they just ignore each other? This is absurd since they only have each other, no real friends outside the small circle they’ve created for themselves. Is it time to make new friends?

JongIn revels at the sight of the other boy on top of the bed with eyes closed. He would occasionally furrow his brow and twitch his lips as if arguing with someone in his head. He slid beside the boy and plants one sweet kiss. KyungSoo opens his eyes.

“What was that for?”

“Just because you’re you, and you’re perfect.” KyungSoo blushes to this and immediately sits up.

“JongInah~”

“Look Kyung-Kyung,” JongIn sits and faces the other boy, “I’m not saying that we won’t argue or that I am perfect for you. Hell I can never ever say that I’m perfect for you. In fact, I know I’m far from being qualified to be with you.”

“Why are you saying this JongIn? We’ll just be attending school not flying around the world in opposite directions.” JongIn thoughtfully holds KyungSoo’s hands.

“All I’m saying is I’m worth it. So give me a chance to prove it okay?”

KyungSoo grins. The JongIn in front of him is far from the JongIn he met in Busan. And he’d much rather have this one a hundred times over for sure. The taller boy is looking at him with expectant eyes. All KyungSoo responds with is a fervent kiss on his lips, and a silent promise to give him what he wants, a chance.

--

KyungSoo makes his way downstairs to greet the Ajjuma who’ll be taking care of his dorm needs for the school year. JongIn had to leave him as he himself needs to prepare for school as well.

“Annyeonghaseyo Ajjuma, my name is Do KyungSoo and I’m in Room 2712. I was just wondering if I already have an assigned roommate.”

“Yah! Do I look like an ajjuma to you!?” Shrieked the long haired 20 something at the front desk. He glares at KyungSoo.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…”

“Aigoo, do I look that old to you huh punk??”

“Jwesonghamnida.” KyungSoo is blushing wildly and keeps bowing in apology to the rather pretty lady who’s in charge of the new dorm he is in.

“Aish, kids these days. Call me noona Kahi. And yes you already have an assigned roomie. He’s a transferee and he said he’ll be coming in tomorrow.”

“Kansahamnida noona Kahi.”

“I haven’t seen you around here before, are you new to this school as well?”

“Nope. I used to dorm on the East side of the campus. I’m a sophomore. By the way, nice meeting you noona.” KyungSoo embarrassingly bows again.

“Stop bowing to me. I swear it’s annoying me like hell.”

“Okay. Uhm, I’ll be taking my leave now. I still have to run to the convenience store to pick up some stuff.”

KyungSoo was not far from the door when he heard Kahi call out his name. He freezes and turns to look at her.

“You’re assigned roomie squishy.” Squishy? Did she just call him squishy? “Yeah, that’s what I’ll call you ‘coz you look squishy.”

“Neh, noona. Who’s going to be my roommate?”

“It’s,” she looks through a list and finds the name, “Park ChanYeol.”

*************************************

Ommo this is it! I smell oosuɐɥɔ is in the air!

I tried to make this chapter light as possible because the story was aready heavy as it is.

So whaddya think?

Comments please!

Some things you may or may not have noticed in this chapter:

- KyungSoo mentioned the chorus of EXO's song Wolf.

-Kyungies mother mentions Inkigayo. I was watching the live streaming of this week's episode so I decided to add it. kkk~

-No surprise that JongIn is majoring dancing.

-One of my AfterSchool bias is Kahi. The other is Nana, but she looked to young to be running a dorm.

-Room 2712 is a combo of ChanYeol and KyungSoo's birthdate.

-JongIn and KyungSoo aren't official. They're just dating.

Whew to that.