The Taste of Freedom
The Taste of Freedom
Baekhyun had managed to survive the papers and presentations that came with the end of his classes, but he’s got an extreme case of test anxiety and tends to freak out just a little bit when he studies for his finals. He can’t help it if he get’s nervous.
“Hey guys, are we still meeting up at Kris’ place to study tomorrow? The library never has any good spots left and my roommate has been a little extra crazy lately.”
Baekhyun looks at the group message Tao sent to their mini study group (composed of Tao, Kris, Chanyeol, Joonmyeon, Minseok, Jongdae and himself) and waits for Kris to respond, praying that the giant says yes. He doesn’t mind studying in his room with Kyungsoo and all, but Luhan has this terrible habit of barging into their room and complaining about why his life is over only to suddenly motivate himself into studying again twenty minutes later. Can Baekhyun stay sane while sitting through another day of that? No.
“Yeah, you guys are free to come whenever. Oh and bring some money so we can pitch in for pizza too.”
Excellent.
“Dude, you need to lay off the roasted coffee beans, your hands are shaking.”
“You don’t understand Kris, I need these to keep me sane. I need to caffeinate when I study.”
“Um, I’m kind of in psychology, so yes, I do understand, and no you don’t need that to keep you sane.”
“Ughh, you’re so infuriating sometimes. Just let me be, I’ve got my English final tomorrow and I haven’t even read half the texts my prof told us to look over. I’m so screwed.” Why does he do this to himself every semester?
“This is why you need to plan ahead. I told you to get organized.”
“I’m not here to listen to another one of your lectures on test taking strategies and time management Kris… Don’t you have your own finals to study for?”
“Yeah, but I’ve been studying all week, I’m pretty much all set and ready to go already. I’ll just look over my notes again later. You know, if you had listened to my ‘lecture’ on time management, maybe you wouldn’t be sleep deprived and cramming right now.”
Baekhyun wants to wipe the smug look off of Kris’ face.
“You also smell like the inside of my runners.” Kris pinches his nose with his left hand and fans the air in front of his face with his right. “When was the last time you showered?”
Scratch that, punch the smug look off of Kris’ face.
“Shut it. My hygiene is not the issue at hand right now! My GPA is! I need to study so stop distracting me! Go entertain Chanyeol or something.” Baekhyun grumbles and makes a shooing motion with his hands.
“Um…” Kris looks over at Chanyeol and decides against “entertaining” the crazy artist. His portfolio is due tomorrow. “I think I’ll pass on that one.”
“Then go bother Tao or Jongdae or Minseok or Joonmyeon! Their exams don’t start till like next week!” Baekhyun snaps at Kris then tunes him out for the next half an hour, focusing on the stacks of paper in front of him instead. Who does Kris even think he is?
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
What is it this time? Baekhyun looks over at Chanyeol and almost chokes on his own spit at the scene before him. Is that a clay in Chanyeol’s hand?
“NO! NOOO! NOOOOOOO! MY SNAPPED OFF! GUYS WHAT DO I DO?!?!” Chanyeol’s voice is cracking and his brows are furrowed as he waves the clay appendage over his head.
“Um… glue it back on?” Kris’ head over to the right, eyebrows furrowed as he gives Chanyeol his suggestion.
“I’m not allowed to use glue! Ughh noooo, I worked so hard to get the shape right too!”
Tao looks up from his Chemistry textbook and rolls his eyes.
“You didn’t even fire your sculpture yet, just reattach it.”
“No, you don’t understand, the shape is all wrong now!” Chanyeol then proceeds to pout and stomp his feet against Kris’ hardwood floors like a whining child
Six heads shake simultaneously at Chanyeol’s outburst.
Baekhyun leaves Kris’ place feeling even more anxious and worried than he did prior to going there. Studying was supposed to make him feel better, but Baekhyun didn’t realize just how much content this class had until he actually started to look over his notes. Yawning, Baekhyun opens the door to his room and immediately flops onto his bed, arms and legs spread out like a starfish.
“Um… Are you okay?” Kyungsoo looks up from his Econ textbook and flashes a worried glance at Baekhyun.
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Oh okay… Just don’t overwork yourself.”
“I’ll try not to.” Baekhyun’s eyes are closed as he remains motionless. He just wants to get this all over with.
“Good, cause we all know how you get during finals season. The stress is just all in your head, you always end up doing well in the end.”
“I guess...”
“Okay, well you get some rest then. I’m just gonna go back to studying.”
The dorm stays quiet for the next couple of minutes before Baekhyun rolls over and curls onto his side, hugging his blanket for comfort. “Soo?”
“Hmm?”
“Thanks.”
Joonmyeon’s eyes are opening and closing sluggishly as his head sways back and forth. He’s had a total of three hours of sleep over the past two days and he still wasn’t able to review all of the material they covered in this class. He’s never going to get into Law school at this rate.
“Um, Joonmyeon, are you okay?” Kris pokes his friend’s cheek lightly and Joonmyeon’s eyes flutter open.
“Hmm? What? Oh yeah, totally.”
“Why don’t you take a power nap or something? Your exam is in the afternoon so you’ve got another four hours to study. That’s plenty of time. I don’t mind letting you sleep in my room. ”
“No no, I’m fine.”
“Just shut up and take a nap bro.” Luhan slams the textbook in front of Joonmyeon shut and tugs the younger out of his chair. “How much more information can you cram into that tired brain of yours in the course of four hours anyways? You’re not gonna retain any of that.”
“But I’m fine.” Joonmyeon attempts to remove himself from Luhan’s hold, but Luhan’s grip is strong as he drags Joonmyeon towards Kris’ room.
“Just rest okay?” And with that, Luhan pushes the younger onto Kris’ bed and tucks him in.
“I really don’t think this is necessary.”
“Nap. Now.” Luhan shuts down all of Joonmyeon’s protests with a stern look. “I’ll come get you in half an hour.”
Joonmyeon sighs and gives in, no one stands a chance against Luhan. He always gets his way. Heck, he practically invited himself over to Kris’ house out of nowhere this morning and got a free bagel from Baekhyun out of it too.
“Fine…”
“Guys, I think I’m gonna hurl.”
Three bodies automatically jump away from a pale faced Minseok while Jongdae offered to take him to the restroom. Baekhyun volunteered to go make him some ginger tea, but Kyungsoo went instead, his exam isn’t till tomorrow while Baekhyun’s got one in the afternoon.
“Are you gonna be okay? Your exam starts in like half an hour…” Jongdae is currently patting Minseok in an attempt to help the older feel better.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Well, I have to be. I can’t defer this exam, I graduate this year and I’d rather not push my convocation back cause of a small stomach flu.”
“Um… a stomach flu is a pretty big deal Minseok.”
“Not in my books it isn’t.”
“If you say so…”
“Hey, when’s your next final?” Sehun is growing tired of playing League so he decided to make small talk with Kai instead.
“Tomorrow. I’m going to have to teach myself everything we’ve ‘learned’ so far in class to myself today. I don’t remember a single thing my prof taught us this semester.”
“Oh that .”
“Yeah… whens yours?”
“Um, I finished all of mine already. They were all crammed together at the beginning of this week. I thought I told you that?”
“WHAT?! You lucky .”
“Well that wasn’t very nice.”
“Sorry, I’m just stressed.”
“Whatever.”
Just one more to go. You got this Baekhyun. You got this in the bag! Baekhyun takes a couple deep breaths and walks into his psychology class with his head held (somewhat) high. He’s been studying his off all week and all of his finals have gone alright so far. He just needs to finish this one before he’s free to do whatever he wants. Baekhyun grabs a seat in the back of the lecture hall and takes out his yellow highlighter and four blue pens (you never know). He then looks at the clock and waits for the exam to start. So close!
“Let’s get ready to partay!!!!!!”
“Who the hell even says party like that anymore?”
“Shut up Kai, I do.”
Kai makes a face at Luhan then backs away before he gets hit.
“Calm down you two, the party hasn’t even started yet. Lets not break any limbs at my house yeah?”
“Me breaking someone’s limbs? Why would I do such a thing?” Luhan feigns a shocked expression and places his hand over his chest.
“Just go help me set out the snack Luhan.”
“Only cause it’s you Kris.” Luhan gives Kris a sickly sweet smile and flashes a quick glare at Kai then heads to the kitchen.
Kai smirks and crosses his arms as he watches Luhan walk away.
“What are you doing Kai? Go help him.”
“Huh? Oh, okay got it.” Kai walks over to the kitchen as well and decides to help Baekhyun with the drinks instead.
“Hey Baek, I feel like I haven’t seen you in like two weeks.”
“That’s cause you haven’t seen me in two weeks.” Baekhyun smiles and hands Kai a stack of cups to place on the kitchen island.
“Oh right. Yeah, so how were your finals?”
“They were okay, I didn’t hyperventilate or throw up or pass out this time.”
“That’s good.” Kai chuckles and looks through Kris’ drawers for a sharpie. He hates it when people drinks from his cup. “Didn’t you throw up all over Lay’s lunch last year?”
Baekhyun shudders at the memory.
“Don’t remind me.”
“Too late haha. I think Jongdae has pictures of that on his phone.”
“Actually?” Baekhyun’s eyes widen in shock.
“Yeah…”
“JONGDAE! CAN I BORROW YOUR PHONE FOR A BIT?!”
“WHY?!”
“JUST CAUSE!”
“CAUSE WHY?!”
“Why the hell are you two screaming at each other? If you need Jongdae’s phone just come to the living room and get it yourself Baek.”
“Who died and made you boss Sehun? The last time I checked, you’re the youngest one here.” Jongdae stopped his screaming with Baekhyun and faced Sehun.
“And age matters because…?”
“Cause you should respect your elders, duh.” Baekhyun sauntered into the living room and joined Jongdae in his scolding of Sehun’s “terrible” manners.
“Whatever. I’m gonna go help Tao with the cake, you two have fun doing whatever it is you people do.”
“Wait, why is it that you need my phone?”
“I just wanna compared your camera with mine.”
“Um… isn’t your phone a newer model?”
“All the more reason to double check.”
“Oh okay, sure, here.” Jongdae unlocks his phone and hands the device to Baekhyun.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
Grinning, Baekhyun looks through Jongdae’s photos and deletes that terrible photo then proceeds to sending himself a couple ugly selfies that Jongdae has of himself as well.
“What’s taking you so long?” Jongdae looks over Baekhyun’s shoulders and grows horrified at the picture that Baekhyun just sent himself. “YO! What the hell?! I TRUSTED YOU!”
Baekhyun laughs like a maniac and scurries out of the living room, joining Kyungsoo in the backyard where their meat is grilling.
The past three weeks have been absolutely chaotic, but Baekhyun wouldn’t have it any other way. He had managed to do alright in most of his classes and made it out of his exams alive. His friends are idiots but they definitely made finals season less stressful and he’s thankful for that.
“Hey Baek, can you pass me the honey chipotle? I don’t think Kris did a good job marinating this.”
“Yeah sure.”
Fin.
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