✯

I feel like I’m a hopeless romantic
I can’t help falling in love
I fiend for love
I want it, I crave it
I just can’t get enough

"Man~ Life is ," Kame pouted kicking his legs up in the air as rolled to the other side of the bed and huffed in displease.

"And unfair," another voice joining him caused Kame to flinch from his spot on his bed. He stretched out his hand grabbing a pillow and threw it in Yunho's direction at the door.

"Go away Yunho," Kame snarled at his housemate and returned to his mourning state.

"Got dumped?" Yunho asked even though he already knew the answer all too well.

"You aren't helping," Kame said firmly, hand wandering to his phone. He sighed when he looked through his phonebook and inbox messages. "Now I have to delete all of this," he whined as his fingers swiped through the screen and finished the deed.

"'Don't keep a single memory', isn't that a weird policy?" Yunho asked, inviting himself into the other's room and swatted down next to Kame on the bed.

"It's to be safe," Kame said shrugging.

"Are you going to be ok by yourself?" Yunho asked after Kame was done with his task.

"Yea," Kame put his phone away and turned to face Yunho. "Just make sure to buy me dinner when you're back from your date," Kame grinned sweetly.

"As long as you promise not trashing the house while I'm out, then yea sure," Yunho said sternly, knowing too well that a sulking Kame could result in a wasted party with the guys in their share apartment. Kame held out his hand to seal the deal with a handshake and Yunho shook it with an you-better-keep-your-words glare.

~*~

"Where is my dinner?" Kame asked, leaning his back to the hallway entrance, looking at a gloomy back. This is not good, he thought in his mind, this aura was way too familiar.

"Can you settle for cup ramen for tonight?" Yunho walked into the hallway passing Kame in the living room and headed straight to his room with a sulking expression.

"This is NOT good," Kame muttered as standing up to turn off his game and followed Yunho into the other's room. Kame knocked gently on Yunho's door. "Can I come in?" he asked concerning. There was no reply, just a small inaudible 'sure' could be heard. He turned the knock and pushed the door to let himself in, he stood watching at the door frame and heaved out a sigh, his suspicion had been right. "I'll get us something to drink, come out and cry with me, it's lonely to do it by yourself," he his heels and off to the kitchen. He could hear Yunho's footsteps heading out to the living room.

"We should trash our apartment, that's my opinion," Kame handed Yunho a beer can and sat down next to the man on the floor.

"What's wrong with us?" Yunho asked mindlessly and sipped on his beer.

"I guess we are hopeless romantic people," Kame answered with a shrug, "Well we just haven't met our other half yet," he added with a chuckle.

"I'm getting tired of us getting dumped too many times within the past three months, I can barely count it on the tip of my fingers," Yunho scoffed, taking a big gulp of his beer to release his irritation.

"But we can't help it," Kame snickered, "we will get back to that routine all over again, even if we swear that we will not love again," Kame pointed out their weakness.

"We're just craving for love," Yunho joined in answering his own question.

"Tomorrow is going to be another day of being single and the day after we will be in the arms of a new lover," Kame laughed loudly, having a feeling that he is being tipsy.

"I'm not surprise," Yunho nodded his head and lay his back on the floor, letting the alcohol taking over and bringing him into dreamland. Alcohol has always been his best sleeping pill.

Seeing Yunho passed out on the floor, Kame rolled his eyes and mumbled something like 'who is wasted now' and then followed his housemate into dreamland. Tomorrow is going to be another day for them. Another single life. Another new lover. Another break up. It is just another day.

~*~

The heat was unbearable and suffocating, it felt as if it would burn anything on the surface of the earth. Even though he was sitting inside a high max AC café, he could still feel that lingering wave of heat on his skin as he watched the people rushing under the shade to hide from the burning ray. Swirling his tongue around the straw, his eyes glanced as counted the people walked by.

“That is disgusting,” his seatmate scrunched up at his drooling sight.

“Can’t help it,” he replied with a shrug, “beautiful people are meant to be stared at,” he added his explanation.

“I swear you look like a ert that stripping them with your eyes,” his seatmate rolled eyes at him.

“You’re more than welcome to get to another table,” he unfazed at the remark.

“Touché,” his seatmate slapped playfully on his arm.

“It seems like it’s base zero today,” he released the straw and stretched his legs.

“Huh?” his seatmate blinked at him confusingly.

“I don’t find any good target today, let’s go before that bunch of ducklings there comes over,” he pointed to a bunch of high school girls that had been staring and pointing finger at them. His seatmate boldly turned around to the direction, successfully made the girls squealing and blushing in embarrassment.

“Stupid teenagers,” his seatmate mumbled under his breath.

“I know right,” he scoffed as placed a bill on their table and left with his seatmate in tow. “Where shall we go sightseeing now?” he turned to his seatmate, who only shrugged in return, “Com’on Jaejoong, you must know a place,” he whined as waited for Jae to answer.

“I do know a place that can perfectly bore you out, Jin~” Jae smirked at Jin’s grimaced face.

“Don’t tell me the library,” Jin said with narrowed eyes.

“Better than that,” Jae said with a grin, which Jin didn’t like, “Behind ya,” Jin turned his head around and groaned in frustration.

“I don’t want to go to class,” Jin dreaded his bad decision to let Jae pick the next place.

“There are girls, who are not stupid teenagers with hyper hormone, and even if you drool at them, they will allow that,” Jae said with a cheery tone.

“Let’s skip,” Jin tried to convince his friend.

“Too bad, we’re already here,” Jae halted his steps when they were standing in front of the building.

“I hate you,” Jin narrowed his eyes.

“Me too,” Jae beamed mockingly and Jin just wanted to dropkick his friend. “Let’s go in,” Jae pulled his unwilling best friend into the lecture hall and looked around for the perfect spots.

“I don’t bring anything with me,” Jin droned.

“Use your iPhone,” Jae deadpanned and sat down on the two empty spots at the front. He settled down with Jin in tow, making sure his friend is not skipping his favorite class: Geography.

~*~

Jin could barely keep himself awake as the professor went on and on about rock life and the structure of the stone and some other nonsense stuff that he had absolutely no clue what the heck was going on. He just wanted to crawl on the desk and sleep the lecture away but sitting at front row does not allow him such pleasure. Jin tried to stretch his legs and arms to keep himself awake for the time being. He glanced around the room and noticed majority of the students were half way into dreamland, only his best friend and a few others had been keeping up with the notes. His eyes began to travel throughout the room again, when suddenly something made him stop his browsing and a smile adorning his features.

Jae was beginning to get annoyed at his best friend for boldly acting bored in front of the professor. Luckily the old intellectual man was too into his lecture to care about the students in his class. He was relieved to see Jin had stopped his movement and sat still on a spot, with eyes focusing at one place. Now that was strange, Jin was never someone to sit still. Frowning, Jae turned to look at his friend’s eyes direction and noticed Jin had been staring and smiling goofily at a student in their class. Jae rolled his eyes at the not so surprised gaze.

“Jin, you’re drooling,” Jae quietly warned his friend, who was literally near drooling like a fool. Jin immediately snapped back to his sense and looked at his best friend weirdly.

“I was not,” he tried to counter.

“Yea, and your iPhone is on the floor,” Jae pointed at lonesome iPhone screen facing down on the carpet floor.

“Holy !” Jin cursed silently as he picked up his baby, wiping its screen with his hand and trying to see if any crack was made. “Still in one piece and working fine,” Jin grinned after examined his phone.

“Good, I don’t have to hear you whine about having to get a new phone,” Jae breathed out in relief.

“Hey, it wasn’t that bad,” Jin retorted but Jae had already ignored him again. Jin just shrugged and back to face the podium boringly. He stifled a yawn only a few minutes later. He checked the time on his phone and made a silent cheer when the minute jumps from “59” to “00”.

“Ok class, that’s it for today, don’t forget your assignment is due in the next lecture meeting,” the professor repeated his reminder and then hurriedly left the room.

Jae collected his stuff and turned to Jin expecting the man to be there but his best friend didn’t wait for him as usual; instead, Jin was trying to catch a glimpse of someone.

“What’s with him?” Jae spoke to no one and walked out of the lecture hall. 

“Damn I miss him,” Jin snapped his finger when he had lost the sight of the person.

“Who is this ‘him’?” Jae asked when he had finally reached his best friend.

“Someone that caught my eyes,” Jin smiled, “by the way, I’ll be coming to Geography from now on,” Jin beamed with a peace sign and Jae just felt like kicking his best friend for being stupid.

“Only pretty boys can bring your lazy to class,” Jae rolled his eyes while Jin smiled sheepishly.

~*~

For the past couple of days, Kame had this feeling of someone been watching his every move; he couldn’t put a finger on who the person was but he just couldn’t shake it off. He could feel the intense stares coming from behind him but when he turned around, he couldn’t catch those eyes. As if the person knows his every move. Kame decided to change his seat in today lecture. It was almost too easy to find a perfect spot in the back of the room and he settled himself down on the new seat. He took in a breath to observe his new spot, it was odd to sit in this corner of the classroom.

“It feels so invisible yet totally exposed,” Kame mumbled to himself as he took out his stationeries.

“Because the back rows are usually being watched by the professor,” Kame jolted at the husky deep voice replying to his sentence. He snapped his head to his left and was star struck at the handsome face in front of him. The other chuckled at Kame’s blinking eyes.

“I’m Akanishi Jin by the way,” Jin extended his hand out and Kame shook it warily.

“Kamenashi Kazuya,” Kame replied with his name.

“Have you always been in this class? Because I have never seen you around,” Jin tried to strike a conversation with his pretense.

“Yea, I usually sit in the front but I feel like slacking off today,” Kame replied with a sheepish smile.

“Ah~ I know how you feel,” Jin nodded his head at Kame’s explanation.

“Do you always sit here?” Kame asked casually, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Sometimes, only when my best friend is not being a pain in the and drag me to sit in front rows,” Jin pointed his finger at Jae, who currently glared at him with intensity.

“I think he just killed you with his glare,” Kame laughed heartily at the exchange and bowed his head in greeting when Jae’s gaze felt on him with a warm smile.

“Yup, but as long as I buy him dinner, he lets it go,” Jin shrugged his shoulder and Kame smiled back. Shortly after, the professor entered the room and the boring lecture began.

~*~

“Are you doing anything this weekend?” Jin followed Kame out of the lecture hall and the other man looked at him suspiciously.

“Not really,” Kame replied shortly.

“Since we’re going to have a midterm next week, I’m thinking maybe we can have a study group?” Jin suggested and Kame gave the idea a thought. Study group always sounded good to him and even though Jin was not a smart type from his observance, the other man’s friend seemed to pay more attention in this class.

“Is your friend going to come too?” Kame asked to make sure.

“He would never pass a study group,” Jin replied, hoping Kame would say yes and an agreeing grunt was more than enough to lighten him up. “Great! So see you this weekend at the library at 10am?” Jin immediately set up the date and time. Kame nodded along, not seeing what so wrong about it.

“Hold on,” Kame halted his step and turned to Jin, “can we change location to the café outside of the campus?” Kame proposed a new location.

“That’s more than perfect!” Jin mentally made a little dance in his mind; he was more than delight to meet at a café than at the library, that place was never his favorite location anyway.

“Cool! See you then,” Kame waved goodbye and then headed out to his next class. Jin waved back and watched the other’s back disappear in the sea of students. Suddenly a hard smack landed on his shoulder which made him abruptly turned around whining.

“Jae~” Jin rubbed his shoulder as glared at his best friend.

“You left me in there!” Jae snarled at his best friend, this was the second time he was being left behind, thanks to his so called best friend.

“Hey! I was on the hunt ok?” Jin reasoned as beaming brightly at his friend, “and guess what? I got a study date with him this weekend,” he held out his index and middle fingers into a victory sign and wiggled it in front of his friend.

“Good for you,” Jae shrugged and continued walking back to their dorm.

“Oh com’on! Be more enthusiastic, at least fake it!” Jin whined some more as followed his friend.

“Yea yea, whatever,” Jae rolled his eyes at the childish manner, “anyway, did you get his number?” Jae asked stretching his arms up in the air.

“oh ! I forgot!” Jin slapped his forehead at his stupidity. Jae just shot Jin his infamous you’re-so-ing-stupid eyes.

“Well I guess you have to do it the old school way, and that is to come to the place early and wait there until he arrives, alone,” Jae mocked his friend but Jin’s smirk made him stop his mocking grin.

“Oh not alone my dear friend, you’re going to accompany me,” Jin grinned widely and shoulder pushed his friend.

“What the ?!” Jae cursed loudly, “what is my role in this conquest of yours?” he kicked Jin’s leg in return for Jin’s earlier shoulder-push.

“Remember, I said study date, meaning it’s a ‘study group’ date type,” Jin made a quote-in-quote with his fingers.

“Ugh! Please god let this guy be a smart one or I’ll scream!” Jae looked up at the sky in exasperation. Jin just chuckled at his friend’s prayer antic and hooked his arm over Jae’s shoulders as they both headed back to their dorm.

~*~

Jae had no idea why the that he agreed to come to this little “study date” that Jin just conveniently set up for his own entertainment. Jae sighed for the umpteenth time that morning as he followed Jin towards the café just outside of their campus. He wished that he had come down with a cold or something to avoid this but that would be bad news for him because their midterm was just two days away; not going to risk his grade for something as stupid as this.

From afar, Jae could already see the familiar form waiting for them near the glass window. He grunted lowly as they entered the café and headed towards Kame’s table.

“Sorry for the wait,” Jin said as bowing lightly.

“No, you’re on time, I was here early,” Kame smiled as leaned to the side to wave the waiter over. “something you want?” he continued looking from Jin to Jae.

“Cappuccino,” Jin said to the waiter.

“Café Vienna,” Jae ordered.

“White mocha with soy, tell Yunho the sweeter the better,” Kame noted as the waiter smiled then walked away with their orders.

“Yunho?” Jin asked with a frown as Jae snickered to himself.

“The barista,” Kame replied, “my housemate,” he added to the info which made Jin feel much more relief.

“Is he also in the same class with us?” Jae tried to strike a conversation, seeing that Kame will be his study buddy for the next hours, at least he could try to get to know the guy better.

“Nah,” Kame waved his hand, “he is an electrical engineer major. His thing consists of those newton’s law and gravity,” he explained with a bored expression. “Boring stuff,” he concluded.

“Thanks to those boring stuffs, electricity was invented, and those high technologies we used today also based on those boring stuff,” Kame rolled his eyes at the voice correcting him from behind. He knew that tone a bit way too well.

“Smartass,” Kame shot and turned to poke his housemate.

“Don’t ask me for help with your Physic homework then,” Yunho counted back with a victory grin and Kame just pouted.

“Hate you,” he retorted weakly.

“Yea I know you love me,” Yunho ruffled Kame’s hair and placed down the three orders, “have your sweet white mocha to cheer your mood, who knows it might help to increase your intelligence.” Yunho chuckled lightly at Kame’s glare as he placed down the white mocha specifically made for Kame, and then placed the other two orders to the two occupants at the table. “Cappuccino?”

“Mine,” Jin answered with a smile as he mouthed a ‘thank you’.

“Café Vienna?” Yunho turned to the last person at the table and his eyes lingered on the other one a bit longer than the rest.

“Mine,” Jae answered sheepishly with a tinge of redness on his cheek at Yunho’s stare.

“I can’t imagine someone as sweet as you ordered such drink, if I have known better, I would add extra sweetness to match your taste,” Yunho’s comments made Kame spurted out his drink and Jin widened his eyes, as for Jae, he was struck with love.

~*~

“Did you just hit on him earlier?” Kame asked the moment they both stepped into their share apartment.

“Of course I did,” Yunho said with a smile. “And guess what? I got his number,” he waved a piece of paper in front of Kame.

“You can’t keep your hand off pretty boys,” Kame just shook his head at Yunho.

“Well, I see that his friend is interested in you,” Yunho spoke out his thought.

“I know,” Kame smirked knowingly as settled down on the sofa. Yunho arched his brow at his housemate, slightly amazed at Kame’s innocent attitude.

“What are you going to do about it?” Yunho tried to pry for an opinion.

“I’ll let him try to pursue me, it’s fun to be chased once in a while. I’m tired to being the one doing the chase all the time,” Kame just smiled contently.

“You lazy ,” Yunho slapped his friend on the shoulder and sat down next to Kame.

“You should worry about your little darling. Even though he looks pretty and all, I doubt he is that easy to convince,” Kame said with experience, “pretty boys tend to act hard to get, you know,” he added.

“We’ll see about it,” Yunho just grinned and waved the piece of paper in front of his eyes. “Maybe I should text him?”

“No!” Kame quickly stopped his friend. “Wait for a day or two, don’t rush the situation or it might look like you’re the one into him, and that’s bad,” he advised with knowledge.

“You seemed to be very experience in this,” Yunho complimented.

“Can’t be helped, I’ve been chasing my targets all the time, so it was kind of growing on me,” Kame shrugged his shoulder.

“Well then Mr. I-know-it-all, if I’m going to text him, what’s the best line?” Yunho joked and Kame just kicked him for being playful.