It took Key a whole four months to convince his parents to let him live off campus. 'You're too young,' they said. 'Wait another year, you're still in your first,' they told him. Key wouldn't let his inexperience get to him, because he was not living another year in a dorm. Key pleaded for months before he finished his first year, swore he'd get a roommate and a job, and his parents finally gave in when Key told them Kikwang agreed to be his roommate. Kikwang was older and an upperclassman who his parents trusted.

The nineteen year old still had no idea what to major in. He would be twenty soon, and his sophomore year of college was underway, and all he had figured out was that he wanted to do something in music. He filled his schedule with general classes, including the general music classes and a minor focus on English. It was just a matter of finding his niche.

It was a Thursday, sometime in late afternoon and Key was returning to his apartment after checking the mail. 
His focus was on the envelopes in his hand, but when he heard a rustling from the dumpster next to him, he couldn't help but direct his focus to the giant trash can next to him. 

“What was that?” Key thought aloud. He thought about walking over to the dumpster and investigating, but something told him not to. He went back to the mail in his hand and began walking to the door of his apartment building until he heard it again. It sounded like someone was going through the contents of the dumpster, but he didn't see anyone around. He stopped for a second before proceeding – what if he was attacked by crazy raccoons like the ones he had read about? 

Deciding that a raccoon jumping out of the dumpster was unlikely, Key headed over to the dumpster. He was cautious with his approach and made sure not to touch anything when he leaned forward, looking into the garbage abyss. It took him a few seconds to realize that there was a pair of brown eyes looking back at him, and he jumped back, dropping the mail he was holding. 

“The – Why is a person in a dumpster,” Key said and resumed his position in front of the green contraption. 

The eyes looked back at him again and Key studied the face they belonged too – it was dirty, but Key couldn't help admiring. Hey tilted his head and observed the boy in the dumpster. From what he could see, he had light brown hair, like some off shade of honey, and Key concluded that it was a good color for him. Atop his head was an old banana peel, and Key couldn't help but scrunch his nose in distaste. The dumpster lurker was squished into the trash, but Key could see he was wearing an old tattered T-shirt that probably fit him nicely when he first got it. There were holes in his jeans he just looked – filthy.

“You look disgusting,” Key suddenly blurted out and he watched the boy sink back defensively. “Um, well, you are in a dumpster,” Key tried to reason, but realized that he probably only made the situation more awkward. 

He wouldn't say anything, and it was started to frustrate Key. “Are you looking for something?” Key asked, but there was no answer.

There was yelling in the background and Key could see the dumpster intruder disappear completely so he wouldn't seen from the outside. Curious, Key turned around to see what looked like a head of red hair and a taller teen standing around looking for something. When they didn't find what they wanted, they talked for a second and then split up in different directions.

Brown Eyes appeared again when the two disappeared and Key made the connection. “Wait, you're running away from from them? You're not like part of a gang or something are you? Because getting banged was not on my list of things to do today.” 

Brown Eyes smiled a little and shook his head, the banana peel falling off. He grabbed at the side of the dumpster and jumped out, almost toppling over when he landed on the black top in front of Key. 

Key took the moment to get a better look at Brown Eyes. He was wearing black boots that look like they could handle the toughest of climates, he was short and muscular and obviously ran from a lot of things. Key looked at his face again, still finding it pleasant even though it was dirty and something like familiarity struck. He had seen this kid – who probably wasn't much older than he was – somewhere before, probably on campus. 

“I've seen you before,” Key said after coming to this conclusion while he bent down and picked up his dropped mail. 

The shorter male in front of him half smiled and Key started to wonder where he was getting at. Was it really necessary not to say anything? “I think on campus.”

He laughed this time, and flipped his hair out of his face. “I don't go to school,” he said and Key was slightly surprised by the tone in his voice. Everything about him was pleasant, despite his condition.

“Look, Brown Eyes,” Key said and the latter just chuckled. 

“Brown Eyes. I like it. Sorry I can't stay, but thanks for being a good look out,” he said with a swift wave and ran off in the opposite direction of Key's apartment building.

Key stood watching the place that was previously held by the dumpster diver, completely dumbfounded.

 

It was Friday night and Key was on his way with Kikwang to see the Korean production of Wicked. Kikwang had won a pair of tickets from a radio contest, and Key was more than happy to accompany him to the show.

He was dressed up all snazzy, along with his roommate, and was happy it wasn't raining. The subway could only take them so far before they had to walk the rest of the way to the theater.

“This is so exciting,” Kikwang squeaked as they walked through the crowds of people. Key couldn't help but laugh because of how they were dressed compared to everyone else. 

The neared the entrance of the theater when Key spotted a familiar face and stopped dead in his tracks. Kikwang stopped, too, but didn't say anything first.

Key watched the familiar face belt out in song, an empty guitar case at his feet, but no guitar is sight. It was Brown Eyes singing his heart out for a few extra coins and Key couldn't help but stand there dumbfounded - again. He had a better pair of dark wash jeans on, a jack and a white v-neck shirt, but Key was too distracted by his clean face and voice. 

Not really realizing what he was doing, Key walked up to the singing boy he had met the previous day. He heard the cling of coins being dropped into the guitar case next to him. Key stood in front of Brown Eyes, who smiled at him through his singing, but didn't stop to say anything.

Key opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. The singer kept looking at him with his playful smile and before Key could do anything, he heard Kikwang say something to him. 

“Key, come on! We're gonna be late.” 

The call from his roommate broke his from his reverie, and before joining Kikwang in the theater, Key dug through his pockets and dropped a few pieces into Brown Eyes' guitar case.
 

It was Monday afternoon, and Key was wandering Severance Hall after classes, his thoughts focused on the kid he had met in the dumpster a few days before. 

It irked him, because he was positive he had seen him around on campus before. He had even looked around all his classrooms that day just because he wanted to prove he wasn't going crazy. 

There was creaking of a door and Key looked up to see someone exiting Professor Jung's office. It was only the back of his head, but Key recognized that hair color and just knew that it was Brown Eyes. He was positive didn't see Jessica Jung didn't see riff-raffs from nowhere who didn't go to school. Determined, Key followed him to the stairwell where he yelled for the lurker's attention. 

“Hey!” Key called before Brown Eyes got to the stairs, the latter turned and upon seeing Key, smirked teasingly. 

“What are you doing here?” But Brown Eyes didn't answer, in fact started for the steps again, but Key was too quick – and even surprisingly to himself – too strong. He grabbed the shorter male's arm and pulled hard until he was pushing him on the ground, straddling him and pinning his arms to the tile. He was determined to get some kind of answers, and wouldn't let this elusive character get away.

“Hey, what the – Get off me!” Brown Eyes yelled, but this time Key was the one smirking, because he was feisty and able to hold his own. 

“Not until you give me some answers,” Key said, pushing some of his weight down onto Brown Eyes' waist. Key heard a groan and the person underneath him stopped squirming, the signal that he had won this battle. 

“Why were you in Professor Jung's office?” Key asked.

Brown Eyes sighed and looked at Key. “I just know her. She was doing a favor for me.”

“What kind of favor?” 

“i can't tell you that.”

Key gripped tighter at Brown Eyes' wrist and the latter yelped. “Ow! Hey, that hurts!” He exclaimed. “Look, I really can't tell you.”

It was useless, Key thought, and got up from his position. He brushed himself and sighed angrily. 

“Who - what - are you?” Key asked, obviously annoyed.

Brown Eyes smiled. “A street rat.”

A/N  I remember reading something a looooooong time ago about a girl somehow ending up in a dumpster. I don't remember how or why, but yeah. So the 'finding Jjong in a dumpster' concept isn't originally mine, but I though it would be interesting to give it a shot. Everything else just kinda spawned from that thought xD. 

Hope you enjoyed. <3