Chapter FIVE

Classes are going to end early today for Seungyoon. He almost questioned his eyesight and double checked his schedule a few times on his phone. But he didn’t see wrong. It just so happened that his schedule for this term turns out to be this way. Then he remembered about the lame rule set by his faculty that he has to take two mandatory classes on Tuesdays and Thursday to fulfil the graduation requirements. He groaned as his professor dismissed the class. Why did he even bother with coming to school today?

He wasn’t used to this kind of schedule. He isn’t complaining though and thought maybe he can even try to enjoy his afternoons on week days from now on. Maybe that’s the joy of being a third year student in college. But at the same time, he wishes that his schedule wasn’t so scattered throughout the week and much rather have a crap ton of classes piled on a Monday-Wednesday- Friday basis. Then maybe he can sleep in on those two day offs, or even better, take on more shifts at Munch Box for some extra money!

But the question is- what was he going to do today? Seungyoon totally forgot that he had a short day and didn’t make any plans in advance. As well, Tuesdays, like today, are his day offs from work. He thought of calling up Minho and Jinwoo hyung to see what they’re up to but he quickly dismissed the plan. It was a completely bad idea! Seungyoon sees them at work and he often bumps into them at school as well. He was just a tad too sick of seeing them.

Just as he’s thinking about what to do, a sudden thought crept onto his mind. He wondered what his mid split hair roommate was up to. He didn’t even have a chance to see him this morning since he left home before Taehyun even woke up. His empty stomach suddenly began to growl. Dang he missed yesterday’s breakfast! Maybe it is a good idea to have breakfast after all.

Perhaps some food would do him good now. He decides to go home for the mean time and maybe even prep for his surprisingly overwhelming amount of school work that has been given. He is already dreading the thought of writing that 15 page paper for his cognitive psychology class. And just in case you don’t know, Seungyoon and papers do not mix very well.

Snapping back into reality, Seungyoon quickly let out a yawn from the boring lecture, stretched out his arms and quickly shoveled all his belongings into his backpack. As he was about to exit the door with the rest of his class, he felt a tap on his shoulder. “Oh, hey!” He greeted politely once he turned around. He recognized the girl before him as the one who worked on a project with him last term. He forgot her name, however, and tried to come up with something else to say. “Uh… It’s you! How have you been?”

The girl smiled and Seungyoon immediately made a fist bump in his mind, congratulating himself at getting away with the awkward situation. “Hey Seungyoon-shi, it’s me, Dayoung! You remember me right?”

Seungyoon quickly laughed it off. “Yes of course, Dayoung-shi! We worked on that personality psych paper last term.”

Dayoung beamed. “It’s such a coincidence that we are in the same class again this term! I’ve been well. Just did some traveling and such in the summer time. Omo, you still look the same!” She reached out to touch his face but he quickly dodged her hand just in time and she ended up patting his shoulder instead. “You got skinnier! What happened? Oh no, have you not been eating well, huh??” She quickly studied him up and down and then continued. “You want to grab lunch or something? Besides, I bet we have so many things to catch up on!”

Seungyoon was a little speechless. They were by no means ‘friends’ as they were simply assigned to work on that psych paper a few months ago because their professor grouped them up. He thought it was a little weird how she was suddenly so keen on spending time with him. Nonetheless, he placed a smile on his face and nodded. “Uh, sure I guess. I’m already done for the day.”

“Oh I know that already Seungyoon-shi!” She giggled and then looked at Seungyoon’s confused face. “I mean… I assumed we kind of have the same schedule. I’m a psych major too, don’t you remember?” She studied his face for a bit and she immediately made the most hurtful face ever. “Oh my, you don’t remember!! I remember and know so much about you!! How can you—“

That was when something clicked in his head.

“…Right.” Seungyoon answered and immediately regretted agreeing to Dayoung’s lunch offer. His slow brain finally registered the reason why he forgot her name. It was because he really hated- no, maybe that word is a little too harsh but disliked- REALLY disliked her. For one, he remembered that she talks way too much, just like right now. She doesn’t even stop to breathe and she keeps talking like run on sentences doesn’t exist! Two, she is extremely touchy to the point where it really bothered Seungyoon. He should have known when she attempted to brush her fingers against his oh-so-delicate face earlier. Third, she is quite the dramatic person, like the way she overreacted just now. How is he going to talk his way out now?

“Fine. I will forgive you just because you’re cute.” She huffed out and immediately cling her hand around his arm as they exited the building. He mentally face palmed himself and hoped that lunch would be a quick one. He needed to get out of this- as soon as possible. “Where should we go??” She asked eagerly, pulling along a half-willingly walking Seungyoon behind her. “Oh I know I know! How about that café two blocks down on campus?” She didn’t even wait for Seungyoon to respond and began pulling him towards the said direction.

“Hey Dayoung-shi, I… uh, forgot I actually have something planned. I think I should go!” Seungyoon blurted out with difficulty and they both stopped on their track.

“What are you doing then?” Dayoung frowned, her smile no longer visible anymore. Seungyoon shivered. A happy Dayoung seemed easier to reject than this dark-aura Dayoung. “I’ll come with you!”

“Uh- no, I have some… important business to take care of.” Seungyoon stuttered, looking at the students who are now gaping at the quarrelling duo.

“Oh…” Dayoung looked down, a poker expression adorning her face. “Alright then. We can catch up next time!”

Seungyoon sighed, his face quickly recovering from cold sweat seeping out. “Yeah, sorry again…” And with that said, Seungyoon ran away for his dear life.

As if his life couldn’t get any worse, he felt his phone ringing and vibrating at that moment. He quickly answered the call from an unknown number. “Hello?”

“Oh, Seungyoon-shi? It’s Dayoung! Now that you have my number, I expect you to call me lots, okay? Heehee! Have fun doing—”

“Hello? Hello? Sorry the signal is bad! Helloooooo…” Seungyoon’s eyes visibly widened and his jaw gaped open, almost having difficulty closing his mouth. He quickly hung up and was even tempted to throw away his phone due to contamination. Luckily, a weak but sane voice in his head screamed out the value of his phone to stop him from his spontaneous actions just in time. He looked at his phone and there it was, the number popped up on the screen. “How the heck did she even get my number?” He asked rhetorically. That was not a good sign. Just as he was about to turn off the screen, he noticed about three missed calls from a recently saved number as ‘Nam Tae.’ “What the, three missed calls?” He immediately dialed his roommate’s number.

“HYUNG!” Taehyun immediately answered and then lowered his voice down to a whisper. “Hyung… I NEED YOUR HELP!” He tried to talk as loud as he can but all came out was a mere whisper.

“Can’t you speak up? I almost cannot hear you.” Seungyoon said as he strolled along the route to go home.

“I NEED YOUR HELP!” A louder whisper was heard this time. “I’m in class. Hold on.” A few shuffling sounds were heard and then a door creaked open and closed. “Okay I’m outside the classroom now.” This time his voice was back at an audible tone.

“Oh-kay…” Seungyoon was uncertain at what the emergency was.

“You’re done with classes right? Please please please hyung. I left my assignment at home and I forgot to bring it and it’s due at the end of my class. I can’t even leave now because my class is small and my prof will notice… And ugh I just found out the assignment is worth 20% of the term!!” He paused to catch his breath and to listen for any objections coming from Seungyoon’s line. “Can you… Please help me get it?”

“So, you want me to go home, get your assignment, come back to school and give it to you by the end of your class?” Seungyoon repeated what Taehyun just said in a shortened and more comprehensible manner.

“…Yes.”

“And when does your class end?”

“Uh… In like 15 minutes.”

Seungyoon stopped walking. “WHAT? That’s impossible!”

“PLEASE HYUNG PLEASE PLEASE!! I have no other options but to ask you! Please! I owe you one! I’ll cook you food for a whole week huh how about that?”

“Did you say… Food?” Seungyoon’s eyes lit up and his stomach growled once again.

“YES! I’LL DO ANYTHING! JUST GET IT FOR ME NOW GOD DAMN IT!” Taehyun is literally yelling now and earned himself a few glares from other students in the hallway. He lowered his voice again. “I’m at the music building. Pretty please?”

“Well, you know I can’t say no to food.” Seungyoon finally said and he began sprinting down the block. Good thing he began his way out of campus when he called Taehyun so he is almost home already. “Call you when I’m there.”

“Okay. But don’t be late. I spent so much time on it I don’t want to fail.” Taehyun suddenly changed his tone of voice to a more demanding one. Seungyoon rolled his eyes and hung up.

‘Ugh. Why do I have to keep running because of him?’ Seungyoon questioned himself but nonetheless ran to his apartment and entered the elevator. Once he entered his apartment, he sprinted for Taehyun’s room. It was the first time he stepped foot into his roommate’s room and was surprised at the layout of his roommate’s bedroom. What was once his study room is now changed 180 degrees into an organized bedroom. He was expecting a messy room with clothes piling up on the floor, notes lying everywhere on the desk, and that the assignment is hiding in his closet. But his room is the exact opposite of what he thought it would be. His bed is made, his desk is clean from any trace of dust and his assignment sits right on top of his desk. ‘Well, that makes my job easy.’ Once he retrieved the document, he made his way out of the apartment and sprinted his way back towards school.

---

“Thank you Seungyoon hyung.” Taehyun said, his composure is relaxed as per usual. Seungyoon had to question whether this was the same person that he spoke with on the phone moments ago. “I owe you one.”

“Yeah you better. I had to run like a fool back and forth just now and I didn’t even eat yet today!” Seungyoon huffed out.

Taehyun made an awkward smirk as he glanced at the elder. “Let’s go for lunch. My treat.”

Seungyoon almost shuddered at that sentence. It was exactly what Dayoung said to him! “Um, okay.”

“Oh my, Seungyoon-shi? Is that you?”

Seungyoon stopped walking. It was a female’s voice. Could it be… HIS WORST NIGHTMARE?

He turned around and was glad he was only imagining things. “Oh! Annyeonghaseyo, Shin sunsengnim!”

Taehyun turned around and noticed his professor standing before them. “Hello Shin sunsengnim.”

“Oh, Taehyun-shi, you’re still here?” The professor smiled at the two boys who immediately bowed down at the senior. She turned towards Seungyoon. “You’re such a bad student! You don’t even come by my office to say hi anymore!” She scolded and even attempted to smack Seungyoon’s head with the files in her hands.

Taehyun crooked his head to the side. He was confused at the relationship between his roommate and his music professor. He studied Seungyoon’s face and was surprised at how relaxed and composed Seungyoon looked in front of her. Taehyun didn’t even dare to relax his posture in front of the said woman. Especially since he just handed in that assignment, he wanted to be on her good side.

“I’ve been well Shin sunsengnim. I’m really busy with school work now that school’s started again.” Seungyoon replied with a smile. “I promise I’ll visit when I have time!”

The professor nodded and a smile soon planted across her face. “You’re now majoring in Psychology, am I right?”

“Neh, sunsengnim.” Seungyoon replied.

Taehyun stood awkwardly beside the two who are having a conversation. He didn’t know whether he should continue standing there or walk a little further away to give them some privacy. Seungyoon and his professor simply continued talking away like he was invisible. He awkwardly began to scoot further away from the duo. He began to take notice of the flyers on the billboard in the hallway that he has absolutely zero interest in. But as of the moment, it will keep him entertained for now.

His mind drifted off and he wondered how those two are so close with each other. Perhaps Shin sunsengnim taught Seungyoon before? He glanced at the two who are laughing and joking together as if they had known each other for a long time. Truthfully, Taehyun has never seen Seungyoon smiling and laughing so genuinely. He stared at Seungyoon’s smile and unknowingly, the corners of his lips curved a little upward as well. However, once he took notice of his behaviour, he quickly regained his posture and straightened his face.

But he cannot lie. Taehyun is damn curious of their relationship. He pretended to focus his gaze back on the flyers and tutor advertisements on the billboard and tried to eavesdrop on what the other two are saying.

“So are you still writing songs nowadays?”

“Well, not really. To be honest I don’t really have time for that.” Seungyoon replied, his eyes lowering to the floor.

She sighed and patted Seungyoon’s shoulders. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. I’m sure you can get back on track. If you put your heart into it, I’m sure it will pay off.” Seungyoon nodded at her kind words but didn’t reply. “You know… If you switch back, I’m sure it will be of great help!” She suddenly beamed at him once she proposed her idea.

Seungyoon smiled understandingly and nodded. “I think I will have to take a rain check on that again. Sorry, Shin sunsengnim.”

Taehyun swallowed hard once he heard what they were talking about. He didn’t know what to do. But he did learn something more about his roommate today- that he used to compose songs and was a student of Shin sunsengnim. But something happened, something Taehyun is dying to know, so now Seungyoon has stopped with music. He also knows that his professor knew what happened with Seungyoon’s decision to switch majors.

He realized he was left in the unknown, that he was the outcast. And he suddenly didn’t like the idea of it.

At all.

---

“It seems like you and Shin sunsengnim are really close.” Taehyun said at the dinner table that evening. Yes, he did keep his promise of cooking for a week. Although Taehyun was being lazy and decided to cook ramen noodles, to Seungyoon, it was some hella gourmet dinner.

“Oh my. Teach me master! How did you cook this? These noodles are cooked to perfection!” Seungyoon simply blurted out, completely ignoring Taehyun’s rhetorical question.

“Uh, well. Thank you?” The younger chuckled.

Seungyoon slurped up the last bunch of his noodles and then lifted up the bowl with both hands and drank the rest of the soup in one go. “Is there some kind of secret ingredient?”

“It’s cooked with love.” Taehyun answered bluntly.

Seungyoon almost choked on the last sip of his soup and had to spit it out across the table. Luckily, he was able to control himself. “Dang that was so cheesy.”

“Jeez, I was just kidding.” Taehyun rolled his eyes. “There’s no secret ingredient. It’s just that I’m a good cook and you’re a bad one.

“Fair enough.” Seungyoon agreed, getting up to get ready to do the dishes.

Taehyun stared at Seungyoon’s back. He was curious about his past. He wanted to ask him. He wanted to ask him BADLY. Seeing that his roommate is now in a good mood, he thought it is the perfect chance to slip in the question. “So… Did Shin sunsengnim used to teach you?”

Seungyoon nodded as he scrubbed against the pot with the sponge and dish soap. “Mhmm.”

Taehyun smirked once he heard Seungyoon’s answer. “She must have taught you for a while then. She seems to know you well.”

“She’s not that scary you know. You don’t have to keep your back so straight and bow down exactly 90 degrees every time you see her.” Seungyoon jokingly informed his roommate.

Taehyun frowned at how well Seungyoon was able to dodge his question, but he wasn’t going to give up yet. “Did you use to behave that way too then? But you seem like a disciplined student.”

Seungyoon laughed even harder. “Me?” He stopped washing dishes and turned around, pointing his index finger at his face. “Disciplined? Hahahaha! Oh please. Guess you don’t know me well enough just yet.”

Taehyun kept a poker face. “That’s true. We only met like two weeks ago.”

“Wow, you’re right.” Seungyoon nodded at himself once he let the words sink in. He then turned around to continue washing the rest of the plates in the sink.

“How about this. Just so we can know each other better, let’s play a game.”

“Why are you so lame?”

“It’s called basic human interactions and knowing your roommate better.” Taehyun corrected.

Seungyoon dried the last plate and placed it back inside the cupboard. Wiping his hands, he pulled out a chair and sat right in front of his roommate. “What do you want to know?”

“Hmm…” Taehyun rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “So why did you decide to major in Psychology?”

Seungyoon shrugged. “Just because?”

Taehyun cocked up an eyebrow. “Uh huh? Because?”

“There’s no specific reason. I guess it seems… Interesting?”

Taehyun chuckled at his roommate’s obviously forced answer. “Okay. I see. Fair enough.” He studied Seungyoon, who suddenly looked extremely uncomfortable. Taehyun pursed his lips and instantly felt a little guilty for asking his roommate a sensitive question. It was obvious Seungyoon didn’t want to talk about his past. He sighed.

“What about you?”

Taehyun was taken aback by Seungyoon’s question. Was he genuinely curious about why he wants to major in Music? Or was it a question asked due to ‘manners’?

Taehyun cleared his throat. “I like to sing and I like to compose. And when I’m able to accomplish that, I feel happy.”

Seungyoon stared straight at the younger. Taehyun immediately felt intimidated by his stare but decided to keep his cool and glanced right back at his roommate. However, he noticed something different within Seungyoon’s gaze but he couldn’t pinpoint the feeling. The unknown thought was troubling Taehyun’s mind.

A few seconds later, a smile appeared on Seungyoon’s face. He nodded at Taehyun approvingly. “Good for you. Continue what you’re doing. I’m sure you’ll be successful.” And with that, he got up and went into his room, closing his door. Taehyun’s eyes trailed after his roommate until the second he was out of his sight.

He didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know what to say. What was it that he just felt from Seungyoon’s eyes?

But at that moment, he was sure of something he learned of his roommate. He learnt something new when he met Seungyoon’s gaze.

Because when he looked into Seungyoon’s eyes, all he saw was pain.

---

Author’s Note:

Uh… I have mixed feelings about this chapter. It’s not the best but I hope it’ll keep you all sane for now lol.

Lots of Kang Nam interaction in this chapter. The other three will make their appearances again soon. And of course, all stories needs to have a crazy woman, right? dont worry, her role in the story isn't big, it's simply just for laughs because i like to be a troll. 

Sigh, why is Seungyoon so mysterious? Baby namtae is going crazy! I personally liked the part where nam tae was fretting and called seungyoon to grab his assignment haha

btw, I was inspired by this picture for this chapter.

Oh man, just look at the way Taehyun looks at Seungyoon. I feel like… that look nam tae gives seungyoon is just so… >3< ugh, sorry for my lack of vocabulary but longing? LOL

i didn't really proof read the chapter, hope there's nothing too far off.

Anyways, hope you guys like the chapter. I promise to put more time into the next one. Peace out!