+00 - w00san

need

29/1
Night

Subtle hints didn't work, but I just couldn't make myself tell.

"You're late," Yeosang informed his friend, aka the latecomer, when he sat down. "It can't take you the minutes to walk here, even with those short legs of yours. You sure you didn't take any detours?"

"I didn't. Just got caught up in convo with Binnie in the corridor."

"Of course you did. Eat up, I guess. You can pay me back later."

"Thanks Sang. What would I do without you."

"This isn't free even if you bribe me with sweet words."

"I know, but it was worth a try."

Wooyoung sat down next to his friend and wrapped his arms around him. "Hurry up and eat, it's already cold."

"Okay okay."

He unwrapped his friend and started eating, wolfing down mouthfuls of food as though he'd never eat another meal in his life.

"Someone's hungry today," a sarcastic voice remarked from behind. Instantly, Wooyoung knew who it was.

"Yah, Choi Jongho, it's my business whether I'm hungry or not, what's it to you?"

The younger shrugged nonchalantly. "Just stating a fact," he said before heading off. But not before Wooyoung caught him shoot Yeosang a smile, one that transformed the younger from someone he hated into an adorable bear like child.

And Wooyoung noticed Yeosang had smiled back.

As soon as the other was out of earshot, Wooyoung pounced on his prey. "How do you know Choi Jongho? Why are you on good terms with him? You know he gave me a hard time last year, right?"

"Woah, slow down tiger. One at a time." Yeosang's soul seemed to have left his body, as his eyes darted around, looking for a way to get it back.

Wooyoung calmed. "So how do you know him? We literally have the same classes and everything, and I haven't seen him in any of them."

"We have the same extra curricular activities. Remember how you didn't want to do soccer when I did? Well, guess who's also in soccer. Jongho. Get it now?"

"Well, then why are you on good terms with him? You do know he gave me a hard time last year, right?"

"Yes, I know he gave you a hard time last year. You said it already. But Wooyoung, it can't be helped when you have to work together for a team sport. If I have any grievances with him, I have to forget it for the sake of the team. Besides..."

Yeosang looked guilty, and Wooyoung knew what he said was gonna smack him in the face.

"Shouldn't I get to pick who I want to be friends with?"

//

Wooyoung remembered the first day he arrived at the school very clearly. It was early last year, even before he met Yeosang at the dormitories. That morning when he arrived, he had decided to have his own personal orientation, even before the official first day.

He was walking around the whole place when he came across the library. Normally, Wooyoung was not one for books: they didn't really vibe with him, and neither did he vibe with them. However, he definitely vibed with cold more than the heat of the sun.

And that's what drew him in. Air conditioning. It was that simple.

He pushed one side of the double door, a frosted glass set, open, and was welcomed to the sight of shelves upon shelves of books. Reiterating himself, Wooyoung was not a fan of books, but even this was a marvel to see.

From the outside, the library looked like any old one he'd seen, but from the interior, he could see how they incorporated the oriental style. With wooden cabinets, tables, ladders to reach the uppermost shelves and full armchairs near the window for people who wanted a quiet reading experience.

Gently, he let the door swing shut and walked to the centre of the room. It was there that someone tapped on his shoulder. He turned, looking straight into the face of a guy around his age.

Wooyoung gazed upward and raised a single eyebrow. "Can I help you?"

The other guy sighed, seemingly annoyed that the slightly shorter just didn't "get it" instantly. "You're not supposed to be here."

Confusion apparent in his expression, Wooyoung looked around and wondered why in the world he shouldn't be in a library of all things.

"Only volunteers are allowed in here today. We're tidying the place. Didn't you see the notice outside?"

Well no, Wooyoung had not.

"Now you know. Please leave."

"No need to be so rude about it."

"Oh, this is me at my nicest. If you want me to give you hell, I can oblige."

Wooyoung scowled.

"Try me."

That was the worst thing he'd could have said in the moment. Wooyoung had said many bad things in his life, but daring Choi Jongho to give him hell was definitely one of the worst.

Turns out the younger was one of those "smart kids", and was a whole year or so younger than Wooyoung. He couldn't care less about that.

What Wooyoung cared about was how an apparently genius person can act so childishly.

Everyday if they happened to run across each other, Jongho would pay him a snide comment, possibly a shove if he was feeling gracious.

And as though having a somewhat bully wasn't bad enough, Wooyoung knew he was gonna experience worse.

//

Wooyoung was quiet as he and his roommate made their way back to their dorm room, and being the understanding friend that he is, Yeosang didn't question it.

He knew the younger was thinking, as he usually was when he quieted down. Unfortunately, this time Wooyoung's mind was blank. Like a room completely painted white, a void. Nothing to distinguish it from any others.

When they reached, Yeosang kindly unlocked the door, and Wooyoung shuffled in, still not entirely in existence.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, the older took the younger's arm and dragged him over to the couch, plonking him down on one seat and sitting next to him.

"Woo, you look like a robot. Please say something, anything. I can't stand it any longer."

"I've just been thinking a lot. It's nothing you need to be worried about, Sang, I'm fine. Just..."

"Just what?"

Wooyoung lost his courage.

"Just thank you for being my friend."

It turned quiet for a moment, before Yeosang wrapped both arms around Wooyoung, enveloping him tightly.

"You know you don't have to thank me, but since you did, thank you for being my friend too."

And for the first time in the year, the two roommates talked past midnight and into the dawn.

//

So this update is late and also really pathetic-
I'm so upset...