here always

chapter six

Minho, the dance senior. Charming, snarky, his undeniably beautiful visuals and personality always gather him a lot of attention. A bit too much according to Seungmin.

"All that worshiping has gone straight to his head and now he thinks the world revolves around him," Hyunjin remembers Seungmin stating.

But Minho just brushes off such insults as 'backhanded compliments'. To be honest, Hyunjin doesn't even know why they hated each other so much and he was sure that they didn't either. Something along the lines of Seungmin forgetting Minho's cats and just a simple as that, those two took up an enmity throughout freshman year.

While Hyunjin knew it was just fun and games, he shuddered when he remembered that Minho had once been suspended for threatening a senior with a pen knife. Just because the senior had kicked a stray cat on his way to the campus. Minho was all bark and bite.

Stuck in his own wild hurricane of thoughts, he did not notice his companions who had decided to unceremoniously join him.

"Oh here you are Hyunjin!" Felix whispered, considering that they were in the library.

Jisung had, however, no idea of silence or common sense and shrieked out, "We were so worried you idiot!"

Avoiding the questionable look they were receiving from the librarian, Hyunjin dragged them all out the building to the quadrangle ground. They settled down on the grass and once Han had wacked Hyunjin in the head, they seemed satisfied with Hyunjin's apology.

Felix didn't miss a beat and bombarded Hyunjin with questions as the poor boy gingerly rubbed the sore spot on his head.

Hyunjin answered them and also said about his own investigation, subtly leaving out the part on Minho. In the middle of this discussion, Chan, who had spotted them sitting also joined them, and so did an uninvited guest.

Speaking of the devil, Lee Minho was beside them with his usual cat-like smile.

Hyunjin stiffened slightly at his company. Right, Hyunjin forgot, Minho and Chan were best friends so anything Hyunjin says is bound to reach Minho's ears.

Not that he had anything against him, Hyunjin truly knew that, deep down, Minho was a sweet, sarcastic, cat-loving boy but that didn't stop him from thinking about both the pen knife incident and the clash Minho had with Seungmin right before the party.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"You know Jungwoo right? My friend from the cultural performances?" Hyunjin asked.

"Yeah, I vaguely do. Why?"

"Well he lives very near the dorms so he invited us to his home party today evening and you're coming too!"

Seungmin shook his head, "So I can become your babysitter when you're drunk? Nope, not happening."

"Oh please don't be so unbelievable, just before the final revisions and exam burn-out kicks in, one night of enjoyment!"

Before Seungmin could retaliate, a voice from the next table said in a mockish baby tone, "Oh our poor nerdy boy doesn't want to make friends, he needs to go draw."

Seungmin let out a long suffering sigh as they both knew who it was.

Minho wore his toothpaste commercial worthy grin as he taunted Seungmin.

"Minho it's none of your business, don't mess around," Chan said with a cautious note.

"Why does he even invite people who don't want to come though?" Minho arrogantly cocked his head up.

Seungmin abruptly stood up, eyes boring into Minho's skull as he radiated an unusually scary aura.

They shared a long and heavy staring contest before Seungmin coolly said, "That's a bit rich coming from an ancient dude who probably spends his time running after his three furry devils." He stressed on the 'three' to prove that he remembered the number of cats Minho owned.

Minho's eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint. "You did not just disrespect my babies," he whispered, loud enough for Seungmin to hear.

"And if I did."

"I'd bury you alive."

Hyunjin, Chan and everyone in the vicinity jumped at the sincerity of his tone.

Seungmin looked bothered the least.

"Try me," his voice dropped a few octaves and turned on his heels.

Minho's face changed drastically to a dark seething look.

"Quit it Minho! Jungwoo practically invited the whole student body and it isn't up to you to decide who's worthy of coming or not."

Chan mouthed a 'sorry' to Hyunjin before leaving with Minho.

As Hyunjin turned to Seungmin, his friend was packing his stuff to leave. Seungmin raised an eyebrow at Hyunjin who still didn't move.

"If we're going to that party of yours, we gotta get going."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Seungmin agreeing to go to that party was one thing but having part two of his staring contest with Minho was another thing. Before Hyunjin had gotten pulled into his dance classmates, he remembered Seungmin and Minho coming in contact and said nothing but decided to be civilized for once.

Minho wasn't the really soft type either. He himself said that he'd attack Seungmin and even if it was just an empty threat, Hyunjin wasn't taking any chances. The still-traumatized senior as living-proof of Minho's fury.

Hyunjin sat among his chatting friends as he zoned out. He couldn't think of anything else than of Minho being the reason behind Seungmin's disappearance.

It was Minho's words that brought him back to reality.

"I have to get going, you know, I have a few errands to run before turning home at 7pm. You should come visit me at the north dorm's second floor, first room. It gets lonely at this old age." Minho said, wiping a non-existential tear as Chan promised to pop in when he can and Felix assuring that he could send him some brownies.

But Hyunjin didn't miss the slight sparkle in Minho's eyes as he understood that Minho's overly specific address and subtle invitation was meant for him.

In short, it meant 'My dorm at the north wing, 7pm, you're allowed to visit.'

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hyunjin meant to decline the offer. But he found himself climbing to the second floor of the north dorms, Felix's brownies in one hand, the other raising to knock.

If he was going to do it, he should as well as get it over.

After a rapt knocking, the door creaked open.