Them and Us | Ateez

He sat alone

The male drags his feet against the black carpet. His posture is slouched and the bag swaying over one of his shoulders seems full of rocks.
Mingi feels like he has come back from hell with a fried brain.

The halls are quiet and the only window at the end of the long hallway is pitch black. He watches the blazing torches lighting his lone way and wonders if the academy has ever burnt down because of unrestricted fire. Judging by the smooth wood around him, the answer is negative.

The male shifts his attention to the barely visible movement by the left wall. He sees one of the many identical doors slowly coming ajar. Since there is nowhere to hide, he decides to just walk forward and act as if nothing applies to him because truly, it doesn't. The red head is curious is that another exam or Storage room with a person finishing this late. He takes cautious steps closer and when he is about to lean his head to peek inside the half open doors, a man comes in between.

Mingi looks at the slightly shorter male. He has dark black hair, which has been swept back to put some accent to his pale skin and rectangular glasses. The man is wearing dark slacks and a white dress shirt with a waist coat over.

"Good evening." his thin lips part to let out a smooth voice.
The red head blinks at the man before making eye contact with him.
All greetings get caught in his throat after that.
The man blinks slowly, hiding the colour of his eyes for a split second.

They're white but in such a dim tone that it's like looking through a window glass.
"Ah...hello." he says, looking between the man's eyes with an uncertain smile.
The man stares at him silently for a moment with one hand holding a map of papers and a book while the other is on the door handle.

Then he turns to face the room behind him, which stays hidden from Mingi's view behind the man's back.
"A friend is waiting for you inside."
The male tilts his head, noticing someone sitting in a chair tucked away on the right corner.
"We aren't acquaintanced." he answers confidently.
The black-haired man looks back at him.

"I never said you were."

He smiles and steps out of the room. Walking past a dumbfounded Mingi, the man continues walking down the hallway.
Recalling his words, Mingi catches on that the man didn't inform the one inside the room that a friend is standing outside for him.

The words were meant for Mingi.

The male looks inside the room, pressing his shoulder against the wall outside as if to hold himself up.
"Hey..." he softly calls out to the one sitting down.
A head of light blond locks turns his way.
"Hello." a rather high-pitched voice greets.
"Did you have the exam here?"

"Yeah..." the other breathes out a reply.
"How was it? I had about two mental breakdowns along the way, but I think it must have been a record regardless to stay inside for so long."
He hears a chuckle, yet the male still sits while staring at his shoes.
"I fucked up greatly." he answers while resting his elbows on his knees, fingers rubbing his eyes.

"Well, I'm not gonna lie, you do look a bit fucked up."
Mingi stays serious only until another chuckle graces his ears. He breaks into a smile and slowly steps inside the room, leaving the door open. The red head takes a small chair on wheels, which lets out a shrill noise as it gets pushed closer to the male.
"Sorry, I'm not that great when it comes to communication." he says after sitting down in front of him.

"Nowadays, who is?"
"Probably some extrovert, who always takes part in all activities and has a friend group the size of a beehive."
"Yet it sounds nice..."
"Are you some melittology enthusiast?" Mingi inquires.
"Not the bee part! I meant a big friend group...is it weird that both of us know what melittology even is?" the other asks after a while.