El Roommate [✔️]

Dec. 11th (3/4)

12:00pm

"Hey, Caleb. Do you think you can stay after your classes today? I want to talk to you about some things."

As usual, Caleb had been the first one in the room. Class didn't actually start until 12:10. But Caleb liked to be early so he could get a good seat.

Today, Minho wasn't with him. But it didn't really concern the younger. Not at the moment.

What concerned him was the fact that Yuno was asking him to stay after.

Last time he stayed after, he got kidnapped.

"Uh ... are you gonna try to kidnap me again?" He asked not even checking to see if the area was student-free before speaking.

Luckily, it had been sans student. So they were okay.

"I assure you I won't do anything irrational."

"Irrational as in ... my version of irrational or your version?"

"Hmm .... good question." The professor paused. "Just know that I won't try to steal you again. I want to have an actual talk with you."

Caleb nodded and took a seat at his favourite seat in the front row. The front row seat closest to the window so he could gaze out of it.

-

4:39pm

Classes ended faster than Caleb had expected them to. And now he was fulfilling his words and venturing back to Yuno's room.

His toes were beginning to sweat. Out of nervousness of course.

What if the older had been lying and he actually did try to kidnap him?

Or what if he tried to suck his blood? He was a vampire too, right?

He entered the classroom cautiously after peering in first.

Yuno had been wiping down the whiteboards. And upon sensing someone else, he turned around and looked at Caleb. "Oh. You actually came." He smiled slightly, setting down the whiteboard eraser and wiping some of the dry-erase residue off of his hand.

"Yeah. What did you want to talk about?"

"Oh. Right." The older stopped staring admirably at the younger as he leaned on his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "Minho called me the other day. Yesterday I think?"

"Okay? And I'm here because ..."

"Our conversation was about you."

Caleb nodded slowly, averting his gaze from the older. Suddenly, the arms on the analog clock seemed to be more interesting.

"Was it bad or good?"

"It depends on how you see it. But usually, it's something that's a bit unfavourable."

Caleb gulped. Did they find out that he hadn't given back the money that Yuno gave him that one day?

Wait ... Minho called Yuno.

Maybe they were talking about his blood. Or maybe they were planning to kill him.

Suddenly, Caleb's throat felt very dry. He pulled at the collar of his shirt to allow some air to hit his burning skin. And he was sure his face was redder than Santa's gift bag.

He coughed a bit before looking at his wristwatch.

"Uh ... would you look at the time. I actually have to go."

"Sit down." The older commanded. And without any hesitation, as if he had been controlled, he sat.

"Do you take any medicine, Caleb?"

"Yeah. When I'm sick."

"No. I'm talking about prescribed medicine."

Silence ...

"Do Aripiprazole and Mesoridazine ring a bell?"

More silence.

Yuno didn't know what kind of reaction to expect from the younger. Would he flip? Would he try to kill him? Would he get upset? Mad?

"I'm sorry." The boy's voice was meek. So meek that Yuno barely heard him.

His head hung low so he didn't see his face, but he did see the younger wipe his eyes before looking up.

"Im sorry. I was fine last year. I swear I was. But in the middle of last year, my friend suggested I go to a therapist because I was scaring her with some things I said. My doctor said it seemed as though I had schizophrenia. So I got some medicine. And earlier this year I started feeling better. So I stopped taking the medicine. But ..."

"You're not better. You just felt better."

"Yeah. I was going to therapy. Taking antipsychotics. I felt okay..."

Yuno nodded. "You need to take your medicine, Caleb. It's there to help you."

"But it doesn't make me feel very good."

"I know-"

"No you don't! Yeah they may help me mentally. But physically? They do me no good. I'd feel nauseous, restless, dizzy. And sometimes I'd feel drowsy. Do you know what it's like to feel drowsy AND restless at the same time?"

Pause.

"No. You don't. You don't. Minho doesn't. No one does. No one knows what it's like to look in the mirror and not recognise yourself! You don't know what it's like to hear voices inside of your head that keep you from sleeping. I thought Andrew was a real fucking person for a whole half of a month! Andrew doesn't even fucking exist. I'm crazy, Yuno! Crazy-"

Yuno continued to listen to the younger rant, a small frown on his face.

He hadn't meant for this to happen. Not at all.