Roommates Ch.1

Roommmates

Chapter 1: Rejection at First Sight



"Do you have everything sweetheart?”


Do Kyungsoo opened the zipper on his suitcase, checking it for what seemed the hundredth time, and nodded eagerly.


His mother smiled and then once again got teary eyed. His father sighed and handed her the nearly empty box of tissues.


"My baby is growing up so fast! I can't believe you're attending one of the most prestigious universities around! I-I..."


And then she began crying full on out. Kyungsoo sighed and patted her mother. His father tried reassuring her as their SUV pulled up in in front of the school.


"Well son, this is it. Good luck and make us proud!"


"I will Dad, thank you."


"My baby!" His mother wailed, discarding the second box of tissues, "I'll miss you so much! Stay well!"


Her son smiled warmly. She had already seen his brother leave for university and then for work in another country. He was the youngest, the last to go.


“See you soon!” Kyungsoo said optimistically as he opened the door and stepped out. He ignored the knot that was slowly forming in his throat and the moisture that clouded his vision. Instead, he put on his bravest grin and waved to them.


He stood there, nervously fixing his tie as he watched the car become a tiny speck in the distance. Then, he took a deep breath before turning around.


Chung-Ho High school. It all began here.


His dress shoes made a clicking noise as he made his way to the front desk. The lady working there looked up and smiled when she saw him.


“Yes, can I help you?”


“Yes, I’m here for my room key.”


The lady nodded and stared expectantly at Kyungsoo. He stood there, smiling awkwardly not knowing what to do.


“Your name? Year?”


“Oh right! Sorry, D-Do Kyungsoo, second year.” He exclaimed as the tips of his ears grew hot.


“Yes, I have you right here… Room 309,” she replied while unhooking a key from one of the many hooks behind her, “Third floor. Good luck and welcome to Chung-Ho!”


He bowed courteously and dreaded the thought of having to carry his things all the way to the third floor. Yet, it was better than the fifth floor any day. Despite being one of the best boarding schools in the country, it wasn’t one of the most modern. It probably didn’t even have elevators.


When Kyungsoo turned the corner he felt his eyes water at a beautiful sight. There, only a few feet away, was an elevator. Bless whoever invented it…


Or at least whoever put one in this place.


Unfortunately, it seemed that it was the only elevator for Kyungsoo soon found himself surrounded by ten other people within the boundaries of the four metallic walls. He decided then that he would use the stairs from that point onward.


The bell dinged when it reached the third floor and he wormed his way out of there as another set of guys rushed in. Yet, outside was no better than inside the elevator itself.


Kyungsoo fought through the masses of hormonal and eager guys. He felt remorse as, for the first time in his life, he pushed people away from himself using his suitcase. Then, in one of his flails, he made someone fall.


"Ah! Please forgive me!" He yelled as he pulled the stranger up. Once standing, the other guy stared dumbfounded as Kyungsoo bowed at a 90 degree angle, mumbling a string of apologies.


"Relax. It's alright. I'm Byun Baekhyun, nice to meet you." The stranger said with a cute smile.


Kyungsoo's jaw nearly dropped. Now that he saw the new guy up close...


He was extremely handsome.


His chocolate brown hair was long enough so that his bangs curved slightly onto his right eye. His curious dark eyes were outlined with black eyeliner, making him look even better.


And here Kyungsoo thought a guy could never pull that off... He now stood corrected.



To top it off, he had slight dimples and a cute round face. His small lips curled up in a nervous smile as his eyes questioned what Kyungsoo was doing. Shit, had he been staring at him blatantly this whole time?


"I-I'm D-Do Kyungsoo, second year." He started nervously, "Nice to meet you too!"


Kyungsoo felt like punching himself. Baekhyun looked so cool, he was probably extremely popular and Kyungsoo had just ruined his only chance at friendship...


"Are you new here?" Baekhyun asked suddenly.


"Yes why-?"


"Thank god! I thought I was the only incoming new student! Everyone around here knows each other except me! I'm glad I met you, I’m a second year too!" Then be bowed and smiled, "Please take good care of me. Let's be friends!"


Now it was Kyungsoo’s turn to be shocked. Yet, his smile soon matched Baekhyun’s as he nodded eagerly.


“What room do you have?”


“309 and you?”


“We’re in the same hallway! I have 301. You’re probably the last room while I’m the first!” Baekhyun stated and then looked around, “This is 312 so ours should be on the opposite side… the first section, right?”


Kyungsoo nodded, pretending to know what his new friend was talking about as he followed Baekhyun.


“We can stop at my room first so I can drop off my stuff, then we’ll go to yours so afterward we can attend the welcoming assembly!”


Kyungsoo could only remain smiling as Baekhyun dragged him over to a door with a golden plaque reading 301. It was still too much to process. He was finally attending his dream school and not only that, but he had already made a friend!


Baekhyun opened the door with his key only to find someone opening it from the inside as well. Kyungsoo watched as his friend’s eyes slowly rose until they met the pair on the other side of the door. He then looked as well and resisted the urge to gasp.


A boy with curly locks stood in the doorway. No, that wasn’t the surprising part. The shocking thing was the guy’s height. He was a giant. There was at least a ten inch very notable height difference between Baekhyun and Mr. Curly Hair. His friend gulped as he continued to stare.


“Hello, I’m Park Chanyeol! Are you my roommate?” The stranger asked and then displayed the most dazzling smile Kyungsoo had ever seen, “Or roommates? I’m sorry I don’t have three beds-”


“No. I am your roommate, this is just my friend. I’m B-Byun Baekhyun.”


“Come in! Put your things down and get settled!” Chanyeol started and walked in although he realized moments later that Baekhyun wasn’t following.


“Come on,” He whined, “I won’t bite, I swear!”


Baekhyun gave Kyungsoo a nervous glance and the latter could tell how scared his friend was. He nodded reassuringly and basically pushed him inside.


“It’s been so long since I’ve had a roommate, I hope you’ll like it here! If you need any help with anything, you can always count on me!” Chanyeol said as he guided Baekhyun to his bed. Kyungsoo wondered how someone could be afraid of this nice giant and sighed in relief when he saw Baekhyun start to loosen up and smile a bit.


A roommate is supposed to be the person you are closest to in high school, the one you could most trust, someone you could build a strong bond with. How horrible would it be to be afraid of your roommate, or even hate him??


“Thank you, Chanyeol-ssi-”


“Oh god you just made me sound so old! I bet I gained ten wrinkles by you just uttering that! Please, call me Chanyeol… or Yeol. Whichever is fine.”


“Thank you Chanyeol… now if you don’t mind, I need to help Kyungsoo find his room.”


“What room do you have? I can help you find it since I’ve been here for a while.”


Kyungsoo handed Chanyeol his key which read “309” on it.


The curly haired giant’s smile faltered as he saw the number, “You’ve got to be kidding me…”


That alarmed Kyungsoo. It alarmed him very much.


“W-why what happened? Do you not know where it is?”


“Oh I know alright… Follow me.”


Both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun followed Chanyeol until he reached the opposite end of the hallway, right in front of a door which read “309.”


Kyungsoo thanked him and took a deep breath. He could already feel his stomach fluttering with anticipation. Yet, it was the good kind of nervousness for he would soon meet his roommate. That very special person whom you would stick with throughout high school.


He knocked a couple times, forgetting he had his own key, until he heard footsteps approaching the door. He smiled giddily as the door opened to reveal a guy with tousled brown hair, a white muscle shirt, and some sweats. Even though his roommate was wearing a look of pure tiredness, Kyungsoo couldn’t help but think that he was staring at the most gorgeous guy in the entire school. Then, of course, he wondered when he had started to find guys attractive. Oh well, he’d think about that later.


“Hello, I am Do Kyungsoo and I’ll be your roommate from now on.”


The handsome guy yawned, stared at him, and then started laughing.


Like seriously, laughing.


Kyungsoo’s eyebrows knit together in a frown. Had he said something funny?


“You got the wrong room number kid.” The guy said before shutting the door in his face.


Kyungsoo was at a loss. He looked at his key which clearly read “309” then looked at the door which also read the same number. There was no way it was “306” unless the three and zero were also upside down.


He heard Chanyeol sigh behind him, “This is what I was afraid of.”


The tall guy then proceeded to walk to the door and then begin knocking. The door flew open once more.


“Yah! Can’t a guy get some rest around here???” The other guy barked and then he rolled his eyes as he realized who had knocked.


“What do you want, Yeol? I’m pretty tired as you can see.”


Kyungsoo then realized they knew each other.


“It’s not my fault you partied last night instead of sleeping like I told you to. Do you know how precious sleep is?? But anyway, that isn’t why I’m here. You just slammed the door in your roomate’s face.”


“What roommate?”


Chanyeol then pointed at Kyungsoo. The latter just smiled sheepishly and did a tiny wave.


“No, no, no, Yeol, you know I don’t have a roommate.”


“Well now you do.”


“No, this must be a mistake. I mean, you know how this is. I’m not supposed to have a roommate.” The guy said as he quickly put on some shoes and then closed the door behind him, “That empty bed is supposed to remain that way, empty.”


As Kyungsoo watched the conversation unfold, he felt his heart sink further and further.


“Kyung, show him your key.”


Kyungsoo complied and displayed his key to his roommate. He watched as the handsome guy’s face contorted in dismay.


“No, no, this must be a mistake.”


“Come on, Jongin-ah! Can’t you just accept it and welcome the poor guy? He’s new, give him a break.”


“Nope, I’m going to fix this error right now!” Jongin replied as he went inside his room.


He emerged two minutes later, wearing a shirt and some black jeans.


“Where are you going??” Chanyeol called out as Jongin briskly walked away.


“To the main office! They have to fix their mistake!” He yelled back, “I don’t want a roommate!”


As Kyungsoo watched him leave he felt absolutely miserable. He hadn’t even tried to be in a relationship yet and he already learned what if felt like to be rejected.


“Don’t worry Kyung,” Chanyeol stated brightly as he set a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “You have the key, no? Just place your things inside. He’ll soon realize that he’s got no other option.”


“Who was that?”


“Him? Oh he is Kim Jongin, a big jerk and playboy, and also, maybe unfortunately, one of my best friends.”


Kyungsoo shot him a questioning look before Chanyeol raised his hands in defense, “He isn’t so bad, believe me. He’s probably just grumpy because we woke him up. This’ll pass soon, okay?”


As Kyungsoo opened the door to his new room, he silently hoped the friendly giant was right or else…


This would be a long and terrible year.