Chapter Text
Kihyun feels something cold hitting his face which makes him halt from jogging. He extends his hand out a little, palm facing the sky, to feel the drizzle that is now slowly getting heavier. He heaves a sigh, thinking how the weather is so unpredictable these days, not to mention how weather forecasts are never accurate. He doesn't know why he keeps believing it though.
"They said there's no possibility of rain today. Ah, what is this." he mutters to himself before starting to run, rain getting heavier with his every step. Good thing he is already near his apartment so he arrives in no time. He silently curses to himself because running was of no use, he is still dripping wet.
"Oh, is it raining outside?" Minhyuk, his roommate, just walked out of the bathroom when Kihyun comes in. He looks at Kihyun like getting back from a jog, being wet all over, is a normal thing. Kihyun shakes his head, not sure if it's because of disbelief or annoyance or perhaps both, because of the question.
"What. Does this look like sweat to you, Minhyuk?" Kihyun responds, annoyance evident in his tone, while taking his shirt off as he walks past Minhyuk, who is still standing by the bathroom, to their room.
"What's there to be grumpy about early in the morning, Ki?" Minhyuk says with a chuckle, trailing behind Kihyun back to their room while drying his hair off with a towel.
"Not like this is something new. Seriously, how many times did you ask that already." Kihyun says as he reach for his towel and walk out of the room again.
"Point taken. You never answered though." He almost shouts the last part of his statement because by this time, Kihyun is already inside the bathroom, not minding what Minhyuk said or will say, as always.
It has been like this with Minhyuk ever since they've become roommates in their freshman year. That's like three years ago. Thinking about that now, Kihyun doesn't know how he was able to bear with him for three years when he can't even stand hearing his talking for a day. Minhyuk is that guy who just never stops talking and is so energetic all the time. Kihyun almost thought sometime back then that Minhyuk was in drugs or something because his energey is just... unexplainable.
But despite being loud, Kihyun can't afford to replace him as a roommate. For an introverted and quiet person like himself, Minhyuk is a great company. And okay, friend. Kihyun acts like he's really annoyed with his voice and all, well there are times when he really can't stand it anymore aka most of the time, but he can't deny that he likes it. It was as if it completes their shared apartment.
"When did you catch colds, hyung?" Jooheon pauses from copying Kihyun's notes in one of their subjects, looking at the older with genuine worry.
Kihyun coughs some more before sipping from his cafe latte. "Blame the weather forecast. I didn't know it was going to rain earlier so I went out for a jog."
Jooheon, going back to copying, shakes his head. "Lesson learned. Never, and that's never, believe weather forecasts. So just exercise inside your home, hyung." he laughs after. "But I hope you feel better soon though, hyung. We have a trip coming up and you can't be sick while we're doing activities, you know."
Kihyun laughs, too, before sipping from his coffee again, nodding. "It'll be gone before I know it, Jooheon. Thanks for the concern. And I hope you copy notes in class, really." Jooheon gives a shy smile and scratches his head.
"Ah hyung, you know I just really want to hang out with you like this after class." he explains, almost pouting. They both know it was only half true because Jooheon doesn't listen in class, and Kihyun likes hanging out with Jooheon like this as well. Jooheon is one of the very few people he talks to in the uni so he doesn't really mind. And mid terms are coming up, so Jooheon really needs to copy notes because he literally doesn't have anything to study if not for Kihyun's notes.
Kihyun reaches for his phone on the table and checks the time. "I've got less than 10 minutes before my next class Jooheon. I guess you can just leave my notebook in the org room after, I'll just go get it later."
"Alright. Thanks, Ki hyung!" Kihyun arranges his things, tapping Jooheon on his shoulder before heading to his next class.
Less than 10 minutes. Kihyun laughs to himself. Time. What does he care about time, anyway? Nothing will change. He left everything at that time and was not able to move forward since then. He's got less than 10 minutes before his next class, but he still got a lifetime to live before he leaves this aweful world when what he really wants is to stop being in it, after that moment, three years ago. Kihyun's time stopped but what is he still doing here? It was as if he's just breathing but not really alive. If that is even possible. Until now, he couldn't escape that day, that time. He's stuck.
Can someone bring me to my present time.
"Yoo Kihyun?"
"I'm here." right after his name was called for attendance, Kihyun arrives in class. Now all eyes are on him, others laughing, probably because of amusement. Because what are the odds that you'll arrive in class after you got called for attendance, just another minute late would make the professor mark you absent.
He walks head down to his seat, cursing to himself silently because this is what he hates the most, people watching him. He's now in his third year in being a Communication major and he still doesn't know why he took this course. Actually, he doesn't know what he's doing in his life in general. He was just told back in high school that having a college degree is important, that you need this to have better opportunities and make a good money. But three years in it, he regrets his decision to pursue college. This thing sucks the life out of you. Having a college degree or not, no one knows what's waiting for you out there. Maybe he's a little stupid in believing that.
As the class was nearing its end, Kihyun keeps on praying that people in this class will just forget what happened earlier, never bring it up and just ignore him just how it always has been.
The bell rings signaling the end of the class. Kihyun waits on his seat for the people to go out of the room before standing up, placing his bag on his shoulder, thinking that if he had walk out with them, they might strike up a conversation about him being lucky enough to not be marked absent in class. And that is definitely the last thing he wants to happen right now.
"What time is it?" Kihyun is not sure if he's hearing things, what he's sure about is that he is the only one left in this room just a second ago. He shrugs it off and continues to walk to the door when he feels a hand grip his arm, exerting enough force to make him turn and face the one whom the hand belongs to.
The ticking of the clock. Kihyun was unsure of why he was hearing it clearly. It was as loud as drums and he hates it. He hates everything associated with time.
"I asked what the time is now." a man he's definitely not familiar with, well he isn't really good at recognizing people by face so that explains it, is standing in front of him. The man's height was almost the same as Kihyun's, he has a light brown hair, his bangs almost poking his dark brown eyes, he's also got a fair complexion, unbelievably sharp nose, pinkish thin lips, has a cross piercing on his left ear and-
"Excuse me but did you just check me out?" Kihyun scoffs, almost choking at the man's statement. He pulls his arm from him, which he didn't notice the man was still holding before he finally pulls away from the grip. He gave the man a look of disbelief before facing the door and starts walking again.
"Are you serious? You didn't respond to any of my questions." the man laughs and seconds later he is in front of Kihyun again, stopping Kihyun from passing through the door. He isn't sure if the other was just fast or his legs were not that long to walk faster than the other. Because if he was a little faster, then he wouldn't be still here inside the room with a man blocking the doorway.
"What do you want?" Kihyun finally speaks, annoyance evident in his voice, and he's making sure the other one can feel it.
The man smiles. Kihyun hates to admit it but that smile was one of the most beautiful smiles he's ever seen. No, actually, now that he's looking at the man properly from a fair distance, he is one hell of a beautiful human being. "Time." the man answers, which made Kihyun stop from raining this man with compliments in his head.
Kihyun frowns. This man wants what Kihyun hates. Kihyun almost laughs at the thought. "Seriously? Don't you have a watch? Phone?" he finally replies, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He's not in the mood, never actually, to talk to a stranger. Well, not really a stranger because they're classmates apparently but still. Everyone that he doesn't usually talk to is a stranger to him, even classmates. He decides to just give what the man wants to get out of the room.
He turns his phone on and shows it to the man. "There. 5:14 pm. Now could you please move out of the way." Kihyun starts walking but the man stood still, crossing his arms while grinning, which makes Kihyun annoyed even more.
"Uh. Excuse me?"
"Thanks for answering what the time is. So did you check me out?" Kihyun shakes his head in disbelief and uses all his strength to push the man out of the way bumping into his shoulder. The man laughs behind him for some unknown reasons Kihyun has no interest of knowing so he just walks, not looking back.
"The fuck is his problem." he mutters to himself as he finds his way out of the building. Annoyed that he still can hear the ticking of the clock from somewhere near him.