Chapter Text
Doyoung detested him. There was no counter-argument. He abhorred Lee Taeyong and his band of raucous companions that consistently made a frenzy in the lecture halls. They resembled a virus, adhered to him, and duplicating each second.
The library was his safe space, however, the events of this morning's lecture had left Doyoung fuming, and not even the serenity of the library could calm him down.
Everything began when Doyoung woke up late for his morning class, that too on the first day of the semester. He ran right to the opposite side of the grounds, blasting through the hallways while the Professor was in the middle of his self-introduction.
"Late on the first day?" Professor Choi rose a judgmental eyebrow and Doyoung softened into a puddle on the floor, bowing in apology.
He had enrolled himself in Art History II in the wake of having taken the first cycle and beginning to look all starry eyed at the course and the professor. He appreciated him and his teaching style and if humiliating himself before his role model wasn't terrible enough, he had to sit in the extremely back.
"Great start to the semester." He mumbled under his breath as he begrudgingly took a seat behind his most hated personality.
The bad dream didn't end there, however, and Doyoung asked why his luck consistently ran dry when he required it the most. He could scarcely hear a word the teacher said the whole time as a result of the consistent chitter-prattle before him, courtesy of Lee – irritating - Taeyong and his idiotic volleyball playing, sharp jawed, buff companions.
"I don't think we ought to get sushi from that place again."
"Why not? It was good."
"Yuta got food poisoning from it."
"What about burgers at that street joint?"
He attempted to keep it down but his annoyance had arrived at the final turning point.
"can you discuss your lunch plans later?" He murmured, "A few of us are trying to study."
"Anything for you, babe." Taeyong turned his head only slightly, enough to make sure Doyoung saw him wink at him.
"Mr. Kim." Professor Choi gave him a sharp look. "I truly don't value talking during class."
Doyoung's jaw loosened, eyes enlarging like a rabbit that had been trapped in headlights.
"It wasn't me." He attempted to reason. The professor gave him a final warning before returning to the slides.
He sat back in his seat, arms folded against his chest as he boreholes into Taeyong's head from behind.
Doyoung's sentiments of outright disdain for Lee Taeyong began way back in the first year of University. Right up 'til today, nobody knew precisely why he loathed the boy however it was no mystery that he did. It irritated him much more when Taeyong never reciprocated the detest. Truth be told, Taeyong enjoyed the attention the younger gave him. Doyoung's irrational hatred for him amused him and he ended up smiling at the boy every time he saw him scowling.
"I'll be down in a second." Jeno, Doyoung's first-year roommate said into the phone before continuing to tie his shoes.
It was a Friday night and Doyoung was nestled into bed with his laptop looking for a film. The first week of classes had concluded and since he had no assignments, Doyoung decided to pamper himself.
"Going out?" He asked as Jeno strolled back to his bed to snatch his phone.
"It's the first volleyball match of the season," Jeno grinned at him. "My best friend Jisung is playing so I'm going to watch it with a few of my friends."
Doyoung nodded, lips separated in a quiet ahh.
"Would you like to come with us?" He asked as civility however Doyoung shook his head.
"I hate volleyball." He stated, a harsh grin advancing onto his lips.
Jeno returned late. Doyoung was under the spreads attempting to sleep when he heard the door click. Jeno was still quietly laughing as he proceeded to change and Doyoung felt an approaching feeling of dejection.
Jeno had been lucky enough to get into college along with all of his closest friends, kids he had grown up with, and now was on his way to achieve his dreams.
It was a foreign feeling for Doyoung, late nights out with old friends, laughing on top of rooftops till the sun came up, going away tot he beach on hot summer breaks. His entire idea of friendship was based entirely on what he had seen in movies but what could 90 minutes of drama possibly teach about a bond that is supposed to be made through emotions?
It disturbed him when people talked in the library. Libraries should be for quiet contemplating, not talking, and getting a charge out of the AC. Lee Taeyong and his friends were most likely too thick to even think about understanding that. Doyoung was halfway through his paper on the analysis of Roman Architecture when his focus was broken by a snicker, specifically the third chuckle he had heard ever since he had sat down to work.
Pummeling his hands on the desk, Doyoung pushed back his seat and advanced over to the group sitting two desks away. The chuckling halted when he drew nearer, 7 heads turning to look at him. Taeyong was still grinning when he turned his head to gaze toward Doyoung's frown.
"This is a library," Doyoung talked in a hushed grit, inconvenience obvious from the wrinkles on his temple. "If you need to talk go outside."
"Oh c'mon on, babe." Taeyong flashed his signature smirk, it made Doyoung's blood boil more than the endearment.
"I'm serious, Lee." Doyoung narrowed his eyes onto Taeyong's perfectly sculpted face. "I'm trying to study."
"Goodness poo," The tallest of the pack who Doyoung recognized as Johnny held a clench hand to his mouth, horribly faking a British accent. "We've maddened the bunny."
"Bunny?" Doyoung asked, outrage disseminating into disarray.
He saw Taeyong fix his ear off the side of his eye but his concentration was currently completely on Johnny and Yuta who made a show out of their amusement for the silly moniker.
"Can you keep it down back there?" A girl, obviously annoyed, peered over from behind a pile of books. Her annoyance immediately faded away upon sight of Taeyong and she cheekily smiled, waving slightly before regretfully returning to her work.
A flush colored Taeyong's ears when he met Doyoung's eyes, a little grin playing all the rage. Doyoung felt the outrage rising in the pit of his stomach as he accepted his defeat. Doyoung gathered his things and stomped out the library, leaving a group of cackling boys in his wake.
"Why did you have to say it in front of him?" Taeyong asked, remorsefully watching Doyoung's withdrawing back.
"It wasn't something awful, Hyung." Mark contemplated and Yuta nodded in agreement.
"Still..." Taeyong let his words hang in the air a while as Doyoung disappeared and the conversation picked up again in the background.
"I'm glad you all handed in the assignment on time without any issues." Professor Choi had a smile on his face as he turned to his screen.
"There was one essay that stood out to me," He searched the student's faces before his eyes landed on a boy sitting attentively in the first row.
"Mr. Kim," There was admiration in his eyes. "I had you last year as well, am I right?"
Doyoung nodded, glad he had finally been recognized.
"I loved your rendition of the cultural aspects of Roman times. It was very gruesome but I was hooked. I would love to have your views shared with the class."
A collective groan sounded and Doyoung felt a knot form in his stomach. Looking to his right, his eyes met Taeyong's who smiled at him encouragingly. The knot burst as bile now rose to his throat.
"It's okay, professor Choi. I can email it to you."
"No no." He shook his head at the students. "If one of your classmates has a different point of view you should hear him out. Maybe it will open your eyes to something much better."
He nodded at Doyoung to go on and the boy regretfully swallowed a lump.
"Well, I hate the Romans." Doyoung twiddled his thumbs as he spoke. "They preceded my favorite civilization, the Greeks. You see, the Romans were so busy building an empire they forgot the most important thing that ever existed; imagination. They were cruel and pretentious. Men of Reality,"
"The Greeks were romanticists. They celebrated man for who he was, worked on his perfection. Individuality. Admiration and imperfection. They worshipped gods based on humans, with human flaws and human relationships. They were invested in humanity and that is why I adore them. But the Romans destroyed it all, centuries of tales all summed up to means of war."
There was pin-drop silence when Doyoung finished and Professor Choi nodded, an endearing smile playing on his lips.
"That's very interesting, Mr. Kim."
Doyoung turned his head to the right again, this time finding the object of his hatred in deep thought, eyes busy searching the lines on his hands. He followed Taeyong’s line of site to his hands before turning away a sudden distaste coating the underside of his tongue.