Chapter Text
“Ah! I forgot the toiletries!”
The young man scratched his head, inside his room. The whole room was messy. A medium-sized suitcase was almost full in front of him, and some of his clothes were scattered around the room. Looks like he is carefully, meticulously, and also carelessly sorting his best clothes to bring for his travel tomorrow. All set, except toiletries.
Do you also often forget toiletries when you travel? This man did. He packed all his clothes needed for the travel, but forgot toiletries. Almost every single time. Last time he did, he spent on buying new ones and after travelling, he stacked those travel sized soap bottle, toothbrush and toothpaste tube with each three other similar products in a drawer inside his room, as he really often left those at home. Spending unexpected urgent thing in travelling, which could have been prevented, means cutting the budget for buying other things, such as food, parks, and tickets for a tourist attraction, so it’s quite shameful for him if he forgot to bring those again.
He pulled out his drawer to grab some travel-sized soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush. When he turned to his suitcase again to organize his stuffs, he could hear his phone ringing on the bed. The young man smiled when he saw the name of the person on the screen. Donghae.
The man started the conversation.
“Hello?”
“Hyukjae! Have you taken the train?”
“Nope, I haven’t. I will go tomorrow, tho. I couldn’t get the earlier tickets haha. I’m a bit late.”
“Ahh… okay! I will see you. You’re coming with our classmates in the villa, right?”
“Yes, I am joining them.”
“Oh, also tell them… I almost forget. I paid for the villa. For two days. You guys don’t need to pay for it anymore. Just use your money for something better in your travel. It’s all good.”
“WHY SO LATE??? I’m telling them after this.”
“Sorry! I have been busy with all the preparation. It’s exhausting, you know. But I’m happy.”
“Donghae.”
“Hm?”
“Congratula…”
“Say it to me directly in the wedding venue! I better see you coming. Got it?”
“Okaaay, okay. I will continue packing my stuffs. Bye, dumbass.”
“Don’t forget your toiletries, dumbass!”
The phone call ended.
“Dumbass… he remembers it.” Hyukjae muttered to himself.
The train station was bustling that day, but it was under control. Hyukjae, with a, quite big backpack carried behind him, walked slowly through the crowds, looking for the train that would take him to his destination. Took some time to finally found it after passing through many railways, and when he found it, he pulled his suitcase faster. He wanted to run from the extremely hot weather outside. Air conditioner! Here I come!
Finally, he got inside the train and immediately searched for his reserved seat. He sat and put his suitcase on the upper shelf and his backpack in front of his seat. Because it was economy class train, he sat on a 2-people seat and sat face-to-face with other two passengers. A small folding table is attached to the bottom of the window to place small items on. An old man around his 40s reserved the seat beside him, and there was a couple with a little child reserved the two seats facing him.
He reserved the seat closer to the window, on purpose. He just loved it. Oh, and also, the seat is upright at a 90-degree angle. Hyukjae did not know that he would get this kind of economy class train. But yeah, the cost he should pay to save money. It’s still soft, tho. So, everything was at least, good. A bonus that he could fix his posture.
9 a.m. The train started moving. The journey would take 7 hours to the city where Donghae’s wedding took place.
Hyukjae leaned towards the window ledge, watching the scenery outside the moving train. The sky seemed bright and jolly today. He reached for his backpack beside his right leg, taking out a journal book and opened it.
My first day in a school dormitory? What the hell. I am not surviving.
The first sentence he wrote in the first page of the book, 15 years ago.
2010, July 12
My first day in a school dormitory? What the hell. I am not surviving.
Am I such a rebel? Well, I just committed one small thing! Why dad took it like a sin? Is punching my friend for saying inappropriate things to a female student a crime? And now he said I would be put in a dormitory school. Fine. All I do is just obey! Obey, obey, obey. Fine, I am an eldest son. I can’t cry. I also have four little sisters, what would they say about me? Embarrassing! But okay, let’s go to this asylum disguised as a high school. Disciplinary camp? Whatever. The people here might be more rebellious than me but sure, elderlies see dorm schools as asylums so here we are!
This school dorm isn’t bad tho… so this dorm has three floors, The ground floor has a quite big, lobby? Pretty considerate. There are some tables and seats there also. For studying? Discussing? Smoking? Nevermind. There are two corridors at each floors, at left and right. Each corridors has 6 rooms, so 12 rooms in total in a single floor and 36 rooms in an entire building. The school building is around 500 meters outside the dormitory gate. This gate would be locked in school hours, so we can’t go back during that time. There are two other dormitory buildings beside this building, separated by a long, short fence. Maybe I will explore it further as time goes by.
But… I’m worried about mom. I hope she is okay with my sisters. I hope the eldest one can help mom out. Being a full-time mom… how could mom endures such work? Dad didn’t even ask mom about his decision to put me here. Just plain spontaneous act. Sorry mom… the second father of the family gotta study…..
Anyways, I would be put in this room with three other people. They have not come for now, who would be here? I don’t even know the room organization. There are four wardrobes, two bunk beds, two tables… I guess for studying or sum, and ONE BATHROOM???? wow I hope my roommates shower in the speed of light … I know some boys do it but I DON’T. I need 20 minutes of shower.
Anyways…. I gotta take a nap. It’s been a while since dad dropped me here with mom and sisters and im bored as hell. Mom’s tears still remain on my shirt sleeve. Mom… please be good.. I hope dad helps you when you’re exhausted.
“WAAAAAHHH!!”
The little kid who sat with their parents in front of Hyukjae started crying. Average moment of an economy class train. Hyukjae got startled and distracted from his journal book. The mom started to panick a little, afraid of making other passengers uncomfortable. She embraced and patted her kid slowly. The kid was still crying. Hyukjae took a glance on the kid.
“Excuse me, Ma’am.” He said.
“Yes? Ah, I am sorry. My daughter is crying again. Sorry for your discomfort.” She said, still with her panicked face expression. She kept patting and caressing her kid.
“No, it’s okay. I just want to ask, have she eaten or drank milk?”
“Yes, she just eaten. I don’t know why she cried all of a sudden.”
“Um, I might be wrong, but I think she felt that it’s hot. Maybe here we already used AC, but before we get into this train, it’s burning hot. She might be sweating inside her clothes, I think it’s a quite thick fabric. It causes discomfort.” Hyukjae said.
The woman tried to touch her child’s skin behind her clothes to figure out.
“Oh my god, you’re right. She is sweating so much..”
“Ah, is it?”
“Thank you so much, I’m a bit panicked.. I will change her clothes in the restroom.”
Hyukjae glanced at the man beside the mother and the child. Busy with his phone. No single attention came to his wife when she was panicking, taking care of the kid.
“Mr. Can you accompany your wife and your daughter to the restroom? Help her.”
“Oh? Oh yeah, of course. Let’s go.” The man was startled, and stammered in response to Hyukjae's request.
Hyukjae smiled in joy seeing the man accompanying his wife and daughter to the restroom. They walked slowly. He was so confused seeing the man being so calm when his kid cried so loud. Must be a newly wed. Just, how could.
The middle-aged man who sat beside Hyukjae chuckled and suddenly patted Hyukjae’s shoulder.
“You’re doing so good, man. How could you be that precise?” the man said.
“I have…. four little sisters at home. I took care of them also.” Hyukjae answered, with his awkward smile. He was a bit startled.
“The man of the house? Cool… I think you have that one.”
“Who?”
“I think you have a child.”
Hyukjae’s mouth hung open loosely. He chuckled suddenly but he tried to keep it classy.
“No, I am single, sir. Zero relationships since birth.”
“Really? At all?”
“Yeah. 30 years in life.”
“Oh, I didn’t ask your age, tho… it’s your choice.”
“No problems.”
The man inhaled a quite deep breath. He shifted his gaze to the view outside the window
“I was in your place, also. I also married so late. It’s not even a big deal.”
Hyukjae saw the compassion in the man’s eyes. Hyukjae could see from the wrinkles on the man's face that he had been through so much things.
“Well, my parents kept asking me when will I tie knots. I felt like I have committed a sin.”
The man patted on Hyukjae’s back.
“It’s not sinful at all. I think the most sinful thing ever is forcing your child to do something you’re certain that they are not ready and unwilling to do it, then when they failed you got mad at them.”
“Ah….”
“But, if I may know, you have not ever fell in love with someone?”
Hyukjae raised his eyebrows. He startled again, but then chuckled softly. His fingers gently stroking the journal that had been resting in his palms since beginning.
“Um, I do, but…. In a different way. Veery different way. I don’t think you may understand.”
“Wow. How could it be like that?” The man smiled. He sparked curiosity.
Hyukjae exhaled slowly, finding the correct word to describe his feelings, since as he said, he loved the person in a very different way.
“I love the person, but…. Never mind. I don’t really have the energy to tell you, but I do love this person. But I am so worried that the person might not understand how I love .. the person. It’s a rare way of loving someone, and today, I am travelling for seven hours to attend this person’s wedding.”
“Oh….”
“I’m fine. The person is also my best friend. The best person I have met, and I am grateful with to meet in my lifetime.”
2010, July 15
Finally, got to write here again. I’M SO DONE!!!! SO, I GONNA DOCUMENT THESE PEOPLE HERE INSIDE MY ROOM…………
The first person who came was Kibum. Bro thinks he is a cool guy. He went inside, put his bags on the floor, glanced at me with sleepy eyes, and left??? Happened to see a human? Why do you see me like an alien bro…….. or am I just exaggerating. Okay, calm down, he might be tired from his travel, and it happened just right… he flew from the US. But actually, he is fine. He speaks like a happy person when he already felt comfortable… introvert in its finest. I like this type of introvert. He chose the bed beside me, haha. I’m glad we’re good now.
The second one is……. Kyuhyun. Bro, he is actually very intimidating. If I can see someone’s aura through colors, then Kibum is orange and Kyuhyun is…… black. Plain black. Bro glanced at me as if he suspected me of killing someone and hiding them in the basement. He put his stuffs inside his wardrobe, set up his bed… I am so scared to approach him. He brought a portable CD player with wired earphones, and went to sleep. He chose the bed above Kibum, so I just peeked a little. My first interaction with him occurred in the next day, because he forgot to bring his toothpaste, he wanted to get mine. His face after waking up is so funny, his hair spikes like Mufasa. I think this is the sleepyhead of our room. There was also our first conversation and introduction. Ah, I think this man needs a longer time to adapt from a space to another. I think most men do, but he needs longer time.
AND THE THIRD IS. This brat. Donghae. There is no bed left so he chose the bed above me and gosh, every night feels like an earthquake. Does he always go to the night club in his dreams? The movement is CRAZY I was awake suddenly because I thought it was an actual earthquake. Looking at his appearance, I think he is a wealthy man…. I don’t know… his clothes are so nice. I think those pieces would laugh at my wallet and wardrobe. But man…. Is this just his wealth aura spreading inside the room but he looks so charming. Bet he might be a school most wanted bro who is a basketball captain in mainstream novels written by a junior highschooler. I can’t resist. Compared to Kyuhyun, I am a bit shy approaching him. But the next day, he suddenly wrapped his right arm around my neck from behind so fast that I almost fall because of it and he screamed “Hiiii buddy nice to meet you!!!” and there was our first introduction. My God, what happened to this boy. That’s a pretty odd way for my first impression.
7 hours passed, Hyukjae walked off the train. He inhaled the fresh air after dealing with air conditioner that almost freezed his skin – yeah, he was excited to get inside because he felt it was too hot outside, but then the AC freezed him. we are never grateful as a human being afterall – . He saw some guys sitting at the waiting bench beside the railway. In the speed of light, he recognized the facial features of a guy who sat there.
“Kyuhyun!” Hyukjae shouted.
“HYUKJAE!!! I have waited for you!”
Hyukjae moved faster to reach the place where his friends sat. Kyuhyun looked so mature today. He had a neater haircut, slick back that was already a bit messy. Maybe because he went through a long trip too. His shirt? Just as usual, plain t-shirt. This guy had been so minimalist with his fashion afterall. It was not so long ago when Hyukjae saw him last time. It was two years ago when Kyuhyun visited his city and asked him to be his tour guide. It was a roadtrip, Kyuhyun took the lead. Hyukjae felt so emotional because the boy he used to be scared of, the black aura guy, is now the guy he is comfortable with, and they shared the same, not so useful hobby – drinking. The difference was that Hyukjae had a lower tolerance than Kyuhyun.
After approaching the crowd, Hyukjae recognized another face.
“Kibum? Oh my god, did you just flew away from US?” Hyukjae asked.
“You dumbass! How could you not reach me out recently that you don’t know I have moved here?? I am an expatriate now dumbass!!!” Kibum stood immediately from his seat, pulling Hyukjae’s hair to the back that the man almost fell.
“IT HURTS YOU DUMBASS!!!! WE ARE NOT 18 ANYMORE!!!”
“Guys… we are in a train station…” Kyuhyun smiled awkwardly, staring around that other strangers turned their heads to their place.
“Hyukjae, you don’t cheat on me right? Why didn’t you text or call me???” Kibum dramatically held Hyukjae’s right hand, pleading to make fun of the situation.
“IT’S NOT LIKE THAT I CAN EXPLAIN!!!”
“Haha, joking. It’s better to see you in person than in fuckass phone screen.” Kibum hugged Hyukjae dramatically and deadly that Hyukjae might see heaven due to its tightness.
“Okay, now, should we leave to the villa? Let’s order a taxi.”
“Who pays?”
“Hyukjae is rich now, right?”
“Are you for real. Ask the expatriate to pay?”
“Stooop. Let’s share the bill.”
2010, December 20
It’s already 6 months here with my three roommates. It’s been so nice with them. Difficult school subjects feel like nothing compared with them. It’s rumored that we might swap roommates in the end of the first year, but I feel like I don’t want to do that. I felt too comfortable.
Kyuhyun, Kibum, Donghae. Though we are separated in different classes, we always go back to the dorm together and never miss a single meal without my spoon having 4 different DNAs. We always put all the meal in a single plate and eat it together. We ate with spoons, but once we put our spoons a while when eating, they will never pay attention whose spoon they took after it. And, anything randomly happen here.
Kibum once read in a magazine that rice flour could nourish your skin. Then, he mixed rice flour with water and tested it on Donghae to see if it works. It worked on Donghae, but when he used it, his skin became red. This bro didn’t know Donghae might paid thousands for his skin treatment or just showered with golden water at home. Kyuhyun threw the most random question at night especially 1 a.m. This is real that I couldn’t close my eyes thinking of his question “Why aren’t there mouse-flavored cat food?”. I might be smarter than Einstein after I graduate. Who knows that maybe I would build that factory. That’s my fault why didn’t I sleep before 1 a.m. so that I don’t hear his life-bending questions. The problem in Donghae for me is that, he can’t stop rocking the world on his bed while sleeping. But gratefully, I have succeeded turning this supposedly- interruption into an entertainment. I would keep my mindset that it’s all like sitting on a massage chair. Maybe this habit of sleeping early breaks when we are grown up and getting busier. He must enjoy the youth.
The only random ass question from Kyuhyun that I can answer was only one. I was on my bed and he reads a book on his bed.
“Hyukjae, do you want to have kids?”
I said “How could I think about having kids. Having you guys here, I could picture the scenario.”
Then Kibum screamt from the bathroom and went out with only a towel covering his private part because there was a cockroach inside. Kyuhyun said “Well, fair enough.” and Kibum yelled at me “HYUKJAE WHAT THE FUCK YOU DOING HELP ME TO TAKE THAT CREATURE FROM HERE”. And after that, Donghae rocked the world in his sleep. No need for kids to make your life more colorful.
Christmas is in few days, I wrote this on my bed when everyone is asleep and my stuffs are packed because tomorrow I will get a train home… alone. Donghae gave us early Christmas gifts, but he threatens us to not open it until the 25th. Maybe I can’t hold curiosity that long, I might just open that gift on the train and act surprised in the 25th when I call Donghae.
Hyukjae, Kibum and Kyuhyun finally met the taxi driver they ordered. Kyuhyun sat at the front seat, with his two friends sitting behind. The middle-aged man smiled at them and slowly drifted his car to the crowded street. Kyuhyun told him the destination they were heading to.
“Hm, this villa is probably 15 minutes ride, but the street traffic is a bit irritating today. I hope you guys understand. Or, are you in rush?”
“No, it’s okay Mr. We are just chilling.”
“Okay then..anyways, you guys look so good today, youthful flower boys!” the middle-aged man complimented.
“Ah, thank you so much Mr. You can see my inner charm, unlike some other people.” Kibum answered with a bright smile as a sunshine.
“Just say it to my face.” Hyukjae poked Kibum’s shoulder.
“It’s your first time visiting this city?” the driver asked.
“No, we studied in a dormitory highschool in this city. We are here to attend our best friend’s wedding party in two days.” Kyuhyun answered.
“Oh, so you guys are highschool friends? It’s so delightful that you guys are still getting alone very well.”
“Pretty much things happened, but here we are.”
Hyukjae leaned against the car window, seeing the crowded street. He kept staring at his wristwatch. It was already 5 p.m. He stared at the glow of metallic color of the watch, still gleaming just like the first time, when he opened his early Christmas gift fifteen years ago.