≫ THREE WEEKS EARLIER ≪
The sun feels extra strong, almost completely blinding, as Seonghwa makes his way through campus. In one hand he has his usual morning coffee and in the other he is carrying his MacBook, well equipped with the PowerPoint show he prepared last night.
The long black pants he is wearing feels heavy and way too hot to wear on such a sunny day, but Seonghwa has never liked wearing shorts even though he feels like burning up. His dark-blonde hair is flawlessly pushed back, and his white shirt is neatly tucked into his pants, as per usual.
"Morning, hyung~" the familiar, cheerful voice of Kim Hongjoong sings behind him causing Seonghwa to look over his shoulder. His best friend is coming running towards him with his bright red hair bouncing around his face as he moves.
"Good morning, Joong," Seonghwa smiles, patting Hongjoong on the shoulder as his friend catches up with him.
"Did you enjoy your summer?" Hongjoong asks, to which Seonghwa nods.
Seonghwa isn't too fond of lying to his best friend, but he doesn't feel ready to tell the truth yet. The truth which is how his girlfriend dumped him over the summer break, and how he had struggled to stop the tears from falling at night. Instead he puts on his best smile and pretends everything is alright.
"Ready to welcome some newbies?" Hongjoong laughs as they walk towards the auditorium. Seonghwa and Hongjoong are both top of their class of Economics studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, and have therefore been chosen to welcome, and tutor the new class starting this year.
"Of course. Piece of cake," Seonghwa grins.
They make their way through the crowd of the nervous faces of all the new students, but Seonghwa doesn't feel nervous at all. Standing in front of so many strangers is something that isn't bothering him at all. In fact, he quite enjoys it. He has always liked standing in front of people, feeling in charge and leading others. This is the way he was raised to be, as his father wants him to take over the family company and become the CEO one day.
◆
Seonghwa's own classes aren't starting until next week, but the next couple of days he has to spend being available for any inquiries the new students may have. So far it hasn't been that bad, mostly questions about books and simple things like that, giving Seonghwa plenty of time to get settled back into his dorm room and hanging out with his friends, who he hasn't seen during the Summer break.
"So did you spot any cute ones yet?" Mingi, law student at Yonsei and one of Seonghwa's other friends, asks with that deep voice of his that makes all the girls swoon over him. That and his heart-melting smile.
"Not yet. Bro, there's so many I can't even keep my focus on one of them for two seconds," Hongjoong says while chewing loudly on his piece of fried chicken.
"No, you just can't keep your focus on anything, ever. Period," Mingi laughs just to receive a punch on his shoulder. He is right though, Hongjoong is easily distracted and often gets a million good ideas at once.
"Speaking of cuties!" Mingi turns to look at Seonghwa who has to swallow a lump in his throat, fearing what his taller friend is about to ask him. "Haven't seen Tzuyu around. Isn't she back at campus yet?"
Seonghwa nervously fiddles with the napkin in front of him, unsure whether to tell the truth to his friends, or keep it a secret for just a bit longer.
"No, she is still at her parents'," he lies, and looks down at the table.
He shouldn't tell them right now; the timing isn't right. And Hongjoong loves this fried chicken place, it wouldn't be fair to ruin the good mood and make this place the place where Seonghwa had to tell his friends he got dumped. At least that's the reason he convinces himself to believe, when he decides to stay silent about the truth.
"Well, hope she'll be back soon," Mingi says, "Yunho has been texting me all summer, whining because he let her borrow his stupid Harry Potter DVDs and he wants them back."
"Can't he just watch them on Netflix or something?" Hongjoong asks.
"Don't... Just, don't!" Mingi rolls his eyes, not wanting to get into the whole Netflix is not the same as DVDs discussion again, even though he didn't bring his roommate tonight. His roommate who is Yunho, also a law student, also really tall and a proud self-proclaimed Ravenclaw.
◆
"Ah! Park Seonghwa?"
"Yes?" Seonghwa turns around, and sees two younger guys coming towards him.
They aren't walking side by side, although they are clearly walking together. The one in the front has blonde hair, which is parted in the middle, and a bright smile on his face. The one walking behind him has dark hair, and is just staring at the floor as he walks, posture almost slouching.
"Hi! My name is Jung Wooyoung. I'm in the new Economics class. The other day at orientation you said we could always come to you if we had any questions, and I actually have one. I hope that's alright?" Wooyoung says and quickly bows as he stands in front of Seonghwa.
Wooyoung keeps talking, but Seonghwa loses his focus the second the dark-haired guy finally looks up from the floor, and their eyes meet. Almost having to take a step back, Seonghwa stares into the most beautiful, soul piercing eyes he has ever seen. The eye contact only lasts for a few seconds before the younger guy pushes his hair back and looks away again, leaving Seonghwa feeling all baffled.
"And are you in Economics as well?" Seonghwa asks, as he has finished answering Wooyoung's question the best he can, with the short distraction happening. His eyes now locked on the dark-haired guy.
"No." The reply is short, but the younger's voice is much deeper than Seonghwa expected it to be.
Seonghwa is feeling a strange urge to ask more questions, like what his name is or which study he is in. But he doesn't dare to do so, it would seem so weird, right?. Luckily Wooyoung helps him out without even knowing.
"No, Yeosang is in English language and literature. We've been friends for five years, but got lucky and got into the same university!" Wooyoung smiles happily, throwing his arm around the shoulders of his friend.
"Ah, I see! That's really great. Well, I should get going now, but it was nice to meet you, Wooyoung. And you too, Yeosang..." Seonghwa says with a small nod before he turns around and continues down the hall-way.
Yeosang.
Such a pretty name.
◆
The following evening Seonghwa is sitting at a coffee shop, busy reading through his mails while enjoying some lovely iced latte, when the door opens and none other than Tzuyu walks in.
His ex-girlfriend.
They haven't spoken since she broke up with him a couple of weeks ago, and Seonghwa feels his heartbeat increase, as he stresses himself out debating whether to run and hide, or just greet her like a normal person would. But just as he's about to get up from his seat he sees a guy walks up to her, and kisses her on the cheek. Kris Wu.
Seonghwa clenches his fists when he sees Kris' face. He knows way too well who this guy is. He is the one that Tzuyu had started hanging out with a couple of months before she dumped Seonghwa, and Seonghwa had been suspicious of them for awhile even though she always denied anything was going on between them.
Trying to be as silent and unnoticeable as he can, Seonghwa collects his things. He suddenly doesn't feel like greeting her after all. As soon as he sees the chance to sneak out of the coffee shop he rushes out the door, sprinting down the street like someone is chasing him.
Seonghwa turns a corner, but has to stop to catch his breath. Resting his back against the cold brick wall behind him, he slowly squats down just staring at the dark evening sky above him. Being confirmed in something you've been fearing for a long time can make even a guy like Seonghwa break down.
His usual façade of always being a so well put-together person crumbles, as the tears are fighting to be let lose. He has never cried in front of anyone before, or outside the walls of his room. This isn't how he was raised to be, and he curses himself for acting so weak. Hiding his face with his hands he tries to collect himself again but he can't even control his own breathing.
"Hey... Are you... Okay?" A voice suddenly asks in front of him.
The lights from the lampposts are throwing a warm glow, lighting up the face that is looking at Seonghwa. When he looks up, he looks straight into the deep, brown eyes he had seen for the very first time yesterday.
Yeosang.