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Entry tags:
chronological parabola
rearrrraaaaaaaaaaanged that's all. i am 99% sure this is right. (promise the 1% doesn't matter.) uhhh scroll and ignore \o/
Woohyun meets a lot of people. He doesn't remember them all, or even most of them. Girls are the easiest to talk to. He'd learned a long time ago that he has the sort of face that can render them speechless with a grin and a wink and a few well chosen words, a remark about their hairclip or their eyes, the bracelet they're wearing or the bag slung over their shoulder and how they remind him of his one cousin who had been the most popular girl in her school. He asks their names and makes them feel special, because even if he can't remember them all, that doesn't mean that they don't remember him.
Woohyun likes being remembered.
He meets Myungsoo first, even if he doesn't remember it. It's before classes have started and the bookstore is packed. Woohyun drops the slip of paper his booklist is printed on, and Myungsoo happens to be the one who picks it up and hands it to him. Neither of them remember it. It's not really worth mentioning.
Sungyeol has a tendency to stare. This is what Woohyun remembers. Sungyeol has a tendency to stare, and he has a tendency to either push or pull his friend into the store, depending on the day. His face is a little awkward and when he laughs, sometimes he laughs too wide or too loud. Sungyeol also likes his coffee black, but with enough sugar to give the easter bunny cavities. This is what Woohyun learns.
Sungyeol is also in one of his classes, and Woohyun sees him sitting in the third row one day and drops his bag into the seat next to him. "hi," he says. Sungyeol has enough time to look suitably surprised before the professor walks in and accidentally upsets the feedback from the microphone, and Woohyun waits until class is over to tell him that "by the way, I'm Nam Woohyun."
Woohyun gets to class first the following monday, and it's his turn to grin when Sungyeol slides into a seat next to him. "Good morning," Sungyeol says. "Busy weekend?" Woohyun asks.
"Not really."
-
"By the way, hyung, Sungyeol was looking for a roommate."
The room is warm, and Myungsoo is another few degrees warmer beside him. Woohyun hums a vague response as he stares at the ceiling with his eyes closed, toes curling around the sheets kicked to the foot of the bed. "Is he?"
"Yeah. Hoya hyung is moving out."
"What about you?"
The bed creaks as Myungsoo shrugs. "I already told Sungjong he could stay with me."
"Sungjong?"
"I told you, hyung. Highschool friend."
"Oh, I remember now."
Myungsoo laughs, a quiet chuckle that buries itself in Woohyun's hair as Myungsoo turns on his side, clutching a pillow to his chest. "You're getting old," he says.
"I'll talk to him tomorrow," Woohyun says.
-
"Hey," Sunggyu calls him one day. Woohyun tucks the phone against his shoulder as he juggles bags of groceries waiting for the bus. "Going out tonight before thesis week, you in?"
"Sure, yeah, whatever." The bus throws up a spray as it pulls up to the curb, passing through a newly created lake from the rainstorm the night before that had washed out any remaining stubborn snow. "Text me later, bus is here," Woohyun says, and flips his phone shut before maneuvering his bus pass out of his pocket.
There's a familiar face at the back of the bus, so Woohyun oblingingly trudges to it and nudges Sungyeol awake. "Hey," Woohyun greets.
"Oh. Hi," Sungyeol replies, weary blinks and a flicker of irritation. Woohyun regrets waking him a little, he looks like he needed the nap.
"Grocery shopping?" Sungyeol asks, pointing at the obvious bags Woohyun deposists on the floor.
"Yup. Someone has to do it," Woohyun says.
"Yeah," Sungyeol agrees.
Sungyeol pulls out his phone, and Woohyun glances out the window. With the last signs of winter gone, all that was left was the hint of an equally dreary spring. Sungyeol is still playing with his phone when Woohyun looks back.
"I'm going out with friends later tonight, if you want to come," Woohyun blurts out suddenly. Sungyeol's eyes are narrowed in confusion as he glances up. "Bring Myungsoo. If he wants."
"Just text him yourself," Sungyeol replies sharply, and Woohyun wants to kick himself. Sungyeol gets off two stops later, and Woohyun takes his seat.
In the end, Myungsoo shows up and so does Sungyeol, and so does Sungyeol's roommate whose name is Hoya, Woohyun has learned from Myungsoo. They meet up with Sunggyu on the way there quite by accident, introductions are made, and soon enough Woohyun is relating how it happened he was stockholm syndromed into being friends with Sunggyu while Sunggyu insists it's quite the opposite, and retaliates with a warning not to be charmed by Woohyun, because he's actually a huge jerk. It's some time after their second (or third) pitcher, but Woohyun prefers the peanuts. Myungsoo laughs at this, Hoya chuckles, and to Woohyun's surprise, Sungyeol laughs as well before saying "I know". Woohyun tosses a peanut at him.
Halfway through the night, Sungyeol falls asleep against Woohyun's shoulder. When Myungsoo offers to switch seats with Woohyun, Woohyun shakes his head and says that it's alright.
After all, Woohyun has never particularly thought himself to be a jerk.
-
"Sungyeol hyung is still looking for a roommate," Myungsoo mumbles into Woohyun's shoulder. The words dissipate through the weave of his shirt, and Myungsoo tightens his arms around Woohyun's waist. The clock reads just before two, and Woohyun doesn't have the heart to push him away when exhaustion bleeds through his lax grip.
"Is he?" Woohyun asks. He pulls a tshirt and a pair of sweats from the drawer and tosses them onto the bedspread. Myungsoo shifts behind him, his chin now resting bonily against Woohyun, his hair just tickling the back of Woohyun's neck. This is also how Woohyun knows that Myungsoo is tired.
Myungsoo hums a vague agreement.
"I have a question," Woohyun says.
"Do I have to answer?"
"Why did you break up with Minyoung?"
Myungsoo pulls away, and Woohyun finds the gradual lack of warmth a little unsteadying.
-
"Sungyeol likes you," Myungsoo says. A beat, and then: "Sunhee and I are dating now."
"Lucky girl," Woohyun says. Myungsoo laces his fingers around the cup, peering at its coffee cream contents. A beat, and then: "does he?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Myungsoo asks.
"I'll ask him tomorrow."
It turns out that Sungyeol still needs a roommate. It turns out that Woohyun does too.
-
Summer passes in a lazy haze of nothingness, despite Woohyun taking on a second job at a convenience store. Their lease expires halfway through, and Woohyun has a feeling his roommates are more than glad to see the end of him, and he feels the exact same. So Woohyun moves out early and crashes at Sunggyu's place for a few days. Sungyeol tells him to just stay with them, but Woohyun points out that they'll be seeing enough of each other soon enough.
Woohyun doesn't tell him that there's more than just a place to stay involved.
"I thought you and that Myungsoo kid—"
"He has a girlfriend," Woohyun says, and presses sloppy kisses against Sunggyu's mouth just to piss him off.
-
"Could you get my jacket?"
"Could you get a life?"
"Please."
Woohyun rolls his eyes at no one in particular as Sungyeol troops back into the apartment, slamming Woohyun's bedroom door open in the process. Woohyun assumes it's his door, because he remembers closing it, and Sungyeol would need to open the door to get in. It's one of those days, and Woohyun isn't surprised.
A few seconds later, Sungyeol all but throws the jacket in Woohyun's face before jamming on his shoes and dragging the door closed behind him—the door sticks a little anyway. Woohyun sighs, pulls the door open, and walks out to find Sungyeol bent over and tying his shoelaces, schoolbag tucked awkwardly under one arm.
"You could always put it down," Woohyun comments as he locks the door.
"Shut up," Sungyeol growls. There's a thump as his bag hits the ground. Woohyun turns around and leans against the door to wait.
Sungyeol is angry glances and sharp elbows this morning, hair stuck up on the wrong side and shirt a little too rumpled from having spent the night under a pile of textbooks. There's bags under his eyes and the whites of them are more red than anything else, but it's the first day of exams and isn't it the same for them all? But Sungyeol is also a nucleus of disappointments this morning, and so Woohyun drags him to a cafe and sits him down at a table despite his bitching, and shoves a cup of coffee and a muffin in front of him and orders him to eat.
"What the fuck Woohyun, I'm going to be late."
"No you're not," Woohyun says, and takes matters into his own hands. He breaks off a chunk of blueberry muffin and forces it into Sungyeol's mouth. "You skipped dinner," he reminds him. "And lunch."
Sungyeol looks like he wants to say something suitably mean and irritable and scathing, but he can't quite manage without spraying crumbs over the table. He compromises by swallowing without chewing and attacking the muffin with a vengeance. Woohyun hums an indeterminate tune and traces circles on the plastic table and watches the ribbon flutter against the vent. His first exam is in three days. He still has time. Sungyeol has half an hour.
"Just so you know if I'm late I'm blaming you."
"Okay."
Woohyun ends up hanging around the library with his notes open in front of him, toying with the tag from the teabag that's still soaking in his travel mug. Another week and a half, and then life will be worth living again.
-
"I made you coffee," Sungyeol greets him when Woohyun blearily opens his door. Woohyun squints at Sungyeol sitting at the kitchen table, wide awake and already dressed, statistics from a late night of cramming still running an endless litany at the front of his thoughts. The clock tells him its not quite seven, so Woohyun responds with a vague grunt that could be 'thanks' or 'good morning' or 'what are you talking about?' before stumbling to the washroom.
"Thanks," Woohyun does say when he joins Sungyeol at the table some fifteen minutes later, coffee in hand. "Good morning. When did you get up?"
"Before you," Sungyeol answers vaguely, scrolling through the morning news on his laptop. "There's toast in the toaster too."
Woohyun stares at him. "We ran out of bread."
"Not anymore."
Woohyun opens his mouth but thinks better of it, opting instead to grab the toast and shove it into his mouth. "What about you?" Woohyun asks after a moment.
"I already ate."
"Oh."
"Good luck," Sungyeol says when Woohyun gets up to leave.
"Yeah. You too."
-
A hailstorm knocks the tree through Woohyun's window partway through winter vacation, a discovery they make after they come back for dinner one evening, and he contemplates the couch for a whole three minutes before Sungyeol points out the obvious that his bed is more than big enough for two.
"You're okay with sharing a bed with a guy?" Woohyun laughs, just to make sure.
Sungyeol stares at him like he's grown three heads. "I'm not a girl," he says.
"Funny, Myungsoo said the same thing," Woohyun muses.
"You're weird, you know that?" Sungyeol says.
"Look who's talking."
-
Woohyun rolls over and kisses Sungyeol. Sungyeol freezes.
Woohyun meets a lot of people. He doesn't remember them all, or even most of them. Girls are the easiest to talk to. He'd learned a long time ago that he has the sort of face that can render them speechless with a grin and a wink and a few well chosen words, a remark about their hairclip or their eyes, the bracelet they're wearing or the bag slung over their shoulder and how they remind him of his one cousin who had been the most popular girl in her school. He asks their names and makes them feel special, because even if he can't remember them all, that doesn't mean that they don't remember him.
Woohyun likes being remembered.
He meets Myungsoo first, even if he doesn't remember it. It's before classes have started and the bookstore is packed. Woohyun drops the slip of paper his booklist is printed on, and Myungsoo happens to be the one who picks it up and hands it to him. Neither of them remember it. It's not really worth mentioning.
Sungyeol has a tendency to stare. This is what Woohyun remembers. Sungyeol has a tendency to stare, and he has a tendency to either push or pull his friend into the store, depending on the day. His face is a little awkward and when he laughs, sometimes he laughs too wide or too loud. Sungyeol also likes his coffee black, but with enough sugar to give the easter bunny cavities. This is what Woohyun learns.
Sungyeol is also in one of his classes, and Woohyun sees him sitting in the third row one day and drops his bag into the seat next to him. "hi," he says. Sungyeol has enough time to look suitably surprised before the professor walks in and accidentally upsets the feedback from the microphone, and Woohyun waits until class is over to tell him that "by the way, I'm Nam Woohyun."
Woohyun gets to class first the following monday, and it's his turn to grin when Sungyeol slides into a seat next to him. "Good morning," Sungyeol says. "Busy weekend?" Woohyun asks.
"Not really."
-
"By the way, hyung, Sungyeol was looking for a roommate."
The room is warm, and Myungsoo is another few degrees warmer beside him. Woohyun hums a vague response as he stares at the ceiling with his eyes closed, toes curling around the sheets kicked to the foot of the bed. "Is he?"
"Yeah. Hoya hyung is moving out."
"What about you?"
The bed creaks as Myungsoo shrugs. "I already told Sungjong he could stay with me."
"Sungjong?"
"I told you, hyung. Highschool friend."
"Oh, I remember now."
Myungsoo laughs, a quiet chuckle that buries itself in Woohyun's hair as Myungsoo turns on his side, clutching a pillow to his chest. "You're getting old," he says.
"I'll talk to him tomorrow," Woohyun says.
-
"Hey," Sunggyu calls him one day. Woohyun tucks the phone against his shoulder as he juggles bags of groceries waiting for the bus. "Going out tonight before thesis week, you in?"
"Sure, yeah, whatever." The bus throws up a spray as it pulls up to the curb, passing through a newly created lake from the rainstorm the night before that had washed out any remaining stubborn snow. "Text me later, bus is here," Woohyun says, and flips his phone shut before maneuvering his bus pass out of his pocket.
There's a familiar face at the back of the bus, so Woohyun oblingingly trudges to it and nudges Sungyeol awake. "Hey," Woohyun greets.
"Oh. Hi," Sungyeol replies, weary blinks and a flicker of irritation. Woohyun regrets waking him a little, he looks like he needed the nap.
"Grocery shopping?" Sungyeol asks, pointing at the obvious bags Woohyun deposists on the floor.
"Yup. Someone has to do it," Woohyun says.
"Yeah," Sungyeol agrees.
Sungyeol pulls out his phone, and Woohyun glances out the window. With the last signs of winter gone, all that was left was the hint of an equally dreary spring. Sungyeol is still playing with his phone when Woohyun looks back.
"I'm going out with friends later tonight, if you want to come," Woohyun blurts out suddenly. Sungyeol's eyes are narrowed in confusion as he glances up. "Bring Myungsoo. If he wants."
"Just text him yourself," Sungyeol replies sharply, and Woohyun wants to kick himself. Sungyeol gets off two stops later, and Woohyun takes his seat.
In the end, Myungsoo shows up and so does Sungyeol, and so does Sungyeol's roommate whose name is Hoya, Woohyun has learned from Myungsoo. They meet up with Sunggyu on the way there quite by accident, introductions are made, and soon enough Woohyun is relating how it happened he was stockholm syndromed into being friends with Sunggyu while Sunggyu insists it's quite the opposite, and retaliates with a warning not to be charmed by Woohyun, because he's actually a huge jerk. It's some time after their second (or third) pitcher, but Woohyun prefers the peanuts. Myungsoo laughs at this, Hoya chuckles, and to Woohyun's surprise, Sungyeol laughs as well before saying "I know". Woohyun tosses a peanut at him.
Halfway through the night, Sungyeol falls asleep against Woohyun's shoulder. When Myungsoo offers to switch seats with Woohyun, Woohyun shakes his head and says that it's alright.
After all, Woohyun has never particularly thought himself to be a jerk.
-
"Sungyeol hyung is still looking for a roommate," Myungsoo mumbles into Woohyun's shoulder. The words dissipate through the weave of his shirt, and Myungsoo tightens his arms around Woohyun's waist. The clock reads just before two, and Woohyun doesn't have the heart to push him away when exhaustion bleeds through his lax grip.
"Is he?" Woohyun asks. He pulls a tshirt and a pair of sweats from the drawer and tosses them onto the bedspread. Myungsoo shifts behind him, his chin now resting bonily against Woohyun, his hair just tickling the back of Woohyun's neck. This is also how Woohyun knows that Myungsoo is tired.
Myungsoo hums a vague agreement.
"I have a question," Woohyun says.
"Do I have to answer?"
"Why did you break up with Minyoung?"
Myungsoo pulls away, and Woohyun finds the gradual lack of warmth a little unsteadying.
-
"Sungyeol likes you," Myungsoo says. A beat, and then: "Sunhee and I are dating now."
"Lucky girl," Woohyun says. Myungsoo laces his fingers around the cup, peering at its coffee cream contents. A beat, and then: "does he?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Myungsoo asks.
"I'll ask him tomorrow."
It turns out that Sungyeol still needs a roommate. It turns out that Woohyun does too.
-
Summer passes in a lazy haze of nothingness, despite Woohyun taking on a second job at a convenience store. Their lease expires halfway through, and Woohyun has a feeling his roommates are more than glad to see the end of him, and he feels the exact same. So Woohyun moves out early and crashes at Sunggyu's place for a few days. Sungyeol tells him to just stay with them, but Woohyun points out that they'll be seeing enough of each other soon enough.
Woohyun doesn't tell him that there's more than just a place to stay involved.
"I thought you and that Myungsoo kid—"
"He has a girlfriend," Woohyun says, and presses sloppy kisses against Sunggyu's mouth just to piss him off.
-
"Could you get my jacket?"
"Could you get a life?"
"Please."
Woohyun rolls his eyes at no one in particular as Sungyeol troops back into the apartment, slamming Woohyun's bedroom door open in the process. Woohyun assumes it's his door, because he remembers closing it, and Sungyeol would need to open the door to get in. It's one of those days, and Woohyun isn't surprised.
A few seconds later, Sungyeol all but throws the jacket in Woohyun's face before jamming on his shoes and dragging the door closed behind him—the door sticks a little anyway. Woohyun sighs, pulls the door open, and walks out to find Sungyeol bent over and tying his shoelaces, schoolbag tucked awkwardly under one arm.
"You could always put it down," Woohyun comments as he locks the door.
"Shut up," Sungyeol growls. There's a thump as his bag hits the ground. Woohyun turns around and leans against the door to wait.
Sungyeol is angry glances and sharp elbows this morning, hair stuck up on the wrong side and shirt a little too rumpled from having spent the night under a pile of textbooks. There's bags under his eyes and the whites of them are more red than anything else, but it's the first day of exams and isn't it the same for them all? But Sungyeol is also a nucleus of disappointments this morning, and so Woohyun drags him to a cafe and sits him down at a table despite his bitching, and shoves a cup of coffee and a muffin in front of him and orders him to eat.
"What the fuck Woohyun, I'm going to be late."
"No you're not," Woohyun says, and takes matters into his own hands. He breaks off a chunk of blueberry muffin and forces it into Sungyeol's mouth. "You skipped dinner," he reminds him. "And lunch."
Sungyeol looks like he wants to say something suitably mean and irritable and scathing, but he can't quite manage without spraying crumbs over the table. He compromises by swallowing without chewing and attacking the muffin with a vengeance. Woohyun hums an indeterminate tune and traces circles on the plastic table and watches the ribbon flutter against the vent. His first exam is in three days. He still has time. Sungyeol has half an hour.
"Just so you know if I'm late I'm blaming you."
"Okay."
Woohyun ends up hanging around the library with his notes open in front of him, toying with the tag from the teabag that's still soaking in his travel mug. Another week and a half, and then life will be worth living again.
-
"I made you coffee," Sungyeol greets him when Woohyun blearily opens his door. Woohyun squints at Sungyeol sitting at the kitchen table, wide awake and already dressed, statistics from a late night of cramming still running an endless litany at the front of his thoughts. The clock tells him its not quite seven, so Woohyun responds with a vague grunt that could be 'thanks' or 'good morning' or 'what are you talking about?' before stumbling to the washroom.
"Thanks," Woohyun does say when he joins Sungyeol at the table some fifteen minutes later, coffee in hand. "Good morning. When did you get up?"
"Before you," Sungyeol answers vaguely, scrolling through the morning news on his laptop. "There's toast in the toaster too."
Woohyun stares at him. "We ran out of bread."
"Not anymore."
Woohyun opens his mouth but thinks better of it, opting instead to grab the toast and shove it into his mouth. "What about you?" Woohyun asks after a moment.
"I already ate."
"Oh."
"Good luck," Sungyeol says when Woohyun gets up to leave.
"Yeah. You too."
-
A hailstorm knocks the tree through Woohyun's window partway through winter vacation, a discovery they make after they come back for dinner one evening, and he contemplates the couch for a whole three minutes before Sungyeol points out the obvious that his bed is more than big enough for two.
"You're okay with sharing a bed with a guy?" Woohyun laughs, just to make sure.
Sungyeol stares at him like he's grown three heads. "I'm not a girl," he says.
"Funny, Myungsoo said the same thing," Woohyun muses.
"You're weird, you know that?" Sungyeol says.
"Look who's talking."
-
Woohyun rolls over and kisses Sungyeol. Sungyeol freezes.