Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1: HELL ON EARTH
The moment freshman orientation started, Yeo knew the next four years were going to be torture. It was the hottest days of the summer and they were to meet with their first set of classmates out in the middle of the quad. As beautiful as it was, with trees lining the many sidewalks that connected the campus to the different buildings in the immediate area, there was nothing that could make the humidity disappear.
As an upcoming art student, there was nothing he hated more than being outside when the weather was sticky. He was used to wearing dark clothing everywhere, being from the cooler, more rainy climate of the Northwest, but the South seemed to show no mercy. The black jeans and hoodie he adorned for the occasion made him stand out against the crowd that obviously knew better than to challenge Hell on earth. He stood in the group of other students and waited for instructions, meanwhile trying not to drop dead from heat stroke and ignoring the looks of his peers at his appearance. He knew he looked like a teenage romance novel vampire, or a brooding anime character, but that was the last thing he cared about. He wanted to go back to his room and sleep.
“Are you seriously checking out girls right now?”
Deok-Hwa looked at his cousin incredulously, as if the question wasn’t warranted. He let the trees absorb his words before he spoke. “Excuse me for taking the college is a time to experience new things idea seriously…Jesus, Shin, you’re my cousin, not my mother.”
“Grandpa put me in charge of you while I’m still here, and unfortunately for you, there’s three years you have to spend with me.” Shin crossed his arms as he walked with his cousin to find his group.
“Yeah, yeah…And what about you, letting your hair grow out? You look like a stoner.” He was impressed that his usually clean cut family member had nearly shoulder length hair after going away to college. “Did the theater freaks make you do it?”
“Yah! You have no right to talk…” Shin shoved the younger man towards a group of students. “Here, this is your group. Don’t cause any trouble…Though I doubt this professor will let you get away with anything…He’s a real hard-ass.” He observed the group of students and to him, it was just another day on campus. “I’m going back to help out with any move-ins that are left. Let me know when you’re done.”
“I will…God I didn’t ask for this…” Deok-Hwa moved around the group to try and find a place to stand when he came across a guy dressed in black that looked like he was going to keel over from the heat. “…You’re just asking to get heat stroke…”
Yeo glanced up at the light-haired stranger that seemed brave enough to talk to him. He was dressed for the weather, while quite lavish looking at that. “Who meets outside in the middle of the summer?”
“Touché…” He looked around to see if Shin was still lingering the area, but he was nowhere to be found. “Thank God,” he breathed. “I had to choose the same college as my over-protective cousin…”
The stranger was still talking to him. So it is bravery, or maybe pity. He was alone, dressed like a goth and probably did look like he was going to pass out. Nicely dressed and brave…How did you ever get into a school like this? “Hm…”
Day One and it was already Hell.
“Can I sit here?”
Yeo normally sat alone in a fairly crowded cafeteria, and not once had anyone asked to take the seat in front or beside him. The group culture that came along with college was almost overwhelming. “Sure, I guess…If you want to move it, you can.” He watched the girl sit down, never moving the chair away an inch.
“Do you normally sit here by yourself?” The girl smiled at him, even though her words were rather blunt.
“Yes.” Yeo had no interest in holding a conversation, but her persistence was going to keep him in it. “I like the solitude.” He looked up from his plate to observe her closer, taking notice of the scarf around her neck. “Ah…You’re in one of my art classes.”
“You recognize me?” She seemed surprised until she remembered him saying he was an intended art major. “You must have a great memory!”
“Uhh…” He didn’t want to tell her it was because she wore a bright red scarf to class, despite the temperature being deadly. “Sometimes.” She did have a pretty face, however. First a prep and now a pretty girl? It has to be pity. He returned to his food and picked at it. College food wasn’t much better than public high school food.
“Whoa, you growing a posse, Yeo?” Deok-Hwa appeared beside him, taking another of the empty seats. “Who is this pretty girl?”
“My name is Eun-Tak! I’m one of his classmates.” She didn’t even flinch at being called pretty. “You’re dressed pretty nicely for being at a school that only admits poor people.”
Deok-Hwa seemed to take pride in it. “I would never associate myself with being poor…I’ll have you know this is product of bad decisions.”
“Isn’t that your whole life?” Shin walked over and placed himself behind his cousin. “You’re not supposed to be harassing other students…”
“Yes, uncle…” Deok-Hwa rolled his eyes.
Yeo was going into social overload. He got up quickly and quietly and took his things away. He would just wait and eat the snacks he stashed in his room.
“You scared him away,” Eun-Tak said to Deok-Hwa accusingly.
“Me? He was sitting by himself, you should have left it that way!” He felt a book meet the back of his head and he cringed. “What the hell, Shin??”
“You’re such a disrespectful punk…Just eat your lunch…” Shin shook his head and waved slightly to Eun-Tak. “Feel free to smack him around if you have to…My name is Shin, by the way. If you need me, call for me and I’ll take care of him.”
“I’m Eun-Tak…And thanks! But you don’t have to worry…I can deal with men like him.” She stood up from her seat and grabbed her plate. “Nice to meet you!” She walked away without another word.
“Damnit, Shin…” Deok-Hwa looked up at him. “I was winning her over!”
“Shut up and eat!” He smacked him with the book once again and waited for him to start eating to sit down. “Please don’t get in trouble here…”
“I’m not going to! Also stop being so creepy…You always show up at random and people are going to start thinking you’re weird.” The younger man pointed at him with his knife. “Not that they probably don’t, since you’re a theater major.”
“Watch where you point that thing,” Shin commented and got up again. “Go to class.” He started to walk away.
“Wh—how did you know I have a class coming up?” Deok-Hwa turned to watch him stride through the crowded dining hall. “Don’t just ignore me!” He looked at the audience he gained at his outburst. “Damnit…”
Yeo was beginning to think his decision to go to school was a bad one. He didn’t really have any friends, but was always bothered by Deok-Hwa or Eun-Tak (or both) and they drained his social battery like crazy. The only person he remotely thought was interesting was Deok-Hwa’s older cousin, who always seemed to appear at the right time and put the preppy man in his place. He never had a conversation with him, and usually he used Shin’s appearance as a way to run away because he was overwhelmed.
The only thing that made it worse was his job. As part of the promise of no tuition the school offered, the students were placed into labor positions to harbor good work ethic and to show the value of all types of work. To his utter dismay, he was placed in food service work. Certain mornings he was up at 6am to work in the kitchen transporting food to the front, cleaning the stations, and interacting with the students that came through. Most of the time, he was working lunch or dinner, which drove him completely mad because they were required to serve students rather than let them serve themselves.
“Yeo!” Deok-Hwa walked up to the main station and looked over everything being offered. “I didn’t know you worked food service! Think you can sneak me some of the better food from the back?”
“Go away.” Yeo stared at the meat in the pan with disgust. It was still pink in places and the way the grease dripped off of it when it was served just made him feel sick.
“Yikes, that’s not good customer service. Can I speak to a manger?”
All Yeo could do was glare at him through the plastic covering that divided them.
“Jeez, lighten up… It was a joke!” Deok-Hwa sighed aloud and gave up. “Fine, just give me everything…” He took the plate handed to him and left to go sit down. “Some people…”
“Some people what?” Shin asked, looking up at him when he sat down. “Was someone rude back to you?”
“Haha…It’s just Yeo…It’s been like, a week, and he hasn’t opened up at all. He doesn’t even laugh at my jokes.” The younger man picked at the meat slowly. “I didn’t even plan on getting anything…I’m just going to go to the café…”
“You harass him so what can you expect?” Shin was also barely touching his food. “Wait, he works here?”
“Apparently…I feel for him. This job probably sucks. Not that being a janitor is any better.” Deok-Hwa pushed the plate away and sighed when he realized Shin was already gone. “He really needs to stop doing that…”
Shin walked over to the main line and waited for all the students getting food to walk away. “I wanted to apologize for my cousin’s behavior…”
Yeo stared at him for a moment before realizing who he was talking about. “Why should you apologize for him…?”
“Because he’s too proud to do it himself…” The older man stood off to the side so people wouldn’t think he was taking up the line. “We never really got to talk the other day but I’m Shin. You’re an art major, right?”
How did he know that? “Uh…yeah…Or I will be.” Yeo stopped talking and took care of a couple of students that got into line. The more he served, the worse he felt. Just the smell of the meat and grease was killing him. After the students in line left, he got permission to step out for something to drink, and found that Shin was still there waiting for him. “…I accept your apology?”
Shin laughed quietly and walked with him to the drink machine. “What time do you get off? If you have time, I’d like to buy dinner. It’s not gonna be any good here, that’s for sure.”
Yeo choked on his water, sputtering and coughing until he could gain composure again. “Th-that’s not necessary…” He cringed when Shin’s hand touched his back and he jumped away. “Your cousin harassing me isn’t that big of a deal. I’m used to it anyw—” The look on the older man’s face said it all. I messed up…Why did I say that??
And that was how he ended up at dinner with sophomore Kim Shin.