Life in Purgatory ch. 1
Title: Life in Purgatory
Chapter: 1/?
Rating: R
Crossover: Super Junior, DBSK
Genre: Angst, AU,
Summary: Society is crumbling; salvation walks the earth once more
A/N: rp with yeonah
A loud clap echoed through the dark, damp room, the strike of an open hand against a face. The boot that followed knocked the other man back to the ground, skidding slightly against the wet floor.
A single lightbulb flickering overhead was the only source of light, casting long and horrific shadows over the faces of the two men standing above them and obscuring them. The only part of their expression that was visible were the dangerous, deadly smiles that stretched their lips. Even more dangerous were the weapons in their possession; one wielded a gun, the other twirled a blade between his fingers like a toy.
"Not so tough now, are you," sneered the one with the gun, eyeing with distaste the grounded man who'd tried to fight back.
Swallowing thickly, the one still relatively upright on his knees risked a flickered glance to his partner who had been kicked to the floor. There was nothing he could do or say to help, nothing that would get them out of their situation. They were going to die.
Lifting his chin, jaw squared, he stared defiantely up at their captors. "This isn't over," he said, surprised that his voice was even. "You can't delay the inevitable."
"Oh, but we can," the captor with the knife said, pointing the sharp blade at the prisoners nose. "And there is nothing you can do to stop us now, or ever."
"Like hell we're going to let you win!" One last burst of strength brought the man who'd been hit back into a crouch, whipping his legs around to knock the knife wielder off his feet.
BANG!
The fighter dropped back to the floor, unmoving as a pool of red slowly spread.
Smirking, the man with the gun lowered his arm. "...And then there was one."
Stifling a cry of pain, the one on his knees watched in horror. It felt like a part of him had just shriveled up and died inside. Eyes flashing dangerously, he glared up at the captors, the knife wielder having got back up to his feet. "This isn't over," he repeated, calmly watching the knife wielder approach.
He barely flinched when his hair was grabbed and head snapped back to bear his throat, the cold sharp edge of the blade resting against his skin.
"Oh, I think it is," a cruel voice whispered in his ear.
Closing his eyes, a tear escaped to roll down his cheek as he felt the blade digging into his skin. He did scream then.
*****************
Bolting upright, swear pouring down his face, Zhou Mi panted harshly. Another nightmare, the third this week. Wiping at his forehead with his hand, he swung his legs off the bed to lean forward, just catching his breath. He thought he'd heard a scream just before he came to, and it was likely his again. Hopefully it wouldn't wake up his roommate this time.
That hope was shattered when the door across the hall from his clicked open, a half-asleep figure stumbling over and leaning past Mi's doorway to see inside the room. "You okay Mi?" the younger man yawned, blinking at him from under a mess of bed-hair. "Sounds like someone's dying in here."
Sighing a little, Zhou Mi nodded and slowly stood up. "Yeah, just a nightmare," he said, glancing at the clock and wincing. It was nearly an hour before either of them needed to be awake, and that wasn't enough time for him to get some sleep. "I'm sorry I woke you, I'll make us a good breakfast to make up for it."
"S'okay," HyungJoon blinked at him tiredly, not all there. "You don't have to, I was just gonna make sure you hadn't strangled yourself in the bedsheets and go back to sleep."
"No, no strangling," Mi smiled widely, patting HyungJoon on the head as he moved past. "I'm still going to make breakfast though, so go on, I'll wake you up when it's time."
"Or you could just let me sleep," HyungJoon asked hopefully, turning around to watch him head elsewhere in the apartment. "....No?"
"No, I can't keep marking you present in class, Joon," Mi said with a soft chuckle. "You do have to show up once in a while, even if you just sleep there as well. Try to at least make an effort, please?"
"Yes songsaengnim," the younger man pouted a little, before turning and dropping onto the couch instead, which was much closer than his bed. Working with HyungJoon was impossible in the mornings when 90% of his attention went to thinking about sleep.
Humming to himself, Mi bustled around the small kitchen getting out ingredients. This was how mornings usually went in their apartment, Zhou Mi cooking while HyungJoon lounged around waiting to be fed. It didn't bother Mi of course, it never had, not in the four years he'd lived with the younger man. Besides, letting HyungJoon cook was a disaster since the man usually forgot what he was doing halfway through and nearly set the kitchen on fire more than once.
Since Mi had the extra time that morning, he made rice pancakes since he knew HyungJoon liked them, as well as rolled eggs and rice on the side. It was nice having a full breakfast to start the day. Setting up the table and serving the food, he padded over to the couch and leaned over the back. "Time for breakfast Joon, wake up," he said, shaking the younger's shoulder.
Already snoring softly long before, HyungJoon took a few nudges before he woke up, yawning as he blinked blearily up at Zhou Mi. "Hm? School time?"
"Food first," Mi responded with a smile. "I made your favorite, rice pancakes. Come eat before they get cold."
The sleepy young man perked up at that, sitting up properly and rubbing at his eyes. "Okay." Standing, he nearly tangled his legs in thin air before straightening and going to the table. He woke up a little more at the sight of food. "Thanks for the breakfast Mi!"
"You're welcome," Mi chuckled, sitting down and serving HyungJoon his pancake. "I would hope that a good breakfast will help you to pay attention today, but I'm doubting it will have an effect."
"I'm sorry," HyungJoon sulked a little, dropping into his seat and rubbing at his eyes again before starting to eat. "I do try, I'm just so tired all the time."
"I know, I understand," Zhou Mi said, starting to eat. "You do your best, it's all I can hope for. It's just... it's my first year and I want to make sure all my students are doing well. You're just lucky that your professor also happens to be your friend, who can help you with your studies."
"I know," HyungJoon smiled sheepishly, chewing on a piece of pancake. Thankfully the food seemed to wake him up a little; at least he wasn't yawning anymore. The cup of coffee also helped. "I'll go study in the library between classes, and…and try not to fall asleep. Maybe I should bring a music player. Do you have a full day?"
"Yes... class, then department meeting, then some research in the library," Zhou Mi nodded. "I'll probably see you in there, and make sure you stay awake."
"Okay," HyungJoon nodded again with a small smile, returning to his food. "So, what was with the screaming? You've been doing that for a couple nights now."
Zhou Mi's lips quirked slightly, looking down at his food. "A nightmare... I don't remember anything about it now, but I know it's the same one I keep having. I wonder if it's... related somehow."
"Related?" HyungJoon blinked at him, head in one hand. "Hard to say if you don't remember. Maybe you're just thinking about it too much."
"Possible... it's just, it's been almost a year now, and you'd think we'd have felt something by now," Zhou Mi said, frowning slightly. "You haven't felt anything, have you?"
"Not exactly," HyungJoon swallowed his mouthful. "I thought I did yesterday, but then you showed up two seconds later so it was probably just a false alarm."
Zhou Mi perked up at that, leaning close. "No, no, it couldn't have been me, why didn't you tell me yesterday? It could have been another, where were we? In the library? Cafeteria?"
"Outside the library I think?" HyungJoon blinked at him. "Mi, it was probably just you, or you would have picked up on it too."
"You're probably right," Zhou Mi sighed, sitting back in his chair and looking down at his plate glumly. "Don't you want to know though? Want to see them finally? I know what the myth says, that we'll gravitate together, but I still can't help but wonder who they are."
"I'm curious too, but if it's going to happen then it's going to happen, you'll be even more disappointed if we stalk the library 24/7 and don't turn up anyone," HyungJoon rubbed one eye. "We've got each other, which means something's going right."
"Yes, we've got each other," Zhou Mi chuckled, reaching over to ruffle the younger's hair. "Hurry up and eat, we have to leave soon."
Protesting at the hand in his hair, HyungJoon pouted at Mi before nodding. "Okay, hurrying," he tried eating faster. It wasn't really that fast (HyungJoon didn't do anything fast), but it was faster than his usual speed so he was finished before long.
Having finished well before HyungJoon, Zhou Mi had already showered and was collecting his paperwork from his desk. "You almost ready Joon? I want to leave in ten minutes."
"Yup, just let me get changed," HyungJoon nodded, standing and going to his room to shut the door. He emerged before the ten minutes were up, having changed and brushed his teeth and hair before slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Okay, ready to go."
Gathering up his things, Zhou Mi shooed HyungJoon out the door of their apartment, locking it behind him. It was only a short bus ride to the school campus. Four years ago, they had rented the apartment together, neither knowing much about the other than they were both undergrads. Living together had worked for them, so even when Zhou Mi had graduated the year before (HyungJoon was "just a couple classes short"), they continued to live together.
By some strange luck (which was becoming the case with the two), HyungJoon had ended up in Zhou Mi's first class, an advanced math class. It was the second time HyungJoon was taking the class, and it wasn't because he wasn't smart, he was. It just took him a bit longer to do anything.
"We going to meet for lunch?" Zhou Mi asked as they walked up the stairs to the classroom, they still had a few minutes before class started.
"Sure," HyungJoon smiled and nodded. "People don't look at you weird for hanging out with a student all the time?"
"Most people still think I'm a student," Zhou Mi shrugged. "I get some strange looks from the staff, but they don't bother me. I'd rather hang out with my friend than dealing with those stuffed shirts more than I have to."
"You know you're supposed to be one of those 'stuffed shirts' now," HyungJoon grinned at the Chinese man.
"I'm still technically a student though," Zhou Mi pointed out. "I go to classes too, have to continue my education even when I'm a teacher."
"Yes, but you're still technically a teacher too," the younger man teased his friend.
"And I can technically hit you upside the head for smarting off to a teacher," Zhou Mi chuckled, pushing HyungJoon towards the door as they approached. "Go and sit down, near the front, and no sleeping!"
"Yes songsaengnim," HyungJoon pouted, going to sit in the first row in an empty seat against the wall. Dropping into his seat, he took his books out of his bag before settling down to wait for class to start, promptly zoning out.
Shaking his head in amusement at HyungJoon, Zhou Mi went to the front of the room to begin class. It was a long class, mostly consisting of lecture and going over formulas. HyungJoon wasn't alone in the amount of people zoning out, but it couldn't be helped. Not everyone loved math the way Zhou Mi did, most people didn't have the patience for it.
Ending class a few minutes early, Zhou Mi reminded them all about the exam coming up. "And if you need me, my office hours are posted on my door," he said as the class filed out. Sighing a little to himself, he glanced at HyungJoon who had fallen asleep halfway through the lecture. Approaching the younger's seat, he tapped HyungJoon lightly on the shoulder. "Class is over Joon."
Jerking a little, HyungJoon sat upright, blinking in a daze. "Huh?" Seeing the empty classroom, and Zhou Mi standing beside him, it clicked after a moment. "Oh...I'm sorry," his shoulders slumped a little at the fact he'd fallen asleep yet again.
"It's okay," Zhou Mi chuckled, patting his shoulder and returning to his desk. "I'll make sure to get you the notes later at home. At least you don't have a class after this right?"
"No, got a couple hours break before my next class," HyungJoon rubbed his eyes, blinking down at his desk. "I was taking notes though," he beamed after a moment, holding up the paper so Zhou Mi could see the notes he'd started taking before zoning out and falling asleep. "Half of the class anyways."
Picking up his briefcase, Zhou Mi squinted at the chicken scratch littering the page. "Can you even read that?"
"Most of it?" HyungJoon looked at the paper. "I'll rewrite it in the library." Or try to. "I'm really sorry Mi, you know you can throw chalk at me or something if I'm dozing, the other teachers do it all the time."
"I don't mind, you aren't exactly the only one who nods off during my class," Zhou Mi said with a smile. "I have to go to my meeting, I'll catch up with you later, and if you want my notes to copy I can give them to you."
"Okay," HyungJoon smiled and nodded, standing and gathering together his books. "You know it's not that your class is boring or anything, right? It would probably be easier to teach if I wasn't around."
"That's not true," Zhou Mi shook his head, looking at HyungJoon with a slightly hurt expression. "I know my class is boring, and you sleeping has no bearing on whether or not other people pay attention, or make it easier. I like having you in my class because it makes me feel comfortable having a friendly face... albeit a sleeping one."
"Okay," the younger man relented a little, giving a wry smile as he shouldered his bag and walked over to where Zhou Mi was, hands in his pockets. "I don't know how you haven't yelled at me yet, but thanks."
Zhou Mi rolled his eyes and followed HyungJoon from the classroom. "You know why, silly," he said patting the other's shoulder before turning to go the other way. "I'll see you in the library!"
"See you!" HyungJoon chuckled quietly, turning to head towards the library. With luck he'd actually manage to get some work done. It wasn't his fault the library tables were comfortable.
The staff meeting didn't take long thankfully, not that Zhou Mi minded that much. Even if his department colleagues ignored his suggestions and still treated him like a student most of the time, Zhou Mi still felt accomplished whenever he was in a room with them as an equal. In time, they'd seem him as one of them as well.
Afterward, he headed down to the library humming to himself. Nodding to the librarian at the desk with a friendly smile, he searched through the tables where he found HyungJoon, just barely clinging to consciousness. "Getting lots of work done?" he said quietly, scooting the chair out across from him and sitting down.
Sitting up straight, caught just about dozing off, HyungJoon blinked rapidly for a moment before nodding a little. "Yeah, I was working," he looked down at his essay paper he was supposed to be writing. The first paragraph was done at least. "How did the meeting go?" He rubbed one eye to wake up properly as he watched Zhou Mi.
"Good, not that we got much done, but it was good nonetheless," Zhou Mi said, opening up his briefcase and pulling out the papers from the bottom. "I hope you don't mind if we share space, I figured it would be easier in case I found anything."
"No, go right ahead," HyungJoon shrugged, flipping through a research book beside him absently. "You're still holding out on that?"
"Holding out on what?" Zhou Mi blinked up at him with curious eyes. "That I'll find something new? Yes... there has to be something more, I can't have found everything on the subject. Maybe I should go to talk to the librarian see if he has anything new."
"Go ahead if you want," HyungJoon shook his head in amusement, trying to focus on the essay in front of him. Maybe it was because of the fact it was hard enough for him to concentrate fully on one thing, let alone multitask like Zhou Mi, that he was never as interested in the search as the older man. Talking about it and theorizing was fun, but he didn't have the attention span for hours of searching. If he did, he would have graduated by now.
"Okay, I'll be right back," Zhou Mi grinned, grabbing a list of books he'd found on the internet and getting to his feet. Approaching the librarian's desk, he flashed a bright smile to the man sitting behind it. "Hi, me again," he chuckled, holding out the list as he leaned over it. "You have any of these books?"
Looking up from the computer in front of him, the librarian around Zhou Mi's age quirked a smile to see the young teacher. "Let me see." He took the list from Zhou Mi, scanning through the books listed. Running some through the computer when he wasn't sure, he highlighted two after a moment and wrote a section number and code beside the titles. "We have these two upstairs. You might have better luck looking for the other books in the main library downtown."
"Oh, thank you," Zhou Mi grinned, taking the paper from him and looking at the ones that were highlighted. "You're probably getting sick of me by now," he laughed. "You've been a great help though, thank you YunHo."
"It's no problem," YunHo shook his head with a grin. "You make life here interesting, always looking for the strangest books. Writing a book or something, Mi?"
"Hmm? Oh, no, just very curious about the subject is all," Zhou Mi said with a laugh. "I had never heard of it before until one of the books got mixed up with one of my orders. It's a very interesting subject, do you know anything about it?"
"Wouldn't say I do," YunHo shrugged, lips quirked. "Most aren't interested in those kind of mythologies anymore. If I see anything come in that's similar, I'll let you know when I see you."
"That would be greatly appreciated," Zhou Mi grinned, bowing his head slightly as he backed up from the desk. "I'll just go find these books now," he said, nearly tripping over the person who had been standing behind him and stumbling awkwardly before he got his feet under him. Blushing furiously, he didn't bother to look back and made a beeline for the stairs, dying of embarrassment.
Lifting his head to watch Zhou Mi go for the stairs, HyungJoon blinked tiredly, assuming the librarian must have something in stock for Mi to look at. That would make the man happy. Shaking his head to himself, he turned back to his essay.
Chapter: 1/?
Rating: R
Crossover: Super Junior, DBSK
Genre: Angst, AU,
Summary: Society is crumbling; salvation walks the earth once more
A/N: rp with yeonah
A loud clap echoed through the dark, damp room, the strike of an open hand against a face. The boot that followed knocked the other man back to the ground, skidding slightly against the wet floor.
A single lightbulb flickering overhead was the only source of light, casting long and horrific shadows over the faces of the two men standing above them and obscuring them. The only part of their expression that was visible were the dangerous, deadly smiles that stretched their lips. Even more dangerous were the weapons in their possession; one wielded a gun, the other twirled a blade between his fingers like a toy.
"Not so tough now, are you," sneered the one with the gun, eyeing with distaste the grounded man who'd tried to fight back.
Swallowing thickly, the one still relatively upright on his knees risked a flickered glance to his partner who had been kicked to the floor. There was nothing he could do or say to help, nothing that would get them out of their situation. They were going to die.
Lifting his chin, jaw squared, he stared defiantely up at their captors. "This isn't over," he said, surprised that his voice was even. "You can't delay the inevitable."
"Oh, but we can," the captor with the knife said, pointing the sharp blade at the prisoners nose. "And there is nothing you can do to stop us now, or ever."
"Like hell we're going to let you win!" One last burst of strength brought the man who'd been hit back into a crouch, whipping his legs around to knock the knife wielder off his feet.
BANG!
The fighter dropped back to the floor, unmoving as a pool of red slowly spread.
Smirking, the man with the gun lowered his arm. "...And then there was one."
Stifling a cry of pain, the one on his knees watched in horror. It felt like a part of him had just shriveled up and died inside. Eyes flashing dangerously, he glared up at the captors, the knife wielder having got back up to his feet. "This isn't over," he repeated, calmly watching the knife wielder approach.
He barely flinched when his hair was grabbed and head snapped back to bear his throat, the cold sharp edge of the blade resting against his skin.
"Oh, I think it is," a cruel voice whispered in his ear.
Closing his eyes, a tear escaped to roll down his cheek as he felt the blade digging into his skin. He did scream then.
*****************
Bolting upright, swear pouring down his face, Zhou Mi panted harshly. Another nightmare, the third this week. Wiping at his forehead with his hand, he swung his legs off the bed to lean forward, just catching his breath. He thought he'd heard a scream just before he came to, and it was likely his again. Hopefully it wouldn't wake up his roommate this time.
That hope was shattered when the door across the hall from his clicked open, a half-asleep figure stumbling over and leaning past Mi's doorway to see inside the room. "You okay Mi?" the younger man yawned, blinking at him from under a mess of bed-hair. "Sounds like someone's dying in here."
Sighing a little, Zhou Mi nodded and slowly stood up. "Yeah, just a nightmare," he said, glancing at the clock and wincing. It was nearly an hour before either of them needed to be awake, and that wasn't enough time for him to get some sleep. "I'm sorry I woke you, I'll make us a good breakfast to make up for it."
"S'okay," HyungJoon blinked at him tiredly, not all there. "You don't have to, I was just gonna make sure you hadn't strangled yourself in the bedsheets and go back to sleep."
"No, no strangling," Mi smiled widely, patting HyungJoon on the head as he moved past. "I'm still going to make breakfast though, so go on, I'll wake you up when it's time."
"Or you could just let me sleep," HyungJoon asked hopefully, turning around to watch him head elsewhere in the apartment. "....No?"
"No, I can't keep marking you present in class, Joon," Mi said with a soft chuckle. "You do have to show up once in a while, even if you just sleep there as well. Try to at least make an effort, please?"
"Yes songsaengnim," the younger man pouted a little, before turning and dropping onto the couch instead, which was much closer than his bed. Working with HyungJoon was impossible in the mornings when 90% of his attention went to thinking about sleep.
Humming to himself, Mi bustled around the small kitchen getting out ingredients. This was how mornings usually went in their apartment, Zhou Mi cooking while HyungJoon lounged around waiting to be fed. It didn't bother Mi of course, it never had, not in the four years he'd lived with the younger man. Besides, letting HyungJoon cook was a disaster since the man usually forgot what he was doing halfway through and nearly set the kitchen on fire more than once.
Since Mi had the extra time that morning, he made rice pancakes since he knew HyungJoon liked them, as well as rolled eggs and rice on the side. It was nice having a full breakfast to start the day. Setting up the table and serving the food, he padded over to the couch and leaned over the back. "Time for breakfast Joon, wake up," he said, shaking the younger's shoulder.
Already snoring softly long before, HyungJoon took a few nudges before he woke up, yawning as he blinked blearily up at Zhou Mi. "Hm? School time?"
"Food first," Mi responded with a smile. "I made your favorite, rice pancakes. Come eat before they get cold."
The sleepy young man perked up at that, sitting up properly and rubbing at his eyes. "Okay." Standing, he nearly tangled his legs in thin air before straightening and going to the table. He woke up a little more at the sight of food. "Thanks for the breakfast Mi!"
"You're welcome," Mi chuckled, sitting down and serving HyungJoon his pancake. "I would hope that a good breakfast will help you to pay attention today, but I'm doubting it will have an effect."
"I'm sorry," HyungJoon sulked a little, dropping into his seat and rubbing at his eyes again before starting to eat. "I do try, I'm just so tired all the time."
"I know, I understand," Zhou Mi said, starting to eat. "You do your best, it's all I can hope for. It's just... it's my first year and I want to make sure all my students are doing well. You're just lucky that your professor also happens to be your friend, who can help you with your studies."
"I know," HyungJoon smiled sheepishly, chewing on a piece of pancake. Thankfully the food seemed to wake him up a little; at least he wasn't yawning anymore. The cup of coffee also helped. "I'll go study in the library between classes, and…and try not to fall asleep. Maybe I should bring a music player. Do you have a full day?"
"Yes... class, then department meeting, then some research in the library," Zhou Mi nodded. "I'll probably see you in there, and make sure you stay awake."
"Okay," HyungJoon nodded again with a small smile, returning to his food. "So, what was with the screaming? You've been doing that for a couple nights now."
Zhou Mi's lips quirked slightly, looking down at his food. "A nightmare... I don't remember anything about it now, but I know it's the same one I keep having. I wonder if it's... related somehow."
"Related?" HyungJoon blinked at him, head in one hand. "Hard to say if you don't remember. Maybe you're just thinking about it too much."
"Possible... it's just, it's been almost a year now, and you'd think we'd have felt something by now," Zhou Mi said, frowning slightly. "You haven't felt anything, have you?"
"Not exactly," HyungJoon swallowed his mouthful. "I thought I did yesterday, but then you showed up two seconds later so it was probably just a false alarm."
Zhou Mi perked up at that, leaning close. "No, no, it couldn't have been me, why didn't you tell me yesterday? It could have been another, where were we? In the library? Cafeteria?"
"Outside the library I think?" HyungJoon blinked at him. "Mi, it was probably just you, or you would have picked up on it too."
"You're probably right," Zhou Mi sighed, sitting back in his chair and looking down at his plate glumly. "Don't you want to know though? Want to see them finally? I know what the myth says, that we'll gravitate together, but I still can't help but wonder who they are."
"I'm curious too, but if it's going to happen then it's going to happen, you'll be even more disappointed if we stalk the library 24/7 and don't turn up anyone," HyungJoon rubbed one eye. "We've got each other, which means something's going right."
"Yes, we've got each other," Zhou Mi chuckled, reaching over to ruffle the younger's hair. "Hurry up and eat, we have to leave soon."
Protesting at the hand in his hair, HyungJoon pouted at Mi before nodding. "Okay, hurrying," he tried eating faster. It wasn't really that fast (HyungJoon didn't do anything fast), but it was faster than his usual speed so he was finished before long.
Having finished well before HyungJoon, Zhou Mi had already showered and was collecting his paperwork from his desk. "You almost ready Joon? I want to leave in ten minutes."
"Yup, just let me get changed," HyungJoon nodded, standing and going to his room to shut the door. He emerged before the ten minutes were up, having changed and brushed his teeth and hair before slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Okay, ready to go."
Gathering up his things, Zhou Mi shooed HyungJoon out the door of their apartment, locking it behind him. It was only a short bus ride to the school campus. Four years ago, they had rented the apartment together, neither knowing much about the other than they were both undergrads. Living together had worked for them, so even when Zhou Mi had graduated the year before (HyungJoon was "just a couple classes short"), they continued to live together.
By some strange luck (which was becoming the case with the two), HyungJoon had ended up in Zhou Mi's first class, an advanced math class. It was the second time HyungJoon was taking the class, and it wasn't because he wasn't smart, he was. It just took him a bit longer to do anything.
"We going to meet for lunch?" Zhou Mi asked as they walked up the stairs to the classroom, they still had a few minutes before class started.
"Sure," HyungJoon smiled and nodded. "People don't look at you weird for hanging out with a student all the time?"
"Most people still think I'm a student," Zhou Mi shrugged. "I get some strange looks from the staff, but they don't bother me. I'd rather hang out with my friend than dealing with those stuffed shirts more than I have to."
"You know you're supposed to be one of those 'stuffed shirts' now," HyungJoon grinned at the Chinese man.
"I'm still technically a student though," Zhou Mi pointed out. "I go to classes too, have to continue my education even when I'm a teacher."
"Yes, but you're still technically a teacher too," the younger man teased his friend.
"And I can technically hit you upside the head for smarting off to a teacher," Zhou Mi chuckled, pushing HyungJoon towards the door as they approached. "Go and sit down, near the front, and no sleeping!"
"Yes songsaengnim," HyungJoon pouted, going to sit in the first row in an empty seat against the wall. Dropping into his seat, he took his books out of his bag before settling down to wait for class to start, promptly zoning out.
Shaking his head in amusement at HyungJoon, Zhou Mi went to the front of the room to begin class. It was a long class, mostly consisting of lecture and going over formulas. HyungJoon wasn't alone in the amount of people zoning out, but it couldn't be helped. Not everyone loved math the way Zhou Mi did, most people didn't have the patience for it.
Ending class a few minutes early, Zhou Mi reminded them all about the exam coming up. "And if you need me, my office hours are posted on my door," he said as the class filed out. Sighing a little to himself, he glanced at HyungJoon who had fallen asleep halfway through the lecture. Approaching the younger's seat, he tapped HyungJoon lightly on the shoulder. "Class is over Joon."
Jerking a little, HyungJoon sat upright, blinking in a daze. "Huh?" Seeing the empty classroom, and Zhou Mi standing beside him, it clicked after a moment. "Oh...I'm sorry," his shoulders slumped a little at the fact he'd fallen asleep yet again.
"It's okay," Zhou Mi chuckled, patting his shoulder and returning to his desk. "I'll make sure to get you the notes later at home. At least you don't have a class after this right?"
"No, got a couple hours break before my next class," HyungJoon rubbed his eyes, blinking down at his desk. "I was taking notes though," he beamed after a moment, holding up the paper so Zhou Mi could see the notes he'd started taking before zoning out and falling asleep. "Half of the class anyways."
Picking up his briefcase, Zhou Mi squinted at the chicken scratch littering the page. "Can you even read that?"
"Most of it?" HyungJoon looked at the paper. "I'll rewrite it in the library." Or try to. "I'm really sorry Mi, you know you can throw chalk at me or something if I'm dozing, the other teachers do it all the time."
"I don't mind, you aren't exactly the only one who nods off during my class," Zhou Mi said with a smile. "I have to go to my meeting, I'll catch up with you later, and if you want my notes to copy I can give them to you."
"Okay," HyungJoon smiled and nodded, standing and gathering together his books. "You know it's not that your class is boring or anything, right? It would probably be easier to teach if I wasn't around."
"That's not true," Zhou Mi shook his head, looking at HyungJoon with a slightly hurt expression. "I know my class is boring, and you sleeping has no bearing on whether or not other people pay attention, or make it easier. I like having you in my class because it makes me feel comfortable having a friendly face... albeit a sleeping one."
"Okay," the younger man relented a little, giving a wry smile as he shouldered his bag and walked over to where Zhou Mi was, hands in his pockets. "I don't know how you haven't yelled at me yet, but thanks."
Zhou Mi rolled his eyes and followed HyungJoon from the classroom. "You know why, silly," he said patting the other's shoulder before turning to go the other way. "I'll see you in the library!"
"See you!" HyungJoon chuckled quietly, turning to head towards the library. With luck he'd actually manage to get some work done. It wasn't his fault the library tables were comfortable.
The staff meeting didn't take long thankfully, not that Zhou Mi minded that much. Even if his department colleagues ignored his suggestions and still treated him like a student most of the time, Zhou Mi still felt accomplished whenever he was in a room with them as an equal. In time, they'd seem him as one of them as well.
Afterward, he headed down to the library humming to himself. Nodding to the librarian at the desk with a friendly smile, he searched through the tables where he found HyungJoon, just barely clinging to consciousness. "Getting lots of work done?" he said quietly, scooting the chair out across from him and sitting down.
Sitting up straight, caught just about dozing off, HyungJoon blinked rapidly for a moment before nodding a little. "Yeah, I was working," he looked down at his essay paper he was supposed to be writing. The first paragraph was done at least. "How did the meeting go?" He rubbed one eye to wake up properly as he watched Zhou Mi.
"Good, not that we got much done, but it was good nonetheless," Zhou Mi said, opening up his briefcase and pulling out the papers from the bottom. "I hope you don't mind if we share space, I figured it would be easier in case I found anything."
"No, go right ahead," HyungJoon shrugged, flipping through a research book beside him absently. "You're still holding out on that?"
"Holding out on what?" Zhou Mi blinked up at him with curious eyes. "That I'll find something new? Yes... there has to be something more, I can't have found everything on the subject. Maybe I should go to talk to the librarian see if he has anything new."
"Go ahead if you want," HyungJoon shook his head in amusement, trying to focus on the essay in front of him. Maybe it was because of the fact it was hard enough for him to concentrate fully on one thing, let alone multitask like Zhou Mi, that he was never as interested in the search as the older man. Talking about it and theorizing was fun, but he didn't have the attention span for hours of searching. If he did, he would have graduated by now.
"Okay, I'll be right back," Zhou Mi grinned, grabbing a list of books he'd found on the internet and getting to his feet. Approaching the librarian's desk, he flashed a bright smile to the man sitting behind it. "Hi, me again," he chuckled, holding out the list as he leaned over it. "You have any of these books?"
Looking up from the computer in front of him, the librarian around Zhou Mi's age quirked a smile to see the young teacher. "Let me see." He took the list from Zhou Mi, scanning through the books listed. Running some through the computer when he wasn't sure, he highlighted two after a moment and wrote a section number and code beside the titles. "We have these two upstairs. You might have better luck looking for the other books in the main library downtown."
"Oh, thank you," Zhou Mi grinned, taking the paper from him and looking at the ones that were highlighted. "You're probably getting sick of me by now," he laughed. "You've been a great help though, thank you YunHo."
"It's no problem," YunHo shook his head with a grin. "You make life here interesting, always looking for the strangest books. Writing a book or something, Mi?"
"Hmm? Oh, no, just very curious about the subject is all," Zhou Mi said with a laugh. "I had never heard of it before until one of the books got mixed up with one of my orders. It's a very interesting subject, do you know anything about it?"
"Wouldn't say I do," YunHo shrugged, lips quirked. "Most aren't interested in those kind of mythologies anymore. If I see anything come in that's similar, I'll let you know when I see you."
"That would be greatly appreciated," Zhou Mi grinned, bowing his head slightly as he backed up from the desk. "I'll just go find these books now," he said, nearly tripping over the person who had been standing behind him and stumbling awkwardly before he got his feet under him. Blushing furiously, he didn't bother to look back and made a beeline for the stairs, dying of embarrassment.
Lifting his head to watch Zhou Mi go for the stairs, HyungJoon blinked tiredly, assuming the librarian must have something in stock for Mi to look at. That would make the man happy. Shaking his head to himself, he turned back to his essay.