Unlock Chapter One
Title: Unlock
Chapter: 1/?
Fandom: SS501
Pairings: KyuSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU
Summary: Not everything is as it seems, and for those who are as far from normal as you can get, life is a bleak existence. The only ones who can truly understand what these individuals go through are those...just like them.
A/N: This is an ongoing roleplay between myself and Carey (renichifreak ). I play KyuJong and she plays YoungSaeng, and this is our logs jammed together xD
Chapter One
It took a while for KyuJong to locate the boy’s dorms in the large school. Direction had never been his forte and no one seemed to have the time to show him the right way. Everyone had been rushing around back and forth, and KyuJong wasn't the type to barge into someone who was obviously busy and pester them for directions.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, he became so nervous he ended up blasting himself an hour into the past accidentally. He was just happy it happened in a more-or-less quiet part of the school and that he didn't accidentally land on someone when he reappeared.
It wasn't easy trying to hide a gift as unpredictable as his own. KyuJong's internal clock was more-or-less on time, but when he was stressed, startled, or just not paying attention, it tended to jump back and forth. And when his internal clock shifted, so did the world around him.
Not even done the first day and he was already off by an hour. Sighing inwardly, KyuJong headed off towards the dorms once he finally located them. This was going to be harder than originally thought. He'd been homeschooled until now to avoid accidentally vanishing or appearing in classes, but there was no way to avoid it any longer.
Finding his room, KyuJong dug out his key and unlocked the door, his bag slung over one shoulder. Well, now that he was an hour earlier than he'd intended, might as well relax a little. He closed the door behind him with his foot, the hand that wasn't holding his bag steady fixing the time on his watch. It was an hour ahead now.
YoungSaeng stood outside the dorms, simply staring up at them, debating whether or not to enter. People and him were not a good mix and YoungSaeng desperately tried to avoid them, having spent the majority of his academic career shunned for being so withdrawn and just weird, as many chose to call him.
The fact that he's taken a three-year 'sabbatical' didn't help matters any, even though no one but he and his family knew where he was.
Sighing, YoungSaeng gathered up his courage and entered, making it to his dorm in record time, having researched it thoroughly. Opening the door slowly, he walked in, only to jump at seeing another person there already. He thought he'd left early enough to avoid that for now...
KyuJong was still hovering in the entranceway, his bag now at his feet as he fiddled with his stubborn watch, when the door opened again with a click. Looking up curiously at the sound, he saw another boy walk in, their gazes meeting for a moment. His roommate? Most people wouldn't be here so early; Kyu himself was only here because his fickle Gift decided early was better than late.
The surprise was gone quickly and KyuJong smiled at the other, who looked around his age. "Annyeong. I guess we must be roommates? My name's Kim KyuJong," he introduced himself politely, putting his watch down to give the other his full attention.
YoungSaeng shrank back from the close proximity of his new roommate. His parents, understanding completely, had tried to get him a single room but unfortunately were unable to.
Nervously, he clenched his bag until his knuckles turned white and bit his lower lip. Averting his eyes, he whispered his name, "Heo YoungSaeng," before walking over to his bed and placing his things on the floor, slipping out of the oversized hoodie that he had been hiding in, revealing the long raven hair that was covered by the hood.
Blinking slightly in confusion as the other male shrank away from him, KyuJong watched him walk over to his bed. Had he said something wrong? While he'd never gone to a proper school before, he was sure he hadn't said anything insulting.
Slightly puzzled but deciding to just go with it for now, KyuJong smiled at the other and brought his own belongings to his own bed. "Nice to meet you YoungSaeng sshi," he said amiably, having just caught the whispered name. Glancing at his watch when it continued to be troublesome, he dropped it lightly onto the bed. Watches always seemed to break around him...
Deciding he'd worry about that later, KyuJong opened his bag and glanced over at his roommate as the other pulled off his hoodie. Eyes lingering on the other male's perfect face, he glanced away again quickly before deciding another attempt at conversation couldn't hurt. "What year are you in?" he questioned, tone friendly as he sat down on his bed, gradually removing things from his bag.
Stopping what he was doing, YoungSaeng turned to look at KyuJong, bangs falling into his dark eyes. Shyly, he brushed his hair behind his ear and held up one finger before returning to his unpacking.
He felt bad for treating the boy as he was, but it was just reflex after all these years. He just hoped that he didn't come off as rude.
It was a good thing KyuJong was watching the other while unpacking, or he would have completely missed the answer to his question. While he'd seen shy people before, never THIS shy... If it hadn't been for YoungSaeng whispering his name just a minute ago KyuJong would have thought he had no voice.
"I'm in the same year, maybe we have a few classes together," he replied, looking down at his bag as he talked. "Though I'm supposed to be in my second year right now." KyuJong had a feeling it was a very one-sided conversation he was holding, but he kept it up for the sake of being polite, and it was better than awkward silence any day.
Tilting his head, YoungSaeng reached into his bag and pulled out his schedule. Thinking for a moment, he walked over to KyuJong and held it out to him.
Luckily, it didn't seem as if the boy thought him rude, though he continued to feel guilty before yelling at himself for being so weak and scared around people.
Seeing YoungSaeng pull out a schedule sheet and walk over, KyuJong chuckled and took out his own schedule. He could have a conversation like this.
When the other male held out his schedule to him, KyuJong gave him a smile and took it lightly, comparing the two schedules. He could see from the information printed at the top of the paper that YoungSaeng was indeed younger than him, by a year. "Hm, looks like we have music together... And English literature," KyuJong said with a soft laugh, holding the paper back out to YoungSaeng. "That one should be fun, my English is horrible..." He gave the boy a sheepish smile.
YoungSaeng's lips twitched at hearing about his weakness in English. He was pretty good at it, since a couple of the doctors who's care he was under were fluent in the language and taught him when they had a chance.
Looking at the other's schedule, he saw that KyuJong was a year older than him, making him the hyung. He wondered if KyuJong played an instrument or sang...
Reaching out, he pointed to the music class and whispered, "Do you play? Sing?"
Glancing at the schedule in his hand when YoungSaeng pointed, he expected to have to guess what the younger student wanted to say again. To his surprise, the other boy spoke, the words barely audible even when KyuJong strained his ears to catch them. Even so, the fact that the obviously shy boy had spoken drew first an expression of surprise, then a relaxed smile from the student sitting down. He must be doing something right.
"I sing, somewhat," KyuJong said with a laugh. "Not very well though. I'm learning the piano...but that isn't going too well either. So I usually do backup vocals." He smiled up at YoungSaeng, obviously happy the other was talking, even if just a few words. "What about yourself?"
Averting his eyes, YoungSaeng spoke, a bit louder, but still barely heard. "Piano...and I sing." Everyone who spoke to him was always shocked to find out that the usually silent and introverted teen sang, but they always shut up once they heard him.
It was the only time that he felt confident in himself, and it also kept the voices from whispering in his ears.
"Sing?" KyuJong couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice at that. He'd always thought this shy boy would much prefer staying in the back out of sight rather than sing... In fact, he would have thought him more into art than music. But things weren't always the way they seemed.
"Can I hear?" KyuJong asked curiously, eyes focused on the younger male's face. He wondered if he was pushing YoungSaeng's comfort zone too far by asking, but he was curious. He'd end up hearing him eventually, if they were in the same class.
YoungSaeng looked around before staring at the ground, chewing on his lower lip. After a moment, he slowly nodded his head. Taking a deep breath, he began singing the chorus to a song he had written while he was 'away'. ((Nameless Memory))
KyuJong waited patiently for the other boy to decide, leaning back on his bed and taking a moment to go over YoungSaeng's appearance. He was really pretty, almost too pretty to be a guy. He wondered why the younger student was so shy.
When YoungSaeng started to sing, KyuJong's eyes widened slightly, before he composed himself and listened to the other boy's beautiful voice. He'd heard good singers before, but this was outstanding…and didn't match the quiet whispers with which the other student had spoken at all.
He was almost disappointed when YoungSaeng stopped; he would have liked to hear more. At least they were in the same class; he would surely hear him sing again. "That was amazing," KyuJong said with a bright smile. "You must have taken professional lessons? I've only heard real artists with that kind of talent."
Reddening at the compliments, YoungSaeng shook his head at the question. He'd never had a lesson in his life.
Shyly looking up, YoungSaeng took in the other's appearance before looking away quickly. He was good looking...really good looking...but he figured he'd never like someone like him.
Not with his curse.
KyuJong chuckled, returning to unpacking after a moment. "That's even more amazing then. To be able to sing that well without taking lessons. I'm glad I'm in the same music class as you, I'll be able to hear you sing again." He smiled absently.
Finally KyuJong turned his attention back to his stubborn watch. Yup, it was broken. Too much time-travel wasn't good for electronics, he found out. His parents stopped buying him expensive watches when they started to fry every month or so. Suppressing a sigh, KyuJong dug a replacement watch out of his bag; he always kept a few nearby just in case.
"What time is it now?" He asked curiously, looking around the room for a clock he could set his watch with.
Blinking at the question, YoungSaeng looked around, not seeing a clock. Pursing his lips in an almost cute expression, he rifled through his pockets, finding his cell phone.
Holding it out to the older boy, he managed an apologetic smile.
KyuJong smiled back at YoungSaeng as the other held out his cell phone, deciding his new roommate was really too adorable. "Thanks," he said, glancing at the time on the cell phone and setting the watch carefully. Hopefully he'd be able to make it through the day without another 'time-management' problem. Hiding it here would be much harder than at home.
"I should start getting to class," KyuJong said with a sigh, standing and gathering up his books for the first class. "My sense of direction is next to none, so I need the extra time," he continued with a sheepish smile. "And I'll still manage to be five minutes late." He had no idea why he was talking so much, when he was usually more the quiet type himself, except that he honestly wanted to get to know his shy roommate and that would require more effort on his part.
YoungSaeng checked the time himself then blinked, looking down at his schedule. Eyes widening, he rummaged through his bag and pulled out his laptop and a few other essentials and walked up to KyuJong, motioning to the door.
KyuJong seemed nice enough. Maybe he'd be able to open up a bit with him.
Half-watching YoungSaeng gather together his belongings as he did the same, KyuJong tucked his books under one arm and glanced at his schedule, noting the room number with a light frown. This should be fun.
Seeing YoungSaeng walk up to him, he looked up at his roommate again, seeing the gesture towards the door. His smile widened slightly, and he nodded. "Which class do you have first?" He questioned, walking over to the door and opening it with his free hand, holding it for the other boy.
Smiling in thanks, YoungSaeng left the room and waited for KyuJong to lock the door. Looking down at his schedule as they walked, he held it out, pointing to the Japanese class that was his first class of the day. Luckily, it was also near where KyuJong was headed.
Once the door was locked behind them, KyuJong walked alongside YoungSaeng, glancing towards the other boy occasionally. When YoungSaeng held out his schedule and pointed to his Japanese class, KyuJong noted the room number was similar to his History class. "Japanese? You seem to have all the interesting classes," he remarked with a soft laugh. "I hope you don't mind if I follow you for a while... I assume your sense of direction is better than mine."
YoungSaeng paused before murmuring, "I studied the layout before coming here."
"That would have been smart," KyuJong chuckled, a bit sheepish that he hadn't thought to do the same. He'd been mostly concerned about keeping his internal clock at the right time and not giving himself away rather than the school aspect of coming here. "I'm probably not making a great impression as a hyung." He looked around, trying to identify the buildings that they passed, so that he'd be able to find his way around by himself. The campus was pretty big...
Biting his lip, a nervous habit of his, YoungSaeng hesitantly reached up and, after a few false starts, quickly pat his roommate on the shoulder reassuringly before dropping it just as fast, averting his eyes and blushing.
Feeling the light pat on his shoulder, KyuJong looked back at YoungSaeng just in time to catch the other boy lowering his hand quickly, red spreading across his cheeks. A warm feeling spread in his chest, that this obviously shy (was it just shyness? It seemed a bit extreme...) boy was making an effort to reassure him like this. The smile that had faded somewhat reappeared again. "Thanks," he said, to let YoungSaeng know the motion was appreciated.
YoungSaeng’s lips quirked into a small smile as the two continued walking. They got to where they needed to be, but KyuJong had kept walking, causing YoungSaeng to take hold of his shirt shyly, stopping him from continuing.
The silence between them was comfortable now, rather than awkward like it had been in the room. At least, that was what KyuJong felt. He made a few passing comments while they walked, to keep up the pleasant atmosphere, but was mostly content.
Feeling a light grip on the bottom of his shirt, KyuJong stopped in surprise, looking back at YoungSaeng curiously. Then he noticed the rooms they were next to, and grinned sheepishly. "This is why I always get lost," he murmured, a light coloring appearing in his cheeks for a moment. "Thank you. Um, we have English literature after... See you then, I guess?" He smiled at the other gently.
Nodding, YoungSaeng lifted a hand and waved as he walked into his classroom, turning around for a final look. Unable to stop himself, he released a slight smile: small by most standards, but still clear before walking into his class.
KyuJong's own smile widened when he saw the other boy's lips curl upwards slightly. It was a start. He definitely wouldn't mind getting to know his roommate a bit more, besides just being polite. It would be nice to have a friend, and YoungSaeng didn't seem to be too people-crazy himself. Still thinking about it, he walked into the other room, taking a seat and waiting for class to start.
*********
Once class ended, YoungSaeng sighed and stepped out, walking across the hall to KyuJong's. His parents had sat down with each of his teachers and explained, in few details, his situation, so they mainly called on him when the question involved a written answer if he didn't volunteer one.
Leaving the classroom, KyuJong looked down at his schedule, noting the room number for his next class. A slight headache was starting, because he'd nearly time-jumped in the middle of class when another student had startled him, and just barely managed to keep himself pinned to the current moment. The Gifted wasn't used to being around so many people who seemed to think sudden introductions was the way to go, but he was dealing with it as best as he could. If he managed to get through the first week without 'jumping' in class, the rest of the year would be easy.
Looking up again, KyuJong nearly missed YoungSaeng, noticing him at the last second. "Oh, hi," he said with a smile. "How was Japanese?" He moved out of the way of the door so the other students could leave.
YoungSaeng shrugged before nodding his head, his way of saying not bad. He chose not to mention the fact that his curse had started to act up in the class, leaving him a bit dizzy and disoriented, but that would pass...
It always did.
KyuJong smiled lightly in response, still wondering why YoungSaeng was so quiet. "That's good. Alright, English Literature next!" He looked at the room numbers, making a guess which direction the class was in and starting to walk. He was probably heading in the wrong direction, but most schools were like circles, so he'd find the class eventually, right?
Sighing, YoungSaeng reached out and grabbed his shirt again, walking the other way and taking KyuJong with him. Maybe the two should explore the school after classes...
Feeling the light tug at the back of his shirt again, KyuJong obediently turned himself around and followed YoungSaeng. "How can you know your way so well just from studying the layout?" he questioned with a small chuckle. He was happy YoungSaeng was helping him out rather than just let KyuJong wander off in the wrong direction. It also gave him more opportunity to talk to him.
YoungSaeng shrugged slowly. "I explored in person," he murmured quietly as they turned the corner.
His parents had driven him to the campus and allowed him to walk around and familiarize himself with the layout of the large school. He did it twice more before he knew the layout inside out and backward.
KyuJong glanced over at him as they walked, inwardly pleased that the other boy had spoken again. "Before today?" he questioned, amazed at the others dedication. "You sure don't waste time," he chuckled softly. He would need to look around after classes, or he'd always be lost. Though the excuse of being lost did work if he accidentally jumped forward in time..
YoungSaeng nodded. After hesitating, he spoke, a bit louder, but still horribly quiet. "I can't be around a lot of people, so I need to know how to get away from them if I need to."
KyuJong listened to the explanation, curious. Couldn't be around a lot of people? "I see," he murmured, wondering if it was all right to ask or if it was pushing it, considering they'd just met. "Do you... Have a fear of crowds?" he questioned, deciding that was safe enough to ask. Plenty of people hated crowds.
A haunted look took it's regular place in YoungSaeng’s eyes as he looked down shyly, hoping he'd done it before KyuJong had seen. "I have a lot of fears, KyuJong-sshi," he murmured.
The answer he was given puzzled him even more, but not as much as the something he'd seen in the other's eyes for a brief moment, too quick for KyuJong to figure out what it was, only that something was off about YoungSaeng. He made a mental note to keep an eye on his roommate.
"I don't think there's a single person who isn't afraid of something," KyuJong remarked absently, smiling at the other boy. "If you need help with anything, you know where I sleep," he chuckled, trying to lighten the atmosphere somewhat. "Except for directions, obviously. Not that you seem to have any problem with that."
YoungSaeng froze at the offer. No one had ever offered to help him before. He wasn't counting the doctors, as it was their jobs to help him. He honestly didn't know what to do, let alone say.
They continued walking until they reached the classroom, and yet again KyuJong overshot the room. Grabbing hold of his shirt again, YoungSaeng dragged the directionally challenged student into the classroom.
KyuJong just laughed as he was pulled into the class, having expected it even though he'd been watching for the class number. Looking around the half-filled class, he followed YoungSaeng when the younger went to sit down, taking the seat next to him. "Do you know anyone else here?" he questioned curiously, assuming YoungSaeng must know some of the students from previous years. Being homeschooled, he knew no one; those in the neighborhood he lived in were either in completely different years, or attending a different school.
Taking a seat in the back corner, YoungSaeng shook his head. "I was out of school for the last three years," he explained. It would be difficult to explain that he'd spent those three years in a mental hospital...
KyuJong nodded slightly at the explanation, absently wondering why but didn't want to push his luck with more personal questions. Not when the other was so...withdrawn. KyuJong was just happy YoungSaeng was talking, though the volume of his voice was still at the bare minimum. "I was homeschooled, so everything's pretty new for me too," he said with a chuckle. "And I'm blaming my lack of direction on that, if anyone asks." He watched the other students come into the class, absently opening the book they had needed to buy for this class and flipping through.
Pulling out his textbook like the others, YoungSaeng opened it and attempted to make himself invisible. It had worked in his last class, so he was hoping that it would here, as well.
Chapter: 1/?
Fandom: SS501
Pairings: KyuSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU
Summary: Not everything is as it seems, and for those who are as far from normal as you can get, life is a bleak existence. The only ones who can truly understand what these individuals go through are those...just like them.
A/N: This is an ongoing roleplay between myself and Carey (renichifreak ). I play KyuJong and she plays YoungSaeng, and this is our logs jammed together xD
Chapter One
It took a while for KyuJong to locate the boy’s dorms in the large school. Direction had never been his forte and no one seemed to have the time to show him the right way. Everyone had been rushing around back and forth, and KyuJong wasn't the type to barge into someone who was obviously busy and pester them for directions.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, he became so nervous he ended up blasting himself an hour into the past accidentally. He was just happy it happened in a more-or-less quiet part of the school and that he didn't accidentally land on someone when he reappeared.
It wasn't easy trying to hide a gift as unpredictable as his own. KyuJong's internal clock was more-or-less on time, but when he was stressed, startled, or just not paying attention, it tended to jump back and forth. And when his internal clock shifted, so did the world around him.
Not even done the first day and he was already off by an hour. Sighing inwardly, KyuJong headed off towards the dorms once he finally located them. This was going to be harder than originally thought. He'd been homeschooled until now to avoid accidentally vanishing or appearing in classes, but there was no way to avoid it any longer.
Finding his room, KyuJong dug out his key and unlocked the door, his bag slung over one shoulder. Well, now that he was an hour earlier than he'd intended, might as well relax a little. He closed the door behind him with his foot, the hand that wasn't holding his bag steady fixing the time on his watch. It was an hour ahead now.
YoungSaeng stood outside the dorms, simply staring up at them, debating whether or not to enter. People and him were not a good mix and YoungSaeng desperately tried to avoid them, having spent the majority of his academic career shunned for being so withdrawn and just weird, as many chose to call him.
The fact that he's taken a three-year 'sabbatical' didn't help matters any, even though no one but he and his family knew where he was.
Sighing, YoungSaeng gathered up his courage and entered, making it to his dorm in record time, having researched it thoroughly. Opening the door slowly, he walked in, only to jump at seeing another person there already. He thought he'd left early enough to avoid that for now...
KyuJong was still hovering in the entranceway, his bag now at his feet as he fiddled with his stubborn watch, when the door opened again with a click. Looking up curiously at the sound, he saw another boy walk in, their gazes meeting for a moment. His roommate? Most people wouldn't be here so early; Kyu himself was only here because his fickle Gift decided early was better than late.
The surprise was gone quickly and KyuJong smiled at the other, who looked around his age. "Annyeong. I guess we must be roommates? My name's Kim KyuJong," he introduced himself politely, putting his watch down to give the other his full attention.
YoungSaeng shrank back from the close proximity of his new roommate. His parents, understanding completely, had tried to get him a single room but unfortunately were unable to.
Nervously, he clenched his bag until his knuckles turned white and bit his lower lip. Averting his eyes, he whispered his name, "Heo YoungSaeng," before walking over to his bed and placing his things on the floor, slipping out of the oversized hoodie that he had been hiding in, revealing the long raven hair that was covered by the hood.
Blinking slightly in confusion as the other male shrank away from him, KyuJong watched him walk over to his bed. Had he said something wrong? While he'd never gone to a proper school before, he was sure he hadn't said anything insulting.
Slightly puzzled but deciding to just go with it for now, KyuJong smiled at the other and brought his own belongings to his own bed. "Nice to meet you YoungSaeng sshi," he said amiably, having just caught the whispered name. Glancing at his watch when it continued to be troublesome, he dropped it lightly onto the bed. Watches always seemed to break around him...
Deciding he'd worry about that later, KyuJong opened his bag and glanced over at his roommate as the other pulled off his hoodie. Eyes lingering on the other male's perfect face, he glanced away again quickly before deciding another attempt at conversation couldn't hurt. "What year are you in?" he questioned, tone friendly as he sat down on his bed, gradually removing things from his bag.
Stopping what he was doing, YoungSaeng turned to look at KyuJong, bangs falling into his dark eyes. Shyly, he brushed his hair behind his ear and held up one finger before returning to his unpacking.
He felt bad for treating the boy as he was, but it was just reflex after all these years. He just hoped that he didn't come off as rude.
It was a good thing KyuJong was watching the other while unpacking, or he would have completely missed the answer to his question. While he'd seen shy people before, never THIS shy... If it hadn't been for YoungSaeng whispering his name just a minute ago KyuJong would have thought he had no voice.
"I'm in the same year, maybe we have a few classes together," he replied, looking down at his bag as he talked. "Though I'm supposed to be in my second year right now." KyuJong had a feeling it was a very one-sided conversation he was holding, but he kept it up for the sake of being polite, and it was better than awkward silence any day.
Tilting his head, YoungSaeng reached into his bag and pulled out his schedule. Thinking for a moment, he walked over to KyuJong and held it out to him.
Luckily, it didn't seem as if the boy thought him rude, though he continued to feel guilty before yelling at himself for being so weak and scared around people.
Seeing YoungSaeng pull out a schedule sheet and walk over, KyuJong chuckled and took out his own schedule. He could have a conversation like this.
When the other male held out his schedule to him, KyuJong gave him a smile and took it lightly, comparing the two schedules. He could see from the information printed at the top of the paper that YoungSaeng was indeed younger than him, by a year. "Hm, looks like we have music together... And English literature," KyuJong said with a soft laugh, holding the paper back out to YoungSaeng. "That one should be fun, my English is horrible..." He gave the boy a sheepish smile.
YoungSaeng's lips twitched at hearing about his weakness in English. He was pretty good at it, since a couple of the doctors who's care he was under were fluent in the language and taught him when they had a chance.
Looking at the other's schedule, he saw that KyuJong was a year older than him, making him the hyung. He wondered if KyuJong played an instrument or sang...
Reaching out, he pointed to the music class and whispered, "Do you play? Sing?"
Glancing at the schedule in his hand when YoungSaeng pointed, he expected to have to guess what the younger student wanted to say again. To his surprise, the other boy spoke, the words barely audible even when KyuJong strained his ears to catch them. Even so, the fact that the obviously shy boy had spoken drew first an expression of surprise, then a relaxed smile from the student sitting down. He must be doing something right.
"I sing, somewhat," KyuJong said with a laugh. "Not very well though. I'm learning the piano...but that isn't going too well either. So I usually do backup vocals." He smiled up at YoungSaeng, obviously happy the other was talking, even if just a few words. "What about yourself?"
Averting his eyes, YoungSaeng spoke, a bit louder, but still barely heard. "Piano...and I sing." Everyone who spoke to him was always shocked to find out that the usually silent and introverted teen sang, but they always shut up once they heard him.
It was the only time that he felt confident in himself, and it also kept the voices from whispering in his ears.
"Sing?" KyuJong couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice at that. He'd always thought this shy boy would much prefer staying in the back out of sight rather than sing... In fact, he would have thought him more into art than music. But things weren't always the way they seemed.
"Can I hear?" KyuJong asked curiously, eyes focused on the younger male's face. He wondered if he was pushing YoungSaeng's comfort zone too far by asking, but he was curious. He'd end up hearing him eventually, if they were in the same class.
YoungSaeng looked around before staring at the ground, chewing on his lower lip. After a moment, he slowly nodded his head. Taking a deep breath, he began singing the chorus to a song he had written while he was 'away'. ((Nameless Memory))
KyuJong waited patiently for the other boy to decide, leaning back on his bed and taking a moment to go over YoungSaeng's appearance. He was really pretty, almost too pretty to be a guy. He wondered why the younger student was so shy.
When YoungSaeng started to sing, KyuJong's eyes widened slightly, before he composed himself and listened to the other boy's beautiful voice. He'd heard good singers before, but this was outstanding…and didn't match the quiet whispers with which the other student had spoken at all.
He was almost disappointed when YoungSaeng stopped; he would have liked to hear more. At least they were in the same class; he would surely hear him sing again. "That was amazing," KyuJong said with a bright smile. "You must have taken professional lessons? I've only heard real artists with that kind of talent."
Reddening at the compliments, YoungSaeng shook his head at the question. He'd never had a lesson in his life.
Shyly looking up, YoungSaeng took in the other's appearance before looking away quickly. He was good looking...really good looking...but he figured he'd never like someone like him.
Not with his curse.
KyuJong chuckled, returning to unpacking after a moment. "That's even more amazing then. To be able to sing that well without taking lessons. I'm glad I'm in the same music class as you, I'll be able to hear you sing again." He smiled absently.
Finally KyuJong turned his attention back to his stubborn watch. Yup, it was broken. Too much time-travel wasn't good for electronics, he found out. His parents stopped buying him expensive watches when they started to fry every month or so. Suppressing a sigh, KyuJong dug a replacement watch out of his bag; he always kept a few nearby just in case.
"What time is it now?" He asked curiously, looking around the room for a clock he could set his watch with.
Blinking at the question, YoungSaeng looked around, not seeing a clock. Pursing his lips in an almost cute expression, he rifled through his pockets, finding his cell phone.
Holding it out to the older boy, he managed an apologetic smile.
KyuJong smiled back at YoungSaeng as the other held out his cell phone, deciding his new roommate was really too adorable. "Thanks," he said, glancing at the time on the cell phone and setting the watch carefully. Hopefully he'd be able to make it through the day without another 'time-management' problem. Hiding it here would be much harder than at home.
"I should start getting to class," KyuJong said with a sigh, standing and gathering up his books for the first class. "My sense of direction is next to none, so I need the extra time," he continued with a sheepish smile. "And I'll still manage to be five minutes late." He had no idea why he was talking so much, when he was usually more the quiet type himself, except that he honestly wanted to get to know his shy roommate and that would require more effort on his part.
YoungSaeng checked the time himself then blinked, looking down at his schedule. Eyes widening, he rummaged through his bag and pulled out his laptop and a few other essentials and walked up to KyuJong, motioning to the door.
KyuJong seemed nice enough. Maybe he'd be able to open up a bit with him.
Half-watching YoungSaeng gather together his belongings as he did the same, KyuJong tucked his books under one arm and glanced at his schedule, noting the room number with a light frown. This should be fun.
Seeing YoungSaeng walk up to him, he looked up at his roommate again, seeing the gesture towards the door. His smile widened slightly, and he nodded. "Which class do you have first?" He questioned, walking over to the door and opening it with his free hand, holding it for the other boy.
Smiling in thanks, YoungSaeng left the room and waited for KyuJong to lock the door. Looking down at his schedule as they walked, he held it out, pointing to the Japanese class that was his first class of the day. Luckily, it was also near where KyuJong was headed.
Once the door was locked behind them, KyuJong walked alongside YoungSaeng, glancing towards the other boy occasionally. When YoungSaeng held out his schedule and pointed to his Japanese class, KyuJong noted the room number was similar to his History class. "Japanese? You seem to have all the interesting classes," he remarked with a soft laugh. "I hope you don't mind if I follow you for a while... I assume your sense of direction is better than mine."
YoungSaeng paused before murmuring, "I studied the layout before coming here."
"That would have been smart," KyuJong chuckled, a bit sheepish that he hadn't thought to do the same. He'd been mostly concerned about keeping his internal clock at the right time and not giving himself away rather than the school aspect of coming here. "I'm probably not making a great impression as a hyung." He looked around, trying to identify the buildings that they passed, so that he'd be able to find his way around by himself. The campus was pretty big...
Biting his lip, a nervous habit of his, YoungSaeng hesitantly reached up and, after a few false starts, quickly pat his roommate on the shoulder reassuringly before dropping it just as fast, averting his eyes and blushing.
Feeling the light pat on his shoulder, KyuJong looked back at YoungSaeng just in time to catch the other boy lowering his hand quickly, red spreading across his cheeks. A warm feeling spread in his chest, that this obviously shy (was it just shyness? It seemed a bit extreme...) boy was making an effort to reassure him like this. The smile that had faded somewhat reappeared again. "Thanks," he said, to let YoungSaeng know the motion was appreciated.
YoungSaeng’s lips quirked into a small smile as the two continued walking. They got to where they needed to be, but KyuJong had kept walking, causing YoungSaeng to take hold of his shirt shyly, stopping him from continuing.
The silence between them was comfortable now, rather than awkward like it had been in the room. At least, that was what KyuJong felt. He made a few passing comments while they walked, to keep up the pleasant atmosphere, but was mostly content.
Feeling a light grip on the bottom of his shirt, KyuJong stopped in surprise, looking back at YoungSaeng curiously. Then he noticed the rooms they were next to, and grinned sheepishly. "This is why I always get lost," he murmured, a light coloring appearing in his cheeks for a moment. "Thank you. Um, we have English literature after... See you then, I guess?" He smiled at the other gently.
Nodding, YoungSaeng lifted a hand and waved as he walked into his classroom, turning around for a final look. Unable to stop himself, he released a slight smile: small by most standards, but still clear before walking into his class.
KyuJong's own smile widened when he saw the other boy's lips curl upwards slightly. It was a start. He definitely wouldn't mind getting to know his roommate a bit more, besides just being polite. It would be nice to have a friend, and YoungSaeng didn't seem to be too people-crazy himself. Still thinking about it, he walked into the other room, taking a seat and waiting for class to start.
*********
Once class ended, YoungSaeng sighed and stepped out, walking across the hall to KyuJong's. His parents had sat down with each of his teachers and explained, in few details, his situation, so they mainly called on him when the question involved a written answer if he didn't volunteer one.
Leaving the classroom, KyuJong looked down at his schedule, noting the room number for his next class. A slight headache was starting, because he'd nearly time-jumped in the middle of class when another student had startled him, and just barely managed to keep himself pinned to the current moment. The Gifted wasn't used to being around so many people who seemed to think sudden introductions was the way to go, but he was dealing with it as best as he could. If he managed to get through the first week without 'jumping' in class, the rest of the year would be easy.
Looking up again, KyuJong nearly missed YoungSaeng, noticing him at the last second. "Oh, hi," he said with a smile. "How was Japanese?" He moved out of the way of the door so the other students could leave.
YoungSaeng shrugged before nodding his head, his way of saying not bad. He chose not to mention the fact that his curse had started to act up in the class, leaving him a bit dizzy and disoriented, but that would pass...
It always did.
KyuJong smiled lightly in response, still wondering why YoungSaeng was so quiet. "That's good. Alright, English Literature next!" He looked at the room numbers, making a guess which direction the class was in and starting to walk. He was probably heading in the wrong direction, but most schools were like circles, so he'd find the class eventually, right?
Sighing, YoungSaeng reached out and grabbed his shirt again, walking the other way and taking KyuJong with him. Maybe the two should explore the school after classes...
Feeling the light tug at the back of his shirt again, KyuJong obediently turned himself around and followed YoungSaeng. "How can you know your way so well just from studying the layout?" he questioned with a small chuckle. He was happy YoungSaeng was helping him out rather than just let KyuJong wander off in the wrong direction. It also gave him more opportunity to talk to him.
YoungSaeng shrugged slowly. "I explored in person," he murmured quietly as they turned the corner.
His parents had driven him to the campus and allowed him to walk around and familiarize himself with the layout of the large school. He did it twice more before he knew the layout inside out and backward.
KyuJong glanced over at him as they walked, inwardly pleased that the other boy had spoken again. "Before today?" he questioned, amazed at the others dedication. "You sure don't waste time," he chuckled softly. He would need to look around after classes, or he'd always be lost. Though the excuse of being lost did work if he accidentally jumped forward in time..
YoungSaeng nodded. After hesitating, he spoke, a bit louder, but still horribly quiet. "I can't be around a lot of people, so I need to know how to get away from them if I need to."
KyuJong listened to the explanation, curious. Couldn't be around a lot of people? "I see," he murmured, wondering if it was all right to ask or if it was pushing it, considering they'd just met. "Do you... Have a fear of crowds?" he questioned, deciding that was safe enough to ask. Plenty of people hated crowds.
A haunted look took it's regular place in YoungSaeng’s eyes as he looked down shyly, hoping he'd done it before KyuJong had seen. "I have a lot of fears, KyuJong-sshi," he murmured.
The answer he was given puzzled him even more, but not as much as the something he'd seen in the other's eyes for a brief moment, too quick for KyuJong to figure out what it was, only that something was off about YoungSaeng. He made a mental note to keep an eye on his roommate.
"I don't think there's a single person who isn't afraid of something," KyuJong remarked absently, smiling at the other boy. "If you need help with anything, you know where I sleep," he chuckled, trying to lighten the atmosphere somewhat. "Except for directions, obviously. Not that you seem to have any problem with that."
YoungSaeng froze at the offer. No one had ever offered to help him before. He wasn't counting the doctors, as it was their jobs to help him. He honestly didn't know what to do, let alone say.
They continued walking until they reached the classroom, and yet again KyuJong overshot the room. Grabbing hold of his shirt again, YoungSaeng dragged the directionally challenged student into the classroom.
KyuJong just laughed as he was pulled into the class, having expected it even though he'd been watching for the class number. Looking around the half-filled class, he followed YoungSaeng when the younger went to sit down, taking the seat next to him. "Do you know anyone else here?" he questioned curiously, assuming YoungSaeng must know some of the students from previous years. Being homeschooled, he knew no one; those in the neighborhood he lived in were either in completely different years, or attending a different school.
Taking a seat in the back corner, YoungSaeng shook his head. "I was out of school for the last three years," he explained. It would be difficult to explain that he'd spent those three years in a mental hospital...
KyuJong nodded slightly at the explanation, absently wondering why but didn't want to push his luck with more personal questions. Not when the other was so...withdrawn. KyuJong was just happy YoungSaeng was talking, though the volume of his voice was still at the bare minimum. "I was homeschooled, so everything's pretty new for me too," he said with a chuckle. "And I'm blaming my lack of direction on that, if anyone asks." He watched the other students come into the class, absently opening the book they had needed to buy for this class and flipping through.
Pulling out his textbook like the others, YoungSaeng opened it and attempted to make himself invisible. It had worked in his last class, so he was hoping that it would here, as well.