Chapter Text
Taeyong doesn’t have any bad feelings that day, everything goes as planned from the moment he wakes up in the morning and attends his class at 9. Even his usually fussy professor just let him enter her room and told him to just put your assignment on my table without her usual interrogation on what topic he chose, why he chose the said topic, etc., etc., when he came at 11.30 to submit his paper.
Or maybe that should be a sign enough that something’s going terribly wrong soon, or later, but Taeyong is too happy that he doesn’t have to spend another 30 minutes inside that room, which the student’s dubbed as the execution room, to let his overthinking side of mind ruin his happiness. Who knows that Mrs. Kwon is just being exceptionally nice that day, and he isn’t going to try to ask any question related to his paper if he isn’t being asked first just to ruin her mood─god knows what she can do whenever she has a foul mood.
Finals sucks, the amount of papers and studying are ridiculous and he always dreads it even after enduring it three times before. Going home to his apartment quite early in the afternoon after having lunch with his two best friends is a nice change from the afternoons spent poring over books and notes over assignments in the library.
He welcomes any kind of relaxation at this point, and the long sigh he lets out when he remembers that this day is their scheduled movie night after two consecutive times being postponed seems like necessary to let out some tension when he was always over the edge this past week. The desire to sue his university for giving the students so many unnecessary tasks is so prominent but he also needs them to get his GPA. And to get whatever kind of job the world has to offer. He’s sure that he’ll get all the opportunities once he finishes his literature degree later.
Taeyong’s possibly vibrating from the anticipation and excitement as he waits for the two to come so they could eat together before deciding what movie they should watch. If they’d even watch any movies, considering they also have so much to catch up since the busy days always keep them from any meeting longer than occasional lunch at their faculty cafeteria. Even then it’s not always the three of them. Sometimes one of them is missing in favor of finishing their assignment on time ( or just a little bit late, they’ll survive anyway ).
After finishing their meal, courtesy of Taeyong’s cooking, they settle down on the couch, the TV running merely for a background noise as the three of them relish the once more slow pace of their student life. Mark munching noisily on the watermelon he bought on the way there, much to Ten’s disgust. That’s what he feels during their trip to buy groceries before and now, as Mark keeps his precious watermelon close to them.
Ten tries his hardest to ignore him while slurping on a hearty strawberry smoothie, handed by Taeyong earlier, thank you very much. And the latter finally joins them after bringing his own snack for dessert, a caramel pudding he often keeps stacks in the fridge and half a glass of strawberry smoothie also.
“I almost forgot how your cooking tastes like, hyung!” Mark exaggerates, pointing his fork of watermelon to Taeyong, almost poking Ten who unfortunately sits in the middle with it in the process.
“Keep your goddamn watermelon away from me, Mark!” Ten hisses, plastering his body onto the back of the couch to avoid watermelon attack.
Taeyong rolls his eyes, gesturing for Ten to move aside so he can sit between the two to avoid any food war.
“You’re being dramatic, Mark. If you don’t remember two days ago I made lunch for you,” Taeyong pointedly says. He, while scolding Mark along the way, brought lunch special just for the younger after he whined for not eating decent meals for three days because he’s that kid who overworks himself to the point of not eating properly. “Mom’s going to kill me for real if she ever heard of you talking about not being fed enough by me.”
Mark pouts petulantly at the scolding he receives from the eldest of the group, stabbing his last watermelon half-heartedly. “If I’m not mistaken you also pulled an all-nighter and Ten almost passed out at the dance studio in the middle of a rehearsal,” he mumbles under his breath.
Taeyong opens his mouth to argue but Ten beats him to it.
“Excuse me!” Ten raises his left hand indignantly. “If it was not because of the Kim Jongin who decided to be a tyrannical asshole when it comes to dancing and performance I would’ve been fine. Perfectionist motherfucker.” He finishes with another hiss. But he has to admit that their successful performance was thanks to the man who’s completely merciless in his dedication of performing. Solo or not.
Taeyong raised his brows. “Kim Jongin as in that Kim Jongin? The one who is also friends with Lee Taemin?” he looks at Ten who nods reluctantly. “Isn’t he also close to Baekhyun-sunbae?” this time he stares at Mark who’s just snatched his half a glass of smoothie. Taeyong scowls.
“Mhm, who else.” Mark acquiesces. “And also with another kid from one of my classes. That tall, handsome boy from the exchange program.” He pretends he doesn’t sense the curious stare from his two friends.
“Even Taemin-hyung, who’s also a perfectionist performer isn’t like that, at least not to that extent. I really am curious what’s going on inside that head.” Ten muttered conspiratorially. The other two give him a side glance, but he continues. “I mean, he’s quite a genius. He is a genius when it comes to his passion and talent in dancing. But why does he have to be a bad guy?”
Mark snickers. “I start to think you have a love-hate feelings toward him, Ten.”
“And,” Taeyong interrupts before Ten could voice his complaint, “I don’t think just being like that counts as a bad guy too.” He ignores the noise of complaints coming out of Mark as he settles his own mind that no, he couldn’t be that bad , even though Taeyong himself knows the guy’s reputation. Yes, he’s not so oblivious that he doesn’t know what goes around the campus and the fact that Kim Jongin is someone he should avoid─ needs to avoid.
“Taeyooong,” Ten whines. “Why are you being so kind to someone you don’t even know? This is Kim freaking Jongin we’re talking about if you’re not aware, who always gets involved in any kinds of trouble!” he adds adamantly.
“No, I’m not. If I was so kind I wouldn’t have dumped Yuta like that, or even get involved with him that far in the first place─”
“He dated you for a bet, hyung! A fucking bet, just for his and his friend’s fun! If anything it was the right thing to do!” Mark fumes, which Taeyong promptly ignores, along with Ten’s ‘ damn right! ’.
“—and if the same Kim Jongin really is a bad guy, he won’t be friends with Baekhyun and Taemin sunbaenim, right?” Taeyong finishes.
“That doesn’t immediately make him a good guy either,” Ten mumbles.
Mark snorts, “That’s another mystery I often still ask Baekhyun-hyung but he always answers cryptically.”
Taeyong frowns. As far as he knows, the three of them—Jongin, Baekhyun, and Taemin—have always been friends since the beginning. Lately the exchange student Mark’s been talking about, who’s seemingly attached to Baekhyun, has been added to the group. The said boy gains quite a reputation himself after that, his handsome face attracting many girls and boys alike, like moths into a flame. And he sure is enjoying the attention, from what’s been occurring since he started studying there.
That aside, Baekhyun and Taemin seem normal compared to the hurricane that is Kim Jongin himself. Well, that’s what the rumors have said, and Taeyong has never seen the two involved in a fight like Jongin often did─ does . And this year the occurrence escalates quite significantly. Well, it’s not his concern though.
Ten stares at Taeyong for a moment, almost like contemplating what he is about to say before opening his mouth to talk. “I mean, if you think that way and assume that Taemin-hyung is a good guy, I’m not really sure then. His boyfriend is Choi Minho, right?”
“Which is associated with Yuta.” Mark adds, before Taeyong can say anything.
“Right!” Snapping his fingers, Ten narrows his eyes to Taeyong. “They are in the same circle, being in the soccer team and all.”
They’re full on gossiping at this point, movie night completely forgotten.
Taeyong’s frown deepens. “Technically, he’s not in the soccer team anymore right? He is pursuing a master's degree now.” He recalls the said senior has just graduated last year.
Albeit he remembers vividly each person sat at the same table with Yuta that time when he got to know the true nature of his relationship with the said male and Minho was one of them, he’s never met the guy in person anyway, either Jongin or Minho, so it’s not really his place to judge. But for Minho, he has had this unexplainable feeling of dislike toward him since then.
“Still, it’s not really our place to judge no matter what kind of people they’re associated with.” Taeyong says as much, despite the voice in his head, to just trust what you see , and don't get involved with him .
Ten sighs resignedly, “You and your positive way of looking at people, even the delinquents like that Nakamoto kid. And this time Kim Jongin.” He shakes his head for added dramatics.
“He’s older than you, Ten.” Taeyong says pointedly.
“ That’s not my point and I don’t care!” Ten put his empty glass on the coffee table in front of them harshly, as if to emphasize his words. Taeyong glances at the glass and Ten back and forth, the latter grins sheepishly at the silent protest.
They launch into a lively banter about their upperclassmen after that, those who revolve around them, and whether or not they’re involved in a gang. It is a thought they humored until the suggestions they throw starts to get more ridiculous the longer it goes. They even think that Taeyong’s ex is a yakuza, which sends Mark into one of his hiccupy, uncontrollable laugh.
“No fucking way, Ten! That’s ridiculous!” Mark almost falls off the couch if not for Taeyong pulling him up at the right moment.
Their raucous laughter ( more like Ten and Mark’s ) is interrupted with a sound of a key being entered into the wrong hole. The three sit in silence as the insistent jiggle continues, staring at each other in confusion and waiting if it was just them hearing things.
When the second time the sound filters through the door, Taeyong frowns, while Mark stares at the door warily. Ten stares at Taeyong with a question in his eyes.
“Are you expecting someone, hyung?” Mark almost whispers. Taeyong shakes his head.
It’s not like they’re waiting for food delivery either, since they have just finished their dinner. And if it's indeed food delivery, usually they would knock or call him when they arrive, not trying to just barge in the apartment.
Ten frowns, “Is there anyone who has your key other than us, Yongie?”
“No,” Taeyong shakes his head for the second time. “I’ll just see it myself. Maybe it’s just someone getting the wrong door.”
Ten lifts his left brow skeptically. “Sure, if that’s what you think.”
“Wait—hyung, you sure? What if it’s a drunk person??”
Taeyong just waves off Mark’s words as he walks through the hallway to open the door. Only to stare incredulously at the person in front of him, wide-eyed, confusion and questions make their way inside his head.
Jongin, the very same man that's been the topic of his conversation with Mark and Ten that evening, miraculously appears in front of his apartment door, battered and on the verge of passing out. Slightly drunk, if the swaying in his stance is anything to go by, looking so lost and confused at the same time but isn’t able to explain as he passed out first. And not so gracefully.
“Fuck!” Taeyong blurts. “Ten! Mark! Help! Quick!”
The thundering steps from the other two come to an abrupt halt as they get their eyes on the person Taeyong’s trying so hard to drag inside. What can he say, Jongin’s clearly bigger than him and thus heavier.
“Taeyong what the fuck?”
“Hyung—what?"