Weird story

THE NEXT DAY was a headache, literally. The dorms were a disaster and the people within were even worse. That day, Seo-yun woke up like he had been sleeping an hour a day. Even though he did not drink, it was still possible for him. 

Out of nowhere a head poked from the bunker bed on top of his.

“Rise and shine!”

It was Haneul, of course.

“Haneul..”Muttered Soo-won from the other bunker.

Soo-won looked horrible, as if he'd just gone out and ran a mile while doing a handstand. Most importantly, he looked hella pissed. Haneul flinched at the sound of his name. The fact that was most noticeable was the way he pronounced it, he was angry.

“Ha-neul.”

Two syllables. 

Horrified to hear his name said in that manner, he sat up straight and looked down. Like he'd been wronged. But he was just afraid of Soo-won;

like a normal person would.

Soo-won continued warningly.

“Do not wake people up when you were sleeping soundly yesterday”

Haneul whispered back.

“sorry, sorry, sorry”

Seo-yun stood up and started getting ready, when he heard Haneul’s voice, again.

“oh-talking about yesterday, hyung where were you?”

Soo-won tented an ear.

“Because I've never seen someone take a shit for so long, I never would have thought you were like that” Haneul's tone was mocking, however, he made it sound innocent in some way.

“I wasn't shitting,” he said.

Seo-yun had enough questions by Haneul on a daily basis to start hearing more crap from him.

“oh- you weren't?”

Seo-yun repeated despite himself.

“no.”

“pff, how boring.”

Soo-won spoke up looking confused.

“How is that boring?” 

 Haneul ignored him and suddenly Sunghee appeared and started poking the subject even further than Haneul.

“So where were you then?”

Seo-yun was taking off his shirt when he turned around and looked him dead in the eyes. Sunghee wasn't stupid enough and he felt it. The room was silent until Seo-yun spoke up again for the third time.

“I got into a fight.”

Everyone who heard it was stunned.

“shit, what?”

“with whom?”

Seo-yun was more or less expecting this reaction from them and so he told the story.

“Oh-so that waiter was the one who brought you back, right?” asked Soo-won.

“yeah,”

“damn, the boss got hit on”

“What do you mean ‘hit on’ Sunghee? He was clearly just helping him”

“yall are never fun”   

“Did you get to see his face?” Soo-won asked.

Sunghee jumped forward.

“did you?”

They were all quite curious, sadly Seo-yun shook his head.

“No.” he paused,”but I can tell he’s not ugly.”

Haneul spoke.

“So you know why then?”

Seo-yun started at the ground and stopped moving as he reflected silently.

“No,”

He looked at Haneul and continued putting his clothes on.

Soo-won sat on his bed while seeing the drama unfold besides the bunker beds and gazed at Haneul.

“why do you care if he’s bad looking or just sick?”

He was genuinely curious since Haneul was the one who didn't stop bringing the subject up.

“I'm just as curious at you,”

Soo-won frowned, confused.

“I just wonder why someone would wear a black mask if they are not sick.”

An idea came to mind.

“Wait a minute! What-what if he is just like us?”

Seo-yun, unbothered, continued with his routine as he'd never said anything. Everyone else starred and listened. Sunghee for the first time ever, actually shut up and lent an ear to hear Haneul’s famous theory. Mingyu, who had just woken up by the sudden ruckus and was gonna complain a second ago, stayed still and listened too. 

“what if he is famous?”

The whole group was silent.

Soo-won, after hearing that, looked dumbstruck and the people listening became disinterested and continued with their lives.

“Haneul,” said Sunghee while putting his arm around him.

“we’re not even famous.”

Haneul's indignation snapped back at him.

“So what? we will one day, be it today or tomorrow!” 

Soo-won gazed at him softly and nodded,

“yes, we will”

Haneul was finally happy that someone had agreed with him, and on top of that it was the cold, indifferent, distant Soo-won. Haneul gave him an excited nod, eyes shining like bright little stars that seem to know no bounds.

“totally will!” he added.

THAT DAY Seo-yun found himself thinking on his bed instead of sleeping after he met that waiter. Questions flooded his head like water and invaded his mind like a flowing river;

What did he truly look like?

Was he handsome? Cute? Ugly? Average? 

He didn't know, the only thing he did know was that he wanted to find out. Even so, of course he couldn't barge in and order him to get his mask off, Hyeon-Ju would get scared and run away. But what if--

No.

What was he thinking?

‘No.’

He said so himself, it was impossible for it to happen again.

He repeated the same word in his head;

NO.

He musnt, he couldn't do that. He has to bury the feeling that poked his curiosity in the depths of his heart. 

He has to extinguish that flame from its routes, before it even emerges.

At least- that’s what he promised himself that day.

        That he wouldn't, not anymore.

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