you chose:
a) communicate with whoever's out there

* * *

Wooyoung decided against going back inside. There was no reason to feel scared or anxious -- nothing out there was going to harm or put him in danger.

He cleared his throat, wincing at the way the sound vibrated down the hallway. He seriously hadn't meant for it to sound so loud, but there was little he could do now.

"Uhm... Hello?" Wooyoung took a few steps forward, some kind of unknown chill buzzing under his skin. Was this place always this batshit cold at night, or was the silhouette in the distance the one responsible for that weird feeling he had? Wooyoung hoped it was the former.

The person -- Wooyoung hoped it was a person -- still didn't move from their spot by the bathroom, and at this point the nineteen-year-old had began to feel just a bit annoyed. The lack of response daunted Wooyoung and made him feel like a fool for even attempting some sort of conversation anyway. Plus, he seriously needed to use the bathroom.

Just go use it. They, whoever 'they' are, wouldn't do a thing to you, the voice in his head reassured him. Wooyoung listened.

In a matter of seconds, he stood in front of someone who looked considerably a lot taller than he was, which Wooyoung did not expect.

The darkness shadowed half the guy's body, but he had what appeared to be pitch black hair that lay in a mess over his head and pinkish cheeks. He didn't even look like he'd seen Wooyoung either, if his closed eyes were anything to go by.

He was just...standing there.

Okay... Weird, Wooyoung thought, but ultimately decided to keep his mouth shut. Only when he chose to side-step the taller man did the latter stumble, nearly knocking into Wooyoung.

Wooyoung made a sound of surprise, hands flailing to support himself before he could fall on his ass. A disbelieving hiss left his lips when the other guy didn't say anything, again.

What the actual fuck? Wooyoung had half a mind to lash out, but this person was a stranger, and he really couldn't afford making enemies on his first night at this apartment.

He bit his lip. "Hey -- "

A door slammed open, frightening Wooyoung. In a flash he turned to see who'd made that riotous sound.

Pale light shot from the doorway, harshly illuminating the dimensions of Mingi's face. And the guy did not look too happy.

He'd clearly already seen Wooyoung so the latter couldn't hide himself anyway, but his eyes visibly darkened as soon as they fell on the man behind him.

The way Mingi stood revealed how tense he was, and even when he started walking towards them Wooyoung could notice how he seemed to restrain himself.

He grabbed the dark haired guy like he was some ragdoll, his stern eyes boring into Wooyoung's again.

"Sorry," he began, not sounding sorry at all. "Yunho, he's -- " he stopped talking, leaving unspoken words in the air that left Wooyoung even more confused.

"It's fine," Wooyoung said to diffuse the awkward situation more than anything.

Mingi clicked his tongue and nodded, before dragging Yunho into the same room as his and locking it soon after.

"That must be Mingi's boyfriend..." Wooyoung muttered to himself. The image of Mingi basically manhandling the guy filled his mind, but he quickly shook his head to rid himself of it. It was none of his business.

The bathroom as finally free to use, and Wooyoung wasted no time in entering and switching on the lights, not at all eager to get jumpscared or anything along those lines again.

He found himself pausing in front of a circular mirror after he was done, its twisty emerald edges like vines growing on a wall. The mirror looked quite vintage, very unlike the modern setting of the bathroom. Its surface glinted, reflecting off Wooyoung's knitted brows and sullen expression.

Wooyoung quickly looked away and washed his hands, hating the vulnerability he'd seen in his eyes.

* * *

Wooyoung's alarm woke him up at five in the morning, which could be considered early since his first class began by eight-thirty. But he liked being early. Liked having more than enough time to get himself ready.

Even when he'd been living with his parents he'd never needed the help of their maids to wake him up. He was an early bird through and through.

He rubbed his eyes just as he left his room, hoping he'd be able to eat and shower before any of his flatmates could wake up. That disconcerting encounter he'd had with Mingi and his boyfriend had kept him up at night, and he wasn't so sure if he was willing to see or interact with them this morning.

Only...he could already hear distinctive chatter coming from the kitchen area.

They're all awake? Wooyoung thought. Something in him made him want to turn back, but that would've been the dumb thing to do. You have roommates now -- get fucking used to it.

He tugged on the drawstrings of his hoodie in an attempt to flatten his brown hair and to sort of... draw less attention to his face, before inhaling a few breaths and then walking into the kitchen.

His heart nearly plummeted when everyone stopped talking as soon as he showed up.

Awkward. This is so fucking awkward. Wooyoung's fingers curled at his sides, but before he could fumble about for what to say, a fuzzy haired San bounced up to him and slung an arm around his shoulder.

"Good morning," he greeted, his smile far too sunny for this time of the morning. It did lessen Wooyoung's nerves though.

"Morning," Wooyoung mumbled, letting the taller lead him to one empty seat at the island.

"I'll get you some breakfast," San told him, skidding off to the counters before Wooyoung could say anything about it.

Yeosang, seated across from him in a baby blue pyjamas, was the next person to greet him. "Good morning. Sleep well?" He asked whilst petting Whiskers who was sound asleep on his lap. He took a forkful of what looked like waffles off his plate, staring intently at Wooyoung with his round dark eyes.

"Yeah, I guess," Wooyoung nodded. Mingi had just left the kitchen, and his boyfriend -- Yunho -- was nowhere to be seen.

"That's good," Yeosang smiled, but then he nudged the red-haired guy beside him in the rib. "If you aren't taking your coffee anytime soon then just hand it over, Joong."

Joong -- or Hongjoong -- only stirred briefly, staring at his coffee and failing to acknowledge anyone else in the room. Honestly, if Wooyoung hadn't already known he was the owner of this place, he would've just mistook him as one of the tenants. With his faded hoodie almost swallowing him whole, the bags under his eyes and his smaller frame, Hongjoong looked much closer to a tired and broke college student than some rich landlord.

San slid a plate of waffles and bacon over to Wooyoung, quickly adding in a glass of juice and the utensils. Wooyoung looked at him, expression stricken with gratitude.

"Thank you. But you really didn't need to do this -- "

San just waved him off. "It's no problem. Hwa made enough for everyone."

The food smelled -- and looked -- truly appetizing, but it was the juice that caught his eye the most. It was deep russet red in colour, faintly reminding Wooyoung of blood.

"Strawberry," San simply pointed out. Wooyoung didn't get to dwell further on the topic because Yeosang decided to speak up then.

"You should really stop making coffee for Joong. He never takes them."

"Are you volunteering to make them for him then?" San's voice sounded tight but he was still had that same bright smile on his face.

"I'm volunteering to get them from you."

San rolled his eyes. "Make your own damn coffee. But then again, you suck at that too."

"Hey!" Yeosang exclaimed, looking a bit offended. His voice made his cat's tail swish, making him quickly quiet down. In a whisper, he added, "I work at a diner. My cooking skills are impeccable."

"I don't really think impeccable's the actual word."

As San and Yeosang bantered, Wooyoung finished off his waffles and bacon as fast as he could, sensing he'd add nothing of value to the conversation.

He'd just started sipping the juice when someone new entered, someone with styled dirty blond hair that he'd never seen before. Their sudden presence had Wooyoung almost choking on his drink which didn't even taste like strawberry at all, but he recovered at the nick of time, hoping no one had noticed.

"Seonghwa! You're already dressed, of course," San was the first to speak. He then gestured at Wooyoung. "This is Jung Wooyoung. Moved in last night."

"I heard about you. Hi." Seonghwa's eyes were as round as Yeosang's, but instead of innocence they simmered with quiet curiosity. They were piercing, like they could see right through Wooyoung.

"Hey..." Wooyoung busied himself with his drink. Luckily, no one said anything about how weird he was acting.

"You're leaving in a bit, right?" Yeosang questioned.

"The bookstore opens in two hours. I still have a long way to drive." For some reason, Seonghwa's low, husky voice was getting to Wooyoung's head. "So yes."

Yeosang hummed, only to yelp when Hongjoong smacked his hand just as he tried to steal his coffee. San promptly started laughing, and miraculously Whiskers hadn't woken up yet.

"Is the food okay?"

It took Wooyoung a second to realize Seonghwa was talking to him now. San's and Yeosang's gazes weren't making things any less embarrassing.

"T-The food?" Wooyoung dumbly asked, meeting Seonghwa's eyes again. It was then he noticed the older's high cheekbones and his glaringly handsome face, as well as the long grey coat and chinos he had on. He looked far too refined for this place; the kind of guy his parents wouldn't have minded.

Don't think about them, Wooyoung chastised himself.

Seonghwa softly chuckled. "Yes, the food. Was it good?"

"It was good," Wooyoung answered.

Seonghwa smiled, before moving to stand right across from him. "Is the drink okay too? I made it myself."

"It didn't taste much like strawberry." Wooyoung's eyes widened at his statement, not believing he'd actually said his opinion on the borderline sour drink out loud.

Seonghwa's expression looked strange, like he didn't even know what Wooyoung was talking about.

"Seonghwa isn't a big fan of sweet things," San spoke up, packing up their plates at the speed of lightning.

"Oh, okay. Sorry." Wooyoung stood up, wanting to leave the kitchen as quick as he could. But he was soon stopped by Seonghwa.

"You're a university student, right?" The man asked.

"Uh..." Wooyoung then realized San and Yeosang, even Hongjoong, had already disappeared. "Yeah. San's college is close to the one I'm currently attending so he's gonna be helping me with rides and stuff."

Seonghwa hummed, taking a step back. "Ah, sorry if I seem a little invasive. You just look like a student, is all."

"Oh, okay." Wooyoung rubbed his neck. Seonghwa seemed nice, but his presence was domineering and the way he kept staring Wooyoung down made him anxious. He even wished Mingi was around so he could divert the older's attention.

"How's this place?" The taller asked. "Hoped you had a good night's rest."

"I slept well. Thanks." Wooyoung had no idea what else to say, but he knew he needed to get ready.

Seonghwa seemed to sense this, guessing by the amused quirk of his lips. "You can leave, you know? I'm not stopping you."

Your stares say something else entirely, though, Wooyoung thought. "Um -- yeah. I'll get going now."

Even as he walked away, he could feel Seonghwa's gaze burning into his back.

* * *

Wooyoung blinked, coming back into reality just as the dance professor clapped her hands, signaling the end of the period. Students chattered with each other as they gradually filed out of the studio, and that was when Wooyoung remembered he needed to leave as well. He hated that he'd zoned out again.

He quickly grabbed his things and headed out, cringing at the sweat coating his skin. His joints throbbed with dull pain at all the dancing he'd done today, but he knew he wouldn't have it any other way. Dancing was what he enjoyed, what he loved to do. It was also the reason why he'd applied Byeol institute of the Arts in Ilsan when he'd had the chance, shattering the already broken relationship he had with his parents.

But he didn't care. He'd had enough of them trying to control his life. And there was no way he was going back, especially not after what they'd done.

Today was Monday, which meant this was his last class. After Wooyoung had freshened up, he made for the small campus cafeteria, hoping to get something before he needed to leave. The skies were dark and cloudless as the sun had already set, opaque like ink.

After getting some frothy coffee for himself to sip on, Wooyoung took a corner seat and shut his eyes for a bit.

"Tired?"

His eyes opened to take in this vaguely familiar guy in a leather jacket now seated before him. He had red hair just like Hongjoong, though his was shades lighter.

"Uh..."

The guy laughed, showcasing a gummy smile. "Sorry if I shocked you or something." He stretched out his hand. "I'm Choi Jongho. You're Jung Wooyoung, right?"

"Yeah." Wooyoung, now recollecting the times he'd seen Jongho out and about with a bunch of friends always surrounding him, shook the other's hand. It felt coarse, yet soft and warm at the same time.

"I've seen you around campus a few times. I major in film. You?"

"Dance."

"That's cool." Jongho sounded genuine, serious. He pointed at Wooyoung's drink. "Want something to eat with that?"

Wooyoung's ears flushed pink. He didn't exactly have the luxury to splurge on anything right now, and he certainly wasn't going to allow anyone to spend money on him too. He'd done enough of that already.

So he shook his head. "Nah, it's fine."

Jongho didn't look convinced, though. "Okay. Here's what I think." He leaned over the table, crossing his arms. "I think you really want something, probably something...savory. And guess what, I'll get you whatever you want free of charge. You're not allowed to disagree."

Wooyoung couldn't stop himself from chuckling. Now that he really thought about it, Jongho looked around his age. Maybe even younger. It was hard to feel intimidated by him.

"What?" Jongho's brows rose.

"How old are you?"

Jongho looked hesitant. "Don't tell me you think I look older than twenty-two. Enough people say that already."

"What? No," Wooyoung laughed. "It's just -- you look around my age. I'm turning twenty in November."

Jongho overexaggeratedly sighed in relief, the sound nearly causing Wooyoung to spew out his coffee in giggles. "Really? Thank god. I'm turning nineteen in October."

"Cool."

"Cool." Jongho jutted his thumb towards the digital menu board. "So...burger?"

Jongho was a great conversationalist, Wooyoung soon discovered. He was attentive, comfortable to be around and downright funny. Wooyoung learned all sorts of new things about him too, like the scarily large amount of pets he had at his parents' house, and the fact that he wanted to be a famous movie director later on.

"Hey, you don't live on campus right?" Jongho asked at one point.

Wooyoung, already done with his burger, nodded. "Yeah."

"My cousin, she's having this thing over at Sangil beach. I was wondering if you'd like to come along with me? It won't end too late, I promise. I'll even drive you to wherever you live after."

In an hour, San was going to arrive at the university and take him to their apartment to save up on transportation costs. That had been their arrangement. But with the way Jongho stared at him so expectantly, every excuse he could've used was thrown out the window.

It was weird, but he kind of trusted Jongho. The guy was friendly and sociable, and didn't look like someone who'd take advantage of others.

Wooyoung found himself pulling out his phone, about to text San he didn't need to come pick him up today. "Sure, I'm in."

"Yay!" Jongho grinned, already up on his feet. "Soooo, we may or may not need to leave right now."

Wooyoung laughed, grabbing his bag and following after the taller male.

What he didn't expect though, was the recognizable maroon sedan parked in one of the available parking spots just a ways away from the campus grounds. Wooyoung quickly realized it looked so familiar as it'd been the car that had already been there when San had stopped in front of the apartment complex last night.

The autumn winds got bone-chillingly cold the minute the sedan's windows rolled down, revealing Seonghwa's face.

"My car's close by..." Jongho was saying next to Wooyoung, but his words were quickly drowned out right as Seonghwa's alert eyes found his.

What was he doing here?

Seonghwa smiled, and then waved at him like they were good friends.

"Wooyoung?" Jongho probably noticed the shorter wasn't moving anymore.

"Wooyoung," Seonghwa began, his honeyed voice ringing through the parking lot. "Aren't you coming in?"

"Is that the guy you said was picking you up?" Jongho questioned.

No. He's practically a stranger, Wooyoung wanted to say, but his lips stayed shut.

what does wooyoung do next?

a) tell seonghwa jongho's going to drop him off later

b) go with seonghwa

***

a/n: thoughts so far? anyone suspish??