Disaster

Chapter I

Fall

"Here." A steaming cup of coffee slammed down on the table where Sunwoo sat. He looked up to find Chanhee standing over him, holding a cup of his own. "You look like shit."

Sunwoo narrowed his eyes. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now drink that because as your good friend I spent six fucking dollars on that coffee. Twelve if you count mine."

Sunwoo did not count his.

"So," Chanhee started, sitting across from him. "Why haven't I seen you in like, two weeks? I was fairly sure our nine years of friendship meant you loved me and wouldn't avoid me."

Sunwoo flared his nostrils in mock disgust. "As if I ever liked you." When he was met with a snide grin, he couldn't stop a smile of his own from growing. "No, but for real, I've just been super busy. I've been trying to meet with Professor Jung for the past like...three days, but he's apparently MIA as soon as class ends."

His companion nodded along, sipping his drink every once in a while. Choi Chanhee had been Sunwoo's best friend since middle school. He was probably the bitchiest "nice guy" in the world, with a heart made of gold and a glare made of the souls of the damned. Sunwoo trusted him with everything and also nothing because Chanhee had enough blackmail on him to last a millennium.

"See, this is why you should have been an Anthropology Major like me," Chanhee said with all the ego required. Sunwoo didn't satisfy him with a response, opting to roll his eyes and sip his coffee instead. "I mean it 'Woo, you're miserable in those political science lectures– hanging around borderline incels and stuff."

Sunwoo scoffed into his cup. "Trust me, there's nothing borderline about it. I think university is the first time they're seeing daylight, much less AFABs." He received a knowing smile that was soon hidden by the rim of a coffee cup. Chanhee always did like to be mysterious.

"Fair enough. Anyways, what are you working on?"

"I might have skin cancer."

"What?"

Sunwoo, whose laptop had been open this entire time, turned it around so his screen was facing Chanhee. "Well, according to WebMD at least."

Chanhee took a moment to read what was on the computer before sighing. "No one trusts WebMD. That's like, one of the few real laws of the internet." Sunwoo shrugged. "And why are you searching for skin cancer anyway?"

"Not skin cancer, but I've had this bite for like...a month now. I went to the doctor but they said that the only semi-abnormal thing about me was a low red-blood-cell count."

Chanhee raised a brow and took a long drink from his coffee before responding. "Show me."

"Show you....?"

"The bite."

"Oh." Sunwoo pulled down his collar and turned his head a bit, letting his friend take a close look. He heard a few hums here and there, and after about 30 seconds Chanhee pulled away, sitting back in his seat.

"I can assure you it's not skin cancer."

"I figured that much."

His remark was met with a glare but Chanhee kept talking. "If anything, it looks like..." he trailed off. "Nevermind. You said a low red blood cell count?"

Sunwoo nodded. "Yeah, that and just general exhaustion. My doctor gave me some iron vitamins and said to just sleep more hours. But I'm tired even with like, 12 hours of sleep on the weekends." He leaned back, resting one leg across the other thigh and finishing the rest of his coffee.