"I'm fucking done. I'm literally fucking DONE!" Wonwoo bellowed.
His parents, snobbishly seated on the couch witnessing his outburst, looking like it didn't bother them in the least, observed him with challenging looks.
His yelling was quite pointless – he should have known – when all he got were cocky scoffs, as though his parents dared him to do something against their will.
Needless to mention, another argument had spiked, originally meant to be kept between the two adults, but like always, it somehow made its way to involve Wonwoo – who had been peacefully studying. All Wonwoo could do was scream, and relieve his anger. Even when he very well knew none of it would ever be acknowledged. If anything, he would be berated even further, just what he braced himself for, as he waited for a reaction.
"Done how, Wonwoo? Care to explain?" Hyeri broke the silence.
Wonwoo took the risk of being arrogant, just this once, because he knew for sure this was the last time his feet would ever be inside this house. "I don't know, you tell me. Surely you're not that dull, are you?"
Wonwoo stood stone still, waiting for the impact of a fist or palm anywhere on his face. Shockingly, it never arrived. His parents still sat the way they had been. "Why do you always drag me into your childish arguments?"
It took a lot to finally voice his question of several years. Somi had never been able to explain it to small Wonwoo, but he hoped he could get an answer.
Saddeningly, it was the first time he'd ever left his parents speechless, and he wasn't proud of it. He wanted answers, he was tired of being left hanging every time.
Wonwoo scoffed, padding away to his room. After a hasty thirty minutes, he emerged from his now bare room, two suitcases being dragged behind him, and a large backpack strapped to his back. The wheels of the suitcases rumbled and thudded down the stairs as Wonwoo walked with a heavy heart. He found it hard to believe he was doing this, and he was terrified of how things might end, although he'd seen this coming soon. He'd just needed a correct moment to take action.
"Where are you going?" Jisoo grunted, out of Wonwoo's sight. Wonwoo saw him shuffling around in the kitchen.
"I'm leaving," he mumbled.
"Leaving where?" Hyeri's hand snaked behind his head, pulling painfully at Wonwoo's grown-out locks.
"I'll be staying at the dorms. I'm never stepping another foot in this house,"
"Bold words for someone like you, Wonwoo. I'm surprised," jabbed his mum.
Wonwoo didn't reply, standing still until his mum left his hair alone. She did, moments later, and he continued on his way to the door once again. "Just know, if you actually step your toe outside the house, you're never welcome inside,"
"Watch me. I'm glad I'd never be welcomed,"
It hurt to speak those words out loud, and maybe Wonwoo wouldn't have dared to say those any other time. But somewhere deep down, he knew he was doing the right thing. And if that intuition was proved to be wrong sometime later, he hoped doing this wasn't the worst decision of his life.
And just like that, Wonwoo was on a bus to Pledis campus, contacting their dormitory to make enquiries about any rooms available. He got the confirmation immediately, making him sigh half in relief, and half in worry. He wondered if he had a roommate or not. He would prefer not having one, but he reminded himself – beggars didn't get to choose. Roommate or not, Wonwoo had to spend the next two-and-a-half years at the dorm.
Wonwoo got his curiosity answered soon enough, as he rolled his baggage to the receptionist's desk at the dorms; he didn't have to room with anyone. The day was beginning to look like the best day of Wonwoo's miserable life of nineteen years. He took his keys and was soon in his room, unpacking his stuff. He didn't have much, thankfully, and was done setting up in a matter of just two hours.
The peace and quiet in the nearly empty place felt surreal, alien. Silence had always been scarce back in his- no, his parents' house. It felt comforting and assuring, in a way, when Wonwoo realised he could go about his day in peace. Not that he would prefer staying in the room much, anyway. He would rather spend his time in the library – which was just as underpopulated as his room.
Staring at the ceiling from his bed, it dawned upon Wonwoo that he had to work, part-time at least, to manage his expenses. It shouldn't be pressuring, he thought, since he barely had any needs. Food might be a problem; Wonwoo had no clue of cooking, and basically things around a kitchen. But if it meant he got to protect his peace, he would do anything, even invest some time to learn about a few basic necessities needed to live alone.
--
"Hi,"
Mingyu greeted, sliding into the chair next to Wonwoo. They were in the library for Calculus – another thing Wonwoo wouldn't have to worry about anymore. His parents wouldn't know about him 'stooping low', taking help from someone like Kim Mingyu.
"I'm at the dorms now," Wonwoo found himself sharing out of nowhere. He immediately slapped a mouth over his mouth, swallowing any other words that might spill without any warning.
"Why'd you do that, then?"
"I didn't think you'd need to know..?"
"Well, I do now," Mingyu grinned.
"Well, I don't tell stuff to anyone, so I thought maybe you didn't want to know,"
"It's alright, I don't mind,"
Some time passed by in complete silence, with both of them doing their own things, buried in their books, until Mingyu popped a question. "Why though?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you in the dorms?"
Wonwoo didn't know if he should say anything. He remained silent, unmoving in his seat, except for his hands pretending to nonchalantly flip through pages of a thick book.
Mingyu cleared his throat. "It's fine if you don't wanna say..."
"I don't,"
"And that's okay,"
Wonwoo wondered how he'd ever believed Mingyu had actually snooped through his diary at some point. He'd seen for real the type of person Mingyu was – not one to even remotely take a peek into someone else's life. The interaction he just had with him melted off whatever remnants of Wonwoo's initial notion about him.
Situations like these found Wonwoo noticing his heart being warmed just a bit. He had come to realise, once more, that having someone around who was considerate, felt nice. Wonwoo didn't feel the need to say anything, knowing Mingyu wouldn't mind if he didn't.
---
Writer's block had been writer's block-ing very well for the past few days.
Plus, I'm sleep deprived.
