𝘚𝘱𝘶𝘳

Part 1 | Beginnings

Yeonjun yearns for one thing more than the vibrant hues of a well-designed room: his parents' pastries. Raised in a tight-knit family in a quaint small town, Yeonjun's parents operate a beloved local café, cherished by the community for its warmth and delicious treats.

His love for interior design blossomed during his childhood, as he eagerly assisted his parents in revamping both the café and his own bedroom. From those formative experiences, Yeonjun nurtured a dream of crafting the ideal sanctuary for his family and himself one day.

"The interior design of this place is ridiculous," he remarked, dropping his bags with a thud. His eyes swept across the room in disbelief. "It's just a regular public college dorm, Yeonjun," Taehyun said, dumping his bags onto the small couch opposite the boxy television. "What were you expecting?" he deadpanned.

Yeonjun shrugged, a hint of disappointment lingering in his expression as he surveyed the uninspiring space. "I don't know, maybe a little creativity? A touch of personality?" he suggested, running a hand through his hair.

Taehyun sighed. "Well, looks like it's your problem, Mr. Interior Designer,"

Despite the lackluster surroundings, Yeonjun felt a flicker of excitement at the prospect of transforming his dorm room into a haven of creativity and style. With a determined smile, he began unpacking his belongings, his mind already racing with ideas for injecting life into the space.

So he did what he excelled at: he drew. That's right.

Yeonjun swung open the door to his cramped dorm room, plopped down onto the bed, and retrieved a pen and the college notepad from his bag. As he began to sketch, his mind raced ahead, envisioning changes to the dorm's layout.

The room itself was modest, with cinderblock walls painted a bland shade of off-white. A narrow window allowed a sliver of natural light to filter in, illuminating the worn linoleum floor. A mismatched desk and chair occupied one corner, while a twin-sized bed dominated the opposite side.

In his imagination, Yeonjun saw the potential for improvement. He envisioned an additional couch in the living area, adding warmth and comfort to the space. His hand moved swiftly across the page, bringing his messy sketches to life.

To Yeonjun, this rapid ideation was simply a sign of his creative brilliance. But Taehyun, ever the pragmatist, would likely dismiss it as overthinking.

(Pragmatist: A pragmatist prioritizes practical results over theoretical ideals. For example, in business, they focus on strategies that deliver profits rather than sticking to traditional methods based solely on theory.)

Taehyun seemed immune to finding the bright side, the humor, or the colorful aspects of life—this is what some might call a hyperbole. Looking back, it was evident that Taehyun just rarely cracked a smile at Yeonjun's jokes.

Yeonjun hadn't realized how much time had slipped away. He had plans for his first day: to take the campus tour, to unpack, and, most importantly, to indulge in that quintessential college experience of ordering pizza.

Knock knock

"Hello—uh—come in?" Yeonjun sputtered, caught off guard as the door swung open to reveal Taehyun.

"We're five minutes late. They're in the courtyard," Taehyun announced briskly. Yeonjun's eyes widened in alarm as he scrambled to the window, which barely budged, typical of council houses. Indeed, there they were—students with name tags trailing behind a gesticulating tour guide, accompanied by a woman with a clipboard and a blazer.

"Shit, sorry. Spur of the moment," Yeonjun blurted out, as to which Taehyun rolled his eyes in exasperation but reluctantly stepped away from the doorframe.