Through the Walls

part iv

Joonmyun returns to campus before Sehun does, since the local elementary school begins its second term only a couple of days after the first day of the new year. Though the campus is a little more sparse than usual, there are others taking classes during the intersession. Joonmyun can see light peeking through the crack beneath Chanyeol's door and remembers that Chanyeol has to return to campus early for off-season training.

It's strangely comforting to know that Joonmyun won't be the only one living on their floor for the next couple of weeks. After the weeks apart spent letting their tension simmer down, it might even be an opportunity to mend any lingering hard feelings. He resolves to visit Chanyeol's apartment after he settles back into his own.

A glance in the mirror after he unlocks the door suddenly reminds Joonmyun that it's his last semester as a student before he's forced to assimilate into the real world. He and Chanyeol have had long conversations late into the night about this, but it's finally starting to sink in.

He's so jetlagged and exhausted from his fourteen hour flight that he leaves his suitcase by the door and heads straight to his bedroom. But when he gets there, he senses a brief burst of motion out of the corner of his eye. Puzzled, Joonmyun flips the light switch on and screams when a cockroach skitters over his foot.

Joonmyun is generally a long distance runner, but he sprints faster than he's ever moved in his life to escape from his apartment.

He's panting and doubled over, his heart pounding from terror more than anything else as he knocks on Chanyeol's door to beg for refuge. His heart is thumping in his ears, but once it settles down he realizes that there's a sound coming from the other side of the door. He hears breathy, feminine gasps and low chuckles, and Joonmyun realizes with a jolt that Chanyeol must be with someone. He's about to turn around and leave when Chanyeol opens the door.

"Hyung?"

Joonmyun's throat goes dry when he sees Chanyeol bare-chested and flushed, his lips slick and shiny. He's wearing boxers when he answers the door, but they're on backwards.

"I'm so sorry," Joonmyun stammers, and he tries to leave, but Chanyeol catches him by the wrist.

"What's the matter?" Chanyeol's eyes were soft and languid before, but they're sharp and probing now.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything," Joonmyun continues, trying to flee the embarrassing situation he's walked right into.

For some reason, Chanyeol is insistent, as though Joonmyun is far more important than whatever is going on inside. "Tell me what's wrong."

"There are cockroaches in my apartment," Joonmyun admits weakly.

Chanyeol's eyes widen in horror, remembering how distressed Joonmyun was when he was touched by a caterpillar at the park. "Are they all over your apartment?" he asks urgently.

Joonmyun shakes his head. "Only in my bedroom, I think."

"Give me five minutes to kick this chick out, and I'll come to your apartment. Can you wait out here for me for five minutes, hyung? I promise I'll be right with you."

"I can wait in my dorm," Joonmyun says. He decides that he would rather risk seeing a cockroach than seeing whoever Chanyeol is hooking up with.

"Alright hyung, let me take care of this and I'll be right over."

Joonmyun checks under the sofa and between the cushions before sitting on it, tucking his knees into his chest to avoid any cockroaches that might be crawling on the floor. A few minutes later, he hears a soft knock on the door. It's Chanyeol, who's wearing a shirt and a proper pair of pants this time. He also has a bright red, painful-looking mark on his cheek, but Joonmyun doesn't mention it.