the you in me. | wonkyun

one.

"Hard work only pays off when it meets the right plan of action," as someone said.

Changkyun read it in a book during his last year of college and those words got stuck in his head since then. Negligence was definitely not a good fit for him and he was sure he was doing everything in the right way.

Finding a job should have been an easy thing for someone with a degree in businness and economics, especially with his records: a straight-A student, steady with his attendances and interventions, the highest gpa's in school. He had everything and yet, he had nothing.

He thought that moving to another country would help him finding independence and motivation, but South Korea revealed itself to be just as competitive as the United States, if not worse.

His parents, his teachers, even his ex classmates... they all had high expectations and to be fucking honest, he didn't know who he was trying so hard for anymore. Being the best at something that was considered to be so difficult for the majority of people should made him feel proud of himself, right? Even just a little.

Being the best at something you don't like, just because you happen to be smart enough to go away with it and make your parents content without much effort... was it going to be his only path?

They say you can change your destiny if you're brave enough to fight for it, but that a very low percentage of people end up by actually doing it. Because confining ourselves is way easier than dealing with the disappointment in the eyes of the ones we cherish the most.

Changkyun felt like he was drowning.

***

«I'll tell you this for the bazillionth and last time: big cups go on the left side of the shelf while small cups go on the right,» Kihyun scolded him, and Changkyun could already tell by the tone of his voice that he was trying to be as nice as possible.

«What's the difference if I just put them in randomly?» Changkyun asked with indifference, slightly turning his head to the older while tip-toeing on the stool that was supposed to help him reach one of the top shelves in the kitchen.

Yoo Kihyun, this his full name, huffed and rolled his eyes in a dramatical manner. Changkyun raised a brow at the sight.

«That it doesn't look good nor aesthetically pleasing to my eyes? Now, if you please could proceed...» Kihyun nodded towards the shelf, pointing at it with his chin. He had his arms firmly crossed at his chest and he looked quite funny, because even when he was trying so hard to give out such a strong image of himself, he was still the tiny and delicate looking guy Changkyun owned his life to.

Changkyun put the last cup in the so-called-right place and hopped down the stool. «You do know that a house doesn't necessarily have to look like a contemporary art museum, don't you?» he said.

«My house, my rules baby boy,» Kihyun chanted carelessly, not really looking at him. He was too busy tilting his head from one side to the other to check on the overall result of Changkyun's hardwork. «Uhm, that will do for now.» He murmured.

Changkyun sighed and shrugged off the awkward nickname just like that. He walked to the table in the middle of the main room and sat on the chair that he was sure would be the farthest from his flatmate.

«You bought a whole new kitchen and made me arrange all the stuff on my own. Is this a rule too?» He asked, and despite the smile he was doing absolutely nothing to cover up the sarcastic tone in his voice.

«Oh,» Kihyun sat right in front of him. He placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin on the palms of his hands. «I like to see it as a way for you to pay back the costs of your ass sleeping in my guestroom since you lost another motherfucking job.» He spelled the last couple of words and used both of his hands to knock Changkyun's head softly, following his own rythm.