After (Jikook version)

Chapter 2

"Here we are!" my mother squeals when we drive through a stone gate and into campus.

It looks just as great in person as it did in the brochures and online, and I'm impressed. The buildings are old and elegant.Hundreds of people, parents hugging and kissing their children goodbye,clusters of freshmen dressed head to toe in Washington State University gear, and a few stragglers,lost and confused, fill the area. The size of the campus is intimidating, but hopefully after a few weeks I will feel at home.The orientation is short and I sit alone, my usual forte. A seemingly nice middle aged woman gives my dorm key and sends me on my way. I already feel more freedom than I have in the last eighteen years.

"I would like to see your dorm room before I go honey. I just can't believe you're in college!My only son, a college student,living on his own. I just can't believe it," she whines and wipes her eyes, careful not to mess up her makeup. Seulgi follows behind my mother, carrying my bags as we navigate through the corridors.

''Now, just be sure you remember everything I told you, you don't want to do anything to ruin your future," She checks the time on her watch, a watch that she certainly couldn't afford but purchased anyway.

"It's B22 . . . we are in C hall," I tell them. Luckily, I see a large B painted on the wall. "Down here," I instruct and they follow.

"B22," my mother huffs. Her heels are outrageously high for the amount of walking we have just endure. At the end of a long hallway, I slide the key into the old wooden door, it creaks open and my mother lets out a loud gasp. The room is small, with two tiny single beds and two desks. After a moment, my eyes travel to the reason behind my mother's surprise: one side of the room is covered in music posters of bands that I've never heard of, the faces on them covered in piercings and tattoos. And then there's the boy lying across one bed, and his bright red hair, eyes lined with what looks like inches of black liner, and his arms covered in tattoos.

"Hey," the stranger says, offering a smile. His smile is quite intriguing, much to my surprise. "I'm Hoseok or J-Hope." he says and sits up on his elbows,

"H-hey... I'm Jimin," I choke, all of my manners flying out the door.

"Hey, Jimin, nice to meet you.Welcome to WSU, where the dorms are tiny and the parties are huge." The crimson-haired boy grins. His head falls back into a fit of laughter.My mother's jaw is resting,wide open on the carpet, and Seulgi shifts uncomfortably.I drop my bags on he floor as Hoseok walks over,closing the gap between us, and wraps his thin arms around me. I'm taken back by his affection, but I return his kind gesture.A knock sounds at the door and I can't help but hope that this is all some sort of sick joke.

"Come in!" my new roommate yells.The door opens and two more boys walk inside before Hoseok finishes his greeting.

Maybe Washington State was a bad decision.? I assume by the pained expression covering my mother's face that she's thinking the same. The poor woman looks like she might pass out any moment.I wouldn't blame her.

"Hey, you Hope's roomie?" one of the boys asks. His blond hair is styled straight up and there are sections of brown peeking through. He doesn't have as many tattoos as the other boy, but he has them.

"Um . . . yes. My name is Jimin," I manage to say.

"I'm Taehyung but call me V. Don't look so nervous, it throws people off "he says with a smile, reaching out to touch my shoulder. "You'll love it here."His smile is warm and inviting despite his harsh appearance.

"I'm ready, guys," Hoseok says,grabbing his thick and heavy black bag from the bed. My eyes shift to the tall brown-haired boy leaning against the wall. His hair is a mop of thick waves on his head, pushed back off his forehead, and he has metal in his eyebrow and lip.My eyes travel down his black T-shirt to his arms, which are also covered in tattoos; not an inch of untouched skin is seen. I expect him to intoduce himself but he doesn't, instead he rolls his eyes in annoyance and pulls a cellphone from the pocket of his tight jeans. He definitely isn't as friendly as Hoseok or V.

"See you around, Jimin," Hoseok or J-Hope says and the three of them exit the room. I let out a long breath. To say that was uncomfortable would bean understatement.

"You're getting a new dorm!" my mother yells as soon as the door clicks shut.

"No, I can't." I sigh. "It's fine,Mother." I do my best to hide my nerves. I don't know how well this will work out, but the last thing I want is my overbearing mother causing a scene on my first day of college. "I'm sure he won't be around anyway," I try to convince her, along with myself.

"Absolutely not. We are going to switch now." Her long hair is flipped to one shoulder, "You will not be in a room with someone like that!"she shrieks.

"Mother, please," I look into her blue eyes then to Seulgi," let's just see how it goes. Please," I beg. My mother looks around to the room again, taking in the décor covering Hoseok's side, and huffs dramatically at the dark theme.

"Fine," she spits out, much to my surprise.

Thank you for reading!

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