…❝ league two.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 the sleeping cat on junhui's lap immediately jolts awake at the sudden sound of mingyu's exclamation. junhui himself stares confusedly at the tall man, speechless by the happenings over the past few seconds. "what -" only one word manages to leave jun's lips before his roommate is making a run for it after saying a couple of apologies. shoot, he didn't expect this to happen. "wait, gyu!" junhui calls out, hastily moving yunyun off his lap (sorry, yunyun) and getting up to attempt to catch up to mingyu, but by the time he reaches the front door the man is already too far. jun huffs in frustration. "i thought everything was going well..." he mumbles to himself, turning around to go back into the house. oh, well. they still have two years ahead of them - he can ask mingyu about it next time.

@✷ › w. junhui。 Satisfaction is fleeting and the moment Mingyu realized his mistake, he blinked dumbfoundedly at Junhui. "Oh." That was all that left his lips, nothing dared to follow for what felt like a century. "OH." He repeats before quickly standing up, head turning towards directions that do not situate his roommate. He's /ed/ isn't he? There would be no returning to this, Mingyu has to live through this until he's eaten alive by devastation. "Well, I—" His breath hitches the moment he catches Jun's eyes again, the evident confusion making his gaze intimidating. "I-I, I'm. I." Then he does what he should've done right from the start: get out, save his skin. "Sorry can I, uhh...Bye, sorry."

Without any other thoughts aside from utter fear that his roommate will catch on to his secret, Mingyu speeds outside of their league house – no looking back, afraid that the sight of /him/ would hold him back to stand his ground, only to embarrass himself further and be interrogated unprepared. The writer doubts he would even be prepared for it any time soon.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 ah, so maybe mingyu /has/ seen him before! junhui stares at mingyu, watching as recognition(?) finally flashes across his features. is this why mingyu's been awkward around him all this time - because he's seen junhui's face before but couldn't quite put his finger where? that would make sense, kind of - it would be weird to just go up to someone and tell them you've seen them before, after all... but at the same time it /doesn't/ make sense, because junhui's perfectly aware of the picture that went viral in -

japan...? junhui blinks and pauses his petting, confusion written across his face. "as far as i know, that was in china," he starts, "unless there was another photo of me going around in japan?"

@✷ › w. junhui。 Junhui’s comment about his travels sent him to yet another, disconcerted state. It sent his eyes to dart back and forth from all the furniture inside their once again, suffocating room. It lingered a few seconds more on his roommate’s hand though, when Jun was scratching his cat’s chin, then Mingyu settled with having a staring contest with the floor – hoping that any time it would open up and pull him in. The contest was cut short, however, as the writer almost strained his neck muscles looking back up to the other. “Seen you before?” He meant to repeat that inside his head, but the universe had other plans for him, he supposes. Mingyu’s mind had already come up with an apology and explanation, even a repeated motion image of him getting on his knees and bowing to be excused for his errors. Then the second part of Jun’s statement resonated in his mind – shining a glimmer of hope for salvation.

He can still escape from this, so with all the confidence he has, he exclaimed, “AH! Y-yeah, I think I remember that.” He laughed nervously, attempting to shake away his agitation. “Wasn’t that in…” Mingyu tried to recall the many cities he had seen Jun when he was traveling. To be quite frank, it was hard to recall what his roommate was doing in each of those cities but he does remember it, kind of, the moment he had seen /that/ photo on social media. “...Japan?” His nervousness was slowly being replaced by satisfaction if that was the word for it.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 "here and there, huh? that just means you've been to so many places you can't list them down," junhui muses, scratching the spot under yunyun's chin and briefly looking at her to enjoy the purring that gets louder when he does so. he noticed the crack that mingyu's voice made when he returned the question, of course, but jun chooses this moment to have mercy on the poor man and pretend he didn't. "about that..." junhui takes a hand off his cat so he can lean back on an arm, humming in thought as he looks up at the ceiling. "i've been to a couple of countries, i guess... ah!" he turns his head to look at mingyu. "maybe you've seen me before - there was this photo of me that went viral, you see."

@✷ › w. junhui。 The question about his travels made Mingyu freeze. He tried to recall whether he had mentioned something about traveling while he was rambling earlier and the moment the writer realized he did, his eyes darted back to the open door once again. “W-well…” He pondered whether to dodge the question or not, but considering that he was the one who brought it up, it would be weirder if he was the one who change the topic – but then again, Mingyu feels that everything he would be mentioning to his roommate from their first /actual/ meeting till whenever. “I-I’ve been here and there, I guess. Do you uhm…” Mingyu wanted to make it sound like a topic they could actually talk about – like he knows nothing. “...travel as well?” There was a noticeable crack to his voice at the end of his question, feeling the nerves hit him.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 junhui listens to mingyu attentively while he talks about his interests and his hobbies, hands moving to run his fingers through yunyun's fur and nodding every now and then. truth be told, he wasn't really paying much attention to the introductions of the students during the gala, so hearing about what mingyu does came as a slight surprise to him; in jun's perspective, he doesn't look like the type of person who does what he does - in his perspective, anyway, but now that he thinks about it, writing strangely /does/ fit mingyu. junhui tilts his head slightly to the side, watching mingyu as he goes off on his panicked rambling again and letting out a soft laugh. "that's nice," he says, looking at the other male amusedly, "and i'll keep that in mind. so - you travel? what places have you been to?"

@✷ › w. junhui。 He listens carefully to Jun’s concise answer. There was a small amount of envy forming inside Mingyu’s core – but that is a naturally occurring thing considering a good amount of people can speak their thoughts better than him. ‘You really can’t have it all, huh?’ A statement that resonated in his mind as he finished the snack his roommate had given him. The writer was flustered, for the most part, did not even realize that he had been eating the chips non-stop. He lowers his head then flattens the wrapper, holding it in his right hand. “Uhh…” He decided to answer the other party’s question first, feeling that his hobbies and interests are pretty lackluster compared to Junhui’s. “I write. I guess that’s not even a hobby – it’s a uhm, it’s a job. Photography is nice too… When I can’t write right away, at least I can preserve what I want to write about, you know? I also—” He cuts himself short, feeling as if he had said too many things already. “Sorry!” Mingyu suddenly exclaims. “I-I did not mean to ramble but…yeah. Traveling too. I used to do volunteer teaching too.” A nervous and shaky laugh escapes his lips. “Yeah! Yeah. B-but don’t think you need to leave the room when I’m writing! No…don’t. I mean, YOU CAN – you can but, it’s okay i-if you stay…”

@✷ › k. mingyu。 junhui only blinks in confusion when mingyu asks his question, a couple of seconds passing while he tries to consider his answer - but it seems like that brief moment is enough for mingyu to start getting nervous again. oh man, that was fast. jun flashes him a small smile of appreciation when he hears mingyu use his nickname before humming, thinking about what to answer. "mm... i don't think there's any need for you to leave the room. i play the piano, yeah, but i have the complimentary class for that, and cooking is self-explanatory." junhui explains and nods. "yep, that's about all of it. how about you, gyu?"

@✷ › w. junhui。 Mingyu watches as Junhui picks up Yunyun, the cat quietly sitting on his lap. She blinks slowly then yawns, fangs exposed. Perhaps it’s the familiar comfort of the other male that rendered the cat dozy. The writer’s attention shifted to the cat’s owner as soon as he started speaking again, this time it was a lot clearer to his senses: the ringing had completely cleared. The switch for his fight-or-flight response had also stopped blinking, feeling settled and somewhat comfortable with how things are going. Though the looming sensation of apprehensiveness was still present – after all, Mingyu’s roommate still has no clue of what had transpired before the present moment.

“Well…” He ponders, now unconsciously munching on the snack that was handed to him. “...hmm. What do you usually do?” It was a vague question, and the few seconds of silence had sent Mingyu towards the spiral’s edge once again. “I mean! I mean…like – hobbies? D-do you play any instruments – that kinda thing, y’know? Maybe you’d like, need space to do some of your interests…I-I can exit the room if needed, I guess. So, I want to know, Jun.” The way /his/ name rolls off of Mingyu's tongue was quite—well, it surely is not natural, but Mingyu was quite surprised how it feels /correct/. That somehow, it encases his roommate into this now tangible form for him.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 "souffles, huh..." junhui hums in thought, nodding to himself as he makes a mental note to search up a recipe later. he also gives mingyu's hand a subtle glance as it opens the bag of chips, reaches into it to get a piece and brings it up to the male's mouth. huh, they really weren't wrong when they said the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. maybe he should give mingyu more snacks. "me? let me think..." jun takes his eyes off mingyu's hand as he shifts his attention to yunyun, bending down to pick her up and placing her in his lap. "i like a lot of things, but i think spicy and greasy food is right at the top of the list," he says with a smile, giving the cat's nose a light boop before looking at his roommate once more. "your turn to ask a question."

@✷ › w. junhui。 The moment Junhui had jokingly combined his nickname and Mingyu’s nickname, the loose grip the latter had on the bag of chips has been completely reduced to nothing. Once the bag of chips fell, Mingyu watched as their feline company skipped towards it, causing his finger to graze on her wet nose as he reached down to pick it up. The next couple of things Jun had said were unclear as the ringing in his ears still hasn’t entirely faded, though he was able to pick up something about favorite food and cooking. The writer blinks at his roommate, trying to rack his brain for an answer, “Uh…” He starts off, “...well, I’ve eaten lots of food but I guess, uhm. Maybe – maybe soufflés. T-they’re soft and nice, yep.” Feeling the nervousness creeping up again in his throat, he shakily opened the junk food bag and immediately fished one piece of chip out, an attempt to swallow it down. “How about you? Y-you seem to like food a lot too…”

@✷ › k. mingyu。 mingyu's obviously still very nervous around him, but junhui thinks he managed to do well enough for him to keep talking. the tiny jun in the back of his mind pumps his fist in victory and gives himself a pat on the back. "gyu it is, then - together, we're gyujun! or jungyu? hm..." junhui trails off in thought for a couple of seconds before shaking his head. "nevermind. anyway, i really just wanted to talk. it's been a couple of days but i think this is the first time we're having an actual conversation," he continues, pouting a little - though that doesn't last too long, expression brightening immediately after, "so! let's get to know each other. what's your favorite food? i'll try to learn the recipe and cook it for you!"

@✷ › w. junhui。 Mingyu felt a pair of eyes on him: those belonging to Junhui’s cat, Yunyun. Surely Yunyun was not sensing his nervousness? Or if she did, will she be able to relay it to her owner – expose him first before he had the chance to explain himself? It was absurd, but it was a possibility, after all, it could go down to a game of elimination. ‘Yunyun, does this man know us?’ A meow to confirm. ‘Do I know him from somewhere, sweetheart?’ Maybe a on the paw or a flick of a tail to disconfirm. ‘Has he been coincidentally showing up to every city I have—cut short by the cat’s sudden turn of the head, looking up to her owner, who was now handing a bag of chips to Mingyu. The writer takes it quietly, his grip on it quite loose.

He listened to what the other male had been saying and when it was concluded, he cleared his throat. “J-jun…Okay. I’ll call you that.” Blood immediately rushed to his head, painting his ears red but he tried not to mind it though it felt like it was burning. Mingyu prays to the heavens above that it wouldn't be too obvious, and wouldn't embarrass him further. “Is there uh, anything you wanted to ask me? O-or did you just really want to well…” He gulps. “...talk. Oh! No, uhm, I meant oh…since you gave me your nickname I-I guess you can call me Gyu.” Mingyu lets out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, Gyu. That’s me.”

@✷ › k. mingyu。 "you want something salted? let me check," and junhui's back to rustling through the numerous snacks in the bag, the room filled with the noise of crumpling plastic for next few seconds before successfully pulling out a bag of chips with the words 'lightly salted' written somewhere in the packaging. "got one!" he grins triumphantly before holding it out to mingyu. junhui can feel yunyun's eyes on him as well, probably expecting him to give her a snack too - but not now, sorry yunyun, he's busy trying to make mingyu his friend. "you can just call me jun, by the way. and don't worry about that, i'm actually glad you're finally talking to me - i was considering not letting you out of here until you did, you know?"

@✷ › w. junhui。 Mingyu watched Junhui move from where he was blocking the doorway to his bed. There is the urge to gallop out, run and hide somewhere on the campus but Mingyu fights the urge. After all, that really would not be a convincing manifestation of the statement he had just made a couple of seconds ago. Though the writer really had no clue how he was supposed to answer the first question thrown at him so he quickly answered the second, “Uhh, salty?” To rub salt to the wound he feels forming inside his cheeks, as he continues to trap a portion of it between his teeth trying to concentrate on what’s unfolding. “T-thanks…Junhui. And sorry. Again.”

@✷ › k. mingyu。 well, one thing junhui's now sure of is that anything he does causes mingyu to react in some way - and that's what still confuses him. still, he lets go of the man when he sits down on his bed, moving to get the paper bag from the floor and placing it down on his own bed before plopping down on it facing mingyu. "okay, so you don't hate me... what is it then, if i may ask?" junhui questions, tilting his head a little, then remembers what the topic was right before mingyu started coughing. "ah, wait, before that - is there any particular kind of snack you want? let me see if i have it..." he reaches for the bag, taking the snacks for his cat out so he doesn't accidentally give them to mingyu.

@✷ › w. junhui。 The moment Junhui’s palm met Mingyu’s back, it triggered a ringing in the latter’s ears. “Wait! Let me just…” With his own voice muffled to his hearing, he tried to hold the coughs forming in his throat then move towards his bed to sit on the edge. The jokes his roommate had made rendered Mingyu lightheaded, but maybe even just /anything/ from /him/ would make him lightheaded. He simply is just not used to hearing Junhui’s voice this clear and—so near. “S-sorry. If I’m being weird…I swear I don’t hate you or…anything.” His voice was fading and his thoughts had formed a whirlpool, him into the point of no return. This was it: judgment day.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 junhui hums in approval when he hears mingyu's answer, but the sudden coughing fit has him leaving his spot by the door and moving to his roommate's side almost immediately, placing the bag of snacks on the floor so he can pat mingyu's back. "just chill, dude, it's not like i'm gonna eat you or anything," junhui says, rubbing circles into the taller man's back while waiting for him to be okay. "i don't bite, i swear! unless you want me to...?" he jokes, trying to make the atmosphere lighter.

@✷ › w. junhui。 He receives muffled laughter and apologies from Junhui which made him immediately dart his eyes to a bare space at the wall. Mingyu was determined to hold that position to not further embarrass himself but when the other male had offered him snacks, he almost strained his neck moving his gaze back to Junhui. The writer inhales deeply then sighs, “O-okay…” He responded. “What did you…what do you—” Another inhale, but this time it threw him into a coughing fit. How much more can Mingyu embarrass himself? At this point, he believes the possibilities could go on forever.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 oh, wow. this might be the first time mingyu's saying more than one word to junhui. an exaggeration, really - but the truth isn't too far from that. it's obvious that the taller man's forcing himself to speak, what with the almost robotic tone and all, and junhui can't help but cover his mouth to muffle his laugh. "sorry, sorry," jun waves his hand in front of him as soon as his laughter dies down, "i'm not laughing at you or anything - i just didn't expect that at all. anyway, um -" he tilts the paper bag in mingyu's direction. "if i give you a snack, can you promise you won't try to escape? i just want to talk."

@✷ › w. junhui。 It was inevitable, Mingyu had concluded – there is no concrete way to avoid Junhui. He has spent the last few days coming up with nearly a dozen plans only to abandon them, especially those which call Mingyu to be rude or mean to the other. Instead, he stuck with nothing and decided to accept his fate once it came to be. Though he was not entirely prepared for it to come /today/, with said person blocking the only acceptable exit. There is still the window, however, but Mingyu would not risk it—well, not yet.

“H-hi,” he managed to croak out. Speaking has never really been the writer’s strongest suit, hence the path he chose to take. But with the predicament right now, even just existing could be something he would fail at doing. “Hi.” Mingyu repeated, trying to sound more firm. “Can. I. Help. You?” Maybe a bit too firm that he’s almost sounding like a robot. At this rate though, that is the most plausible case: a robot that is just simply malfunctioning.

@✷ › k. mingyu。 [ september 4th, 2021 ]

junhui pushes the door open to his shared room with mingyu, carrying a paper bag filled with snacks for both yunyun and himself. well - maybe he also got some for his roommate, though he's not exactly sure if he'll get to see mingyu today because he almost never sees him except for when it's bedtime. it's only been a couple of days but junhui has already tried everything he can think of: saying hi when mingyu walks in only for the taller male to go back out as soon as he hears him, attempting to make conversation if he /does/ somehow manage to stay in the room and being met with short answers that immediately end it, and even trying to make yunyun the icebreaker (the cat did not like it at all). he's almost 100% positive mingyu has an issue with him, and he will stop at nothing to get his roommate to talk. now, if only he can manage to meet him again -

mingyu almost immediately appears in his line of sight as soon as the door opens, and junhui blinks. a few seconds pass in silence before a lightbulb flashes in jun's head and he's moving to close the door behind him, almost dropping the paper bag in his arms as he turns the lock until he hears an audible click. "don't even think about leaving," junhui warns, leaning against the door in case mingyu attempts anything.

he groans loudly when he hears their laughter, reaching out for any available phone to put his number in. guess it's better to know now than later. thank you for the consolation, though.

she snorts, grabbing the phone from his hands to put in her number. trust me, it was funny once you finished. good job though!

miyeon takes yewon phone and types in her number, before handing it back to her. "kudos to you! i'm sure no one outside our league heard you - luckily."

a solid laugh escapes her as she reaches for the other's phone, making a show of clapping for him upon setting the phone on her knee. bravo, though! took one for the team, thank you for your service.

oh, god. makes my way to my previous seat, face still covered by a hand as i hand my phone out for anyone to take. never doing that again, i swear.

it was loud and very clear, babe. wrinkles her nose apologetically at jun, grabbing miyeon's phone to punch her number in before handing it back.

damn boy, my instructor could use your vocal chords. she muses at the embarrassed figure walking out of the room, taking her phone from jennie's hand before handing it to miyeon.