Chapter 2

After I left the dance studio, I took some time to revisit some of the classrooms and favorite hangout spots that my friends and I used to frequent. Many of them were popular food joints or empty classrooms that were still warm from the last crowd of students that filled its desks. But my favorite spot would be by the lake.

It was hot, as the sun was bearing down hard on that particular day. As I walked around the lake, I could only stare at the fish circling the parts of the water that were sheltered from the midday sun. Finishing my walk, I headed back to my room at the hostel.

I stared at the dark grey ceiling of my bedroom and spent a good amount of time just doing that. The same rock music was playing on my iPod; however the genre was a softer, mellower rock than I’m used to. It was something new from a band from Korea. My foot moves to the beat unconsciously as I continue to stare at the ceiling.

My room wasn’t anything special. It was smaller than what I was used to, but provided all the necessities a student would need while studying. It was equipped with a long desk, which was connected to the bed. It had a short bookshelf above it, one window and one adequately sized cupboard with 2 drawers. The room was colored a minimalist dark grey and white. Obviously the builders were focusing more on simplicity and comfort rather than the overall ambience. One of my friends creatively described the living quarters like a prison. I couldn’t agree more.

My stomach started rumbling and I sit up in my bed. It must have been time for dinner and I had obviously lost track of time. I wasn’t used to the sun setting a little later than it does back in my hometown. Here, it gets dark a full 2 hours than I was used to. Could this count as a sort of jetlag?

I look out the window. It was still light out. Although it looked like it was starting to get dark. I estimated it to be about 6.45 or 7 o’clock. I let out a sigh and grab my phone and my bag. After checking my reflection in the window (I don’t have a mirror in my room) and generally made myself presentable, I swung my bag over my shoulder and headed downstairs.

My apartment was empty. I was the only one back early from my holidays. It was lonely, but honestly I preferred it this way. The bathroom is always dry when I enter, no weird smells seeping out of opened doors, no loud music echoing through the halls and my toilet paper is never stolen. This peace unfortunately, would only last for a week before the residents returned and everything returned to ‘normal’.

As I walk towards the security check-in area of the hostel, I look down at the restaurants. Hoagies, Wong Kok, Zhia’s Kitchen and Baskin Robbins. There are others, but I make my decision based on what restaurants I can see. In the end, I decide to buy a couple of sausage buns from the newly opened 7-11. Cheap and filling.

It wasn’t until I was about to walk through the doors of the 7-11 that my pocket vibrates. I take out my phone; it was a message from Bernice.

Where’re you? Dinner?

I stop in my tracks right outside the doors and typed in my reply. I was so engrossed in writing my message that I didn’t notice the glass doors swing open. By the time I pressed ‘Send’, it was already too late to move out of the way.

SMACK!

I was dazed for a moment, the shock of getting the wind knocked out of you could do that, but managed to gather my senses and covered my throbbing forehead.

“Ow~~” I whined.

“Holy-”

“I’m sorry! Are you alright? I didn’t see you!”

My ears perked up. I recognized that voice. I overcame the pain for a moment and open my eyes to look at my assaulter. My eyes widen shock as I see his face. By the looks of it, he recognized me too.

“Oh!” he exclaimed. “You…”

I glared at him and pointed a finger at him, but was unable to say anything in response. I just sat there on the floor with my mouth hanging open, hand on forehead with a dumbfounded look on my face.

“What the hell, Chansung…” came another familiar voice. “You seriously should start looking where you’re going…” It was Taecyeon, Bernice’s classmate, and behind him were Wooyoung and Junho.

“You’re starting to become a walking hazard, dude…” commented Junho as he patted Chansung’s back.

“Are you okay?” Taecyeon turned his attention to me.

I nodded as I straightened myself up. Well, this was embarrassing. Being hit in the face twice on the same day, by the same person and in front of the same people no less. I could hear a couple snickers from a few passersby. I swore inwardly as I felt my face becoming flushed.

“Yeah…” I answered and removed my hand from my forehead.

Wooyoung considered me from behind Chansung and Taecyeon. “Why does she seem familiar?” he thought aloud, but it seemed like a question to the others.

“She’s the girl we met in class today. Bernice’s friend right?”Junho asked.

I brush off the dirt from my pants and rub my once again throbbing head. I didn’t answer him, but I nodded in affirmation. I seriously didn’t feel like talking to these people.

“I’m so sorry…” the one named Chansung apologized. “I’m so, so sorry…”

He was now sporting a pair of black track pants, a white t-shirt with a grey robot printed on the front and a pair of grey slippers. His friends were sporting a look somewhere along the same lines; long pants, t-shirt and slippers.

“Chibi!” It was Bernice.

She gave me a small wave. I waved back and so did the other four. When Bernice finally reached us, she looked at us with a quizzical look.

“What’re you guys doing here?” she asked.

“He hit her with the door…” Taecyeon said in an as-a-matter-of-factly manner.

Bernice raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked at me. “Again?!”

“Hey! It was this once!” Chansung tried to defend himself. “I’ve never hit her with a door before!”

“You hit her in the studio too you big lug!” Bernice scolded and smacked Chansung’s arm. He winced and stared at her wide eyed, as if he had never been hit by a girl before. The others burst out laughing.

“Shit, dude…” Taecyeon swore as he retreated to the back of the group, acting scared. I raised an eyebrow. He looked like an elephant cowering from a mouse. I looked at Bernice and smirked. A very powerful mouse.

“Ow…” he whined and pouted while rubbing his arm.

“Have you apologized?” Bernice asked and narrowed her eyes threateningly.

Chansung nodded vigorously and shied away, afraid to be hit again. “Numerous times…” Junho added, trying to help Chansung out of the situation. Bernice looked away, satisfied.

“You okay?”

“Sore…” I answered and removed my hand from my forehead. “But alright…”

“It’s red…” Bernice said as she stared at my forehead.

I turned to glare at Chansung, who smiles apologetically. “Sorry…” he apologized again.

“So where are you girls headed to?” Taecyeon asked, trying to avert the conversation from the fact that Chansung had hit me twice already.

“Dinner…” Bernice answered brightly, as if forgetting her anger.

I nodded and looked at her. “I’m broke…”

She looked at me for a moment. “Me too…”

Ah, isn’t it wonderful to be young and penniless again…

Suddenly, Chansung steps forward and suggests, “Why don’t you guys join us for dinner?” he asked. “It’s the least we can do…” he looked at me again and smiled.

“Yeah!” Wooyoung chimed in. “We need to buy more cup noodles though… But the both of you are welcomed to join us…” he smiled toothily.

Bernice and I exchanged glances for a moment, as if communicating by telepathic means.

She gave me a look, ‘Wanna go?’

I gave her a look, ‘Not really…’ I scrunch my nose for emphasis.

‘We should go… Could be fun…’ conveyed her expression.

I blinked and stopped sending messages to think. I let out a sigh and looked away in defeat.

Bernice turned to the guys and nodded. “Sounds awesome!”

***

We purchased 10 packets of instant cup noodles, not including the 10 packets of cup noodles that the boys had purchased earlier. Bernice and I were skeptical about being able to finish the noodles but the boys assured us that the 6 of us weren’t the only ones eating. I took it to mean that the other 2 men that showed up late at the studio today were going to join us as well.

The boys lived in Block B3 together with Bernice. It was the co-ed block together with the other Blocks B4, A1 and A2. I was the only one living in Block B1. We separated to head back to our own apartments to boil some water, since there were no plugs in the roof and we needed a lot of water for all those noodles.

I fear the water would get cold before we could soak the noodles.

“So, it’s decided…” Wooyoung declared. “We’ll meet back here in 15 minutes with the water and head back upstairs. Since Taec and Chansung live at the top floor they’ll be waiting for us there…”

I nodded, but my head was still calculating the possibilities of our noodles being thoroughly cooked.

20 minutes later, all of us are gathered in the foyer. With our jugs of hot water in one hand and forks, spoons and chopsticks in the other. I was finally introduced to Nickhun and Junsu, both of who had headed back downstairs to 7-11 to get 3 bottles of drinks and paper cups. Wooyoung was holding a plastic bag which looked like it was filled with sausages.

“How the hell are you going to cook those?” Junsu asked pointing at his sausages. *Lol that sounds wrong…*

“The same way I’m gonna cook my noodles…” he said and raised his jug of hot water.

We quickly took the elevator to the 6th floor, which was the topmost floor in the hostel. Yes, I know… It’s not that high. Sometimes I wonder how they could fit all those students into what few buildings they do have.

The elevator came to a stop and dinged to indicate that we had arrived at our floor. The roof was cold and warm at the same time. The cool night air mixed with the heat escaping from the enormous blue plastic containers, which held the emergency water that was used to fuel the sprinklers. It was somewhat clean and yet it seemed dangerous enough to make you paranoid about tetanus.

The guys walked past us, past the PVC pipes towards an elevated part of the roof, which below it was where the shafts that allowed the elevators to move up and down were. They moved like they had been doing this for a while as they navigated the roof with ease. Bernice looked at each other, shrugged and followed suit.

The roof was surprisingly well lit. We could clearly see where we were going despite the absence of an overhead light. The bright lights coming from the streetlamps made sure of that. We didn’t even have to use the lights from out handphones. The elevated space was wide and spacious enough for all 8 of us to find a spot and get comfortable. Unlike the rest of the roof, it looked absolutely spotless as if someone had taken a broom and swept it clean.

It wasn’t until my eyes stopped on Wooyoung holding a broom and a dustpan that I knew why. Although it was spotless, it had definite evidence of being frequented by the boys. I watched as Junho helped pick up a crushed soda can, that probably had been left behind from their last visit, into an empty plastic bag.

“Is this where you guys usually disappear to?” Bernice asked genuinely curious as she looked around.

Taecyeon nodded. “Not usually though…” he added. “But we do come up here often for dinner or just to hang out and talk…”

“It’s too hot in the afternoons though…” Junsu added.

Junho snapped his head back at Junsu. “Well, duh!” he exclaimed, earning laughs and snickers from everybody else.

“Can you get wifi here?” it was my turn to ask as I pull out my iPhone. I felt like this moment had to be Tweeted about.

“Yup…” Wooyoung answered as he brushed the broom centimeters from my feet. “It’s not that strong though…”

Nickhun and Junsu had put down the drinks in a small cooler they had taken from Taecyeon’s apartment. They filled it up with some ice as well. Junsu and Chansung were busy opening the cups of instant noodles. All of them.

I scrunched my nose up and them and frowned. “Why are you opening all of them?” I asked. “Are you sure you can finish all of it?”

Junsu looked up at me while crouched down beside Chansung. “Don’t worry… If you can’t finish it… This guy here and that guy there will surely be able to help…” he said indicating Chansung and Taecyeon.

“Definitely...” Nickhun chimed in before snickering.

At which point Wooyoung spoke up, “If it were possible,” he pointed at Chansung. “This guy would not only eat the cup but also the plastic fork…”

I laughed. So did everyone else. Chansung just smiled and silently shook his head. What I learned from the short distance between the roof and the foyer was that Chansung was the youngest out of the 6 men. He couldn’t say anything even if he wanted to. I definitely know that that felt.

Bernice and I helped pour the hot water into the cups and close the lids, while the other two continued opening the other cups of noodles. Wooyoung and Junho had disappeared downstairs to fetch a mat so that everyone would be able to sit comfortably.

It was starting to feel like a little party.

***

“You know what? We should just smuggle a barbeque set up here and grill some meat…” I said. I let out a sigh at the thought of juicy, freshly barbecued beef. I take another forkful of noodles into my mouth. It was already my second cup.

Taecyeon grinned. “How would we get it past the guard?”

“We could wrap it with a black plastic bag and claim it to be our project…” Junho suggested.

“We could pose as architecture students building the Eiffel Tower!” Wooyoung added and the two high-fived each other.

“And what if they opened it? And saw that it was a barbeque set?” Nickhun asked. He seemed to be the most rational one out of the 6. “What would you then?”

“Wun…” Chansung mumbled over his mouthful of noodles. Everyone looked at him. No one had understood what he just said. He quickly chewed and swallowed. “I said ‘Run…’”

Junsu narrowed his eyes. “Dude… How many have you eaten?!” he asked as he notices the 5 empty cups of instant noodles beside Chansung.

Chansung looks at the cups blankly and turned to Junsu. “A lot…” he said and continued eating.

Junsu and Junho were done eating. Each had finished 2 cup noodles each and were waiting for everyone else to finish with their ‘meals’. I took a bite out of Wooyoung’s ‘boiled’ sausages. They were a little bit undercooked but whatever. At least they’re somewhat edible.

“Hey, girls…” Junsu suddenly called.

Bern and I looked up from our noodles with raised eyebrows, mouths stuffed with noodles.

“Hhgt?” I mumbled. (What?)

“Want to see a magic trick?” he asked getting up from the mat.

Taecyeon, Wooyoung and Chansung put down their noodles and looked at Junsu with annoyed looks. Even Nickhun shook his head.

“Dude, don’t…” started Taecyeon.

“We’ve seen all your tricks dude!” Wooyoung chimed in.

“So, what?! They’re good tricks!” Junsu tried to defend himself.

All the guys soon went into a heated discussion about Junsu’s so-called ‘tricks’. Many of the comments were negative though. I turned to Chansung and asked him what all of it was about.

“His tricks suck…” he mouthed and quietly continued eating.

Bernice and I snicker as we watched the guys basically try to bully Junsu into submission.

“Ok! Ok!” Junsu exclaimed and raised his hands in defeat. “I get it I heard you!”

Everyone went silent.

“But I have another trick…” Junsu said. The guys rolled their eyes and groaned in exasperation. “I guarantee! It will be awesome…” he added and looked at us for approval.

“Say no!” Taecyeon pleaded. “Please, please say no!”

“Shhh!” Junsu shushed him and turned his attention back to us.

Bern and I exchanged telepathic glances again. I shrugged, she shrugged and we both turn to Junsu.

“Give us your best shot…” Bernice said.

***

Bernice and I were seated side by side, cross legged with our eyes closed. Junsu was seated in front of us, while the others took up the space behind him so as to see the trick better. Junsu let out a long breath and closed his eyes as he concentrated.

My heart suddenly started beating faster. I felt scared. What the fuck was he doing?

I felt Bernice shift beside me. I guessed she too was feeling a little nervous as the fun air from before began to drain away. The atmosphere soon became heavy and my ears began to pick up faint mumbling noises from Junsu.

Was he chanting?

But before I could voice anything out, I felt a light touch on my forehead.

“Okay… Don’t open your eyes right away…” Junsu said. “Do it slowly since you guys might be surprised with what you see…”

I chuckled to calm myself. This is a stupid trick…

“Okay… Whenever you’re ready you can open your eyes…”

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the cement floor and an ant crawling away from my foot. I heard a gasp next to me and someone gripping my arm tightly. I looked at Bernice with wide eyes.

I didn’t ask what was wrong, because I could see it written all over her face. She had the most dumbstruck look of anyone I’ve ever seen. Did Junsu’s magic trick work?

I turned towards the guys and my jaw dropped. Sitting in front of us, where Junsu once was moments ago, was a raccoon. Although it didn’t look like a raccoon per se… It looked more like a tanuki; a Japanese raccoon dog.

Behind it were 5 other animals. The first two I noticed were the American black bear and the American Grizzly. Beside the Grizzly sat a Jaguar and beside it and otter and a wolf.

“What do you see?” came a voice. It sounded like Junsu.

Bern and I looked around to find the voice, but there was no one else around. This had to be some kind of elaborate joke.

“I’m here…” Bern and I looked the tanuki wide-eyed and horrified. Did the tanuki just speak?! “I take it you see us?”

What the fuck is going on?!