𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓹𝓲𝓽𝔂 - (Seongjoong)

Part 3 - Bunk Mates

        Seonghwa walked down the long hallway towards his room with San. Thank goodness they were bunking together. Each room had four inhabitants, and they had yet to meet their roommates. Seonghwa opened the door to be met with a plain room with no windows and four cots. Their other two roommates were sitting in dead silence.

"Woo?" San called, Wooyoung's head snapped towards them and he smiled in happiness when he saw San and Seonghwa in the doorway.

"Sannie! Seonghwa! Thank god we're together. I don't think I could have lasted if I was alone." San chuckled at Wooyoung's excitement.

"My name is Park Seonghwa." Seonghwa said, walking over to the other man in the room. He was taller than Seonghwa, and well built. His features were sharp, not the most handsome man on earth, but definitely above average.

"Mingi. Song Mingi." The man said, shaking Seonghwa's hand.

"I'm San. You've already met Wooyoung I see." San said cheerily. Mingi nodded.

"I wonder where Yeosang ended up?" Wooyoung asked, breaking the silence.

"That doctor kid right? I think they're our neighbors." Mingi said.

"To 'next door' then!" Chirped San. He grabbed Wooyoung's hand and they skipped out.

"They are too happy for soldiers. Don't you think?" Mingi asked Seonghwa, referring to the Woosan couple that had just literally skipped out the door.

"Maybe. But at least it's not all morbid faces." Seonghwa replied. Mingi let out a huff of laughter.

"Want to check it out?" Seonghwa offered.

"Sure, why not." Mingi walked out of their room to follow San and Wooyoung who hadn't gone far. Seonghwa followed, but as he did he caught a glimpse of red. But before he could see if it was Hongjoong, it was gone. He carried on towards Yeosang's room, aka the loud one.

"Why is Wooyoung yelling?" Seonghwa asked as he came into the room.

"Yunho did something!" Wooyoung squealed, pointing at another tall, handsome and well built man. Why were they all attractive? Seonghwa thought. Yunho was laughing at Wooyoung.

"I didn't do nothin. I just pinched your shoulder to make you think I did. Geez." He laughed.

"No I can feel something!" Wooyoung panicked. San brushed his hair down with his hand.

"Shh, there's nothing there Woo." He assured the frantic teenager. Wooyoung calmed down a bit, but flared at Yunho. Seonghwa recognized Jongho and Yeosang just quietly talking in a corner. At least he wasn't alone. The fourth person he didn't recognize.

"Ah, Seonghwa, San, that's Christopher. But he prefers if we call him Chan." Yeosang noticed his confusion and clarified. San waved.

"This is Mingi." Seonghwa gestured to the man awkwardly standing by his side. Yunho's eyes widened.

"M-Mingi?" He said a bit hesitantly.

"Hi Yunho." Mingi said quietly. Seonghwa looked back and forth between the two. Did they know each other?

"Just so yalls know, don't take it personally if Seonghwa seems cold. He just has a stick up his ass is all." San sad, trying to diffuse the tension. Seonghwa glared at him, and San shut up. He sighed, and decided to leave the room. Too much tension. Whether it was sexual, or aggressive he couldn't tell anymore. When he stepped into the hall, he immediately crashed into a smaller form. He looked down to see Hongjoong bowing apologetically.

"Ah I'm so sorry! I should have watched where—oh. It's you!" He said, recognizing Seonghwa and smiling. Cute.

"Sorry I don't think I caught your name." Hongjoong said shyly.

"Park Seonghwa." Seonghwa replied.

"I'm Kim Hongjoong! Nice to finally formally meet you." He said, extending his hand. Seonghwa shook it. The two of them started walking down the hall.

"Let's just hope we don't die right?" He smiled. Seonghwa just stared at him.

"You seem determined to survive. Earlier, I saw it in your eyes." Seonghwa told him. Hongjoong's mouth opened a little, as if surprised that Seonghwa could tell.

"I guess so. But aren't we all?" Hongjoong asked. Seonghwa shrugged.

"Sometimes. But not always. Only those who have something worth living for." Seonghwa said. In his case, he didn't have anything.

"My life is quiet. I'm all alone. I have one friend of course, but he has become preoccupied with a certain Jung Wooyoung. For me, I don't really care whether I live or die." Seonghwa admitted. It was true. Most of his life he had been alone, and then San had appeared and lit up his life. But San had found someone else now it seemed. So Seonghwa was alone again.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said all that." Seonghwa apologized. They paused their walking.

"Why? It's alright to share how you feel." Hongjoong said quietly. Seonghwa could only look at him in shock.

"I have to live, because I have nothing. It's only me and my little sister now. Grandpa passed away last year, and out parents died when we were young. Without me, she'll have nothing. And I can't do that. I have to take care of her. You know?" He said with a smile. Though he was smiling, he looked sad.

"I'll make sure you live." Seonghwa said without thinking. Immediately he cursed himself, that's what he got for being antisocial for years. Hongjoong probably thought he was weird now.

"Thanks. No one's ever said that before." Hongjoong said.

"W-what?" Seonghwa was totally baffled by the boy yet again.

"I mean I haven't been in many perilous situations before, but still. It means a lot to me." Hongjoong said, looking at his boots. It took Seonghwa a moment, but he realized Hongjoong was blushing.

The boy was actually flustered!

"Yeah, I mean it." Seonghwa said, this time he was more confident.

"So—"

"I—"

"Sorry. You go first." Hongjoong said, his face still a wonderful shade of pink.

"Um, sorry. I should go." Seonghwa said. Hongjoong nodded and quickly scurried off.

"Hongjoong, your room is in the other direction." Seonghwa chuckled. Hongjoong's face got even redder as he wheeled around and shuffled off in the right direction. Seonghwa watched the young boy go, and felt another strange ping in his chest.

Maybe, he could find something worth living for yet.

---------

This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, and I'm sorry there are so many time skips. But I hope y'all enjoyed it anyway, the calm before the storm. :)

- Author