There was a strange kind of silence that only existed before beginnings.

It lingered in empty hallways, unopened boxes, and train stations where people stood between the lives they had lived and the ones they hadn't yet imagined.

Arin Seo had always liked that silence.

Unlike people, it never expected anything from him.

The train slowed as the campus came into view.

Large brick buildings stretched beneath the warm afternoon sky, their windows reflecting streaks of gold. Students crowded the station platform with oversized suitcases, excited voices spilling into the air.

Some cried while hugging their parents.

Others laughed loud enough to make strangers smile.

Arin watched them through the train window.

Then quietly picked up his duffel bag.

No one had come to drop him off.

His parents had left before sunrise for separate business trips.

His mother had texted at six-thirty.

Don't forget to eat. Proud of you. Love you.

His father had sent money.

No phone call.

No goodbye.

No "How are you feeling?"

Only another transfer notification.

Arin slipped his phone back into his pocket.

He wasn't angry anymore.

You couldn't resent something that had become routine.

People often mistook expensive gifts for affection.

They looked similar from a distance.

Only one of them stayed when the room became quiet.

—

The Fine Arts building stood apart from the rest of the campus.

Older.

Covered in climbing ivy.

Its walls carried years of charcoal fingerprints and paint stains no amount of cleaning had erased.

It felt...alive.

Students hurried past carrying canvases taller than themselves, bags filled with clay, cameras hanging from their necks.

For the first time that day, Arin smiled.

It was almost invisible.

But it was real.

Inside the sculpture studio, the familiar scent of wet clay and plaster settled over him like an old friend.

Rows of unfinished figures waited beneath white sheets.

Hands.

Faces.

Fragments of marble.

Pieces searching for completion.

He reached out and brushed his fingertips across a rough block of stone sitting in the corner.

Cold.

Solid.

Patient.

His professor noticed.

"You always touch the material first?"

Arin looked up.

"I think it deserves to know who'll be changing it."

The professor blinked.

Then laughed quietly.

"I've taught for twenty-three years."

"You might be the first student who's greeted a rock."

A faint smile tugged at Arin's lips.

"It won't be a rock for long."

—

Orientation passed in a blur of speeches.

Rules.

Schedules.

Safety demonstrations.

By lunch, Arin had already memorized the quickest path between every building he'd need.

Structure calmed him.

Predictability made the world easier to breathe in.

A cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You're Arin, right?"

He looked up.

A student with a camera around his neck grinned at him.

"I'm Lee Hyun. Photography."

Before Arin could answer, another student appeared carrying a guitar case almost as large as himself.

"Noah."

He held out a hand.

"Music."

Arin shook it.

"...Sculpture."

The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable.

Hyun looked between the two of them dramatically.

"Great."

"Three introverts."

Noah frowned.

"I'm not introverted."

"You literally whispered your own name."

"I was conserving energy."

Hyun sighed toward the ceiling.

"I'm surrounded."

For reasons Arin couldn't explain, he laughed.

A small one.

Short enough that someone standing a few steps away might have missed it.

But Hyun noticed.

"There it is."

Arin tilted his head.

"What?"

"A smile."

"You should keep it."

"It suits you."

No one had ever said that before.

—

By evening, the campus had grown quieter.

Golden light spilled across the pathways.

Freshmen wandered with maps in their hands, already getting lost.

Arin carried one suitcase and one cardboard box toward Dormitory C.

His room key rested in his palm.

Room 407.

The hallway smelled faintly of fresh paint and newly assembled furniture.

Most doors stood open.

Parents unpacked.

Students argued over who got which bed.

Someone down the corridor played music far too loudly.

Arin found his room.

He unlocked the door.

The room was empty.

One bed by the window.

One against the opposite wall.

Two desks.

Two wardrobes.

A quiet room waiting for two strangers.

He placed his sketchbook carefully on the desk nearest the window.

Then opened it.

The first page was blank.

He stared at it for a long moment before writing only one sentence.

Maybe this place will finally teach me a language I haven't heard before.

He closed the notebook.

Outside, footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Someone was approaching Room 407.

Arin didn't look up.

Not yet.

Kang Taehyun hated goodbyes.

Not because they were sad.

Because they were awkward.

His father stood beside the black sedan with his arms crossed, expression as unreadable as ever.

"You have everything?"

Taehyun glanced at the two enormous bags beside him.

"Obviously."

"Your documents?"

"Yes."

"Tuition receipt?"

"Yes."

"Don't lose anything."

Taehyun exhaled.

"I know."

His father looked at him for another moment.

Then came the sentence Taehyun had heard in different forms his entire life.

"University isn't a vacation."

Taehyun's jaw tightened.

"I know that too."

"Your grades matter."

"I know."

"Engineering isn't easy."

"I know."

His father's eyes hardened slightly.

"Then act like it."

There it was.

Not Good luck.

Not Take care of yourself.

Not even Call me when you arrive.

Just another reminder that whatever Taehyun did would be measured against something.

Someone.His elder brother of course.

Some expectation he had never agreed to.

Taehyun picked up his bags.

"Anything else?"

His father hesitated.

For half a second, Taehyun thought he might finally say something different.

Something real.

Instead—

"Don't embarrass the family."

Taehyun laughed.

One short, humorless sound.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

He turned before his father could see the expression on his face.

"Taehyun."

He stopped.

"Yes?"

"Your mother wanted you to call her, regularly."

Taehyun's expression softened slightly.

"I'll call her."

His father nodded.

That was it.

The car drove away.

Taehyun stood there for a moment, watching it disappear between the university buildings.

Then he muttered,

"Fantastic."

He adjusted his backpack.

"Five minutes into college and I'm already emotionally exhausted."

The campus was enormous.

Too enormous.

Taehyun had expected buildings.

He hadn't expected an entire small city.

Students were everywhere.

Some carried laptops.

Some carried instruments.

Some were already wearing department jackets.

A group of girls near the cafeteria glanced at him.

One whispered something.

The other looked.

Then both laughed.

Taehyun smirked.

He wasn't particularly surprised.

He knew what he looked like.

Tall.

Broad shoulders.

Strong arms.

Dark, slightly messy hair.

A face that usually looked more intimidating than he intended.

Years of basketball and gym had done the rest.

He wasn't trying to look intimidating.

Apparently his face simply had other plans.

His phone vibrated.

Jae:

Bro where are you?

Taehyun typed while walking.

Taehyun:

Campus.

Jae:

Helpful.

Taehyun:

I'm literally looking at a building.

Jae:

Which building?

Taehyun looked up.

"..."

He sent a picture.

Jae:

That's the library.

Taehyun:

I knew that.

Jae:

You asked me where the library was yesterday.

Taehyun:

Testing you.

Three dots appeared.

Then—

Jae:

You're going to fail engineering.

Taehyun laughed.

"Idiot."

A girl walking past looked at him.

Taehyun smiled politely.

She smiled back.

He continued walking.

His phone vibrated again.

Jae:

Also, how's the girlfriend situation?

Taehyun rolled his eyes.

Taehyun:

Don't start.

Jae:

So you're still together?

Taehyun:

Yes. and....a NO.

Jae:

But?

Taehyun didn't answer immediately.

There was always a but.

They fought too much.

She thought he was careless.

He thought she overthought everything.

They could spend an entire evening arguing about something neither of them remembered the next morning.

Still...

They were together.

For now.

He locked his phone.

He didn't feel like thinking about it.

Dormitory C was at the far end of campus.

By the time Taehyun reached it, one of his bags had somehow become twice as heavy.

He walked into the lobby.

A student volunteer looked at him.

"Room?"

"Four-oh-seven."

The volunteer checked the list.

"Fourth floor."

Taehyun stared at the staircase.

Then at the elevator.

Then at the staircase again.

"Is the elevator broken?"

"No."

"Then why are you looking at the stairs?"

"Because I'm trying to decide if I respect myself enough to use the elevator."

The volunteer laughed.

Taehyun picked up both bags.

"Never mind."

He took the stairs.

By the third floor, Taehyun regretted every decision he'd made that morning.

By the fourth, he had decided that whoever designed dormitories without elevators deserved prison.

He reached Room 407.

The door was closed.

Taehyun checked his phone.

Definitely.

He knocked once.

Nothing.

Again.

Still nothing.

He tried the handle.

Unlocked.

"Okay..."

He pushed the door open.

And stopped.

The room was already occupied.

Not messy.

Not chaotic.

Not even slightly lived-in in the way Taehyun expected a freshman room to look.

One side was almost unnervingly organized.

Books stacked neatly.

Sketchbooks arranged beside a laptop.

A small desk lamp.

A box of pencils.

A folded blanket.

A single plant sitting near the window.

Taehyun stared.

"Who the hell organizes pencils?"

He walked farther inside.

There was no answer.

He dropped his bags beside the empty bed.

The mattress groaned.

Taehyun looked at the other side of the room again.

His roommate had good taste.

That annoyed him for some reason.

He opened the wardrobe.

Half of it was already occupied.

"Seriously?"

He looked toward the other bed.

"Whoever you are, we need to discuss boundaries."

No response.

Taehyun pulled out his phone.

Jae:

Did you find your room?

Taehyun:

Yes.

Jae:

Roommate?

Taehyun looked around.

Taehyun:

Not here.

Jae:

Lucky him.

Taehyun smiled.

Then he noticed something on the desk.

A sketchbook.

He wasn't planning to touch it.

He wasn't.

His hand still moved toward it.

The cover was plain black.

No name.

He lifted it slightly.

"Don't."

The voice came from behind him.

Taehyun froze.

Slowly...

He turned around.

A boy stood in the doorway.

Slim.

Tall enough.

Dark hair falling slightly over his eyes.

Black shirt.

Silver chain around his neck.

A sketchbook tucked beneath one arm.

His expression was calm.

Not friendly.

Not nervous.

Just...

Flat.

His eyes moved from Taehyun's hand...

To the sketchbook...

Then back to Taehyun.

"Put it down."

Taehyun raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"The sketchbook."

Taehyun looked at it.

Then at him.

"I wasn't reading it."

"I didn't ask what you were doing."

Something about the boy's tone made Taehyun straighten.

He placed the sketchbook back on the desk.

"There."

The boy walked inside.

He took the sketchbook.

Checked the cover.

Then placed it carefully beside his books.

Taehyun watched him.

"You always talk like that?"

The boy looked at him.

"Like what?"

"Like everyone is wasting your time."

A pause.

"Only when they are."

Taehyun stared.

Then laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because he genuinely couldn't believe this guy.

"Wow."

The boy said nothing.

He walked to his side of the room and began unpacking.

Taehyun crossed his arms.

"You're my roommate, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately."

Taehyun's mouth fell open.

The boy finally looked at him.

"Arin."

"Taehyun."

"I know."

Taehyun frowned.

"How?"

Arin pointed toward the name tag attached to his luggage.

Taehyun looked down.

"...Right."

Silence.

Taehyun smiled.

Arin didn't.

And somehow, without either of them realizing it yet, Room 407 had already become the smallest battlefield on campus.

Taehyun discovered three things about his roommate before noon.

Arin hated noise.

Arin hated mess.

And, apparently, Arin hated him.

The last one was still under investigation.

Taehyun woke up to the sound of a curtain being pulled open.

He groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.

Sunlight immediately flooded the room.

"Close it."

Nothing.

Taehyun opened one eye.

Arin stood by the window, already dressed.

Black trousers.

A loose white shirt.

His hair was slightly messy, as though he'd run his fingers through it instead of bothering with a comb.

He was holding a sketchbook.

Taehyun stared at him.

"Did you hear me?"

Arin glanced over.

"Yes."

"Then close the curtain."

"No."

Taehyun slowly sat up.

"...Why?"

"Because it's morning."

"Exactly."

Arin gave him a look.

A very specific look.

Not anger.

Not annoyance.

Something closer to Are you actually serious?

Taehyun frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That face."

Arin blinked.

"I have one face."

"No, you don't."

A pause.

"Apparently I do."

Taehyun stared at him.

Was he joking?

He couldn't tell.

That was already irritating.

"You know what?" Taehyun threw the blanket aside. "Fine."

He got up.

He was still half asleep when he walked toward the bathroom.

His foot hit something.

He looked down.

A pair of Arin's shoes.

Neatly placed beside the bed.

Taehyun kicked them aside.

Arin's head turned.

"Don't."

Taehyun looked at the shoes.

Then at Arin.

"I didn't know they were sacred."

"They're clean."

"So?"

"So don't kick them."

Taehyun stared at him.

"You really care about shoes that much?"

"I care about not stepping on things that belong to me."

Taehyun laughed.

"You're unbelievable."

Arin turned a page in his sketchbook.

"I've heard."

That somehow annoyed Taehyun even more.

By eight-thirty, the room looked exactly the same.

Except for one side.

Arin's side remained perfectly organized.

Taehyun's side already looked like a small natural disaster.

Two shirts were hanging from the back of his chair.

A pair of shoes had somehow migrated beneath his desk.

His gym bag lay open on the floor.

His towel was hanging from the bedpost.

Arin stared at it.

Taehyun noticed.

"What?"

Arin looked at the towel.

Then at Taehyun.

Then back at the towel.

"Nothing."

"There you go again."

"Again?"

"That look."

Arin's eyebrow lifted.

"What look?"

"Like you're silently judging me."

"I wasn't silent."

Taehyun's mouth fell open.

Then he laughed.

"Okay. That's actually funny."

Arin didn't smile.

Taehyun pointed at him.

"See? That's what I'm talking about."

"What?"

"You don't react."

"I react."

"No, you don't."

"I just did."

"That wasn't a reaction."

"What would satisfy you?"

Taehyun thought about it.

"I don't know."

"Then that's unfortunate."

Taehyun stared.

Arin calmly returned to his sketchbook.

"Did you just insult me?"

"No."

"You absolutely did."

"I stated a fact."

Taehyun dragged a hand over his face.

"You're going to be exhausting."

Arin looked up.

"You're loud."

"So?"

"I was making an observation."

"That sounded like an insult."

"It wasn't."

"Then why did it feel like one?"

Arin's mouth twitched.

Barely.

Taehyun noticed.

"Did you just smile?"

"No."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You definitely did."

Arin closed his sketchbook.

"You're late."

"For what?"

"Class."

Taehyun looked at the clock.

8:57.

His eyes widened.

"Shit."

He grabbed his bag.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't ask."

Taehyun stopped halfway through putting on his shoes.

"You are unbelievable."

Arin looked at him.

"You're repeating yourself."

Taehyun pointed at him.

"You're lucky you're pretty."

Silence.

Taehyun froze.

Arin froze.

For one strange second, neither moved.

Taehyun cleared his throat.

"I meant—"

Arin picked up his bag.

"You're late."

Then he walked out.

Taehyun watched him leave.

"...What the hell was that?"

The campus cafeteria was louder than the dorm.

Much louder.

Taehyun liked it.

People shouting across tables.

Friends stealing food from each other's plates.

Music playing from someone's phone.

Someone arguing about a professor.

Normal.

Comfortable.

He spotted Jae near the window and dropped into the seat beside him.

"Finally."

Jae looked him over.

"How's the roommate?"

Taehyun grabbed a fry.

"Terrible."

"Already?"

"His name is Arin."

Jae raised an eyebrow.

"And?"

"And he's annoying."

"What did he do?"

Taehyun opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Jae waited.

Taehyun frowned.

"He exists."

Jae laughed.

"That's not a reason."

"You haven't met him."

"Maybe he's nice."

"He's not."

"Maybe you're the problem."

Taehyun looked offended.

"Me?"

Jae nodded.

"Definitely you."

"Traitor."

Before Jae could answer, someone dropped into the seat across from them.

Noah.

And beside him—

Arin.

Taehyun's expression immediately changed.

Arin noticed.

His eyes flicked toward him.

Then toward the empty seat.

Then back.

"You."

Taehyun leaned back.

"Unfortunately."

Noah looked between them.

"You two know each other?"

"Roommates," they said simultaneously.

Jae nearly choked on his drink.

"You've got to be kidding."

Taehyun pointed toward Arin.

"This guy is impossible."

Arin looked at him.

"He's loud."

"There."

Taehyun turned to Jae.

"You see?"

Arin calmly opened his lunch.

"You've been complaining about me for approximately thirty seconds."

"Because you're irritating."

"You're still talking."

"Because you're irritating."

"Then stop."

Taehyun stared at him.

Noah slowly leaned toward Jae.

"Are they always like this?"

Jae nodded.

"We met them five minutes ago."

The afternoon made things worse.

They discovered they had one class together.

Not just any class.

A mandatory interdisciplinary course.

Creative Thinking and Design.

The professor divided the students into pairs.

Taehyun leaned back in his chair.

Please.

Anyone.

Literally anyone.

"Taehyun Kang."

He looked up.

"Yes?"

"Arin Seo."

well, manifestation is what you think of the most isn't it....

Taehyun's head snapped toward the professor.

Arin's expression didn't change.

"You're partners."

Taehyun stared at Arin.

Arin stared back.

Neither spoke.

The professor smiled.

"Wonderful. You two look like you'll work very well together."

Taehyun muttered,

"That's one way to describe it."

Arin heard him.

"Another would be unfortunate."

Taehyun turned.

"Did you just make a joke?"

"No."

"You did."

"No."

"You did."

Arin looked at him.

"You talk too much."

"And you don't talk enough."

"Sounds like balance."

Taehyun paused.

Then frowned.

"Don't make this sound like we're compatible."

For the first time that day, Arin's expression changed.

A tiny, almost invisible smile.

"Don't worry."

He opened his notebook.

"I wouldn't."

Taehyun stared at him.

He had no idea why that irritated him more than it should have.

Maybe it was the calmness.

Maybe it was the way Arin never seemed impressed.

Or maybe—

He simply wasn't used to someone who didn't react to him.

Either way, Taehyun made a decision.

He was going to win.

Whatever they were competing over.

He just needed to figure out what the competition was.

Across the table, Arin quietly wrote something in his notebook.

Taehyun leaned over.

"What are you writing?"

Arin covered the page.

"Nothing."

"You're suspicious."

"So are you."

"I'm not."

Arin looked at him.

That expression again.

The one that somehow said more than words ever could.

Taehyun narrowed his eyes.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I don't like your face."

Arin calmly returned to his notes.

"That's unfortunate."

Taehyun groaned.

"Stop saying that."

well, Taehyun had a mission now, to get Arin annoyed.

Younger siblings are a pro at that.......by nature.