Chapter Text
“So I guess this is the last session.”
“The last in-person session. You are always welcome to contact me. We can always continue this online.” Wooseok corrects with a smile. “Or you can see a therapist back in Korea. I can send the records over.”
“No, that’s not needed. I would like to keep talking to you.”
“Guess you grew fond of the only Korean person you know here in Philippines, huh?” Wooseok says, noticing the slight awkwardness on Beomseok’s face.
“Well, off you go. You need to pack for the flight tomorrow.”
A brief silence lingers before Wooseok speaks again, his tone softening.
“All the best, Beomseok-ah.”
.
Seoul National University is always bustling with people. Wherever he goes, crowds linger, the sound of echoing laughter following after him.
It’s been a few months since Beomseok enrolled in the veterinary medicine course.
Classes are hard, more so than the course he had attended back when he was banished to Philippines. But there is a satisfaction that blooms in his chest when he does quizzes and labs, something that he never got in Philippines even when he stayed up all night going over books, unable to sleep, too much hatred gnawing at himself to even cry.
He had been apprehensive of his classmates, all those who entered university directly after school. But he soon finds himself wrong. They are friendly and almost seems to look upto him when they learn he’s two years older than them. When asked the reason, he just says that he wasn’t interested in his previous major or university or even the country, and they laugh, making remarks about his patriotism.
Beomseok hopes that they never find out about the night he swallowed sleeping pills and laid there on the floor until the maid comes to wake him up.
.
His seniors are nice enough, he supposes.
THey seem to single him out on the first initial days when one senior overhears one of his classmates saying that he will just treat him as a friend regardless of age. Beomseok keeps his head down and plays all the right tunes to not hurt the egos of the ones who corner him one day.
He’s always been good at that, keeping his head down. It works this time as well. They leave him alone.
He ignores the phantom throb in his foot, the ghost of a kick thrown back when he still believed he could become someone.
All he became was a mistake, cloaked in regret and self-hatred.
.
The wheels start turning a few days after his finals are over.
He’s standing next to his roommate as he waits for him to finish discussing the paper with his senior. The words being thrown around mean nothing to him but he still stands there, listening, waiting for his friend to lead the way.
The senior glances at him after a while and smiles. His roommate takes this initiative and introduces them. “This is Beomseok, my roommate. He’s majoring in veterinary medicine. We were planning to go out for drinks later.”
“Ah. I’m Juntae. I’m from the business department, same as Yeojun. You can call me hyung as well, no need for formalities.”
“You both are the same age. Beomseokie stayed two years abroad after school before coming back to resume life.” Yeojun says with a laugh, “But don’t worry, he acts like he is our age.”
The other man looks mortified, “Ah I see. You don’t have to use honorifics if we are the same age.”
Beomseok shakes his head, “No, it’s fine.”
“Told you, he acts like he wants to forget about his stay abroad.”
Juntae glances back at Yeojun before looking back. “I see.” His mild confusion is evident on his expression even as he looks down at his phone as a notification comes by. “I gotta go now. My friend is waiting for me near the entrance.”
Yeojun nods in reply with a wave, Beomseok following suit awkwardly.
.
“That’s Seo Juntae. He’s probably the most helpful senior in this entire university.”
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