Chapter 4 - The Calm Before The Storm 1

'Hyung, you need to check my Korean.' Chansol passes the five-page report to Wonho who is leaning against the wire fence of the basketball court. The older male can only stare at it, sighing inwardly. Leave it to Chansol for great timing. 'Really? Now?'

'Naah, later. But soon please.' The younger alpha pleads, sitting beside his tutor who takes it anyway and puts it inside his bag. Really, the boy could just send him an email later instead of passing him the hard copy. Owh how he really wants to scold the younger, but decides it is no use. Seeing that action made Chansol beam happily, 'Thanks! I'll buy you a drink!' He exclaims and runs towards his bicycle, not forgetting to lose his footing and stumble forward a bit, per usual. Wonho shakes his head lightly.

'Chansol-ah! Pocari for me!' Sangcheol screams from the basketball court, realizing where the youngest is heading. Alerted by his loud voice, the other two betas joins, 'SOJ-'

Mengyao was hit on the head by Junjie. 'What? I was just kidding!' Junjie smirks at the answer, feeling satisfied as the younger ordered a normal orange juice. Once the game starts again, the men realize Chansol stopped playing without telling them beforehand, making the game unbalanced, 'Yaah, Wonho! I need a teammate!'

'Don't look at me.' Wonho pretends to get busy and brings out Chansol's report before a shoe is thrown at him, 'Yaah emo face! I said I need a teammate!'

'COMING! Jeez!' He gives in and runs towards his best friend, pushing him slightly as a revenge for the shoe. In turn, the other headlocks him lightly.

#####

Minwoo rereads the message he got from his mother again. And again. And again. As if the content will change the more he reads it.

The initial plan was to be back in about three weeks, but apparently the registration to his new university requires his presence earlier than planned. All the forms are already processed except for his medical check-up, which is required to be in Korean. There is not a single place here which can do that. And it is already way past the submission deadline.

'What the hell!!!!' Minwoo screams to nobody. Granted, he should have confirmed about the registration and the forms himself instead of leaving it up to his parents, but they offered, and he trusted them. They know Korean better than him, he thought they would never miss any important information. And because of that trust, when his mother told him everything is settled and that he only has to be back a week before the semester stars, Minwoo made plans to travel with his friends around Europe for the last time in maybe years to come.

Who would have thought his mom could make a small mistake like the fact that the medical check-up report should be in Korean?!

Urgh, if he can throw away his phone right now he would.

Eomma! You're kidding right? I was planning to go Italy!

Minhyuk-yah! Eomma's sorry… I never made a mistake like this. Must be my age… - Her Majesty

Aah… the age card. Minwoo hates when the lady uses that excuse. It makes him feel like he is a bad son. And he is not. Even though they are not related by blood, that old omega lady, his stepmom, is his only weakness, besides his grandmother that is.

Can't I stay longer? I only need to be there a day earlier right? :(

I already asked for two-week extension. I can't ask for more. Besides, your grandma wants to have dinner with you. - Her Majesty

But we can still have dinner that night right? :((

Or after the registration?

You want to tell you grandma that yourself? - Her Majesty

Minwoo cringes at the thought of that. Worst case scenario, the old lady will pretend to be bedridden or fake some illness to be hospitalized, like a classic villain in those Korean dramas his mother loves. He is not overimagining it when he thought of what might happen – it happened once to his dad before. And his sisters. And him, once. Although he knows it is all a pretense, Minwoo will still have to pretend to take care of her until she is satisfied. He knew every trick in the book, yet he cannot do anything about it.

That old hag.

Sighing, Minwoo clenches his jaws as he accepts his fate.

It only means he needs to party around as much as possible in the next two weeks.

#####

'So, you need to also consider wind direction and strength of a particular area,' he paused, 'And also take note of the strongest wind in record…. to calculate the strength of a building? What's that gotta do with designing a small building?' Chansol asked softly, circling the passage he just read. Wonho takes the textbook from him and reads a few lines before, in case any simple explanation was already written that the half-Korean missed. Apparently not, so he just have to do it himself.

'If the building's covered by other larger buildings, it should not be that important as the other ones will act like a shield against the oncoming wind,' he draws on the page, 'but if it's the tallest, or the only one around, the wind will hit it directly, and depending on how strong the foundation is, or whether you have holes to let the wind through, the strength of the wind might damage it.'

Wonho looks at his junior. Chansol has this face of confusion which turns into realization a few seconds later. Sometimes he finds it amazing how the guy managed to pass the entrance exam, seeing how long it took him to understand a chapter. Of course, considering he only started learning Korean four years ago, and it was also self-taught, the mere fact that he was able to take the test in the first place was interesting in itself.

Especially since the younger have an attention span of a goldfish.

'Speaking of, when're you going back home?' He whispers. There he goes again.

'In three weeks.' Wonho reluctantly replies. They are in a library and he will not tolerate small talks not relating to their studies. 'So you understand the chapter now?'

'Yeah. Jun-hyung's driving?' He tries again. Obviously getting sick of studying. 'Yup.'

'That's nice… I wish I can drive.' Chansol comments before returning to read another chapter. The exam is next week so he had asked Wonho to help him study. And upon the older's suggestion, they went to the library because his own room has so many 'distraction'. Chansol agreed.

Because he always has trouble concentrating since he was a child, to a point where his study room used to be all white without anything else other than books, a piece of pencil, and a rubber. Yes, his parents made a special room for him to study because of his problems. That room got him through high school, and into the university. But the problem is now, he has no 'special' room.

Chansol tries focusing again. Everything seems so boring. He managed to read a ten-paged chapter so he deserves a break. 'Wono-hyung?'

'Yeah?'

'What perfume are you wearing?' Wonho rolls his eyes. This kid, he was doing so well until five minutes ago… He refuses to answer and lets his face talk. Getting the hint, the younger backs away and re-opens his notebook. 'Okay, okay…. I'm only asking because you smell nice.' he mumbles incoherently.

'You know you need to pass this right? Or you'll have to take Prof. Lee's class next term, right? And you don't want him because he's satan, right? I told you, right?'

'Gosh okay, I got it… I'll finish this chapter!'

Wonho nods in satisfaction. Threats always work with this guy because he's so gullible he will believe anything Wonho says. And god, he always enjoys the horrified look on the alpha's face when he tells him the so-called 'truth' about the lecturers. It is just one of his guilty pleasures. Finally, he gets to read his book in silence.

A mere 20 minutes of silence. 'Aww… look at the couple! They're so cute! I wish I had a girlfriend…'

That's it. 'Jo Chansol, shut the fuck up.'

'Owh shit. Sorry. Working on it.' He looks back down, avoiding Wonho's strong and cold gaze. But the older is not taking it.

'Wear your headphones.'

'But you said I shouldn't us-'

'Wear it! Listen to the fucking music and shut up.'

That did it. Finally. He should've never asked the alpha to stop listening to music to avoid any distraction. Boy was he wrong to even think of that idea.