This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

School is starting soon, and Mirae University has introduced a new program for the year. To help improve student performance, they’ve launched an initiative where students can voluntarily sign up to be paired as dorm roommates—matching students with lower grades with those who have higher grades. Participants also receive a significant discount on dorm costs. Min-ho, a hardworking student with excellent grades, signed up because he needs to save money. Tae-hyun, on the other hand, joined because he sees it as an easy way to boost his grades by relying on his roommate.

As Min-ho makes his way to his dorm, he runs into his girlfriend, Soo-jin.

“Hey! I missed you, you know. I’ve barely seen you these past few weeks with you being so busy studying. Want to go on a date tonight? I’ll be at the chicken restaurant at 7 PM to celebrate Eunji’s birthday.”

“Oh… I can’t tonight. I still have some materials to review before classes start. But I’ll be free this weekend. We could go see a movie if you’d like— Shadow of the Phoenix 2 just came out. What do you think?”

“I see… I’ll let you know about the weekend. I’ve got to go now!”

Min-ho had always prided himself on being in control of every aspect of his life—his grades, his reputation, even his relationship. He had been dating Soo-jin for almost a year. On the surface, they were the perfect couple: both successful in school and admired by their peers. However, their relationship was never as perfect as it seemed.

In reality, Min-ho had been so absorbed in his studies that he was oblivious to the fact that Soo-jin had been drifting away for a long time. As for Soo-jin, she didn’t truly care about Min-ho—she enjoyed the status of being known as the girlfriend of one of the top students and the social perks that came with it. For her, the relationship was more about convenience than genuine affection—an image to maintain rather than something fueled by real passion.

Min-ho stopped to grab an iced coffee from the nearby café before heading to his dorm, peacefully thinking about settling into his new room and his upcoming study session. He also wondered what kind of person his new roommate would be.

When he opened the door, he couldn’t believe his eyes. A shiver ran down his spine as he took in the sight before him: clothes bundled up on the bed, the sheets undone, an empty coffee cup sitting on a desk cluttered with scattered papers, school supplies, and personal items. Though nothing was truly dirty, and most people wouldn’t be alarmed by the sight since it is common to live in an organized mess—Min-ho couldn’t stand disorder. He felt an instant dread that he wouldn’t be able to focus on his studies with such chaos on the other side of the room.

Taking a deep breath, he started arranging his belongings on his side, all the while thinking about how he was going to confront his new roommate.

He then got to work on his studies, listening to music through his headphones and savoring his iced coffee.

A few hours had passed when he checked his phone and noticed it was nearing 7 PM. He remembered Soo-jin’s invitation to the chicken restaurant. “I finished earlier than expected, maybe I should head over and see her,” he thought. Casting an annoyed glance at the mess in the room, he grabbed his things and left the dorm.

He was making his way to the restaurant when, as he turned the corner, he was horrified to see Soo-jin kissing another man just a few steps away from the entrance.

“Soo-jin...?”

“Ah, shit. It’s not what you think, I was just—”

“You could have talked to me if something was wrong. Why would you do this? How long has this been going on?”

“Look, it’s not working between us anymore. I want to end things,” she said, rolling her eyes and sighing.

Min-ho had just discovered that Soo-jin had been cheating on him. It shattered the carefully crafted life he had worked so hard to maintain. He felt humiliated and betrayed—emotions he rarely experienced. But unwilling to show just how deeply it hurt him, Min-ho kept his composure, listening to her hurtful words in silence. Without saying another word, he turned and walked away.

Back at his dorm, Min-ho finally came face to face with his new roommate. After the emotional blow of catching his now ex-girlfriend cheating, he was in no mood for small talk. But as soon as he opened the door, there he was—Tae-hyun, casually sprawled across his bed, headphones on, legs crossed, and flipping through his phone. The mess was still there, as chaotic as before, but now, Tae-hyun’s presence seemed to make it even worse.

Tae-hyun looked up and pulled his headphones off, noticing Min-ho for the first time.

“Hey, you must be my new roommate. I’m Tae-hyun,” he said, with an easy smile that contrasted sharply with Min-ho’s stormy mood.

Min-ho barely acknowledged him. “Min-ho,” he muttered, walking to his side of the room. The tightness in his chest from what had just happened outside hadn’t faded, and now he had to deal with this stranger, someone whose carefree attitude and cluttered space immediately grated on him.

Tae-hyun raised an eyebrow at the cold reception but didn’t push. “Rough day?” he asked, sitting up.

“You could say that,” Min-ho replied curtly, avoiding eye contact as he began organizing his things with precision, trying to regain some control after the chaos he had just experienced.

Tae-hyun shrugged and leaned back again. “Well, welcome to the dorm. Hope you don’t mind the mess. I’ll… get to it eventually.”

Min-ho shot him a sidelong glance, irritation rising. “Yeah. Eventually,” he said under his breath, already feeling the tension mounting. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Classes had started three days ago, and Min-ho had barely slept, constantly stewing over what had happened. Every time he finally drifted off, like clockwork, his roommate returned late at night, just minutes before curfew.

“You’re late,” Min-ho snapped as he sat up in bed, his voice sharper than usual. He was annoyed at being woken up yet again.

Tae-hyun gave him a sideways glance while kicking off his shoes. “What, are you my dad now?”

“That’s not the point. I just want to ask if you could try to be quieter when coming back on weekdays.”

“I didn’t know you were such a light sleeper,” Tae-hyun chuckled, a teasing smile on his face. “I’ll be careful from now on. Sorry about that.”

The following night, Tae-hyun genuinely made an effort to be quiet, but as he opened the door, he accidentally dropped the soda can he was holding. The can burst open, spraying soda everywhere and startling Min-ho awake.

“Are you kidding me?!” Min-ho exclaimed, throwing off the covers and glaring at Tae-hyun. “Do you have any idea how to be quiet?”

Tae-hyun shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. “What? It’s just a little soda. It’s not like I did it on purpose.”

Min-ho’s irritation flared. “It’s not just a little soda! Can you please stop acting like everything is a joke? I’m trying to sleep here!”

“Hey, if you want me to tiptoe around like a ghost, maybe you should’ve asked for a different roommate,” Tae-hyun shot back.

“Or maybe you could just show some basic respect for the people you live with,” Min-ho retorted, his voice rising. “I’m not asking for much—just a little consideration!”

“Consideration? You mean like how you consider the fact that I have a life too?” Tae-hyun replied, rolling his eyes. “You’re not the only one with things going on, you know.”

“Right, because living like a total slob and waking me up every night is such a busy life,” Min-ho snapped, his frustration boiling over. “You really think you can just do whatever you want without any regard for me?”

Tae-hyun stepped closer, his expression shifting from playful to serious. “Maybe if you loosened up a bit and stopped being such a control freak, you’d see that it’s not all about you.”

Min-ho’s eyes narrowed as he took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure. “I didn’t sign up for a roommate who thinks the world revolves around him.” 

Tae-hyun leaned back slightly, his smirk returning. “Well, maybe I didn’t sign up for a roommate who’s a total buzzkill.”

With that, the tension between them crackled, leaving Min-ho feeling more irritated than ever, unsure how he would manage to share a space with someone so infuriatingly carefree.

The next day, feeling frustrated and desperate for a solution, Min-ho made his way to the dorm management office. He took a deep breath before stepping inside, hoping they could help him change rooms.

As he approached the front desk, a friendly staff member looked up from her computer. 

“Good morning! How can I assist you today?”

“I’d like to request a room change,” Min-ho said, trying to keep his voice steady despite the tension bubbling beneath the surface.

She raised an eyebrow, glancing at her screen. “I see that you signed up for the new dorm program.”

Min-ho felt his irritation flare again. “Yes, but my roommate is—he’s just not a good fit for me. It’s too noisy, and I can’t focus on my studies.”

The staff member nodded sympathetically but continued, “I understand your concerns, but unfortunately, there are no other dorms available right now. A room change isn’t possible.”

“What do you mean? Is there really nothing we can do?” Min-ho exclaimed. “I can’t live like this!”

“I’m sorry, but let me explain the concept of the new dorm system again,” she said patiently. “The initiative is designed to pair students with different academic strengths. It’s meant to create a positive learning environment for both roommates. The idea is that you help each other out—”

“Positive experience?” Min-ho interrupted, desperation in his voice. “This isn’t a positive experience for me. I didn’t expect to deal with a messy roommate who comes in late every night…”

“I understand this may not be what you anticipated,” she replied gently. “But many students have found it beneficial. You both have the opportunity to learn from each other and improve your grades. It’s part of the program’s goal.”

Min-ho’s shoulders sagged as he realized she wasn’t going to offer him the solution he was looking for. He turned to leave, feeling defeated. As he walked back to his dorm, he couldn’t help but think, I should have saved up more money to get a studio near the university instead of trying to cut costs.

He sighed heavily, mentally berating himself for not considering the consequences of his decision. The dream of a peaceful living situation felt more distant than ever, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was trapped in a situation that would only get worse.

The first week of classes finally came to an end. That night, Min-ho decided to join a few friends for drinks, hoping to drown the betrayal he felt from what had happened with his now ex-girlfriend. His friends tried to distract him, but the effects of the drinks did little to ease the gnawing bitterness inside. Feeling suffocated, he stepped outside the club for a smoke, seeking some fresh air and solitude.

As Min-ho leaned against the wall with a cigarette in hand, he glanced across the street and noticed something unusual. Just a block away, a crowd of people was entering a small, dimly lit alley that led to what appeared to be a gay club. He wasn’t sure why his attention lingered there—perhaps it was the unfamiliar scene, or maybe it was because he spotted someone in that alley who seemed strangely familiar.

He squinted and stepped forward, his pulse quickening as he realized that the figure in the alley was his roommate, Tae-hyun. And Tae-hyun wasn’t alone; he was with a man—his arm casually draped around the handsome stranger’s shoulders. Min-ho froze when he saw Tae-hyun pull the man into a kiss, their faces briefly illuminated by the dim neon lights above the club.

Min-ho’s mind stuttered, struggling to process what he was witnessing. His first reaction was disbelief. Tae-hyun? His obnoxious, noisy, and annoying roommate—kissing a guy?

Min-ho’s instinct was to look away, feeling as if he had stumbled into something private—something he wasn’t meant to see. His thoughts swirled, leaving him even more confused. Why was he so surprised? Was it because he had never imagined Tae-hyun being gay, or was it something else that stirred a strange sensation in his chest?

After seeing this, Min-ho walked back to the dorm, his thoughts swirling, unable to shake the image from his mind. His head was spinning—not just from the alcohol, but from the realization that his roommate was gay.

At first, Min-ho tried to shrug it off. It's none of my business, he kept telling himself.

But every time he saw Tae-hyun around the dorm, the memory of the kiss would flash in his mind. The way Tae-hyun had leaned into the other man, the confidence in the kiss—it was so different from the Tae-hyun he thought he knew.

Min-ho didn't confront him. He wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he didn't want to have an awkward conversation, or maybe something deeper inside him didn't know how to process what he had seen. 

Instead, Min-ho found himself acting strangely around Tae-hyun, his responses clipped and his movements stiff. He became hyper-aware of everything Tae-hyun did—the way he moved, the way he talked. Tae-hyun, being his usual brash self, didn't seem to notice. Or if he did, he didn't care. He carried on as usual, getting under Min-ho's skin with his messy habits and carefree attitude.

But for Min-ho, everything had changed.

A few nights later, it started. Min-ho had gone to bed, frustrated by his inability to focus on his studies. He closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep, his mind replaying the events of the past week.

In his dream, Tae-hyun was standing in front of him, shirtless, with his usual cocky grin plastered on his face. They were in the dorm room, but something about the atmosphere felt different-charged. Tae-hyun stepped closer, and Min-ho felt his heart race. Suddenly, Tae-hyun's hands were on him, sliding up his chest, his touch hot against Min-ho's skin. Before Min-ho could react, Tae-hyun kissed him, and Minho felt his body respond instinctively, pulling him closer. It was intense, overwhelming, and nothing like Min-ho had ever felt before.

His skin tingled, his body burned, and just as things were about to go further-

Min-ho jolted awake, his body slick with sweat, his breath coming in shallow gasps.

His heart pounded in his chest as he realized what had just happened.

A wet dream.

About Tae-hyun.