Chapter Text
Vigilante.
Kai would prefer the term “delivery man”. Vigilante sounds too... savage.
And Kai was not a savage. He was someone who was good at hunting people down and giving them a taste of their own medicine. Quite simple really was his job.
Once or twice a week he would get a “request”, he’d get the details for whoever he needed to find along with evidence of what they had done. Kai wouldn’t visit innocent people; he needed confirmation that they did something vile beforehand to have justification to break their fingers.
He doesn’t quite know how he rolled into his job. They needed money, him and his stepbrother. It started when a girl a few years younger them him came knocking on their door, looking for Kai. Fear showed in her eyes and her lips were shaking from the cold outside. Kai went down the old, stained stairs that sounded like they were going to break with each step he took. He looked at the girl standing in front of their house, intrigued.
She tells him about the man that had been appearing outside her school e ach day for the past 2 weeks, loitering in the street waiting. Sometimes he would follow her on her way home from school, other times he would simply say something around the lines of “Nice skirt, Kid.” or “You look delectable in those braids.”
She'd try to ignore it but even her friends were getting concerned about her. She'd brush them off saying he never really crossed a line so while she’s bothered by it, it’s better to wait for him to get bored of her.
Kai listened intently as she retailed the events of today which led her to his house. The man wasn’t at the school gate that day, he was waiting for her outside her home. She knew there was something different about his approach, the way he smiled, the way he walked towards her. He was done waiting.
She threw her bag on the road, picked up her legs, and ran until she no longer heard him behind her. Hours later she found herself knocking at the Huening resident, looking for help.
“I know it’s a lot to ask.” She runs her fingers through her hair in a nervous manner, avoiding his cold eyes. He keeps a straight expression, there’s no way for her to guess what he’s thinking.
For a few seconds, she thinks she made a mistake coming there. She sighs, biting the corner of her lip, and reads the room. She gets up slowly, dejected.
Kai leans back into the chair. “what’s in it for me?”
That is how he ended up cornering that same man on his way to his apartment. Equipped with a black mask and hat, he swings his fist right across the man’s face, cracking his nose bridge.
He counts the cash in his room, brushing his fingers against the bills while looking at the broken, crooked mirror hanging in his room. He realizes something.
................
He looks at his watch, cursing in his heart. He's late and to the orientation no less. He's been so busy finding his dorm room and settling in that he had completely forgotten that the first years were supposed to gather in the gym for orientation in the evening.
The campus is like a maze and Taehyun is a helpless worm in nature. He holds the map in his hands, not sure whether to go north or south. Where even is he? He's certain he hasn’t been in this part of campus before, but he really is clueless when it comes to navigation and finding his way through complicated structures.
He feels a tap on his shoulder.
Taehyun jumps, looking back. He sees a boy with bouncy hair and a big bright smile. “Hey there! Didn’t mean to give you a scare, sorry about that.” The boy apologizes and scratches his neck, embarrassed. “You seem to be lost, I’m a second year. Choi Beomgyu.” He reaches his hand for a friendly shake and Taehyun takes it, slightly confused.
“And you are?”
“Oh.” Taehyun realizes he hasn’t introduced himself. “Kang Taehyun, it’s umm- nice to meet you, Sunbae.” He laughs awkwardly.
The boy puts his hands in his varsity jacket, beaming for no apparent reason. “Are you looking for the gym?” he asks fondly.
Taehyun’s eyes brighten. “Yes!” He remembers he has a very important activity to be at. “How did you know?”
Beomgyu shrugs, starting to walk in a certain direction and Taehyun quickly follows. “Every year they do the orientation in the gym, at the same hour, same day. The Dean is very particular with the yearly schedule.”
Taehyun nods. “I see,” he says for the lack of other responses. They walk in silence, with Beomgyu pointing to other important buildings to enrich Taehyun's knowledge of the campus, which Taehyun is grateful for but also knows he’ll forget everything soon.
“This is it.” They stand in front of a short yet wide building. Beomgyu gave him a warm pat on the shoulder. “Have fun, Newbie! See you around?”
Before Taehyun can answer the boy turns over and leaves, waving as he goes.
............
“Kang Taehyun?”
Taehyun bursts through the door, sweating through his shirt in the warmth of the summer night. “Here! Here.” he raises his hand and walks towards the huddle of people sitting on the floors of the gym, everyone’s eyes turn to him and a tint of red shame creeps to the tips of his ears. He sits wherever there’s room and folds into himself to appear smaller. To his luck, the vice president and their head of department continue calling out names from the list of attendance and the attention soon moves away from him.
He takes the time to look around the large space. There are around 300 students sprawled across the gym, divided into groups by the different majors. He sits with the pre-med students, watching them talk in groups of 3 or 4, even in pairs. Suddenly the silence around him is extremely uncomfortable. He wishes he had someone to talk with too, even just to show the rest that he doesn’t feel painfully out of place.
How on earth did everyone manage to find friends so fast?
Thankfully, the head of their department sits in front of them and asks the students to form a circle so they can start introducing themselves.
“Say your name and your dream for the future.” she smiles. “It can be a short introduction, or a long one if you’d like. I see a few distraught faces.” she laughs, looking specifically in Taehyun's direction and he bows his head in embarrassment. He hates having to speak in front of people like that. “If it’s too much pressure, you can just say your names. But this is supposed to be fun, so don’t overthink it. We're all here to get to know each other.”
She leaves after that, letting them talk by themselves.
A silver-haired girl jumps to start the round. She says her name but Taehyun’s hardly listening. He looks around at the other majors doing the same introduction. His eyes pass by the writing majors, the dance and fine arts majors. There are other groups that he can’t quite see because they’re hidden in the crowd.
The animation majors seem the loudest and most extroverted while he notices the psychology majors are a lot most calm and civil. Maybe he should have been a psychology major.
Someone nudges him a little. He snaps back into his group, pieced by everyone’s impatient gaze.
“Hi.” He raises his hand in a strange waving act. He quickly puts it down. “I’m Kang Taehyun.... “
That's it right? I mean, the head department said whoever wants is allowed to keep his introduction short, but the students keep looking at him, expecting more.
“Okay... I- well. I guess my dream is to help people, you know? As much as I can. Give them a second chance at life... “It sounds cringe, even he knows it. The textbook response to why he wants to be a doctor.
Truth be told, his parents want him to be a doctor, he never asked for any of this.
He licks his lips. “Yeah.”
With a few bored eye rolls and quiet snickering, the group moves to the person next to Taehyun and he finally sucks in a relieved breath.
They're playing a few drinking games that Taehyun has zero thought to engage in. He watches as everyone gets increasingly drunk and slowly gets up from the floor, it’s been two hours and according to unwritten social conduct, he thinks it’ll be acceptable to leave the group to get some fresh air up on the roof that Beomgyu mentioned on their very short exchange of words.
He has to open some doors here and there to finally find the correct one that leads him up a bunch of stairs. He rests his hand on the handle and with great force opens the door to the roof.
Midnight air washes over him, he steps quietly outside. Closing the door behind him. He breathes deeply, feeling a sudden sting at the fact that he is once again alone when he was meant to meet his fellow college mates. Perhaps he needs more time, he convinces himself it’s no big deal, and that he’ll fit right in once he feels comfortable enough.
He's still anxious.
Taehyun walks over to the wall overviewing the campus and leans his elbows on the edge of the roof. He smells smoke.
Taehyun sniffs again, confused as to where the smell comes from, when looking to his right he sees a figure dressed in a long black coat that drapes over the person quite perfectly. The black-haired guy sits on the edge of the roof, too close and dangerous for comfort, Taehyun thinks.
He flicks the tip of a black and gold cigarette snug in between his fingers, like an extension of his gloved hands. Taehyun wonders if he had ever seen this type of cigarette before, must be an expensive kind.
As he flicks the cigarette. Remnants of its burnt tip fall to be carried by the wind. His black locks move with the wind as well, engulfed by gray and white ribbons of smoke. Taehyun cannot tear his eyes from the cinematic view. Quite literally out of breath.
“Care for one?”
Taehyun panics when the guy finally turns his head to look at him, his eyes are sharp and alluring, unlike anything Taehyun has ever seen. It captures him, making him freeze in his spot.
The guy raises an eyebrow with his hand still waving the packet of cigarettes in an offering manner.
Taehyun then understands what the guy means by that and shakes his head, swallowing slowly. “No... I’m- I don’t smoke.”
The guy subtracts his hand, shrugging. “Then I don’t see a reason as to why you’re standing there, looking at me.” He takes a long puff out of his cigarettes and blows it in a set of thin rings that quickly lose their shape and disappear into the air. His voice is the most striking about him, Taehyun notes. A velvety tone, yet with notes of something rough underneath, maybe caused by the smoking. It rolls low and deep, plucking a nerve in his mind. Like its scratching in itch in him he didn’t know he had.
“Sorry.” is all he manages to say.
Well... that and something stupid he just had to spew out of his mouth to cover for the thick silence. “Those are bad for you... “he says before he can think twice about what comes out of his mouth. He screams internally, wishing he could just shut up.
The guy squints his eyes. “If only they would write it on the packet, right?” he deadpans. Inhaling a breath of foggy smoke into his lungs as if to mock Taehyun’s words. Taking a long, slow puff while his eyes do not leave Taehyun’s. He grins, blowing it all out.
Taehyun opens his mouth, only to shut it again. He croaks a short “Right.” before switching his eyes back to the view of the campus. He leans on the edge again, eyeing the guy who seems to have scooted even further on the edge, his feet and body dangling over the air with little to no care.
“I don’t mean to be a nag-”
“Long gone that concern of yours.” the guy interrupts. “I can not possibly have a minute to my own...” he whispers to himself loud enough for Taehyun to catch it and instantly feel bad.
“It’s just... “Taehyun bites his lips. “You can fall if you sit this close to the edge.”
The guy throws his head back, chuckling. It's not exactly a smile, more of a bitter laugh that gives Taehyun goosebumps. “Would that be so scandalous, stranger?” He throws the cigarette bud off the edge.
“A dead body with its brains splashed on the ground?” Taehyun sounds almost offended. “Yeah, I think it is.” He doesn’t know where the random spur of confidence comes from, but he rolls with it.
“How naive... “the guy murmurs, shaking his head. “Enjoy the rest of your night, Kang Taehyun.” He gives him one last look of acknowledgment, nodding his head briefly, and accompanied by Taehyun's terrified scream, he jumps off the edge with his long coat following shortly.
Taehyun gasps loudly, reflexively taking a step back and covering his gaping mouth with his two palms. His heart thumps hard in his chest as he looks over the edge in horror, expecting to see the body of the guy on the ground covered in blood.
But he sees none of that.
The guy cleans the dust and dirt from his coat, patting his shoulders and swiping the white residue off. He turns around, bowing his head in front of Taehyun's perplexed face, and walks away.
Taehyun releases the air in his lungs he didn’t know he locked in, and when he no longer sees the guy in the distance, he wonders to himself if he was ever real, or just a figment of his imagination.
............
“Did you smoke again?”
“No.”
Beomgyu huffs, crossing his arms against his chest and blocking the entrance to their house. “I can smell you, Prick. You know I hate it when you smoke.” He pouts and his eyes are downcast.
Kai looks at him and sighs. He pushes Beomgyu gently to try and go inside the door but the older insists. “You promised when we were younger that you would do anything for me, so why can’t you quit?” he presses, genuinely upset.
“Is the smoking really what bothers you, Hyung?” Kai asks tenderly. “It sounds like you’re overshadowing.”
Beomgyu presses his lips into a straight line, annoyed. He wraps his jacket tighter to his body and gives Kai a blank stare. “My little brother had his first day of college and suddenly he’s giving me a psychological assessment.” he spits sarcastically, and Kai rolls his eyes at his brother’s dramatic response.
“I’m just asking, Hyung,” he says not above a whisper. “Could I come in?”
Beomgyu scrunches his nose in a manner that Kai assumes is supposed to be angrier, but he just finds his Hyung rather cute when he’s worried about him. Which is almost always, considering Kai does what he does for a living.
He brings out his hand. “Give me.”
“What?”
“Your packet, give me.”
Kai huffs. “I can simply buy a new one.”
“I don’t care.” Beomgyu seems rather serious, so Kai digs his hand into his coat pocket, reluctantly pulling out the gold and black, little box and hands it to Beomgyu who takes it and throws it on the floor, smashing the packet with the heel on his house slipper, making sure to disfigure it properly until its unsalvageable.
He looks up at Kai. “Now you can come in.”
“What are you doing up at this late hour?” Kai walks into the spacious apartment, taking off his coat leaving him in only a turtleneck.
Beomgyu slumps on the couch, deliberately ignoring Kai’s question by putting his headset on and grabbing back the game controller. He gives Kai a glance that says, “I’m still mad at you.” He starts another game of LoL.
On the table, Kai sees a couple of dishes covered in a steaming plastic cover. He sits at one of the chairs, locking eyes with Beomgyu he mouths. “Thank you.” to which Beomgyu returns with a very strong middle finger.
He digs in.
................
Taehyun’s roommate is no other than Choi Soobin, his best friend since middle school. He crashes the older in a hug as soon as he walks past the door, relieved to have at least someone familiar with the horror that is college.
“Got lonely, did you?” Soobin laughs, ruffling Taehyun’s hair until they are a messy, red nest.
“Yes.” Taehyun buries himself in Soobin’s chest. “Orientation was a nightmare, I arrived late because whoever planned this campus wanted to see me suffer and everyone was looking at me like I was an utter weirdo.”
“Like.” Soobin jokes, then he yelps when Taehyun smacks him across the shoulder. “Ow, you’re mean.”
Taehyun lets go of the hug. “I’m going to have some new friends, right? I mean, I’m not that helpless that in 4 years I won’t have anyone but you, right?”
Soobin contemplates. “I guess if it was anyone else asking, I’d say Yeah of course.”
Taehyun glares. “I really do hate you.”
“Come on, you have a nice personality, you are kind, a little smart too, some might say even attractive. You'll do just fine if you stop caring what people think of you. Just be yourself.”
“Wow... “Taehyun says, unimpressed. “I never thought of that.”
Soobin smiles and sits beside Taehyun on his bed, lying back. He puts his arm under his head for support and takes off his shoes. “You’ll do just fine. Give it time.” He cheers him up. Taehyun spends the rest of the morning helping Soobin hang up his anime posters on the wall, put sheets on his bare bed, and unpack his suitcases. They fly through the tasks talking about what courses they’re going to have in the semester and Soobin even tells Taehyun about his friends from the third and second year, a couple. One is a Dance major and the other studies music production. He promises he’ll introduce them to him soon enough.
“By the way, doesn’t your morning class start like... “he looks at his watch. “Correction, started 8 minutes ago?”
The color leaves Taehyun's face in a split second. “What! He looks at the schedule he hung up over his bed, clearly showing that Soobin is indeed right. “Fuck... Fuck!”
Laughter rolls from Soobin's chest as he watches his best friend freak out. “Oh, Hyunnie. What would you do without me?”
His rhetorical question goes unanswered when Taehyun dashes out of the room with a panicked look and a half-open bag on his shoulder. Leaving Soobin to finish unpacking on his own.
...............
His classes last until 8 pm with a big break in the middle for which he takes to first visit the campus library and go through his notes to double check he understood whatever was talked about in his morning classes.
He walks out of his last class when it is already dark outside, his bag is noticeably heavier since he decided to pick up some essential books his professor has recommended to enrich their knowledge in first aid care. He picked out some biology and anatomy books as well to hopefully get a head start on those subjects as well.
The air gets increasingly colder each night, signaling the end of summer and the start of autumn. Taehyun thinks he should’ve been friendlier to the girl who sat next to him at the library and asked him about his major and where he’s from, but he got too shy he couldn’t further the conversation. He hoped he was polite enough at least, maybe next time he could ask her for her major as well.
Being with Soobin today, he thought he’d be slightly more confident talking to other people but maybe time really is what he needs.
Taehyun is not quiet, he really isn’t. When he’s close enough to someone he can talk and talk. He doesn’t know why it’s so hard for him to speak when it comes to small talk with strangers. That's how people make friends, he heard. Small talk leads to surely talking every day until small talk is no longer... small. Taehyun has never reached that stage, not with anyone that wasn’t Soobin that is.
As he attempts to find the way back to his dorms, he keeps regretting the things he said, or rather the things he could’ve said but didn’t. Surprisingly he regrets most not telling Soobin about the guy he talked to last night. He justifies it by the lack of time they had in the morning, but the truth is while he talks to Soobin about everything, he kind of wishes to keep this specific experience to himself.
Keep the mysterious guy to himself.
He doesn’t think retelling the story will do it justice. Not like having seen it, not like having talked to... him.
The guy in the long black coat.
................
Taehyun hears police sirens close to his dorm; he doesn’t quite get to worry about them because he gets yanked by the arm into a stuffy alley and before he has the time to protest, his mouth is occupied by a pair of ridiculously soft lips. He tries pushing whoever is against his chest, he can feel a heart racing that isn’t his.
“Stop” he mumbles but it’s quite hard to talk when his lips are captured by the teeth of whoever is kissing him, he groans silently at the sting from the not-so-gentle bite. He hears the police sirens louder now, and a few men run past them. Taehyun hears the footsteps growing further and further away.
“Shut up.” the person whispers, pulling away. Taehyun opens his mouth to say something, he feels fogged by the kiss, and a metallic taste spreads in his mouth, but the blood isn’t his.
The guy from last night, Taehyun’s mind clears enough to remember those dark, sharp eyes. That voice. The guy clamps a gloved hand on Taehyun’s mouth, putting up a finger to his own lips as if to tell Taehyun to stay quiet.
The mysterious guy looks back, beyond the walls of the alley. After a few seconds, he slowly retracks his hand from Taehyun’s mouth. There's blood smeared across Taehyun’s lips; his eyes are double their size as he looks at the stranger for an explanation.
The stranger's chest heaves against his in the cramped-up space, his eyebrow is slit with blood dripping almost into his left eye, and he has a cut on his cheek and another near his lips. He stares quietly at Taehyun, his gaze may or may not be the only thing drilling Taehyun’s legs in the ground. He can’t move.
“You have not seen a thing.” The stranger whispers. “Understood?”
Taehyun’s hands tremble, his heart dropping to his stomach. He swallows, unable to say a word. He shakes his head slightly, still blind-sighted. “I...”
“You.” The guy repeats. Putting pressure on Taehyun’s chest with his pointy elbow. “Have not seen anything. Understood, Kang Taehyun?”
The pressure hurts and Taehyun feels a sting in his eyes, feeling them turn watery. He feels utterly helpless, confused, and terrified. He nods his head frantically, shivers running through his entire body like a strong blow of wind when he is reminded that the stranger knows his name. And thus, can find where he lives, and who he hangs out with.
Finally, the guy takes his elbow away from Taehyun’s body and with a last look of warning, he leaves like he never was.
Taehyun’s legs shake like they’re made of jelly, they give out beneath him, and he falls to the ground, breathing heavily. A few tears fall down his cheeks as he tries to calm himself down.
He gets up slowly, waddling towards his dorm with a pale as-a-ghost face. He looks behind him at least a couple of times before wrapping his arms around his body and hurrying to the dorm building.
When he lay in bed that night, waiting for Soobin to return from yet another house party. He feels his lips still tingle, from his very first kiss.
He cries himself to sleep.