com·pres·sion [/kəmˈpreSHən/]:
1. noun
the action of compressing or being compressed
2. verb
Refers to reducing the quality of digital data in an effort to conserve storage space

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Hoseok softly shut the door behind him, a wide grin on his face. When he turned around he found Hae Ri staring down at her wrist with wide eyes, his eyes followed hers to find his hand still wrapped tightly around her small fragile wrists. Nearly throwing her hand in shock his cheeks turned bright pink and he stuttered to gather his words, "I-I'm sorry...! I didn't think...!" Inside, he was throwing punches at himself for being so stupid. This girl was far more sensitive and fragile than the average girl, he needed to watch what he did around her, and like an idiot he had forgotten that simple things made her run in fear.

"It's okay..." Hae Ri mumbled, avoiding his eyes. How he knew of her dislike for being touched was a mystery to Hae Ri, but at least he knew and realized. Being alone with this boy wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, but she would rather be back in her own dorm. Back where she knew that she was safe, where she couldn't get hurt, where the walls were like arms wrapped around her, "H-Hoseok sunbae..." Hae Ri muttered, her fingers wiggling at her sides in discomfort.

"Yah, we're the same age Hae Ri. You already forgot?" Hoseok giggled, rolling to the balls of his feet then his heels. Hae Ri stared up at the taller boy, his smile was so bright it could blind her, how did he do it? How could he stand here in such an awkward situation and smile without a care in the world? Why couldn't Hae Ri smile like that...? Does it feel nice to smile that way...? She quickly shook her head momentarily to clear her many thoughts, that's right. She had forgotten their similar age.

"Ho...Hoseok..." She hesitated, the only other name she has ever said informally was Stephanie's. Because before, Stephanie was the only girl she knew of that was her age, the only girl she had to call out to. Her eyes looked at the smiling boy in front of her, why did his eyes look so happy too? Why was he so...happy? "Hoseok... I-I would like to just go back home now...please." Her cheeks became red asking for such a thing. She knew that by saying that she had hurt his feelings, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Getting close to people only brought pain.

"B-But we need to go for a walk first! I'll bring you home after, okay? I promise!" He laughed a little too loudly, now she could see it. His big and happy smile, but she could see the sting in his eyes. The disappointment, the self-loathing, the embarrassment. Her eyes dropped to the ground, staring at her thick beat up boots and his shiny and clean sneakers. "I promise, let's just walk around the campus. One lap, okay?" He held out his index finger to Hae Ri, wiggling it in her face. Hoseok knew he had won her over when the corners of her mouth dropped into a slightly frown. Inside he was excited and any embarrassment from before quickly washed away to bring in excitement. Immediately he turned and started walking to the elevator, motioning for her to follow quickly and mouthing 'hurry!' to her.

"One lap..." Hae Ri repeated to herself, it was only one lap around campus. She bit down onto her bottom lip and followed after the strange boy, hoping the walk would end easily and quickly. It's not that she wanted to hurt the boys feelings, it's not that she wanted him to think she disliked him... But being around other people like this made her skin itch, it made her scalp burn, and the feelings of bugs crawling up her back. It was just simply uncomfortable. Hae Ri lived by her own philosophy; If you don't get close, you can't get hurt. If you don't get close, you'll have nothing to lose. If you don't get close, you'll live easily.

The elevator ride down was awkward and quiet, they stood on opposite sides of the elevator, facing the front like strangers. But that's what they were, right? Sure, they knew each other's names, but not each other's stories. They knew nothing of their likes and dislikes, their fears and their favorites. When they excited the building they were hit with a blast of crisp chilly air, their breath forming clouds in their faces and the starry night sky welcoming them.

"Ah... I didn't think about how cold it would be..." Hoseok frowned, immediately shoving his hands into his pockets nad letting a shiver shake his body. Hae Ri looked over to the boy and frowned, her chin burrying into her large scarf. Slowly her hands gripped onto the soft fabric, her fingers diving into it's soft touch. The jacket and many layers she wore was enough to keep her warm, maybe she didn't need this scarf...? For a moment her joints felt like they had rusted as she tried to pull it over her head, it was difficult. Don't get too close, if you get close, you'll get hurt... A lump formed in her throat, this wasn't getting close. This was being polite and having manners, Hae Ri was raised to have good manners. If you treat someone badly, what if it's the last time you will ever see them...? With a rough bite to the inside of her bottom lip, she tugged the infinity scarf over her head and held it out for the freezing boy.

"Please... You should wear this. It's very cold outside..." Hae Ri looked down to the ground. She could feel the fire in her cheeks, being this bold was never in her nature and when push came to shove, she was always uncomfortable being this way. Hoseok looked down at the tiny girl in front of him, her arms holding out her maroon knit scarf. Was she really letting him wear it...? His eyes went wide and his cheeks turned almost as red as the scarf she held, he opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head quickly, hushing him. "Please... I don't need it. I'm warm enough." She offered it again.

Appa! It's snowing outside, wear my scarf! Okay!? You have to!

A smile spread across Hoseok's face again as he took it from her and wrapped it around his neck, secretly taking in her scent. It was light and earthy, like someone who spent their days outside, or someone who just rolled in a pile of racked leaves. For a girl, it was a strange scent but Hoseok loved it, only because it was Hae Ri's own scent. "Thank you, but are you sure you'll be okay with out it?" He asked, staring at her still slightly damp hair. Was she really more concerned for him than herself?

"...It's okay. I'll be fine." Her voice cracked, but she had managed to hide it. The voice she heard in her head, it hit her like a baseball bat and knocked her out cold for a moment. She didn't remember where she was, who she was with, how she had even got there but within the moment she had came to her sences. Hoseok was next to her, she was outside, he wanted to walk with her. "Let's go... I want to go home..." Hae Ri muttered, forgetting that she was hurting his feelings by saying such rude things. But it was true, she wanted to get home and she wanted to get home fast so she started walking without waiting for Hoseok who quickly followed her.

This was taking much longer than Hae Ri had expected, thirty minutes had passed and they still hadn't made it to the half way point. They had come to the teacher parking lot behind the school, now empty of fancy cars or teachers out on smoke breaks. The sounds of the night was something that was comforting to her, one of the only things that was keeping her slightly calm through all of this. The rustling of the drying leaves in the tree, the scraping of the dead leaves crawling across the concrete, the sound of their rough footsteps. It was sounds that Hae Ri loved, her eyes lifted to the stars dotting the black blanket sky. It was a sight that Hae Ri loved. Her hand reached into her bag, groping around for her camera and grabbing it tightly.

"Can... Can we stop for a little bit?" Hae Ri asked, her eyes still up at the sky as she pulled her camera from her bag. Hoseok looked down to the metal box in her hands and a smile smile came to his lips. He had never seen her in her element but he was positive she looked beautiful with her face hidden behind the lens of a camera. His eyes scanned teh area, trying to find somewhere they could sit and rest. This was his perfect chance to get to know her a little better... YoonGi was going to be proud of how well he was doing when he came back to the dorm later.

"Sure, there's a bench over there. Shall we have a seat?" He smiled, pointing to a stone bench off into the grassy area of the campus. Hae Ri looked to where he was pointing then quickly looked back up to the sky, jogging lightly over to the bench and plopping down onto it. Hoseok was honestly shocked to see her in that moment, it was almost as if he was watching a perplexed child. The way her eyes didn't want to leave the stars, the way she ran without knowing what she coud trip on... For a while he kept his eyes on her, watching her fumble with her camera quickly. "What are you doing?" He asked, deciding to take a seat next to her when she simply set her camera face up onto the stone bench.

"I'm taking a picture of the stars." She said, her eyes glued once more on the sky above.

"But... your camera is just sitting there!" He frowned, utterly confused as he sat down gently on the other side of the camera.

"It's called the B setting." Hae Ri responded to his confusion, "It's like an infinity button, you press it and the shutter stays open until you press it again to close it." When she spoke of her knowledge of cameras, she would suddenly lose her stutter. Her hesitant attitude, her shy manner. Hae Ri would speak like a teacher informing a student, it was something that she didn't realize she did. When she looked to Hoseok and saw the same blank expression on his face snd blushed and sat a little straighter, "Th-The sky! The sky is very dark and even though the stars are bright... Th-They are too far away to capture within the time frames of milliseconds the camera gives you...!" Her habit came back instantly when she realized that these were things that only made sense to her and not to other people, "Th-The camera needs to stay open for a long time so it can draw in enough light to actually show up... So that's why there is a thing called B setting, because it can remain open as long as you want it..."

Hoseok nodded his head slowly, trying to take in all the information she had just shared... but it still didn't make sense. "But...The Earth rotates... So how will that come out right?" He frowned, was he getting a headache?

"Exactly!" Hae Ri gasped, pointing up at the sky, "The Earth is constantly spinning on an axis, we don't stay still in space...! So if this turns out, when it devlops it will make streaks in the sky..." She slowly slashed her finger across the sky, drawing a line. Hoseok was honestly impressed with her knowledge of not only her camera, but now space as well? What other things did she know?

"You really know a lot about photography...! Where did you learn all that?" Hoseok gasped with a big smile on his face, trying to show how impressed she was.

Hae Ri hesitated, the word on her tongue tasting like bile. Like if she said a word, vomit would spill, "M-My appa..." She muttered, her hands balling into fists in her lap.

"He's a smart guy! He must be a great photographer too!" Hoseok smiled, kicking his feet about with excitement.

"He was an amazing photographer...He taught me a lot." She managed to speak without her voice cracking. No matter how hard she tried to clench her jaw, her teeth still chattered. No matter how many times she blinked them back, the tears would always return. Her fingers quickly grabbed her camera, shutting the B setting off. Of course she knew that the amount fo time light entered wasn't enough, but her stomach started to churn and twist.

"Even better than you? You think he'd take a picture of me? I'm a great model!" Hoseok giggled, sitting like the thinker to try and make Hae Ri laugh. But without realizing it, it was just the opposite. Tears spilled over the rim of her eyes silently, her fingers gripped her camera tighter and tighter till a small creaking noise came from it.

"My appa... He doesn't do that anymore..." Her teeth bit into her bottom lip so hard that a metallic taste became present. "My appa..." She started but couldn't quite finish before she stood up quickly, startling Hoseok. "I-I'm cold, I'm going to go home." She muttered, her tears completely masked by her usual small voice. Hoseok's eyes widdened and he swallowed hard, standing up as well.

"I-I can walk you, it's dark out and it's dangerous...!" He smiled nervously, he did it again. She's going to run for it. What did he do? Was it something he said? Something he did? The palms of his hand became sweaty yet cold, his feet felt like he was standing on pins and needles and his heart pounded against his chest so hard that it nearly knocked him back down onto the bench.

"Please don't trouble yourself, I'll be okay..." She turned and bowed so fast that Hoseok almost didn't noticed the two tear drops roll off her jaw and fall to the concrete. It was like the picture in front of him just shattered, like somene took a hammer to his heart. Hae Ri already started to walk off and Hoseok reached out for her arm desperately, but just as his fingers brushed her jacket, he stopped himself. Don't touch her, she'll just be more upset. All he could do was watch her walk away again, his feet planted in the spot where he stood as she got smaller and smaller... He wanted to make her smile... But he made her cry...? After minutes passed he stumbled back, completely losing his balance and plopping back onto the cold stone bench, his mind clearly on other things than getting back to somewhere warm. Slowly his hand reached up to grab the soft fabric of Hae Ri's scarf still around his neck. Lifting it to his nose, he took in the natural scent that was left of her.

YoonGi had fallen into Stephanie's lap, his head resting there as her fingernails gently and calmingly scrapped his scalp. Occasionally her fingers would twist around one of his curls playfully and he'd let out a relaxed sigh, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier with each passing minute. This is what he loved, relaxing and dozing off in the comfort of his girlfriend. When her fingers would comb through his hair and rub his neck and slowly massage it. His eyes closed as he snuggled closer to her and deeper into her lap like a child, the TV noise in the background adding to his lazy mood.

"I love you." YoonGi sighed, his hand resting on her thigh.

"Oppa...! How can you say that so bluntly...!?" Stephanie gasped, pulling her hand from his hair in shock. That was the first time he had ever muttered those words to her, and her heart nearly burst with excitement.

"Yah, don't stop. I like that." He groaned, and she quickly returning her finger to his hair again, a smile on her face.

"I love you too oppa..." Stephanie giggled as her cheeks turned pink, biting on her lip like a school girl.

A smile bloomed on YoonGi's face, if she said she loved him, it was all he needed to know she was his and no one elses. Just as he got more comfortable, there was a vibration in his pocket and the muffled sound of a ringtone. It was only a text message so he briefly ignored it before remembering Hoseok and Hae Ri were out somewhere together. Was everything going okay? YoonGi's heart suddenly dropped and he flew out of Stephanie's lap, digging in his pocket for his phone. Stephanie jumped back, startled by how fast YoonGi had moved away from her. That's the fastest anyone has ever seen him move.

YoonGi looked down to his phone and slide his lock screen, noticing Hoseok's name above the small message icon. Opening it, his heart dropped even further as it simply read;

'Hyung.....'

YoonGi dropped his head and sighed, he knew Hoseok would do something stupid in the end. His grip tightened on his phone in annoyance and frustration. Hoseok knew that he was probably relaxing with Stephanie so why couldn't he just deal with his own problems!? He bit onto his lip, letting out and exhausted sigh and leaning back into the couch thinking of what to do.

"What is it?" Stephanie asked, trying to steal glances at YoonGi's lit phone screen.

"Yah, I'm tired. Let's get you back to the dorm room." He grunted as he pushed himself from the comfort of the futon. Stephanie looked up at him and pouted, trying to milk the watery eyed look.

"But oppa, t's dark and dangerous... Can't I just stay here...?" She batted her eyelashes a few times but YoonGi shook his head. They had been together long enough for her to realize that YoonGi didn't fall for such tricks easily, but it was always worth a try in her mind. He bent his fingers quickly at her, trying to get her to hurry off the futon. He was worried about Hoseok and where he was, no doubt he messed something up from that text message and it would be best to find him quickly before he became impossible to find.

YoonGi nearly ran out of the female dorm building, his breath forming white clouds before him. Why was it so cold out? The air quickly soaked through his thin sweatshirt and nipped at his skin. Damn Hoseok, making him come out here in this weather for his stupid shit. His fingers tugged his beanie farther over his head for warmth as he set out to find the idiot.

Several times he attempted to call Hoseok's phone but he never picked up. That idiot...! If he sent that kind of text message he should expect YoonGi to go looking for him and keep his phone on him... A sigh escaped his lips as he looked to the sky and let out a loud groan of annoyance. Maybe it was a bad idea to surprise Hoseok by inviting Hae Ri over like that... But if they had planned it, Hoseok would have been to planned out and unnatural with her. He once more sent out a text message to his roommate before shoving his hands back into his sweatshirt pockets.

He had made the rounds by Hoseok's favorite hang out spots at least a hundred times before he noticed a figure standing under the trees, staring up at the sky. Why was he out here staring at the sky?

"Yah, dipshit!" YoonGi called out, quickly walking over to the person, "You could have answered my phone calls if you're just going to stand there like a-" He stopped his sentence and even his quickly footsteps when the figure looked over her shoulder to reveal it was Hae Ri. YoonGi was struck speechless, did he really...? Did he really just speak that way to a girl? "A-Ah, I'm sorry..." He bowed politely, his ftoes and fingers suddenly becoming fidgety. Hae Ri blinked a few times before she looked back up at the sky without a word, she was empty at this point. Hae Ri's soul wasn't within her anymore.

"U-Um... Have you seen Hoseok?" YoonGi asked, his cheeks bright red. He waited nicely for an answer but Hae Ri never gave him one. "Yah, have you seen Hoseok?" He asked a little louder in case she didn't hear him but once again, she offered him no response. "Yah, you're sunbae is asking a question so why don't you answer!?" He snapped and grabbed her arm, spinning her around. Hae Ri's legs twisted together and she nearly stumbled into the ground but caught herself. Why was this girl always so weird? Maybe Stephanie was right, maybe this girl was a freak? "When I ask a question, you should answer me! Have you seen Hoseok anywhere?" He tried one more time, but she only looked up at the sky again without even a shrug or a simple noise that she was comprehending korean.

"Are you deaf? Can you hear me right now?" YoonGi finally snapped, his patient has run out with the small girl in front of him, "Are you fucking stupid or something!?" Hae Ri blinked at his words, her eyes rounding into circles. Slowly she lowered her head to look at YoonGi who was breathing heavily and steaming with anger and frustration. Her gaze dropped even lower to the ground where her eyes frantically moved about, trying to hold back her tears again. The quiet and polite wall she tried to keep up was slowly crumbling, chipping and falling. "Stephanie has told me that you're weird, and I'm thinking she's right! You're out here in the cold staring at nothing in the sky! Do you need help? Do you need to go see a doctor?" He continued to bomb her wall with insults, her eyes blinked quickly. They were coming, she was coming undone. She was being stripped bare and soon to be naked. "Didn't your parents raise you with manners!?"

That was the last thing Hae Ri could take. Her wall burst and it rained down her sanity, debris wounding her body and heart. She looked up at him with angry eyes and grabbed her bag tightly, slamming it into his chest and knocking him back a few steps before she took off running. YoonGi stood shocked, holding onto her bag tightly. He couldn't even think straight enough to form words to demand she come back to him and take a lecture on her attitude. It was too late when he finally collected his thoughts and realized what he saw before him, he saw tears running down her cheeks. His eyes lowered to Hae Ri's bag in his hands and he let out a long sigh, squeezing his eyes shut tight. He let his emotions get the better of him and now he made his girlfriend's roommate cry...

Maybe him and Hoseok were equally just as stupid...

Notes