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@✦kim namjoon Morning business lectures... not my thing. Especially since I spent almost all night designing new animations for my game character. I was still wondering who came up with the idea of additional lectures that were not even related to my field of study. While the business lectures still sounded better than history or philosophy, classes were held early in the morning. Nightmare.
Getting out of bed today was more difficult than usual and while I would normally spend more time on my appearance, today I really didn't care. Gray sweatpants and an oversized, comfortable pastel pink hoodie had to be enough. Even my friend chuckled looking at my bare face and puffy eyes. My glare didn't impress him, as he patted my head when I slumped into the chair next to him.
"What's up, comfy boy?"

"Dying, please be good friend and poke me if fall asleep."

"Nah, look, today's lecture may be a bit interesting"

"Oh?" My eyes followed his gaze, stopping on the handsome, unfamiliar man. "Oh... who's that?"

"No idea, but isn't he cute? Totally your type." I nudged Woo with my shoulder, trying to silence him.

"Why are you so loud, bro? What if he hears you ?!" He just shrugged and gave me a look. I hate him.

But it was hard to disagree. This fine man was indeed my type. His opening speech brought a smile to my face, and I had to look down at my notebook to hide my blush. The experience itself must have been stressful for him, I thought. And while I really wanted to help him and ask a question so that he wouldn't experience a quiet, uninterested crowd, nothing came to my mind. Luckily, a girl in the second row asked a question, as Woo slide a piece of paper under my nose. And although these were simple questions, I looked at him gratefully. When the man finished answering, I shyly raised my hand to express my desire to speak, I could feel myself blushing. Ah, but it was already far too late. Professor Jisol, sitting silently behind the desk, raised his eyebrows at me, amused. Well, I was his least active student, but that didn't give me the courage at all!
As Namjoon looked at me and gave me permission to ask, my knees felt weak.

"May I ask what was the most challenging running a business in such a young age? I mean, you do look young, sir. Uhm" Woo suppressed a low chuckle, and several people smiled amused. Even the professor.

Nice Jimin. "You do look young, sir" What was that?!
My cheeks burn.

@✧park jimin After twisting my arm for months on end, Jisol finally roped me into speaking at his Intro to Business seminar. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to a hall full of bright-eyed college kids. Which is why I’ve constantly turned him down. But a week he ago he invited me out for a night of drinking and coerced a ‘yes’ out of me and is holding me to it. That has to be illegal somewhere.

“What the hell am I supposed to tell them?” I whisper to Jisol as he’s handing the floor over to me.

“Anything, ,” he whispers back. “You literally own a company.”

Then I’m stuck up at the podium under the watchful eye of about 200 twenty-something’s. I straighten my suit jacket and clear my throat.

“Hello, everyone.” God, this is awkward. “My name is Kim Namjoon. I’m a friend of Professor Lee. He asked me to speak to you guys today since I run my own business and this is a business class. I had a little spiel prepared that I wrote on a napkin last night…and then my bunny ate it. Which might have been a blessing in disguise because I’m terrible at speeches like that. So I thought I’d just open the floor up for questions. Does anybody have anything they want to know?”

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@✧han jisung In the midst of falling apart at him calling 'Mr. Bang', I nearly have a heart attack when I see what my brain can only identify as a blue binkie fall out of Jisung's backpack. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but when he shoves it back in looking lovely and flustered with those pink cheeks, I get a clear look at it. And I know I'm right. There has to be an explanation for it. There's no way Jisung is into little space. He's sweet, pretty, and too damn wonderful. It'd be too perfect. Suspiciously so.

Letting out a nervous, I hope I'm not being too obvious when I glaze right over the whole thing. He's obviously not up for talking about it. "Mr. Bang is so formal. Makes me feel like an old man. Just call my 'hyung'."

I lead him inside and say my hello's to the regulars before steering us to my usual booth.

@✧han jisung If he keeps blushing and being the sweetest bun I've ever laid my eyes on, I'm gonna combust. I nod, not too sure of what to say to that. Jogging around to the driver's side, I climb in and start the car. I make all the little adjustments, like turning the heat up and switching the defrost on. Without having to think too much about it, I turn the vents more toward Jisung. He can't be cold.

I don't realize I'm en route to my favorite diner until we're already halfway there. All of my ex-Littles loved this place because it has all those foods they like to eat off the kids menu. Mac and cheese. Corn dog bites. Even dinosaur chicken nuggets. Again, my jacked up subconscious is thinking of Jisung in that way and we've only just met.

I can't explain why I'm so high strung and sensitive to everything about him. Even his name. My head is telling me what I'm about to say is so extremely lame, but my heart just needs to blurt it out. Just as we're pulling up to the diner, I spare a moment to say, "I hope you don't mind if I call you Jisung? I want to be more than just 'people' to you."

@✧han jisung "That's...awesome," I say, a bit incredulously.

A jolt of something prickles down my neck when he agrees. I'm not sure what I'm getting at here. I promised myself I wouldn't go flirting around like I used to. Too many pretty boys walked away from me after finding out about my secret. My identity behind closed doors. Too much heartbreak.

But, this is supposed to be just lunch, right? There's nothing more I expect from him than a nice conversation over a hot meal. That's it. I might even encourage him to speak in lecture. Give those fidgeting shoulders a good jostle. A sheepish boy like him is bound to get taken advantage of.

Or, or...okay, so maybe I think he's gorgeous and want to take him on a little date. Sue me.

It's colder out this morning than it has been all week, and I'm grateful for both myself and my company that I parked close. We don't have to slosh in the snow for very long. Then that gratitude vanishes when I look at my truck and inwardly groan. My truck is old. A 2005 Nissan Pathfinder in the ugliest green color ever invented. I was going through a phase then. I'm almost embarrassed when I open the passenger door.

"After you," I say. And then a thought hits me. "You know who I am. I never did catch your name?"

@✧han jisung Seeing how nervous and shy he is, I can't help how my switch, the switch I try very hard not to touch while out in public, just flips on easy as can be. He spooks like a fawn. Too sweet and soft to be without protection. Pretty as a picture.

"Yes, you." I chuckle a bit. And then when I'm done reveling in how wonderfully adorable he is, I tense up. This is probably going to sound weird. "Look, I know this is kinda sudden. But, would like to have lunch? I just, God, wanna talk to you? Ugh, I must sound like a nut job..."

@✧han jisung It's already been five years since I've visited my old university. I'm studying for my Master's at my dad's alma mater; so, it's been a while since I've last walked these halls. At first, I almost turned my friend down when he asked for me speak at his lecture hall. I'm not one for public speaking and I don't know what I'd be able to say to bunch of Music majors. After some begging and bribing he finally got me to come out. I'll take my petty revenge of him putting me on the spot by making sure to mention the time he got so drunk he ending up getting stuck in a toddler swing at the park.

About halfway through me just telling some stories from my undergrad years and answering some questions (some more invasive than others), I notice a young man sitting in the upper back part of the hall. He has pretty eyes, peachy lips, and cute ears. Don't ask me how ears can be cute. His just are. He looks shy, too. He hasn't asked a single question this entire time.

When it's all done and the hall is clearing out, I try my best to get his attention. I'm not sure what's coming over me. It just seems like he has something to say, but he's too shy to say it. He might see me, or he might not.