Taming the Green Eyed Monster

A Beautiful Stranger

Jong In let out a long sigh and placed his forehead down onto the desk.

"Excuse me" came a voice from beside him, interrupting his thoughts.

Jong In jerked his head up, his eyes wide in surprise. The classroom had been long empty but standing in front of him was a man, one who was easily beautiful in the eyes of society. Tall, slim, with soft hair flowing about his forehead, and a face that any girl would easily adorn their phone lock screens with.

A deep chuckle emanated from the man. "Ah you have a–," the person said and pulled a piece of sticky note from Jong In's cheek. He gazed at it for a moment before handing it to him.

Jong In looked down at the note. He had furiously scribbled upon it earlier during class while lost in thought and now that word shouted glaringly back at him: 'Asshole.' Kill me now.

"Well if I did that then you wouldn't be able to help me," the man replied, laughter in his voice.

Jong In looked up, surprised. He hadn't realized he had spoken out loud.

He cleared his throat. "S-sorry," he mumbled, crumpling the offending note.

The man smiled, showing pearly white teeth. "I was hoping you can help me. I'm looking for someone. Her name is Chae Ji Soo," he gazed at the watch upon his wrist, "though I am a bit early."

Jong In stared at him. He vaguely remembered Ji Soo mentioning someone coming to meet her on campus. "Are you, by chance, the sunbae that is working with Professor Song?"

The man's eyes lit up in surprise. "Yes, how do you know that?"

He stood from his seat. "Ji Soo mentioned that an alumnus she knew was coming to the university this week."

The man's smile widened and again, Jong In noted that he was quite handsome, perhaps even on par with Ye Jun. "How lucky. I thought it would take me hours to find her but the first person I happen to meet is not only a friend of the person I am in search of but also happens to be quite cute."

Jong In looked at him in surprise. Exactly, how was he supposed to respond to that? Were there any words of inane pleasantries floating around his head somewhere that he could spout?

"My name is Go Si Woo," he said with a laugh.

Jong In internally winced. He had forgotten the most common pleasantry when meeting someone, asking for their name. Normally he wouldn't have cared much but there was something about this man and his teasing demeanor that made him not want to lose face.

"Nice to meet you," he said, clenching his fists so as not to stumble about his words, "My name is Lee Jong In."

Si Woo chuckled. "You're an odd one."

Jong In felt his face flush out of embarrassment.

"But it's cute."

Please stop. "I-I'll take you to Ji Soo," he said, stumbling on his words as he quickly grabbed his bag and scrambled out of the room. When he reached the door of the classroom, he turned back to see Si Woo watching him with open amusement. "Sunbae, please," he almost pleaded, "let's go and find her."

The man smiled, a glint in his eyes, and followed the awkward young man out of the classroom.

They walked for several minutes up the stairs and toward a series of gray doors. Si Woo briefly saw the title "Coding Club" on the door Jong In knocked on and subsequently opened, without awaiting a reply.

The room was dark but Jong In instinctively reached for the switch on the wall and plunged light into the room.

Si Woo looked around and spotted a sofa bed on the farthest wall. Two bodies were laid out upon the small space.