I've been feeling shy since that day. My mind keeps wondering about that day and I often dream about the moment. But after that night, nothing has changed from the past. The relationship between Soobin and I hasn't made any progress and.....the short spring break is now over. Starting today, we have officially become college students
- At Seoul College -
"So, Soobin, hey," Yeonjun called out as he caught up to Soobin.
"Yeah?" Soobin turned, his expression curious.
"I, uh, got a bit lost in thought and ended up trailing you. Are you headed to the science and engineering department?" Yeonjun gestured toward the signboard at the entrance.
Soobin raised an eyebrow, realizing Yeonjun was from the literature department. "You zoned out and followed me? Well, you should go to your department building, I'm off to my building. Bye ."
Yeonjun gave a cute wave. "Bye!"
And with that, Soobin headed into his building, leaving Yeonjun to make his way to the literature department.
"So, you are basically on a Soobin spying mission at the science and engineering department?" Beomgyu teased, eyeing Yeonjun who was shamelessly staring at the entrance gate of Soobin's department building.
"Haven't made any progress since high school, huh, Yeonjun?" Huening Kai chimed in, also trying to discreetly observe the folks from the science and engineering department.
"Hmm... But, look, I see only guys there. So, no need to worry about girls swooning over him. Just fret about other dudes, Yeonjun. That's a solid 50% safe zone!" Huening Kai exclaimed, waving his hands animatedly.
Yeonjun, still in his observation mode, hardly responded. "Yeonjun, check out that girl!" Beomgyu urgently tapped Yeonjun's shoulder, pointing toward the entrance. The three of them turned their attention to witness a stunning girl with a captivating appearance and elegant brown wavy hair standing tall.
"Who's that gorgeous girl?" Beomgyu stuttered.
"Wow, she's like a sparkling gem in this sea of guys on campus." Huening Kai couldn't help but scan the crowd around her, until a familiar figure appeared.
"Soobin! Have you picked your elective course?" The girl asked as she saw Soobin coming out of the building . They started descending the stairs together, chatting away.
"No, not yet."
"What should I choose?"
Just as Soobin was about to respond, someone abruptly stepped in front of them.
"Whoa!" Yeonjun exclaimed. He glanced back. "What? Beomgyu! Huening Kai!" It turned out the two had pushed Yeonjun forward.
"Do you need something?" Soobin inquired, looking slightly confused .
Caught in an awkward situation, Yeonjun tried to play it cool. "I was just wondering what kind of desks they have in the science and engineering department."
Smooth, Yeonjun, real smooth,he scolded himself for the nonsense.
The girl beside Soobin, sensing something, asked, "Is he your friend?"
Yeonjun patiently awaited Soobin's response, hoping for a glimmer of acknowledgment.
Soobin hesitated, then chuckled, "No way. We're heading out now." With that, Soobin and the girl strolled away, leaving Yeonjun dumbfounded.
No way? After everything, after that kiss... but 'No way?' Am I not even a friend? What's going to happen to my college life? Yeonjun wondered, feeling a bit lost.
"Wait, you guys kissed?!!" Beomgyu's voice echoed through the cafe, causing heads to turn, and Huening Kai's jaw dropped to the floor after hearing Yeonjun's words.
"Shhh! Keep it down!" Yeonjun cringed, not just from the fact that his love life was now public knowledge in the cafe, but also because the two troublemakers were behaving like children, accidentally spilling their drinks in the process.
After the minor chaos, the trio decided to relocate to the nearest cafe, where Yeonjun spilled the tea about the party and how he was struggling to make sense of the unexpected kiss with Soobin.
"How am I supposed to keep it down after hearing this? Soobin kissed you?" Beomgyu attempted to lower his voice, but his excitement was still audible to everyone in the area.
"But from what I just witnessed, it doesn't seem that way at all." Huening Kai observed, prompting a heavy sigh from Yeonjun.
"I know. I can't figure out what Soobin is thinking at all," Yeonjun whined. He was genuinely lost, as Soobin could be incredibly kind one moment and then revert to his usual self the next especially if they are not alone . Did he have some kind of split personality? Yeonjun wondered.
"Quit being a wimp. Soobin got your first kiss," Beomgyu remarked, taking another sip of his drink.
"He's right. You need to toughen up. We're freshmen in college, and it's springtime – the season to meet new people," Huening Kai chimed in with his usual sunshine vibe, eager to embrace the opportunities college life had to offer.
"But if you just sit around doing nothing, some beautiful girl is going to snatch Soobin away," Beomgyu's words struck a chord with Yeonjun, settling firmly in his mind.
-at Kim's Restaurant -
"Hello Welcome !"
"Jin, big thanks for having us." Mr. Choi gave Jin a warm hug, soaking in the welcoming vibes.
"No problem at all! We have to celebrate Soobin and Yeonjun for starting their college journey. This way ." Jin motioned towards the VIP room, setting the stage for a delightful evening. The Choi family, including Yeonjun, was in for a treat at Jin's famous restaurant.
As they stepped into the room, the ambiance struck them. "Let's get sit," Mr. Choi suggested.
"I'm exciting to taste Jin's cooking ! And Jin told me about these menus being made of top-notch Korean paper," Mr. Choi shared the information while reading the menu.
"Really? Well, now we can't mess them up," Mrs. Choi joked, eyeing the menu .
"And check these chopsticks, premium quality too. So, can't mess with those either."
"In that case, we might just have to pass on the eating part."
"I'll just let my stomach eat by itself then." Bantering back and forth, Mr. and Mrs. Choi engaged in a playful exchange, drawing the attention of the others.
A waiter gracefully approached their room, offering a warm "Welcome."
Yeonjun eyed the waiter and did a double-take. "Hyunjin?"
Yeonjun's surprised tone redirected everyone's focus to Hyunjin, who, dressed as a waiter, sported a sheepish smile with his hair neatly pulled back.
"Wow, you look different. Almost didn't recognize you. This look suits you," Mrs. Choi complimented, earning a side-eye from her eldest son.
"Thank you, Aunty," Hyunjin bowed slightly, expressing his gratitude.
"But why this restaurant ?" Mrs. Choi inquired, sparking curiosity among everyone, including Soobin, who pretended he was not interested.
"I've started my journey as an apprentice here, aiming to become a top-notch chef," Hyunjin replied.
"I see. You've got skills," Yeonjun praised, his eyes gleaming with admiration.
"Compared to a seasoned chef's dishes, mine still have a long way to go. But I'll hustle and become a better chef than your dad. I'm gunning to be the best chef in South Korea," Hyunjin declared, playfully ruffling Yeonjun's hair, fully aware of a certain intense gaze fixed on him from across Yeonjun's seat.
I won't back down, Soobin, Hyunjin smirked internally.
"I'm gonna make it big as a chef, earn loads of cash..." Hyunjin continued sharing his ambitions with Yeonjun.
"Hyunjin, how long are you gonna be stalling here?" a junior chef interrupted, coming to escort him.
"I'm sorry. I'll come with you now," Hyunjin replied, bidding a slow goodbye to Yeonjun and the parents.
As the night wore on, most of the guests said their goodbyes, leaving the Choi and Kim families to enjoy their delightful dinner, the air still buzzing with lively conversations.
In the midst of it all, Hyunjin found himself practicing the art of tissue folding at a recently vacated table.
"Looks a bit uneven, huh? We can't serve these to our customers," the supervisor observed, eyeing Hyunjin's folding technique.
"My mistake ," Hyunjin quickly acknowledged.
"Let me give you a hand." The supervisor stepped in, taking the time to walk Hyunjin through each fold. After all, it was Hyunjin's first day on the job.
"Take it slow with each fold," the supervisor advised.
"Got it."
After the short tutorial, Hyunjin expressed his thanks with a bow. Turning around, he spotted Yeonjun.
"Hyunjin, you've got a talent for this whole being a chef thing . Pretty impressive. I'll be your number one cheerleader," Yeonjun said, casually leaning against the counter.
"Thanks. Good luck with your studies, Yeonjun ah... And tell Beomgyu and Huening Kai that I'm asking about them too," Hyunjin replied, effortlessly engaging the conversation.
Knock Knock
"You can go take a bath now," Soobin said to Yeonjun, diligently drying his hair with a towel. Following Soobin's instructions, Yeonjun started heading toward the bathroom until he abruptly stopped.
"Um, Soobin ah," Yeonjun called out, his voice trembling slightly.
Soobin, looking puzzled, turned back and took a few steps towards Yeonjun. "Yes?"
Contemplating whether to ask or not, Yeonjun closed his eyes and finally voiced the question that had been on his mind. "Who's that girl from the science and engineering department?"
Taken aback by the unexpected question, Soobin managed to respond, "Oh, you mean Min Jia?"
"You even know her full name?!" Yeonjun's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting Soobin to be acquainted with the girl to that extent.
With a small sigh, Soobin replied, "I remember things once I hear them."
Oh, right, I forgot that Soobin has photographic memory.
"Could it be that Jia-shi likes you?" Yeonjun asked, his expression determined.
Observing Yeonjun's feline-like anger, Soobin couldn't help but find it adorable and decided to tease him. "Oh? Are you jealous?" Soobin inched his face closer to Yeonjun.
Now the angry cat is turning into a tomato cat, Soobin thought, amused.
Shaking his head and gesturing with his hands, Yeonjun denied, "Oh, no."
Soobin leisurely leaned back against the doorframe, crossing his arms, pretending to ponder. "Come to think of it, she's quite something. Beautiful, great body, and smart. She mentioned being fifth in the national exam once."
"Why would someone like that attend our school?" Yeonjun mumbled, clearly puzzled.
"Who knows? Maybe she has another purpose," Soobin replied without looking at Yeonjun. Although he couldn't see it, he could sense Yeonjun simmering with frustration. Soobin decided to playfully push the boundaries.
"What's this? I thought you were going to forget about me. Oh, right. We kissed, didn't we? Now you can't forget about... me?" Soobin said, leaning slowly toward Yeonjun again, closing his eyes.
Yeonjun, internally panicking, found himself at a loss for what to do. So, he followed suit, shutting his eyes and clamping his lips tight, unsure of how to react.
Could this be the second kiss? Yeonjun panicked, his mind racing. Yet, all he felt was Soobin gently patting his head, bidding him a good night, leaving a bewildered Yeonjun in his wake.
I've been teased. Soobin doesn't care that we kissed. Not fair, Yeonjun thought, a mix of confusion and a hint of disappointment settling in.
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(A/N - why is Soobin acting so different? And a rival for Yeonjun? Does Soobin know what his feelings for Yeonjun is? What if Hyunjin stop caring Yeonjun?
A short update for you guys as I'm missing my readers so much these days TT. I was going though some personal matters so it took me some times to write . And if you notice or not , I try to change my writing style, more like trying to improve .
And don't worry about updates , even if it takes some times , I'll make sure to come back !
A quick question - do you want me to upload chapters even though it would take some weeks? Or do you guys want me to stop for awhile and only came back once a week after all of my chapters are finished writing ? There might be around 40 chapters tho:/
Please answer in the comment ^^ !