Youngjae's Negotiation Skills
Smultronstället
If asked what he prided himself most in, Yoo Youngjae would be swift to respond: everything. Now, it wasn’t that Youngjae was cocky, arrogant or anything of the sort; no, he simply found it hard not to find pride in the things he did. He had won Most Valuable Swimmer on the swim team two years in a row, he was vice president of the Tech club and president of the Student Council - not to mention the several awards he’d won for various achievements at school. How could he not be proud?
Nonetheless, there was one thing he’d never fully accomplished in the entirety of his school life and that was convincing some of the harder headed of the students in the school to help out with the activities and such said student council organized. It wasn’t that he was bad at it, he just wasn’t very good. After all, if someone doesn’t want to do something then they’re not going to do it, right?
This specific shortcoming was what brought him to the locker of one Kim Himchan on an early Wednesday morning.
The senior was well-known by every student in school possibly by word-of-mouth, a quick sighting, actual conversation with the boy but most definitely as the voice that came over the intercoms to dish out juicy gossip and the current news. Himchan was the penultimate social butterfly and an expert at either weaseling his way out of something, into something or talking someone else into it.
This way with words was what Youngjae needed right now no matter how much he hated to admit it.
“Good morning, hyung.” He greeted when said social butterfly began approaching his locker.
Himchan squinted as he walked down the hall, trying to discern who it was at his locker. It wasn’t uncommon for someone to be at his locker, no, but he had a feeling this wasn’t a just a visit to drop off a gift or just to say good morning. In fact, he was most certain he knew who it was, but didn’t say anything until he got closer and the person greeted him. Of course... it would be Youngjae - the very person he assumed it was. He held in an eye-roll before giving Youngjae a pleasant smile.
“Good morning, Youngjae-ah,” He nodded his head some, opening his locker in silence. He knew what Youngjae wanted - he needed his help with something to do with the student council, not that he was terribly against it, it just got annoying having to constantly help out the student council when they wouldn’t let him be a part of the club anymore.
“If you want to ask me something, you’d better ask - I have to meet up with some other classmates to go over a project,” Himchan hummed, taking out the books he would need, depositing his bag in the locker before turning to Youngjae, tilting his head some at him.
Youngjae was quick to overcome his momentary shock when the older boy quickly pushed aside all pleasantries and got right down to the matter at hand. It wasn’t all that surprising, really, considering the numerous times he’d had to enlist Himchan’s help last year - the older boy was used to it. And obviously, he had been a fool to think that things would be different this time around and that he wouldn’t need to ask Kim Himchan for anything.
Oh, how wrong he’d been proven.
Shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other, Youngjae took a deep breath before calmly delving into what he’d come here for. “Well... you see, hyung, the members of the Health, Nutrition and Fitness club are complaining about the lack of vegetarian choices on the menu and the student council has decided to draw up a petition for the school to give more options to them. We need a certain amount of signatures though...” He trailed off, hoping Himchan would catch where he was going with this.
Himchan listened to Youngjae intently, pursing his lips as the younger slowly trailed off in his mini-speech. They’d been back to school for less than a month and the clubs were already starting petitions and such? He sighed mentally, humming some on the outside so Youngjae knew he’d heard him and was thinking over it. He certainly didn’t want the winded boy to have to recite all of it again. He cradled his books in one arm while tapping his chin with his free hand’s fingers, his eyes wandering up to the ceiling.
“Alright,” Himchan spoke up suddenly, chortling some as the suddenness had startled Youngjae. He cleared his throat, “I’ll agree to spread the word... but first - you have to do something for me.” He grinned slyly and it only widened when he saw how Youngjae nervously and visibly gulped in front of him. He leaned in, his eyebrows raised and eyes gleeful as he spoke, “Can you get me on the Dance committee?”
As soon as Youngjae began to stutter, Himchan frowned before sighing dramatically, “I just think it would be wonderful for me to help raise the school’s spirits with the obviously great and imaginative ideas, don’t you think, Youngjae-ah?” He fluttered his eyelashes expectantly at Youngjae.
Youngjae’s mouth opened to say something, quite nasty might he add, to the other’s question but he caught himself before he could, biting his cheek rather hard to further resist temptation. It was like this every time with Himchan. He’d request his conversational abilities and the senior would, in turn, expect compensation - his usual demands were for hall passes, someone’s notes from a class, etc. However, he could remember that on more than one occasion Himchan had asked to be put back on the student council.
See, Himchan had been once been one of the Student Council Committee Chairmen but he’d gotten kicked out a couple of years ago. Youngjae wasn’t incredibly sure what actually happened to lead up to Himchan’s dismissal, he’d been a freshman at the time plus the rumor mill had distorted and blurred the line between fact and fiction, but the gist of it was that Himchan had a really bad habit of going over budget and not preparing enough fundraising projects to compensate. He’d been trying to become a member again ever since.
“Don’t you think you’re asking a little too much, sunbae?” Youngjae questioned, not missing the way Himchan’s eyebrow slowly rose up. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes in front of the senior, he let a heavy sigh leave his lips, “You want me to go and convince the whole of the Student Council to let you back in and, regardless of what position you want, it would still take a lot more energy and time to put into it. In exchange for that, I get a piece of paper with several signatures on it. I don’t see how scales balance.” He nodded, somewhat defiant as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Himchan’s face instantly fell when Youngjae began talking, an eyebrow raised at the sudden formal “sunbae”. He pursed his lips and stood up straight, clearing his throat in a displeased manner. He gazed at Youngjae, looking him up and down before replying, with a flippant tone, “Well then, I guess I can’t expel the energy and time to talk to all those people then, can I?”
Youngjae gave a low grunt, heaving a deep sigh, “Hyung, you know why I can’t help you with that...” He spoke in a less formal manner, trying to get back in Himchan’s good graces, even if just for the moment to convince him to help again. Himchan looked him up and down again briefly before sighing heavily.
“Alright, alright... fine - but you still have to do something for me,” Himchan smirked, crossing his arms, hugging his text books to his chest. He gave a chuckle when Youngjae narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “It’s nothing bad, come on,” Himchan convinced him in a friendly manner, nudging the younger’s elbow with his own.
When Youngjae didn’t crack a smile, Himchan snorted, “I just need three hall passes - you know I’m already at my limit this week and there’s something going down with a friend of mine and I want to be there, so what do you say?”
Youngjae seemed to think it over for a few minutes before nodding, “Alright, I can do that... I’ll meet you after first period with them.” He gave a slight wave to Himchan and walked away, leaving the older boy smirking proudly.
“Good negotiation skills, Youngjae...” Himchan hummed, impressed, and turned to walk to homeroom, already planning on getting people to sign the petition once it was out.
TBC
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I decided to upload this one early (it's like 1:30am Saturday)
Hope you enjoyed it!
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