I wanted to tell you… I really did…

–

Hongbin would watch you from afar, usually observing you talking with your friends and laughing. Sometimes when a guy would approach, he would shift in his seat nervously and watch you closely, tuning in with one of his powers of good hearing, he listened in as the guy flirted with your friend and you turned your attention to your phone. Getting up from his seat, he lifted his backpack up onto his shoulders and headed over to your direction, watching you stand up too, you gathered your books and slipped your backpack onto your shoulders as you looked over your shoulders to see Hongbin walking in your direction.

“Hey Hongbin!” You called as you walked next to him, your friend following suit.

“Where are you girls headed?” Hongbin asked, glancing in their direction, letting his eyes linger on your form a little longer than on your friend.

“Just to class” You shrug not finding it very exciting, “What about you?”

“Well…” He started before he heard a familiar chime come from his phone, pulling out his phone quickly, he read the message from his boss as he slowed his walk and slipped his phone back into his pocket. “I-I have something I have to go do for work.”

“What is it that you do?” Your friend chimed in as you shot her a look, knowing Hongbin doesn’t like to talk about his job or really anything outside of school.

“I deal with a lot of…” He paused trying to find the right word, “puzzles…”

“Ah~ Sounds like you are a secret agent!” She beamed a little too loudly as you hissed under your breath at her. Hongbin stopped in his tracks as you looked at his face, seeing it slightly contorted in discomfort and awkwardness.

“W-W-We have to g-go, I hope work all goes well” You smiled your words slightly rushed towards the end. Nodding, his fingers played with one another you pulled your friend along, your cheeks burning in blush while you bit down on the inside of your cheek.

“Why did you have to say that?” You questioned your friend, letting go of her arm a little while later.

“You’ve wanted to ask him that question for such a long time…” She told you as the two of you found your seats in class.

“I know, but you don’t have to force it” You whispered taking out your books as you tapped your pen against your paper through class. Drawing little puzzle pieces throughout your notes wondering what kinds of puzzles he was working with.

–

“Oh good Hongbin, you made it” His boss welcomed him as Hongbin bowed to the boss and a few other people in the room before taking his seat around the large glass table as everyone watched the animations hover in mid air.

“VENOM has made another move, he has created a weapon, one of great power.” The boss jumped right into his presentations before explaining what the weapon consisted of, “Injecting venom of the top five most venomous snakes of all time, he has taken over several of the National Politicians and landed them in the hospital with most of them in critical condition.”

“What about the others?” Someone asked that sat around the table

“They are dead if they aren’t in critical condition” The boss explained before returning his attention back to the screen. “He has been making plans to move from the west and travel east making sure to sweep the nation so that there is no other choice but to bow down to him and his powers.”

“Where is he going to hit first?” Hongbin questioned, swaying in his chair from side to side. The boss took in a deep breath before naming off the town where the two of you were going to college. Holding his breath instantly, he just nodded his head gently.

“Get ready” The boss broke the meeting as Hongbin stood up and started to head towards the door.

“Hongbin, hold on a moment” The boss held him back after everyone has left. “I want to put you on this case, with you going to school, you can watch over the campus.”

“But Sir, I am not fully trained yet” Hongbin blinked a few times in shock.

“I know, but you have more raw instinct than all of the other agents combined. We need you for this mission, besides, they say a Dark Phantom is the only one to overcome the most powerful challenge.” The boss rested his hand on Hongbin’s arm. “You can do this, just be on alert”

Bowing to his boss, he accepted the challenge and walked out of the room as hundreds of thoughts occupied his mind. Wondering down the dark halls, he rounded the corner and pushed open the doors to the gym. Heading over to the treadmills, he shuffled his jacket off of his shoulders before he began running, trying to work through his thoughts.

Exercise after exercise, Hongbin worked through his thoughts, getting through the weights and the cardio, he then worked on the punching bag as your face came to the front of his mind. His hardened fists slowly softened as your face filled his mind. his pursed lips, his feet stopped bouncing against the floor  as his coiled fists loosened. Resting his hand against the course fabric of the punching bag, he glanced up at the time before he headed towards the door.

Picking up his bag and his jacket, he unwrapped his hands from the tape encircling his palms and tossed it in the trash can before he pushed the door open and headed back to campus for class.

–

Settling into your seat, your eyes flickered to the doorway as you watched Hongbin walk in, trying hard not to look like you were looking at him, you flipped through some pages of your notes before Hongbin pulled out the seat next to you and eased himself down next to you.

“Is it okay if I sit here?” He asked gently as you looked at him and nodded with a smile.

“I didn’t expect you to be in this class today, since you got called into work” You remarked as you found the next blank page and played with the pen between your fingers.

“It was a mistake… the boss called me instead of another worker” His eyes met with yours as a light smile played on his lips.

“Ah… I see” You nodded your head as the teacher got the attention of the class and began his lecture.

A week or so passed as the two of you sat next to each other in class. However when you weren’t already in class when Hongbin arrived he began to worry. Watching the minute hand on the clock slowly move closer and closer to the the time that the class was going to start, his hands started to ring around one another as he pulled out his phone and looked desperately for your number.