It’s the worst day ever. Horrible doesn’t even begin to describe it. Jinyoung stared at the passing cars as he sits on the bus stop bench. He had woken up late because he had missed his alarm. It wasn’t that late because he had been able to make it down to his car in record speed. Then, it turns out his car simply won’t start. Jinyoung is positive the world was against him when he realized his only option was to take a taxi and burn a hole into his already depleting finances.

Jinyoung wondered if a college classes were really worth all this effort in the ride to campus. But it was already too late because he was in the taxi. When he gets to campus, class starts as usual. He is tad bit late but the professor was unbothered. For the duration of his class, it seemed like his day was only going uphill since he hit rock bottom and Jinyoung was finally gaining the momentum he needed.

Until he showed up to drama club, in which their president had announced that they were going to scrape the play Jinyoung had been working so hard on to audition. It was the main reason he had slept late the night before. It was all he was excited about for months. And the ing bastard decides that a musical was a better choice. Worst part was the auditions were supposed to be held today. Jinyoung was seething with anger.

All his hard work for a role that wasn’t even going to happen was down the drain. The day was simply horrible. A flat tyre that will cause headaches to his already broke and months of effort gone down the drain was a knock into his already painful gut. He wished this day never started.

If he had known it would have turned out this way, he would have stayed in bed and wallow in his sadness.

He grumbled to himself as he rummaged his bag for earphones. He sat at the bus stop just outside the campus alone. Maybe music can rid himself of the anger and gloomy thoughts of a flat tyre he has to fix with the mix of his financial problems.

“You didn’t drive today, nerd?”

Jinyoung looked up and as if on reflex; he rolled his eyes upon realizing who it was. Today out of all the days he had no patience to deal with Jackson Wang.

“I won’t be sitting here if I had my car now would I?” Jinyoung said seething with sarcasm.

“Wow, someone woke on the wrong side on the bed” Jackson mutters, unfazed by Jinyoung’s obvious hints of wanting to be left alone as he sits himself down.

“What do you want, Jackson?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I want to offer you a ride?” Jackson looked at him as if unsure of himself which only made Jinyoung’s eyes brows furrow deeper. “YES. I want to offer you a ride!” Jackson nearly shouts in excitement.

“Well, I don’t need a ride”

Jackson frowns and let’s himself slump in his seat.

Jinyoung watched him as he untangles his earphones. He plugged in his earphones to his phone and starts his playlist as his eyes never left the other. Jinyoung is about half a minute into the song when he could see an idea come into life in Jackson’s mind. Jackson straightened his back with his arms raised midair, smiling at Jinyoung with an all too wide smile.

“You like meat don’t you? What about I treat you to lunch?”

On one hand it would be a great idea to have a meal bought for him because he couldn’t afford something nice and obviously Jackson could but on the other hand, Jackson was a burden he didn’t want to handle. Jackson Wang, college jock and complete social butterfly. He flocked from friend group to friend group and everyone adored him. He had a complimentary class with Jinyoung last semester and he hadn’t stopped bothering Jinyoung since. He was obnoxiously loud and he got onto every nerve Jinyoung ever had.

Jaebum would say, Jinyoung just has a huge jealous crush on him but Jinyoung knows better. If it’s anything he would want to avoid, it was alone time with Jackson Wang.

But then again, meat sounds so good.

“Why do you want to treat me meat? What do you want in return?” Jinyoung eyed him suspiciously but Jackson just smiled. Oh that eating smile.

“Fine” Jinyoung mumbled, standing up abruptly, deciding he could handle Jinyoung for meat. Jackson stumbled in his step to follow Jinyoung to his car.

[Don’t ask how Jinyoung knows where Jackson’s car is. He just does]

-o0o-

Jinyoung tries to just focus on the sizzling meat in front of him but it isn’t really easy when Jackson has his eyes glued onto his face. He is talking and Jinyoung could hear him trying really hard to start a conversation that Jinyoung is trying really hard to ignore.

I’m just here to eat lunch and that’s it.

“I heard you auditioned for a role today”

Jinyoung’s eyes opened wide, staring cautiously at Jackson. He had totally forgotten about how horrible his day was; Jackson being the only thing filling his mind. But it had presented itself.

“How did it go?”

“I didn’t audition” Jinyoung said, trying to recompose himself. “It was cancelled”

“Cancelled?” Jackson looked confused. “But you were practicing so hard for the main role”

Jinyoung eyes Jackson suspiciously. “How did you know?”

Jackson looked as if he had been caught. He looked at everywhere except for Jinyoung, his hands held tightly on his sides, biting his lips. Jinyoung didn’t know what was going on but something was fishy. It wasn’t what he had expected.

“What are you not telling me?” Jinyoung stammered. “Have you been stalking me?”

Jackson eyes widen as his hands quickly shake in front of his body. “No! It’s nothing like that!” he exclaimed.

“Then what is it?”

“Jaebum told me” Jackson mumbled. “I saw you practice in an empty hall before and he told me what it was for”

Jaebum, that traitor

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t have gotten the part even if the audition happened”

Jackson looked at Jinyoung as if he had said the most offensive thing in the world. His hand held his chest at where his heart was as if it hurt. Weird

“What do you mean you wouldn’t have gotten it?” he screeched.

“I’m never given any main roles because I’m not as good. I always audition for the main role but I never get them,” Jinyoung reasoned, his tone becoming deep as he punctuated each syllable. “I’m just not good enough”

Jackson winced further, a frustrated groan leaving his mouth.

“I’ve seen you practice. I know you work harder than any other person in that forsaken cast. Just because the director decides on someone else it doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough. I’ve seen you act, Jinyoung” Jackson stressed. He was serious and it caused chills run down Jinyoung’s spine. Jackson was almost never serious. He was always cracking lame jokes.

“If that audition was going to happen, I was 100% sure you were going to get it. And even if you didn’t get it I’m sure it’s because that director is a . You shine so much when you act” Their eyes meet and Jackson’s confidence seems to falter.

“People don’t give you enough credit for your hard work and the talent you have” Jackson mumbled, his voice gradually fading as if shyness had suddenly overtaken him. Jackson idly plays with his plate, eyes glued on the table. Was Jackson Wang getting shy?

“Why are you saying all these nice things to me? It’s weird. Call me nerd and tease me like usual. I’m getting goose bumps” Jinyoung laughed trying to break the sudden awkward air between them. Jackson finally looks up from his plate with a serious expression.

“I mean everything I say though. You are better than what you give yourself credit for”

“Thank you” Jinyoung flushed. He pretends to cough hoping it would give him a chance to close his reddening face. Why was his heart beating so fast?

Why was the shop suddenly getting so hot?

“I’m sorry if I came on too strong” Jackson apologized, his voice tiny from his usual loud self. “I just really like you”

Jinyoung’s world seems to come to a halt for a full minute. His heartbeat and breathing came to a complete halt.

But then he realized something.

Jackson could just mean his acting. Jackson liked his acting. Not like like him. Not in the way Jinyoung thinks. And definitively not in the way Jinyoung feels about him. Or does not (please don’t tell Jaebum)

“You mean my acting?”

Jackson looked at him with a sweet smile. His eyebrows doing an adorable wiggle that had Jinyoung’s heart skip beats.

“No. I mean you. I liked you. I’ve always had”

Holy it’s real. This day might not be so bad after all.