“There are a lot of rookies and newbies debuting lately,” Seungcheol said. “Anyone catch your eye yet?”

Jeonghan snorted. Drawling as he leaned into the couch of their waiting room, “Is that all you ever think about?”

“You know he likes the newbies,” Jun teased.

“One day it’ll get you in trouble,” Vernon muttered, not once looking up from his phone.

“He’s good at not getting caught,” Dokyeom said.

They startled as they heard a knock on their door.

“Newbies? Seniors? Juniors?”

“Seniors,” Vernon threw in.

“Juniors,” Jun said.

“Newbies,” Jeonghan said evenly, eyes lighting up as a fresh-faced bunch of kids came into the room. Everyone owed him now.

“Hello! Say the name! We are Seventeen!” The group of them did a hand gesture, no doubt to mimic the number of their group name.

Jeonghan smiled, how cute. Were they ever that fresh faced? It felt like a lifetime ago when his group debuted.

“Just debuted?” Seungcheol gave them what no doubt looked like a warm smile, but he was likely having bad thoughts. It seemed that he found that he liked.

“Yes,” one of the boys said in English, stepping out from behind. “Today is our first stage.” He blinked at them, his eyes sparkling in that baby face of his. He was cute, Jeonghan thought idly.

“Congrats,” Vernon said back in English.

Jeonghan saw one of the kids stare at Vernon in awe. Vernon’s half Caucasian blood always garnered him looks.

The boy with pretty eyes bowed, “Thank you.” He held out an album. “For you sunbaenim.”

Seungcheol took it out of his hands; he smiled at him but Jeonghan could tell his attention was elsewhere. Likely on the tiny kid with the cotton candy pink hair. “Don’t be so nervous. We’ve been there before. It takes some getting used to but you guys will do fine.”

Walking up to them with their own album, Jeonghan grinned. “Here’s one of ours. Good luck to you guys.”

In unison they shouted, “Thank you” bowing low.

The kid with pretty eyes took the album, whispering thank you once more in English, his voice soft and wispy. Then they trooped out, but not without bowing once more and giving their thanks.

“Cute kids,” Dokyeom said, his face spilt wide by his smile.

“Definitely,” Seungcheol said, rubbing at his jaw. “Did you see the—”

“Yours eyes trained on the short one with pink hair,” Wonwoo said low.

Jun snickered, bumping Wonwoo’s shoulder. “Don’t tease the leader now.”

“Just stating the obvious,” Wonwoo muttered back, catching Jun’s arm.

“He’s cute.” Seungcheol grinned all teeth, “And tiny. I’ve never seen a boy group idol so small.”

“Bet you he’d kick your ,” Vernon snickered.

Dokyeom nudged Jeonghan. “What do you think?”

Jeonghan looked at the door, his face blank. “I think Seungcheol is going to get more then he bargained for if he goes after cotton candy. I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be back.”

It must’ve been Jeonghan’s lucky day because he stumbled upon the cutie with big sparkly eyes again. Walking up behind him, he said, “We meet again.”

Jeonghan held in a chuckle as he watched him startle and turn around to stare at him, a bit like a deer in the headlights.

He bowed hastily, “Sunbaenim.”

Jeonghan waved his hand. “No need to be so formal. You can call me Jeonghan hyung.” He paused, “How old are you? Wait, what’s your name. You didn’t introduce yourselves personally to us.”

Coming right back up, the boy, Jeonghan should really stop calling him a boy. He might’ve been older than he looked.

He chewed on his bottom lip nervously.

 A bad idea Jeonghan thought, because now his eyes narrowed in on his lips. And they were damn pretty.

“My name is Joshua, sunbaenim. I’m 20 years old.”

Jeonghan stood there shocked. Damn. He was the same age as Jeonghan and here he was calling him a boy. “When were you born?”

“December 1995,” he said softly, his voice a bit high.

“Nevermind calling me hyung,” Jeonghan laughed. “I wasn’t born that much earlier than you at all.” He looked down at Joshua, his heeled boots giving him extra height, “You look so young though.”

“Thank you,” Joshua replied, looking down a bit.

He was a shy thing. A cute shy thing.

Smiling gently, Jeonghan the charm. “Joshua is your real name or your stage name? It sounds foreign.”

“It’s my birthname,” he said. “I’m from LA.”

Jeonghan nodded. “It’s memorable. Joshua,” he drawled, testing out his name.

Joshua blushed. It made Jeonghan want to eat him up.

“Did you get lost?” Jeonghan gave him the lady killer smile.

Joshua blushed even harder, nodding slowly. “I went to the bathroom and then turned the wrong way and I got lost.”

Wrapping his arm around Joshua’s shoulder, Jeonghan smiled. “No problem. I’ll take you back to your waiting area. Come on.”

“I thought you were only going to the bathroom,” Seungcheol said as soon as Jeonghan walked through the door.

“I did,” Jeonghan shot back, “then I stumbled upon a lost deer. Had to take him back to his group.” Jeonghan smirked, remembering how Joshua had a permanent pink blush on his cheeks when Jeonghan was all up in his space.

“Ooh? Find someone who caught your eye?” Jun looked at him interested.

“I found out the name of cotton candy too,” Jeonghan said graciously. “His stage name is Woozi. Real name is Lee Jihoon. You owe me leader,” he drawled.

“Woozi,” Seungcheol mouthed.

“You still didn’t answer Jun hyung yet,” Dokyeom pointed out. “Tell us about this lost deer.”

“His name is Joshua,” Jeonghan said, staring at all of them one by one, “and he’s mine. You guys keep an eye out and make sure no one else tries to get fresh with him.”

“Joshua? American?” Vernon asked.

“LA boy,” Jeonghan confirmed. “The one who gave us their album. From Seventeen.”

“Keep an eye out for him? Got it bad?” Wonwoo asked.

“He’s innocent,” Jeonghan said, remembering that sweet smile Joshua gave him when he took him back to their waiting area. “I want to make him less innocent.”

“Who’s the bad one now,” Seungcheol snorted.

“Still you,” the rest of them said in unison.

Jeonghan drowned them out. He didn’t plan on taking Joshua’s ity. That would be cruel. But he did want to shake him up a bit. Show him the under belly of the entertainment business. And maybe he’d keep him too.