It was spring, one of those early March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold. when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade, the weather warm enough for the spring blossoms to bloom, every tree blossoming into beautiful shades of pink.

JongIn was sitting at the bus stop by the 63 building near the Han River, the trees of cherry blossom on either side of the road bursting with a beautiful hue of pink. Couples and families walk along the footpath, admiring the short-lasting beauty of the spring blossoms, the pink petals fluttering in the air, making the mood pleasant.

But nothing is pleasant about JongIn’s current situation. He sighs, his hands holding his head, his elbows on his knees with his school blazer thrown to the side, the two sheets of paper lying underneath it being the reason for his distress. He had run away from his bodyguards, once again, because he really needed some time for himself.  He sits there in solitude, pondering over his agony when he hears a voice speak.

“Hey, isn’t this yours?” JongIn looks up annoyed, ready to snap if that person is just trying to gain his attention when he finds his Seoul national university admission letter in the stranger’s hands.

He snatches his paper, mumbling a small thank you, expecting the stranger to just leave him alone but the boy moves on to sit by his side, a cheerful bounce in his steps. This close JongIn smells the traces of jasmine on the guy, an omega; he concludes, feeling a slight tingle in his heart but deciding to ignore it.

“Hey! You got admitted into SNU!! That’s soo cool!” he muses, his voice sounding cheerful. JongIn doesn’t look up; trying to ignore the weird boy who thought it was fine to meddle with other people’s business.

“Hey, it’s such a golden opportunity!! Why the long face? Hmm?” the omega boy nudged him in the ribs and JongIn snaps “It’s none of your business.”

“Maybe it is not, but I am bored! My bus isn’t going to come for a while and you are also a high schooler! So I thought, maybe we can chat!! And also, you seemed to be in distress. They say sometimes it is easier to talk to strangers than someone you know. Probably because a stranger sees you the way you want and not the way they wish you to be. So tell me, you got into SNU?”

JongIn sighs, defeated. Looks like this stranger will not leave him in peace that easy.

“Fine, yes, I got admission into the MBA course at SNU. Happy?”

“Then why do you look all sulky? You don’t wanna do MBA?”

“No, that’s not it. An MBA at SNU has always been my dream. I have already passed the entrance test. And now I have to go to the interview to finalize my admission.”

“Then what’s the problem? Not a fan of face-to-face interviews?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s this.” JongIn grabs the other paper and shows it to the stranger, the boy taking it into his hand

“Oh my god! You are one of the finalists for the world of dance!! That’s big deal!! Even me who never really was into this stuff also know about it!! You must be really popular Mr. Alpha. You are leaving a dream! I don’t understand what is making you all gloomy.”

“See the dates.”

“Ha? Dates? Oh..Oh...OHH...OMG! Both of them fall on the same day!!”

“Yes, that’s exactly what’s bothering me. I have put my blood and sweat into this and now I can’t just give up!! I ing love dancing and I know I probably have to give it up in college so I at least wanted to win this championship!! But then, the two most important days of my life had to fall on the same day!”

“What do you really want to do?”

“I…I don’t know!!”

“I feel like you already have an answer, but you are hesitant...Why is that?”

JongIn falters but eventually continues “I...I admire my Abeoji you see. I really look up to him. I am always so proud to have such a wonderful, caring, and admirable businessman as my father. And I...I also want to make my dad proud of me. I know it's cliché and boring that I want to follow this stereotypical role as a son by following my dad’s footsteps and becoming a businessman but what is wrong with it? The admiration I have for him, I want him to look at me the same way I look at him. Take some burden off his shoulders, show off my efficiency and all. And I...I definitely don’t want to look like a failure in my abeoji’s eyes. I don’t want to disappo