For the first time

The sound of his alarm sets off filling his room with the sound of someone playing piano. Debussy's "The Snow is Dancing" wakes him up and Jinyoung almost dreads that it's morning again if he wasn't reminded that today is a special day at least. He gets up from his bed, letting the duvet slide down to his waist. Rubbing his eyes open, he reached for his phone to turn off his alarm.

It's only 7:30 but he's getting up already. Although he despises waking up early in mornings, he somehow finds himself having a hard time to stay sleeping in his bed past 8 am. Sitting up and wearing his slippers, his eyes caught a glimpse of the suit hanged near his closet. He asked Jun-Seo, his dad's personal assistant and the older ordered it from a suit store in Minneapolis and will wear it later in the ceremony. But that's still eight hours from now. He still has enough time to prepare. For now, he's taking a quick shower.

It was a bit past 8am when he made his way downstairs and as he descended its steps, he immediately saw a bunch of flowers gathered around the living room. It's not that too much but Jinyoung also didn't expect he'll receive quite a number. He walked off the last step and nearer to the flowers. There were various kinds, most were daisies and sunflowers. There's a few more variants which he weren't aware of the names but they're all pretty. Jinyoung scans them all and was able to spot Jungkook's and Seokjin's. He grabbed Jungkook's first which is a combination of roses and daisies. There's a note and Jinyoung read it without second thoughts, slightly looking forward to what the younger has to say to him: [Congratulations, hyung! You really did well on your last year! I'll always be your proud little brother! Let's meet soon and I will treat you, I promise! Happy Graduation day, Jinyoung hyung!!] Putting back the card inside the bouquet, Jinyoung smiles and smells the flowers. Jungkook really is a sweet guy.

Settling it down, Jinyoung picks up Seokjin's bouquet which has roses and sunflowers in it. He brings it close to his nose to have a quick smell before looking for the card if there's any. There is one, but when Jinyoung read it, [Congratulations on your graduation day. Mind checking your messages sometimes?] Really, this guy. Jinyoung shakes his head and puts the bouquet back down. Maybe he should really stop ignoring the older's message. But in his defense, Jinyoung does reply when he thinks it's needed... but yeah, he has to admit that it is very seldom.

Jinyoung was just about to walk to dining room where his dad was waiting. While in the bathroom a while ago, one of the helpers called on him to say that breakfast is already served and that his dad is already downstairs. Although prescribed to take a good rest, his dad has always been a morning person. And maybe that is also why Jinyoung had acquired this habit of waking up early in the mornings too. His dad was probably eating breakfast now and Jinyoung was about to go to him when his eyes caught on something. It's this bouquet of tulips placed on the couch. The said bouquet actually stands out since it's not like the others, how could Jinyoung not notice it immediately? However, he just picked it up and looked for the card.

And there he saw it, a small grey card. He read the short message on it. [no congratulations just yet, I'll see you in the ceremony. I'll tell you in person, then] -it read. Jinyoung smiles upon reading. Sniffing on the tulips, he smiled once more before putting it back down on the couch. 

When he reached the dining room, he saw his dad with Nurse John who is giving him coffee. The older quickly took notice of him. "Good morning, son. Let's eat?"

Jinyoung walked closer to where his dad is seated, nodding at Nurse John and taking charge of pouring coffee to his dad's cup. Afterwards, he hugged his dad briefly as he greets him back. "Good morning, dad. Actually... I was thinking of skipping breakfast here."

His dad's brows creased. "You're not eating? Why?"

"I'll eat breakfast. Just... not here."

His dad sipped on the coffee he gave him before talking again. "Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm just going to see someone. But I'll be back before lunch, dad. Can I go?"

The elder nodded and glanced at Jun-Seo. "Drive my son to where he's going-"

"I can go there myself, dad. Let's not bother Jun-Seo. It'll be better if he'll stay here with you. I'll be fine on my own."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's not far from here anyway. I could just walk or take a cab. Don't worry, dad." When the elder nodded, Jinyoung stood up to kiss his dad's head. "I'll get going now. See you later."

He gave a polite nod to Nurse John and Jun-Seo before he turned to leave.

Pushing the glassdoors open, Jinyoung enters The Coffeebean- a coffee shop which is conveniently near the university. It is actually how (or why) he came across this place six months ago. When he had just transferred after flying to Minnesota, since he was an irregular student for the first month and had some adjustments in his schedule everyday for the first week, he had come across this shop. While waiting for his next class, and whenever there is a sudden change which leads to him waiting for more hours, he goes here to pass some time.

It had been seven months since him and his dad decided to leave Seoul and fly here to Minnesota. It is after his dad had agreed on taking treatments for his cancer despite rejecting the idea of it before. This had made Seokjin and Jungkook happy. Jinyoung could still remember how Seokjin had thanked him for changing their dad's mind. And of course, Jinyoung is much happier. The siblings are left in Seoul since Jungkook is still in his third year and and Seokjin is managing their company. Only Jun-Seo and went here with them. When they arrived, only then did they meet their new helpers and Nurse John who has served as his dad's personal nurse. All in all, their whole stay here in Minnesota has been good, even better than how Jinyoung expected it would be. Well, minus the first month of pure adjustments, especially Jinyoung making his way through a sea of unfamiliar faces. But maybe Jinyoung had changed in a certain way which made it a bit easier for him to adapt to his new surrounding, and acquaint himself with the people around him. And besides, he was lucky enough to meet someone who somehow keeps him attached to the country he'd come from.

Jinyoung looks at the counter where he sees that someone, and he smiles before walking his way there. "One Caramel Macchiato, please."

This gets the older's attention and when he looks up, he was met with a bright smile. "Good morning."

Jinyoung smiles at this greeting but arches his brow as he responds. "I'm here for my coffee, not your good morning." 

Instead of answering back, Jinyoung sees the older shaking his head but still not losing that smile. "I'll bring your coffee to you in a bit. Go and take a seat at your favorite table, sir."

"Should I pay?"

He didn't miss the older's creased brows. "You stopped paying for your drinks months ago."

Jinyoung laughs at this before he gets one cookie from the basket placed in the counter. "Thank you!" As he leaves, he hears the latter laughing.

When he reached his favorite table in the cafe, Jinyoung sat and watched as Dong-Yoon made his coffee. Jang Dong-Yoon, is a Korean too and he owns this cafe. Since Jinyoung had grown a habit of spending his breaks in this cafe, it was that one time among those many other times that the older approached him and offered him a free drink even before he could order. Caramel Macchiato has been his favorite drink to order here and that afternoon, Dong-Yoon gave it to him for free. The older also introduced himself to him for the first time and they managed to have a short talk about why and how they got here in Minnesota after living their whole life in Korea. Jinyoung learned that Dong-Yoon is two years older than him and had studied his last two years in college here, in the same university he's attending and after graduating, had managed to put up his own coffee shop. In return, Jinyoung told Dong-Yoon his story too, only hiding a few parts which he think should be kept and unnecessary to share. For the past five months, the two of them only got closer, up to the point that Dong-Yoon has been that person who Jinyoung runs to whenever he has problems or has something which messes his mind and thoughts. Dong-Yoon is a really great listener and although he doesn't look like it, the older knows how to keep Jinyoung on his feet and how to somehow keep him sane amidst everything.

"Here's your coffee, young master." Dong-Yoon says as he sits down placing the coffee he ordered in front of him. 

"Only you finds calling me that as funny."

"When did I ever find that funny? I call you young master because that is what you are, being a heir of one of the biggest company in South Korea? I feel really honored to serve you."

Jinyoung throws the crumpled cookie wrapper at the older this time. "Quit it, Jang Dong-Yoon." But the smile creeping in his lips makes his words less threatening which only had the older laughing.

Sitting back and taking his own coffee in his hands, Dong-Yoon talks again. "Did you receive the flowers?"

Jinyoung shrugs as he sipped on his own coffee. "I received too many. If you sent one, I might have not seen it."

"Don't even lie, Jinyoung. Not too many know what your favorite kind of flower is. Mine will stand out, for sure." Jinyoung mocks him for his overconfidence but, yeah, Dong-Yoon is right. Even Seokjin and Jungkook weren't aware of his fondness on tulips. There were only a few... but Jinyoung refuses to recall those who were part of the few.

Dong-Yoon speaking again managed to get his mind off of it. "Didn't you read my card? I told you I'll go and attend the ceremony. You really can't wait until later to see me that's why you went here this morning?" Jinyoung makes a face at him again but the older laughs it off. "Shouldn't you be practicing or something? I'm looking forward to hearing the speech you prepared mister top-of-the-class."

Although there's the teasing smile, he could also see how proud Dong-Yoon is of him. When he told this to the older a few weeks ago, that he'll graduate as the top student in his batch, Dong-Yoon was almost ecstatic. It's almost as if he's happier than he, himself. 

Jinyoung stirs his coffee before answering. "That is why I am here actually."

"Okay..." Dong-Yoon hums, somehow focusing on what he's saying but seems to be focusing more on what he's drinking. 

He waits for the older to bring his eyes from his drink and to him. When he did, Jinyoung told him, "I'm nervous."

This is one of the things he liked in Dong-Yoon, how the older manages to make him feel comfortable in saying these things to him; how the older makes it easier to open hims