"Ready?" Eunhye asked Changkyun, who actually looked really good when cleaned up, instead of the Hip Hop style he always had on. She patted the hoobae in the back, trying to show her support.

"Not really," he admitted. "Look at the judging looks on all their faces. They make feel small. Not that I am small."

She snorted at his joke and straightened his tie for him. "Go rock it." 

He and Minhyun went up. Wonwoo had asked to be left out of the presentation, which the other two agreed to since he did most of the programming anyway. Eunhye shifted on her seat, which was again coincidentally in between the other two guys in their group.

Two more presentors went before them. Eunhye felt like a mother in her children's recital, nervous and proud at the same time. She suddenly thought about a lot of things she could have done better for them, if only she was not too distracted with her own drama. She was surprised when one of the male staff went to their group, asking for their contact number and writing it down for someone.

"What was that about?" Wonwoo asked her later when the guy left.

"They asked for your group's contact information," she said. She was their representative as the more senior TA so she gave hers. They were still students and were signed up under their school's name so she had to.

"Are you sure he was not just asking for your number?"

Mark snorted, listening in. "I told you to give them mine."

There were still groups lined up for the presentation but another staff came and asked for them. A representative of a Japanese company they had been aiming for asked if they could come over and explain their project with more detail. The previous representative they saw from that company was a stern looking woman in her forties but this time they were met by a man in his mid thirties. Eunhye thought she recognized him from somewhere.

"Yamaa Tomohisa," the man said, offering his hand for them to shake, to Eunhye first and then the others. He spoke in straight English. "CEO of ********* Corp."

"Hajimemae," Eunhye said recognizing him, and greeting him in his language. "I'm representing their group," she said. Their next conversation was in Japanese.

"Did you by any chance go to ****** College of Computer Science?" Yamaa asked.

Eunhye nodded politely, starstruck, realizing where she knew him from. She remembered meeting him in one of the conferences while she was at that school in Japan, but she did not expect he would remember her. "I did for a year. It was an exchange-program."

"I see," he said, understanding. "I thought I knew you from somewhere. I, myself, am a graduate there." He then addressed the rest of the group. "Your group had a good insight and I would like to hear more from it. May I know who designed the interface?"

Minhyun raised his hand and bowed. "Hwang Minhyun, sir."

"Please call me Yamaa," he said, smiling at the student. "What about the program?"

Eunhye introduced the rest. "These are Im Changkyun and Jeon Wonwoo." The two bowed in greeting once again when their names were called. "And Mark Tuan here is their Team Leader."

Another man in a suit handed them business cards bearing the company logo and Yamaa's contact number.

"I will have to fly back to Tokyo in half an hour," he went on. "I already got your contact information. We can probably schedule another meeting sometime next week."

"We will definitely make time," Mark assured him, answering in his perfect American English. "Just let us know when you will be free, Mr. Yamaa."

Yamaa turned to Eunhye again, speaking in Japanese. "I'm really hoping you don't talk to other buyers, although I know you would. Please think of me as your Senpai and take that into consideration, when choosing. My assistant, Ishigaki-san will be in contact."

"Thank you, Mr. Yamaa."

The guy left, apparently in a hurry. The male students she was with made sure he was out of the conference hall before they surrounded her, demanding translations.

"You speak Japanese, 'Senpai'," Changkyun said, holding a thumb up. "That was so cool. But what did he say?"

"Is he buying?" Minhyun asked.

She explained to them that the guy was interested in their project and was willing to discuss business in another time. It was normal for those types of conferences for talent scouts to be present as well, which was why it was a good experience for students like them. What they were assured of, even if they did not win the actual competition, was that someone was willing to discuss more about their project. That would also give them plenty of time to work on it, if ever. She explained that to them, and assured them it was good news.

"But I was sure I heard the word, 'senpai'," Changkyun noticed. "That did not fit in at all."

Eunhye wondered what he was using as a reference for the word, hoping it was something innocent. Knowing Im Changkyun, it would not be. "He graduated from the same college I went to for the exchange-student program last year." She had to clear for that last sentence, eyes drifting to Mark's for a second. "He was one of the judges in another conference like this back then."

"And he remembered you?" Mark noted. "Hmm." She glared at him because it sounded like he was implying something else. "But then, I'll probably recognize you, too," he added quietly so only she could hear.

"We should still keep our options open," Wonwoo said, looking like he ate something sour. "I don't remember him making any price offers."

Changkyun and Minhyun both nodded, looking like those toy dogs with bobbing heads one would put on a dashboard.

Two more potential investors talked to them. Mark did not agree with the pricing of one so they ruled that out. The other company told them they would be in contact after further deliberation since they were looking into another group's project as well.

That same afternoon, the sponsors of the conference announced one as winner, with the prize money of $15,000 and a contract with one of the sponsors' company for each of the participants. Their team did not make it, given the fierce competition and all the bright minds that have gathered in that event. However, they had met a lot of people in the industry they chose so it was a good way to establish connections in the future.

**********

They had dinner in a barbeque place after the event, after L complained that he was sick of the food served in the hotel and craved ddeokkbokki. It was Friday night and their accommodations in the hotel were until the next day so they all decided to stay. That meant they could drink alcohol, spending the budget the school gave them for sponsorship. 

Eunhye was most thankful today of all days that L was the only friend she had with her that time. It also worked for her that Wonwoo was ignoring her, which meant he would not stop her from drinking. She sat between L and Minhyuk, who had insisted she be in the middle of the table. When the drinks came, her hands reached for the beer first. It had been a long time since she had some and she wanted even just one glass.

"Shush," she stopped L before he could say anything.

"Fine," he said. "Soju?" When Eunhye nodded, L poured some on her glass of beer.

Eunhye smiled as she watched the soju mix with the beer when she popped it with a spoon. Minhyuk who was grilling the samgyupsal, made her a wrap. L did the same thing after that, making sure to put one whole pepper. She felt it after one bite and hit her friend in the arm multiple times.

"Are you and your boyfriend fighting?" L whispered.