Junsu, he finds, seems to look nice in anything he puts on. The pastel blue button up that hangs lazily from Junsu’s form clashes with the bright red graphic tee sporting white and black print, but the dark wash of his jeans seems to tone it all down... or tie it together, he isn’t sure. 

Jaejoong himself has opted for black denims that hug his legs like a glove and a blank white top with a v in the neck. It is simple and not attention grabbing, though he doesn’t know how well that will work next to Junsu. 

For that reason he is just a little bit on edge as they settle down at a table in the coffee shop, closer to a window that he would like. Despite his very social family he is anything but, although that is probably because of his family in the end. His parents didn’t find him very impressive at any point in life, he was the oops baby, the accidental one instead of the miracle son after three daughters. 

And because he was six, closer to seven years younger than his youngest sister there really just hadn’t been any place for a child his age at the events his family attended. By the time he was old enough he was so used to staying behind that he didn’t want to go and his mother was always willing to allow him his way. Especially after, according to Solar, his oldest sister, he had been mistaken for the fourth Kim daughter when he was five.  

Although he now battles social anxiety, he has freedom levels he knows his sisters do not. They’re all proper socialites in their own rights, followed and photographed nearly everywhere they go, with every move they make like B-list celebrities. He supposes though as far as the business world goes, his family is more like an S tier.  

That is a world he does not want to belong to, at all. In fact business is not something that interests him much, though he is studying it alongside all of the art classes he had piled onto his plate anyway.  

“Jae. Jaejoong. Jaejoong!” the mantra of his name snaps him from his roaming thoughts, eyes jerking toward Junsu as something warm nudges against his fingers. 

The coffee mug is white and fits well between his palms, almost too hot to touch because of the scalding black liquid inside, but the warmth soothes him. 

“I don’t want to go,” he admits, mouth pursed into a frown, “Changmin is a successful doctor, his friend is probably some ridiculously impressive person too. I’m just the stupid kid in the room.” 

He looks away before he has to see Junsu frowning at him, an expression that doesn’t suit the beta even a little, but it isn’t new because he is pretty sure he makes his best and only friend frown often. 

“You’re only three years younger than I am, nobody sees you as a child.” 

“But Changmin is like 50-” 

“He is 30, Jaejoong,” Junsu corrects with a huff, “Does it bother you that much? That Changmin is older than I am?” 

The blonde fidgets, distracting himself by lifting his coffee mug to his mouth and sipping on the sharp bitter liquid. He doesn’t actually like black coffee like this, it tastes almost sour on his tongue and though he really likes spice, a semi-sweetened coffee is a major weakness of his. Real men, and alphas especially, don’t add anything to their coffee and they drink their alcohol straight, says his father. So Jaejoong picks the same thing each time, schooling his features in a hope that one day his stomach won’t churn in protest. 

Junsu is still staring at him when he places it back down, so much for the extra 90 seconds distracting Junsu from his question. 

“I think you’re a nice couple, you guys seem really happy together,” which is important, though the two somehow don’t seem compatible at first, they are extremely complimentary, “But if I’m in the way you could just ask for space. You don’t want to force someone else to deal with me. Seriously- I don’t mind.” 

He would prefer it, he thinks.  There are all sorts of important things and steps for couples to take he knows and he respects that. His parents, despite their disposition, have been together for nearly 40 years, they are happy and they love each other, and they love his sisters too, and his mother glows when his niece is around. 

It would be nice if Junsu could have that sort of happiness, especially with his default disposition being such a kind one and he wouldn’t mind observing from afar because he will never, never be able to grow close to a person himself. Not to mention he may have secretly been using the couple as inspiration for a series of drawings that would be worth nearly a quarter of his grade.   

After they were graded he fully intends to surprise the couple with them after having them framed. Or he would surprise Junsu them that at least, and Junsu could go on to share with Changmin if he wanted. 

His relationship with his doctor is atypical at best, though their sort-of friendship is sharply divided in and out of the office it feels weird trying to claim the man as a friend. 

“Changmin-ah wants me to meet his best friend,” Junsu underlines, leaning into one of his palms with a grin, “He has already met my best friend, but since this is an important step I feel like I need you at my side too. This is like the introduction you make before taking someone home to your parents.” 

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