note: Kind of trying to channel my emotions into something else here. Also, first Suho attempt. Enjoy. c:

_ eavesdropping

You looked around one final time, just to make sure the little corner you'd stumbled upon really was private – or at least as private as this campus was probably going to get. There were a few people above you on the tables on the terrace, and there were a couple of people sitting on the benches around the corner, but the last time you checked, they had their headphones in. And quite honestly, you just needed a second.

So you let loose. With a frustrated groan, you dropped down and tucked yourself into a ball, hugging your knees to your chest and burying your face against your legs. Mostly, it was to muffle your quiet sobbing, but it also just helped make you feel like you weren't completely falling apart.

For the next few minutes, you just sat there – in the awkward little nook that housed the huge electric box for the busy building – and cried. It took some time, but you managed a few deep breaths between sobs. At least, enough to halt the chest-tightening feeling and reduce your emotional breakdown to silent tears.

With a few controlled inhales and shaky exhales, you were able to compose yourself enough to get up from your less-than-dignified fetal position and lean up against the brick wall. “You're fine. It's just a minor setback. It's fine.” You closed your eyes, rubbing the streaks of moisture from your face with the sleeve of your sweater. “Of course, now you don't know what to do with your life, but that doesn't mean anything. Telling your mom will probably be the hardest part. And feeling like about yourself... And questioning your life decisions... But no big deal.” You sighed, head shaking in the barest of movements. “I'm fine. I'll be fine.”

It was probably going to be the mantra you needed to keep you sane for the rest of your long day, so you stuck to it. Over-and-over in your head.

“Ahem...”

The awkward clearing of a male's throat brought startled you out of your deep thoughts. Jumping up straight, you met gazes with one of the people you noticed sitting around the corner on one of the benches earlier. You were quite sure you'd never met him before because there was no way you could just forget meeting such a handsome person. At the moment, he was looking at you worriedly. Brushing a hand through the neat comb of his light brown hair, he smiled. “Are you okay, miss?”

“W-were you listening to me? I thought-” You pointed to the headphones hanging in his hands. “Those were on! I didn't think-” Your eyes narrowed at his pale face, sniffing. “How rude. That wasn't meant for anyone to hear, you know.”

He gave you a crooked smile before offering, “I'm really sorry, and if it makes you feel any better, if I could un-hear it, I would.”

“No, that doesn't make me feel any better about spilling my guts in front of a complete and total stranger,” you said, rolling your eyes. “Sorry if I'm not satisfied with that.”

“But I'm not a complete and total stranger.” He chuckled softly when your face scrunched in confusion. “You're in my Calculus class, aren't you? Nine AM?”

You looked away from him, wracking your brain for a second. Did you know him? How could you possibly not notice him if he noticed you? “Umm... I-”

“It's okay,” he said with a shrug. “I'm a few seats behind you, so I understand if you haven't noticed.”

“The semester is half over,” you said, a little disappointed and embarrassed about a slew of different things.

“Well, hi. My name is Kim Joonmyeon.” He extended a hand, and you found it wrapped gently around a handkerchief. Surprised – because he really carried one around with him and that he was offering it – you accepted it with a mumble of thanks.

“N-nice to meet you,” you said while wiping at the tears still damp on your cheeks. “I'm ___.”

“Nice to officially meet you, ___-sshi,” Joonmyeon said with a slight bow. “So since I seem to have disappointed you with my apology, how about I buy you coffee instead?”

You stopped wiping your face, looking warily up at him. “Coffee?”

He nodded before glancing down at his watch. “Or lunch, I guess. It depends on what you have time for.”

“Actually, I have a class in about ten minutes...” You went to hand the handkerchief back to him, then realized how wrong and gross it would be and slipped it into your pocket instead. “But thank you for the offer. Can we just pretend that never happened?”

Joonmyeon breathed a dramatically deep sigh. “I don't know if I can do that. It's hard for me to forget seeing a girl cry, especially such a beautiful one.”

You couldn't help but scowl at him. “I'm not sure I like what you're getting at.”

“What?” he asked with a chuckle. “That you're beautiful, or that I won't forget what just happened?”

“Both.”

He shrugged. “Well, in that case, let me take you to lunch. Then maybe I'll consider letting this little incident slip from my mind.”

“Are you blackmailing me?” you muttered, although it lacked any real animosity because you were falling prey to his brilliant smirk.

“Blackmailing is such a strong word.”

“It's also a horrid practice, Joonmyeon-sshi.”

He bit his lip, like he was fighting to tamp down his amusement, but failed and ended up laughing anyway. “I know. I'm afraid I'm really not the model citizen I appear to be.”

No matter how hard you tried, a small smile leaked through. Apparently, it was exactly what he was aiming for because the grin that split his lips reminded you a lot of your friend Chanyeol's – and he was pretty famous for his infectious grin.

“You're smiling now, at least.”

Surprisingly, that didn't make you want to smile any less. “So is that enough? Can I go to class?”

“Do you really want to?” he shot back, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

That gave you pause. No, you didn't. It was a boring class – straightforward subject material fed to you by a professor who lacked enthusiasm. It wasn't exactly on top of your want-to-do list at this very moment. “Not really.”

“Then I don't see anything wrong with free lunch from a guy who would really like to help improve your day.”

You had to hand it to him, the guy knew how to lay on the charm. “What about the coffee?”

Joonmyeon shook his head, chuckling. “We can always grab coffee after. Or tomorrow. Maybe even next week or something.”

“So, let me get this straight, you're assuming that I'll be associating with you after today.”

All he did was nod. “Well, of course you will. I'm offering you caffeine for the rest of the semester, at the very least. I think it's pretty generous.”

The two of you actually had a stare-down for a few minutes. “You're right,” you conceded. “Okay, Joonmyeon-sshi, I'll take you up on your offer.”

“For lunch or coffee?”

You smirked. “Both.”

Surprise flashed across his features for a second, but he played it off with a small cough. “Okay, great.” He fixed his bag on his shoulders before gesturing you away from the tight space. “Then let's go.”

“Sure.” You walked beside him towards the parking lot as he took out his car keys. “By the way, Joonmyeon...?”

“Hm?” He reached out to unlock his car with the switch.

“We're probably going to have to talk about your eavesdropping habits, too.”

He stopped in his tracks, but you just kept walking towards the car that beeped when he pressed the button. When you heard him explode with laughter from behind, you smiled. “Fine, but do me a favor and let me get coffee in my system first, ___.”

---

end note: I love coffee. Caffeine, in general, is one of my best friends. xD Could you tell? ¬◡¬ I'm glad I finally got to write one for Suho. :D