Three

Two

One

Next!

As the people began to move to the next table, Jaehwan sighed a little. And he thought to himself that he was being a douchebag.

Start!

There was once a guy named Jaehwan. A senior college student. One of the future engineers of the country. He was in this scholarship that made him bound to the country for five years. He had to serve Her the best of his abilities. Well, he was planning to be Korea's next top engineering (pun clearly intended), but he was loosing his oomf. That inspiration he had before was his girlfriend. But things didn't work out. A two-year relationship then suddenly things didn't work out, yet you see her with another male. Laughs. 

Jaehwan wasn't the most handsome kid there was, but he could go with the cutest manga character. That time, he wore a yellow sweater with orange stripes and shorts that was somewhere between orange and brown. His hair was hazel brown and wavy, a little curly. He had fair skin, and slightly big eyes. He had thick-rimmed glasses that sat quietly on his bigger-than-average nose. (He had to admit; he did have a big nose). He looked like the resident nerd in the regular manga he was reading. But he couldn't really change his image. First, he didn't have the money to go to a salon and change his hair, or maybe slightly change his nose. And second, wasn't the best way to introduce one's inner side through showing it? Insecurities, insecurities. Not in his dictionary. 

But here he was, in a speed dating scheme. He wanted to go out of his norm. During the times he was inside his dorm, reading his calculus textbooks and writing ideas for the next big time product in the country, something had hit him hard in the mind. Why was he doing all those things? He said he would be a successful engineering for his partner, earn a lot of money, get married, have at least one kid, maybe name him Taekhwan. It was all planned out. But the breakup, made him realize the lack of reason. He didn't have any family left, he didn't have a partner, so why bother? 

He even resorted to suicide. Fortunately, his hoobae and bestfriend, Sanghyuk, was there during his times of depression and extreme melancholy. Thank the heavens that he was─

"Umm hello? Are you even listening?" the woman in front of him said, which made him come out of his trance. 

"S-sorry, I probably dazed off. What were you saying?" 

"You're a sick nerd!" 

Next!

"Good riddance," Jaehwan muttered under his breath. 

The one thing unique about this speed dating junk that he joined in, was that it didn't consider genders. Speed date with a male, or female, or a dog, they wouldn't care. As long as one signed up for this, and meet a lot of people, they would consider their work done. For Jaehwan, he had met a number of people, both male and female, but this new one just hit him right in the chest. 

Tall, a bit muscly, fair skin just like his; silky black hair, styled as if he was in his first date, the white polo and black slacks fitted perfectly. It was like love at first sight, but Jaehwan knew better that there wasn't such a thing. It was from pure infatuation. And that time, he was completely infatuated. The other sat down in front of Jaehwan as he looked at his watch. Three minutes. 

Start!

"Ahh hey─" 

"I apologize for my look. My sister just got me into this mess," the other muttered in a quiet voice, cutting off Jaehwan and scratching the back of his head. 

"It's alright! I just got myself into this mess as well," Jaehwan grinned in empathy.

"Really?" 

"Yeah. I didn't know it was such a hassle." 

"It really is. Lot of rowdy people in here." 

"Definitely." 

Comfortable, yet awkward silence. The longest and most regretful ten seconds of Jaehwan's life. 

"Taekwoon," the other male said, extending his hand for a handshake. 

"Jaehwan!" he introduced in return, shaking the hand of the other. 

"I'm studying at KIU at present." 

"Really? As in really? What year?" 

"I am... a senior?" Taekwoon said, a little hesitant. 

"Fourth year or─" 

"Fourth year." 

"I guess I'm older then." 

"Ah really? Hyung?" Taekwoon asked in disbelief. 

"I'm 23 this coming April. You?" 

"I'm 25. I was late to enroll during preschool. Family and such." 

"Oh. So you're a hyung, but I'm the sunbae since I'm in my fifth year. How should we make of this?" Jaehwan asked with a laugh. 

"First name basis?" 

"First name basis, but I'd prefer to call you hyung instead." 

"Fine with that." 

One minute!

"I don't really know how this works. So far I have been quiet in all of the people I've been," Taekwoon uttered. 

"Me neither. I guess let's just exchange numbers?" 

Smooth, said a sarcastic tone in my mind. 

"Alright. Let's maybe, check up on each other." 

They exchanged numbers, and the bell rang loudly. 

Next!

"Nice meeting you, Jaehwan-ssi." 

"You too, Taekwoon-ssi." 

"Taekwoon-hyung," Taekwoon corrected with a soft smile. 

That was the most intense three minutes of Jaehwan's life. His heart was beating so fast it couldn't stop by the minute. He took deep breaths, and he thought he might not continue anymore. He would only talk about Taekwoon to the next person, and to the next. He called quits to the manager and the manager agreed, he let Jaehwan out of the restaurant and let another in. That was the process. You could get in once someone got tired and came out. He heaved a soft sigh. 

"Wanna go out for a drink?" 

Jaehwan flinched at the sudden voice, looking behind him and seeing Taekwoon in all of his glory. With a small smirk on his face. 

"Coffee would be nice," he played along with a short chuckle. 

"Sweet. Let's go." 

Taekwoon started to walk to a certain direction. Jaehwan was a bit flustered but followed right beside him. 

"Got tired of the speed dating?" Jaehwan asked, tilting his head to the side. 

"Nah. I just thought that I have found what I've been looking for." 

Butterflies, commence.