Jongdae looks up in surprise as you walk past him and smile, heading towards the south end of campus.
He turns to his friends next to him, eyes wide with confusion and infatuation. Well mostly confusion.
“Was she talking to you?” he asks Yixing.
Yixing looks up from his book, seemingly bored. “Who?”
Jongdae gives him a look before nodding in your direction even though you’re long gone. He watches as Yixing studies the empty walkway, trying to figure out what’s going on.
“The girl, Yixing, he was asking if she was talking to you when she said ‘hi! how are you?’ and walked away,” Kris says under his breath, not looking up from his textbook.
Jongdae thinks Kris says something else under his breath that sounds like “Why would she ask you how you were and then walk away?” but Jongdae can’t tell because of how low Kris’s voice is.
Yixing rolls his eyes before replying. “Of course I don’t know her. Actually wait, she does look familiar.”
“Probably because she was in our Literature Review class last semester, but that’s not important. If she wasn’t talking to you, who was she talking to? It can’t have been me because she doesn’t even know I exist!”
Yixing sighs, fighting the urge to hit himself with his book.
“She knows you exist, Jongdae. Stop being stupid,” he says, before turning a page in his book.
After a few seconds, he stops reading and looks up.
“Hey! That’s the girl you always blabber about when you get drunk, isn’t it?”
Kris also looks up, eyes finally leaving his book, to nod his head in agreement.
“Yeah, the one with the pretty hair and the nice lips, right? With legs for miles, right?”
Jongdae turns red instantly and starts to stammer, unable to get any words out.
Yixing and Kris watch in fascination as Jongdae’s mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water, before he finally just gathers his books up and walks off towards his next class.
“Idiot,” Kris mutters while Yixing nods in agreement.
After a few minutes of silence, Yixing puts his book down.
“Wait a second though, don’t you always go on and on about Jessica from that Chinese class you’re taking, but don’t really need? The Intermediate Mandarin Chinese II class?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Talking to girls is such a hassle,” Kris says, not even bothering to look up at Yixing.
“Kris!” Yixing shouts, but Kris ignores him, grabbing his own things before getting up and walking away.
“I think I’m making progress!” you shout excitedly in Luhan’s ear as you put your books down.
Reaching up to rub said ear, Luhan turns and smiles at you.
“That’s great! What did you do?”
“Well, I saw him sitting with his friends in the North Oval and I said hi,” you tell him excitedly, bouncing up and down in your seat.
Luhan nods his head. “Good, this is good. What did he do after you said hi?”
You stop bouncing, mouth open, but nothing coming out.
“Uh, well, I kind of just walked away after saying hi. I didn’t want to stick around in case he thought I was weird. I mean, he’s super smart and I’m...not?”
“I don’t think you should really count this as progress since you didn’t really interact. It was one-sided,” Luhan tells you gently rubbing your shoulder.
You slump into the seat next to him, feeling defeated.
“Usually I’m okay with talking to guys I like, but Jongdae is different. I just can’t make myself act normal around him.”
Luhan pats you comfortingly on the shoulder.
“Just tell him exactly how you feel,” he suggests.
“I can’t! I’ll just freeze up and look like a weirdo in front of him!” you freak out.
Luhan just stares empathetically before going back to his books.
You put your head in your arms on the table and mope for a minute before shooting up with an idea.
“What?” Luhan asks next to you.
“It wouldn’t be so hard for me if I just knew how Jongdae felt about me!”
“And how exactly do you plan on getting that information?”
“Well, you’re from China right? So are his friends! You could go start up a conversation about missing home and just casually bring up Jongdae and mention me and see what they say!”
Luhan just stares at you, before shaking his head and closing his books.
“That’s ridiculous. Why don’t we just study at the café he goes to and you talk to him there? It’s less work.”
“No buts! I need to go to class now. I’ll meet you at the café tomorrow morning!”
Then he walks off mumbling something about how Jongdae isn’t even Chinese. You’re left at the table by yourself freaking out over your feelings for Jongdae.
The next morning, Jongdae and Yixing are at the café on campus waiting in line to order when Jongdae spots you sitting with two of your friends at a table chatting happily.
Yixing watches as Jongdae looks over at you, smiling as you chat with your friends.
“Go talk to her and I’ll order our drinks.”
Jongdae turns to face him, looking absolutely terrified.
“You know I can’t do that! She’ll reject me!” he shouts, before quickly looking around to see if anyone notices him freaking out.
Yixing doesn’t say anything and just rolls his eyes before moving up in line.
After they’ve both gotten their drinks, they look for an empty table in the crowded café, finding one close to yours.
“Okay, time to knock this communications paper out,” Yixing says, slamming his books on the table.
Jongdae jumps after the table shakes.
“Geez Jongdae. Stare a little harder why don’t you.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Jongdae says before pulling his own history paper out.
Time passes and Jongdae has stared at you more than he’s done his work.
Yixing looks up to see Jongdae’s eyes glued to your smiling face. Looking down at Jongdae’s notebook, he sees Jongdae only got as far as writing his name and a short introduction.
Sighing, Yixing looks back at you and surprisingly finds you staring at Jongdae, who is now looking down at his notebook like he’s not sure of what he’s written so far.
You were staring at Jongdae, with something in your eyes. Yixing doesn’t quite know yet, but he’s almost sure you like Jongdae. Or at least you like looking at his face. He does have a really nice jawline.
Shaking his head, Yixing goes back to his work.
After a few more minutes he looks up again to see your friends leaving and you waving bye before going back to your work.
Jongdae looks up, seemingly startled. Man he really needs to start paying attention to his surroundings.
“Look over there,” Yixing says, nodding his head in your direction.
“Oh my God, she’s by herself!” he exclaims.
“Thank you, Captain Obvious. Now go and talk to her.”
Jongdae snaps his head in Yixing’s direction, horror all over his face.
“I don’t know what to say! She’ll reject me!”
“Not if you don’t even know what to say,” Yixing points out.
“I refuse,” Jongdae says, looking back at you.
He’s surprised to find you staring straight at him.
You wave and smile before looking away.
Jongdae slams both hands down on the table, shaking Yixing’s drink and books in the process.
“What?” Yixing asks, not looking up.
“She just smiled at me. And waved. It was so beautiful.”
Yixing chances a look up to see Jongdae in a daze.
“Quick, tell me what she’s doing now!”
Looking back down at his books, Yixing refuses.
“I’m taking no part in this ridiculousness. Just go talk to her.”
Jongdae looks like he wants to cry.
“Hey don’t you have class in 15 minutes?”
Jongdae starts to freak out again as he pushes his stuff into his backpack.
“Oh god, I’m gonna be late! It’s on the other side of campus!”
After he’s crammed everything into his bag and zipped it, he rushes out the door not even saying goodbye to Yixing.
Yixing just chuckles under his breath before gathering his own things up.
Getting up, he heads straight for your table and plops down across from you.
“Hi, I’m Yixing and I noticed you watching us earlier. Well, Jongdae really.
You look up from your textbook, eyes wide. “It’s not what you think! I-”
Yixing cuts you off before you can continue.
“Don’t worry, I understand. At least I think I do. I know he’ll be really upset at me later for telling you this, but Jongdae likes you. A lot.”
Your mind goes blank and you don’t know what to say. Jongdae likes you. He really likes you. And you didn’t even need Luhan to talk to Jongdae’s friends to find out.
“I-I don’t know what to say,” you manage to get out.
“Again, don’t worry. Although...” Yixing trails off looking away from you.
“Do you know a senior named Jessica?”
“The really popular one that can speak English?”
“We eat lunch together sometimes when she hangs out with her younger sister.”
Yixing’s eyes start to sparkle and it makes you worry just a tiny bit.
“Could you just talk to her and find out if she likes anyone at the moment? Then text me what she says?”
Yixing slides over his receipt from the café with his number on it.
“Okay great! I’m going to class now. It was nice meeting you!”
He gives a friendly wave as he walks away, backpack slung over one shoulder.
You don’t know how long you continue to sit there speechless over what just happened.
Later that night, you text Luhan to fill him in on the details.
To: Luhan
OMG HE LIKES ME! JASDLKJFKLASDFKLD
From: Luhan
That’s great. Now you just need to do something with this new information. It’s pretty obvious Jongdae won’t do anything.
You frown at your phone. Luhan is right. Yixing said Jongdae likes you “a lot” which would mean he’d have done something by now, right?
This means you need to step up and take the reins in this relationship if you want anything to happen.
To: Luhan
i know what i’m gonna do! i’m gonna ask him out on a date! tomorrow!
From: Luhan
How exactly are you going to do this??
Before you can send a reply back to Luhan, your phone jingles and you check to see another message from him.
From: Luhan
Never mind. I’ll just wait and see.
After reading Luhan’s second message you text Krystal.
To: Krystal
hey do u kno if ur sis likes anyone atm? i’m asking for a friend!
It doesn’t take long for Krystal to reply.
From: Krystal
ooooh! is it a guy friend?! she said there’s no one she likes, but i heard her talking on the phone last night about a chris?? maybe she likes him. he’s in her chinese class
You don’t know anyone named Chris, but that’s more information than you had before.
To: Krystal
tnx! it is a guy, but i think he’s gay so he might b asking 4 a friend of his
Now that you know Jessica likes someone, you can tell Yixing. You also want to ask him about Jongdae’s schedule tomorrow for your plan.
To: Yixing
jessica likes someone named chris in her chinese class! will u b in the north oval again tomorrow? i have a plan to ask jongdae out. tnx 4 telling me btw
From: Yixing
great thanks! and yep we’ll be there again around 1pm
You smiled as you read Yixing’s message. Perfect. Sending everyone a quick “goodnight” text, you put your phone on the charger before going to bed.
“What’s up, guys?” Yixing asks as he approaches Jongdae, Kris, and Jongin in the North Oval.
Kris is laid out in the grass with an arm thrown over his face to shield the sunlight, Jongdae is sitting in the shade furiously flipping through his history textbook, and Jongin is sitting next to Kris messing around on his phone. He looks up at Yixing.
“Jongdae is freaking out over some history presentation he has next week and that girl he likes and Kris is ignoring the world. I’m bored.”
Yixing throws his bag down next to Kris. “You’re always bored,” he says, rolling his eyes at Jongin.
Jongin makes a face before going back to the game on his phone.
“Why are you so worried over a presentation, Jongdae?”
Jongdae just stares at Yixing like he’s dumb. “This presentation is worth half of my grade!”
“Right,” Yixing says nodding his head and checking the time on his phone before kicking Kris in his side.
“Hey I got some information on Jessica for you.”
Kris moves his arm and looks up at Yixing interested. Jongin also looks up from his phone.
“She likes someone at the moment. Someone in her Chinese class. Someone named Chris with a ‘Ch’ instead of ‘K’ though.”
Kris glares at Yixing and Jongin frowns.
“What?! Why are you giving me the death glare? I found out who she liked for you!” Yixing yells, kicking his foot at Kris again.
“Why did you find that out? I don’t even like her.”
“Whatever, you aren’t the right person anyway,” Yixing replies, grabbing Jongin’s phone from him to check the time. It’s past one. You should be here by now.
“I’m the only Kris in the class. There is no ‘Ch’ Kris. Just me.”
“Well then you should be thanking me,” Yixing says with a smile.
Before Kris can reply, Yixing’s attention is drawn away when he sees you approaching.
He waves, making everyone else look up to see who he’s waving at. Jongdae’s eyes go wide as he turns to stare at Yixing in disbelief. Jongin just smiles.
“Hey isn’t that the girl you like, Jongdae?”
Before Jongdae can answer, you make it to the group.
“Hello everyone!” you say with a bright smile.
“Hey, what’s up?” Yixing asks you.
“Nothing, just wasting time before class.”
After that, no one else says anything so you move to stand in front of Jongdae.
“Hi Jongdae,” you say before looking at Yixing and giving him a look to let him know you’d like him and the others to disappear.
“Uh...we have something else we need to do, don’t we, guys?” Yixing says, grabbing Kris and Jongin and moving away from you and Jongdae.
“That’s the girl he likes?!” Jongin asks as Yixing pulls him away and behind a tree. Yixing hits him on the head telling him to be quiet.
Jongdae quickly stands up, making his textbook fall to the ground. He smiles awkwardly before dusting his pants off.
“Uh, hello? What brings you here?” he asks, motioning to his surroundings and not looking you in the eyes.
“I was just in the area. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this Friday?”
There’s a moment of silence where all you can hear is the wind and Jongdae’s other friends talking quietly amongst themselves behind the tree. They aren’t that great at hiding.
“So, that’s a yes?” you ask, hopefully.
Jongdae turns to look at his friends who nod and give him a thumbs up.
“Yes,” he says looking at you, “Yes, it’s a yes.”
He smiles and you want to run and hide because he’s looking straight at you and smiling, but you play it cool and continue to breathe.
“Great! I’ll meet you at the café around two then!” And you smile before walking away, making sure to wave goodbye to the rest of his friends.
It takes the group a few seconds to walk back to where Jongdae is standing, seemingly frozen in a daze.
“So you guys have a date then?” Jongin asks.
“What?! No way! It’s just hanging out. The same thing I do with you guys. Besides, I’m sure she likes some super popular, attractive guy already.”
Yixing and Kris fight the urge to put their heads in their hands.
The rest of the week flies by as Friday approaches. You walk past the North Oval more and more just to wave to Jongdae before heading to class.
Luhan thinks you’ve gone crazy because the North Oval is way out of the way of your class, but he understands you really like Jongdae.
Before you know it, Friday is finally here.
You make sure your outfit is perfect and that your hair looks nice before grabbing your things and heading for the café.
You get there early and chat with the barista, Joonmyun, to keep busy. If you were to just sit there by yourself, you’d overthink the entire situation and leave before Jongdae could get there.
“Why are you so nervous?” Joonmyun asks you.
“I’m not really sure,” you say with a frown. “I just really like him and I’m afraid I’ll mess things up somehow. Also, I’ve never asked a guy out before and I’m worried he might think this isn’t a date.”
Joonmyun gives you a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before turning around to get you some water. Actual drinks cost money.
You take the plastic water cup and take a sip.
“How about you tell me a little bit about him before he gets here? Maybe that’ll help.”
“Okay, well his hair is black and he’s got these killer cheekbones. He usually just wears t-shirts with different button-ups thrown over them, skinny jeans, and converse.
“Are some of the button-ups plaid?”
“Yes! I really like this one he wears where it’s different shades of blue-”
“Like a robin’s egg blue? With a darker blue? And white?”
“Wow yeah! How did you know?”
Joonmyun nods at something behind you and you turn to see Jongdae standing outside of the café staring at the door handles. He seems to be contemplating whether he should come in or not.
“Those cheekbones were a dead giveaway. You should go sit down while you wait for him. I’ll go pretend to clean the doors so he can come in.”
You go to sit down and wait while Joonmyun grabs paper towels and cleanser from behind the counter. You watch as he heads for the doors and opens them motioning for Jongdae to go inside so he can clean the doors.
Jongdae nods and walks in and looks around before spotting you. After making eye contact he looks down as he heads towards you.
“Hey,” he says slowly while sitting down. “Did you already order drinks or were you waiting for me?”
“Yeah, I was waiting, but I’m not even that thirsty,” you answer with a small smile.
“Okay I’ll be right back!” he says, and you’re almost sad at how fast he gets up to order drinks. He didn’t even ask again to make sure you really weren’t thirsty.
You look around the café at other people while waiting for him to return. Joonmyun shoots you a thumbs up from outside. That makes you feel a bit better.
Jongdae finally comes back and sits down, sliding a drink across the table towards you.
“That barista outside told me the raspberry tea is really popular with the girls on campus. I hope you don’t mind that I bought you one.”
He bought you a drink!!! You didn’t even tell him you loved raspberry!! Actually, Joonmyun might have told him that, but still...!!!
The two of you chat about classes for a while before discussing your majors and what you want to do after college. You tell him you’re majoring in International Studies and you already have a study abroad trip set up for the summer to go to China. You also already have a list of possible places to intern for the summer after that.
Jongdae is majoring in History, but he still doesn’t know what he wants to do. He’s too busy thinking of the present.
He tells you about the huge presentation he has next week for history and how he hasn’t been able to concentrate lately so he doesn’t think it’ll go well.
“Maybe you should go visit the Student Learning Center? I hear they can help when you get stuck.”
“Yeah...” his mind seems to be somewhere else.
You’ve both finished your drinks and are just sitting in silence when he asks if you have anywhere else to be.
“Nope! I cleared all of my plans for us today!” you say with a smile.
He looks shocked for a moment. Does he not know this is a date?
“I don’t have any other plans for today either. We could go see a movie then. My friends went last week and saw that horror one without me.”
“Sure, a movie sounds great! But, I don’t really like scary movies...sorry.”
Jongdae’s eyes go wide. “Oh! Sorry!! We could see a chick flick or-“
“No it’s cool! We’ll just choose when we get there.”
Jongdae nods before getting up.
“I drove, so we can just take my car.”
You smile before getting up to follow him out of the café.
When you get to the movies, you both decide to just watch an action movie instead, although Jongdae looks really sad that he can’t watch the horror movie.
Before you go in the theater, Jongdae buys you both some popcorn. Halfway through the movie, he starts eating yours because he ate all of his.
When the movie is over, you ask if he wants to get some ice cream.
“Yeah, why not? I know this great place a short walk from here.”
“Okay, lead the way,” he says, motioning towards the sidewalk for you.
You walk in silence for a bit before Jongdae breaks it.
“So...is there anyone you’re interested in?”
“Hmm?” you look up at Jongdae, pulled from your random thoughts.
“Any guys out there you like at the moment?” Jongdae manages to get out. He’s praying there isn’t anyone.
“Oh yeah! He’s kind of clueless sometimes, but he’s really smart. He also has an amazing face, practically sculpted by the gods.”
Jongdae listens as you describe the guy you like and he puts his head down. That doesn’t sound like him at all. He slowly starts to walk further away from you with his hands in his pockets.
You notice and stop talking to grab his hands. You both stop walking.
Jongdae looks up at the sudden hand holding, with wide eyes.
“Jongdae...I’m talking about you. That’s why I asked you out on this date!”
Jongdae’s mouth drops open.
“Duh what did you think it was?” you ask, seriously hoping he doesn’t say he thought it was a casual thing like he does with the guys.
“Just hanging...like I do with the guys...but not that I think you’re a guy!!” he says quickly, raising his hands in defense.
You start laughing and can’t stop for a good minute.
“I’ve liked you for a while actually, but I always thought you’d never be interested in me since I’m not the smartest girl out there and you probably have girls asking you out all the time.”
“What?! You are smart! You know what you want to do with your life and you’re pretty, too!”
Jongdae starts laughing at you this time.
“And I can tell you now there is NO line of girls waiting to ask me out. Wow, we both aren’t that smart if it turned out this way, huh?” he asks, but instead of giving him a reply, you lean in on the tips of your toes to kiss him.
His lips are soft and it takes him a second before he realizes what’s happening. Then he’s pressing his mouth back against yours.
When you pull apart, he’s got a dazed look on his face.
“Sorry, I just felt like I needed to do that. I’ve been waiting all day to kiss you.”
Jongdae stands there at a loss for words. You aren’t sure what to do so you just stand there waiting. Finally he takes a deep breath.
“Sorry, I’m not good with words especially when I’m around you, but, uh, would you like to go out?”
“I couldn’t have said it any better,” you smile and grab his hand. “Yes, I’ll go out with you!”
