Together With You || Sungtaro (Sungchan x Shotaro)

Two: Destined

The staring boy quickly stood up and bowed.

"I'm sorry. I - room - no one - I, um eating, I will go now if you - um dance?" He was so flustered that his cheeks turned red.

Sungchan noticed that the boy's korean was everywhere.

Tiny. The first thought came to Sungchan while processing the boy's broken sentences.

It seems like he was eating there cause he thought no one's using it. He arrived to a conclusion.

"Understood. But why are you eating in the dark?" Sungchan asked the boy.

The boy tilted his head for a few second, understanding the sentence, and then replied, "I need to - um clear - " the boy pointed at his head, not knowing the word.

"Your mind?" Sungchan answered.

The boy's eyes turned to crescent and a small smile formed. He nodded, "Yes, my mind"

Sungchan can't help but smile at the boy's attempt to communicate. Beginner in korean i see,,,, hmm wait, is this the Shotaro guy, by any chance? He thought.

He doesn't look that bad like what they said. He's kinda cute honestly.

"I will go now so - um" The boy flailed his hand around the whole room, flustered, "- you use it now"

Cute.

Another thought crept up on Sungchan's mind. But who the hell sits alone in a practice room like that? And hadn't his evaluation just finished with the rest? Why he's eating alone? I thought he is favoured by the trainers? wait a minute, does the group of trainees he's been with actually alienates him? Ehhh maybe I'm overthinking...... But with the new members for debut selection coming and the attention this new guy gets by the trainers, it's possible that others would not like him.

"With a second thought, I'm not using it. I was just checking myself on the mirror" Sungchan lied, not wanting to make the tiny boy felt like he did something wrong.

"Ah is that why - um - mirror - you shouted?" The boy tilted his head while making a thinking gesture.

Sungchan, in return, facepalmed remembering that. "Heyyy, in my defence, I was just cheering on myself."

The boy nodded and a small "I see" came out from his mouth. Then, the room was silent again. The boy just stood there, blinking his eyes, as if waiting for Sungchan to continue talking. Maybe it's the first friendly interaction the boy got since he came here so he was anticipating more, or maybe the boy was just awkward and did not know what to say so he just stood there.

"I honestly..." Sungchan said something first to see the boy's reaction. When he sees the boy's eyes light up when Sungchan started to talk first, Sungchan knew the boy craved for friends. Thinking that he may be the first to be talking to the boy like this made Sungchan's mood better somehow.

"Honestly, I get nervous lately about this whole trainee thing. I feel so tired and you know, full of what ifs. Maybe this path is not the one for me. But I have been a trainee for so long, it's quite a shame if I stop now, don't you think so? Honestly, do you think I'll do well?"

Sungchan does not even know why he's asking the new guy this. They didn't even knew each other. They were merely two strangers. The new guy wasn't even fluent in korean for god's sake. Maybe he asked cause he know the boy would not understand. It's embarrassing to talk about his concern with other trainees. Sungchan doesn't want to be seen as insecure or overthinking loser. Realising this, his mood turned sour again and unconsciously, Sungchan frowned and he forced a laugh.

"Haha I was just joking, forget tha -"

"Um, we don't know each other but -" the boy stammered, cutting off Sungchan.

"But?"

"I hope, um no, wish you - luck - and"

"And......?" Sungchan waited patiently for the boy to form his sentence.

"Debut - you will - one day - you are a nice person so I - um have -" the boy put his fist at his heart, "in you so um - give up - you never, okay?"

The boy grinned, so wide with his eyes half closed.

"You said - at the mirror too -" the boy inhaled and shouted, "YOU'RE THE BEST - remember? When you came in um —— I am so" The boy mimicked a surprised face, "but - I see that - and your determined face - so i um - felt like um uhhhh cheering —— on you also!"

It was a messy sentence but Sungchan can't help but smiled at the boy's sincerity. The boy looked so proud that he could finish his sentence and Sungchan thumbs up to him. "You did well"

The boy smiled shyly upon that statement and grinned. "Thank you. Korean — Not really good but uh i tried my best" He grinned again.

Sungchan noticed then just how much the boy likes to smile and he's not complaining. He's pretty when he smiles.

"Anyway, my name is Osaki Shotaro. You can call me Shotaro. I am from Japan. Nice to meet you!!" He smiled, and the sentence came out smoothly, as if he's been waiting for the moment to introduce himself like that since forever.

Shotaro. What a cute name and it kinda suits him. "I'm Jung Sungchan, Sungchan for short"

"And it's really nice to meet you too, Shotaro"

Little did they know one crossed path leads to another crossed path. It was as if their path are destined to be intertwined.

"The selected trainees who will be joining NCT are —

Jung Sungchan —

and Osaki Shotaro."