🚩kiss it off me - nomin au

Chapter Eight

|Jaemin

In the end, we didn't have lunch together. It just led to another argument and who knows when we will talk again.

"I seriously never thought that the Engineering and Architecture Departments would collab for a semestral project. I mean, it's too good to be true," Kris told everyone as we walked to the cafeteria.

And also there's that thing with the semestral project. The chances of collaborating with Jeno's group are very slim.

"Jaemin, I remember you know someone in the Architecture Department. You always go to their building. Maybe we could do the project with them?" Carlo told me. He's taking the leader position too seriously.

And I was just saying, right? But I'm not going to let it.

"Nah, they're taken already. Let's just beg somebody else," I told them and they nodded.

"And why are we begging? Us? Beg? Don't forget our plate got nominated for a government building project," Kim had to boast about it.

"That was 2 years ago. Everyone probably forgot about it. It's not like we won," Suho went on reminding us about it.

"Let's just go to their building to check if anybody is still available, okay?" I told them.

On our way to the Architecture Building, we end up asking literally anyone that could possibly be an architecture student. It seemed so easy but almost everyone was already taken. I might end up asking Jeno's group.

"Jaemin! Jaemin!" I heard a girl's voice calling me.

Oh god, it's Areum. My groupmates don't need to hear what she had to say... or rather what I had to say.

"I'll be right back," I told them and left.

I met Areum half-way through her pace towards us.

"This is perfect. We had you exactly in our minds when they announced the semestral project. I'm sure it's settled, right?" Areum cheerfully told me and no matter how I hate to crush her expectations, I have to.

"Uh, yeah, about that. We're already partnered with another group. Sorry, Areum." I told her and just like what I expected, it changed her expression.

"Oh. But we rejected multiple groups already cause we thought... nevermind. Jeno must've forgotten to tell you right away. It's fine. Good luck to us then. Be the best plate win," Areum was clearly disappointed and tried putting on a smile.

I smiled back and went back to my group mates.

"So? Are they available?" Carlo asked.

"No. No, they're not," I said and shook my head.

"Crap. This is harder than I thought," Suho complain.

I'm so sorry, guys. Because of my pride, you guys end up suffering the consequences.

"Let's go have some coffee for now. My treat," I told everyone to slightly raise the mood and I was glad it did.

We went to the cafeteria and they sat on a table while I got their orders. I waited by the counter to avoid hearing my group mate's complaints and so that I can think as well.

What do I do? Where do I get an Archi group of students to get partnered with?

"Argh, this is so annoying," I didn't mean to complain out loud.

"Are you in Engineering?" someone ordering like me asked and I looked to their side.

"Yes? Are you in Architecture?" I asked lazily. Please let him be asking about the project and not some other stuff.

"That answers my curiosity. You're just struggling as we did. Glad we found each other here. So? Is this a collaboration?" he handed out his hand for a handshake.

So, he's indeed in architecture. Thank God. That's seriously a relief.

I took his hand for a hand shake.

"Looking forward to working with you. Since you saved our ass, I'll pay for your drinks," I suggested.

"Really? That's cool. We should join you on your table. I'll get my members first. Your name?" he asked.

"I'm Jaemin. Na Jaemin. And you are?"

"Jung Kihyun. I'll be back, okay? Stay put," he said and left to approach his members to fetch them.

I watched him tell his members about our conversation and I could tell they were all relieved by the news. They followed Kihyun to where I stood.

"Everyone, this is Jaemin. We should thank him," he told everyone and I got shy when he told them to thank me.

"Please, don't. You don't really have to. Actually, it's the other way around. I should thank your member, Kihyun, over  here. If he didn't approach me first, we wouldn't have known," I said as we approached our table, my members' coffee on my hand.

"Everyone, look what I got you. Coffee... and an Architecture group," I told them and their eyes gleamed to the news I brought them.

"Seriously?" Kim became energized as soon as she heard what I said. She was lying her head on the table when we arrived.

Everyone sat at the table and we introduced ourselves. They got close very quickly with each other.

"I seriously don't know how to repay you for saving us over here," I told Kihyun who's sitting beside me.

"Well... you can treat me with a steamy treat tonight," he said and he had a mischievous smile on his face.

I looked at him confusedly.

Is he serious?

"Alright. Drinks and beef on me tonight. To celebrate our collaboration starting today before we all suffer for the hard works that are yet to come," I announced to our group.

As expected, everyone cheered and they kept on thanking me.

All I did was to ride with Kihyun on what he said and I bet, he wasn't expecting that.

"Sure, I'll treat you on a steamy restaurant tonight. Think you can beat me on a drinking competition?" I provoked.

"Bring it on," he replied, that cocky smirk still not leaving his lips.