Room 274

Chapter Twelve

As the event wound down, I eagerly led Jisung over to where Haechan and Renjun were standing, the excitement from Haechan's speech still buzzing in my veins. "Haechan!" I exclaimed, unable to contain my pride, "That was amazing! Your speech was so good, you nailed it!"

Haechan's smile widened at my words, his eyes bright with gratitude. "Thanks, Chenle," he replied, his voice tinged with relief and happiness. However, as I turned to introduce Jisung, I noticed his brooding expression, a stark contrast to the celebratory atmosphere.

"Hey, this is my friend Jisung," I said, gesturing towards him. "He's not much of a talker, but he thought your speech was great too."

Jisung simply nodded in acknowledgement, his eyes fixed on Haechan with an intensity that made the atmosphere slightly tense.

Haechan, ever the charmer, maintained his composure despite Jisung's demeanour. "Thanks, Jisung," he said, his smile slightly faltering but still genuine. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Renjun, who had been standing beside Haechan, chimed in with a supportive nod. "Yeah, you did a great job up there," he added, his voice sincere.

I could sense a mixture of emotions swirling around us – pride, nervousness, and perhaps a hint of jealousy from Jisung – but I was determined to keep the mood positive. "See, Haechan? Even Renjun agrees," I said with a grin, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Haechan's smile returned, a hint of relief evident in his eyes. "Thanks, guys," he said, his gratitude palpable. "It means a lot to me."

"Haechan," I began, curiosity piqued, "do you have any plans for the student council to improve the environment for students?"

Haechan's eyes lit up at the question, eager to share his vision. "Absolutely, Chenle," he replied with enthusiasm. "One of the things I'm really passionate about is creating a centre for international students. Somewhere they can go to meet people from similar cultures, get advice on settling in, and just feel at home in a new country."

"That sounds like a great idea," Renjun chimed in, nodding in agreement.

I turned to Jisung, expecting to see him engaged in the conversation, but he seemed surprisingly nonchalant. "Yeah, it could work," he said with a shrug, his tone casual.

Haechan's smile faltered slightly at Jisung's lukewarm response, but he quickly recovered, determined to maintain his enthusiasm. "I really think it could make a big difference," he said, his voice hopeful. "And I'm excited to work on making it happen."

As the conversation continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something on Jisung's mind, something he wasn't saying. But for now, I chose to focus on Haechan's plans and the positive impact they could have on our university community. I would have to ask about it when we got back to the dorm – he was so excited when we were in the crowd to see what the candidates had to say about everything. Now it was like he didn't care at all. I couldn't work out what kind of mood he was in.

"Speaking of making things happen," Renjun interjected, his voice calm and reassuring, "we should talk about the voting process. It's crucial that we ensure everyone knows how to properly cast their vote for you, Haechan."

Haechan nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed with determination. "Right," he said, his mind already spinning with plans to spread his message across campus in the days leading up to the vote. "We need to make sure we reach as many students as possible and let them know why I'm the best choice for student president."

"That's the spirit," I chimed in, unable to suppress my confidence in Haechan's abilities. "I'm sure you'll do better than Dominic. I mean, have you seen the way he talks? I don't think that he's taking this very seriously, and the student council will take a very bad turn if he gets voted in."