𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝑆 • 𝑀𝐼𝑁𝑆𝑈𝑁𝐺

𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝑆 2 ☆

☆ Song Recommendation:
"Stuck with Me" by The Neighbourhood

"How is it going, Jisung?"

"Has your university finally closed, huh?" Minho asked with a smile on his face. "Wasn't it supposed to be the 'best' in the city? I see that wasn't true."

Jisung looked at Minho with a displeased expression before replying.

"We simply didn't have enough students, so they decided to close it before incurring more losses. They transferred us all to this one, and now, unfortunately, I have to see your face every day. I hope at least we're not in the same class, and since you're a year older than me I don't think that's gonna happen."

Minho simply nodded and looked at the three boys still surrounding Jisung as if they were his bodyguards.

"Sorry, I almost forgot to introduce them to you, dear. They are Hyunjin, Changbin, and Seungmin."

Minho glanced at the three boys. Sons of Hwang Jihoon, Seo Minwoo, and Kim Donghyun, he mentally noted to inform his father later.

"Um, what are you majoring in?" Chan asked. "By the way, I'm Chan, Bang Chan. It seems Minho forgot to introduce us. He's Felix, and this is Jeongin," Chan said, pointing to the younger ones. Felix and Jeongin bowed and smiled friendly at the boys.

"Well, I love that we're getting to know each other better..." Jisung began. "But we should go in. And to answer your question, you just have to go to your friend's class, handsome."

Jisung winked at Chan, who looked down to hide his flushed cheeks, and then entered the building.

"Hey, hyung. He's just as you told me, straightforward and blunt," Jeongin said to Minho, who was really annoyed. "To answer your question, you just have to go to your class, handsome" he imitated Jisung. "Who does he think he is?"

"Just ignore him," Minho said seriously before leaving too.

"Come on, let's go in," Felix said minutes later.

Upon entering the building, Minho went first to the office to pick up the keys to his locker, his schedule and classes, and also to talk to Hyunseok.

Minho had known Hyunseok since he was a child. He was one of his mother's best friends, and they had always had a close relationship. He had always helped Minho with his studies, so Youngsoo decided to offer him a position at the university. What he didn't know was that not only did he help his son with homework related to economics, but he also taught Minho how to dance. Yes, Mr Lee had a company full of great talents, from excellent vocalists to some of the best producers or performers in the country, but that didn't mean he liked that world or wanted that future for his son. He simply founded the company because he knew the profits it would generate.

But in his great ignorance, a young Minho never paid attention to the huge presentations full of graphics on monthly losses and gains, or what the next marketing strategy would be for a group about to release a comeback, or those extensive contracts he saw his father write every day catering to the preferences of the singer they were going to hire. Minho saw the dancers, all those groups rehearsing day and night to achieve perfection, those vocalists sitting for hours in front of a piano perfecting their skills, or the producers who were always working to release an album that would meet the fans expectations.

And although Mr Lee could never understand why his son spent all day in the practice rooms of the company, Hyunseok could.

"Long time, no see" the boy said leaning on the counter. The older one looked up from the computer, and upon seeing Minho, a smile spread across his face.

"How's everything, kiddo? Are you still practicing, or now that you're so grown up, have you focused on business like your father has always wanted?" Hyunseok asked, laughing.

"Well, I'm focused on it, after all, I'm not in a Performance and Choreography major. You know how my father is..."

"Son, I know very well how your father is. But sooner or later, you'll have to tell him the truth. I know perfectly well that you don't want to run Luxe Entertainment; you want to be part of it. You want to dance; it has always been your passion, you've always been good at it. Don't abandon your dreams just to meet someone else's standards because at the end of the day, the only one who cares about you and will always be there for you is yourself."

Minho smiled and tried to hold back his tears. He shook his head and finally spoke:

"Can you give me my things, please?"

"Of course, that's what I'm here for."

Hyunseok got up and handed Minho everything he needed.

"Thanks for always being there, Hyun..."

"Always, kiddo."

Minho nodded and finally made his way to class. He just wanted one thing. Please, squirrel, don't be in this class...

And as if the universe had heard him, when he arrived at his class, there was Jisung sitting. And what a coincidence that the only available seat was next to him since all the others were already taken. A very irritated Minho sat next to Jisung, who was very, very calm about having to share a seat with the older one.

"It seems fate wants us united, darling." Jisung said, looking directly into Minho's eyes. Obviously, Minho didn't break eye contact; his gaze was fixed on those huge boba eyes. If he didn't know him, he'd think he's the most innocent person in the world.

"Stop calling me that. I'm not comfortable with it." Minho said.

"Darling~" Jisung teased, leaning even closer to Minho, who was getting closer to punching him in the face.

"Stay away from me, Jisung. And besides, you and I are not friends, we never will be, we can't, so stop teasing me."

"Um..." Jisung pouted his lips. "But you're not going to inherit your father's company anyway...So I think we can be friends." he whispered so only he and Minho could hear.

"That's none of your business. But of course, I'm going to run my father's company; I'll be the next head of the family, just like you'll be of yours."

Clearly, that wasn't true; Minho was going to follow Hyunseok's advice, but that wasn't going to be said to the son of the owner of the opposing company. They could use that information against him, and Minho wasn't stupid; he didn't want his father involved in any scandal in the press.

"I won't be either," Jisung said, leaning back in his chair. "I don't like business; I like producing music. But a measly producer doesn't get anywhere; they're nobodies, so I'll end up at the top as my parents have been planning since I was born," the younger one looked at a now surprised Minho by the unexpected confession. "At least you have someone to take over... If you don't want to run the company, no problem, freckles will do it. I'm going to have to suck it up and live the shitty life I'm going to have to live. In the end, you and I are not so different because I know deep down you don't want this life either. Nobody with a talent they know that can take them far, especially with a father who owns a company specialized in it, wants it."

After the conversation, Minho and Jisung didn't exchange a word during class. And in Minho's head, the idea of what that life would be like, one where he's doing a major he truly likes, one where he doesn't have to meet anyone's expectations, one where his father supports his decision to become a professional dancer or at least a choreographer, kept spinning. But he knew those were just dreams, dreams that would never come true.