nurse's office | minsung ✓

10

Jisung was relentless once he had a goal in mind, and helping Minho get back to school became his mission. The day after their conversation, he spent hours online, scouring universities, scholarship programs, and part-time courses that could fit Minho's schedule. Jisung was determined—if anyone could pull this off, it was Minho. He just needed the right opportunity.

One afternoon, Jisung plopped down in Minho's office with a stack of printed papers, eyes bright with excitement. Minho raised an eyebrow, glancing at the pile.

"What's all this?" Minho asked, sitting up straighter.

"This," Jisung said with a grin, "is your ticket back to university."

Minho blinked, clearly taken aback. Jisung started explaining before Minho could respond, eagerly flipping through the papers. "I found a program that lets you work part-time while finishing your degree. You can take online courses, so you don't even have to leave your job here. Plus, there's a scholarship for students who had to drop out because of financial reasons."

Minho stared at him, speechless for a moment. "You did all this?"

"Yeah! I mean, you said it wasn't easy, so I figured I'd help make it easier."

Minho slowly looked through the papers Jisung had handed him. His face softened as he realized how much effort the younger boy had put into finding a solution. "Jisung...this is a lot."

"Yeah, but you're worth it," Jisung said simply. "You don't belong in this office forever, Minho. You've got so much potential. And now you don't have any excuses."

Minho let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "You're really serious about this."

"I am," Jisung insisted. "Look, I even talked to one of the professors at the university you went to before. They said they'd let you transfer most of your credits, so you wouldn't have to start over."

Minho looked up, clearly surprised. "You did what?"

Jisung shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "I might have pretended to be you on an email. But the point is, they're willing to work with you."

Minho was quiet for a long time, staring at the papers in front of him. Jisung could see the wheels turning in his mind, the possibility slowly sinking in. Finally, Minho exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Han Jisung, what have I done to deserve you?" Minho exclaimed, his voice thick with emotion. "No one's ever gone this far, considering I'm just a school nurse."

Jisung smiled, his heart swelling with pride. "Well, you're doing a lot for me, too. It's about time someone looked out for you."

Minho's eyes softened, and for a moment, he looked like he might actually say yes. But then, doubt crept back into his expression, and he hesitated.

"I don't know if I can do this, Jisung," Minho admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's been so long. What if I'm not good enough anymore?"

"You're plenty good enough," Jisung said firmly. "You're the smartest person I know, and you've never given up on me. I'm not going to let you give up on yourself, either."

Minho chuckled, but there was something sad in his expression. "You're really something, Jisung."

Jisung grinned, determined to lighten the mood. "Yeah, well, I'm also stubborn as fuck. So get used to it. We're doing this."

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Minho sat behind his desk, staring at the email Jisung had drafted for him. The scholarship application was ready to send, every word carefully typed out, every document attached. All Minho had to do was press the button. But his hand hovered over the mouse, frozen.

Jisung was perched on the edge of the bed in the nurse's office, watching Minho closely. He could see the hesitation written all over Minho's face. Minho had everything he needed: the documents, the references, the credits to transfer. But there was still something holding him back.

Jisung got up, walking over to Minho's desk. He leaned over, gently nudging the older boy's arm. "Why are you so afraid?" Jisung asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Minho sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It's not fear, Jisung. It's...more complicated than that."

"Then help me understand," Jisung said, pulling up a chair and sitting next to him.

Minho stared at the screen, his fingers tapping restlessly on the desk. "It's been two years. Two years since I dropped out. Everyone else moved on—finished their degrees, started their careers. But I got stuck here. And now... I don't know if I'm even capable of catching up."

Jisung frowned, his heart sinking as he heard the doubt in Minho's voice. "But you're smart, Minho. You've always been the smartest person in the room. You just got unlucky. That's all."

Minho shook his head. "Being smart isn't enough sometimes. It's not just about going back. It's about proving that I can still do it, that I didn't waste all those years."

Jisung leaned forward, his voice soft but insistent. "You haven't wasted anything. You're still the same person who aced every exam, who could explain complicated concepts to people like it was nothing. I believe in you, Minho."

Minho's gaze shifted to Jisung, and for a moment, his eyes softened. But there was still uncertainty there, a wall that Jisung wasn't sure how to break through.

"Look," Jisung continued, "I get that it's scary. But nothing worth doing is easy. You can't keep sitting here, waiting for something to change. If you want it, you have to go after it. And you don't have to do it alone. I'll be here, helping you every step of the way."

Minho glanced back at the screen, his lips pressing into a thin line. Jisung watched him closely, feeling the weight of the decision hanging in the air between them. Then, Minho's hand moved. He clicked the mouse, and the email sent.

Jisung blinked, startled. "Did you just—?"

Minho exhaled slowly, nodding. "I did."

A slow smile spread across Jisung's face, before he started jumping in excitement, "See? I told you, you could do it."

Minho didn't respond immediately. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, staring at the computer screen as if still processing what he had just done. Jisung reached over, giving Minho's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I'm proud of you," Jisung said softly.

Minho finally looked at him, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I couldn't have done it without you."

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