Sunset

2: As luck would have it

*4,503 words

Jisung hated being so awkward. For one thing, he was sitting at the back of a faculty meeting in a child's chair, uncomfortable but unsure how to fix the issue without drawing attention. For another thing he'd been trying to think of a good, natural way to ask Minho if he was looking for a place to live.

Of course he didn't really know Minho or the way he was willing to share a space with someone, but from their simple interaction the other day, he seemed like the best candidate as a possible roommate. Jisung wanted to conduct an interview just like he did for everyone else, but how in the world was he supposed to bring it up?

"Hey, I know we just met yesterday, but we should live together, thoughts?" No, that would be awful.

"I'm stretching myself thin paying bills, you need a place to live, so let's make a deal. A roommate deal." No, Jisung wasn't confident enough to deliver those lines in a playful, non-threatening, and not at all awkward way.

Jisung jumped out of his head when someone nudged his arm. It was then that he realized the principal and pretty much everyone else was looking at him.

"Your classroom report?" The woman beside him whispered. She was a newer teacher and he couldn't remember her name, but he would definitely thank her later.

 He sat up and cleared his throat. "Sorry, my mind wandered, um, I'm not having trouble with any of my students."

The principal nodded and then moved on to the next teacher, who had a boy in her class that wouldn't stop trying to drink hand sanitizer because some other kid convinced him it tasted like lemon water. No one was clearly bothered by Jisung's little moment, but he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable simply because he drew a little more attention.

He shrank down even further, which only made his little chair more uncomfortable, and he got back to worrying about a future roommate.

 At the moment a school aide was sitting with Ryung, so this meeting was honestly a great time to think before Minho came to get his nephew. Jisung could never focus on much else when he was with his students.

"Ryung said you're looking for a place. I need someone to move in, so this is perfect, right?" Jisung outwardly cringed at that. And then promptly fixed his face. Was there any real way to ask a stranger to live with him without being awkward? Likely not.

He decided to just wing it.

Which probably wasn't the best move.

 Ryung was coloring again, he liked it, so Jisung encouraged it. And the teacher unknowingly watched every stroke of the colored pencils scribbling onto paper, his mind still running in circles while trying to figure out what to do. Perhaps giving up was the best option. Yes, he would give up and-

Two knocks on the doorframe. Jisung flinched like something just slammed. Somehow Minho looked even nicer today. Strands of dark brown hair framing his face- a face that glowed prettily under the evening-approaching sunlight streaming through the windows. He was wearing the leather jacket this time, along with black boots and army green cargo pants.

 "I'm a little early today, miracles really do happen, right?"

Jisung offered a welcoming smile and got to his feet. "No worries, I don't think I'd even notice if you were late. It's nice hanging out with Ryung."

Minho laughed under his breath as he came in. "And how's the Skittle doing?"

"Hi Minnie!" Ryung greeted enthusiastically without looking up. "Can I color just a little longer?"