The Deal * Seokmin x Joshua

Two

Finally the hour of torture was over and Seokmin rummaged in his bag for a sweat towel. He wiped his forehead as he chattered away with the others and they decided to call into their favourite café on the way back to the dorms. "Which dorm are you in?" Seokmin asked Joshua. He'd somehow accidentally taken over looking after the new kid as Hansol's attention was monopolised by Seungkwan but it was fine. He was so nice and so cool and Seokmin really liked him. He really wanted them being great friends, he wasn't exactly Mr Popular, so he would be grateful for another friend. Third wheeling with the world's cheesiest couple had lost it's appeal a ling time ago.

"I'm not in the dorms. My parents rented me an apartment just behind the university," Joshua said and Seokmin's mouth gaped open. "Really... an apartment all for yourself?" Joshua nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty nice, you could come by and have a look whenever if you wanted to?" Seokmin nodded his agreement as they walked into their favourite café making the little bell over the door ring.

"Oh my God," Joshua exclaimed quietly as they sat down around a small table. "That guy behind the counter is beautiful!" Seokmin turned around and chuckled. "That's Jeonghan. He goes to the University. He's in my vocal class but he's actually a painter." Seokmin laughed again at the look on Joshua's face as he stared at the stunning blond man wiping the counter with a cloth. "Is he single?" Joshua asked and Seungkwan shook his head. "I heard he has a boyfriend, some guy who doesn't go to the University, but I don't really know for sure. It's just gossip." Hansol shook his head. "No, he definitely does have a boyfriend, Mingyu told me that he's some rapper who just got signed to a small company." A pout formed on Joshua's face. "Well I'm going to order everyone's coffee and at least I'll get a chance to talk to him." He got up and Seungkwan laughed. "You're braver than Seokmin. He's been trying to talk to his crush for a year!"

They watched Joshua go over to the counter and chat with Jeonghan before coming back with a table number and a smile on his face. "I didn't ask him if he had a boyfriend but we are in the same Art History class!" He grinned at the others and turned to Seokmin. "So what about your crush? Why don't you talk to him?" "YEAH SEOKMIN WHY DON'T YOU TALK TO HIM?" Seungkwan was way too happy to have backup on this issue and Seokmin just stared down at the table. "Because he's so perfect and I'm not. I've got no chance... He literally has so idea I exist."

He looked up to see Joshua's kind eyes sparkling at him with earnestness. "Im sure that's not true. You're cute and sweet," he said to Seokmin's profound embarrassment, "why wouldn't he at least give you a chance?" "Do you know who his crush is?" Hansol leaned in and wiggled his eyebrows up and down lasciviously as Seokmin blushed bright pink. "Kwon Soonyoung. Pledis' Prince." "That loud guy from dance class?" Joshua looked surprised and bemused. "Yeah," Seokmin said as he stared at the table, "and now you know why."

"No I don't – why wouldn't you talk to him?" Joshua was new to the dynamics and politics of the Pledis Arts campus. He didn't know about the hierarchy of popularity or pecking order. "Because he's Mr Popular and I'm just me. Plain old Seokmin."

"Excuse me," the blond haired barista placed the drinks on the table in front of them as he leaned over a little too close to Joshua. "Enjoy..." Seokmin swore he saw the man throw a wink at the American boy but he must have been mistaken. Jeonghan had a boyfriend and that wasn't the way people with boyfriends acted. Was it? How would Seokmin know anyway? He'd never even been on a date.

He sighed as he stirred his frappe with the thick straw. Maybe they were right. Maybe he should just take a risk. What could it hurt?

His pride and reputation?

He didn't have either of those anyway.

He had nothing to lose.

A few hours later, the newly formed group of four were walking across the campus to go and check out Joshua's apartment. Joshua had generously offered to order in some pizza and they were all excited about the idea of a little housewarming party. The mood was high, it was surprising how well the four of them fit together as a group, Hansol and Seungkwan happy to have someone for Seokmin to hang out with, assuaging their guilt over wanting to spend all their time together. Hansol was happy he didn't have to take full responsibility for the newly arrived boy, Seokmin was overjoyed to have a new friend, and Joshua was happy he found some people he fit well with right away. Everything was working out just fine.

As they walked along chatting, Seokmin talking a little too loudly as per usual, they spotted Soonyoung with his usual crew. "Talk to him," Hansol hissed as Seokmin turned pink again. "He doesn't know I exist," Seokmin said in reply. "Well they know I exist," Hansol said as he turned to walk in their direction, "Chan's in most of my classes."

"Hey Chan. Hey guys, this is Joshua, he's just moved here from the US.." Hansol grabbed Joshua and pushed him to the front of the group. "I'm introducing him to people around the campus." "Hi," Soonyoung smiled brightly at the handsome foreigner in front of him. "You were in my dance class earlier. Welcome to Pledis." He turned to Seokmin standing beside Seungkwan and held his hand out. "Hi. I'm Soonyoung. Are you new as well?" Seokmin stammered out some words to the effect of having been in the other man's class for over a year as his face once again flushed.

"My Chinese friends over there are throwing a party tonight at their share house. You guys can come if you want." Soonyoung smiled broadly again at Joshua and Hansol. "Give you a proper welcome to this beautiful country of ours." "We'll be there!" Seungkwan said quickly. It wasn't every day they got an invite to a real campus party and definitely not from Pledis' Prince himself. They had to go.

"We have to go!" Seungkwan said as they walked off together. "We just have to!" "No way," Seokmin wasn't over his embarrassment. "He didn't even know I was in his class. He remembered Joshua after just one day and he had no idea who I was." "Well lets go and make him remember you," Joshua said as he grabbed Seokmin by the arm and dragged him in the direction of his new apartment.

"Are we doing a makeover?" Seungkwan screamed as he ran and hugged Seokmin from behind. "Looks like it!" Joshua said brightly as the four newly formed friends walked across the grass in the late afternoon sun.