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Morning, before class — with Seung-min
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Atlas’ surroundings began to come into focus, as he left his thoughts behind and returned to the present. Before he knew it he found himself holding onto the wall, faced with another person, just as disoriented and awkward as him. Papers were scattered beneath their feet, likely something the man had been carrying. Atlas’ chest briefly tightened with guilt; he felt responsibile for what had happened. Yet on the surface it was impossible to tell, with his friendly smile immediately concealing his thoughts.
The other man responded as soon as he apologized. “I-It’s okay! I wasn’t looking either; I was just—" he abruptly cut himself off when his eyes met Atlas’.
Atlas furrowed his brows in confusion. All of a sudden silence filled the air, a few seconds seeming like an hour due to the tension. Taking a deep breath, he tried to redirect his thoughts and focus on what the other was saying. It appeared he wasn’t paying attention while walking either. Though it wasn’t certain whether he was lying to make Atlas feel better, he had to admit that he felt a weight being lifted off his chest. His smile became more genuine, properly reaching the corners of his eyes.
The other student continued to speak quickly, his words laced with nervousness. Atlas could tell he was looking for a way to escape the situation, and those doubts were confirmed as he knelt down to pick up the papers. Atlas found himself standing in place, frozen, only observing what the other did. “Oh, um… Papers, sure…” he muttered to himself, taking a step back to give him space. Was that man okay? He normally would’ve offered help, but everything happened so quickly he could barely process it. And his mind wouldn’t stop spinning from the collision and the thoughts from that morning.
Aside from that, once he looked closer he could notice the way the man’s cheeks were tinted from embarassment. Tinted was a weak word to describe just how red he was. He must’ve been really flustered. Though Atlas knew it was wrong, he couldn’t hold back a chuckle from escaping his lips. There was something strangely amusing about the situation, how for once, Atlas wasn’t the only one walking around absentmindedly and ending up in awkward situations. Of course as the man rose to his feet, he quickly straightened his expression and returned his friendly smile.
He listened to him speak until he was finished, taking note of his name, Seung-min. One thing was for sure — he was not going to call him Scott. Instead he listened to the way he pronounced the name, repeating it in his head until he was sure he got it right.
Atlas took a deep breath, struggling to choose where to even start. “Right, so, Seung-min?” he figured he’d ask for confirmation. “Why wouldn’t I ask your name, it’s how an introduction goes, isn’t it?” he extended his hand forward for a handshake, his lips splitting into a grin despite his efforts to stay composed. “I’m Atlas, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
A few more sheets of paper remained scattered around the floor, the disorder poking at Atlas’ eyes. He crouched down, collecting the final pieces before joining the other man up. With a softened smile, he handed them over. “Well, this wasn’t the ideal way to make an introduction, but it was definitely interesting. Either way, I’d hate for everything to be predictable,” he spoke, leaning his back against the wall. “Where were we…?” he trailed off for a moment, his head tilting up in thought. “Ah, right, names. I’ve never thought too deep about it, they’re just words. But you know, my name is rather strange as well. Have I said it already? My mind is a mess, from, well…” he chuckled softly. “It’s Atlas, quite unusual, but my parents liked it. And who would’ve thought it would hold a meaning to my life now? Can you guess what it is?” he questioned playfully, locking eyes with Seung-min.
But as the conversation continued, Atlas’ mind went back to the man’s nervousness. He wasn’t sure whether he was helping or if he’d end up making everything worse. He could almost understand how it must’ve felt. At one point, he was also in that position, quite a long time ago.
Atlas might’ve been unaware of the cause for Seung-min, but there were a few guesses on his mind. “Are you a new student? I don’t remember seeing you around before, and trust me, I know everyone,” he continued with a quieter tone. “I couldn’t help but notice you seem a bit nervous. Is something wrong, or are you only feeling overwhelmed?” That was his first guess.
As for the second one, he knew it would be too inappropriate to ask. And yet… His curiosity was urging him on, to take the risk just to see Seung-min’s reaction. “Or, do you possibly have a crus—” he cut himself off, pausing. No. Not again. He was not going to repeat last night. He began laughing suddenly, cutting the pause short. “I, I mean… Do you have a class you need to get to? My mind is really scrambled…” he trailed off, his laugh fading into awkwardness.
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@cordyx ✧ Yoo Seung-min
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