Work Text:
1. Tuesday, 2am.
The first time Seokjin meets Namjoon is at 2am on a Tuesday morning. Well, not meets, but practically runs over.
Honestly, Seokjin doesn’t even remember why he was out at 2am on a Tuesday (the night before his mid-terms might he add), but he can clearly remember almost breaking his neck trying to brake in time to avoid killing the drunken student trying to rescue a snail from the middle of the road.
He really doesn’t understand why this stranger is trying to save a snail from the middle of a busy road, like seriously, he could’ve been dead, but it’s kinda understandable since they’re both going to die the next morning anyway when exams start.
He remembers jumping out of his car to help the guy, only to find him already walking down the road murmuring to himself about the frailty of life.
Seokjin only stared at the departing figure, the very attractive figure, as it faded into the night, leaving Seokjin alone in the middle of the road with a tiny snail.
2. Wednesday, 10:34am.
The second time Seokjin meets Namjoon is a week after the snail-encounter, and this time there are no life-threatening situations or snails in distress.
And it’s not really a meets Namjoon as much as it’s a I’m going to observe this strangely familiar and attractive stranger sitting in the booth opposite mine, at Seokjin’s favourite café on Wednesday morning.
The stranger, as Seokjin notes, looks nothing like the type that would be rescuing distressed snails. He’s tall and well-built, in a plain grey tee and leather jacket, with a pair of frames resting on the bridge of his nose (which scrunches cutely when he sips from his bitter coffee). He looks tired, fingers tapping at the speed of light on his laptop, dark chocolate eyes darting across the screen. Seokjin almost melts when he catches a flash of a dimple when the stranger smiles at the waitress, so he bites into his muffin (and his tongue) to distract himself, because damn, this guy is really cute.
But Seokjin is shy and would rather safely observe than interact, so when the cute stranger packs his laptop into his bag and leaves a tip at the register, Seokjin doesn’t follow him out or ask him for his number like in all the romance movies he’d binge watched. He just slumps back into his booth and sighs, the image of the stranger’s lips curled into a smile embedded in his mind.
3. Thursday, 9:49am.
The third time Seokjin meets Namjoon he actually meets Namjoon.
It’s Thursday morning, 9:49am to be exact (Seokjin has checked his watch 4 times already because he’s afraid he’s gonna be late to his lecture), when he’s struck down onto the pavement by some idiot on a bicycle. He groans at the impact and the sting from his grazed forearm, before he’s suddenly pulled up onto his feet by a pair of strong arms.
“Shit, sorry man, I really didn’t see you coming around the bend.”
Seokjin is about to scold him for cycling on the sidewalk until he looks up and all the breath is knocked out of his lungs. It’s so cliché but the morning sun is creating a golden halo around the head of his bicycle-attacker, who is none other than attractive snail stranger aka Seokjin’s sad crush from a month ago.
“It’s okay, I guess we’re even now,” Seokjin laughs, dusting himself off. The stranger cocks his head to the side in confusion, and Seokjin falls harder in love. “You probably don’t remember but I almost ran you over with my car last month when you were trying to rescue a snail from the middle of the road,” he explains, attractive stranger still looking confused, “you were drunk so I guess you don’t remember.”
“Well, thanks for not killing me I guess?”
“Anytime. I really gotta get to class though,” Seokjin says, checking the face of his now cracked watch, “I’m probably already late.”
The stranger nods and makes sure Seokjin’s not injured one last time before jumping on his bicycle and pedalling away.
4. Thursday, 10:04am.
The fourth time Seokjin meets Namjoon is fifteen minutes later.
After his sad crush had knocked him over on his bicycle, Seokjin had all but run to the lecture theatre (because it’s freaking 9:58am and he can’t afford to miss this class). Luckily, the professor had yet to arrive, but he still looked awkward scrambling through the door with his books in his arms and a red graze up his forearm. Flustered, his eyes scan the room for an empty seat, a rush of butterflies blooming in his stomach when his eyes rest on the attractive stranger inviting him to take the seat next to him.
Why Seokjin had never noticed his sad crush in his class before is still a mystery, but that thought quickly slips away as he takes a seat next to the guy, almost melting (again) at the sight of his adorable dimples.
“Kim Namjoon,” the attractive stranger remarks, holding out his hand to Seokjin.
“Huh?” Seokjin replies, too caught up in the stranger to register what he’s said. Real smooth, Seokjin, real smooth.
“Kim Namjoon,” sad crush repeats, as Seokjin shakes his hand, “that’s my name.”
Seokjin is lost for a moment – either because Namjoon’s eyes are really gorgeous up close, or because his hand seems to fit almost perfectly in the others grasp – but he catches up with the rest of the world and smiles back.
“Kim Seokjin.”