Jisung

The house was completely quiet. Jisung slouched on the living room couch, idly spinning a pen between his fingers while a stack of untouched textbooks sat on the coffee table in front of him. With final exams four months away, his parents had decided he needed a private tutor – convinced that hiring someone to supervise him was the only way he would actually study.

His parents worked late, which meant Jisung was left alone to deal with the arrangement. He had argued against it, insisting it was a total waste of time, but his opinion hadn't carried much weight. Now, his evenings were officially booked.

A knock at the front door pulled him off the couch. Expecting some graying academic or a strict graduate student with glasses, Jisung dragged his feet to the entryway and pulled the door open.

He paused for a second, caught off guard. The man standing on the threshold was nothing like what he had pictured. Tall and sharp-featured, dressed in a clean dark coat with a leather bag slung over his shoulder, he didn't look like any tutor Jisung had ever seen. Realizing he was staring, Jisung quickly straightened up and stepped aside to let him in.

— You must be Jisung, the man said, his voice calm and low as he stepped into the hallway and began toeing off his shoes. — I'm Lee Minho.

— Yeah. Hi, Jisung replied, clearing his throat slightly as he shook off his surprise. — My parents aren't home yet, so it's just us.

— That's fine. Where should we set up? Minho asked, unbuttoning his coat.

— The living room's fine, Jisung said, gesturing down the hall. — Unless you prefer a proper table?

Minho glanced toward the living room, the corner of his mouth lifting faintly as he spotted the unopened textbooks on the coffee table.

— The living room works. Lead the way, Minho replied, following him inside and draping his coat over the arm of the sofa.