You and I |work In Progress

Joong spent the following days doing what he did best: making a spectacle of his effortless charm, treating the campus like his personal stage. As usual, his entrance into the lecture hall caused several heads to turn. Joong knew what he was doing; he thrived on the attention, and he took it for granted. His life had been a series of well-rehearsed performances, whether it was dazzling people with his family's wealth or leaving them breathless with his infectious confidence.

But Dunk? Dunk wasn't like the others. He didn't bat an eye when Joong entered, didn't pause to admire the tailored suits or the polished shoes that seemed to gleam brighter than anyone else's. Dunk wasn't impressed, and it made Joong more than a little uncomfortable.

"Hey, Dunk," Joong said as he walked into the lecture hall, his voice smooth, but not overly loud,just enough to be heard. "You planning on sitting next to me today?"

Dunk barely looked up from his notes. "I'm fine here."

Joong blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Are you saying you *don't* want to sit next to the most eligible bachelor on campus?"

Dunk gave him a quick glance. "No. I'm saying I'd rather sit with someone who isn't going to talk through the entire class."

Joong chuckled, though there was a twinge of irritation in his chest. "You sure do know how to keep things interesting, don't you?"

Dunk didn't answer, focusing instead on his textbook as if Joong wasn't there at all. It was both frustrating and, strangely, fascinating to Joong. The other students fawned over him, even those who didn't particularly like him, but Dunk... Dunk was a challenge.

After class, Joong followed Dunk down the hall, his footsteps echoing in the quiet space. Dunk wasn't trying to be rude, but Joong could tell he was deliberately ignoring him.

"You know," Joong began, his tone a little more serious than before, "I could have made your day a lot easier, you know. I could have done all that tutoring stuff for you."

Dunk turned sharply, his voice low but cutting. "You think I need your help?"

Joong took a step closer, his usual swagger intact. "I'm just saying... I'm willing to be... *generous*."

"Generous?" Dunk raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you're calling it now? You think throwing money or favors around makes you 'generous'?"

Joong's smirk faltered for a brief moment, but he recovered quickly, his pride flaring up. "You don't understand what it's like to be in my position, Dunk. Everything I've ever wanted has come easy to me. People want to be around me because of who I am."

"Maybe that's the problem," Dunk retorted, his voice low and measured. "Maybe you've never had to actually *earn* someone's respect."

Joong bristled at the accusation. His usual confident demeanor wavered just slightly, and for the first time in a long while, he felt the sting of something he wasn't accustomed to: rejection.

He watched Dunk's back as the other man turned away and walked off, his steps confident and purposeful. There was something in Dunk's posture that Joong couldn't quite understand. Dunk wasn't impressed by Joong's name, wealth, or arrogance. In fact, Dunk barely seemed to care at all. And that, more than anything, drove Joong crazy.

Later that afternoon, Joong found himself at a lavish café, sipping his espresso and glancing at the clock. His phone buzzed beside him, and he picked it up with a knowing smirk. It was a message from his mother.

*Joong, darling, I know it's been a busy week for you, but have you had any time to see your fiancé? The engagement is coming up soon, and you should get to know each other better. Don't make things difficult, darling.*