Jisung

The university greenhouse was Han Jisung's sacred sanctuary.

It was the one place on campus where the humidity kept his skin perpetually glowing and the plants didn't bother him with annoying social hierarchies or bad takes on his choice of oversized hoodies.

At nineteen and standing at 175 cm—which was a pretty good and average height for a guy—he was a second-year Botany major, and currently, he looked like a very focused, remarkably handsome squirrel.

While his small, boba-like eyes and soft, plush cheeks gave him an undeniably cute appearance, his physical build told a completely different story. Underneath those cozy layers, he was unexpectedly jacked—boasting a lean, well-defined frame with broad shoulders, toned arms, and subtle abs, courtesy of Changbin routinely dragging him to the gym for push-ups, lifting and bench presses, against his will.

He possessed a rare duality, effortlessly switching between soft, adorable sweetness and sharp, striking visual charm.

He was currently leaning over a tray of succulents, his dark eyes narrowed behind round-rimmed glasses as he meticulously noted growth observations for his upcoming practical exam. His waist was bent at a dramatic angle, and his combed, middle-parted, permed dark hair was slightly damp from the automated misting system.

He wore a buttoned-down grayish-brown shirt with the top few buttons undone—revealing a hint of his pale, toned chest—with the sleeves rolled up to his toned forearms and paired with dark jeans.

“Subject 4B... showing signs of succulent success,” Jisung muttered under his breath, scribbling furiously in his notebook. “Unlike my social life, which is currently a desert. Well, except for my friends, who are all somehow taken. That's more like a chaotic tropical monsoon.”

It was entirely true. His whole friend group was dating except for him.

Chan, Seungmin, Hyunjin, and Changbin all had girlfriends, while Minho was dating a cute guy from the theater department. Felix was with the handsome captain of the dance team, and Jeongin was seeing a six-foot-tall basketball player.

“Should I date a girl or a guy...?” Jisung sighed to himself, clicking his pen. “I mean, I could definitely pull off both, but...”

Not like he couldn't. He was smooth with words and a professional flirt, thanks to Chan and Hyunjin, who would shamelessly flirt with their girls.

Suddenly, the heavy glass doors hissed open. A single eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

“Fucking hell...” Jisung groaned softly. “Who the fuck is it this time?”

If it was his department head professor or one of his chaotic friends coming to disturb him, he was genuinely prepared to throw a potted rose bush at them.

OR if it was those students—whom Jisung had branded as international weirdos with the IQ in the negatives—from any department OTHER than Botany who came here asking weird-ass questions like—"If I plant a store-bought roasted peanut, will it grow a tree?"—like what the fuck—?!

"If you're here to ask if the Venus Flytraps eat human fingers or, better yet, human blood, the answer is yes, and I am currently looking for volunteers—" Jisung started, turning his head over his shoulder, only to freeze mid-sentence.

Standing just a few feet away by the entrance, looking utterly startled, was you.

You were a freshman, a year younger than him, also a botany major and his junior. He had noticed you around campus for the past three months, though he’d never actually approached you. Dressed in a cozy, oversized, muted green hoodie and jeans, you stood there holding a small pouch of seeds in your hands.

Great. He had just aggressively threatened you within the first five seconds of your very first direct interaction.

But his eyes had already locked onto his target. You. He finally got a moment and he was not letting it go to waste.

He instantly straightened himself and fixed his expression: handsome guy with a charming smile and who was smooth with words mode was on.