Aiden was sitting on his couch, already wearing his uniform, holding a cup of coffee on his hands as he stared blankly at the flat screen television screen in front of him. The living room, as well as his entire condominium unit was completely dark, an outward and actual projection of what he was feeling inside. The only sound that can be heard in his living room was the ticking of the clock, above the wall mounted television which was at 29-minutes past four in the morning. His thoughts consumed by the revelations that happened during the weekend, and the fact that he visited the place where he lost his mother and brother on impulse. Seeing the memorial that was erected for them at the site of the accident was a painful episode for Aiden, which has since been turned into a rotunda and a memorial park in their honor.
The impromptu visit was by no means an easy one, but something that Aiden was able to push through. It took an enormous amount of strength and willpower to force himself to leave the place, which left him emotionally battered and drained. Although battered emotionally and mentally, the revelations and visit only strengthened his resolve and determination to push through, further empowered by the fact that the people at the Gutierrez mansion gave him another chance at life – allies he fully trusts and rely on.
The trip to the place he never once visited since the accident not only tested his resolve, but the strength of his emotional and mental endurance. Although still suffering from the trauma from that night, Aiden unwittingly proved that his emotional and mental strength were far stronger than it was since that fateful and tragic night. It was a trial by fire in which Aiden was able to pass in a comfortable margin – a complete opposite to his academics and achievements which were all overwhelmingly achieved with flying colors.
As he was reflecting on everything, the alarm that he set for 4:30 AM on his phone started blaring, illuminating the dark living room, and drowning out the sound of the ticking clock. The intervention from his alarm managed to bring Aiden back to the real world, who hasn't properly slept since he got back from his trip the other night – one of the many sleepless nights he would probably face by his projections.
He slowly turned the alarm off before returning to his original position, trying to process and absorb everything before resuming his life as Aiden Kobayashi, the persona he donned after the death of Yukiya Aiden Kurosawa Labrador. Although Aiden doesn't want to admit it - a continuous struggle, further fueled by the events that transpired the past 72 hours – there was still a small, albeit fading part of Yukiya still alive inside of him, fighting to regain control of the hollowed and scarred body that Aiden has been occupying all these years, yet another part of his past chained and sealed by his subconscious mind.
Although his mind was heavily preoccupied, he managed to get himself to leave his condominium at around 5:00 AM, while there was still darkness outside – and still barely any people out. Aiden doesn't usually like to eat at fast food joints, since he thinks they are too greasy and somewhat nasty – given the clean freak that he is – he forced himself to go to a nearby McDonald's to get a large hot cappuccino with four extra shots of espresso, since the Café he usually frequents was somehow closed that morning.
After his stop at McDonald's where he thought he would never get out from since the cashier was too distracted eyeing him that she literally could not properly get his order correct, he immediately proceeded to the train station to get to Mount Juliet. Even though he has a car, complements of the Gutierrez Family and their household staff, Aiden could not bring himself to drive such an expensive car leisurely, most especially going to school where it would undoubtedly get a lot of attention.
As he got on the train, he placed his earphones on his ear and played some random song from his BTS playlist, listening to "Airplane Pt.2" as his thoughts slowly started transitioning to the Student Council and his academics, the former he was worried the most, given that he missed school last Friday, and he would surely be greeted by mountains of things he would need to quickly attend to. Just the thought of dealing with his officers was enough to move his mind away from what transpired during the weekend, a subtle pivot that even Aiden failed to notice.
When he arrived at Mount Juliet Station, he immediately proceeded towards the university, wanting to get to his inner sanctum – his office – and get situated before anyone can interrupt his still quiet morning. His schedule for the day is already full of meetings, the Freshman Council President, Director Guerrero, the debriefing for the Battle of the Bands Festival joint announcement, and the International Student Organization Officers' meeting, among others.
As soon as Aiden got off the elevator, he immediately walked towards the Student Council room, looking forward to some more alone time in his office. When he opened the door, he was immediately ambushed by his officers who were all lined up behind the door, Grace, Moira, Beatrice, Antoinette, Christopher, Katrina, Kobe, Angela, Min, Amy, Aaron, and Sherwin.
Aiden was surprised and taken completely off-guard, not expecting his officers, not to mention all of them, were already at the Student Council room before he arrived. Interestingly enough, the first thing that he noticed was how they were lined up based on seniority, and their actual positions in the line of succession to the position of the Student Council President. Grace, his Vice President to his far left, down to Sherwin the Events Coordinator to his far right – the 1st and 12th in the line of succession respectively.
Aiden deeply sighed, disappointed that his most awaited alone-time have been rudely interrupted by the unusual and unexpected appearance of his entire officers, "Unless our university life and the entirety of the student body is about to meet an untimely demise, there better be a reasonably good explanation for all of you to ambush me this early in the morning, and on a Monday morning of all mornings as well".
Antoinette, Christopher, and Sherwin shuffled their eyes, not knowing what to expect, since this was a part of the Student Council that they seem to be having a difficulty adjusting with. Beatrice on the other hand seems unfazed, giving off a yawn, still half asleep. "I wouldn't go that far, Aiden" Grace responded as he walked towards his office, driving a wedge between Katrina and Kobe as he walked in between them.
"Where are you going?" Grace asked as Aiden continued walking towards his office while everyone else following him with their eyes.
"My office obviously. Give me five minutes" Aiden blandly replied as he entered his office. Grace softly bit her lips as she quickly tilted her head towards the conference table, a signal for everyone to get to their seats. Everyone quietly scrambled to their places except for Beatrice, Min, and Amy who took their time.
"President Kobayashi looks mad, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all? Christopher said, earning quick nods of agreement from Antoinette, Christopher.
"I can't tell to be honest" Kobe chimed in, keeping their conversation as quiet as possible.
"What do you think? Aaron? Katrina?" Amy asked, joining in on the conversation.
"I don't know what to tell you guys. He seemed like he was genuinely surprised when he walked in" Aaron replied, confusing Christopher, Antoinette, Sherwin, and even Beatrice.
"How can you tell?" Antoinette joined in, "President Kobayashi always have the same expression on his face even when he's meeting with all of the Student Ambassadors".
Katrina was about to respond to her when Grace, Moira, Kobe, Angela, Min, and Amy responded in unison, "You kinda have to get to know him to be able to tell". The response clearly surprised Antoinette, Katrina, Aaron, Christopher, Sherwin, and Beatrice.
"Are you guys reading off the same script or something?" Sherwin asked forcing an awkward laughter.
"That's what I thought too" Grace, Moira, Kobe, Angela, Min, and Amy again responded in unison, earning a teasing scoff from Beatrice, and a puzzled look from Antoinette, Sherwin, and Christopher. Katrina, and Aaron face palmed in response – somewhat amazed by how they keep responding in unison.
Before their conversation could move on any further, Aiden's office door suddenly opened, catching everyone's attention. "Since all of you are here, we might as well do our weekly meeting now", Aiden said with his usual cold voice as he placed a notepad on the conference table before sitting down.
Moira quickly signaled Christopher to grab a laptop so he can type the minutes. Grace got up from her chair to grab a notepad and binder from her bag, everyone else following Grace's lead. Aiden looked on as everyone started getting out of their chairs to get their things for the meeting.
Aiden sighed, "Why is no one ready?" rolling his eyes as he leaned back on his chair.
"Sorry Aiden, we were only hoping to give you updates for Friday" Moira said as she cantered back to the conference table, "We weren't expecting to have our actual weekly meeting now".
Aiden gave a dumbfounded reaction as everyone else got back to their seats, Christopher starting up the laptop so he can type up the minutes for the meeting. After everyone got back to their seats, Aiden leaned towards the conference table, "Ready?" he sarcastically asked as everyone quickly nodded their heads.
"How do you want to do the reports Aiden?" Moira asked as she clicked her pen.
"We'll start from the top and work our way down" Aiden responded, slightly nodding his head at Grace.
Grace cleared her throat, "The joint announcement with the Music Club regarding the Battle of the Bands Festival was well received by the student body. Preliminary reports that there's a 98% approval rating for the upgraded Battle of the Bands this year".
"Any updates regarding the registration?" Aiden asked, steepling his hands as he focused on Grace.
"Yes. I received a report from the music club, and according to their records, there were at least 70 bands that have registered for the Battle of the Bands" Grace reported as everyone reacted in amazement.
"The projection seems to be on point this year, and quite frankly unprecedented" Grace added.
"I have a nagging feeling that everything that's going to happen this year will somewhat be unprecedented" Aiden responded, "In terms of the bands, we should be fine at the very least. The proposal I submitted to the music club allows up to 75 bands to participate, so we can say with certainty we're good on that end".
"The registration was closed last Friday - a week from the original plan - prior to the joint announcement with the music club. They will also be forwarding the list of bands that registered later today. I can submit that to you the moment I get the copy from the music club" Grace added.
"Please do and continue working closely with the music club. Let me know if they need anything else or if something unexpected happens" Aiden responded, his expression mostly stoic.
"Will do" Grace responded, writing something on her notepad as Aiden looked at Moira.
"Aiden, I've already confirmed your meeting with Director Guerrero and Assistant Director Sarmiento regarding the International Student Outing. The meeting with Freshman Council President Rose Cristobal will be an hour right after" Moira reported.
"Also, Oscar has been continually sending me emails, asking me to tell you to not forget the agreement that you had with him" Moira continued, slightly irking Aiden.
"Agreement? What is he talking about?" Grace asked, "I haven't heard anything about that".
"Same here. This is the first time I'm hearing about it" Moira chimed in.
Aiden gave out a sigh, "It was an inducement I had to offer Oscar so he would participate at our first press conference to move up the release of the Hotlist. That was related to the NDA I had Oscar sign".
"What did you offer him in exchange?" Angela asked, "It must've been something big for him to agree".
"It was-" Aiden was about to respond but managed to stop himself from revealing what it was. He got slightly flustered as his face lightly blushed, remembering that one of those inducements was the embarrassing and dignity-destroying selfie that he took with Min. A sensitive and touchy subject that he cannot bring himself to divulge lest it completely obliterates whatever dignity he still has in him.
"It was?" Angela pressed as she and the others looked at Aiden.
"It was nothing" Aiden quickly responded, trying to shut the topic of the conversation.
"It has to be something. Oscar wouldn't do something for free" Grace chimed in.
"If you don't want to divulge anything President Kobayashi, as your Attorney-General, I strongly advice you classify the matter as Top-Secret information" Beatrice intervened after noticing Aiden's hesitation as everyone turned their attention to the half-awake Attorney-General.
"What do you mean? Expand on that" Aiden instructed, curious to what Beatrice was talking about.
"I assumed you've already used at least some, if not most of the special and extraordinary powers that are vested on the Student Council President" Beatrice responded, "But if you're asking me, I guess not".
"I've read through the constitution and by-laws of the Student Council, which was created roughly 59 years ago, almost at the same time as the university's founding" Beatrice explained.
"Hidden deep within the texts of the constitution and by-laws are special and extraordinary powers that the Student Council President wields. Although, I assume that since you're not aware of these provisions, previous Student Council Presidents have either not invoked them or have been unused for so long that no one knows that it even existed" Beatrice continued.
"One of the provisions stated under the special and extraordinary powers of the Student Council President is the authority and the ability to classify certain information as Classified, Secret, and Top Secret. The last one in particular strictly limits access to said information labelled as such to only the Executive Council and the Student Council President. The Student Council President can also choose to declassify said information or authorize a member of the Student Council to have access" Beatrice further explained.
"Are you saying that I can classify any information as Classified, Secret, and Top Secret?" Aiden asked.
"Yes. Although, I would strongly advise you to not abuse the system and only classify information deemed necessary to protect the dignity of the office and the Student Council as a whole" Beatrice responded.
"Are there any paperwork that needs to be done?" Aiden asked, debating whether he would be invoking his newly found powers but somewhat conscious about doing any paperwork.
"Not much, but I can handle the paperwork and the process of classifying it" Beatrice replied, "Do you want me to go ahead and classify this agreement with Oscar as Top Secret?" she added as everyone looked at Aiden who was thinking about his next move.
"No. I rather not set a bad precedent on this matter. As you've said, invoking the classification system is necessary to protect the dignity of my office – not the office holder" Aiden replied to the surprise of everyone most especially Beatrice.
"So, will you share the details on this agreement then?" Grace pressed.
"If I may interject" Min chimed in as everyone turned their attention towards him, "Maybe we should just trust Aiden with this and not press him any further. It's the least we can do as a sign of respect and trust. I mean, if it wasn't for that agreement, we would never would have contained the fallout that was pretty much of my own fault" Min continued.
"I concur with the International Student Representative, the fact that President Kobayashi would not classify that information means that it's something that he doesn't want to keep a secret from everyone but is something he would rather hold on to until he's ready to share it with this body" Beatrice agreed, rallying behind Min's decision to not press Aiden on the matter further.
"Besides, the International Student Representative is right, if it wasn't for this unilateral agreement that he made with Oscar, all of us would still be trying to contain that fallout from the welcome party" Beatrice continued, adding more weight to Min's argument.
"I understand. I guess as long as it's not something that could give the opposition within the Student Congress any ammo, it should be fine if we leave this matter as is" Moira added as Grace nodded her head.
"I appreciate everyone's understanding with this" Aiden finally spoke, relieved and internally grateful for Min and Beatrice for covering for him.
"I can't divulge the entirety of what I gave Oscar, but one of the things he asked for in return for helping us was that he be given an exclusive interview with Min for MJU's Hottest" Aiden revealed, surprising Grace, Moira, Angela, and most especially Min who was unaware he was used as a bargaining chip.
"Is that wise Aiden?" Moira asked, somewhat worried, "This are the Hunters we're talking about here".
"The MJU Press is going to have a field day when they learn about this" Angela added.
"Not really the best decision that I have made, but at that time I basically gave Oscar a blank check, and with time running out, I had no choice but to give in to his request" Aiden conceded.
"That was my mistake, and I take full responsibility for it" Aiden continued, "On the other hand, at least we can control the narrative on this. Moira and Angela will prep Min for the interview, and make sure he doesn't say anything out of line or over the top"
"I'll reach out to Oscar and confirm the interview date" Moira responded.
"I'll draft a statement in regard to this interview and release it on the day of your choosing Aiden" Angela added as Aiden nodded his head.
"Sir, if I may. I suggest providing Min with ROTC escorts and deploying at least a company of ROTC cadets outside the venue on the day of the interview – as a precaution" Amy chimed in.
"Go ahead with the drafts, work with Aaron on this" Aiden said as Aaron and Amy nodded in agreement.
"Now that we've moved on from this topic, let's get this meeting moving" Aiden continued as he looked at Beatrice before slightly nodding his head.
"I've nothing new to report other than the opposition within the Student Congress has been taken care of as instructed. In regards with the splinter group from the AGs, nothing major has happened and we're continuing to monitor them with the assistance of the 1st and 2nd ROTC's Intelligence detachments and student assets within the AGs and MGs ranks. I'll update you as soon as any developments arise that would need your attention" Beatrice reported.
"Do we know who the leader of the MGs is?" Aiden asked.
"Not yet. According to our student asset, codenamed "Trojan" who's currently imbedded within the AGs, the MGs haven't decided on their leader as of yet as there are a number of candidates being considered, though there is a clear frontrunner to be the first leader of the MGs" Beatrice reported.
"Who is this frontrunner?" Aiden asked.
"That would be Rose Cristobal" Beatrice responded.
"The President of the Freshman Council!?" Moira reacted to the revelation.
"That's correct. I don't have the particular details about it since the report came from the ROTC. But with your permission President Kobayashi, I would like Cadet-Major Del Rosario to brief you on the exact details" Beatrice said as Aiden agreed to her request.
"Yes sir, according to Cadet-Captain Francisco their HUMINT sources have intercepted chatters within the MGs and confirmed that Freshman Council President Rose Cristobal is indeed the frontrunner and the projected first leader of the MGs, though nothing has been officially announced as of yet" Amy reported.
"Additionally, it appears that one of the major blocs of the MGs are made up of students that are identified only as Fujoshis and Fudanshis who are known to be major supporters and fans of BL and Yaoi, in particular the TBL Fandom, hence the unusually strong following of the MGs, the Point Guards, and the Tellers" Amy continued, severely butchering the pronunciation of Fujoshi, Fudanshi, and Yaoi in the process.
Amy's report had a profound and major personal impact on both Moira and Angela, who immediately looked at each other at the mention of Fujoshi, Fudanshi, BL, Yaoi, and TBL. Terms that they know particularly well and can almost be considered as top experts on the field. Although aware of what Amy was talking about, they feigned ignorance to protect their secret identity from everyone – except for Min.
"I'm sorry Cadet-Major, you lost me after the identified part. Please expand on everything that followed" Aiden requested, somewhat lost to what Fujoshis, Fudanshis, BL, Yaoi, and TBL were, like the rest of the Student Council with the exception of the Chief of Staff and the Public Relations Officer.
"What the hell is this Fujo and Ya something, also the BL and TBL thing" Aaron joined in, causing Amy to slightly blush at the mention of the terms.
"Right" Amy cleared her throat as she took her phone out before reading the report in it, "According to Cadet-Captain Francisco, the term Fujoshi and Fudanshi are the names associated with people who are practitioners of BL and Yaoi which originated from Japan. Fujoshi are for girls, and Fudanshi are for boys".
"Yaoi is a genre that originated in Japan, most particularly in the Manga and Anime industry that depicts homoerotic relationships between two males, it is mostly interchanged with BL, which is an abbreviation of Boy's Love. It has significant following in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia, with the Philippines being well-known for having the largest fanbase in the region, and Thailand generating popular BL series" Amy continued as everyone in the room started blushing after hearing the explanation, Aiden for his part was internally rattled and shocked by the report. Moira and Angela on the other hand were overflowing with glee at the fact that there were more to their brethren in Mount Juliet than they initially thought.
"TBL is an abbreviation of Thai Boy's Love, a sub-genre of the larger Yaoi/BL Fandom which has grown in popularity here in the Philippines during the latter months of 2019 and has gained significant traction and attention during the COVID-19 era lockdowns at the first half of 2020. The 1st and 2nd ROTC Detachment strongly conclude that the recent uptick in the ranks of the MGs, Point Guards, and Tellers – Min, Ball, and Bank's fanbases respectively – is due in part because they are from Thailand. Furthermore, although the AGs and MGs have almost similar goals in promoting their respective stans, the MGs slightly differs from the AGs in one thing…" Amy explained, stopping her explanation as her face turned tomato red, unable to read the following section of the report.
"You might as well continue Amy, you've already made it this far, and at this point nothing can surprise us even more than what you've already told us" Aiden commented when he noticed Amy's facial reaction and hesitation on reading the rest of the report.
Amy cleared her throat again, "That one thing is the other core purpose of the MGs, which is to 'Ship' #MinAiden. Ship or shipping is derived from the word relationship and is the core desire of followers from a specific fandom for two people to be in a romantic or sexual relationship, in this case Min and Aiden".
Moira and Angela subtly placed their hands over their mouths to hide the smile that was forming on their faces, Min bit his lip softly trying to stop himself from smiling as he lowered his head down a bit, turning his face away from Aiden who might see him trying to smile. Everyone else was shell-shocked from the explanation, with Aiden internally cringing at the notion that some of his constituents are hoping that he'll have a relationship with the last person he would want a relationship with - worse a sexual one at that.
"Although everyone agrees within the MGs about their goals and purpose, there seems to be a heated debate about the ship name. According to reports, there are two factions within the Fujoshi and Fudanshi bloc, namely the Team #MinAiden and the Team #AidenMin" Amy continued.
Aaron cleared his throat, his face blushing, "What's the difference between the two? Aren't they the same no matter how you put it?"
"According to Cadet-Captain Francisco, the order in which the name is structured revolves primarily on who the dominant and submissive one is in the relationship. The unwritten rule and protocol of the Yaoi Fandom seems to state that the first name that is mentioned is the dominant one, and the second is the submissive one" Amy responded, "Basically, the bloc is debating who's dominant between Min and Aiden".
"Although they have disagreements over the 'ship name' they seem to be united by their credo, which, from my understanding is the symbol that holds the entire TBL fandom together" Amy continued.
"What Credo would that be?" Aiden asked as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"I can't recite it with particular confidence, but Cadet-Captain Francisco included the link in her report. "Should I go ahead and play it sir?" Amy asked, holding on her phone as she looked at Aiden.
"You might as well, we've come this far" Aiden said as he leaned on his chair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q29SbUkZlu8
Amy clicked on the link, and it redirected her to a video on YouTube which played the credo of the Fujoshi and Fudanshi belonging to the TBL Fandom. As the video played in the background, Min teasingly looked at Angela and Moira with a grin on his face, as the two girls tried to feign innocence and act like they don't know what was being played – ironically enough, it was their first words to Ball and Bank when they ran into them for the very first time.
"I did not understand any of that" Katrina said, puzzled after the video finished.
"Min probably did" Aiden sighed, his face subtly cringing as everyone looked at him.
"What does it say, Min?" Katrina asked, looking at the International Student Representative who was trying to hold his laughter.
"It's basically the intro warning for shows in Thailand, basically warning people watching that some scenes may be inappropriate for children and so on" Min chuckled.
"I'm surprised that Cadet-Captain Francisco has deep knowledge about this matter" Grace commented.
"She is the head of the 1st ROTC Company's Intelligence detachment, plus if she's going to write a report to be submitted to the Student Council, she would do proper research before submitting it" Moira quickly interjected in defense of their fellow Fujoshi, and M.A.S.S. member.
"That's far enough!" Aiden said as he dropped his hand on the conference table, "We got sidelined too much by this subject. Amy, send me the report regarding this matter, and I'll read the rest of it later. Let's not eat up our time here, we can discuss this at another time" he added as Amy sat back down.
"Is there anything else that you would like to know or would like us to look into?" Beatrice added.
"No, we'll hold a meeting at a later time to discuss the matter, for now, let's finish the remaining reports and updates on hand, lest you all be late for your classes" Aiden responded before looking at Antoinette.
"Sir. The International Exchange Office is open to your proposal regarding the Student Diplomatic Corps and are looking forward to implementing it as soon as possible. I expect that Director Guerrero will bring it up during your meeting with him today" Antoinette reported.
"I also took the liberty of compiling a list of possible Student Ambassador candidates that we can send to our partner universities abroad should your proposal is accepted" Antoinette added.
"Were there any questions that were raised about the proposal?" Aiden asked.
"No sir. Director Guerrero and Assistant Director Sarmiento seems keen and excited about the proposal. I assume they would go over some things with you." Antoinette replied as Aiden nodded his head.
"Good. Send me the candidate list this afternoon" Aiden responded before looking at Christopher.
"I already updated your schedule for the week, I can send you a copy of it after the meeting" Christopher reported, "In addition, I've already finished uploading any and all documents, proposals, minutes, and other relevant student council files in our share drive. I'll be sending the links to everyone later today so you can access said files moving forward" he added.
"Good. Were there any calls or messages left for me during my absence last Friday" Aiden asked before Christopher looked at his notes
"Other than from Oscar, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor, there were no calls or message deemed important enough to warrant your attention. If there is one sir, I'll forward them to Moira" Christopher responded. "What did the Office of the Vice Chancellor need?" Aiden asked.
"They were calling to ask if you could call the Vice Chancellor at your earliest possible convenience. Should I schedule a time for you to call them back?" Christopher asked.
"No. I already talked with the Vice Chancellor, you can go ahead and ignore it" Aiden said before turning his attention towards Katrina.
"Our overall budget projection is good at the moment, and all receipts and invoices from the welcome party has been filed and shelved. If we keep to our budget this year, we should have a surplus of about 10% by the end of the year" Katrina Reported.
"Aiden, budgets for all the clubs have been finalized and just needs your signature for the funds to be disbursed. The Office of the Chancellor also sent over some documents for your signature regarding the transfer of funds from the ISO to the Student Council" Kobe reported immediately after Katrina.
"You can leave those documents on my desk. I'll be signing the approved budgets for the clubs later on. Angela, draft a statement to be released this afternoon regarding club budgets for this academic year" Aiden instructed as Angela and Kobe nodded their heads, before the former began her report.
"As Grace already pointed out, the student body received the joint statement last Friday extremely well and has currently been trending on social media. Also, as we've expected, the Student Council has been receiving a larger amount of attention since the release of the MJU Hotlist, it's been dominating the news cycle alongside the Battle of the Bands Festival" Angela reported.
"Anything that we need to pay attention to in a Public Relations stand point?" Aiden asked.
"Nothing that requires any interventions on your part Aiden, though I would like to point out that the fanbases for the International Students have been steadily gaining steam, with the Thai students leading the polls, particularly the MGs, Point Guards, and the Tellers. Behind the Thai students are the Korean students, Japanese students, European students, and the American students" Angela responded.
"The poll results are not surprising to say the least" Aiden commented.
"Additionally, any and all talk about the welcome party seems to have been buried with everything going on in the university. I can say with confidence, at least at the Public Relations stand point that the fallout has been officially contained" Angela continued as Aiden got internally flustered, remembering his first two kisses from Min, clearing his throat at the mention of the welcome party.
"Finally. Keep monitoring the atmosphere and mood at the university and keep an eye on the trends, if anything seems abnormal report to me immediately" Aiden instructed before he looked at Min.
"Nothing significant to report in regard with the International Students other than Monica Sawyers seems to be complying with the probation the Student Council has imposed upon her" Min reported.
"At the very least she's compliant, is there anything else?" Aiden asked.
"Yes. Arianne Fulcher has been discharged from the hospital and has returned to the International House for continued rest and recuperation. From what I hear she hurt her knee and lower back, although she's been referred to Physical Therapy to address those issues" Min continued.
"The girl who demolished the stage during the welcome party?" Kobe interjected as Aaron, Christopher, and Sherwin tried to hold their laugh, to the shock of Katrina, Amy, and Grace for the poor choice of verb.
"I.. I think demolish is too forceful of a word" Angela chimed in, "Perhaps totaled would be better?" she added as Katrina, Amy, and Grace groaned in response, Aiden could only close his eyes in embarrassment.
"That's still somewhat on the same level, Angela" Katrina countered, rubbing her forehead.
"I think what Kobe and Angela meant was 'the International Student who got hurt from that unfortunate and horrific stage malfunction during the welcome party'" Antoinette quickly chimed in, rephrasing and sugar coating their description of the event in a more diplomatic way.
"I think we all knew what they meant, Antoinette" Aiden responded.
"The International Students have also been asking about the first ISO meeting" Min continued, pivoting away from the unfortunate topic of Arianne Fulcher.
"Now that you mentioned it, I'll be meeting with the officers of the ISO today and discuss when and where we'll hold the first ISO meeting. I will let you know what we decide, and move forward from there" Aiden responded, "Also, inform Monica Sawyers that I would like her to accompany me in visiting Ms. Fulcher".
"You want to visit Arianne? With Monica?" Min asked for confirmation.
"Arianne Fulcher is a student here at Mount Juliet, the least I can do is see how she's doing, given that Mount Juliet was responsible for her unfortunate injuries" Aiden replied.
"That part I understand, but Monica with you?" Min asked somewhat concerned about the idea.
"Although still in probation, she is still the International Student Council President. It would have more weight if both of us visited her" Aiden countered.
"Well.. Monica and Arianne don't get along well, so I don't know how that would work out" Min revealed.
"Is there any International Student she gets along with?" Aiden asked rhetorically, "Inform Monica and have Feng Mian coordinate with Christopher in regards with my schedule" he added as Min nodded.
"Any news on your end, Amy?" Aiden asked.
"No sir, other than the latest reports regarding the MGs, the 1st and 2nd ROTC Companies stand ready for your orders" Amy replied.
"Aaron?" Aiden asked, turning his focus towards to the Sergeant-at-Arms.
"I'm working on the draft for the interior crowd operations for the Battle of the Bands Festival. Other than that, we're good to go, I'll coordinate with Amy in regards with the ROTC deployment, though I'm not sure about the Mount Charlotte ROTC, I don't know if we have authority over them like we do here" Aaron responded before Amy chimed in.
"Speaking of the Mount Charlotte ROTC. Since the proposal that you submitted to the music club is already unprecedented in a number of ways, including the inclusion of the Mount Charlotte ROTC, I don't know where to begin with coordinating with them. I don't believe that the Mount Charlotte and Mount Juliet ROTCs have had a joint operation before, not to mention at this scale" Amy commented.
"Amy, try sending this up to Mount Juliet ROTC Command and see what they say about the joint-operation with the Mount Charlotte ROTC. Give me an update on that as soon as you can" Aiden instructed before turning his attention to the Attorney-General.
"Beatrice, look into both the university's and the Student Council's constitutions and by-laws and see if there's any provision in there to allow us to requisition the Mount Charlotte ROTC for the Battle of the Bands Festival. Also, check if it's possible for the Student Council to establish a working relation with the Mount Charlotte Student Council" Aiden instructed.
"I'm not entirely sure if we could just open a line of communications with them without going through the university administration. Although Mount Charlotte is owned and operated by Mount Juliet, they have their own independent and autonomous administration. I don't want to overstep our authority and cross any unnecessary lines" he continued.
"I'll go through them today, I'll probably have something for you by the end of the day, if not, by tomorrow" Beatrice replied before giving out a yawn. Aiden then looked at the last officer in the Student Council, signaling him to give his report.
"I've already drawn up draft plans for the Battle of the Bands Festival, Foundation Day, MJU Olympics, International Week, Halloween Festival, F/S Prom, and the End of the Semester Bash. As instructed I've held off on starting any plans for the 2nd Semester. I'll submit the draft for the Battle of the Bands Festival in accordance with the proposals you made. All other drafts will be templates for the events and will be adjusted accordingly if and when you release any proposals for those" Sherwin reported.
"Alright, send me the draft for the Battle of the Bands Festival this afternoon, and the rest of your drafts tomorrow. I'll look into them as soon as I can" Aiden replied.
"Anything else that needs to be brought to my attention?" Aiden asked as everyone shook their heads.
"If there's nothing else, I need to speak with Min. Alone." Aiden announced with his usual cold voice.
Everyone quickly grabbed their things on the table and got up from their chairs before collecting their bags as they hurriedly left the Student Council Office. Min was confused at what was happening since everyone got up and left so fast. As silence filled the Student Council room, Min started getting nervous and anxious, wondering why and what Aiden wanted to talk with him about.
Min's eyes were focused on the conference table, not even looking at Aiden, clasping both his hands as they started getting cold. He wasn't sure if he had done anything wrong, or if he unintentionally did something to Aiden for him to be called out like he did. As Min was wondering what this was all about, Aiden gathered his things and walked in his office, not saying a word.
After a few seconds, Aiden called out from his office, "Min". The other boy slowly got up from his chair, walking towards the office, his heart beating fast as nervousness took over. Min gave out a sigh before knocking on the open door as he entered the office. After entering, he saw Aiden standing in front of his desk, placing his things on top of it before turning around to face him.
"Well, don't just stand there. Close the door and sit down" Aiden said as he looked at Min who was just standing by the door, his face looked so puzzled and confused.
"Me?" Min asked as he pointed at himself.
"Obviously you, do you see anyone else here in the room?" Aiden sarcastically replied, rolling his eyes in the process as Min did what he was told. He sat at one of the chairs in Aiden's office, somewhat stiff, still nervous and wondering what Aiden wanted to talk with him about.
"Jesus Christ Thammasat Kid don't be so stiff. I only wanted to talk" Aiden said as he stood in front of his desk, which was a couple of feet from where Min was sitting.
"Sorry, I can't help it. Every time you call me in here, it's usually when you're about to give me an earful" Min forced an awkward laugh.
Aiden gave out a long sigh, "I apologize if I made you feel that way. I honestly just needed to talk to you, and for the love of God, try to relax, I don't want to feel like I'm talking to a log or a corpse. I'm not going to pull a Monica Sawyers on you".
"Right" Min slowly nodded his head, able to relax after Aiden's reassurances, "So what did you want to talk to me about? Is it about the International Students?" he added as Aiden leaned on his desk.
"Not quite. If I wanted to talk about the International Students, I would've asked you earlier" Aiden replied as he started avoiding eye contact with Min, "This is by no means related to the Student Council. I wanted to talk to you privately… About something outside our official capacity as members of the Student Council".
"Ohhh" Min teasingly responded, a smile forming on his face, "Are you going to confess to me?" he added as he gave out a chuckle. Aiden was caught by surprise by what Min just said, he was internally flustered as his face started to slightly blush, shifting his eyes around as to not make eye contact with Min.
"St-Stop saying stupid things like that! A-Are you stupid Thammasat Kid!?" Aiden stammered as he tried to absorb another cheesy line from Min.
"But you know, it's really hard to tell if you're being the Student Council President or just your regular self since your expression always stays the same" Min admitted as his laughter died down.
"It's like that on purpose, I try not to engage in personal matters inside this office if I can help it" Aiden responded as Min smiled, his dimple showing.
"Joking aside, what did you want to talk to me about?" Min asked in a more casual tone.
"I think you need to do some serious re-evaluating on your sense of humor" Aiden wittingly replied.
"Is that what you wanted to talk about?" Min chuckled.
"Of course not! Don't be a smart-ass Thammasat Kid!" Aiden shot back, "I only have two things I wanted to talk to you about, mostly the first one, but I haven't had the time since the new officers were sworn in. It's been extremely hectic, as you know" he added as Min looked at him, curious what those things were.
"First. Are you avoiding me for some reason? It feels like you are after that episode with Mingyu and Ball at the Student Court" Aiden asked.
"I was, for a little bit after that day" Min admitted as Aiden's eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"I had the feeling you were. So why were you avoiding me?" Aiden pressed, his arms crossed.
"I guess because I felt like I disappointed you again after my outburst at the Student Court. You even got in trouble with that Student Judge because of me, and almost created a problem that you would most likely have to fix" Min confessed, his face looking a bit down.
"Don't worry about it. It wasn't a big deal, and your reaction was expected anyways, given that Ball is your closest friend" Aiden responded as Min slightly nodded, "Besides, even if it that ended up creating another problem, it's my duty as Student Council President to fix it".
"Thank you for understanding, I'll try not to disappoint you again" Min said as he looked at his eyes.
"Try and control your emotions, and don't make hasty and irrational decisions based on those emotions. It'll get you in trouble far quicker than you'd realize, just like with the Hazelyn matter at the cafeteria" Aiden advised, the atmosphere somewhat casual and lighter than it usually is between them.
"I will do my best" Min responded, "What was the other thing you wanted to talk about?" he added as Aiden broke their eye contact as he slightly lowered his head.
"I-I just wanted to…" Aiden spoke but was having a hard time coming up with the words.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry, for slapping you at the Student Court, and for using you as a bargaining chip in the agreement with Oscar without your consent" Aiden apologized, still looking at the floor, his face blushing and started feeling warm – embarrassed for doing what he did.
Min softly bit his lips as he tried not to smile too much, he thought it was a sweet gesture, especially coming from Aiden who has an infamous reputation of being somewhat cold and expressionless. An extremely rare moment between the two of them who usually have an awkward encounter every time they interact with one another.
"Also…" Aiden spoke again, catching Min's attention, "Thank you… For backing me up earlier… When the others were pressing me to tell them what I gave Oscar for him to join the press conference".
Min smiled as he got up from the chair, Aiden still looking on the floor, his face completely flushed and his face a lot warmer, "Don't worry about all of that, and also you're always welcome" Min said as he slowly placed his hand on Aiden's head, ruffling his soft and silky hair.
"That's interesting" Min said after ruffling Aiden's hair for a few seconds, "You usually react or move my hand away when I do this".
Aiden scoffed at what Min said, "Don't get used to it, I'm only letting you do this because I feel bad for doing what I did to you, and because I feel like I owe you for backing me up earlier". Min smiled as he gently and slowly ruffled Aiden's hair.
"So, what did you give Oscar in return for appearing at the press conference? Other than volunteering me to appear on MJU's Hottest?" Min asked as he removed his hand from the other boy's head.
"O-our selfie.." Aiden turned away from Min as he mumbled, too embarrassed to say it out loud.
"What was that? I'm sorry I couldn't understand you" Min responded.
"I-I said.. Our selfie.." Aiden stuttered as he repeated his answer in a low voice, the other boy able to hear and understand what he was saying, his heart skipping a beat as he gave out another smile.
"Sorry, I couldn't hear you" Min teasingly said, pretending not to hear him, so he'd say it one more time.
Aiden quickly turned his head towards Min, irked at the prospect of repeating himself over and over, his face blushing really hard, "I SAID OUR SELFIE!!!!" he said in a loud voice as it echoed throughout his office.
"Oh, you mean this?" Min teasingly responded as he took his phone out, showing Aiden his wallpaper.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOW ME THAMMASAT KID!" Aiden reacted in a panicked tone as he tried to slap the phone out of Min's hand. But before his hand could even touch the phone, Min grabbed Aiden's hand with his free hand and held it, slowly intertwining them together before pressing his forehead on Aiden's.
"Wha-what are you doing!?" Aiden reacted as Min softly held his hand and rested his forehead on his.
"Sorry, I can't help it. You look so cute and adorable when you're panicky like this" Min said softly.
Aiden couldn't move a muscle, for some reason when Min gets too close like what he's doing now, his strength to resist somewhat dissipates. Although he feels awkward, uncomfortable, and embarrassed by what Min was doing, he couldn't find the strength to push him away.
In Aiden's mind, he thought that Min's soft hands felt comforting, his forehead felt warm, and he smells really good – thoughts that Aiden couldn't believe he was thinking of in the first place. The emotions he was feeling felt the same as the time Min confessed to him and kissed him for the second time, it felt completely strange for Aiden, as he had the strong urge to resist and push Min away, but at the same time, he was feeling a sense of ease, comfort, and protection.
After a few minutes – which felt like forever to Aiden – Min slowly broke off as an awkward atmosphere developed between them. Min took a few steps back, not saying a word as Aiden remained in the same position, slightly lowering his head to avoid looking at Min, his heart beating faster. There was silence between the two of them, neither one unable to say anything to diffuse the awkwardness.
"Aiden… I.." Min finally spoke before Aiden interrupted him.
"You should.. Head to class.. You'll be late at this rate" Aiden softly responded , his eyes still looking away.
"Yeah.. You're right.. I'll.. See you later.." Min said in a soft and somewhat caring voice before quietly leaving Aiden's office.
After Min closed the door, Aiden fell to his knees, his heart beating really fast, his face warm and flushed. He slowly placed his shaking hand on his mouth, feeling a great deal of embarrassment for letting Min do what he did to him without resisting for a second time, even more so by actually thinking weird things as Min was holding his hand and resting his forehead on his.
"What is wrong with me?" Aiden whispered to himself as he tried to recover from what just happened.
Although Min had a smile on his face, he was somewhat torn on the inside. He felt happy that he was able to hold Aiden's hand again and get that close to him just like when he confessed to him after the welcome party a few weeks before. On the other hand there was a small sense of guilt for doing something like that without Aiden's consent, and also in part because his feelings for Yu-Yu was still lingering in his heart, even though he promised Ball that he would try and move on from his past.
Later on the day, Aiden headed to the International Exchange Program Office to meet with Director Guerrero and Assistant Director Sarmiento to discuss the International Student Outing and the Student Diplomatic Corps proposals that he submitted a week before. After entering the office, he saw several International Students loitering around and talking amongst themselves, some even looking at him.
Aiden walked towards the front desk to inform the receptionist that he was there for a meeting with Director Guerrero and Assistant Director Sarmiento, but before he could talk to the receptionist, someone called out to him from the other side of the office. Aiden turned towards the direction of the voice and saw that it was Director Guerrero that was calling him.
Aiden walked towards the Director, who seemed like he was in a good mood, "Director Guerrero, thank you so much for meeting with me today" he said as he shook the Director's hand.
"It's no problem, it's an honor to be able to have this meeting with you President Kobayashi" Director Guerrero said as he shook the younger boy's hand.
"I looked over your proposals for both the International Student Outing and the Student Ambassador Corps with Assistant Director Sarmiento and my staff, and I must say I'm extremely impressed by how professional, detailed, and organized it was" Director Guerrero said as he ended their handshake.
"Thank you Director Guerrero, I was only doing my job. I hope the proposals covered everything that's needed for the International Student Outing, and that my other proposal is acceptable" Aiden replied.
"Everything seems to be in order, although there are things that we wanted to ask you for clarification regarding both proposals before we finalize and submit it to the Executive Council" Director Guerrero said.
"Of course, that's why I'm here. I also brought with me the materials and documents related to both proposals so I can explain it in detail and answer any questions and concerns you may have. I'm also prepared to do some amendments and changes if you deem it necessary" Aiden replied.
"As expected from you President Kobayashi, your reputation precedes you" Director Guerrero chuckled.
"So I've heard" Aiden replied as he scanned the room, "Is Assistant Director Sarmiento here?"
"Yes, she's actually already in the conference room setting up as we speak" Director Guerrero responded, "You know what, why don't we go and head there?" he suggested before leading Aiden to the conference room where they would be holding their meeting. When they entered the meeting room, Aiden was surprised to see that the entire staff of the International Exchange Program were present.
Everyone looked at Aiden and Director Guerrero after they entered the conference room, with Aiden nodding his head to acknowledge everyone, "I didn't expect that your staff will be joining us as well" he commented after seeing the people in the room.
"I apologize President Kobayashi, I got excited about the meeting that I forgot to mention it to you. I hope that wouldn't be a problem" Director Guerrero said as he apologized to Aiden.
"It's no problem Director Guerrero, it's actually a good thing that your entire staff is present. It'll be a whole lot easier to get everyone on the same page, and if they also have questions and concerns I'll be able to address them directly, since I know these proposals better than anyone" Aiden replied before Assistant Director Sarmiento approached them.
"President Kobayashi! It's so nice to see you again!" Assistant Director Sarmiento greeted with a smile as she shook Aiden's hand.
"It's good to see you too Assistant Director Sarmiento. It's been a little while since we last saw each other, and once again, I do apologize for the somewhat combative nature of the joint meeting of the Student Council and the International Student Council" Aiden said as he broke off from the handshake, apologizing to the Assistant Director for what happened between him and Monica.
"That's quite alright Aiden. I actually enjoyed it and thought it was a very interesting and constructive exchange of differing views" Assistant Director Sarmiento chuckled.
"Why don't we introduce Aiden to everyone before we get this meeting started" Director Guerrero chimed in before he started introducing Aiden to his staff.
After being introduced to everyone in the room, Aiden began his presentation and explanation in regards with the International Student Outing, a topic the was well-received by everyone. After his presentation, several members of the staff, including Director Guerrero asked some questions and raised some minor concerns with parts of the proposal, all of which Aiden was able to answer in an eloquent and professional manner, a major reassurance for everyone who had concerns about the proposal.
After answering everyone's question, Aiden then moved to his second proposal that he submitted – the Student Diplomatic Corps. The presentation and explanation on the second proposal left everyone in the room amazed and at awe by the pioneering proposal that was just laid out to them. The idea was creative and original, and covered different aspects and areas that would greatly help the International Exchange Program in the long run, as well as improving and safeguarding the image of the university abroad.
The proposal also included several provisions for a seamless transition process of all the new International Students that would arrive as Student Ambassadors should the proposals be accepted and enforced at the current academic year. The proposal also includes a provision that would designate an entire floor or two of the International House for the Student Ambassadors, a move that would cement their status as Student Diplomats and the importance of the positions that they hold. Unlike the first proposal, this one was met by very few questions and concerns.
In a surprise move that Aiden wasn't expecting at least for a couple more weeks or so, Director Guerrero immediately put the two proposals into a vote – both proposals passing with unanimous consent from everyone in the room. The turn of events that just happened invertedly freed up a large chunk of Aiden's time and added to the list of his accomplishments for the academic year.
After the meeting ended, Director Guerrero and Assistant Director Sarmiento pulled Aiden to the side and personally informed him that they would be submitting the proposal to the Executive Council immediately, and they hope that they would hear something about it by the end of the week at the earliest. Aiden was both grateful and thankful that the International Exchange Office was very supportive of his proposals, to which both Director Guerrero and Assistant Director Sarmiento responded with compliments and praise.
After excusing himself, Aiden started making his way back to the Student Council Office, two floors down from where he currently is. Director Guerrero and Assistant Director Sarmiento on the other hand, made their way to the Administration Building to submit the proposals to their superior, the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, who happens to be Vice Chancellor Aurea Gutierrez.
After Aiden returned to the Student Council room, he started walking towards his office when Christopher emerged from the control room – which acted as his unofficial office.
"President Kobayashi, Rose Cristobal is waiting for you in your office" Christopher informed Aiden, causing the latter to stop dead on his tracks as he faced his Secretary – blindsided by what he just heard.
"She's not supposed to be here for another 45-minutes" Aiden replied, his internal victory lap screeching to a grinding halt, "Why is she here so early?"
"I'm not sure, sir. She just showed up 15-minutes ago, so I had her wait in your office" Christopher said, internally anxious and nervous not knowing what Aiden's mood was, given that he had his signature stoic and expressionless face on.
"You do know we have a couch over there , right?" Aiden said as he pointed towards the couch.
"I-I'm sorry, sir! It won't happen again" Christopher apologized before Aiden gave out a sigh.
"Don't worry about it, it's fine. For future references though, if I do have guests and I'm not here, please have them wait on the couch" Aiden responded, "Offer them drinks and snack as well while they wait".
"Y-yes President Kobayashi!" Christopher replied, prompting Aiden to give out a sigh.
"Just Aiden's fine, Christopher. Try to relax, I'm not mad or anything" Aiden responded as he made his way to his office.
Christopher breathed a sigh of relief as he placed his hand on his chest, "Anyone would be anxious and nervous talking with someone with an expressionless face. I don't know how everyone else manages to be so relaxed around Aiden" he whispered as he watched Aiden go to his office before returning to his.
"Ms. Cristobal, I wasn't expecting you until later" Aiden said as he entered his office, prompting Rose to quickly stand up from where she was sitting.
"I apologize President Kobayashi, I thought I should at least come early as a form of courtesy and apology on behalf of the Freshman Council for having been inactive since the first day of the academic year" Rose immediately apologized as she watched Aiden made his way towards his desk and pull his chair out.
After taking his seat, he gestured for Rose to come closer. As she stood in front of Aiden's desk, he spoke again, his hands resting on the desk, "I need an update on the Freshman Council, and the reason why the body that you're currently leading has been radio silent since the semester began" he asked in a serious but slightly cold tone of voice, making Rose somewhat nervous and queasy.
"I-initially we've had problems with some of the elected members of the Freshman Council, and it took some time to be able to get everything straightened out" Rose stammered as she began her explanation.
"What would those problem be?" Aiden inquired as he looked at Rose who was shuffling her eyes.
"We weren't able to hold our first official meeting until after the announcement of the Battle of the Bands and the Hotlist release since some of the members had conflicting schedules" Rose responded.
Aiden gave out a long sigh, "Has the Freshman Council at least decided on the agenda they would have for this academic year?" Aiden further inquired.
"Yes. We've decided on several initiatives to assist the Freshmen this year" Rose confidently replied.
"What would those initiatives be?" Aiden asked.
"One of the things we're working on is the Freshmen Bash, the meet-and-greet event, study groups, movie nights, karaoke nights, and eat-out weekends" Rose explained.
"Most of these are geared towards helping the freshmen get to know each other and help build meaningful and lasting relationships, while supporting each other with academics" Rose added.
"Those are pretty interesting and creative ideas. Has the Freshman Council finalized everything for the agendas you have mentioned?" Aiden asked as Rose gave an awkward laughter.
"Actually, nothing has been finalized yet President Kobayashi" Rose replied, causing Aiden to raise a brow, "The Council members have been distracted lately, so we haven't finalized anything"
"What could possibly be more important than your mandate as members of the Freshman Council" Aiden asked, sounding frustrated.
"Most of the elected members of the Freshman Council, myself included has been kind of busy with our extracurriculars… Sort to speak" Rose awkwardly smiled as she lightly scratched her cheek.
"What extracurriculars would that be, Ms. Cristobal?" Aiden pressed as he sharpened his gaze.
"Eh.. The.. Uhmm…" Rose stammered once again, hesitant to respond to the question.
"Ms. Cristobal, I don't have all day. I have some work that I need to do, so either you spit it out or you can leave my office and start getting the Freshman Council straightened out" Aiden said, his voice a lot more serious and colder.
"Well… Half the members of the Freshman Council are part of Aiden's Guardians, and the other half, me included are part of Min's Guardians… We've been kind of sidetracked these past few weeks" Rose finally admitted as Aiden leaned on his chair, softly face palming.
"Oh for fuck's sakes" Aiden thought to himself as Rose forced a smile. It took Aiden a few seconds to compose himself before removing his hand off his face.
"Ms. Cris-" Aiden said, about to give Rose an earful before being interrupted by an unexpected guest.
"Aiden! I brought you a cappuccino and a coffee cake" Min smiled as he held up the coffee and the plastic bag containing the cake, failing to notice the presumptive leader of his fanbase in the room.
Christopher then came running in the office and belatedly announced as he stood in front of Min, "A-Ah.. T-The International Student Representative is here President Kobayashi"
When Rose saw who was at the door, she squealed at the top of her lungs, startling Min, and Christopher, causing Aiden to groan, his thumb and index finger on the bridge of his nose as he leaned on his desk.
"Shiaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Min cried in response, nearly dropping the cappuccino on the carpeted floor.
"Oh my God! It's Min! Kyaaaaaaaaa!" Rose flailed as Christopher and Min looked at her.
"D-do I know you?" a startled Min asked as he faced the flailing girl.
"This is Rose Cristobal. President of the Freshman Council, and the presumptive leader of your fanbase" Christopher said as Aiden looked up.
"Thank you for the belated announcement, Christopher" Aiden sarcastically said.
"Apologies Presi- Ahh… Aiden.." Christopher replied, "I didn't notice him walking past my office. By the time I saw his silhouette he was already near your office".
"I'm sorry Aiden. I thought you didn't have a meeting until later on" Min apologized, realizing that he showed up at the worst possible moment.
"Did you buy those for Aiden!?" Rose excitedly asked as she ran towards Min.
"Oh my God! Are you two dating!?" Rose added as she turned towards Aiden who was internally dying from embarrassment and awkwardness, "The MinAiden ship is real! The ship is finally sailing!" she added before letting out another loud squeal. The second squeal caused Cadet-Major Del Rosario, Cadet-Major Montanillo, and Cadet-Captain Francisco, who happened to be passing by outside the Student Council room to come running towards the source of the squealing.
"President Kobayashi! Are you alright!?" Amy called out as she entered the office, slightly bumping into Min who was standing by the door, followed by Rebecca and Alexis. When Amy saw who were in the office, she immediately pieced together what was happening, her face quickly blushing.
"Aiden… Cadet-Major Del Rosario and two other Cadet-Officers are here" Christopher announced, adding a bit of comical relief in the awkward atmosphere.
"Yes. I can see that. You can stop announcing the obvious Christopher" Aiden sighed as he stood up.
"First of all Ms. Cristobal, the two of us are not dating" Aiden cleared his throat as he gave a firm and aggressive clarification, leaning towards his desk as he placed his hand on top of it, his face warm.
"Not yet at least" Min jokingly whispered, a comment that Amy and Rebecca heard, causing them to subtly cover their mouths, their face blushing – Min not aware they heard his comment.
"Secondly, I need you to get your priorities straight, and get your agendas finalized and carried out" Aiden continued, still internally shookt at what's happening, "I expect results and a report by Friday at noon".
"We'll try President Kobayashi" Rose quickly replied before turning to Min, admiring his baby face, subtly dissing Aiden who was just talking to her.
"Don't try Ms. Cristobal! Do it! You have a mandate and a duty to carry this out!" Aiden added.
"Rose was it?" Min finally spoke, "I think you should do what Aiden says, you don't want him angry" he added as Christopher, Amy, Rebecca, and Alexis quickly nodded their heads in agreement.
"Well, if you say so Min" Rose said in a sweet and childlike voice.
"Thank you Rose. President Kobayashi and the rest of the Student Council appreciates it" Min smiled, exposing his dimple for Rose to see.
"I'll do anything for you Min!" Rose replied, her eyes sparkling.
"Thank you, I really appreciate it" Min responded, smile still on his face as he slightly ruffled Rose's hair, effectively putting the Freshman Council President out of commission as her face became red hot, unable to handle the fact that her stan was ruffling her hair in addition to seeing Min's cute and adorable smile.
Min's sweet gesture hit Rose's weak spot, causing her to lean on one of the chairs to support herself as her legs got weak from the massive feels she was experiencing. Amy, and Alexis immediately came to her aid, helping her stand straight as Min, Christopher, and Rebecca looked on with worried expressions.
"I guess this would be it for today, Ms. Cristobal" Aiden added as he fell back on his chair.
"Amy, Rebecca, Alexis! Please bring Ms. Cristobal to the Student Health Center immediately before she passes out here of all places" Aiden added as he gave an order to the ROTC officers.
"Yes sir!" Amy, Rebecca, and Alexis responded, clicking their heels in unison before gently helping Rose out of the office, trying to calm her down as they left.
As the three ROTC officers helped Rose out of the office, Aiden gave another sigh before he spoke again, "I need a moment alone with the International Student Representative, please".
Christopher left in a heartbeat, closing the door as he left. After the door closed, Aiden leaned back on his chair, his hand rubbing his forehead. "Aide-" Min tried to speak but was interrupted when Aiden quickly gestured for him to stop talking.
"Does that cappuccino have four shots in it?" Aiden asked still rubbing his forehead.
"Ye-yeah. It's your usual" Min responded, still standing by the door.
"Leave it on my desk, and then you can go" Aiden said as Min placed the cappuccino on the desk.
"Are you mad?" Min asked as Aiden removed his hand from his forehead.
"I'm not really sure if I should still get mad or not. I feel like I'm getting caught in all of these awkward and embarrassing moments more often than not" Aiden responded, "In all honesty, I'm not sure if it's even worth expending any of my energy getting mad every time something like this happens".
"I'm sorry about that" Min apologized.
"Yet you still keep on doing it" Aiden sighed, "It's fine. If it's any consolation, you earned yourself three 'patience points' since I slapped you, used you as a bargaining chip, and backed me up earlier".
"Does that mean I have two points left?" Min chuckled.
"Actually, you used it all up" Aiden replied to the shock of the other boy.
"WHAT!? When did I used it all up!?" Min asked, surprised that he doesn't have any 'patience points' left.
"First was when you ruffled my hair, the second was when you held my hand and placed your forehead on mine, and this one is the third" Aiden replied as he grabbed the cup of cappuccino.
"I wish you had told me that earlier" Min groaned, sounding defeated.
"Now you know" Aiden wittingly replied, "Don't worry, you just earned yourself two more 'patience points' for subjugating Rose and for the cappuccino and the coffee cake. Use your last points wisely since I'm not giving you any more from this point on. It so happens that I needed the caffeine and sugar, and you just happen to bring me some, albeit at the worst possible moment".
"I'm going to save the last two points and use it to maximum effect" Min chuckled.
"Whatever! Please leave my office and make good decisions in life!" Aiden replied before taking a sip of the cappuccino, Min only laughed as he made his way out of the door.