The mixed sounds of the string quartet and light chatter filled the elegant banquet hall of the large hotel. Will watched as the fancily dressed ladies and gentlemen chatted about the latest high class news. It was mainly gossip about the business world and the "who's who" of high society. The young man rolled his dark blue eyes as he shifted uncomfortably in his three piece suit.
Will felt a sharp slap to his leg from under the table, making him jump as he turned his attention to the well dressed man sitting next to him. The man was Will's father, the head of a well known and respected medical company.
"Behave!" The man hissed quietly, "And I thought you were getting your hair cut today."
Will ran his hand over his shoulder length black hair he had tied back into a low pony tail as he looked at the man, "Even if my hair was short it wouldn't make me a good person."
The man shot Will a look of warning, making him look away. Will stared out the near by window and watched as snow began to slowly drift down. He wished he could be anywhere else in this moment. He hated having this kind of lifestyle. He wanted something more... carefree and laid back. Will turned his attention back to his father and the two women his father had been talking to. Once he saw his chance, he quietly slipped away and made his way out of the banquet hall.
He sighed as he leaned against the wall and looked around the lobby of the hotel.

Jiang Xi sighed for the umpteenth time as he hung his head in the air. This suit was annoying. The air of this place was annoying, too. In fact, even the people around him was pissing him off. But, what else could he do? He was here to make acquaintances, grow his network, and make his way to work in a really good hospital. Money was also an issue to him since his parents, well, passed away just a couple of months ago. They didn't die together, though, but they both died of medical conditions. One was because of cancer, and because they didn't have the money to have her go through treatment, she died suffering. The other was quicker. His father died of a heart attack.

Thankfully, his parents left him to his grandfather who, as of the moment, was paying for his University fees and was sending him money every month. This was what he used to pay for his worn-down apartment that was just a couple of blocks away from the prestigious university.

Rubbings his hands on his pants and pushing to get himself up to his feet, the black-haired male of Chinese descent fixed his suit before he'd made his way towards the door where the party was being held. He'd been hanging out in the lobby for about an hour now, debating on whether to just go home or make a network of friends. Old friends, too, he noticed when he'd peeked in the open door not too long ago. While he was closing in on his destination, he noticed a man standing by the wall to the entrance of the banquet hall. This had him raising his eyebrows in slight curiosity. No, he wasn't an extrovert, but, he knew he had to get out of his shell if he wanted to get through this evening and make it a success.

"Hey," he started, brows finally meeting to make a crease in-between. Though the look did marr his handsome features, he looked pretty good. Still. "Are you all right?"

Will jumped slightly at the mans question, he hadn't realized anyone had been paying attention to him. His pale cheeks flushed with a faint pink as he stood a little straighter, taking his weight off of the wall.
"Oh! Um, y-yes I'm fine." He said awkwardly as he glanced away then back to the man, "I'm just... Well, to be honest, these kind of gatherings aren't really my thing."
They never were for as long as he could remember. Will would much rather be back in his dorm room, in his regular tattered jeans and baggy shirt, playing video games and snacking on miscellaneous junk foods.
"Oh! Excuse me," Will said as he offered his hand to the other young man, "I'm William Parker, from the Parker Medical Company. I'm going to be taking over my father's company in a few years."
Will always felt awkward with these long introductions. He much preferred a simple 'Hi, I'm Will.'

With Will now standing a little straighter, they were not very different in terms of height. The only reason Jiang could battle with heights with those of American ethnicity was because he'd been shoved down with various things. His parents believed a lot about those growth myths. In reality, though, it was all because Jiang had been an athlete then. With all the stretching and the endurance streaks, he's become that: toned and well-shaped. In fact, he looked pretty good in the suit.

Or so his friends tell him.

The male quirked a perfectly shaped brow before his lips pulled back into another smile. Taking the outstretched hand, he gave it a firm shake and nodded. "Jiang Xi, Mr. Parker. I'm a fourth year medical student at Y University taking up medicine majoring in pharmaceutics." As he took his hand back, he peered past the door. "And truth be told, yeah. These kind of gatherings aren't my thing, either."

He couldn't very well tell him that he was here to gather network. Turning to look back at Will, his smile turned to a grin. "But, I'm glad I got to meet you."

"You don't have to call me Mr. Parker or anything like that," Will said with a smile as he waved his hand, "Just call me Will."
He poked his head in the door and saw his father looking around, no doubt looking for him. Will dreaded going back inside and turned his attention back to Jiang.
"It's nice to meet you as well." Will said with a small nod as he slipped his hands into his pockets and leaned on the wall once more, "If these kind of things aren't your thing either then what are you doing here?" He gave the young man a curious look before continuing, "Since you're going to school for pharmaceutics are you looking for work in the medical field? If that's the case I could introduce you to my father. If you want, I mean."

Jiang didn't think it'd be this easy to make acquaintances. "Will then," he started as he chuckled softly. Oh, he'd seen Will peer into the room. He's also seen the man's father. After all, what student working hard in the medical field did not know Parker Medical Company? When the other questioned his presence in such a formal event, Jiang only smiled.

"Because my professor would want me to 'widen my horizons' and I'm not quite sure what he meant by that." Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak again, he found himself stopping at the other's suggestion. Perfect. He was waiting for that.

"I am, and that would be very helpful, Will." Idly, he wondered. Why was he so willing to introduce him to his father?

'That makes sense,' Will thought to himself as he watched the young man, 'It's a lot harder to get into this kind of business than most people realize.'
"I think you're professor means you should get your name out there now while you're still studying. That way when you're ready to actually start looking for work in your field people will recognize you." Will said, once again taking his weight off the wall as he tilted his head towards the open door, "I'll introduce you to dad, I'm sure once he hears what you're studying you'll have his attention. He's actually been looking for younger guys to hire in our company since we'll be having some people retire soon."
The dark haired young man lead the way into the banquet hall, carefully stepping around some of the waiters who were serving champagne to the other guests. He looked around for a moment, wondering where his father had gone, 'I just saw him here...'
"Oh William," A tall, blonde woman cooed, catching his attention, "Are you looking for Mr. Parker?"
"Yes, I am." William said, slightly bowing his head to her, "Would you by chance know where he disappeared to?"
"I think he was looking for you as well." The woman smiled, before turning her attention to Jiang, "Oh, I see you've made a new acquaintance."
"Oh! Yes," Will said, turning slightly to introduce the two, "Excuse me, Mrs. Bouvier. Allow me to introduce Jiang Xi, he's a fourth year medical student who is taking up medicine and majoring in pharmaceutics. Mr. Xi, this is Doris Bouvier. She is the wife of the board of directors at the hospital."
"It's a pleasure to meet you young man." Doris said with a smile as she extended her hand to the new young man, "It's nice to see more young people wanting to get into the medical field."

When Will explained what his professor had meant, Jiang only went, "Oh," as realization finally dawned on him. His main language was Chinese, and although he's lived in the US for about four years or more, he was still learning the language. It was quite a tricky one at that, too. Jiang, yet again, smiled at the offer. In fact, that joyous news that had been relayed to him? It made this pharmaceutical major rather hopeful.

If he did get accepted, he should thank this man. Idly, he wondered if he was still studying... and where?

Following after Will, the black-haired Asian male expertly evaded the waiters that were holding out the trays like they were a second arm. He almost bumped into Will if it weren't for his quick reflexes. Looking back and over the man's shoulder, he saw the tall, blond woman start conversing with his newfound acquiantance. It made him curious. Who was she?

Once Will had started with the introductions, Jiang only smiled, yet again. One he seemed to have reserved for social occasions like this. Although he was an introvert by nature, he had learned how to get along with people, be an extrovert at times like these. "It's a pleasure meeting you as well, Mrs. Bouvier." He took her hand in his and raised his other hand to keep her hand in his hold. He bowed as per an Asian habit of his, before he'd let go and straightened up. "And, that saying seems to go around the field. I still believe it's us learning from those of the older generation."