24

Dinner is over. SEVENTEEN are slowly trickling out of the restaurant, yawning, stretching, and arguing over who's riding in which car. The sky is dark, and the streets are quiet. A cool breeze cuts through the summer warmth.

Amid the noise, Scoups and Heyoung linger a few steps behind, just outside the restaurant door.

"Thanks for coming...I know you were probably tired after work," Scoups said, stuffing his hands into his jacket.

Heyoung smiled, "It was worth it, I haven't laughed like that. Your members are...loud."

Scoups softly laughs, "That's one way to put it."

There's a little silence between them. It's not awkward — just comfortable.

The kind where everything is understood, even without being said.

Heyoung glanced at Scoups, "You looked happy today, Coups-ya."

"Yeah...I was—it felt like one of those days I'll remember when I'm eighty," Scoups said as he glanced at Heyoung. "You being there kind of made it...perfect."

Heyoung looks at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. She opens her mouth to say something, then hesitates — thinking.

A quiet moment passes.

"Hey..." Heyoung started.

Scoups fully turns to her, putting all his attention towards her.

"Do you want to watch the sunrise with me tomorrow?" She added.

Scoups blink for a second, "Sunrise?"

Heyoung nods, "I know a place...not far from the river. It's quiet, no people, no noise...just the sky."

"And maybe some coffee...if you bring some, Coups-ya," Heyoung said as she let out a playful smile.

Scoups paused for a bit and softly said, "Yeah...I'd like that."

"Meet me at 4:30? I'll send you the location," Heyoung smiled at him

"I'll be there...even if I have to fight off sleep demons." Scoups chuckled.

Heyoung laughs, "Bring them coffee too, Coups-ya. Maybe they'll let you live."

She starts walking toward her car, waving goodbye to the others.

Scoups watches her go, a small smile still on his face. Then he turns just as Jeonghan and Mingyu appear behind him like ninjas.

"So...sunrise, huh?" Jeonghan grins

"That's not just romantic...that's K-drama-level stuff, Coups-hyung," Mingyu said.

"I hate you both," Scoups groaned as he quickly walked away.

"Coups-ya! Bring a blanket and tissues! For your emotions!" Jeonghan shouted as he called after him.

They all laugh as they head toward the van, the night closing in — but tomorrow morning, something new is about to begin.

=====

It is 4:30 in the morning, and the sun is ready to rise.

Heyoung had asked Scoups if he wanted to watch the sunrise with her.

The sky is slowly warming into soft streaks of gold and pink. The river glows with gentle ripples. S.Coups stands beside Heyoung, coffee in hand, his breath visible in the cool morning air. The silence between them is peaceful — but charged.

He sneaks a glance at her. She's quiet, arms resting on the railing, her face unreadable.

"You okay?" Scoups softly asked

Heyoung slowly nods, "Yeah...I was just thinking about how weird this is. "

"Weird?" Scoups asked.

"Not bad-weird..." Heyoung started, she turned to him and met his eyes.

"Just...how long we've been doing this little dance—you are always waiting...always...patiently..." Heyoung sighed and started to feel shy.

"Always showing up," She added.

Scoups didn't say anything. He just watches her.

"When we first got close, I told myself I wasn't ready–I had things I needed to figure out, places I wanted to stand on my own first," Heyoung faintly smiled.

"You respected that—you never pushed, you just...stayed close. Quietly making your way into my everyday life."

"Because I knew you were worth the wait," Scoups said in a low voice.

She looks at him for a moment. Then she takes a deep breath and says it — soft, but sure.

"You can stop courting me now, Coups-ya."

Scoups repeatedly blinked because he got caught off guard.

"Wait...hold on," Scoups said as he was processing. "Are you saying—"

Heyoung fully smiled at him, her eyes crinkling with emotion.

"I'm saying...I'm ready now," Heyoung said, taking a closer step to Scoups. "I'm ready to stop pretending—I'm ready to stop being scared of it."

"I'm ready to be yours," She added.

A stunned silence.

Then, a soft, slow smile spreads across Scoups' face. Not the flirty grin. Not the shy one. The real one. The one he only uses when something matters.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear that," Scoups barely whispered.

He doesn't rush toward her, doesn't grab her hand or pull her in. He just stands there, eyes locked with hers, letting the weight of it settle in the space between them — and it's enough. More than enough.

"I figured..." Heyoung softly said, taking a small step closer. "If we're going to start, I want to start here. Quiet. Real—just you and me...no noise around us."

"Just us," Scoups replied

=====

Sunlight pours through the curtains. Members are scattered across couches, bean bags, and the floor like a bunch of sleepy lions.

Some are half-asleep, others scrolling on their phones. Music plays softly from someone's speaker. A calm, peaceful morning.

"Did someone turn off the AC? Or am I just dead?" Dino muffled from under a blanket.

"Probably both," Wonwoo replied.

Hoshi tossed a pillow at Dino, "Shut up, we're mourning our youth."

"Who made noodles at two in the morning? There's gochujang on the ceiling?" Jeonghan asked as he went to the kitchen.

"That was Mingyu, he said he needed post-meat ramen therapy," Joshua said.

Mingyu raised his hand from behind the couch, "Confirmed."

Suddenly, the front door unlocks.

Everyone glances up lazily as Scoups walks in — freshly showered, wearing a hoodie and cap, looking suspiciously well-rested for someone who went out at 4:30 a.m.

"Yah! Where were you?" Seungkwan said.

"Out," Scoups casually said.

"Out where? Why do you look like you just got back from filming a commercial for peace and happiness?" DK said.

"This man is glowing," Vernon added.

Jeonghan drops the sponge into the sink, "Hold on...you were with Heyoung, right? You and her watching the sunrise."

All heads swivel. Dino sits upright so fast the blanket falls off.

"HYUNG! YOU WATCH THE SUNRISE WITH HEYOUNG-NOONA?!" Dino shouted.

Scoups freezes for 0.5 seconds — then smiles. Just a tiny, knowing smirk.

"Yeah..." Scoups said

"Ohhh..."

"Yahhh!!"

"Sunrise date!"

"Heyoung effect!"

"Hyung! Be good!

Utter chaos. Pillows fly. Screams echo.

Jeonghan falls to the floor like he's fainting. Mingyu is clutching a throw pillow to his chest like a telenovela lead.

"WAIT—WAIT—WHAT HAPPENED?! TELL US EVERY DETAIL, COUPS-HYUNG!" Seungkwan dramatically said.

"Did you hold hands?! Did you cry or did noona cry?!" DK also dramatically said.

"Did the sun rise or was it just the warmth of your hearts?" Hoshi dramatically said, clutching his chest.

"Please tell me someone recorded this reaction," Wonwoo asked.

Scups is laughing now, holding his hands up in surrender.

The noise is deafening, but he finally speaks — voice calm, a little shy, but sure.

"She told me to stop courting her."

Dino looked at him confusedly, "Wait? What?"

"She told me to stop courting her...because she's ready now," Scoups said, smiling wider.

Another beat of silence. And then — a massive collective scream.

"HYUNG!! HE'S IN A RELATIONSHIP!"

"LEADER-NIM! HAD A LABEL NOW!"

"COUPS-YA, YOU GREW UP SO FAST!"

"I need tea—this is too much emotion before noon," Minghao said.

"Hyung, we need a timeline; I need to know what you said...did she initiate the heart eyes first, or did you?" DK asked.

Joshua grins, "Guys, focus! We have to plan a surprise. A gift? cake? Ani—a candlelit shrine!"

"You all are insane but I love it here," Vernon said.

Jaehyuk suddenly walks in the middle of the commotion, holding a coffee.

"What did I miss?" Jaehyuk casually asked, unaware of the chaos.

"Ohh....hyung, your beloved sister is not single anymore," Jeonghan started. "Our leader-nim and your sister are now in a relationship."

Jaehyuk freezes. Stares at Scoups. Then... nods slowly, sipping his coffee.

"Ahh...about time, Coups-ya."