nine

"i'm here without you, baby, but you're still on my lonely mind." -here without you, 3 doors down.

——

misun walked into the coffee shop with chaewon, the smell of fresh pastries and espresso wrapping around them like a warm blanket.

"same as usual?" chaewon asked, glancing at the menu board.

"yeah," misun said softly, nodding. she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and scanned the counter, still a little sleepy from the morning rush.

they got in line, grabbed their croissants and coffee, and moved toward a small table near the window. the sunlight spilled across the floor in thin golden lines.

misun set her bag down, trying to focus on the menu board above the counter, but then her eyes froze.

he was there.

jihoon.

standing at the counter, all black, a mask covering the lower half of his face, his hoodie pulled low. even with half his face hidden, she knew. she knew him.

her chest stopped. her stomach twisted. her heart started beating too fast, each pulse echoing in her ears.

he turned around slowly, and their eyes met.

her breath caught.

they didn't speak. didn't move. just stared at each other for a moment that stretched and stretched. the world around them faded. the chatter of the coffee shop, the smell of croissants, the hum of the espresso machine—none of it mattered.

"misun!" chaewon's voice pulled her back. "hey! are you even listening?"

misun blinked, startled, and turned toward her friend. "huh? oh... yeah... i'm fine," she said, forcing a smile.

when she looked back, jihoon was still there, eyes fixed on her. she noticed a small, almost shy smile forming beneath the mask. he gave a subtle wave, almost imperceptible.

misun's lips curved into a soft, careful smile. she nodded once, then looked away, pretending to be absorbed in her croissant.

her chest ached. her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her napkin.

why does seeing him still hurt so much? she thought. why does it feel like my heart is betraying me?

she tried to push the feelings down, tried to tell herself she couldn't feel this way.

but it was impossible. even a fleeting glance at him, just a soft smile, made her stomach flutter and her heart tighten at the same time.

chaewon kept talking, oblivious, asking about weekend plans and favorite pastries, but misun barely heard her. her mind was still on him—on the dark hoodie, the masked face, the eyes that had once held so much warmth, and now held something else too.

misun shook herself slightly, took a sip of coffee, and tried to focus on the warm liquid in her hands.

she stole another glance at him before they left. he hadn't moved. just watched her quietly, the soft light catching the edge of his hood.

later, misun arrived at work, still trying to shake off the morning's encounter. she dropped her bag by her desk and settled in, pulling up her camera and notes.

"misun," her boss called, walking over with a clipboard in hand. "today you're going to work with someone."

misun looked up, curious. "oh? who?"

"seventeen's dokyeom," her boss said, flipping the clipboard around. "seventeen's dokyeom. they're shooting a magazine today, and they specifically requested you."

her stomach jumped. she had worked with idols before, but this was... different. more nerve-wracking.

it was seventeen. lee seokmin. or dokyeom, apparently. she hadn't seen him in so long.

she opened her mouth, about to say something, maybe try to decline, but her boss shook her head.

"no arguments. they asked for you. it's a big opportunity. don't miss it."

misun nodded, biting her lip. she couldn't say no. not when this could be a career-changing shoot.

"focus, misun. don't think about him. don't let your mind wander," she whispered to herself.

and yet, as she packed her camera bag and notes, she couldn't help but feel the heaviness in her chest from that morning.

he was here. he saw me. i saw him. why does it feel like i'm still... falling for him?

she shook her head again, trying to push the thoughts away. work had to come first. she couldn't afford distractions.

i can't just... feel this way. i can't. no.

but even as she walked toward the studio, her heart kept drifting back to the coffee shop.

to him.

jihoon.

and the soft, small smile he had given her that had made her stomach flutter and her chest ache all at once.