𝙫𝙞

"Interesting..."

Minghao, standing beside Seungcheol, was the only one to catch the quiet observation. In an instant, Seungcheol's eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head, dismissing it with a distracted wave.

He couldn't help it though. Watching Aerin dance with that radiant smile and passion lighting up the room, it made him feel... something. A quiet happiness he hadn't realized was blooming on his lips until the sound of his water bottle clanking to the floor snapped him back to reality. His members, of course, had noticed. How couldn't they when they spent every damn hour together since high school?

"You okay?" Joshua asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"Yeah," Seungcheol answered quickly, but the tension in his voice was unmistakable. His group knew him too well and unfortunately for Seungcheol, could see the restlessness swirling inside him.

He bent down to retrieve the fallen bottle, quickly tossing it in the trash as he ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm himself. "I'm going to take a breather," he muttered, and his members perked up immediately, bombarding him with a list of food suggestions. He could've teased them back or thrown in a playful insult, but the overwhelming urge to leave the stuffy room was stronger. With a simple nod, he made his escape.

The hallway was quiet, his thoughts swirling. For some fucked up reason he couldn't pinpoint what was going on in his head, unlike usual.

And then, as if fate were playing a stupid joke on him, someone collided with his chest. He looked down, meeting the gaze of none other than the woman who had been occupying his mind far too much today.

She started to walk away, but before she could get far, he reached out and gently grabbed her wrist. The instant she turned back to face him, regret flooded him. He didn't even know what he planned to say. But he had to say something, right? Especially after the shitshow that was their previous encounter.

"What? Are you going to ask me that stupid question again?" she teased, her tone playful, but with an edge of sarcasm that made him smile in spite of himself.

"No, no!" he exclaimed, hands raised in surrender. "I just... I wanted to apologize for what I said last time we met. I don't know what came over me, and I'd like us to start fresh? If that's alright with you." He bowed slightly, letting out a nervous chuckle as he stole a glance at her.

Her expression, so blatantly confused, caught him off guard. And before he knew it, he was smiling at the way she wore her emotions so honestly.

Her lips parted, and for a moment he shuddered at the thought she might reject his offer. But then, she gave a slight bow in return, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "I... sure. I guess," she replied, the awkwardness noticeable but not unkind.

"I'm Seungcheol, by the way," he added, his voice softening as he leaned against the nearby wall in attempt to ease the tension.

As she was about to relax, Aerin straightened suddenly, her expression turning to one of realization. Seungcheol instinctively stepped forward with concern flashing in his eyes.

"Oh my god, I forgot about the food," she muttered, physically facepalming.

Seungcheol chuckled, a warm, gentle sound that made her heart flutter unexpectedly. "You're in a rush?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I need to get the girls food. They'll kill me if I don't get it at least within the next half hour."

Without wasting a second, Seungcheol grinned. "I'll go with you. I'm in the same situation."

And just like that, the two of them walked side by side toward the cafeteria, engaging in easy, relaxed conversation that, to Aerin's surprise, felt oddly comfortable.

At the counter, Aerin pulled out a small sticky note from her pocket and read aloud the long list of orders. Seungcheol's casual remarks between orders made her wonder how she'd never met him before, especially considering his connection to her cousin's group. But she quickly refocused as the cheerful worker announced the total.

"₩7,5401.65," the cashier said with a bright smile.

Aerin dug through her pockets, her nerves building as she realized something wasn't right. She felt the fabric of her clothes, but there was no wallet to be found.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath, her panic escalating.

Seungcheol, who had been preoccupied with his own thoughts, noticed the change in her demeanor. "You good?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Her guilty smile was the only answer he needed. "I left my wallet in the waiting room," she confessed, groaning in frustration.

Before she could even think of a solution, the register beeped, signaling the completion of the transaction.

Confusion swept over her as Seungcheol casually slipped a black card back into his pocket.

Wait. A black card? The kind reserved for high-end accounts? How...?

Aerin's mind spun, but before she could gather her thoughts, Seungcheol gently tugged her toward a quieter corner of the cafeteria. His smile was playful, a hint of mischief behind it.

"You idiot," she laughed, flustered. "You paid for the food?"

Seungcheol's laughter was deep and rich, but there was an earnestness in his eyes as he held her shoulders. "It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."

Aerin opened her mouth to protest, ignoring Sejngcheol's reassurance. "No. I'll feel like shit if I don't at least compensate you."

She gave him a look, watching as he seemingly "ignored" her. He was already pulling out his phone, tapping away at it. When he looked up, his eyes softened. "Then give me your number. Let's stay in contact"