1.7

The following days, Areum found herself thinking about Wonwoo more often, but not with the same sense of confusion and fear she had before. There was no longer the constant churn of indecision in her chest. Instead, there was a warmth that seemed to settle in her heart every time she thought about him. It wasn't love yet, but it was something close—a pull, a curiosity, a spark she hadn't fully understood until now.

Wonwoo didn't rush her or pressure her. He made sure she was comfortable around him. Today, they'd decided to take a break from their group and spend some time alone, together, just the two of them.

They walked along a quiet path in the park, the breeze carrying the scent of blooming flowers. Areum was talking about how she spent last night with their parents watching a movie, and every now and then, she would glance at Wonwoo, catching his eyes on her. When she looked at him, he would faintly smile, the same kind of smile that made her heart flutter in a way she didn't quite understand.

When they found a bench, they decided to stop walking and take a seat.

"This is weird." Areum laughed nervously.

"Why?" Wonwoo turned to her. "I think it's okay. We're two best friends, hanging out, I don't want to pressure you into anything you don't wanna do."

His words made her heart flutter. "I don't even know if I'm ready to be in a relationship," she admitted quietly. "But when I'm with you, it feels like maybe I could be. Like maybe I don't have to be afraid of it."

Wonwoo gave her a small smile. "You don't have to figure it all out right away. I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

The next few weeks were filled with small moment between them—shared glances, deep conversations, and an ease between them that grew day by day. They didn't rush into anything, instead, they rebuilt the foundation of their friendship, piece by piece, letting it evolve naturally into something more.

It was a Saturday afternoon when Areum found herself sitting at a cafe with her group of friends. Wonwoo was sitting beside her, their elbows brushed occasionally as they talked with the others, but there was no tension, no awkwardness.

Seungkwan noticed the change between Areum and Wonwoo before anyone else. He leaned over to her with a teasing grin. "How's it going with our boy?" He asked in a low voice, winking at her.

Areum felt her cheeks warm, but she laughed it off. "It's going fine. We're just..." she paused, glancing at Wonwoo, who was talking with Mingyu, his smile soft and genuine. "We're taking things slow."

Seungkwan nodded. "That's good. I'm glad you're figuring things out."

Before she could respond, Wonwoo turned to her, his eyes catching hers. He gave her a quiet, knowing smile, and her heart skipped a beat.

Areum felt safe with Wonwoo. She felt protected. She loved the way he looked at her. She realized that love didn't need to be perfect or figured out all at once.

It could simply be a slow unfolding—a quiet, steady growth.

And that was enough for her.