"How interesting."
Minghao, standing beside Seungcheol, was the only one to catch the quiet remark. In an instant, Seungcheol's eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head, dismissing it with an absentminded wave.
He couldn't help it, though. Watching Aerin dance with that radiant smile, her 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 a water bottle clattering to the floor snapped him back to reality. His members had noticed.
"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; they 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, 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. He couldn't pinpoint what was going on in his head.
And then, as if fate were playing a cruel joke on him, a figure 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 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?
"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." He bowed slightly, letting out a nervous chuckle as he stole a glance at her.
Her expression—so unguarded, so raw—caught him off guard, and before he knew it, he was falling for the way she wore her emotions so honestly.
Her lips parted, and for a moment, he 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 palpable but not unkind.
"I'm Seungcheol, by the way," he added, his voice softening as he leaned against the nearby wall, trying to ease the tension.
Aerin straightened suddenly, her expression turning to one of realization, and Seungcheol instinctively stepped forward, concern flashing in his eyes.
"Oh my god, I forgot about the food," she muttered, 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 soon."
Without missing a beat, 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 little shit," 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, grounding her. "It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
Aerin opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "No. I'll feel like crap if I don't do this."
She gave him a look, still unsure, but 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"
