"Guess who's here~"
"Just tell me. I have no patience, you know that." Joshua shot a glance at the couple weaving through the crowd, signaling the location to Jeonghan. His tone was light, but underneath, there was a hint of mischief. He wasn't exactly trying to spill Hansol's secrets—but he needed something, anything, to keep the conversation going. Most of his friends were non-idols, so talking shop with strangers didn't appeal to him. On the flip side, chatting about practice with the same faces he saw every day was just as boring. So if he couldn't change the people, he might as well switch up the topic.
Jeonghan frowned, his eyes narrowing as he tried to follow Joshua's line of sight. "What? Where are you looking?" He sighed, grabbing Joshua by the shoulder and forcefully turning him to get a better view.
"White suit," Joshua murmured, and when Jeonghan spotted Hansol and the mystery woman, his jaw practically hit the floor. He looked back at Joshua, excitement flickering in his eyes. This was the gossip he'd been craving all night.
"Holy shit. Is that the mystery girl?" Jeonghan's voice pitched with surprise as he tracked the pair, noticing Hansol's arm wrapped around the girl's waist, guiding her toward the terrace.
"Think so. Her name's...Nabi, I think?" Joshua replied casually, though the wheels in his head were turning.
Jeonghan scoffed, a sharp chuckle escaping his lips. "Oh, Yeon is gonna flip." The laughter between the two of them was almost too loud, both feeling the thrill of some juicy gossip.
They shared a quick look, one that spoke volumes—this was just the beginning.
Jeonghan's eyes scanned the VIP room, until they landed on the one woman who stood out amidst the chaos. Jiyeon. Leaning casually against the snack table, she looked completely unfazed by the elegant surroundings—until Jeonghan caught her attention.
"Jiyeon!" he called, and she turned to meet his gaze, only for him to realize that Mingyu was standing next to her. Of course, Mingyu would be glued to her side, like a worried puppy. Jeonghan couldn't help but roll his eyes, though he couldn't help but smile. He'd never admit it, but seeing them together was kind of adorable.
"Hey Han!" Jiyeon greeted him cheerfully, and Mingyu gave a casual nod, his eyes still fixed on her.
"Hey!" Jeonghan shot a glance at Mingyu, then at Jiyeon. "You think I could speak to you... in private, J?" His tone was light, though there was a slight quirk in his eyebrow that made Jiyeon raise hers in suspicion.
"Why can't you talk here?" Mingyu asked, giving Jeonghan a skeptical look. Both Jiyeon and Jeonghan rolled their eyes. It was starting to feel like they'd had this conversation a hundred times before.
Jiyeon slapped Mingyu lightly on the shoulder, a look of mock annoyance on her face. "Ow!" he pouted, rubbing the spot like it was the end of the world. The sight surprised Jeonghan—Mingyu, the towering, intimidating figure, reduced to a whiny kid when Jiyeon was around.
"Come on, Mingyu. We'll be back soon," Jiyeon said with a grin before turning to Jeonghan. "Sorry for his behavior. His clinginess has hit an all-time high."
Jeonghan chuckled. He could see the real Mingyu under the stoic exterior—he'd just never admit it to his co-member.
With that, Mingyu was left to sulk over his food while Jeonghan led Jiyeon down the hallway. As they passed Seungcheol and Chan chatting with some idol friends, Jiyeon noticed how oblivious the pair seemed—probably due to the alcohol they'd already consumed.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Jiyeon asked, clearly curious. They were weaving through the crowd, making their way toward the terrace, which was veiled by a sheer curtain. She hadn't expected this to be the setting for any conversation.
Jeonghan grinned, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I actually wanted to take you to meet someone." His words only deepened the mystery in Jiyeon's mind.
"You're going to make me guess, even though you hate guessing, aren't you?" she shot back, raising an eyebrow in playful accusation.
Jeonghan gave an enthusiastic nod. "You know it."
They continued walking, Jiyeon racking her brain over who the mysterious person could be. Given Jeonghan's tendencies, it could be anyone—from a high-profile CEO to one of his non-idol friends. But the suspense was killing her.
"Ugh, you're taking too long," she muttered under her breath, impatient now. "Is it an idol, Jeonghan?"
Instead of answering, Jeonghan's attention snapped to something ahead, his mouth falling open in surprise. Jiyeon followed his gaze, now even more intrigued by his reaction.
"What's up?" she asked, but the look on Jeonghan's face had her more than just curious—she was downright shocked. She tilted her head, following his gaze to see who had captured his attention.
Her eyes widened. What she saw was enough to make her jaw slacken in disbelief.
Both of them froze for a moment, completely caught off guard by the sight before them. Then, in a shared moment of realization, they scrambled to hide behind a pillar, trying not to be noticed.
Jiyeon's voice, barely above a whisper, trembled with excitement. "Since when is Vern in a relationship!?"
