( Nabi's pov )
Nabi wasn't sure if she should say anything. She wasn't sure of anything, really, as Hansol led her through the ballroom, his arm casually slung around her waist. Despite how effortlessly he wore that gesture, she couldn't shake the flutter in her chest. She didn't want him to let go, but part of her wondered if he wanted the same thing—or if he even meant to touch her like that at all.
"Where are we going?" Her voice felt too loud, battling against the booming music that filled every inch of the space.
Hansol didn't immediately answer. In fact, the second she spoke, his hand dropped away from her waist like she'd shocked him. He didn't even seem to register that he'd pulled away. Was it an accident? Or was she reading too much into it?
"Sorry," he muttered, his voice low enough that it almost disappeared into the hum of the crowd, but his gaze stayed on her. There was a contemplation there, like he was trying to figure something out—maybe even something about her.
Then, without warning, he turned to her, so abruptly she felt a gust of air from his motion. "Would you wanna... get some air?"
She could see right through it. It wasn't really about her needing a breath, but him needing space, a break from the crowd. The only reason she'd been invited along was to keep him company while he tried to catch his breath away from the mounds of people.
She smiled softly. "Sure."
The grin he gave her in return was as bright as it was fleeting, and with a quiet step, he led the way up the stairs. But not a single gesture followed. No lingering hand, no pull at her sleeve. Just two people walking side by side—yet something about the space between them felt impossibly wide.
Nabi hated how much she wanted him to close it.
They kept climbing, step by step, until they reached the second level. As they approached an archway veiled by a thin, flowing curtain, she couldn't help but feel the unease creeping up again. She followed him with hesitation, noticing the rope barring the entrance. Was this even somewhere they were supposed to be?
"Hey, I don't think we can—"
But before she could finish, Hansol showed his pin to the worker standing nearby, and the velvet ropes parted, granting them access to the mystery room. Guess it really did help to know the right people.
When the curtains were drawn back, the night sky opened up before them. The view was breathtaking, a sight Nabi never thought she'd get to see in Korea, with its pollution usually keeping the stars hidden away like some secret the city never wanted to share. But here, in the quiet solitude of the terrace, the sky spread out like a blanket of diamonds.
"Woah..." Nabi's voice was soft, almost reverent, as she leaned on the railing.
"I'm glad Cheol listened," Hansol muttered to himself, though Nabi caught it, and her curiosity piqued.
"What do you mean?" she asked, stepping closer.
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking down as if his words were something he wanted to hide. "I, uh... asked Coups to block off this terrace for us. The view is the best here, and I know you like stars... so." The words tumbled out awkwardly, as though he wasn't sure whether he should've said any of it. But the gesture itself—the thought, the care—spoke louder than any hesitation.
"Seriously!?" she asked, a laugh slipping out.
His gaze didn't meet hers, his eyes darting to the floor below. "I, uh... noticed the paintings in your apartment," he explained sheepishly. "Figured you liked them."
Nabi blinked. Her mind was racing, but her heart... her heart was racing for different reasons. She had no idea what was happening right now, but one thing was certain—she was confused.
She exhaled sharply, the cool air slipping past her lips as she instinctively moved closer to him, trying to process everything at once.
"You're confusing me, Sol," she whispered, her voice barely louder than the wind.
Finally, he turned to face her, eyes wide as if something clicked into place. But instead of offering an explanation, he feigned innocence. "How so?"
She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing the stray curls back from her face, unwilling to look him directly in the eye. If she did, she knew she'd be lost. And she wasn't sure if she was ready to lose herself just yet.
"You do all this—like paying attention to the little things, inviting me here, putting your arm around my waist, looking at me like I'm the only girl in the world when I talk about something I like. Friends don't usually do that."
She looked at him then. Really looked at him. The intense eye contact almost overwhelmed her, but she couldn't look away. He didn't blink. His gaze was sharp, focused, as if he was searching for something she couldn't name.
The world seemed to shrink between them. Their bodies inched closer. And before she could even think, before she could even try to stop it, his lips found hers in a kiss that was too slow and too fast all at once. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, his hands found their place on her waist.
Time seemed to pause in that moment, everything else around them fading away until it was just Hansol and her, surrounded by nothing but the night sky above. She had never seriously considered what their relationship was before tonight, but now, as they held each other close, she couldn't ignore the question that clung to her thoughts:
Did she want this? Want him? Or was she just afraid to be the one left behind?
As the stars twinkled above them, she realized she wasn't just wondering about what he felt—she was wondering what they were becoming.
