A Song for You

Chapter 12

Aera leaned in closer to Yeonjun and Soobin, her voice barely above a whisper. "You guys, I have to tell you something. I... I kissed Bang Chan last night."

Soobin's eyes widened in shock, and he let out a loud gasp, causing his chair to scrape against the floor as he sat down abruptly. "What?!" he exclaimed, his voice carrying across the cafeteria.

Yeonjun, on the other hand, jumped up from his seat, his chair toppling over behind him. "You did what?!" he shouted, his eyes wide with disbelief.

All eyes turned towards their table, and Aera felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She quickly grabbed Yeonjun's arm and Soobin's sleeve, dragging them out of the cafeteria before they could cause any more of a scene.

Once they were in the hallway, Aera took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "Okay, now that we're out of there, let me tell you what happened," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

Yeonjun and Soobin stared at her, their jaws practically on the floor. "You have to be kidding," Soobin said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, did you dream this or something?" Yeonjun asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. Aera shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. 

"No, it really happened. We were on the terrace, and he asked if he could kiss me, and I said yes." The two boys stood there in stunned silence for a moment, their minds trying to process the information. Then, slowly, grins began to spread across their faces.

"Oh my god, Aera!" Soobin exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. "I can't believe this is happening!" Yeonjun joined in the hug, practically bouncing with excitement. "This is the best news ever! Our girl is dating Bang Chan!" Aera laughed, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. 

"I know, I can hardly believe it myself. But it really happened, and it was... amazing." The three friends stood there, grinning like fools, their excitement palpable. Aera couldn't help but feel grateful for her friends and their unwavering support. She knew that with them by her side, she could face anything, even the challenges that came with dating a K-pop idol.

Finally, they composed themselves and headed back into the cafeteria, where Bang Chan and the rest of Stray Kids were still seated. Aera caught Bang Chan's eye from across the room, and he gave her a warm smile, making her heart flutter all over again.

"Okay, let's not make this a bigger deal than it is," Aera said, trying to play it cool, but her friends were still buzzing with excitement."Too late for that!" Yeonjun laughed, nudging Soobin. "Our girl is dating Bang Chan!"

As they settled back at their table, Aera felt grateful for her friends' support. No matter how chaotic things got, she knew she could always count on them to be there for her—and for the adventure that lay ahead with Bang Chan

As Aera sat with her friends in the cafeteria, the excitement from their earlier conversation still buzzing in the air, she caught sight of Bang Chan across the room. He was seated with Stray Kids, and she couldn't help but notice the smirk on his face as he observed the commotion her friends were causing.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a text from him: "Something good happened? I can hear your friends screaming from here. 😏"

Aera felt her heart skip a beat. The smirk on his face was enough to make her melt, and she could feel warmth rising to her cheeks. She quickly pulled her hoodie over her head, trying to hide her embarrassment. 

"Oh my god, he saw us!" she thought, feeling like she might disappear into her oversized hoodie.

"Did he just text you?" Soobin asked, noticing her reaction.Aera nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"He saw us freaking out." Yeonjun burst into laughter, clearly enjoying her flustered state.

 "You're so cute when you're embarrassed! Just own it!" Aera peeked out from her hoodie, her face still flushed. "I can't just own it! He knows now!"

 "You've got the hottest guy in school interested in you!" Aera groaned, but she couldn't help the smile creeping onto her face. "Okay, okay! I'm proud! But can we not make this a bigger deal than it already is?"

Bang Chan's heart raced as he typed out the message to Aera, his fingers moving quickly across the screen. He couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the thought of her sharing something special with her friends. 

As he hit send, he glanced back up at Aera's table, watching as she read the text. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, and she quickly pulled her hoodie over her head, trying to hide her embarrassment.Bang Chan chuckled to himself, amused by her reaction.

 He loved how easily she could go from confident to shy in an instant. The sight of her trying to disappear into her oversized hoodie made his heart swell with affection.

"What's so funny?" Hyunjin asked, noticing the smile on Bang Chan's face.

"Nothing," Bang Chan replied, trying to play it cool. But his members weren't buying it.

"Come on, spill!" Felix urged, leaning in closer. "You're obviously up to something."

Bang Chan shook his head, a playful smirk spreading across his lips. "I'm not up to anything. I'm just enjoying the show."

He gestured towards Aera's table, where her friends were still buzzing with excitement. Yeonjun was practically bouncing in his seat, while Soobin looked like he was about to burst from the news.

"Wait, is that about Aera?" Changbin asked, his eyes widening with realization. Bang Chan shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Maybe. Maybe not."

"Dude, you're totally into her!" Han exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. "I knew it!"

Bang Chan felt his cheeks heat up, and he quickly tried to change the subject. "Let's just focus on rehearsals, okay? We've got a big competition coming up." His members exchanged knowing glances, but they let it go, sensing that Bang Chan wasn't ready to open up about his feelings just yet. 

They knew their leader well enough to know that he needed time to process things before sharing them with the group.

As rehearsals began, Bang Chan tried to push thoughts of Aera to the back of his mind, but he couldn't help but steal glances at her whenever he could. He watched as she laughed and joked with her friends, her smile lighting up the room, and he felt a warmth spread through his chest.

He knew that whatever was happening between them was still new and uncertain, but he couldn't deny the pull he felt towards her. She was unlike anyone he had ever met before, and he was determined to get to know her better, even if it meant taking things slow.

As the rehearsal came to an end, Bang Chan found himself lingering in the studio, lost in his thoughts. He knew that his feelings for Aera were growing stronger with each passing day, and he couldn't help but wonder what the future might hold for them.

But for now, he was content to let things unfold naturally, to savor the moments they shared together and to see where this journey would take them. Because when it came to Aera, he knew that anything was possible.