Falling For The Park Brothers' Sister ⚊ Nishimura Riki

Chapter Twenty Five

As Jungwon and I chatted about his bento box and the sweets he brought, Sunoo was clearly enjoying the spectacle, but I noticed him glancing toward the entrance of the cafeteria with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Moments later, Ni-ki appeared, his usual confident stride turning heads. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on our table, where he spotted Jungwon sitting beside me.

Ni-ki’s expression immediately shifted. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint frown creased his forehead. Without missing a beat, he made a beeline for our table, his gaze locked on Jungwon.

I felt a twinge of apprehension as he approached, sensing that his arrival was about to stir up some trouble.

“Hey, Princess!” Ni-ki greeted, his voice light and cheerful as he slid into the seat next to me, completely ignoring Jungwon. He seemed determined to keep his attention focused on me, his smile broad and his demeanor overly friendly. “I’ve been looking for you. I thought I’d join you for lunch.”

I blinked in surprise at the sudden shift in atmosphere. Ni-ki was being his usual charming self, but there was an edge to his friendliness. He poured all his attention on me, making me feel slightly uncomfortable as he continued to ignore Jungwon’s presence.

He leaned in close, his smile never faltering.

“So, how’s your day been so far?” Ni-ki asked, his eyes sparkling with interest. “You look great today. Did you do something different with your hair?”

I felt my cheeks warm slightly at his attention, but I could tell Ni-ki’s actions were more about asserting dominance than genuine interest. Sunoo, sitting across from me, was watching the scene unfold with barely contained amusement.

He snickered quietly to himself, clearly finding the situation hilarious.

Jungwon, caught off guard by Ni-ki’s sudden appearance and obvious disregard for him, tried to maintain his friendly demeanor.

He offered me a warm smile, his eyes reflecting genuine curiosity. “I didn’t know he was friends with you. I’m Jungwon, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”

Ni-ki, still focusing entirely on me, gave Jungwon a cursory glance before returning his attention to me. “Oh, you know Jungwon? The new kid like you?” he asked, with a hint of disinterest. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to get used to him being around.”

Jungwon’s smile faltered slightly at Ni-ki’s dismissive tone, but he quickly recovered, trying to include himself in the conversation. “So, Jiyoo, do you like the food? I hope it’s up to your taste.”

I noticed that Ni-ki’s gaze remained fixed on me, but his posture was tense, as if he was ready to jump in at any moment to assert his presence. I could see the subtle challenge in his eyes whenever they flicked toward Jungwon, who was now doing his best to stay friendly despite the clear hostility from Ni-ki.

Sunoo, meanwhile, seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. His cheeks were puffed out with teokbokki as he tried to suppress his laughter.

Every so often, he would glance at me with an expression that clearly said, “Isn’t this hilarious?”

Jungwon, determined not to let Ni-ki’s attitude dampen his spirits, continued to engage with me. He talked about his hobbies, his favorite foods, and even asked if I had any recommendations for places to visit around town.

Despite the awkward tension, Jungwon’s friendliness was genuine, and he made an effort to include Ni-ki in the conversation.

“So, Ni-ki, what do you think of the new transfer students like me this year?” Jungwon asked, trying to steer the conversation to a neutral topic.