LOVEPHOBIA

Caught in the Moment

The morning sunlight filtered through the classroom windows, casting a warm, golden glow over the desks. Areum entered the classroom with her usual energy, a bright smile lighting up her face. She cheerfully greeted a few classmates as she made her way to her seat beside Cha.

"Morning, Nitrous Oxide!" Cha greeted with a smirk, using the nickname Lee had given her.

"Morning, Buffoon!" Areum shot back, laughing as she settled into her seat.

Cha grinned, shaking his head at her quick wit. "You always have a comeback ready, huh?"

"You know it," she replied, her eyes already darting toward the classroom door. Her heart gave a small leap when she saw Lee enter, his usual calm and collected demeanor instantly bringing a smile to her face.

Lee caught her gaze and smiled back, his expression softening. "Morning, Areum and Cha," he said as he approached his seat.

"Good morning, Lee!" Areum responded, her voice a little too enthusiastic, betraying the excitement bubbling inside her. Her heart skipped a beat as he sat down, his proximity making her acutely aware of his presence.

Cha watched the brief exchange with a small frown, though he quickly masked it with a teasing comment. "Wow, Lee, you're just in time to witness Areum's transformation into a tomato. How do you do that?"

Areum shot Cha a mock glare, her cheeks flushing. "Cha, stop it!" she huffed, turning her attention to her notebook to hide her embarrassment. Lee just chuckled softly, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer.

The class started, and the teacher began writing equations on the board. Areum tried her best to focus, but every now and then, her thoughts wandered back to Lee. Her heart would flutter whenever she caught him out of the corner of her eye, deeply immersed in the lesson.

Cha, on the other hand, was pretending to pay attention but was really more interested in what Areum was doing. He noticed her sneaking glances at Lee and felt an odd mixture of irritation and unease.

Suddenly, Areum turned to Cha, her eyes narrowing in on his tie. "Your tie's crooked," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Huh? Is it?" Cha looked down, genuinely surprised.

Without thinking much of it, Areum leaned a bit closer to Cha and deftly fixed his tie. "There. All better," she said with a satisfied smile before turning back to her notes.

Cha blinked, momentarily stunned by the simple act. His heart gave a small, unexpected jolt, and for a split second, he found himself just staring at her. But then, in typical Cha fashion, he quickly snapped out of it and grinned.

"Thanks, mom," he teased, ruffling her hair playfully.

Areum swatted his hand away, laughing. "Stop messing up my hair, Cha!"

Cha laughed along, but the flutter in his chest didn't completely fade. He pushed it aside, telling himself it was nothing, just a random reaction. But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling completely.

As the lesson continued, Areum managed to stay somewhat focused, though every now and then, she'd catch a glimpse of Lee and feel her heart race all over again. Each time, she'd quickly look away, hoping no one noticed the way her cheeks warmed.

When lunchtime finally rolled around, the Woo Club gathered in their usual spot in the cafeteria. Jae Young, as always, had his sketchbook out, drawing intently while listening to music through his headphones. Lee and Cha were already sitting at the table, chatting about something, while Areum placed her tray down and took a seat beside Lee.