Moon 月亮 | ENHYPEN LEE HEESEUNG

☾ CHAP18

The party had been going strong for hours, the music pounding through the house, conversations blending into a loud hum of energy. Jiwon had been trying to keep up, chatting with teammates and laughing at jokes, but her smile had started to feel a little forced, her responses slower. The crowd, the noise, and the constant interactions were beginning to weigh on her, her social battery draining by the minute. It was way too loud, Jiwon thought.

Heeseung, standing a few feet away, was mid-conversation with some of his teammates when he glanced over at her. He noticed the subtle changes—the way Jiwon kept checking her phone, how her eyes would drift away from the group mid-conversation, and how her laughter had become quieter, more strained. He became worried.

He excused himself from the group and walked over to her, leaning in close so she could hear him over the music. "You okay?"

She gave him a small, tired smile. "Yeah, just... tired, I guess. Long night."

He tilted his head, studying her for a second. "Wanna get out of here?"

Jiwon hesitated, her eyes flicking over to where Haneul stood with Sunghoon as she chatted with Sunoo. "I don't want to leave her behind. She's still having fun."

Heeseung followed her gaze, then smiled softly. "Don't worry about it. Sunghoon has been keeping an eye on her the whole time. He can make sure Haneul gets home."

Jiwon looked at him doubtfully. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," he said with confidence. "Sunghoon's good at looking after people. Plus, I think he watches Haneul anyway with whatever they have going on." Oh was there something going on, alright.

Jiwon took a deep breath, biting her lip. The idea of leaving the noisy, crowded house sounded more appealing by the second. She nodded. "Okay. But only if you're sure."

"I'm sure," Heeseung said, his smile widening. "Come on, let's get out of here."

He led her through the packed house, skillfully weaving between party-goers until they reached the door. Outside, the cool fall air greeted them, a stark contrast to the heat and noise of the party. The night felt calm in comparison, the moon hanging low and half-covered by clouds, casting a faint silver light over the street.

They walked to his car in comfortable silence. As they drove, the familiar quiet settled between them, the city lights flashing by as they headed toward the one place that was once Jiwon's spot, had become their spot. The bridge.

When they finally arrived, Heeseung parked the car and they stepped out, the crisp autumn air swirling around them as they made their way to the bridge. It was almost completely deserted, save for the distant hum of the city, and the moon's soft glow reflected off the water below.

Jiwon leaned on the railing instead of hopping on it to sit, and looked out at the view, her shoulders visibly relaxing. "I needed this," she admitted, her voice soft. "The party was great, but... it got to be a bit much."

"I could tell," Heeseung said, coming to stand next to her. "You looked like you were about five minutes away from shutting down completely."

She laughed quietly, shaking her head. "Was it that obvious?"

"To me, yeah," he said, his tone gentle. "I've been around you long enough to notice when you're not feeling it."

Jiwon glanced up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I guess you're more observant than I give you credit for."

He leaned on the railing, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "Well, someone's gotta make sure you're not pushing yourself too hard. And besides," he added with a playful smirk, "I like spending time with you when you're not trying to charm an entire hockey team."

Jiwon rolled her eyes with a scoff but couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. "Please. Like I was even trying."

"Oh, you were. They're all obsessed with you now," Heeseung teased. "I bet you could get them to do extra laps if you asked."

"Is that your way of asking for a break during practice?" she shot back, raising an eyebrow.

He laughed. "I'd never ask that. But it's nice to know you've got that power."

They stood there for a while, side by side, the cool breeze brushing against their faces, the noise of the city fading into the background. There was something calming about being here, at their spot, away from the chaos of the party. It was just the two of them, the bridge, and the soft glow of the moon breaking through the clouds.

Heeseung glanced at her again, his voice quieter this time. "You're welcome, by the way."

"For what?"

"For noticing when you needed to get out of there," he said with a soft smile. "And for bringing you here."

She smiled back, her eyes meeting his'. "Thanks. I don't think I would've lasted much longer in that crowd."

Heeseung shrugged, leaning a little closer. "I'll always look out for you."

The words lingered between them, heavier than the usual playful banter, but comfortable in their honesty. She didn't say anything in response, but the way her cheeks turned pink and she smiled at him, soft and genuine, said enough.

As the night stretched on, they stayed on the bridge, talking about everything and nothing, enjoying the peace and quiet in a way that only they could.

✧˖°.☪︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖☁︎

Hello! If you're interested, I have another story on Tumblr that's coming out on Sep 20th! It's a BoyNextDoor Taesan social media au! Check it out on tumblr at lxvsiick !!