HEART STRINGS | 지훈

20

"You look beautiful," Jihoon repeated, his lips curling into a small, genuine smile. "Really beautiful."

Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, Jinhee couldn't find her words. She stuttered, feeling the warmth rise to her cheeks. "Y-You look good too," she finally managed to say, her voice shaky, though she couldn't deny that Jihoon looked more than just "good." The tuxedo he wore fit him perfectly, giving him an air of quiet confidence, but it was his earnest compliment that left her flustered.

⠀⠀⠀⠀

As they walked into the ballroom, Jinhee took in the sight of the whole space. The ballroom was beautifully decorated, and the dim lighting cast a warm, diffused glow around the room, which bathed in soft lighting, with deep blues and purples setting the tone for the evening. The music, a steady rhythm of upbeat pop mixed with soft ballads, played in the background, blending with the sound of students laughing and chatting as they mingled around. Groups of friends huddled together, some already on the dance floor while others gathered around the buffet table or by the lounge area, their drinks in hand. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement, but it also had a relaxed, casual vibe that helped ease some of Jinhee's nerves.

As they stepped into the room, Jihoon glanced at Jinhee. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Sure," she nodded, offering a small smile, still a bit off-balance after their earlier exchange. Jihoon gave a brief nod and walked off toward the table with drinks, leaving her standing by herself for the moment.

As soon as she was out of his sight, Jihoon exhaled deeply, closing his eyes tightly. He lightly tapped his forehead with his fingertips, shaking his head in frustration.

«Idiot. Idiot. What are you thinking?» He muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. «You're not supposed to be like this!» He slapped himself gently on the side of his head, trying to snap himself out of the strange mix of emotions that had taken over him.

Meanwhile, Jinhee, left alone, pulled out her phone from her small clutch bag. The screen lit up with a message notification, and she quickly glanced at it before beginning to type a response. Her fingers flew over the screen, then she slipped the phone back into her clutch as Jihoon returned.

Jihoon reappeared with two glasses of strawberry punch, holding them out with a slightly hesitant smile. "Here you go. I wasn't sure what you'd prefer, so I picked the one I thought was most... suitable."

Jinhee accepted a glass with a grateful smile. "Thank you. This looks great."

They stood in awkward silence for a moment, sipping their drinks and taking in the surroundings. The soft glow of the string lights and the gentle hum of conversation created a relaxed atmosphere. "Starboy" by The Weeknd began playing in the background, and Jinhee's face lit up with excitement.

"Oh, I love this song!" she exclaimed. "It's one of my favorites."

Jihoon looked pleasantly surprised. "You like him too?"

Jinhee nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I've been a fan for a while now. And that's from my favorite album."

Jihoon's eyes widened as he realized they had a shared interest. "Woah, mine too. I guess we have more in common than we thought."

"I guess so."

As the song continued to play, the two of them began to relax into their conversation. The initial awkwardness started to fade as they discovered more shared interests and exchanged stories. They both realized how little they really knew about each other despite the time they'd spent together. Jinhee took a sip of her punch and caught a glimpse of the fruit table. She tilted her head, thinking for a moment before asking, "Do you have any other allergies besides grapes?"