Hearts Entwined || PpoToz

CHAPTER 31

NO ONE POV

The next day, the group gathered at the café where Sohyun and Xinyu had been the day before. The familiar buzz of conversation and the smell of coffee filled the air as they settled in at a large table near the window. It was supposed to be a productive study session, just like any other, but there was an underlying tension in the air—especially for Seoyeon, who couldn’t shake the memories of her walk with Yooyeon the previous night.

They started as usual, each pulling out their notes and textbooks. Xinyu was already deep into her math problems, her brow furrowed as she punched numbers into her calculator. Sohyun was scribbling in her notebook, while Yubin and Mayu whispered about something, clearly off-topic.

Suddenly, Yooyeon broke the comfortable silence.

“Hey, I wanted to ask for your opinions on something,” she said, glancing around the table. “I got this random text last night from a girl asking me to meet her tonight.”

Seoyeon, who had been absentmindedly flipping through her notes, froze. Without thinking, she blurted out, “No!” Her voice came out louder than she intended, drawing everyone’s attention.

The entire table went silent, and Seoyeon quickly realized her outburst. Her face flushed as she tried to recover. “I-I mean… it’s not safe to meet someone you don’t know!” she stammered, her voice quieter now, but her words rushed as she struggled to explain.

Yooyeon raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile forming on her lips. “It’s the junior from yesterday,” she clarified, clearly enjoying the way Seoyeon was reacting.

Seoyeon’s face turned even redder. “No,” she repeated firmly, though she avoided meeting Yooyeon’s gaze. “You shouldn’t… meet her.”

Nakyoung, ever the instigator, leaned in with a mischievous grin. “Looks like someone’s got a possessive girlfriend,” she teased, her voice dripping with amusement.

Seoyeon’s blush deepened, and she immediately shook her head. “W-We’re not dating!” she stammered, but her voice lacked conviction. She could feel her heart racing, the heat in her cheeks spreading.

Yubin and Mayu exchanged shocked looks before gasping in unison. “Wait, are you two actually dating?” Yubin asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Seoyeon shook her head again, more vigorously this time. “No! We’re not!” she repeated, her voice higher than usual, clearly flustered. She avoided looking at Yooyeon, knowing she couldn’t handle whatever expression might be on her face.

Yooyeon, however, looked slightly disappointed, her smile fading just a bit. The teasing had been fun, but she had hoped, maybe just for a second, that Seoyeon would react differently.

Sohyun, noticing Yooyeon’s shift in mood, couldn’t resist adding to the teasing. “Aw, Yooyeon’s disappointed because Seoyeon keeps denying it,” she said with a smirk.

The table erupted in laughter, with Nakyoung and the others joining in, throwing playful comments at Seoyeon. Meanwhile, Xinyu, who had been in her own world trying to solve a particularly difficult math problem, finally looked up from her calculator. She pressed the button one more time, only to see “Math Error” flash on the screen.

With a dramatic sigh, Xinyu tossed the calculator aside and leaned forward. “Alright, I’m done with math for today. Let’s tease Seoyeon instead.”

Seoyeon groaned, burying her face in her hands as the entire table focused their teasing on her. Even Xinyu, who was usually more reserved, threw in a few light-hearted jabs.

“Seoyeon, you can’t just deny your feelings forever,” Xinyu said with a grin. “I mean, look at Yooyeon. She’s practically heartbroken!”

Yooyeon let out a soft chuckle, clearly enjoying the attention but also amused by how flustered Seoyeon had become. Despite the teasing, Seoyeon couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Yooyeon, her heart pounding in her chest.