Celestial Echoes~

Chapter 4

On the other hand~~

Mingyu, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Joshua, and Seungkwan lounged behind Ren and Era, engaged in a lively discussion about the whirlwind of their lives. Suddenly, the animated chatter around them faded as they were drawn into the intoxicating sound of two girls conversing fervently. At first, they tried to dismiss the interruption, but when Joshua caught the name "Era," a flicker of recognition ignited within him, though he couldn’t quite place it. Curiosity began to seep into the atmosphere like a warm tide, pulling them closer to the unfolding drama. As they strained to listen, the realization dawned—they were at the center of the girls' discussion.

Joshua’s POV:

We were in the midst of sharing stories and laughter when two female voices pierced through our bubble of camaraderie, growing louder with every moment. As we slowly recognized that they were talking about us, an electric thrill coursed through the group. Despite Wonwoo’s quiet admonition to respect their privacy, the temptation proved too irresistible, drawing us into the intrigue.

One girl’s voice, laced with a mix of longing and frustration, reached us. "I’m so distracted, Era. I can’t focus on my studies anymore. Everything was fine before that concert, but now… I’m completely lost," she confessed, her tone tinged with desperation.

"What do you mean?" the other girl replied, her confusion evident. "Wait, are you talking about Seventeen?" The revelation sent a ripple of excitement through us. Were we truly the subject of their conversation?

"Yes! I’m talking about them," the first girl affirmed, her voice quivering with emotion. "Ever since I met that guy with the glasses… I can’t concentrate on anything."

We exchanged glances, our anticipation palpable. The air was thick with the weight of her words, and we leaned in closer, eager to catch every detail.

"What?! Which one? Don’t tell me, Ren, that you’ve actually fallen for one of them!" the girl named Era, her voice was a mixture of shock and exhilaration, almost like she couldn’t believe her ears.

"Yes, the guy with glasses," Ren admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, and we instinctively turned to Wonwoo again. He wore an inscrutable expression, but I could see the flicker of surprise dancing in his eyes.

"What?! You’ve fallen for our—" Era began, but Ren interrupted her with urgency.

"Don’t say his name!" Ren exclaimed, her frustration boiling over. "I don’t want to be further distracted. If you hadn’t dragged me to that concert, I wouldn’t be in this chaotic mess!"

Her words hung heavy in the air, and we all exchanged incredulous glances. She really doesn’t know who we are? The irony was thick—Wonwoo, the very guy she was pining for, was sitting just behind her, a silent witness to her inner turmoil. The tension was almost unbearable.

"How could he distract you so much? Your grades are always stellar," Era challenged, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"It’s 95%, Era!" Ren shot back, her voice rising, laced with the raw emotion of her predicament.

"95% is phenomenal! You’re making it sound like the world is ending. You can’t possibly blame him for that," Era retorted, her irritation bubbling to the surface.

"And yet, I do! It’s all your fault!" Ren fired back in frustration.

Era sighed heavily, her voice softening slightly. "I just can’t believe you’ve fallen for our Wonwoo," she admitted, her tone carrying an unexpected weight, as if it was a confession she hadn’t meant to make.

For a moment, the air crackled with tension. It felt as though time had frozen around us. A random spectator began clapping in the distance, jolting us back into reality, but the intensity of the conversation remained a heavy presence.

"I told you not to say his name!" Ren's voice trembled with pent-up emotion, the vulnerability evident in her words. The intensity of the moment enveloped us, and it felt like we were intruding on something deeply personal.

Ren pressed on, her tone serious. "And didn’t you ignore everything about Joshua when you were prepping for your admission test? So don’t judge me." The question lingered in the air, and I felt my heart race a bit,,,,,maybe!! at the mention of my name.

Wonwoo’s gaze flicked toward me, and I knew the others felt the charged atmosphere too. This conversation had morphed into something raw and unfiltered, revealing emotions that we were not meant to witness.

Finally, Era exhaled, a mixture of relief and resignation. "Alright, alright,,,, now let's shutter down." she tried to ignore it,,,that's what I thought!! Her voice was calm, but the weight of unspoken words lingered between us, filling the void left by their abrupt silence.

And just like that, the fervor of their conversation faded, leaving an echo of vulnerability in its wake. The atmosphere returned to its previous quiet, but the impact of what we had overheard reverberated in our minds, stirring a sense of intrigue that none of us could shake.

The tale whispers on~~!