My dance teacher is cute | Haobin

8 - Crossing the line

POV: Hanbin | FRIDAY

My heart skipped a beat.
Was he... threatening me?

I stared at him, stunned. His dark gaze held mine, and the playful teasing I was used to seeing in his eyes had vanished, replaced by something far more serious.

I turned around, trying to act as if nothing was wrong. "Sorry, guys, something came up. I can't go with you," I said, forcing a smile while my mind raced. They exchanged confused glances but eventually nodded, waving goodbye as they left.

Behind me, I heard Hao chuckle, a low, satisfied sound that sent a chill down my spine. I spun around to face him, anger flaring up. "Why did you do that?" I demanded, stepping closer, frustration bubbling over. He had crossed a line, and he knew it.

Hao shrugged, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up as if nothing had happened. I blinked in disbelief. "Where did you get the lighter from?" I asked, realization dawning on me. "Was this all planned?"

Another nonchalant shrug. He took a slow drag of the cigarette, his gaze never leaving mine. "Maybe," he said, exhaling the smoke lazily, as though he hadn't just thrown everything off balance.

I clenched my fists. This was... not okay. "You're crazy," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief.

Hao's smirk returned, more playful this time, but still unsettling. "Crazy over you," he teased, blowing a cloud of smoke in my direction. His words were playful, but the weight behind them was anything but light. And despite everything, the way he said it made my chest tighten, my frustration melting into something I didn't want to acknowledge.

I sighed, standing next to him, trying to calm myself down. "Now they think I smoke," I grumbled, staring at the ground.

Hao burst out laughing, a genuine, carefree sound that filled the air. He looked at me, eyes sparkling with amusement, and then laughed even harder, his whole body shaking with it. Despite myself, I couldn't help but crack a smile. The ridiculousness of the situation hit me, and I chuckled softly, shaking my head.

Even when he drove me insane, even when he pulled stunts like this, I couldn't deny the pull he had on me.

And that scared me more than anything.

"I'm hungry, can we have breakfast somewhere?" Hao asked, his voice smooth and casual, but there was something about the way he looked at me that felt heavier than a simple request.

"Uh, yeah, there's a cafe nearby," I said, trying to keep my tone even. But before I could say anything else, he grabbed my hand, his fingers warm and firm around mine. The touch sent a spark through me that I wasn't ready for.

"Then let's go," he said, his eyes glinting with something playful. My heart stuttered as I led him down the street, the feeling of his hand in mine more distracting than it should've been. I told myself it was no big deal, just Hao being his usual self.

But every step we took together, every brush of our hands, made my thoughts scatter.

We reached the cafe, and after sitting down, we both started looking through the menu. I tried to focus on the words in front of me, but I could feel his eyes on me, lingering longer than necessary. When the waitress came, I ordered some juice, pancakes, and cake, my go-to comfort foods. Hao, meanwhile, ordered black coffee and a variety of sandwiches, his choices as sharp as his personality.

As the food was brought to the table, I tried to shift the conversation to something neutral. "Oh, right. This weekend, we were planning to do something with all the trainees," I said, cutting into my pancakes and avoiding his gaze.