closer | sung hanbin

10

The girls' group chat was still buzzing the next morning, filled with playful teasing and endless curiosity about Yuna's time with Hanbin. As Yuna sat at her vanity, getting ready for the day, her phone vibrated again, displaying another message from Dohee.

"Girl, we're still waiting for the full story . How close are you and Hanbin?"

Yuna sighed, knowing she couldn't dodge their questions any longer. She loved her friends dearly, and it wasn't fair to keep them in the dark any longer. She put her makeup brush down and grabbed her phone, finally ready to come clean.

"Okay, okay, I'll explain! Hanbin and I have been getting close lately, but it's not what you think! We're just friends... for now. We hung out at the mall yesterday, and honestly, he's just really fun to be around."

Almost immediately, replies flooded in.

"'For now'? What does that mean?" Yurim replied, adding a string of winking emojis.

"I knew something was going on! You guys have great chemistry," Somin added.

Yuna smiled at their excitement but quickly typed back, "Calm down! We're just hanging out. He's been really sweet though, and... I don't know, it's just been nice."

Her friends, though eager for more details, didn't push further. They sent their support and teased her a bit more, making Yuna feel warm inside. She had a feeling that whatever was happening between her and Hanbin was special.

🎮

Later that afternoon, Hanbin found himself surrounded by his own circle of friends, sitting in their usual spot at the campus café. Gyuvin and Ricky were in the middle of a heated debate over a game they had played the night before, while Hao and Gunwook listened in, amused. Yujin sat quietly, sipping on his soda.

Hanbin leaned back in his chair, waiting for the perfect moment to speak up. As the conversation died down, he cleared his throat, catching their attention.

"Hey, so... Yuna mentioned that she wants to hang out with all of you guys," Hanbin said, trying to sound casual, but he couldn't help the small grin that crept onto his face.

The group immediately turned toward him, wide-eyed.

"Wait, what? Yuna? That influencer?" Gunwook asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"Yeah, man. We've been talking and hanging out lately. She's really cool, and she wants to meet everyone," Hanbin explained, trying to downplay it, but his friends weren't buying it.

"Bro, you've been holding out on us," Taerae teased, nudging Hanbin's shoulder. "When is this happening?"

"This weekend, actually. I was thinking we could all meet up at Ricky's place. You down, Ricky?"

Ricky, who had been silently taking it all in, finally nodded with a grin. "Sure, my house it is. It'll be fun to meet her."

The others quickly voiced their agreement, already excited at the prospect of meeting the influencer. Hanbin felt a twinge of nervousness, but he knew Yuna would get along with his friends just fine.

🎮

Saturday evening arrived, and Hanbin pulled up to Ricky's house, Yuna in the passenger seat beside him. She glanced out the window, visibly excited but slightly nervous.

"Are you sure they're okay with me crashing your hangout?" she asked, smoothing down her outfit—a simple yet stylish look that perfectly blended her influencer flair with comfort.

"Of course! They've been looking forward to it," Hanbin reassured her with a smile. "Besides, you'll fit right in. You'll see."

Yuna smiled back, her nerves calming a bit as they walked up to the front door. Ricky greeted them with a grin, gesturing for them to come inside. The rest of the group was already there, lounging around the spacious living room, snacks and drinks spread out across the table.