THE BLIND DATE MIX-UP||L.HS X P.SH

E I G H T E E N

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: A NOT-SO-SUBTLE ICE CREAM DATE

Sunghoon had convinced himself that his life couldn’t get any more bizarre. But that was before he found himself sitting across from Heeseung at a quaint, overly pink ice cream parlor, surrounded by couples on awkward first dates and giggling teenagers who kept stealing glances at them. To make matters worse, Heeseung had ordered the most ridiculous sundae on the menu—a monstrosity overflowing with whipped cream, sprinkles, and what looked like half a dozen cherries.

Sunghoon stared at the sundae, then at Heeseung, who was happily scooping a spoonful into his mouth as if they hadn’t just been outed as the company’s newest “It Couple.”

Heeseung caught his stare and grinned, unfazed by the spectacle. “What? You’re not a fan of sugar overload?”

Sunghoon snorted, leaning back in his chair. “No, it’s just... of all the places you could take me to ‘get away from the chaos,’ you chose an ice cream parlor that looks like it was designed by a six-year-old.”

Heeseung shrugged, unbothered. “Hey, sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight. Plus, you’ve got to admit, the ice cream is top-tier.”

Sunghoon poked at his own, much more sensible scoop of vanilla, trying to ignore the amused stares from nearby tables. Heeseung, as usual, was the picture of confidence, leaning back in his seat like they were at some five-star restaurant and not an establishment blasting bubblegum pop music at full volume.

As Sunghoon silently ate, he couldn’t help but reflect on the chaos of the past few days. He was still grappling with how quickly his life had turned into a real-life rom-com, and Heeseung’s presence was both a blessing and a curse. It was hard to stay mad at someone who looked at him like he was the most fascinating thing in the room, even when covered in whipped cream.

“So,” Heeseung said suddenly, breaking Sunghoon’s train of thought. “I’ve been thinking.”

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, half-expecting another outrageous idea. “That’s never a good start.”

Heeseung chuckled, unfazed. “I was thinking, why don’t we just... lean into it?”

Sunghoon blinked, bewildered. “Lean into what?”

“This whole ‘scandal’ thing,” Heeseung explained, gesturing vaguely with his spoon. “We’re already in the headlines. People are talking, and honestly, I don’t mind the attention. You know what they say—any publicity is good publicity.”

Sunghoon nearly choked on his ice cream. “Are you insane? This isn’t some PR stunt! I’m having an identity crisis, Heeseung! I don’t even know who I am anymore, and you’re treating this like it’s some kind of game!”

Heeseung’s expression softened, his teasing smile fading into something almost earnest. “Sunghoon, I’m not trying to make light of this. I just... I don’t want you to stress over something we can’t control. I mean, look at us.” He gestured around the gaudy ice cream parlor. “We’re two adults hiding from a scandal like teenagers skipping class. It’s kind of ridiculous when you think about it.”

Sunghoon frowned, but he couldn’t deny the absurdity of the situation. Heeseung’s carefree attitude was infuriating, but there was also a strange comfort in it. For the first time in days, Sunghoon felt like he could breathe—like maybe this wasn’t the end of the world, just another weird chapter in his already chaotic life.

“You’re right,” Sunghoon admitted reluctantly, stirring his ice cream. “This is ridiculous. But it’s your fault we’re in this mess, you know.”