"what is love?" (zhang hao)

chapter six

the lovebirds moved from game to game, completely absorbed in their own little world. the arcade buzzed with sounds of flashing lights and clinking tokens, but for hao and yurim, it was as if time slowed down. they laughed, teased, and challenged each other as though they were the only two people in the room. from the way they playfully shoved each other in front of the racing simulators to their shared glances at the claw machine, it was clear to anyone watching that there was something more than just friendship between them.

trailing a safe distance behind, mei, yujin, and ricky were quietly losing their minds.

"i can't believe this is happening," mei whispered, her voice high with excitement as she squeezed yujin's arm. "they're, like, one step away from holding hands!"

yujin, who was usually indifferent to romance, nodded along, equally captivated by the unfolding dynamic. "she's never like this around anyone. she acts all tough, but with him... it's different. look at her!" he whispered, eyes wide with wonder.

ricky, however, was the most invested. as the group's self-proclaimed romance expert, he was watching every move with hawk-like attention, absorbing every detail like it was the final episode of his favorite drama. "guys, they're in denial, but the tension between them is so obvious," he muttered, barely able to contain his excitement as his eyes glimmered under the bright arcade lights. "they're already acting like a couple, just without the label."

as hao led yurim toward the claw machine, he gave her a mischievous grin. "bet i can win you something."

yurim raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "oh please. like you could ever win at this rigged game."

"watch me." hao slipped a few coins into the machine and confidently maneuvered the claw over a small stuffed bear. 

"i bet that you can't catch that teddy bear there," yurim pointed at a small bear which was dressed like a pilot, challenging hao.

with focused determination, hao pressed the button, watching as the claw slowly descended.

"it's not going to work," yurim said, trying to hide a smile, but a glimmer of hope danced in her eyes as she leaned closer.

to everyone's surprise, the claw actually managed to grab the bear. for a moment, it dangled precariously above the drop slot, and then—thud—it fell in. hao grinned triumphantly and reached into the prize chute to pull out the plushie.

"here," he said softly, handing the bear to yurim. "told you i could do it."

yurim hesitated for a second, looking at the bear in his hands, then at his face. she reached out, fingers brushing his as she took the bear. her heart fluttered, and for a brief moment, she forgot where they were. "thanks," she murmured, her voice almost shy, which was unusual for her.

ricky, watching this unfold, nearly squealed. "did you see that? their fingers touched! this is huge!" he whispered with barely contained glee.

mei nodded, her eyes wide. "oh my gosh, they're so cute. how are they not together already?"

yujin chuckled softly. "because they're both too stubborn to admit it."

meanwhile, hao and yurim had moved on to a light-up whack-a-mole game, where their competitive streak resurfaced. yurim, determined to win after losing at the claw machine, grabbed the mallet with a fierce look of concentration.

"get ready to lose," she said, grinning as the game began.

hao laughed, grabbing his own mallet. "we'll see about that."

as the moles began to pop up, the two of them were furiously whacking away, laughing and shouting over the noise. yurim's competitive spirit came out in full force, but every time she landed a good hit, hao was right there, matching her pace.

they bumped shoulders and exchanged playful taunts, but there was something beneath the surface—an undercurrent of affection they were both too proud to acknowledge. their laughter filled the air, echoing in the arcade, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

meanwhile, the trio of secret spectators could barely keep it together.

"look at them," mei whispered, barely able to contain her excitement. "they're, like, totally into each other but won't admit it."

"she's letting her guard down," yujin pointed out, smiling fondly. "i've never seen noona like this."

ricky, who was still recovering from the claw machine moment, shook his head. "this is a classic slow-burn romance. they're in denial, but it's only a matter of time before one of them confesses. i'm calling it."

after what felt like an eternity of waiting, the game finally ended, and both hao and yurim were out of breath, their faces flushed from exertion and laughter.

"you're getting better," hao teased, panting slightly as he wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead.

"you wish," yurim shot back, still catching her breath. despite her confident words, her eyes sparkled with a softness that hadn't been there before.

just then, hao reached over and ruffled her hair, something he knew annoyed her. "keep practicing, maybe one day you'll beat me," he said, smirking.

yurim swatted his hand away, trying to appear annoyed, but her smile betrayed her. "yah! don't mess with my hair!"

across the arcade, mei nearly squealed. "did you see that? that was so cute!"

"if they don't confess soon, i might die from the suspense," ricky added dramatically.

"it's only a matter of time," yujin said, grinning. "if noona and i didn't have to go back to korea, they would get together in a week, tops."

as hao and yurim moved on to the next game, unaware of the trio still tailing them, it was clear to everyone—except maybe themselves—that something was brewing between them. whether it was the playful banter, the accidental touches, or the stolen glances, their chemistry was undeniable.

mei, yujin, and ricky exchanged knowing looks, each of them fully invested in the budding romance they had been lucky enough to witness firsthand.

"we should get popcorn next time when we see one another," ricky whispered with a grin, "because this is better than any drama i've ever seen."

the trio nodded in agreement, continuing their silent mission of watching and cheering on the oblivious couple, while secretly hoping for the inevitable confession that was bound to happen sooner or later.

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omg this chapter was too cute my hearteu-