BLOSSOMS IN THE SPOLIGHT | HEESEUNG

26: Unwelcome Surprise

The flight back to Seoul was long but filled with a quiet sense of accomplishment. Heeseung leaned his head back against the seat, his mind already racing ahead to his reunion with Jia. The Japan tour had been a huge success, but for him, there was still something left unfinished. He needed to tell Jia how he felt, finally say what he had been holding back for so long.

The members of Enhypen were tired but in good spirits as the plane touched down at Incheon Airport. It was late evening, and the exhaustion from the tour was starting to settle in, but Heeseung's nerves were buzzing. As they disembarked and made their way through the familiar airport, greeted by a smaller crowd of fans and reporters, Heeseung's mind was elsewhere—on Jia, on the message she had sent him before he left Japan, on the conversation they were going to have.

They arrived at their dorm, bags in hand, eager for the comfort of their own space after weeks of hotel rooms and foreign cities. Jake was already talking about ordering takeout, and Ni-ki and Sunghoon were debating which movie to watch. The mood was light, everyone relieved to be back, but Heeseung felt the weight of his own thoughts pressing down on him. He needed to see Jia as soon as possible.

But before he could get lost in his own thoughts, Jake's phone buzzed, and he glanced down at it with a grin. "Oh, Jia just texted me. She said she's going to stop by later tonight. She wants to see us now that we're back."

Heeseung's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name. "Did she say what time?"

Jake shrugged. "Probably in an hour or so. She's closing up the shop first."

"Perfect," Heeseung muttered to himself, feeling a sense of relief. He had time to shower, change, and gather his thoughts before she arrived.

The members began to settle in, unloading their bags and relaxing after the long trip. Heeseung moved quickly, wanting to get ready before Jia arrived. As he headed to his room, his phone buzzed with a message from Sunghoon.

You ready to finally tell her?

Heeseung glanced at the message, his stomach flipping with nerves. He had told Sunghoon about his plan during the tour, admitting that he was finally going to confess his feelings to Jia. Now, the time was here.

Yeah, Heeseung replied. I'm nervous, but I think it's time.

Sunghoon sent a thumbs-up emoji, and Heeseung pocketed his phone, taking a deep breath as he closed the door behind him. He couldn't back out now.

An hour later, the boys had gathered in the common room, lounging around with takeout boxes spread across the coffee table. Heeseung was sitting at the far end of the couch, trying to act casual as they waited for Jia's arrival. His heart was racing, anticipation building with each passing minute. He rehearsed what he wanted to say in his mind, but nothing sounded right. Still, he knew he had to try.

Finally, there was a knock at the door, and Jake jumped up to answer it. Heeseung's pulse quickened as he watched Jake open the door. But when Jia stepped inside, she wasn't alone.

A guy followed her in.

Heeseung's heart dropped. He blinked, not quite sure he was seeing things correctly. Who was this?

The guy looked friendly, smiling casually as he stepped into the dorm behind Jia. He had an air of confidence about him, dressed in a casual sweater and jeans, with his dark hair swept back in a way that made him look effortlessly cool.

Jake's expression mirrored Heeseung's confusion for a split second before he quickly masked it. "Jia! Hey!" he greeted with his usual enthusiasm, pulling his sister into a quick hug. "Who's this?"