Kiss & Make Up | Lee Jeno

17.

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"So... how'd it go?" Harin asked with a raised eyebrow the next morning. She leaned casually against the storage room door, watching as Areum restocked shelves, a sly smile on her face.

Areum's face lit up instantly, and she couldn't hide her grin. Harin's eyes sparkled knowingly. "Judging by that smile, it went well, didn't it?"

Areum laughed, shaking her head but unable to wipe the smile off her face. "It actually wasn't bad at all. You were right, it wasn't a big deal."

Harin laughed, crossing her arms. "No, it is a big deal. I was just trying to get you to calm down enough to actually talk to him!" She nudged Areum's arm. "So spill it. What did he say?"

Areum shifted a bit, replaying the conversation in her mind. "Well, he called... and right away, he was literally interrogating me about why I took forever to respond," she said, rolling her eyes with a chuckle. "I just told him I'd never had a call from, you know, someone famous, and he kept laughing about how nervous I sounded. But he was actually really sweet and nice and just... normal. We ended up talking about all kinds of random stuff, and for a moment, I actually forgot he was an idol."

Harin grinned, nodding approvingly. "See, I told you, just a regular guy. And now look at you, being all casual and cool about it."

Areum laughed, shrugging. "Yeah, and now we're... friends, I guess?"

"Oh my gosh! I'm so proud of you!" Harin cheered, practically buzzing with excitement. "But wait... did you guys talk about, you know... your lock screen situation? And how you're basically his number one fan?"

Areum's smile faltered. "Oh... that? I was talking about Jaemin..." She scratched her head awkwardly.

Harin's eyes widened. "And... what about Jeno?"

Areum winced, looking guilty. "I may have... not texted him back."

"Areum!" Harin gasped, laughing in disbelief. "You're telling me that poor man is still sitting on seen? After all that panicking?"

Areum groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I know! I'm the worst."

Harin raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress a laugh. "Has he texted you since? Maybe asking why you've ghosted him for four days?"

Areum shook her head, sighing. "Nope, not a thing."

As much as she adored Jeno, Areum couldn't shake the guilt over leaving her favorite idol on read. The thought of responding had her nerves in knots; she was terrified she'd either embarrass herself or make him feel uncomfortable. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was some over the top fan.

"I mean, wouldn't you feel weirded out by someone you barely know having you on their phone screen?" Areum mumbled, finally lowering her hands.

Harin shrugged. "Honestly? Depends. If they're nice and not, like, stalker level intense, I'd probably find it sweet. But you're definitely not some creep, so he's probably just flattered."

"I don't know. I can't help but overthink it." Areum sighed, fidgeting with a bottle of lotion on the shelf. "What if he just thinks it's weird?"

Harin gave her a reassuring nudge. "Look, he reached out to you first, remember? That means he's probably not weirded out at all. If anything, he's curious or interested." She said, "Since you and Jaemin are besties now, why not ask him for some advice?"

Areum blinked, thinking it over. "I don't know."

Harin raised an eyebrow, giving her a pointed look. "Whatever you do, just promise you'll text Jeno today, okay?" She started walking down the hall, tossing a playful smile over her shoulder. "I bet that man has never been ghosted a day in his life, you're probably driving him crazy!"

"Don't make me feel worse!" Areum called after her, trying not to laugh.

"Good! You should feel worse!" Harin teased, her voice echoing down the hall. "Text him!"

Areum sighed as Harin's footsteps faded. She glanced at her phone, staring at Jeno's last message. "What do I even say?" she muttered for the hundredth time, rubbing her forehead with a mix of nerves.

Areum turned off her phone, slipping it into her pocket as she picked up a few cardboard boxes and trailed after Harin down the hallway. Her mind raced with different ways to respond to Jeno, running through potential messages and hoping she could find the right words before her nerves got the best of her.
If she managed to text him back today, maybe she could finally shake off the guilt.

As she reached the front desk, she dropped the boxes behind it with a soft thud. "Here are the boxes for today," she said, brushing her hands off. The salon always made a point of recycling them.

One of the receptionists smiled at her, her eyes twinkling. "Perfect timing! You've got a guest waiting."

Areum blinked, furrowing her brows. "A guest? I wasn't expecting anyone."

The receptionist gave a subtle nod in the direction of the waiting area.
Areum followed her gaze, her stomach flipping as she felt the blood drain from her face. Her eyes met his, and the faint smirk tugging at his lips made her want to disappear.

Jeno was here.

The one person she was still trying to avoid.

He strode toward the desk with that same effortless smile, his eyes fixed on her. The receptionist leaned closer to Areum, nodding in his direction. "You can show him to your station and help him there," she said brightly.

Areum's eyes widened, glancing between the receptionist and Jeno. "But... I don't have any clients today. I'm on storage duty."

The receptionist gave her a puzzled look. "He said he booked an appointment with you."

Before she could reply, Jeno jumped in smoothly. "She probably just forgot." He shrugged with a lighthearted grin. "She forgets things sometimes."

"I—" Areum stammered, the words catching in her throat as Jeno raised an eyebrow, subtly signaling her to keep quiet.

Swallowing her surprise, she managed to steady her voice. "Uh... right. Follow me."

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NEW UPDATE!!
I'm sorry I took so long! I was kind of having a writer's block and I tried to make this chapter interesting but idk if it is 🤷‍♀️
And sorry for the shorter chapter lovess! I'll try to make the next one longer.

JAMAL IS LEAVING GUYS. Bae is finally leaving to the military 💔 military wife era is so hard. First bubu, now jamal, then i think it's doyoung. 💔💔💔