Cafè Study

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The café buzzed with the soft hum of chatter and the aroma of roasted coffee beans. Jake stepped inside, immediately hit by a wave of warmth that contrasted sharply with the chilly breeze he'd just walked through. Usually he was confident and at ease but he felt an unusual flutter in his chest as he scanned the room, looking for their usual table by the window, where Sunoo and Ningning were already chatting animatedly. But his gaze quickly darted to the other end of the table, where Yeri sat, her focus entirely on her notebook. She looked so absorbed, so quiet, and it sent a jolt of unexpected energy through him.

With a deep breath, Jake approached the table, trying to be his typical and normal self which proved to be harder than he'd anticipated. "Hey, guys." he greeted, attempting to keep his tone light. Sunoo looked up at him, grinning like he was having the greatest time.

"Look who finally decided to join us!" he teased, and Jake forced a chuckle, brushing it off.

"Yeah, I almost thought you got lost," Ningning chimed in, her eyes darting to sunoo as they shared a look.

He dropped his bag on the floor, the sound echoing in his ears. As he settled into his seat across from Yeri, he felt a sense of calm rush through him. She was scribbling something in her notebook, hair falling gently over her eyes, and it was captivating. He could see the focused crease of her brow and the way her pencil moved swiftly, as if she was capturing thoughts too fast for anyone else to follow.

"Alright, let's get started," Ningning said, pulling out her own notes. "We have a lot to cover, and we need to figure out who's doing what. Jake, how's the introduction coming along?"

Jake blinked, suddenly aware that all eyes were on him. "Uh, yeah! It's going well." The words stumbled out of his mouth, but there was no panic in his chest—just a buzz of excitement. He was surrounded by his friends, especially Yeri. "I was thinking we could start with some background on the author and then..."

Yeri lifted her gaze, her dark eyes meeting his, and for a moment, the world around them faded. Jake's heart raced, but instead of feeling anxious, he felt a giddy warmth spread through him. Her focus and quiet intensity drew him in like a magnet, and he couldn't help but smile. She looked away, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.

As they discussed their project, Jake found himself sneaking glances at Yeri more often than he intended. He noticed the little details: how she nervously played with her hair when she was deep in thought or how she bit her lip when she was focused. Every small gesture made his heart flutter. He realized he was completely in love.

"Hey, Yeri," Ningning said, breaking Jake's trance. "What do you think about taking on the research part?"

Yeri nodded, looking slightly surprised. "Yeah, i can do that."

Jake admired how her shyness, making her look even more adorable. It suddenly struck him how little he knew about her, how she seemed to have little to no friends despite being so interesting. He wanted to know more so badly.

As they continued their discussion about the project, Yeri's gaze drifted across the table, and her eyes fell on the pen Jake was absentmindedly twirling between his fingers. It was the same pen she had picked up earlier that week while practicing piano in secret, its sleek body glinting in the café's soft light. Her heart skipped a beat at the sudden realization.

Isn't that the pen I found? she thought, a mix of curiosity and skepticism swirling in her mind. She remembered how the initials "S.J." had been etched into the side, a small detail she had paid far too much attention to.

Once home, Yeri dropped her bag on the table and headed to her room, her curiosity about Jake and the pen gnawing at her. She rummaged through her own things until she found the pen she had stashed away, a strange treasure from that day at the piano.

Holding it up, she inspected it closely, her heartbeat quickening as she saw the initials "S.J" staring back at her.

Her thoughts spiraled into feelings of embarrassment. Had Jake been the one watching her play?

As she flopped onto her bed, she covered her face with her hands, muffling a groan of frustration.

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