The Shadow Of A Trainee | Bang Chan ✔️

Chapter 26.

Mirae's P.O.V

The next few days flew by as I let Hyungwon's plan settle in my mind. I didn't even know if I wanted to go through with it, honestly. What if he was wrong, and I was just setting myself up to look like a fool? But a tiny, hopeful part of me whispered that maybe, just maybe, Hyungwon was right. That maybe Chan did care for me the way I cared for him, even if I'd only just begun to realize those feelings were there.

Hyungwon came with a plan today but I'm really not sure about it but I'm giving it a try. We'd planned it so he'd pick me up after work to make sure Chan saw us leave together. I was practically buzzing with nervous energy all day, unable to focus on much as I counted down the hours.

The afternoon finally arrived, and I was finishing up some notes in the practice room when the door opened. I looked up to see Hyungwon leaning against the doorframe, grinning. "Ready to go?"

I nodded, grabbing my bag and taking a deep breath. We hadn't talked about exactly what we'd do if we ran into anyone else, but Hyungwon had that spark in his eye—the kind that told me he'd be guiding the situation wherever it went.

We stepped out into the hallway, and sure enough, fate seemed to be playing along. Chan was there, chatting with Han, his gaze dropping when he noticed us. For a second, our eyes met, and something unreadable flashed across his face. He quickly covered it up with a polite smile, nodding at Hyungwon.

"Hey, you two heading out?" he asked, his tone carefully neutral.

I could feel my heartbeat speeding up, and I tried to answer casually. "Yeah, just getting some dinner."

Hyungwon wrapped an arm around my shoulders in an easy, friendly way, but it still felt like a small shock to me. "Thought it'd be nice to steal her away while you guys are on break," he said, smiling at Chan.

I stole a quick glance at Chan and thought I saw his jaw tighten. But he only nodded, his face completely unreadable. "Have a good time," he said, his voice cool. He turned back to Han, as if the whole scene meant nothing to him.

But I caught it—that flash of something. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking.

As we walked down the hall, Hyungwon let out a low whistle. "Well, that was...interesting."

I exhaled a shaky breath. "You think he noticed anything?"

Hyungwon chuckled, shaking his head. "He noticed. Trust me. And he didn't look thrilled about it."

We headed out for dinner, chatting over plates of pasta and laughing about random things, though I still had that interaction with Chan playing over and over in my head. Hyungwon noticed and nudged me.

"You're doing that thing again," he said, giving me a teasing look.

"What thing?" I asked, blinking at him.

He raised his eyebrows. "Where you overthink everything. Relax, Mirae. You're supposed to be enjoying this."

I sighed, rolling my eyes at him. "Fine, fine."

We spent the rest of dinner in light-hearted conversation, with Hyungwon occasionally glancing at his phone and laughing at some meme he'd found. And for a while, I did manage to push Chan out of my mind.

---

*Next day*

Next morning, Hyungwon had another idea, and I was beginning to feel like I was on some kind of undercover mission. He picked me up from work again, but this time we went to the company cafeteria, where we knew some of the guys often hung out between rehearsals. Sure enough, as we entered, I spotted Jeongin, Han, and Chan sitting together, chatting and eating.

Hyungwon placed a hand on my shoulder as we walked in, and I saw Chan's gaze flicker in our direction. His expression remained unreadable, but I noticed him watching out of the corner of his eye as we got in line for coffee. Hyungwon was chatting with me about some random story from work, but I couldn't shake the feeling of Chan's eyes on us.

As we waited, Hyungwon leaned in, pretending to say something funny as he placed his hand on my back, guiding me forward. I laughed, trying to act as casual as possible. I stole a glance toward Chan, and there it was—that unmistakable flicker of something in his eyes.

Afterward, Hyungwon led me over to a table near the guys. I knew he'd chosen it deliberately, within earshot but far enough to pretend we were in our own little world.

Chan's attention seemed to be drifting from his group, and I noticed Han nudging him with a grin, whispering something in his ear. Chan's jaw tightened again, his gaze flickering toward us for a brief second before he looked away, muttering something to Han.

Hyungwon leaned in, lowering his voice so only I could hear. "See that? I'm telling you, it's working."

I wasn't convinced yet, but I couldn't deny that Chan's reactions were more than I'd expected. And for the first time in weeks, I felt a flutter of hope.

After we finished, Hyungwon and I were walking back down the hallway when suddenly I heard footsteps behind us. I turned to see Chan walking toward us, his face unreadable as ever. My heart skipped a beat.

"Hey, Mirae," he said, nodding to me before glancing at Hyungwon. "Mind if I borrow her for a second?"

I exchanged a glance with Hyungwon, who gave me an encouraging smile before nodding. "Of course. I'll be in the recording room."

Chan motioned for me to follow him down the hallway, stopping when we were out of earshot. There was a tension between us, thick and almost tangible.

"Is everything okay, Chan?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

He paused, his hands sliding into his pockets as he looked down at me. "I just... wanted to check in. You've been spending a lot of time with Hyungwon lately."

My pulse quickened. "Oh... yeah, he's my best friend, you know. He's just been helping me relax during the break."

Chan's gaze dropped for a second, his voice softer than usual. "Right. I just... wanted to make sure everything's fine. We... I..." He stopped, seeming to struggle for words, then shook his head. "Never mind. I'll see you at the dorms, Mirae."

I watched him turn and walk away, confusion swirling inside me. It was like he wanted to say something, but held back. Was Hyungwon's theory really right? Could Chan's distance be a sign he felt something too?

I knew one thing for sure; I wasn't done with this yet. I needed to know the truth.

__________________________

A/N:

If you're wondering, I felt like updating the entire week. So, there will be new chapters till this Friday, then we will back to the regular schedule every Sunday & Wednesday.

Hope you all have great day. xoxo