𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎

𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒆

                 𝐙𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐀𝐎

I didn't expect to see him again.

It had been weeks since that strange, fleeting moment-the day he kissed me. It haunted me in ways I couldn't explain. The warmth of his lips against mine, the steadiness of his hands, and the way he vanished as quickly as he'd appeared. I should have forgotten about it. I wanted to forget.

But I couldn't.

Now, as I stood frozen in front of him, the world seemed to narrow. The bustling café behind me faded into the background, and all I could focus on was him-Sung Hanbin.

"Zhang Hao," he said smoothly, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. "It's been a while."

I stared at him, unsure whether to speak or bolt. He stood casually, dressed in black, his broad shoulders relaxed as if this was a chance meeting and not something far more deliberate. His eyes, however, betrayed him-dark and unwavering, pinning me in place.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to ask, my voice quieter than I intended.

Hanbin smiled, a small, knowing curve of his lips. "Coincidence. Or perhaps fate."

I frowned, clutching my bag tightly. "I don't believe in fate."

He tilted his head slightly, as if amused. "Don't you?"

Something about his tone made my chest tighten. I wanted to look away, to walk past him, but I couldn't. It was the way he looked at me-intense, like he saw something in me even I didn't understand.

"You left without saying a word last time," I said before I could stop myself.

His smile widened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of regret in his eyes. "You didn't give me a chance. You ran."

"I didn't run," I snapped, my cheeks heating. "You just... you shouldn't have kissed me."

Hanbin stepped closer, the space between us shrinking. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, and I instinctively took a step back.

"Shouldn't I have?" he asked softly. His voice was steady, but there was something behind it, something I couldn't name.

I couldn't find an answer. My mouth opened, then closed, my mind scrambling for something to say, something to push him away.

"Stay away from me," I finally whispered, forcing myself to hold his gaze.

His expression didn't falter. If anything, his eyes darkened, and his smile took on a dangerous edge. "I can't do that, Zhang Hao."

My stomach twisted at his words, and for a brief, terrifying moment, I believed him.

I hated how his words lingered, sinking into me like they carried a weight I didn't want to understand.

"You shouldn't say things like that," I muttered, finally forcing myself to look away. My grip on my bag tightened, the leather strap digging into my palm. "It's... weird."

Hanbin chuckled softly, the sound low and smooth. It wasn't mocking, but it unsettled me anyway. "Weird? Or honest?"

My gaze snapped back to him. There it was again, that maddening way he spoke-as if every word he said carried some deeper meaning. It annoyed me, but at the same time, it made me... curious. I hated that, too.

"You're making me uncomfortable," I said plainly, hoping my bluntness would faze him.

Instead, his expression softened, the sharpness in his features mellowing. "That's not my intention," he said, his tone quieter now. "I just want to talk to you."