Wishlist [txtzy#1]

Wishlist-39(fight)

Taehyun couldn't get the image of Chaeryeong's touch out of his head. The way her hand had gently massaged his palm under the cold water, the concern in her eyes—it wasn't something he could simply shake off. But what confused him more than the lingering sensation was the question that kept circling in his mind: Why was she pushing him away if she still cared?

He had been overthinking it all night. She hadn't been able to hide her feelings before—he could see it in the way she had cared for him, in the way she had watched over him even when things were difficult. The chemistry between them had never really faded, no matter how much time had passed, no matter how many walls they had tried to put up between each other. It was still there.

After a long night of reflection, Taehyun came to a decision. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again. He wouldn't let his uncertainty keep him from fighting for what he still wanted, what he still loved. This time, he was going to fight for Chaeryeong. He was going to show her how much he still cared, how much he still loved her. And if Jisung stood in his way, then so be it. He would fight for her with everything he had.

The morning of the next shoot, Taehyun had a plan. He knew it was time to make a move.

As Chaeryeong walked down the stairs to the kitchen, she was met with the warm, familiar scent of coffee filling the air. She hadn't expected it, but the moment she saw Taehyun standing at the counter, a cup in his hand, she froze for a moment.

"Good morning," Taehyun said casually, his voice soft yet full of meaning. He handed her the cup with a small smile. "Here you go."

Chaeryeong blinked, her fingers instinctively reaching for the mug. The warmth of the coffee seeped into her palm, but it wasn't the heat that made her pause—it was the taste. The familiar bitterness, the perfect balance of cream and sweetness—it was the coffee Taehyun had always made for her back when they were trainees. She hadn't asked for it, hadn't even thought about it, but somehow, it was exactly the way she liked it.

Her eyes widened slightly as she took a sip. She hadn't realized how much she missed this simple, small gesture. The coffee was exactly as she remembered it—just the right amount of sweetness, the perfect temperature, the familiar taste. It was his coffee.

Her breath caught in her throat. "You... you remember?"

Taehyun looked at her, his gaze steady, but there was a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "Of course, I remember," he said softly. "I remember everything."

Chaeryeong's heart skipped a beat. She tried to hide the way her pulse quickened, the way her chest tightened. She had always known how well Taehyun knew her, how he had paid attention to the little things, but this... This felt different. She set the cup down on the counter, unsure of what to say.

"I didn't mean to—" Taehyun began, but Chaeryeong interrupted him, shaking her head slightly.

"No, it's just... I didn't expect it," she said quietly, avoiding his gaze. "You've been distant for so long. I thought you'd forgotten all those little things."

"I haven't forgotten," Taehyun replied, his voice low but firm. "I never will." He paused, his gaze lingering on her, as if weighing the decision in his mind. "Chaeryeong, I..."

But before he could finish, the rest of the team walked into the kitchen, breaking the moment. Chaeryeong stepped back, her emotions swirling inside her. She could feel the old, familiar ache in her chest, but she couldn't let herself get lost in it again. Not here. Not now.

Jisung, ever the observant one, noticed the subtle tension between them and narrowed his eyes. He glanced from Taehyun to Chaeryeong, sensing the shift. His gaze lingered on them, his thoughts hard to read.

Chaeryeong, feeling the weight of the unspoken words between her and Taehyun, quickly picked up her coffee and walked to the table. She sat down, trying to regain her composure, but her mind kept drifting back to what had just happened.

Taehyun, meanwhile, was lost in his own thoughts. Seeing her face soften when she drank the coffee had hit him harder than he expected. It was a small thing, but it felt like the start of something bigger. He knew he couldn't let this slip away. He had to keep pushing forward, had to show her that he was still there for her—that he would always be there.

As the others gathered around the kitchen, Jisung watched Taehyun closely, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and frustration. The way Taehyun had looked at Chaeryeong—there was something more there, something Jisung wasn't ready to face. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.

" I need to say something," Jisung announced, his gaze locking with Taehyun's. "Go ahead."Taehyun said.

"I like Chaeryeong," Jisung confessed, his tone oddly calm, but there was an edge to it that made it clear he wasn't just stating a fact. "I've liked her for a while now."

Taehyun didn't flinch, his expression unreadable. There was a long pause, the tension hanging thick between them.

"Is that so?" Taehyun finally replied, his voice low and almost too casual. There was no sign of surprise, no trace of jealousy—just a sharpness that caught Jisung off guard.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed," Taehyun continued with a smirk, his eyes narrowing slightly, "but if you're trying to impress her with your feelings, you're a little late to the party."

Jisung's brow furrowed, his confidence flickering as Taehyun's words cut through the air.

"Oh, I'm aware. But I'm not trying to 'impress' her," Jisung retorted, his voice tinged with annoyance. "I'm just being honest."

Taehyun's smirk only widened, his posture relaxed as if this conversation wasn't even worth stressing over.

"Right," he said, almost mocking. "But just so you know, if you think confessing now is going to change anything, you've got another thing coming. Chaeryeong already knows how I feel about her. And honestly? She'll never feel the same way about you as she does about me."

Jisung's eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and something darker. He clenched his fists, but Taehyun wasn't finished.

"So, if you really think you can compete with me," Taehyun continued, his tone turning colder, "good luck. But remember, I'm not going anywhere. You can keep your feelings, but they won't change anything."