Falling For You - ENHYPEN FF

44

The cafeteria was alive with chatter and laughter, the noise blending into a chaotic symphony of lunch hour energy. At a small round table near the window, Jungwon, Jake, Sunghoon, and Sunoo sat together, casually eating their lunch. It was the usual banter, sprinkled with jokes, as they occasionally glanced at the clock, waiting for their friends to join.

Jungwon stirred his soup, a sly smile tugging at his lips as he looked at the others.

"Alright, spill it. Have you guys got prom dates yet?" His tone was casual, but there was an undeniable curiosity behind it.

Jake and Sunghoon exchanged quick glances, almost like they were silently coordinating a response. Jake shrugged first, letting out a short laugh.

"Nah, haven't thought about it. Honestly, I think it'd be more fun if we just went as a group. No pressure, no drama."

Sunghoon quickly nodded, backing him up. "Yeah, like, who needs a date? Hanging out together sounds way better. Chill vibes only."

Sunoo, sitting beside them, bit back a grin. He wasn't buying their answers for a second. "Sure, sure," he said, smirking as he reached over and snagged a fry from Jake's tray.

Jake shot him a look, half-annoyed, half-amused. "Seriously, Sunoo, don't act like you know everything."

Sunghoon added, pointing his fork at Sunoo. "Yeah, don't start anything."

Sunoo just laughed, knowing exactly why they were dodging the question—they had lost a bet to the 12B basketball team, and asking Jeena to prom was no longer an option for either of them.

Jungwon tilted his head, sensing something was up. "Alright, that's weird, but okay. What about you, Sunoo? Got anyone in mind?"

"Uhm— I don't know. Maybe I'll just stick with you guys. Like Jake said, it's more fun going as a group."

Jake narrowed his eyes, leaning closer to Sunoo. "Nah, don't try to dodge the question. You've got someone, don't you?"

Sunoo chuckled, shaking his head. "Jake, relax. Prom's still a few days away. I've got time to figure it out."

Jake groaned in frustration. "Man, you're impossible to get a straight answer out of."

Jungwon laughed at their back-and-forth, clearly entertained. "Alright, alright, you guys are hopeless. By the way, I already asked Jeena."

The table fell silent in an instant. Jake, Sunghoon, and Sunoo froze, their expressions a mix of surprise and something else.

"You... asked Jeena?" Sunghoon finally spoke, his voice unusually low.

"Yeah," Jungwon said with a small, proud smile. "A few days ago."

Jake crossed his arms, trying to act casual even though his jaw tightened slightly.

"And what'd she say?"

"She hasn't answered yet," Jungwon admitted, keeping his tone light, though there was a slight uncertainty in his voice.

Sunghoon took a long sip of water, using the moment to hide whatever he was feeling. Sunoo, meanwhile, stayed silent, twirling his straw in his drink as his expression gave nothing away.

Jungwon frowned, looking between them.

"What's with the silence? Did I say something weird?"

Sunoo broke the tension with a laugh, shaking his head. "Nah, it's not that. We're just surprised, that's all. Good luck— Jungwon."

Jake and Sunghoon gave thin smiles, their reactions more subdued. But beneath it all, they couldn't help but hope—each in their own way—that Jeena wouldn't say yes to him.