𝑩𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒆

[29]

Namra and Sooheon walked side by side toward the cafeteria, neither in a rush nor particularly eager. It was just routine. Their silence wasn't awkward-it never had been.

Once inside, the usual chaos greeted them. Students lined up to get food, groups gathered around tables, laughter and conversations blending into an overwhelming hum of noise.

Sooheon grabbed a tray and glanced at Namra. "Same as always?"

She gave a small nod. She never needed to say much-Sooheon just knew. He wordlessly added an extra carton of milk onto her tray before grabbing his own food.

By the time they found a table, they weren't alone.

Jaebom and Chanmi were already seated, mid-conversation.

Namra hesitated for a fraction of a second, but Sooheon just sat down, unbothered, so she followed suit.

"Oh, you two finally show up," Jaebom said, raising an eyebrow.

Sooheon smirked. "You act like we were supposed to meet or something."

Jaebom rolled his eyes and focused back on his food, while Chanmi, across from Namra, leaned forward slightly.

"There's a party this weekend."

Namra tensed. Not enough for anyone to notice-but enough for Sooheon to sense it.

"What party?" Sooheon asked, keeping his tone casual.

Jaebom scoffed. "The big one this weekend. Some top businessman's hosting it-big deal, lots of money, the usual. My dad's making me go." He stabbed his food with his fork, clearly not thrilled.

Chanmi sighed. "Same here. My dad told me last night. It's some networking thing, I think?"

Namra kept her face unreadable, her eyes focused on her food.

Top businessman. Networking event. Big deal.

They didn't know. They didn't know it was her father's event. That it was Sooheon's father's world too. And neither she nor Sooheon wanted them to find out.

So they said nothing.

Sooheon, beside her, leaned back in his chair, popping a fry into his mouth like none of this mattered. "Sounds boring."

Jaebom let out a humorless laugh. "It is. And it's not like I have a choice. My dad already told me I have to be there."

Chanmi sighed. "Same. He even picked out what I'm wearing."

Jaebom gave her a sympathetic look. "At least you don't have to hear the 'you're the future of the family business' speech ten times a day."

Namra risked a glance at Sooheon. He didn't react, but she knew him well enough to catch the tension in his shoulders. Jaebom's situation wasn't so different from his.

Still, Sooheon only shrugged. "Guess you two are stuck with each other, then."

Jaebom groaned. "Unfortunately."

Namra remained quiet. She could feel the conversation slowly closing in, the topic sitting just on the edge of something dangerous. If they weren't careful, if someone asked the wrong question-

But Chanmi just sighed and slumped in her seat. "I just hope the food's good."

Sooheon smirked. "Rich people food? You'll survive."

The conversation moved on after that. The party faded into the background.

Namra quietly let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

---

After lunch, Namra and Sooheon naturally drifted away from the cafeteria, slipping past the groups of students crowding the halls. They didn't say where they were going-they never had to.

It was just instinct, the way their steps fell into sync, the way the noise of the school seemed to fade as they walked side by side toward the quieter part of campus.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Namra didn't mind the silence. Sooheon never forced conversation, never made her feel like she had to fill the space with unnecessary words.

But there was something lingering between them today. Something unspoken.

Sooheon was the first to break it. "So."

Namra glanced at him.

"You knew about the party."

It wasn't a question. Just a statement.

Namra nodded. "And you did too."

Sooheon huffed a small laugh, shaking his head. "Figures."

They walked a little further before Namra added, "I just assumed you already knew. Since... you know."

"Our dads are basically best friends?" Sooheon smirked. "Yeah. Same. I thought you already knew too."

Namra hummed in response. Of course. It made sense. Their fathers had been close for as long as they could remember-always in the same circles, always moving through the same world.

Neither she nor Sooheon had ever cared much for it. They existed in it, but they weren't a part of it.

Still, the fact that neither of them had even mentioned it until now...

"So, you're going?" Sooheon asked.

Namra nodded. "I don't really have a choice."

He exhaled through his nose. "Yeah. Same."

A beat of silence.

Then Sooheon shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced at her with a smirk. "Guess I'll see you there, then."

Namra blinked. "You weren't going to go before?"

He shrugged. "Didn't care enough. But since you're going..."

She raised an eyebrow. "That's your reason?"

Sooheon just grinned. "What? You want me to say I'm excited for the rich people party?"

Namra sighed, shaking her head. Of course he'd say that.

But there was something about it-the way he said it so easily, like it was just obvious. Like he was going because she was.

Namra didn't acknowledge it. Didn't react. She just kept walking, her gaze fixed ahead.

Sooheon didn't push her to respond. He just walked beside her, hands in his pockets, his usual smirk still playing at his lips.

For now, that was enough.