The festival had been a success, better than anyone expected. The school grounds were still messy, with leftover decorations and flyers, but the mood was light, filled with laughter and tired smiles from a job well done.
Ningning and Haechan sat on the edge of the fountain, sipping cold drinks while watching the other students clean up. Their eyes kept drifting toward one particular pair.
Chenle and Ara were standing a few feet away, talking about the decoration cleanup. But there was something different in the way they acted, a small shift in the air between them.
Haechan nudged Ningning with a smirk. "You see that?"
"Oh, I definitely see it," Ningning replied, tilting her head. "They've been acting strange around each other all day."
"Right? The little shoulder touches, the way he keeps looking at her like she's the only person in the room..." Haechan trailed off, sipping his drink.
Ningning grinned. "And Ara blushing at every compliment he gives. Very interesting."
Haechan's eyes sparkled mischievously. "We should say something."
"Absolutely."
The two exchanged a knowing look before calling out together, "Hey, lovebirds!"
Ara froze mid-sentence, her face turning bright pink as she spun around to face them.
"What?!" she exclaimed, gripping the clipboard tightly.
Chenle blinked, confused at first, then realization hit. His usual confidence faltered slightly, and a nervous chuckle escaped. "Uh... what are you talking about?"
Haechan pretended to be innocent. "Oh, nothing. Just that someone seems extra smiley around a certain someone today."
Ningning added with a grin, "And a little flustered too. Suspicious, right?"
Ara groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I hate you both."
Chenle, however, recovered quickly. He folded his arms, smirking at Ara. "Well, if we're getting teased anyway, might as well make it worth it."
Without warning, he threw his arm around Ara's shoulders.
Ara nearly choked. "CHENLE!"
Ningning and Haechan burst into laughter, watching Ara flail as she tried to push his arm off. Chenle grinned, clearly enjoying her reaction.
"You're making it worse!" she hissed.
"Am I?" he whispered back, amusement clear in his voice.
Haechan wiped at his eyes, still laughing. "Okay, okay, we'll stop... for now."
Ningning winked. "But seriously, the energy? Undeniable."
They skipped off, leaving Ara standing there, flustered beyond belief. Chenle finally removed his arm and shoved his hands into his pockets, smirking.
"Guess we should get back to work, huh?" he said casually.
Ara glared at him, cheeks still red. "You're insufferable."
Chenle just laughed, but as they returned to cleaning, Ara couldn't ignore how her heart was racing, or how deep down, she didn't entirely mind it.
And maybe, just maybe, Chenle felt the same way.
