IN OUR COSMOS | ᴄʀᴀᴠɪᴛʏ

sixteen

The familiar oak door of the student council room swung open with a sigh, revealing Heejin bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. Inside, hunched over the long table, were Hyeongjun and Seongmin, their brows furrowed in concentration as they scribbled on various papers. A comfortable silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft scratch of pencils.

Heejin's smile widened at the sight of their familiar faces. "Hey guys!" she greeted, her voice laced with surprise. "What are you two up to so late?"

Hyeongjun glanced up, a relieved grin spreading across his face. "Heejin! You made it," he said, gesturing to the empty seat beside him. "Minhee hyung needed some extra hands to prep for the festival. Looks like a few more people are joining us later too."

Seongmin piped up, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Remember those guys you met at your debutante ball? Apparently, they're coming to help out as well!"

Heejin's brow furrowed slightly. Memories flickered in her mind, faces blurring together. "The boys?" she echoed, unsure which group Seongmin was referring to. 

The answer to Heejin's question arrived before it fully formed. The door creaked open again, and a group shuffled in, their chatter trailing behind them.

A group shuffled into the room, their voices a low murmur as they shed their backpacks and jackets. At the forefront was Allen, his signature grin widening as he spotted Heejin.

"Hiya, Heejin, we meet again!" he boomed, his voice filled with good-natured cheer as he waved a hand in greeting.

Heejin's surprise was evident in the way her eyebrows shot up. "Allen!" she exclaimed, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Behind Allen, Serim and Taeyoung appeared, their conversation flowing seamlessly as they entered. Only when Heejin's surprised voice called out their names did they stop mid-sentence, their gazes snapping toward her. A spark of recognition flickered in both their eyes as they registered her presence.

"Taeyoung! Serim! You guys are here too?" Heejin exclaimed, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.

Serim's lips stretched into a wide grin as he mirrored Heejin's greeting. "Heejin-ah, hi!" he boomed.

Taeyoung, ever the energetic one, chimed in with a more casual, "Noona!"

The door creaked open yet again, and another figure sauntered into the room. The air crackled with a strange tension, a vibe Heejin couldn't quite place.

Then she saw him. Recognition dawned, and a memory flickered to life. It was the boy who had saved her from the rogue fastball—Wonjin. They hadn't spoken since the incident, and the last time they interacted, he'd been rightfully scolding her for her inattentiveness. Now, a cautious distance has settled between them.

"Wonjin," Heejin acknowledged, her voice barely a murmur compared to the boisterous greetings flying around the room.

Wonjin tossed his bag onto the nearby sofa with a carefree shrug before approaching the table. "Hey there," he replied. "Heejin, right? Seongmin's been filling my ears about you." 

Heejin's head whipped towards Seongmin, her eyes narrowed playfully. "Alright, spill it, little rascal," she teased, reaching out to pinch his cheeks. Seongmin, the ever-giggly one, erupted in a fit of laughter, squirming away from her grasp.

"Noona, I promise I wasn't badmouthing you!" he squealed between giggles.

The lighthearted mood was momentarily interrupted by Areum's arrival. She swept into the room, followed by Jaewon, Woobin, and Minhee, their entrance a flurry of greetings and rustling backpacks.