quinn.

He's been trying to talk to me, though... in small ways. Sometimes, I’ll feel him slow down when he spots me in the corridor, like he’s waiting for me to fall into step beside him. I never do.

It’s now exactly two days before the Yule Ball.

Everyone’s been spending their time either buying or receiving their dress robes — parading fabric swatches through the corridors and whispering about colours and dates. The overall excitement spilled out in ways I can’t bring myself to mirror.

I’m currently sitting alone in the common room right now, the lights dimmed low except for the fireplace I’d just lit. My legs are comfortably curled up into the chair, book resting loosely in one hand, as the warmth from the fire slowly sinks into my skin and pushes back the cold still clinging from the winter air.

It’s past curfew.

It’s the kind of late where the castle starts feeling like it’s been left to itself. No footsteps passing outside the door, no faint voices drifting up from the staircases, no doors opening and closing in the distance. Even the portraits have gone quiet, most of them turned away or settled into that fake sleep they do when they don’t feel like being bothered.

My hand slowly flicks through another page, thumb lingering at the edge as the words blur together. My focus begins to drift somewhere just beyond the page before—

“Hey,” a voice suddenly greets me. 

My shoulders jerk reflexively, eyes lifting upwards to search for the source of the voice. Beomgyu hovers beside the couch, his expression timid before easing into the empty space next to me.

“Merlin, you scared me,” I mumble, lowering my feet onto the rug beneath me.

“Sorry,” a careful smile pulls at his lips. “What are you doing out here, anyway?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” I say, the cushion dipping under my weight as I tuck myself in a little tighter. “You?”

“Yeah. Me either.” His gaze slips past me at first, eyes fixed toward the corridor before finding its way back to mine.  “Aren’t you scared the prefects might find you?”

I can only manage to give him a shrug, my attention falling to the space between us rather than his eyes. The fire crackles softly in front of us, its sound folding into the background for a moment. Suddenly, I can’t help but think how I’ve known Beomgyu for half my life, and still this quiet that fills the space between us feels so unfamiliar.

My teeth catch my bottom lip, book dipping loosely in my hand before I finally close it. Then, I carefully plant my feet on the rug, standing forward to leave.

“Wait,” he blurts out, the word slipping out before he can stop it. “Don’t… don’t go.”

I pause mid-step, his voice pulling me back before I can keep going. 

Fuck. 

“Y/N…” he says, hesitant. 

Slowly, my eyes lift to finally meet him, but his are already on me, gaze locked in place as he stands up from the couch. “Is… everything ok between us?”

I stall for a second, fingers pressing into the cover of the book. “Yeah… yeah. We’re okay.”

“Then tell me what’s wrong,” he murmurs, leaning closer.

“What? Nothing’s wrong,” My body moves back on instinct, trying to put distance between us.

“Please don’t bullshit me right now,” 

“I’m not bullshitting you.”  

That finally makes him pause, his stare lingering on me for a second too long. “Y/N, I know you’ve been avoiding me since the night at the Ravenclaw party.” 

“I haven’t,” I return, the reply spilling out in a hurry. “I’ve just—been busy. That’s all.”

“We’re literally on break before the ball,” he raises a brow, clearly not buying any of it. “We don’t have any homework or anything after OWLs—at least not until next semester.”

My grip on the book shifts as my fingers find the bookmark, fidgeting with it absently, anything to keep my hands busy.

“Look, I wasn’t trying to avoid you,” I remark, trying to deflect. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind, okay?”

It seems as if we’re suspended in the moment, even the faint patter of snow against the windows in the common room feels like it's carrying through this invisible space between us.

“Did I do something wrong?”

My jaw tightens as I try to search for the right words.

“No,” I say finally. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then why won’t you talk to me?” he slides closer, his frame casting a shadow over mine.

“Like I said I’ve been busy,” I reply, voice tight. “I’ve had things on my mind.”

"Please look at me, Y/N."

I tilt my head up, dragging my eyes upward to meet his. My cheeks go warm under the pressure of his gaze.

“I just want to help,” he insists. “If it’s about me—”

“Why does it always have to be about you?”

Beomgyu freezes. The scrunched skin between his brows casting a shadow over his eyes.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“I—I didn’t…” I stop, my right hand clenching into fists at my side. The apology is right there, but I can’t seem force it past the heat in my throat.

“It just means—” I swallow, the sound loud in the airless gap between us. “I'm tired, Beomgyu. That's it."

The boy doesn't budge. He simply takes a step closer towards me, his frame casting an unmovable shadow over my figure.

"You're lying. You haven't talked or even looked at me properly in days."

"I'm looking at you now," I try to force my eyes to stay on him, but his presence alone makes my pulse thrum in my fingertips. "Is this what you wanted? I'm looking at you now. I told you everything's fine, so just drop it."

“So what,” he says, voice measured, “you’re just pushing me away for no reason then?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Then explain it to me,” he insists, voice rising despite himself. “Because right now it just feels like you’re blaming me for something I don’t even understand.”

“I don’t know how to make you get it,” I say, voice shaking now. “I don’t know how to say it without it turning into… this.”

“What?” His expression falters, suddenly lost. “Y/N, please.”

He takes another step, closing the distance until the radiant heat from his chest brushes against mine. The air between us is compacted now, turning into an airless block that makes every inhale a continuous struggle.

“Stop,” I cut in, the word barely a whisper.

The sound shatters the gravity holding us together. Suddenly, the memory of the party rushes back—the distant echo of the music, the cold drink in my hand, the sight of him with her.

I can’t look at him without seeing it.

A sharp shove gets me past him, the contact of my shoulder against his chest a jarring jolt that sends a sting through my arm. I don't stop until I reach the base of the stairs to the girls' dormitories, heels heavy on the stone.

"Just go to bed, Beomgyu." I say, my back to him, feeling his gaze boring into my spine. "Stop trying to fix everything. Please just… leave me alone."

Without waiting for a response, I bolt up the rest of the stairs, leaving him as nothing but a motionless shadow in the fading glow of the fire.

The next day doesn’t feel like a new day at all.

If anything, it feels like the previous night had simply itself carried over. The same tightness still lingers in my chest like a slow ache wedged between my ribs. But, on the bright side, at least the castle is loud again, footsteps and distant laughter echoing off the stone walls as students move past in groups. I keep my head down, trying to disappear into the morning rush of the corridors.

I truly have nothing else planned for today. While most girls are doing a mini self-care day in their dorm rooms and breaking in their shoes for the ball, the only thing I have scheduled for the day is a small hangout with Kai. I’d received the invitation the day before, tucked into a note tied to his owl, Aqua. It was sweet, yet a bit ominous at the same time. The letter went something along the lines of:

Meet me at the river by the stone bridge past the grounds, tomorrow at 4 p.m. — H.K.

I tuck the memory of it away as I keep walking, adjusting my grip on my bag. Just get through the morning. Just get through the day.

I barely make it past the enchanted staircase before—

"Absolutely not."

Suddenly, my wrist is yanked back by a force before I can even make it past the enchanted staircase.

"I am not letting you disappear on me again," Nari says, already tugging me in the opposite direction. "You've been dodging everyone for days, and I'm officially done with it."

"Nari—"

"Nope." She tightens her grip on my hand, not sparing me a glance. "I don't care if it's Jungwon or Beomgyu or anyone else—you don't get to do this with me too."

"But I can't—"

"No excuses. You're coming with me."

I barely manage to keep up with how fast she's walking. "Where are we even going exactly?"

Finally, Nari glances over her shoulder, a grin curling at her lips.

"Dress shopping."

I groan under my breath, digging my heels in for half a second, but it does nothing. She just drags me along anyway, weaving us through the crowded corridor. We’re constantly being stepped around as people talk over one another. One girl rushes by clutching a bundle of emerald velvet, and a boy trails her with silver robes draped over his arm. There’s a frantic energy to the castle today that I can’t seem to sync up with.

Everything is just too bright, too loud, and far too crowded.

“Seriously, Nari, I don’t—”

“You do,” she cuts in. “Because the ball is tomorrow, and unless you’re planning on showing up wrapped in a blanket, you need something to wear.”

“I already have something,” I try to say.

It’s not entirely a lie. I do have something—an old dress lodged somewhere in the back of my closet that I had planned to settle for.

“Liar.”

Okay.

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

Gladrags Wizardwear is a shop packed wall to wall with racks of clothing. Bolts of fabric spill from the shelves, filling the space with more color than I’ve ever seen in my life. There are even mannequins dressed in all kinds patterns scattered throughout the store: polka dots, stripes, and swirling designs in varying colors. It almost feels like the owner tried to squeeze every kind of garment in the world into one damn place.

A piece of measuring tape is already wrapped around my waist before I’ve even had time to take it all in. Cold fingers adjust it at my side, pulling it snug.

"Hold still,"

The seamstress circles me once. Then again. A floating parchment trails beside her shoulder, the quill scratching quickly on its own. Nari sits nearby on a low stool, chin propped in her palm, watching with quiet amusement.

"So," she starts.

"Arms out, darling." the lady insists, cutting her off mid-sentence.

I lift my arms.

"We've established that you've been acting weird lately," Nari states anyway.

I exhale lightly. “That’s not exactly new.”

"Don't," she warns, "Don't brush it off with me."

The seamstress moves to my chest, the tape wrapping around my upper torso as she calls out another number under her breath. My eyes skim over the faint lines of the tiled floor.

"We know about it, babe. About you and Beomgyu."

I press my hand shut, fingernails digging small crescent moons into my palm. The seamstress pauses for a second before moving on, her hands a little less quick than before.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say, trying to sound oblivious.

"Oh please, don't give me that shit—"

"Nari," I scold her.

"I'm serious, Y/N." she exhales through her nose, then leans back slightly. "It's not like we haven't known for awhile now…"

I turn my head the other way, trying to avoid the look in her eyes.

"You and him have been doing that thing for years."

"That thing," I repeat flatly.

"You know," she gestures vaguely, like the word itself is obvious. "The weird flirting, hand-holding, 'staring-and-then-pretending-you weren't-staring-at-all' thing."

Nari sighs. "Basically, the whole 'we're just friends' act while doing whatever that is."

The seamstress clears her throat a little too loudly. “Arms down,” she guides the tape along my side again. I obey automatically, though my focus doesn’t really follow her hands anymore.

"Again, don't know what you're talking about."

“Y/N.”

The way she says my name makes something in my chest dip. The measuring tape slides across my back now.

“We heard about the kiss.”

The seamstress pauses mid-note at the word, then continues a second later. I swallow, eyes fixed on the shelf in front of me. "Who told you?"

"People talk, babe." she shrugs, crossing her legs. "It's just… me and Jungwon. We could kinda tell that you've had a thing for him for years, even back when we first became a friend group."

My jaw tightens slightly and Nari doesn't stop there.

"And then this whole 'Operation: Chaewon' shit happened, and now he's been hanging around her group all the time—after the party especially," she adds. "so it wasn't exactly hard to put two and two together, you know?"

I don't respond. Nari exhales quietly, expecting that from me.

“I mean,” Nari continues, more carefully now, “you don’t have to tell me everything. But you can’t keep pretending like nothing’s wrong and then expect it to just… disappear.”

Fuck. That lands quieter than anything else she’s said. The seamstress circles back to my waist, slower this time.

“I’m sorry,” Nari tilts her head. “Didn’t you measure that part already?”

The woman freezes. Then, far too quickly, she clears her throat.

“Yes, excellent, I have everything I need.” The tape retracts with a flick of her wand.“I’ll find your size. Stand there, don’t move, don’t talk too much, preferably either of you.”

She doesn’t wait, disappearing between the racks before we can respond, parchment trailing after her. Nari watches her go, then sighs.

“Right.” she says, quieter now. “Anyway,”

“I’m not saying this to corner you,” she hesitates, searching for the right words. "I just… don't like seeing you like this, Y/N."

I keep my gaze fixed on the edge of a rack nearby, where a row of robes hangs in uneven colors, swaying slightly as someone passes deeper in the shop.

“I’m fine,” I say eventually, though it comes out softer than I mean it to. When I finally glance at her, her expression has shifted into something less teasing and more understanding.

“He’s miserable, you know,” she remarks. “You are too.”

I press my lips together, arms crossing loosely over my chest. Then, the sound of footsteps return before either of us can say anything else. The seamstress reappears with a stack of dresses floating neatly beside her, each one suspended in place by careful wandwork. The floating parchment dips beside her shoulder, quill still scribbling.

“Okay, I’ve picked out a few options that should suit your size,” she continues, already steering the dresses forward. “Try them on and see what works best.”

She disappears, leaving us alone once again. Nari finally stands, glancing at the dresses as they drift closer. "You have to admit," she says, tone lightening on purpose. "she has incredible timing."

My mouth twitches. “She does.”

I step back to admire them. One of the dresses breaks from the cluster and floats toward me first. It’s deep blue, soft at the edges, the fabric catching the light in a faint glittering shimmer.

"That one's pretty." Nari lips curl into a soft smile.

Suddenly, another dress follows. The fabric is a wash blush pink and pale green blending together like watercolor bleeding into fabric. The skirt falls in loose, floating layers that catch the air, while the bodice is tailored and close-fitting, giving shape beneath the softness.

Nari leans forward a little, interest returning properly now. “Okay, wait—try that one.”

I blink at her. “You didn’t even see the rest.”

"I don't need to." she answers, unwavering. "That one suits you the best."

I hesitate for a moment longer before reaching for the pink-green dress. My gaze lingers over its details before I turn and head toward the dressing room. Behind me, Nari leans back against the stool again, watching with a faintly satisfied expression.

“Don’t get smug,” I tease, pushing past the curtain.

“I’m not,” she says immediately. “I just know my shit. There’s a difference.”

I let out a quiet scoff as I step inside. The fabric brushes against my shoulders as I slip into the alcove, the noise outside fading enough to give me a second to myself. I start changing slowly, my movements stalling every few seconds.

“You know,” Nari calls, “I didn’t mean earlier to make it sound like everyone’s been gossiping about you.”

I pause slightly at that. “…It kind of did,” I reply.

“Yeah,” she admits, “I'm sorry.”

A beat passes. I pull the dress the rest of the way on, smoothing it down more out of habit than need.

“…So,” I say, mostly to fill the space, “how are you and Taehyun?”

There’s a short pause on the other side of the curtain. “We’re good,” she offers simply.

"Really?" I glance toward the curtain. "That sounded suspiciously normal."

“It is normal,” she replies, “We’re just… taking it slow.”

A faint rustle—her shifting position on the stool again. “Like,” she adds, as if clarifying for my benefit, “Just seeing where things go.”

I nod, a teasing edge slipping into my tone. “How mature of you both.”

“It is mature,” she insists, then softens, “we flirt a bit, then act like we’re not flirting. I'd say it's a very controlled environment.”

That gets a quiet breath of laughter out of me.

"I'm surprised you're handling this so well, Nari." I note. "I know how much you've liked him over the past year."

“I know right,” she admits. “I’m thriving.”

“How about you?” Nari adds.

“What about me?”

“What happened with your end of the Beomgyu situation?” she asks. “Did you figure out a date for the ball? It’s tomorrow.”

I look down at the dress, feeling warmth rise to my cheeks. “…I have a date,” I mumble.

“Wait,” she says, leaning forward a little like she’s trying to process it properly. “You’re just casually telling me this now?”

"I swear everything happened so fast."

Nari lets out a small breathy laugh, more surprised than anything. I fidget with the fabric behind the curtain, heat creeping up my neck. “Plus, it didn’t really feel like a ‘big announcement’ kind of moment.”

“That’s exactly what makes it a 'big announcement' kind of moment,” she says immediately, but there’s a smile in her voice now.

A beat passes, lighter than before.

“So,” she continues gently, “who is it then?”

I hesitate. “… Kai,” I say.

For a second, there’s silence. Then Nari goes, “Oh!”

“Oh, that’s actually really good,” she says quickly, sitting up straighter. “Wait, I like that. I really like that.”

I blink through the curtain. “You do?”

“Yeah,” she nods like it’s obvious. “Kai’s sweet. And he’s really good with you. Like, genuinely. That’s a good match.”

There’s a warmth in her tone that makes my shoulders loosen a little without me meaning to.

Nari grins to herself. “I'm really happy for you, babe.”

My grip on the dress loosens slightly. “…Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she says simply, softer now but still smiling. “You deserve a good night. Especially tomorrow.”

A small pause settles, but it doesn’t feel heavy anymore. Nari hesitates slightly, her voice gentling as she speaks. “By the way,” she adds, “Beomgyu told me too.”

My hands still against the dress. "…Told you what?” I ask, quieter.

“That Chaewon asked him to the ball,” she says. “After the party. He mentioned it to me and Jungwon himself.”

I glance down at my reflection in the mirror. “Oh,” I say softly.

“Surprisingly enough, he didn’t seem all that excited about it,” she adds carefully. “it was like… he was trying to move past it or something.”

A pause. Then she exhales lightly, almost like she’s making a choice not to linger there too long.

“But that’s not really something you need to carry right now,” she says, voice gentler again, grounding. “Tomorrow’s about you. And Kai. And I really do think that’s a good thing for you, Y/N.”

I swallow, the words settling more quietly than before.

“…Yeah,” I say, softer this time.

A sharp knock breaks the quiet from somewhere inside in the shop. “Are we decent?” the seamstress calls, tone unchanged from before.

Nari tilts her head. “Define decent.”

“Not you,” the seamstress replies instantly.

A quiet laugh slips from Nari.

The curtain parts with a soft rustle, and the noise of the shop folds back in around us. I step out, fingers still fussing with the fabric at my waist. “Okay, don’t say anything yet—” I start.

Nari stands up, then pauses for half a second before her expression shifts into a grin, eyes locking onto me. "You look so beautiful, babe." Her smile widens, caught off guard by how right it feels.

“Wait,” she says quickly. “No, seriously—look at you.”

She guides me toward a mirror nearby. My reflection meets my gaze. I let out a small breath, unable to look away. I mean, I did look good.

Before she can speak, the seamstress circles back into view, wand tucked neatly between her fingers. “Are we planning to go with that one, then?” she asks, eyes flicking over the dress.

“Yes,” I exhale. The seamstress nods once like that’s all she needed.

“Good,” she says briskly. Then she flicks her wand, and the fabric subtly responds—tightening at the waist and smoothing itself at the hem. “Final adjustments tomorrow morning. Pick-up before midday. Don’t be late. I don’t do emotional damage control on event day.”

Nari mutters under her breath, “That feels targeted.”

“It is,” the seamstress replies without hesitation, already turning away.

Nari chuckles at her demeanor. "I like her."

"Me too." I chuckle.

“You do look really good though,” she adds, pausing a beat, eyes staying on me.

I nod faintly, fingers smoothing the fabric at my waist again. “Thank you.”

A pause stretches between us.

"… You okay?"

A beat passes once more before I answer, too quick. “Yeah,” I respond automatically. “Just—thinking.”

I let out a quiet breath through my nose, trying to focus on the way the dress falls instead of the way my chest tightens. “It’s just… weird,” I admit. “Looking like this and knowing everything’s still… not okay.”

Her expression softens as she straightens a little, shifting the air on purpose. “Okay,” she says, more practical now. “Tell you what.”

I glance at her through the mirror.

“We’re having a mini get-together tonight,” she continues.

I blink. “What?”

"It's at the Room of Requirement again…" Nari says softly. "But I swear, it's mostly for us Gryffindors."

My shoulders tighten slightly before I can stop them.

“…Nari,” I mumble.

“I promise it's not like last time,” she adds quickly. “It’s not some big social thing. It’s just… a couple of people. Our people. Somewhere you can breathe for a bit.”

I look away from the mirror. The idea presses into my chest, calm and unsettling at the same time, making my shoulders tense.

Nari’s voice gentles further. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, babe.” Her head settles against my shoulder. “Only if you want to get out of your head for a few hours. No pressure.”

I hesitate, but she just waits patiently for me to take my time in deciding. Finally, I give in.

“…Okay,” I say, almost reluctant. Nari’s expression softens immediately.

“Yeah?” she lifts her head from my shoulder, turning to read my reaction.

I nod once, already made up my mind. “Yeah,” I repeat.

“Alright,” she says, stepping back. “Come on. Let's go pay for this dress."

The winter breeze brushes past my face, pulling my hair behind my shoulders as I rush over the stone bridge on my way back from Hogsmeade with Nari.

I told her I’d meet her at the party tonight instead, since I’d already promised to meet Kai by the river this afternoon. Her only response was that stupid smirk she always makes whenever I mention him—like she’s holding back every teasing comment behind her closed pink lips.

I’m clearly running late now, mostly because I didn’t expect her to drag me out of nowhere in the first place. But the guilt only starts seeping in my stomach as soon as my eyes catch Kai leaning alone against a tree beside the frozen river.

I quicken my steps, feet crunching through the powdered snow, until I finally stop in front of him.

“Hey—” I manage out of breath, words puffing out visible clouds. "I'm… so sorry… I'm late."

My chest is still rising too fast from how fast I managed to walk in that long distance, fingers still numb from being exposed in the cold air. I try to warm them up by curling them into the sleeves but it doesn't help much.

"It's okay." he smiles.

"How long have you been waiting here for?" I ask, noticing the faint redness forming on the tip of his nose.

"Not long." Kai insists. He pushes off the tree and steps closer, a small beaded pouch hanging from his hand. "Did you run all the way here?"

“Yeah,” I exhale, gradually steadying myself. “Nari kind of ambushed me in the corridor when I was on my way to the courtyard after lunch.”

“Ah,” he nods, not needing any further explanation. He knows my friends well enough for the spontaneity not to surprise him.

“So,” I say, glancing around, “what are we doing here today?”

The meeting place, let's say… was pretty unusual, even as I'm standing in it now. We're simply out in the freezing cold with nothing but the the wind nipping at our cheeks and the icy river beside us.

Everything else around us is swallowed in pale stillness.

"Well," he starts, a small grin forming, "since the river's frozen today—and I know we don't really have anything else planned—I thought maybe we could…"

He clasps open the beaded pouch in his hand and reaches inside, rummaging for a moment. His brow furrows slightly in concentration, teeth catching lightly at his cheek. Then his expression lights up when he finally feels for the item. He pulls his arm back to reveal—

A purple-colored hair straightener.

I raise a brow, "… straighten our hair for the ball tomorrow?"

Kai lets out a short laugh, shaking his head immediately. "Oh shit, sorry, this is my sister's bag." He tucks the straightener under his other arm, holding the bag in place, before reaching back in with his right hand and finally pulling out two pairs of skates.

"Go ice skating."

Before I know it, our bags and shoes are left half-forgotten near the tree. We've settled onto the dry grass, bending forward as we try to slip the skates on. The cold continues to bite through my fingers as I fumble with the right shoe.

"How do you even have these in the first place?"

"We have a lake beside our house." he says, focused on adjusting his own skates. "I used to skate a lot there with my sisters during winter break."

That makes me pause a little. "Oh."

He gestures the pair I'm trying to put on now. "I borrowed that one from my sister Hiyyih. Well, and the purse too, of course."

I hum, the image of a younger Hufflepuff with the same light blond hair coming to mind. "Let's hope we're the same shoe size then."

Kai huffs a small laugh, then glances up at me for a second before looking back down at his skates. I keep pushing my foot into the skate, struggling against how stiff it is.

"If you don't mind me asking," I let go of it for a second, "why'd you decide to do this with me all of a sudden?"

“I guess I've kinda noticed you’ve been a little out of it lately,” he says, ears turning a bit pink.“I haven’t really seen you at the Gryffindor table much. So I thought this might help."

The corners of my mouth lift without me meaning to.

"That's… really sweet of you."

I don’t add anything else, just focus on getting the skates on, pushing until my foot finally slides in. The other follows the same way, the laces still left loose. I exhale, resting for a second before bending forward again to tie them with my shivering hands.

"You good over there?" he asks, already done with his.

"What—how are you so fast at this?"

"Believe it or not, these are my skates." he teases before sitting up. "Here, let me help."

Before I can protest, he's already positioned in front of me. His fingers move with quiet ease through the laces and straps, fixing all the small, stubborn parts I couldn’t quite figure out, like he’s done this a hundred times before. I fall quiet without meaning to.

There’s something about the way he focuses that makes me slow down too—his brow slightly drawn in, eyes fixed on the laces as his fingers work steadily through them. He doesn’t rush, even with the cold biting at his hands.

At some point, he briefly glances up.

Our eyes meet, and he smiles faintly, a slight lift at the corner of his mouth. Then he drops his gaze again, continuing to work on the skates without pausing. When he finishes, he gives the knot a small tug.

“Okay,” he says softly. “You’re all set.”

“…Thanks,” I mumble, feeling my cheeks growing warm despite the cold.

Kai pushes himself off the ground with ease, then offering both of his hands out to me. I take his hands, but the moment I try to pull myself up, I immediately wobble.

He laughs under his breath, hands still in mine. "You got it."

Slowly, I adjust my feet on the grass, the blades scraping faintly as I straighten my legs. After a second of imbalance, I finally pull away from his hands when I manage to straighten myself.

“Okay—this isn’t so bad,” I sigh, trying to sound confident.

"Wait til' you get to the ice.”

I glance toward the frozen river again, hesitation creeping back in now that I’m actually standing in skates. “…Are you sure this is safe?”

Kai is already looking in the same direction, like he’s been waiting for that question. “Yeah,” he says simply. “I checked the state of the ice yesterday. It was pretty stable.”

I blink at him. “You checked it?”

He lets out a small breath that’s almost a laugh, but his expression stays calm.“I walked along the edges,” he explains. “It’s thick enough. It should be fine today.”

That doesn’t completely erase the nervous twist in my stomach, but the way he says it makes it easier to believe him anyway.

“Hey, I promise it's perfect for today,” he adds, softer now. “I wouldn’t bring you here if I wasn’t sure.”

“…Okay,” I say finally.

Kai steps in first. The moment his skates touch the ice, his weight shifts forward without hesitation. One foot slides ahead, then the other follows, blades carving a clean line as he tests the surface with an easy, practiced glide. I linger at the edge, eyes following him, a little caught off guard by how natural it looks on him. My fingers tighten slightly at my sides before I force myself to step forward anyway.

The second my skates touch the surface, everything shifts.

My foot slides before I fully commit to it, the other following a beat too late. My arms shoot out on instinct, shoulders tensing as I try to catch my balance.

“Okay—okay,” I mutter under my breath, more to myself than anything. Behind me, I hear Kai move back a little.

“Just take it slow,”

I try again. Smaller this time. I step onto the ice a little too carefully, more like I’m walking on solid ground than anything else. Kai watches me for a second before skating closer, easily matching my hesitant pace, then reaches out to take my hands in his once more.

"Here," he lowers his voice, "follow my lead."

I swallow, nodding even though I’m still very aware of how unnatural this feels. My feet push forward again, and this time I actually glide—just a short distance, but enough that my breath catches a little in surprise.

“Good,” he says. “You’re getting it.”

I glance at him. “I feel like I’m going to fall at any second.”

“You won’t,” he replies immediately.

We move slowly across the ice, his hands still clasped against mine, adjusting whenever I wobble too much. Kai skates backwards the entire time. The motion is still unfamiliar—every push of my foot feels like a negotiation with the ground beneath me—but it’s getting less chaotic. Less like I’m about to fall at any second.

“Your sisters must’ve been really patient with you,” I speak after a while, watching him more than the ice now.

He hums, shifting our grip slightly as I take another careful step forward. “Not really. They just laughed at me a lot.”

That makes me huff a quiet laugh. “Sounds about right.”

“They were worse than me at first though,” he adds. “I just picked it up faster.”

I glance down at my feet as they scrape forward. “You’re kind of a natural at everything, you know that?”

"I don't know about that." he lets out a laugh.

“C’mon, you don’t need to be so modest about it.” I smile at him. “You fly well on your broom, you’ve got good grades—I’ve even seen you play drums in the school orchestra.”

"You've seen me play?"

"You guys literally had a performance earlier this year. Of course, I did."

"Oh, I forgot about that." His cheeks turn a slight shade of pink at the mention of it, hands tightening briefly around mine, then relaxing again. “I’ve actually learned a few more instruments growing up,” he adds. “Even though we’re pureblooded, my parents have always been pretty open with muggle stuff.”

"What are instruments do you know how to play?"

"Guitar, bass—but I mostly play the piano and the drums."

“That’s actually really cool,” I say, impressed.

He lets out a small breath of a laugh, "I really want to join a band one day."

I watch him for a second. "You know, I'm surprised people don't get to see this side of you. You don't really act like someone who's just… good at everything without trying."

"I'm not though."

"Still feels like it." I shrug, voice teasing.

"How about you?" he asks, still skating backwards. "What are some of your hobbies?"

"I knit sometimes," I respond. "And I read a lot."

Kai flashes me a grin. "Oh, so you're like a proper grandmother then?"

"Hey,"

"Sorry, sorry." he giggles. We keep moving, slower now, my steps starting to match his guidance instead of fighting it.

"I'm in the charms club too," I mention. "the one held by Professor Flitwick."

“Yeah?” he asks. “What’s it like?”

“Pretty fun,” I say. “We just experiment with spells most of the time. Nothing too serious.”

He nods slightly, still watching my footing as I push off again.

“But there was this one time when Nari tried getting me into duelling club too,” I continue. “But I don’t know though. Some of the students there are a bit too intense. I can’t really match that kind of energy.”

"Oh yeah, I've heard about the stuff that goes on there from Taehyun." he recalls. "The students there are really tough to beat."

“Okay,” I say after a few more careful glides. My shoulders loosen a little. “I think I can try on my own now.”

He looks at me. “You sure?”

I meet his eyes. “Yeah.”

“Alright,”

The moment his support is gone, I shift forward carefully. My first push is uneven, but I don’t fall. The ice carries me a little, and I quickly adjust, knees bending slightly as I find my balance again.

Another step. Then another.

It’s still wobbly and a little awkward, but I’m moving.

“Holy shit,” I blurt out before I can stop myself. “I’m doing it.”

Kai laughs fondly at my reaction. "Yeah, you are."

I glance back at him, and he skates forward, circling slightly ahead of me to stay within reach, making sure I’m steady.

“See?” he says. “Told you.”

For a while, we just move like that—me figuring out how to stay upright, him keeping pace close enough to step in if I need him. Then, a little quieter, he speaks again.

“Hey,” he says, tone shifting slightly softer. “Can I ask something?”

I slow a little. “Yeah?”

"Have you been okay lately?"

The question isn't intrusive at all, but I can't help but look down at the ice for a second as I keep moving. "To be honest with you… not really," I admit, voice low. "It's just—something happened between me and Beomyu, and we haven't really been okay since."

Kai doesn't interrupt.

I swallow, then continue anyway. "There was this… Ravenclaw party at the Room of Requirement a few days ago. Yeonjun told me something. About the dates."

"What about them?"

"He said something about how Beomgyu was kind of… sabotaging them."

"How?"

"Like, he would tell them in private that everything was just a joke. To not take it too seriously and actually ask me out to the ball."

Kai's brows knit together. "What? Why would he do that?"

"I don't know," I say, a hint frustration in my tone. "I wondered the same thing. I told him that he'd never do something like that to me."

A pause stretches between us again. The only sound is the scrape of skates on ice. Kai doesn’t rush to fill it.

"Yeonjun said…" I hesitate, fingers curling into small fists at my sides. "He thinks that Beomgyu did it because he wanted to ask me himself."

I let out a short, disbelieving breath. “It sounds ridiculous. I don’t even think that’s true. And I just got so overwhelmed at the party that… I don’t know, I kind of lost it.” My gaze stays fixed ahead, but my voice tightens slightly as I add, “And then, I saw them. Beomgyu and Chaewon… kissing.”

Kai goes quiet beside me.

“I’m sorry,” he says after a moment. “That happened.”

I shrug too fast. “It’s fine. I didn’t… I mean, I didn’t not expect it. It was going well for them even before that. And I helped him too, so—it made sense.”

My words come out light, but my grip on my balance isn’t as steady anymore. I focus harder on the ice instead. I speak again before he can say anything else. "God, I'm so sorry for dumping this all on you, Kai."

"Hey, it's okay." he reassures me. "I don't mind. Truly."

"I just…" I pause, sighing. "I need you to know that I'm still very happy that I'm going with you. And I'm having a really great time with you right now."

"I'm glad." Kai smiles as he stays close beside me, matching my pace.

“But, you know, it doesn’t change anything,” he adds after a moment, “You’re allowed to talk about it.”

“I don’t know." I shake my head a little too quickly. "It just feels weird. Like I’m dragging it into something that’s supposed to be—” I gesture vaguely between us, “—this.”

He glides a fraction closer, not touching me this time, just staying within reach. “You don’t have to apologize for having feelings, Y/N”

That makes me glance at him for the first time in a while. He’s looking ahead, guiding his steps, but his expression is steady. Kai’s voice is quieter when he speaks again. “All of this isn’t fair on you either.”

I don’t answer.

My breath simply catches again, but this time it’s not from the cold. The ice shifts under me as my skate begins to catch wrong. My weight tips before I can fix it.

“Wait—” I start, but it’s already too late. My arms fly out instinctively as my balance disappears. I feel myself falling, the world tilting sideways in a clean, unstoppable drop.

Kai is already moving. He closes the distance in a few quick, controlled glides, skates cutting short lines across the ice as he reaches for my hands. His fingers catch mine just as I start to go—but I’m already off balance, my weight pulling forward too fast for him to fully steady me. He tries anyway, tightening his grip and shifting his stance, but it only lasts a second. My skates slide out from under me, and I tug him down with me as I fall.

We hit the ice in a clumsy drop, my shoulder landing first, a quick jolt of cold seeping straight through my clothes. His hand is still loosely in mine, our fingers tangled awkwardly for a beat before we both go still.

A quiet pause.

Then I let out a breathy laugh, half from shock, half from how ridiculous it is. Kai is beside me, also laughing now, one arm still slightly stretched out like he tried to save it at the last second.

“Okay,” he says between breaths, “that was definitely you.”

For a moment, neither of us moves. Just lying there on the ice, laughing until it fades into something lighter. Kai turns his head slightly toward me, still catching his breath.

“Hey,” he says after a beat, quieter now. “How are you now?”

I stare up at the pale sky for a second.

“I’ve been a bit better today. Nari dragged me out dress shopping earlier, so I guess that helped.” I let out a breath, shifting slightly on the ice, "And I'm having a lot of fun with you right now too, so I guess you're helping as well."

A laugh escapes past his lips. "Oh yeah," Then, he turns his head a little, like something just clicked. “You never actually told me what you were planning to wear for the ball.”

I shrug lightly. “I mean, I had this old dress I was supposed to wear.” I say. “My mom sent it over when she first heard that the Triwizard Tournament was being held at Hogwarts. It was this icy white one.”

A pause.

“It kind of matched the Yule Ball theme,” I add, “but it also looked a bit… too much like a wedding dress.”

That earns a quiet laugh from him.

“I’m pretty sure Nari saw it earlier this year,” I continue. “That’s why she dragged me out today. She said it needed… saving.”

Kai hums. “So what are you wearing now?”

I glance at him. “That’s a secret,” I say.

He tilts his head slightly. “Not even a hint?”

I pretend to think for a second. “You should get a green pocket square,”

“Green?” he repeats.

I nod once. “Yeah.”

His mouth twitches, holding back a grin. “… Noted,”

We lie there for a moment longer before I push myself up slightly, wincing as the cold bites through my sleeves.

“Okay,” I say, exhaling. “Round two?”

He takes my hand, but the second I try to pull him up, my balance gives out again. My skates slip, and I end up right back on top of him, the impact soft this time. We both burst out laughing, as my hands rest on his chest and his arm wrapped around me, his right hand settled on my waist.

“I swear that wasn’t on purpose—” I manage through a breath, but my skates still slide uselessly against the ice when I try to shift my weight. Kai laughs too, a little breathless under me.

I try to push myself up again, but it only makes me slip closer instead. My hands press more firmly against his chest to steady myself, and that’s when I notice it—the rhythmic rise and fall beneath my palms, the warmth of his hand still resting at my waist, keeping me from completely losing balance.

Suddenly, I become a little too aware of everything all at once as the laughter between us fades.

I stop trying to move.

My eyes lift to his face, and he’s already looking right back at me. There’s something in his expression I can’t quite name, but it holds me there—suspended. I can feel his warm breath, brushing faintly against my face in the cold air between us, small clouds forming and fading with each exhale. The space between us feels smaller than it did a second ago.

And look, I don’t really know what possesses me to do it. I just know it happens before I can think it through.

I lean in, closing the gap between us until my lips meet his.

The action is so brief that it happens before either of us can fully react. It lasts only a fraction of a second before my brain catches up, and everything in me jolts at once. And just as quickly, I pull back away from him. Like I can even undo what I just did my creating distance again.

My eyes widen.

“Oh—” I breathe out, heat rushing up my face instantly. “I don’t know what came over me—”

The words spill out in a rush, messy and panicked, but neither of us actually bothers to move away from each other. His hand is still at my waist. My grip hasn’t left him either. We’re just… frozen in the moment after. I can only avert my eyes, face burning a bright shade of red now.

“I—fuck, I’m so sorry, Kai. That was not okay for me to do without your permission. I just—”

“It’s okay.” Kai cuts me off.

Before I can finish, his hands lift and gently catches my chin between his fingers, tilting my face back up until I have no choice but to meet his eyes again. A slow lopsided, goofy smile takes over his face.

“It’s okay,” he repeats, voice softened.

My teeth catch my bottom lip, and his eyes flick down to it for a second before lifting back to mine. I let go slowly as the quiet settles between us again. Kai moves in closer, his palm coming up to cup my cheek, thumb brushing lightly across my skin.

He pauses there for a moment, looking at me. Then he leans in and presses his lips against mine gently, his hand still holding my face as he closes the space between us. The kiss is light, his mouth moving slowly against mine without any rush or force. His nose touches mine, angling my face as he adjusts his position without breaking the kiss.

After a beat, the pressure lessens. His lips leave mine gradually, the contact breaking without a sharp pull, his hand lingering at my face for a moment longer before lowering. Then he looks down, head dipping as his gaze breaks away. His lips press together, then he catches his bottom lip between his teeth, holding it there for a second before letting go.

I can’t help it—I let out a laugh at his reaction.

“That was really cute,” I murmur.

His shoulders lift a little, then drop again as he exhales through his nose, still not looking at me.

“…Shut up,” he mumurs under his breath, but there’s no distance in it as his mouth curves slightly at the end.

The moment stretches after his words. The laugh fades out between us, leaving only the sound of our breathing and the faint scrape of skates somewhere far off on the ice. I shift a little where I’m still close to him, fingers loosening where they’d been holding onto his jacket without me noticing.

“Hey…” I start, then stop, swallowing once. My eyes drop for a second before I force myself to look back at him. “Uhm. There’s this thing Nari invited me to tonight… at the Room of Requirement.”

His gaze stays on me. “Yeah?”

I nod, then hesitate again, my fingers curling against my sleeve. “It's nothing big, just a little get-together with a bunch of friends, but…"

I exhale then continue. "Do you maybe want to go with me?"

There’s a small shift in his posture, his head tilting slightly as he listens.

“Are you sure?” he asks. “I don’t want to intrude or anything if it’s strictly Gryffindors.”

I shake my head quickly. “Oh no, Nari said it wasn’t completely exclusive. It’s mostly Gryffindors and a few friends from other houses. Just a hangout.” My voice softens at the end. “But it’s completely okay if you’re busy tonight. It’s no big deal.”

A beat passes.

Then I add, quieter, eyes lowering for a second before lifting again. “I guess I just… wanted to see you again before the ball tomorrow.”

Kai doesn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he lifts his hand, two fingers sliding gently under my chin, guiding my face up until I’m looking at him properly again. The touch is light but certain, keeping me from looking away this time.

“I’d love to go with you tonight,” he says.

Something in my chest tightens and eases at the same time. Our eyes stay locked for a moment longer. Then both of us smile at the same time.

He lets go of my chin shortly after, and pushes himself up from the ice, adjusting his balance in one smooth motion. He looks back down at me, extending a hand again.

“Okay,” Kai says, a hint of playfulness returning. “How about we try this again?”

It’s 9:30 p.m. when Nari and I finally slip away after dinner, shoulders knocking lightly as we make our way down the corridor. We stop in front of the blank wall, both of us pausing for a moment catch our breath. Then, Nari steps forward without a word.

Her hand presses flat against the cold stone, fingers splaying slightly as she drags her palm across its rough surface. The wall shifts instantly under the contact. It trembles under her touch as thin lines etch themselves outward, carving into the stone with a low, quiet scrape. They deepen, widening into shape—

Until a large wooden door forms right in front of us.

She turns to me, a tight-lipped smile pulling at her mouth as her hand hovers over the knob. I give her a small nod in return. That’s all she needs. Her fingers curl around it, and with a quick twist, the door clicks open.

The Room of Requirement looks nothing like it did the last time I was here. It’s smaller than I expected—but warmer and cozier that it almost feels like an extension of the Gryffindor common room. The space has same deep shade of red that lined the walls, softened by the glow of a fireplace tucked off to the side. A window stretches across the far end of the room, reflecting the flicker of floating candles that drift lazily overhead.

There are mismatched couches scattered around the space, worn and familiar. Off to the side, a single drinks table draws a small cluster of people. My eyes catch patches of greenery climbing along parts of the wall—probably something the Hufflepuffs put together. The floor is layered with different patterned carpets in deep reds and golds, soft under my shoes, muffling each step. Off to the right, there’s another door set into the wall, closed, with no real hint of where it leads.

Somewhere in the background, music hums low, nearly swallowed by quiet laughter and overlapping conversations that fill the room.

It’s not crowded. Mostly Gryffindors, just like Nari said. A few familiar faces from other houses scattered in between.

I feel my shoulders loosen a little, the tightness from earlier easing out of me as I take it in. Then, I feel Nari nudging my arm from beside me. “See? Not that bad.”

“Yeah,” I nod, eyes still scanning the room without thinking. She catches it.

“Are you looking for someone?” she asks, tilting her head slightly.

"Uh… yeah actually," I hesitate for a second, then glance at her. “I invited Kai. If that's okay?”

Nari’s expression shifts almost instantly—something bright flickers across her face before she smooths it over just as quickly. “Of course it’s okay,” she says, a little too fast, then bumps her shoulder lightly against mine. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

I huff out a quiet laugh, some of the tension easing from my chest. “I don’t know. I just didn’t want to, like… invite someone into your thing without telling you.”

“It’s not my thing,” she shrugs, already stepping further into the room. “It’s just a hangout. And anyway—” she glances back at me, a small grin tugging at her lips, “—I like him for you.”

I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop the small smile that pulls at my mouth. “Okay, you need to relax there.”

“Mhm,” she hums, clearly not convinced, before grabbing my wrist and tugging me toward the drinks table. “Come on. At least pretend to socialize while you wait.”

We move toward the drinks table, slipping past a few students, and Nari immediately lights up when she spots them.

“Ryujin, Chaeryeong!”

After a quick greeting, she turns back to me, her hand still holding my wrist as she draws me closer.

“Y/N,” she says, easing me into the space beside her. “These are my friends from DADA.”

Ryujin’s attention settles on me fully. “So you’re Y/N.”

I nod shyly. “Yeah. Hi.”

“Nice to meet you,” Chaeryeong says right after, voice easy as she shifts her weight slightly against the table.

Nari stays close beside me, her shoulder still brushing mine. “I’ve told them about you,” she says.

“All good things, I hope?”

“Of course.” Ryujin smiles.

The four of us slip into an easy rhythm of conversation.

We stay by the drinks table for a while, talking and drinking as the party grows louder around us. The room fills with constant movement—small groups forming and breaking apart, voices blending into the background. Nari talks with Ryujin and Chaeryeong about dueling club, and I mostly just listen, chiming in here and there when it feels natural.

After a moment, Ryujin looks over our shoulders, noticing someone in the room. She taps Chaeryeong’s arm, they exchange a brief look, then both step back from the table.

“Hey, we’re just going to say hi to a few people,” Ryujin says.

Nari nods. “Yeah, go ahead.”

They slip into the crowd, leaving me and Nari by the drinks table. I don’t notice the door opening again at first—until Beomgyu walks in with Jungwon. My body goes still the second I catch the sight of them. Nari notices the change beside me, but she doesn’t say anything.

Jungwon spots us first and heads over without hesitation. “There you guys are,” he says, stopping beside Nari.

Nari shifts her stance, more relaxed now. “Hey. We got here early—didn’t want to deal with sneaking in after curfew.”

He glances around the room, then back at us. “This place is actually nicer than I thought it’d be.”

Beomgyu follows a second later. He stops beside Jungwon, and I feel his eyes flick to mine for a brief moment before both of us look away at the same time. It’s the first time we’ve all been together properly in a while, and it shows in the way the conversation hesitates for a second before picking up.

Jungwon looks at the drinks. “So what are we working with here then? Same mystery selection?”

Nari hums. “Pretty much.”

I glance down at the table without thinking. “I’ll get you guys something,” I say, already reaching for a few cups.

There’s a small pause before Jungwon leans back. “Alright. I trust your judgment.”

Nari doesn’t say anything, just shifts aside to give me space. I focus on the cups, keeping my hands steady as I mix something simple.

Across from me, Jungwon keeps talking—something about people disappearing and reappearing all over the room. Nari answers him easily, picking up the rhythm without effort. Beomgyu stays quieter, but he’s still there, responding when he’s pulled in, then slipping back into silence.

When I finish, I set two cups down.

“One for you,” I say, sliding the first toward Jungwon. He takes it immediately.

Then I turn slightly and offer the second. Beomgyu is closer now. He doesn’t move right away, just looks at it, then at me, before taking it from my hand.

“Thanks,” he says quietly.

The conversation carries on between the four of us. I catch fragments of it—Jungwon asking how I’ve been, me answering briefly, Nari filling in gaps with small comments that keep things moving. It’s easier, less careful than before. The topic shifts between drinks, the room, people moving in and out of conversation, nothing holding for too long.

I find myself laughing more easily now, shoulders relaxing as Jungwon and Nari bounce off each other. My posture loosens, chest rising and falling more freely. Even Beomgyu lets out a quiet laugh from my right, his shoulders lifting slightly before settling again.

It almost feels normal again… Then the door opens.

Nari’s head turns first. “Oh— they’re here.”

I follow her gaze without thinking.

Kai steps in, Taehyun just behind him, both of them pausing for half a second as they take in the room before moving further inside. The warm light catches against the edges of Kai’s hair, softening his features, and when his eyes scan across the space and land on me—

I give him a small smile. He returns it just as quickly, before they both start walking over.

“Hey guys,” Taehyun greets, standing beside Nari.

Kai lingers half a step behind him before speaking, eyes flicking toward me. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I echo, softly.

"H-hey." Nari suddenly perks up, straigtening her posture. "You guys came."

“Of course. Hard to turn you down.” Taehyun says, a small, knowing smile pulling at his lips. "So, anything interesting happen yet?"

"Nah, it's still pretty early. I'd say you guys arrived on time." Jungwon answers.

We all slip into an easy conversation between the group, and not surprisingly enough, Taehyun and Kai are fitting in with our friend group pretty well. At one point, the discussion shifts into Quidditch again—Jungwon leaning in more as he talks, hands moving slightly as he goes on about notable players from Durmstrang, while Taehyun responds smoothly, nodding along and adding in quick remarks. Nari tries to join in, stepping into the conversation whenever she can, but her sentences break off midway a few times as she searches for the right terms.

I’d have to admit—it’s pretty cute to see Nari act so differently when it comes to Taehyun.

Kai and I aren’t listening much. The conversation continues around us while I stay focused on the drink in my hand. Shortly after, his gaze drops from his cup to my wrist, eyes resting on the silver charm bracelet.

"You're still wearing it." he leans down, whispering.

A small smile pulls at my lips as I glance up at him, then back down at the bracelet. “Of course I am. I told you I liked it.”

"It suits you."

I swallow once, my throat moving before I look away. From the corner of my eye, I notice Jungwon’s hand brushing against Beomgyu’s back in small motions. I raise a brow and glance toward Beomgyu on my right, but he doesn’t meet my eyes. His lips stay on his cup, and he nods along to the conversation.

Before we can say anything else, someone across the room erupts with a shout—loud enough to cut through the voices and the music playing in the background. “Gather around everyone! We’re playing Seven Minutes in Heaven!”

The room reacts all at once.

A wave of movement spreads through the space—chairs scraping against the floor, footsteps shifting, voices rising over one another. A few people groan in protest, but most are already laughing, grabbing drinks and pushing themselves off couches.

Nari shifts closer to me, eyes flicking toward the center of the room before landing back on me. I tilt my head slightly.

“Seven Minutes in Heaven?” I murmur.

She blinks at me. “What the hell is that?”

“It’s a muggle game,” Kai says, voice calm. “You spin a bottle in the middle of the room, and whoever it lands on has to stay in a closet with them for seven minutes.”

Nari’s expression tightens immediately. "A closet?”

"Yeah," Kai nods.

Taehyun lets out a quiet laugh beside her. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“But why is it called ‘Heaven’?” I ask, confusion spreading across my face. Nari only laughs and pats my back once before walking over to the circle, lowering herself down beside Taehyun.

I glance over to Kai, giving him a look that asks sit beside me? He nods, and we move toward the circle, slipping in between two Gryffindor students. Across the circle, Jungwon and Beomgyu sit next to one another.

Jay crouches in the middle of the circle, one hand already holding the empty bottle as the last of the chatter dies down into expectant silence.

“Okay,” he starts, glancing around the group with an easy grin. “I know most of you are pretty much familiar with this game. If not, it’s pretty straightforward and you’ll learn as we go.”

A few chuckles erupt from the crowd, the circle tightening more as everyone focuses in. Jay places the bottle carefully in the center of the floor before pulling out his wand. I watch as he gives it a small flick, the tip catching the light from the candles looming over us.

“Just so we don’t waste time arguing spins,” Jay adds, voice casual, “we’re enchanting it.” He taps the bottle lightly with his wand.“Spins on command. You just say Rotatio.”

Someone near the edge of the circle mutters, “That’s kind of smart, actually.”

Jay looks up again. “So—anyone want to go first?”

A brief pause follows. Then a voice breaks through it.

“I’ll go.”

Felix, a Hufflepuff sitting a few spots over, pushes himself up with an easy smile. A couple of people react immediately—some cheering, others laughing under their breath as he moves into the center.

“Alright,” Jay says, stepping back slightly to give him space. “Go ahead.”

Felix glances down at the bottle, then at the group around him. "Rotatio."

The bottle jerks.

Then begins to spin on its own, picking up speed as the circle breaks into murmurs and quiet reactions, everyone leaning forward to see where it lands.

It spins a few more times.

Silence holds in the room as the bottle slows to a stop.

Ryujin.

A wave of reaction breaks immediately—laughter, a few cheers, someone clapping lightly from the side of the circle.

“Of course it lands on her,” someone bitterly calls out.

Ryujin lets out a short laugh, pushing herself up without hesitation. “Alright, alright.”

Felix stands as well, relaxed with a smile across his face. He doesn’t look surprised though—just amused as he steps into the center with her. As they pass, Ryujin leans slightly toward Chaeryeong, voice low but still audible in the quieted circle.

“I promise you nothing’s gonna happen in there,” she says, lips twitching.

Chaeryeong snorts. “Sure.”

Ryujin rolls her eyes, then pushes herself up from the floor and follows Felix toward the side. The group’s attention stays on them as they cross the room. Ryujin reaches the door first, pulls it open, and they both step inside. It closes behind them with a soft click.

Conversation picks up again almost immediately after, the circle filling with overlapping voices and movement. I mostly stay where I am, listening in fragments—Jungwon talking, someone else reacting, the bottle being reset in the center.

Then, faintly, a laugh cuts through from the side of the room.

Ryujin.

It comes from behind the closed door.

A few heads turn toward it. Confused looks pass between some of the students sitting nearby, brows furrowing slightly as they try to figure out what’s happening inside. Chaeryeong stays relaxed, eyes on the door for a second before she smiles to herself and looks away again.

“Probably just talking,” she says under her breath, voice calm.

The circle doesn’t dwell on it for long. The game moves on—someone nudges the bottle again, conversation filling the space back up. Seven minutes pass in bits of laughter, shifting bodies, and scattered conversation.

Eventually, the door opens.

Ryujin steps out first, adjusting her sleeves as she walks back into the room. Felix follows a moment later, expression easy, hands in his pockets. They both return to the circle without hesitation, the conversation continuing around them as if nothing changed.

"Okay, who's next?" Jay calls out.

A few more people go after us, and it’s mostly uneventful from where I sit. One pair comes out with their hair slightly messy, sleeves adjusted as they step back into the circle. Another follows soon after, both of them straightening their clothes while laughter and teasing comments ripple through the group.

Eventually, Jay steps back in again, gesturing toward the center. “Alright. Let’s keep it going.”

Beomgyu continues speaking with Jungwon, voice low and even, as the other boy listens with small nods, one hand resting on the floor while the other keeps hold of his cup near his knee. Their conversation tapers off as attention shifts toward the middle of the circle.

“Beomgyu’s up,” someone suddenly calls out.

A ripple of noise follows—low whistles, scattered laughter, someone dragging out a drawn “ooo” that stretches across the circle. Bodies shift closer toward the center, knees edging inward, elbows braced on the floor.

From the edge, a Gryffindor Quidditch player leans forward on both hands. “I don't think he's up for it. Chaewon’s not even here.”

A few people laugh into their cups, breath catching against the rim as shoulders lift and drop. A grin gets hidden behind a hand for a moment before slipping through anyway.

Jake tilts his head back slightly, palms planted behind him as he watches Beomgyu. His voice carries easily over the noise. “Hey, don’t overthink it, man. It’s just a game anyway.” A pause as he shifts his weight. “You don’t even have to do anything in there.”

I watch the exchange unfold, a small frown forming on my face. My gaze flicks across the circle before meeting Nari's eyes. Her expression softens for a second, mouth lifting into a faint smile directed at me. She holds my gaze for a beat longer, then gives a small nod.

Before I can fully look away, Kai leans slightly closer beside me. His shoulder brushes mine as he lowers his voice near my ear.

“Look at Soobin,” he murmurs.

My eyes drift toward the circle.

Soobin is sitting slightly off balance, tucked between two students. His face is flushed, hair a little messier than before, and he’s holding onto a wooden ladle someone must have passed him earlier. Both hands are wrapped around it firmly, elbows pulled in tight to his sides.

The person next to him reaches for it, laughing, trying to tug it free. Soobin reacts immediately. He pulls it closer to his chest, shoulders rising as he turns his body away, still gripping it like it’s been assigned to him personally. Someone calls out his name, trying to coax him into handing it over, but he just shakes his head once and adjusts his grip again, refusing to let go.

A quiet laugh slips out of me before I can stop it. Kai looks at me, the corners of his mouth lifting into a goofy smile.

I feel another presence shift across from us.

Beomgyu’s gaze lands briefly on me and Kai. His jaw tightens slightly, a small pause settling in his shoulders before he leans forward toward the center of the circle. The movement is controlled, deliberate, his attention dropping to the glass bottle while the noise around him dulls into the background.

His fingers hover for a second above it.

Then he speaks.

“Rotatio.”

The word drops into the circle.

The bottle jerks.

Except it doesn’t spin cleanly this time. It stutters. A slight lurch to the side before it catches, glass scraping faintly against the floor in a way it didn’t before. The rotation feels uneven—slower in one direction, then snapping forward too quickly in the next. A few people shift in their seats, but no one comments, eyes still fixed on the center.

My brow furrows without thinking.

From the edge of my vision, I catch it—Jay’s wand hand lowering again, tucked close to his leg. A small flick of his wrist, quick enough that it blends into the shifting bodies around him. No one reacts to it.

Then, the bottle slows. And stops…

To me.

Silence lands for half a second before the room breaks. A wave of noise spills through the circle as cheers break loose and whistles thread through the air, overlapping with rising laughter that spreads outward in uneven bursts.

"Finally crossing the line of friendship, huh." Jay calls out, voice cutting cleaning through the noise.

Another boy perks up at this comment, adding, "About time something happened between the two of you."

A few people laugh harder at that, elbows bumping, heads turning between me and Beomgyu like they’re waiting for something to happen right there in the open. I feel Kai shift beside me before I even look at him. His hand moves to mine under the edge of the noise, fingers wrapping around mine with a light pressure.

He doesn’t look at the circle when he speaks.

“Go,” he says quietly. “It’s okay.”

His hand squeezes mine once more before he lets go. I swallow the lump in my throat and nod.

My weight shifts off the floor as my legs push me upright. Beomgyu is already standing, his posture steady as he turns away from the circle without looking back. He moves first, heading straight for the door at the side of the room, and it swings open ahead of him before he steps inside. The noise behind us stays loud, but it thins the further we move away from the circle. By the time I reach the doorway, he’s already inside. I follow a beat later, stepping into the small space and turning around to pull the door shut behind me.

Across the threshold, My eyes catch Jay watching from the circle, brows lifting and dropping in exaggerated teasing. I hold his gaze for a second longer, raise my hand, and flip him off without hesitation. Reactions ripple faintly from the other side, laughter bleeding through the door as it closes fully between us.

The latch clicks into place and the sound of the room drops away completely. The closet is small, dimmer than the rest of the room had been. There's light slipping in from the cracks around the door to outline the edges of everything—barely any distance between us.

I turn slowly after a second and Beomgyu is already looking down, avoiding my gaze again. His hands are loose at his sides, shoulders set, eyes fixed somewhere near the floor.

A few seconds pass.

The silence settles deeper, filling in every gap between the two of us until even breathing feels more noticeable. I shift my weight slightly, then stop. My gaze drops on its own after that, landing on my shoes instead of his face.

I hear Beomgyu exhale after a moment before breaking the silence. “Sorry I couldn’t leave you alone,” he says bitterly, hurt evident in the tone of his voice.

The words hang there longer than they should.

He finally lifts his head a little, not fully meeting my eyes, but not fully avoiding me either. His jaw tightens again, and he shifts his weight back against the wall of the closet, the small space making every movement feel sharper.

"What?"

"You heard me." he scoffs, arms crossing.

I take a step back, words catching my throat. "Please don't be an asshole about it right now."

“Right,” Beomgyu mutters, tone clipped. “Because I’m the one being an asshole for no reason.”

My gaze tightens on him. "You're being fucking ridiculous."

"Really? Because it looks like you're doing great without me anyway." he adds after a beat, voice low.

My face stiffens, jaw tensing. “What are you talking about?”

Beomgyu lets out a short breath through his nose, almost a laugh but without any humor in it. He pushes off the wall slightly, then stops himself halfway, like even that feels like too much movement for the little amount of space between us.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he says, voice lower now, controlled in a way that makes it worse. “How you’ve been acting like I don’t exist for days… and suddenly Kai’s your new best friend now.”

I lift my head slightly.

“That's not—”

“It is,” he cuts in immediately. His voice rises as it presses against the walls of the closet. “You don’t look at me. You don’t sit with me. You don’t even talk to me unless someone else is there.”

His hand flexes at his side. “And then I see you laughing with him.”

My chest tightens. Beomgyu exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair before dropping it again.

“So just tell me,” he says, frustration breaking through now, “did I do something wrong, or did you just decide you didn’t want me around anymore?”

My eyes snap to his.

“You know, you're being a hypocrite right now,” I say, voice shaking slightly now. “You say I’ve been distant, but you’ve been doing the exact same thing way before I did. Just in your own way.”

Something shifts in his expression then—hurt turning into something messier. Beomgyu’s voice comes out lower, strained at the edges, like he’s trying to keep it from breaking.

“That’s not fair,” he says. “You know I didn’t even do that on purpose when I just wanted to get closer to the girl I liked.”

The words hang there.

My breath catches slightly.

His gaze flickers for a second, then hardens again as he exhales through his nose, jaw tightening while he looks away briefly before meeting my eyes again. “And you don’t get to say I’m the one pushing you away now when you were the one who told me to leave you alone in the first place.”

“And you don’t get to act all innocent like you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then please tell me what I did wrong, Y/N,” he says, the words coming out almost like a plea now, his voice breaking at the edges. His eyes go glassy under the dim light. “I don’t like being like this with you.”

I hesitate for moment. And then it spills out before I can stop it.

"Yeonjun told me about what you were doing with the dates." I finally say. “He said you were sabotaging the interviews. That you told them it was all some dumb fucking joke, because you didn't have any intention with setting any of it up for me.”

His expression changes instantly.

“Why would I even—”

“Don’t,” I interrupt. “Don’t lie to me right now.”

He doesn't respond.

I continue, "Tell me he wasn't lying. That he was just fucking with me about how you apparently wanted to ask me yourself, but threw it all away the second you booked it with Chaewon."

His mouth opens, then closes again.

Nothing comes out.

Something in my chest tightens painfully at that.

“Tell me,” I say again, forcing it out while my fingers curl hard against my palm. “that you don’t like me.”

His eyes flicker at that.

Beomgyu lets out a short breath and looks away again. Somehow the small space feels even tighter now.

“That’s not—” he starts, then stops. Swallows. His voice drops when he tries again. “That’s not what this is about.”

“It is,” I cut in immediately, the words coming out faster now. “Just answer the question.”

Silence.

When he finally looks at me, his gaze lands, then shifts away for a fraction of a second before returning. His throat moves as he swallows.

“I don’t—” he exhales, voice shaking. “I don’t have feelings for you, Y/N.”

The sentence lands. It stings in a way that’s almost worse because of how carefully he says it.

“You’re my best friend,” he adds, voice lower, stance loosening slightly as he finishes.

My throat tightens immediately. Best friend.

The words echo a little too long in my head, bouncing off everything else we’ve said tonight. I nod once, but it feels automatic, like my body is reacting before I’ve fully caught up.

“Right,” I mumble, and I hate how flat it comes out.

The silence stretches between us.

“...Well,” I say, forcing the air out of my lungs, “that’s good then.”

A pause follows immediately.

My fingers curl once at my side before dropping again.

“At least it isn’t weird for you,” I add, eyes fixed somewhere near his chest before lifting slightly. “That I’m going with Kai to the ball.”

His mouth parts, closes again, and a breath leaves through his nose before he looks away and back. Beomgyu looks away first before giving a brief nod.

“In the end,” I say, eyes dropping briefly before lifting back to him, “we both got what we wanted, right?”

Suddenly, the timer sharply rings from outside, cutting through whatever silence is left between us.

My fingers twitch at my side.

Before I can think twice, I turn toward the door. And behind me, Beomgyu shifts. His hand lifts slightly, then stops halfway. His mouth moves, words forming under his breath.

“Don’t—” he tries to call out, but the sound doesn’t reach me as the door is yanked open.

The light spills from the other side, swallowing the dimness that surrounded us just moments before.

And I step out of the closet without looking back.

put down the pitch forks!! i know, i knoww another cliff hanger. please i just need this build up to be goodd akjfdsjb slow burn is hopefully slow burningg!!

I breathe out a soft laugh, barely there. “You think?”

He leans back on his elbows, eyes squinting up at the sky. “Sorry. It felt like a good idea when I came up with it.” I only hum as a response.

Then, silence settles in.

“You know we’re at, like, date number fourteen now, right?” I say. He tilts his head, brows raised.

“Seriously?”

“Uhuh.” I nod. “Give or take.”

He hums thoughtfully under his breath. “Well... who knows? Maybe fifteen’s finally the one that changes everything.” he half-jokes.

I stay silent, letting the quiet return as my gaze wanders over the courtyard again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a group of Ravenclaws sprawled under the shade of a nearby tree. They're calm, composed. Basically untouched by the chaos the Ball has stirred in everyone else. I watch for a beat, then let out a soft breath, envy curling tight in my chest.

“Lucky bastards,” I mutter under my breath, before shifting my focus back to Beomgyu. “You know, I still don’t get why you weren’t into Soobin,” I say. “Or Sunghoon. They were both decent dates. Like… actually normal human beings.”

Beomgyu picks at a patch of dead grass, lips pressed together. “Yeah, they were.”

I pause for a moment, but he doesn’t go on. “So?”

He shifts his weight. “So, I don’t know…. They just didn’t feel like the right fit for you.”

“That’s not a real answer, Gyu.”

“I know,” he murmurs. “It’s hard to explain.”

“Try me.” I say, softer now.

He freezes, hand still curled around a torn blade of grass. His eyes stay locked on the parchment, and for a second, I’m not sure he’s going to say anything at all. Then, barely a breath—

“I just didn’t see it happening. You and… them.”

I glance over, watching his face carefully. He’s been doing this all week, crossing names off the list for reasons that don’t make any sense at all. I’ve let it all slide until now.

Because this time, it’s getting harder not to notice it.

I keep my voice light, measured. “Jung from Ravenclaw said Sunghoon might ask me, you know.”

He looks over, but stays quiet. "Yeah?"

"Mhm." I nod, looking over at him as he fidgets with the corners of the parchment. “Doesn’t that mean we’re done?” I ask. “Like, mission complete or something?”

Beomgyu sighs. “if you really want it to be.”

"Do you?"

“I just think… we haven’t seen all of our options yet. I mean, there’s still time, right?”

I let out a gentle breath, eyes roaming the surroundings again. “Right. Because the perfect guy is obviously hiding here somewhere.”

Beomgyu hums thoughtfully, lowering his eyes again as he brushes a thumb over the parchment. “Wait—hold on.” 

He straightens up abruptly, eyes narrowing like he’s caught sight of a miracle. “Isn’t that the Durmstrang guy? What was his name again? Jisung? Jinyoung?”

“I don’t know… Why?” I ask, but he’s already rising to his feet—and it hits me, all at once, what he’s about to do.

 "Wait. Beomgyu, don’t—” But it’s too late. 

He’s already on his feet, yelling across the courtyard. “Hey! Hey, Jiyeon! My man!”

Yep. That’s definitely not his name.

Jimin (no.) Jisung (no, thats not it either.) The Durmstrang guy doesn’t even flinch. He simply walks right past us with his chin high and cloak dramatically swishing in the air from the gust of wind.

“Hey, I’m talking to you!” he tries again, planting himself directly in the guy’s way.

Nothing. Not even a flicker of acknowledgment. 

He just breezes past like Beomgyu’s invisible.

Beomgyu gapes after him, visibly annoyed, then drags himself back over and collapses onto the grass beside me. "He was nice."

"I'm pretty sure you butchered his name."

"What do you mean? He looked like a Yoon-something."

"No, he didn’t."

Beomgyu shrugs. "Whatever. He probably just didn’t see me."

I laugh softly, tired but warm, but the sound dies when I glance down at the parchment between us. It’s crumpled and stained with smudged ink from all the names we’ve scribbled and crossed out.

“Gyu,” I say, softer this time, “let’s just pause this whole thing.”

He looks over at me. “Pause what?”

“The interviews,” I say. “They’re not going anywhere.”

His face shifts, the lightness dimming just a little.

“I mean it,” I say. “If we wait any longer, Chaewon might end up actually saying yes to one of her many proposals. So we need to focus on your plan first. Like, ASAP.” 

He goes quiet for a moment, fiddling with the crumpled parchment. “Are you sure?” he asks, softer this time.

“Positive.” I nod. “You helped me, right? Now it’s my turn to help you.”

He tries to smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Okay, then. Let’s start Operation: Win over Kim Chaewon.”

I hold out my hand. “Let’s make it happen.”

He shakes it, his hand warm and familiar in mine. And now, it finally begins.

The bells over the green door tinkle as we enter Honeydukes, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of caramel, chocolate, and a chaotic burst of mixed jelly beans. The shelves brim with every candy imaginable as students are weaving through the tight aisles of the store—laughing and shouting as they scramble for their favorites before they disappear.

“Alright,” Jungwon says, eyes moving swiftly over the shelves like he’s plotting a strategy. “We should split up. I’m heading for the Acid Pops before they sell out again.”

"God, you act like we’re going to war every time we come here," Nari mutters, unwinding her scarf.

“Because this is war.” Beomgyu says without missing a beat. “You weren’t here last Hogsmeade trip. Things got ugly.”

I shoot him an amused look. “You mean the time you went head-to-head with a third-year over the last pack of chocolate wands?”

I glance at Nari. “I literally had to drag this idiot out of the store so we wouldn’t get banned.”

“That little rascal literally yanked it right out of my hands!” Beomgyu says, turning to me, still looking genuinely offended. “I believe I had every right to defend myself.”

“Right, because calling him a 'greedy little troll' really helped ease the situation.”

"I said what I said." he shrugs.

I roll my eyes. 

"Just try not to get kicked out this time, yeah?”

“No promises.” He grins, already halfway to the shelves.

We start to split up. Jungwon and Nari disappear into the crowd, weaving between shelves and clusters of students. I’m just about to follow when someone near the back catches my eye.

Kim Chaewon.

Her laughter rings out softly at the shopkeeper’s joke as she tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, eyes crinkling just a bit.

Fucking bingo.

“Oh, look, Y/N! They finally got your favorite popping candy.” Beomgyu waves the red-and-gold pack in the air like a prized tropy, his face breaking into a broad, innocent grin.

“I’ll make sure to get you some,” he adds with a sigh. “God, I really am the best, huh?”

I pause mid-step and turn to look at him. He’s still completely absorbed by the shelf, poking curiously at a chocolate frog twitching inside its wrapper. Perfect.

Without hesitation, I instantly jab my elbow into his side.

“OW—hey! What the hell was that for?” Beomgyu yelps, rubbing his side with a frown.

He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off by shoving him forward. “No time to explain. Just go!”

“What—what's happening—” Too late again.

His momentum carries him straight into Chaewon, who’s just turned around holding a small jar of fairy fizz. He stumbles, reaching out to steady himself—but the bump sends the jar tumbling, bouncing off a bin’s edge and spinning rapidly toward the floor.

Okay… maybe I pushed a little too hard.

Thankfully, Beomgyu moves on instinct, bending down and catching the jar just before it hits the floor.

“Got it,” he mutters, a little breathless.

“Whoa, that was… fast,” A familiar voice comments ahead of him.

He freezes in place and looks up slowly. As soon as Beomgyu's eyes meet hers, he straightens up way too fast, like that’ll make him look less awkward.

“Oh shit. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” he asks, clearly flustered. “I swear I didn’t mean to run into you.”

Chaewon laughs softly, still a little surprised.

“Yeah, I'm okay. That just caught me a little off guard is all.” she nods at the jar in his hand. “Nice save, though.”

I edge a little closer to them, pretending to browse the nearest shelf while keeping one ear trained on the pair. Beomgyu clears his throat, face already flushed.

“Oh—uh, thank you. I-I play Quidditch, so y’know. Lots of… catching,” he mumbles, already wincing at himself.

Jesus.

I close my eyes for a second, pretending to inspect a box of Chocolate Frogs and doing everything I can to ignore the secondhand embarrassment trailing up my spine.

“Shit—I’m really sorry again,” he adds, voice quieter now.

“It’s okay. Accidents happen,” she says, waving it off with a small smile. Then she tilts her head, a teasing lilt slipping into her voice. “Although, I wouldn’t have guessed you were a player.”

“Oh—uh, yeah. Gryffindor, actually,” he says. “I took a bit of a break, but I’m getting back into it.”

I roll my eyes as I try my very best to hold back a snort.

"Oh," She reaches out and softly takes the jar back, fingers brushing his for a moment. “Good to know.” He nods, a little dazed.

 I’m never hearing the end of this. Her gaze lingers on him for a moment before, suddenly, something clicks.

“Wait. Hang on—you’re that Gryffindor who got owled those legendary dress robes for the ball, right? The sparkly ones that caused a near riot in the Great Hall?”

“What.” His eyes widened, her words catching him completely off guard.  Beomgyu rubs the back of his neck, a sheepish smile starting to tug at his lips. “Oh. Yeah. That… that was me.”

She grins, clearly amused. “I knew you looked familiar.” He lets out a soft laugh, barely more than a breath, and shakes his head.

“Damn, I can’t believe you know me from that incident.” His ears are turning a soft shade of pink.

“Yeah! Of course I do.” She shifts her weight slightly, still smiling. “I’m pretty sure your dress robes were the talk of the castle for, like, two days.”

Beomgyu groans and brings a hand up to cover his face, though the smile never quite leaves. “Oh god. Noo… Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m not,” she says, laughing. “Unfortunately.”

Then she pauses, eyes flicking toward him again—lighter now, maybe even a little shy. “But, y'know, I actually thought they were kind of cute.”

"Huh?" He peeks at her through his fingers, surprised. “…you really think so?”

“Yeah, I do.” Her grin softens around the edges. “I mean, I think they’re way better than those boring ‘mysterious’ looks every other guy in here tries to pull.”

There’s a brief pause. His hand lowers, and he looks at her fully this time—still a little flustered, but something about the way she’s looking at him eases the sting of the memory.

“T-thank you,” he says quietly. “That… kind of makes me feel better about the whole thing.”

Beomgyu rubs the back of his neck, obviously searching for something—anything—to say next. I nudge him on the back with my elbow before he can spiral, biting back a grin.

He suddenly clears his throat. “Well, if you ever need help with, uh, your… reflexes or, you know, catching things... I-I’m your guy.”

Good lord.

“I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.” Chaewon smiles.

She then reaches for another jar of fairy fizz from the shelf nearby and nudges it toward him. “Oh, by the way, you should try these instead." she says, then motions to the popping candy in his hand. "I think they’re way better than those.”

Beomgyu only nods and slowly takes the jar from her, a little dazed.  He absentmindedly sets the popping candy on some random shelf nearby, like he forgot he was even holding it in the first place.

“Thanks,” he says, softer this time.

She throws him one last smile before heading to the counter. Beomgyu just stands there, watching her go, too stunned to say anything more.

The moment she’s out of earshot, I pop back into view. “You’re welcome,” I whisper.

Beomgyu blinks, like he’s coming out of a trance. “What just happened?”

“You flirted. Badly. But she somehow liked it.” He looks down at the jar in his hands, then back at me, wide-eyed. 

“Oh no. Did I say anything weird? Was the reflex thing too much? Fuck, I think I blacked out.”

I shrug. “No, you did fine. You caught the jar, didn’t you?”

He runs a hand through his hair, still dazed. “Oh my god. She called me cute.”

“Correction: she called your dress robes cute.”

He doesn’t even bother to argue, simply grinning boyishly at the floor beneath him. 

As we start heading back toward the others, something catches my eye: a familiar red and gold pack sitting quietly on a shelf, just beside where he’d been standing earlier. I don’t say anything.

I simply tug my scarf a little tighter and nudge him forward. 

“Come on, Romeo. Before we lose the others."

Beomgyu groans softly but keeps a tight grip on the jar of fairy fizz Chaewon handed him.

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

“AND THERE I WAS, heroically saving her jar of fairy fizz with my amazing Quidditch skills,” Beomgyu says, grinning as if he just won the House Cup. “And then she goes like, ‘Hey, aren't you that handsome, good-looking Gryffindor who got owled those cute dress robes for the ball?’” 

Nari snorts in response, nearly dropping her bag of sweets. Jungwon just blows a bubble and lets it pop loud, listening intently to his rambles.

We’re now halfway up the path to the castle, the sun dipping low behind the towers. I roll my eyes, but a smile sneaks onto my face.

“Right. And she totally didn't mention how half the Gryffindor table nearly choked laughing that day.”

“A minor detail.” Beomgyu waves a hand dismissively. “The point is she thought my dress robes were cute. Did you hear that? Cute! From Chaewon.”

Nari smirks. “Damn. Nice work, Y/N. Maybe he’s not a lost cause after all.”

“Congrats, man. Looks like you’ve got game after all.” Jungwon laughs.

Beomgyu beams, that crooked, too-proud smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as his fingers tighten slightly around the jar in his hand.

Ever since that brief run-in with Chaewon at Honeydukes, Beomgyu’s found a handful of excuses to ‘casually’ cross paths with her—each one getting more ridiculous than the last.

 “Just passing through,” he shrugged when I raised a brow.  

We were on our way to dinner in the Great Hall. Or at least, we were until Beomgyu made a sharp turn toward the west staircase—just as the Ravenclaws began filing down. He slowed near the landing, eyes flicking up just long enough to spot Chaewon in her usual group, before immediately redirecting his attention to a nearby painting of a turnip farmer—suddenly locked in intense eye contact with the man.

Honestly, I couldn’t believe that I witnessed this in real time.

The farmer paused mid-hoist of his massive vegetable, squinting down at Beomgyu who's suddenly face-to-face with him.

“Oh, hello there...?” The farmer greeted, confused. “Can I help you with something, lad?”

Beomgyu clearing his throat, nodding, all serious. “Hello, sir. Big fan of your... crops.”

A beat of silence. 

The farmer blinked. “Err. Right.”

I stepped up beside Beomgyu and nudged his elbow, just enough to make him flinch.

“Seriously?” I muttered. “This is your strategy now?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he says, eyes still fixed onto the painting. “I’m simply appreciating quality agricultural-themed artwork.”

The farmer shifted uncomfortably in his frame, eyes darting left and right like trying his best to avoid direct eye-contact with Beomgyu (who was still dead-staring at him, by the way.)

“Right.” I nodded toward the staircase. “And that has absolutely nothing to do with her being, what, ten steps away?”

“Oh, wow." Beomgyu ‘casually’ peering over his shoulder, all wide-eyed innocence. “What a happy coincidence.”

“Uh-huh.”

Across the staircases, Chaewon laughed at something one of her friends had said. She didn’t seem to notice him—but one of the girls beside her definitely did. The girl leaned close and murmured something into her ear, prompting Chaewon to glance back over her shoulder.

Beomgyu snapped his head back toward the portrait, far too eager to hide the fact that he was watching. I exhaled, shaking my head at the sorry display.

“You know she already thinks you’re kind of cute, right? Like in a weird sweet way.”

“Really?”

“She called your dress robes cute, didn’t she? That’s at least a tier-two compliment.”

Beomgyu laughed quietly, rubbing the back of his neck.  “Sorry, I just…I don’t wanna screw anything up,” he said.

“You won’t,” I murmured, softer now. “Just maybe stop pretending you’re artistically moved by vegetable art.”

That gets a small, sheepish smile. “Got it.” ₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

There was another time too, in the library this time. 

I caught him a few shelves away from where Chaewon’s sitting, pretending to read a Herbology book he clearly has no reason to be reading.

And the best part? It’s completely upside down… Again.

I walked past him, quietly sliding a Care of Magical Creatures textbook onto the table in front of him—Chaewon’s favorite subject. He didn’t even look up, just flipped it open like that had been his plan all along. I rolled my eyes as I turned away. 

Absolute idiot. ₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

And even, outside the Charms classroom, I caught him again—trying way too hard to look casual, his eyes flicking constantly toward the corridor.

When I asked what he was up to, he just said, “I’m waiting for a friend.”

He wasn’t.

The door finally opened and Chaewon walked out with two of her Slytherin friends, laughter following behind them. One of the girls nudged her when they noticed Beomgyu standing there, and Chaewon glanced over.

“Hi,” she greeted politely, not breaking a stride.

“Hi. Just… waiting for a friend,” he replied, way too fast.

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips before disappearing into the hall. I don’t say anything right away—not until we’re already heading back toward the common room and he’s still walking like he’s in a daze.

“She talked to me again,” he mumbled quietly. I glanced over at him, noticing his ears turning a shade of pink.

“She did,” I agreed. “Almost like she’s a real person.”

Beomgyu simply groaned, dragging his hands down his face, but there’s no hiding the grin tugging at his lips. I just shook my head at him, biting back a smile.

Later that afternoon, the hum of the castle fades behind me as I reach the Quidditch stands, the cold air sharp enough to make the warmth of the drinks in my hands feel well-earned. I spot Kai sitting by the bleachers and lift a hand in a wave as I make my way over. 

He greets me with a soft “hey” when I hand him a cup of hot chocolate, the steam curling in the cool air as I settle beside him. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the Quidditch pitch, and there’s a hum of boisterous, laugh-filled chatter from the field as Gryffindor’s team wraps up their warmups.

“Hey, thought you might need this,” I say, motioning to the mug in his hands.

Kai smiles—that same soft, gentle smile he always has. “You read my mind.”

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the blur of students zoom across the sky on their brooms. Gryffindor’s practice is now in full swing—red and gold streaks against a cloudless backdrop. I spot Beomgyu instantly.

Of course, the loudest one on the pitch.

“How’ve you been lately?” I ask, tucking my legs up to sit cross-legged. “Caught you with your nose still stuck in that astrology book I gave you the other day.”

Kai lets out a chuckle. “Oh yeah, I’ve been reading about moons a lot lately. Started after we stopped our tutoring sessions.” He takes a slow sip of his hot chocolate, eyes flicking to mine over the rim. “Guess you must’ve rubbed off on me.”

I grin. “Damn, I was that good of a teacher, huh?”

“I guess you were. “ he laughs under his breath. “You never know—maybe one day I’ll be the one tutoring you about constellations and lunar phases.”

I quirk a smile. “At least it's a new excuse to keep seeing you, then.”

He watches me over the rim of his mug, eyes lingering just a moment too long before he takes another slow sip.

“How’re the interviews going, by the way? Found your soulmate yet?”

I exhale, shaking my head. “Paused, actually. For now we’re focusing on Beomgyu’s whole Chaewon mission.”

“Oh, really?” Kai says, voice dipping just slightly. “That’s… probably smart.”

He doesn’t say more, but the slower, looser nod feels almost… relieved, like he’s not entirely unhappy about the change in plans. Before I can respond, a familiar voice echoes up the stands.

“GUESS WHO’S GOING TO THE YULE BALL WITH KANG TAEHYUN, BITCHESS?”

Nari practically launches herself into the row in front of us, cheeks pink and eyes shining. “I can’t believe I actually did it. I used the squirrel-note idea with the bowtie and everything—and he said YES. Me. He said yes to ME.”

Then she adds, “We actually talked. He said he’s always noticed me in class as the ‘cute smart girl who’s really good at dueling in DADA’. He noticed me.” She squeals, vibrating with excitement

"Holy shit. That’s amazing, Nari! I’m so proud of you." I grin.

“Awee thanks, Y/N!  I mean I'm pretty sure I blacked out for most of it, but I definitely might’ve heard a squeak. Still not sure if it was coming from the squirrel or me.”

I chuckle at her remark.

“Jesus, what’s with people blacking out during conversations lately?” I tease. “But honestly, I’d bet on you.”

“Not the point,” she says, waving a hand. “What matters is that I did it! I’m actually going to the Yule Ball with the Kang Taehyun.”

She throws her fists into the air like a Quidditch player who just scored the winning goal, then immediately lowers them when her eyes land on Kai beside me. 

“Oh—hello.” She straightens up the moment she notices Kai. “Wait, is this Kai?”

“Oh, right.” I turn toward them. “Nari, meet Kai. Kai, this is my best friend-slash-roommate-slash-the reason I haven’t hexed half the castle.”

“Hello.” Kai offers a polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Nari arches a brow at me, silent questions practically radiating from her figure. I ignore it.

“Hold on,” she says, narrowing her eyes at Kai. “Haven’t I seen you with Taehyun before?”

“Oh yeah.” he nods, lowering his mug. “He’s been my best friend since first year. Our parents were friends, so we knew each other before Hogwarts too.”

Nari’s eyes widen. “Oh fuck… my bad.” She buries her face in her hands.

“No, no, it’s okay!” Kai quickly reassures her. “He doesn’t talk about girls much, but I’ve seen him looking your way—in the corridors and in Hogsmeade… So yeah. I can tell he really likes you too.”

Nari peeks through her fingers, her face running a deep shade of red underneath it. “Oh my God. Don’t say that. I will literally combust on this spot.”

Kai smiles. “Too late. Besides… it’s true.”

She flails dramatically, then plops beside me. “Okay, I need to distract myself before I melt into a puddle of nerves.” she states. “What were you two talking about?”

“Beomgyu’s plan with Chaewon,” I say. “Which is currently going terribly, by the way.”

Nari groans. “You know, for someone with a decent fangirl following, he’s awful at this kind of thing.”

Kai hums, thoughtful. “Well… it sort of makes sense if he’s really that into her.”

“True. He has been crushing on Chaewon since last year.” I comment.

Kai nods. “Sometimes, the longer you like someone, the harder it gets to actually say anything.”

“Ugh. Facts.” Nari leans back. “So what’s the new angle, then? Because the current plan sucks.”

I sigh. “I don’t know. I just feel like we’re missing something. Like, there has to be a better way to show her who he actually is. Not the version that stumbles every time she walks past.”

“Hmm.. maybe you guys just need to find his meta point,” Kai says casually.

I blink. “His what now?”

“You know, the thing that makes him stand out… His natural charm. The part of him people can’t help but admire.”

“That’s a challenge.” Nari snorts. “This is the same guy who barked back at an enchanted bulldog portrait just last week.”

“God,” I mutter. “I really need to tell him to stop harassing the castle paintings.”

Kai lets out a genuine, wholehearted laugh.

“But he’s right,” Nari says. “If we want to impress Hogwarts’ golden girl, we might need to blur out some of the chaos and highlight the parts of him that are… not completely unhinged.”

Our voices fade as our eyes return to the pitch. Beomgyu loops through the air, easy and wild, the wind catching his hair as his laughter spreads bright and free across the field. He’s not trying to be charming. He’s just being himself. And weirdly enough, it works.

That’s it! He doesn’t need a grand gesture or a clever strategy.

The man is the strategy.

“That’s it,” I breathe, shooting to my feet. “That’s fucking it, guys!”

Nari startles. “What—what happened?”

I nearly spill my drink as I grab her in a hug. “That’s the plan. Beomgyu is the whole plan.”

"What? I don’t get it." She asks, holding a confused expression.

I turn and throw my arms around Kai, who stiffens for a second before slowly hugging me back—his hand resting lightly on my waist, ears turning visibly pink. When I pull back, there’s a quiet, bashful grin on his face.

“Soo.. what is the plan, exactly?” Nari asks, half-laughing.

“We’ll talk on the way,” I say, already standing up from my spot. “But we’re gonna need a broomstick. And maybe a few distraction spells.”

That evening, Beomgyu’s hair is still damp from practice, sticking up in chaotic directions like he towel-dried it and gave up mid-way. He’s now slouched on the rug by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, towel bunched in his hands, looking every bit like a boy losing an argument—with himself. Jungwon lounges on the couch across him, toying a Chocolate Frog card without much interest, clearly the unwilling audience to whatever this is.

“I’m just saying,” Beomgyu mutters, wringing the small towel between his hands, “if I charm my broom to do, like, this really cool front flip mid-air, it could seem pretty impressive to her, right. Romantic, even?”

Jungwon doesn’t even bother looking up. “Or you could look like you’re actively trying to throw up in front of her. Depends on the flip.”

I stifle a grin as Nari and I step through the portrait hole. Beomgyu’s groan echoing off the stone walls just in time to greet us.

He flops back dramatically against the armrest. “Why is timing so complicated? I can do a half-pitch score with a quaffle, but not this.”

“You’re taking Chaewon on a broom ride tonight,” I announce, dropping my cloak onto the nearest chair without ceremony. “Midnight. South Tower.”

Beomgyu blinks. “I’m sorry, what—?”

“You heard her,” Nari adds, flopping onto the couch next to Jungwon and casually swiping the frog card from his hand. “No thinking. Just doing. That’s your thing, right?”

Beomgyu gestures vaguely to his still-wet hair, like that’s proof enough. “I literally just got back from practice a few hours ago. You want me to do extra drills?”

I shrug. “Yeah. But, Chaewon doesn’t know that.”

He turns to Jungwon for backup. “Did I not just spend two grueling hours dodging Bludgers with you?”

Jungwon, the traitor, doesn’t even flinch. “Not my circus, not my confession plan.”

I step closer, keeping my voice steady. “She likes stargazing. Near the field. I heard it from a friend who heard it from another friend—but, regardless, it checks out. You just show up like you’re just squeezing in extra practice, ‘accidentally’ run into her, and invite her to fly with you. Simple.”

Nari nods. "She goes there when she just wants some peace and quiet. Clear skies, no crowds. It’s honestly kind of perfect."

“Exactly,” I say. “You don’t need some big dramatic move. Just show up and be you. That’s what she’ll actually like.”

Beomgyu opens his mouth, then closes it again. His eyes dart between the two of us, like we’ve all rehearsed this behind his back—which, okay, we sort of have.

“This is insane,” he mutters eventually.

“You’re welcome,” I say, grinning as I grab his hand and pull him up off the couch. “Now get moving, lover boy.”

Nari stands to follow us, still looking pleased with herself.

Behind us, I can hear Jungwon call out, “Hey! Give me back my card, Nari!”

She doesn’t even turn around.

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

Beomgyu keeps his hand wrapped around mine as we head to the field, his grip just a bit unsteady. In his other hand, he clutches his broom, fingers curled tight around the handle as Nari hums quietly behind us.

Beomgyu mutters under his breath, trying to hype himself up, “Okay. Okay. You’re gonna be fine, Choi Beomgyu. You’ve done scarier things, right? Like… OWLs. And telling Mom you joined the Quidditch team instead of choir—yeah, that was way worse. This is nothing.”

His hand is tight around the broom, tension written in the lines of his fingers. I thread my fingers through his and squeeze gently, hoping the warmth is enough to remind him he’s not alone.

“You got this,” I mumble, quietly. He looks back at me with a small, thankful smile.

Just up ahead, Chaewon rests on the grass by the Quidditch pitch, a book balanced in her hands. Her bag sits at her side as she lifts her eyes to the stars, the calm in her gaze almost palpable.

Beomgyu slows, voice tight. “Oh, fuck. She’s there. What do I even say?”

Nari impatiently cuts in. “Just go. She’s literally right there. That’s your cue.”

“No pressure, Gyu. Just be yourself—that’s more than enough.” I assure him gently. His fingers tighten around mine, and neither of us makes a move.

Suddenly, Nari’s voice cuts in from behind, “You know, you guys can stop holding hands now, right?”

Beomgyu flinches slightly, easing his hand away. I shove my hands into my pockets, trying to look casual, but the sudden emptiness feels unexpectedly sharp.

“Oh. Right, sorry.” he laughs awkwardly.

“How cute.” Nari teases. “Wrong girl, though, lover boy.”

Beomgyu stays quiet, straightening his posture with a slow inhale before reluctantly making his way toward Chaewon.

Damn.

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

Third Person POV

The grass crunched softly beneath Beomgyu’s boots, his steps slow and steady as he walked toward the pitch. The broom resting lightly in his hand, and he mutters little encouraging words under his breath.

He almost misses her voice when it comes.

“You always train this late?” a familiar voice calls out. Beomgyu skids to a half-stop. This is it.

Chaewon sits on the grassy hill just before the field, knees drawn up to her chest, and the book now forgotten on the ground beside her. She looks at him, curious but not unfriendly.

“Oh. Uh, yeah. Sometimes,” he says, trying not to trip over the words. “Just helps me think, I guess.”

She smiles gently. “I didn’t know Gryffindors could be brooding.”

“I’m not! I mean—only a little.” He shifts awkwardly. “You come here a lot?”

“Sometimes,” she says softly. “It’s quiet. Good for stargazing.”

Beomgyu nods. “Yeah. Best view on castle grounds, if you ask me.”

“Oh, uh, I’m Beomgyu, by the way.” he finally introduces himself, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. “Choi Beomgyu.”

“It’s nice to finally match a name to the face,” she says, lips twitching into a grin. “Chaewon. Kim Chaewon.”

“Yeah, I know,” he blurts, then winces. “Not in a creepy way! It’s just… you’re in Arithmancy with Aera, Aera’s partners with Y/N in Potions, and Y/N’s my—” He stops himself. “Friend.”

Chaewon lifts a brow, amused. “Friend of a friend, huh? That explains the lingering.”

“I wasn’t…” Beomgyu begins, then quickly relents. “Okay, maybe just a tiny bit.”

A quiet stretches between them, before he clears his throat. “Um… I was actually gonna go for a short ride. You know, just a clear-my-head kind of thing. Would you care to join me?”

She hesitates, a nervous smile tugging at her lips. “You mean… on that?”

“Yeah. I’ll handle all the flying. You’d just hang on.” He lifts the broom slightly. Chaewon doesn’t answer immediately.

“I’m not great with heights,” she admits softly. “Flying class was… okay, barely, but being up there still makes me nervous.”

Beomgyu’s softens at this revelation.

“Hey, that’s fine. I’ll keep it steady. No sudden moves—just a simple, smooth ride.” She studies him for a moment, then slowly stands, brushing grass from her robes.

“Alright,” she says, a bit nervous. “But if I scream… you can’t tell anyone.”

“Deal,” he says, grinning. “And if I drop you, you’re allowed to haunt me forever.”

She laughs quietly. “Good. Then we understand each other perfectly.”

They start walking toward the pitch side by side, her steps slightly slower than his, the broom swinging gently in his grip. ...

From across the courtyard, Nari spots them first through the shadows.

“Oh my god,” she whispers, tugging on Y/N’s sleeve. “He’s actually doing it. They’re walking to the pitch.”

Y/N looks up instinctively.

Sure enough, Beomgyu and Chaewon are silhouetted against the moonlight, heading toward the Quidditch field together. His broom now bouncing lightly at his side as their steps carry a quiet rhythm between them.

“Oh,” Y/N says, and her voice comes out smaller than she intends it to.

Nari watches her carefully. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” Y/N replies. “It’s part of the plan. He’s—doing great.” A quiet, measured smile curving her pink lips.

Nari doesn’t call her out. Instead, she gives a gentle nudge and pulls a small bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans from her cloak pocket. “Want to mess with Jungwon later? Rig his jelly beans so he gets all the gross flavors?”

Y/N blinks, then lets out a small, quiet laugh. “You’re evil.”

“You love it.”

The two girls turn and head off toward the castle steps, laughter soft and a little distracted.

... Back on the pitch, Beomgyu stands with the broom in hand, holding it out toward her with quiet patience. Chaewon approaches slowly, reluctant, her eyes fixed on the broom like it might bite if she got too close.

“Are you sure you’ve done this with another person before?” she asks, adjusting her grip.

“Thousands of times,” he says, overly confident. Chaewon only tilts her head slightly, shooting him a look. “Okay—like… thrice. But it's close enough.” She giggles softly.

“I got you. Promise.” he says, eyes warm and steady.

She nods, a little unsure, then climbs onto the broom, holding the handle tighter than she means to. Beomgyu swings on right behind her, his chest brushing lightly against her back as he settles in, and she goes still. The broom wobbles slightly under the silence, but neither of them say anything.

“You ready?” he asks, voice low, the words brushing close to her ear.

“Not exactly,” she admits with a quiet smile, but she nods all the same.

He pushes them off the ground, and the broom rises clean into the air. The castle falls away behind the pair, windows glowing like scattered embers and the trees blurring beneath their feet. Chaewon doesn’t speak, simply watching as the sky stretches wider around them, cold air brushing her face. Everything feels too high and not high enough all at once.

Chaewon laughs under her breath as the wind brushes her face. “Okay… this isn’t as scary as I remembered.”

“I told you. Best view on castle grounds." Beomgyu leans slightly forward, smiling at the view ahead.

Chaewon’s breath comes out quiet, almost in awe. Her eyes sweep across the lights below. “It's so beautiful,” she says, voice barely above a whisper. “I forgot how magical it all looks from up here,”

Beomgyu lets out a soft hum behind her, keeping the broom steady beneath them.

“You know,” she says with a soft sigh, eyes still on the view, “this would be even more magical on a hippogriff.”

After a beat, she adds, “I rode Buckbeak once. It was during Care of Magical Creatures. Terrifying, honestly—but kind of amazing. That’s the only real flying I’ve done outside of class.”

“No way,” Beomgyu perks up, laughing softly. “Buckbeak and I have… history.”

Chaewon glances over her shoulder, curious. “History?”

“Yeah,” he says, wincing a little. “He scratched me once. Talon straight to the arm. I ended up in the Hospital Wing right after.”

“Oh—was that why you were in a cast during OWLs season?”

Her eyes widen a little as the memory clicks. “I remember you were limping around the castle with your arm wrapped up like a mummy.”

He glances away, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. “Oh, you saw that?”

“It was kind of hard to miss.” she smiles. "So, what happened?"

“It’s a long story.” He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Y/N got chosen to interact with Buckbeak. Everything was going fine—until some student dropped something loud near the paddock, right as she was bowing.”

He pauses, like he’s still a little embarrassed by it. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I panicked and kind of… threw myself in between him and Y/N.”

There’s a small pause as Chaewon takes that in. Her eyes search his face, softer now.

“You saved her?” she says quietly.

“I mean… barely,” he says, a small, sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “She almost got nipped. Badly. But yeah.”

His voice softens unconsciously. “Y/N was terrified, and I didn’t really think—I just moved.”

Chaewon shifts slightly, just enough to glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He isn’t smiling exactly, but there’s a softness in the way his voice eases when he says her name. It slips out without effort, like something warm threading through the cracks of his facade.

She raises an eyebrow, her voice light but curious. “So… you and Y/N. Pretty close, then?”

A small pause. “Are you two an item?”

Beomgyu blinks, thrown for a second.

“What? Oh—no. No, we’re not." He shakes his head quickly, eyes darting forward. "She’s just—my best friend.”

Chaewon smiles to herself. “Mhm.”

“I swear,” he says quickly, chuckling under his breath. “She’d hex me if I said otherwise.”

“I see.”

The wind whistles softly around them as the broom glides higher, and for a while they’re quiet, only soaking everything in—the view, the stars, world beneath them. Chaewon closes her eyes, letting the breeze run through her hair, then opens them again with a small, unshakable smile.

“Okay,” she says, “I get why you sneak out to do this now.”

Beomgyu grins. “Told you. It’s a nice little escape from all the chaos back at the castle.”

“Yeah? But is it better with company?” Chaewon tilts her head, her voice light.

He shifts the broom gently, steering them into a slow curve through the moonlight. Then he leans in, just enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath against her ear.

“Definitely better with company.”

Y/N's POV

It’s only been a few days since that broom ride with Chaewon, and already, Beomgyu’s spending more time with her than anyone else. It’s not surprising—not really. He’s been throwing himself into “Operation: Win Over Kim Chaewon” like it’s a full-time job.

There were study breaks that somehow always ended up with just the two of them, little walks after class where they’d disappear around the corners of the castle, and those perfectly timed “accidental” run-ins near the greenhouses. Sometimes he’d bring me along, and I’d pretend it didn’t feel weird—like I was tagging along on something that wasn’t even official yet, but clearly heading there.

It wasn’t the same anymore. Beomgyu used to skip rocks with me by the Black Lake sometimes during breaks, sneak bites 'small' from my snack stash, and even leave terrible jokes scribbled in the margins of whatever book I was reading.

Now, we’re lucky if he turns up at dinner.

But it’s fine. Whatever. It’s what I agreed to help with, anyway. Still, the space he used to take up feels a little louder now that it’s empty.

“You think it’s working?” Nari asks, dropping into the seat beside me at the Gryffindor table. She’s holding a half-eaten pumpkin tart, her eyes fixed on me with a quiet certainty.

I glance up from my notes. “What?”

“Operation: Win Over Chaewon,” she says, nudging my elbow. “You’ve been on, like, quarter the missions, right?”

“God. Don’t call it that,” I groan.

Jungwon slides into the spot across from us, already mid-chew. “Well, he has been acting differently,” he mumbles, mouth full. “Wearing that dumb cologne again lately.”

“He always wears that dumb cologne,” I mutter, but it comes out weaker than I meant.

“He’s trying,” Nari’s voice drops a little. “And it looks like she’s into him too.”

I nod, forcing a smile and Jungwon raises a brow. “You okay with that?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

There’s a beat of silence.

“You don’t have to lie to us, you know.." Nari says softly.

“I’m not,” I reply. “I’m just… focusing on other things.”

“Like Kai?” Jungwon grins. “Saw him give you one of those chocolate frogs he pretends he doesn’t hoard.”

Nari gives him a playful smack on the arm. I simply roll my eyes at his comment.

“Well…” I say, a bit too quietly, “Kai’s a sweet guy.”

Jungwon teases. “Mhmm.”

"Shut up."

He’s not wrong. I have been spending more time with Kai ever since Beomgyu’s attention shifted entirely to her. It wasn’t planned—I didn’t even realize it was happening at first. But Kai started showing up more, saving me a seat in the library, coming along for stargazing at the Astronomy Tower again, even making sure to get to breakfast early so I wouldn’t be alone when Nari and Jungwon weren’t around.

Being with him feels quiet. Steady. Like he knows exactly when to speak and when to let the silence linger. And it’s different, but not in a bad way, just… softer. 

He’s not trying to pull me out of my thoughts or distract me. He just holds a space beside him, open if I want it. No chaos, no wild back-and-forth (well, maybe a little teasing), just a calm I didn’t realize I needed.

Sometimes, his steady look feels like he’s seeing the parts of me I keep hidden, even from myself. ₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

“Are you okay? You’ve been a lot quieter lately,” Kai asks one evening, pulling away from the telescope as we sit together in the Astronomy Tower.

Of course, before curfew this time.

“Huh? Oh, yeah.” I shift in my seat, eyes dropping to the open book in my lap. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve just been… distracted.”

I force a half-smile. “I'm sorry.”

Kai shakes his head, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

 “You don’t have to apologize.” He leans back on his hands, gaze drifting toward the stars. “You’ve had a lot on your mind lately.”

I don’t answer right away.

The stars spread across the velvet sky above us, each one steady and distant. They burn quietly, unaware of the heaviness that settles over everything down here. Kai only glances over at me once more.

“Is it about Beomgyu?”

My stomach twists, but I try not to let it show. I flip a page in my book just to keep my hands busy. “Everyone’s been saying that lately…”

Kai holds the silence gently, giving me time without a single question.

“I think…” I hesitate, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “I think I’ve just been feeling kind of… replaced. Or left behind. Which is stupid, because it’s not like anything’s changed overnight.”

He looks at me softly. “It’s not stupid.”

I let out a breath, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. “It kind of is.”

“It’s not,” he says again, softer this time. “It makes sense. Watching someone drift away—even slowly—still hurts.”

“My friends keep asking if I’m okay,” I admit after a moment, voice low. “Like they’re just waiting for me to fall apart.”

Kai listens quietly.

“I don’t know what they expect me to say. That I’m jealous? That I miss him?” I let out a quiet, bitter laugh. “That I hate watching my best friend run off chasing someone else?”

The silence settles without pressure.

Kai’s voice breaks the silence, steady and calm. “Maybe they want you to be honest, even if it hurts.” He pauses, gaze lifting back to the sky. “You deserve someone who looks at you the way you look at him.”

I exhale slowly. “Was I really that obvious?”

“You’re not,” he says, glancing back at me. “Not really. But I guess I pay a more attention when it comes to you.”

We sit quietly for a while, not saying a word, simply taking in the stillness around us. A breeze moves through the tower, cool and soft. Somewhere below, the castle hums with faint sounds, closing doors and shifting staircases, but it feels distant and not part of this moment. Kai leans back, elbows resting behind him, eyes fixed on the stars as he tries to memorize their positions.

I watch him from the corner of my eye, drawn to the smooth curve of his jaw, the tiny moles on his skin, and the way his soft pink lips press together as he stares up at the clouds with those deep brown eyes.

He catches me looking and tilts his head a little. “What?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly, eyes darting back to my book, though I haven’t read a single word in the last ten minutes.

He smiles softly, shifting a little closer as our knees brush against one another.

“Do you ever get the feeling that you can just be entirely yourself with someone?” he asks softly after a pause, his voice calm but carrying something deeper that stirs my stomach.

I blink, a sudden heat rising to my cheeks. “Be myself… in a good way or a bad way?”

“Both,” he says, thoughtful. “Like… you don’t have to worry. No pretending, no games—just… you.”

I hum softly, heart skipping a little. “Yeah… I think I get that.”

He swallows, then admits, voice barely above a whisper, “I think… I feel that way with you.”

A small jolt hits my chest, warmth spreading through me, throwing my thoughts off balance. He stays silent for a moment, letting the weight settle between us before adding softly, “You don’t have to pretend around me, you know?”

“I’m not pretending.”

“You are. A little,” he teases, though his voice is gentle. 

I huff out a quiet laugh. “You’re a little too observant, you know.”

He grins. “Told you I pay attention.”

There’s a pause. Then, he shifts slightly, turning toward me more fully now. His voice is careful when he speaks again, like he’s been waiting for the right moment.

“I… I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” he says, shifting slightly. “But I didn’t want it to feel like I was stepping in for someone else… or pressuring you before you were ready.”

My chest tightens. He swallows, then meets my eyes.

“I was wondering… if you don’t have a date yet, would you like go to the Yule Ball with me?”

And then he looks at me—really looks at me—and it’s like he’s seeing every little part of me. His gaze is steady and warm, soft enough to make my skin tingle. Its hopeful in the softest, most unassuming way.

“I’d really like to go with you,” Kai adds, softer this time. “Not because I think you need cheering up or something, but because I want to... if you'd let me."

For a second, I don’t say anything, needing a moment to steady my voice before it trembles.

“I’d like that,” I respond quietly.

Kai’s smile tugs at the corners of his lips, careful but with a faint lift that betrays his excitement. He doesn’t say a word at first. He just holds my gaze, memorizing the moment, hiding the quick flutter of his heart behind a calm exterior.

“Yeah?” he says, voice a touch lighter now. 

I nod, tucking my hands into the sleeves of my jumper. “Yeah.”

The stone skips twice before sinking, sending soft ripples across the Black Lake. I watch them fade, then stoop to pick up another flat one from the small pile at my feet.

The lake is unusually quiet this afternoon. The low sun casts a warm gold across the water, and a gentle breeze tugs at the edges of my sleeves. I bend for another rock just as a voice breaks the stillness behind me.

“Y/N!”

I turn, and there he is—jogging down the hill, hoodie half-zipped, hair tousled like he ran straight from the castle. Beomgyu’s grin is wide, eyes bright with that effortless, contagious excitement.

“Guess. Guess what just happened. Guess what Chaewon just asked me.”

I blink at him, a small rock still in hand. “Um. Did she ask you to stop yelling in public spaces?”

“No, but that would’ve been fair,” he admits, then grabs my shoulders with way too much enthusiasm. “She invited me to the Ravenclaw party! I mean, it’s not really a party-party… more like a hangout. Popular-kid social event thing, whatever. But it’s mostly Ravenclaws, and, like, half the cool kids from the other houses sneak in too. And she invited ME. Directly.”

I raise a brow. “And you’re telling me this because…?”

“Because you’re coming with me.”

I snort. “Absolutely not.”

“Y/N, please, come,” he pleads, a little breathless. “I can’t do this alone. I’ll freeze and mess everything up, probably say something ridiculous… I need you there. You’re, like, my calm amidst my own chaos.”

I try to keep a straight face, but it’s not easy. “So you mean to tell me you got invited to some elite Ravenclaw get-together by Kim Chaewon herself, and your first thought was to rope me into it?”

“Yes!” he says, as if it’s obvious. “Of course. You think I’d go in there all alone? I’ll explode, Y/N. I’d probably end up cracking awful jokes and getting kicked out before the night even starts.”

I laugh, but the hesitation still tugs at me. “I don’t know, Gyu… Their crowd isn’t exactly my scene. Don’t you think it’s better if you just… go solo this time?”

“I’ll stay with you,” he says quickly. “I swear. As much as I can. And if I do ditch you—which I won’t—you have full permission to kick me hard on the shin.”

I snort. “Noted.”

“And look,” he says, more hesitant now, “she mentioned something about not accepting anyone’s Yule Ball offer yet. It wasn’t direct or anything, but it felt like… like an opening, you know? I think this might be my chance.”

“You should go for it, then.”

“I want to,” he says. “But I'll feel better when you’re there. It’s dumb, I know. But…”

“It’s not dumb,” I intervened quietly. He softens.

“Then come with me.”

I pick up another stone, weighing it in my palm, before finally giving in. “Fine.”

Beomgyu lights up instantly. “YES. Oh my God. Thank you. You are the greatest, kindest, most beautiful soul to ever walk this planet.”

“You know, I’m regretting it already.”

"C'mon, Y/N. You're literally saving lives out here. You're saving my life."

I roll my eyes. "You do realize that you owe me for this, right?"

"I owe you everything."

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

Before I know it, we’re standing in front of what looks like a blank stretch of wall on the seventh floor. Beomgyu paces past it three times, and then a door appears.

The Room of Requirement.

The moment the door swings open, laughter and music flood into the hall. It feels as if the sound is woven into the very walls.

I mean whatever magic the Ravenclaws use to keep this hidden, it's clearly working—because from the outside, you’d never have any idea there was a party going on at all.

The warmth hits as soon as we step inside. The room was filled with students scattered into mixed groups and drinks and snacks lounge lazily on tables, basking in the gentle glow of the room. There were soft golden lights conjured bulbs placed high along the ceiling arches and richly patterned blue rugs covering the wooden floors. Cushions are scattered across the room as long window seats stretch beneath tall panes, framing the night sky perfectly.

Beomgyu bumps his shoulder against mine with a goofy grin spreading across his face. He seems excited and at ease. He fits in perfectly.

“You ready?” he asks, glance sliding to me. I slowly nod in response, ignoring the nervous pit building in my stomach.

We move further in, and it doesn’t take long for people to notice him. A few Ravenclaws nod or flash quick smiles toward his direction, and one of the Beauxbatons girls—who I hadn’t even realized was here—waves at him like they’ve actually talked before. Beomgyu waves back easily, like it’s no big deal.

I hang back slightly, scanning the room for something, anything that makes me feel like I belong here, too.

“Hey,” he leans toward me again. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I say, forcing a small smile. “You go ahead. I’ll find a spot.”

“Nope,” he says, not skipping a beat. “C’mon, we’ll find one together.”

Before I can talk myself out of it, he gently takes my hand and steers me toward one of the window nooks in the back of the room. It had a cluster of cushions sprawled all around and a few small trays of snacks resting on small tables, clearly brought for small groups. The space feels quiet, set apart from the room’s lively bustle.

“We’ll start here, okay?” he says, settling in beside me. “Ease into it.”

A quiet laugh escapes me. “You make it sound like we’re planning a heist or something.”

“Kind of feels like it, doesn’t it?” he grins. "Okay, so we just sit here, and when the time’s right, I’ll go find Chaewon and you hex me if or when I act like an idiot. Deal?”

I exhale a laugh. “Deal.”

He plops down beside me, knees bumped together like always.

“Thank you for coming with me again, Y/N.”

And somehow, even with my chest tight from nerves and the unfamiliar crowd around us, being here with him makes it feel like this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Beomgyu and I continue to linger near the edge of the room, not quite blending in, but not totally out of place either. It’s surprisingly packed. The area around us warm and dimly lit, buzzing with eased chatter and gentle laughter. There’s a soft charm playing overhead, twinkling music and floating lights that shift like candle flames.

It doesn’t feel like a full-blown party, but it definitely feels… exclusive.

He leans in closer, nodding towards the crowd.. “Wait—isn’t that the Gryffindor Beater who got a Howler last week for skipping detention?”

I squint past the crowd. “Yup. I can’t believe he actually showed his face.”

“I heard he only showed up ‘cause someone told him there’d be firewhisky here.” We laugh under our breath. 

“Wow. You two really do hang out in every dark corner of Hogwarts, huh?” a voice teases.

It was Jay. He’s standing just ahead with a drink resting easily in his hand. He’s dressed pretty casual, but there’s still that easy confidence in how he carries himself. He raises one eyebrow and smirks a little, a spark of amusement evident in his gaze.

Beomgyu snorts. “We were invited, thank you very much.”

“Technically invited,” I add.

Jay lifts a brow. “Well, in that case—very elite of you.”

"What about you?" I ask. "Since when do you attend ‘high-class’ social events like this?"

“Eh, I have my connections.” Jay sips his drink, then nods toward the crowd. “Plus, the music’s decent, and I heard there’d be cauldron cakes. So, I go where the snacks go.”

We fall into easy conversation, our voices low as we watch the crowd. Mostly Ravenclaws, with familiar faces from other houses sprinkled in and a few people I never would’ve guessed to see at all.

Jay nods toward the back of the room. “Wow. Didn’t think I’d see half those people here. I mean, that’s literally, like, most the Hufflepuff prefect lineup over there.”

Beomgyu follows his gaze. “Damn. I thought this was supposed to be a low-key, exclusive Ravenclaw party.”

“Guess word spreads fast when there’s good snacks and a bit of alcohol involved.” Jay chuckles.

Then, he glances at me again, a trace of awkwardness lingering in his eyes. “Oh—uh, and, sorry about the thing with Sunghoon, by the way.”

I blink. “What thing?”

“Wait… you didn’t hear?” Jay hesitates.

“Hear what?” Beomgyu tilts his head. 

“Sunghoon’s going to the dance with Eunji.”

Beomgyu straightens up a bit. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Jay says. “Happened like two days ago, I think. I just figured you knew, since you guys were… y’know, shortlisting him and all.”

“Oh,” I say, a little startled, but I manage a small smile. “No, it’s cool. I’m happy for him.”

Jay watches me for a second like he’s gauging if I really mean it.

“Guess our date interview didn’t leave much of a lasting impression,” Beomgyu mutters under his breath. Jay laughs.

“Maybe he just didn’t like being interrogated with questions and then graded with a rubric to get a date to the ball.”

“That was Beomgyu’s idea,” I deadpan.

“Hey,” Beomgyu says, half-defensively, “you agreed to it.”

There’s a brief lull in the conversation. 

Then Jay leans slightly toward Beomgyu, raising his cup. “Anyway. If it makes you feel any better, half the people here are still date-less. And speaking of…” He gestures toward the side of the room.

We all look up at once. Chaewon has just walked in, hair loose over her shoulders, a soft smile playing on her lips as she chats with a couple of Ravenclaws nearby.

“You should go talk to her.” Jay leans in, nudging Beomgyu’s elbow. 

Beomgyu freezes for a split second. “What, now?”

“No better time. C’mon, man.”

Before he can protest, Beomgyu’s getting lightly shoved forward, and I watch him stumble a little before catching himself as he makes his way toward her, rubbing the back of his neck. He looks back at us for a split second, looking back at me.

I give him two thumbs ups, mouthing: "You've got this."

He sighs nervously, his shoulders visibly a little tense before shoving both hands into his pockets as he finally makes his way closer to her.

Jay lingers beside me for a beat, arms crossed. “You sure you’re good?”

I nod. “Yeah. I didn’t think it’d be Sunghoon anyway. I guess we were just… exploring our options.”

“Hmm.. So, who is it, then?” he hums. I pause for a moment. “I mean, assuming you’ve got a date already,” Jay adds quickly, flashing a half-apologetic grin.

“Oh, yeah,” I say after a beat. “I do. I just… haven’t told Beomgyu yet.”

Jay raises a brow. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

I laugh softly. “Not unless he takes it personally.”

Jay’s eyes flick toward Beomgyu and Chaewon. “Think he will?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “That’s kind of the problem.”

He opens his mouth, about to say something else, but a voice calls out his name from across the room. Jay nods towards them in acknowledgement. “Welp, duty calls. I’ll catch you later, then?”

I grin. “Don’t get into too much trouble.”

He glances back, lifting his red-solo cup in hand, smirking. “No promises.”

And just like that, I’m alone again.

Across the room, I can see Beomgyu chatting with Chaewon, all fidgety and animated, caught somewhere between nerves and excitement. She smiles softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she listens.

I shift my gaze, trying not to dwell, though a quiet flutter lingers in my chest. I move over to the snacks and drinks table and pour myself a cup, forcing my mind to focus on the simple motion instead of the tightness building in my chest.

I take a slow sip, letting the warmth settle, and let my eyes wander again. Laughter drifts in the air from a nearby group as someone bumps into a chair, sending a small clatter across the floor. I tilt my head, scanning the room without thinking—until I catch sight of him.

Choi Yeonjun, standing with a group of Slytherins.

Our eyes meet for a brief second. He steps away from the group, weaving through the crowd with a relaxed, confident stride. The space around me seems to shrink as he gets closer. When he reaches the edge of my space, a small smirk curls at the corner of his lips.

“Caught you staring again,” he says, leaning against the edge of the drinks table, that familiar half-smile tugging at his lips.

I blink, caught off guard. “I wasn’t—” I stop myself. “Never mind.”

Yeonjun tilts his head, grin widening. “Uh-huh. Sure you weren’t.”

“So…” He glances around, then back at me. “What’s a Gryffindor like you doing in a crowd like this? Oh, don’t tell me you’ve gone rogue.”

I roll my eyes, but my gaze shifts, almost instinctively, to Beomgyu. He’s leaning in close to Chaewon, grinning too wide at whatever she just said.

“That,” I murmur. “That’s why I’m here.”

Yeonjun follows my eyes for a beat, then looks back at me with a knowing curve to his lips. “Ah. Got it.”

A short pause.

“So, how’s it going with you, then? Have you found a date to the ball yet?” he asks.

“Oh, yeah.” I say simply. “I have, actually.”

His brows lift for a moment, but quickly hides it behind a slow sip from his cup.

“Really?” His voice is smooth, but surprise flickers beneath it.

I simply nod. Yeonjun exhales softly, more to himself than to me. “Huh. And here I thought no one ever really stood a chance in those interviews.”

“Oh, not through the interviews, actually.” I say, glancing at him. There’s a small tug at the corner of my mouth. “This one... I found on my own time.”

He hums. “Figures.”

I pause, brow slightly raised. 'Figures?' No one stood a real chance?

What the hell's supposed to mean?

I meet his gaze again. He shifts his eyes away, taking a deliberate sip, his expression unreadable.

“What did you mean by that, by the way?” I ask, watching him carefully.

He looks up. “By what?”

I lift a brow. “That thing you said. About no one standing a real chance in the interviews?”

Yeonjun pauses. His eyes drop to his drink. His fingers trace the rim as he holds the cup, before letting out a quiet breath.

“I wasn’t gonna say anything.”

That makes me shift, just a little.

“But,” he continues, voice low, more careful now, “Beomgyu’s kind of been getting in the way of the interviews. Sabotaging it, really.”

I blink, stunned. “What?”

“Yeah, he’s been talking to the guys. Even the ones who were serious about it. Saying stuff like you’re just doing it for fun, or you’re not actually interested in finding anyone.” 

My chest tightens. “Are you serious?”

Yeonjun nods once, slowly. “Sunghoon was actually planning to ask you, y’know before he found another date. Nervous as hell too, but he was ready… until, Beomgyu pulled him aside and made it sound like it’d be a waste of time.”

The words settle in my stomach like stone.

“He didn’t tell them to back off. Not directly,” Yeonjun says. “But he didn’t need to. Just said enough to make them second-guess it.”

“What?” I stare at him. “Why would he—”

Yeonjun meets my eyes. His voice softens. “I think you know why.”

He pauses for a second, choosing his words carefully.

“At first, I thought maybe he was doing it to keep you from getting stuck with someone you didn’t actually like. But… the more I watched, the more I realized—”

He breaks off for a second, like he’s making sure I’m listening.

“I think he wanted to be the one to ask you to the dance.”

I look at Yeonjun, searching his face for any sign that he’s joking. Some grin, some exaggerated lift of the brow that says gotcha. But there’s nothing.

My breath catches, and my eyes drift across the room without thinking. Beomgyu stands there, laughing and talking with her as if nothing has changed in the last thirty seconds. He leans in slightly toward Chaewon, his shoulders relaxed and a soft, easy smile playing on his lips. Chaewon tilts her head, speaking quietly, and he listens with warm eyes.

They’re closer now, shoulders almost touching, moving in sync without a word. He doesn’t look this way. Doesn’t notice me watching.

I know I should look away. But I don’t. The sight alone twists quietly in my chest.

“You’re lying,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. Almost like I’m trying to convince myself more than him. “Beomgyu wouldn’t do that. Not to me.”

Yeonjun doesn’t flinch. He seems to have expected the disbelief in my tone.

“I don’t lie, Y/N.” he says, quietly. “Especially not about something like this.”

There’s no edge to his voice. No satisfaction in being the one to tell me. “He talked to me, too, y’know.”

I shift slightly, meeting his gaze again.

“He didn’t say it outright,” Yeonjun continues. “But he made it clear. Told me all the same things he told the other guys. That I shouldn’t bother even asking you.”

His gaze holding mine.

“So that’s why I thought he was going to ask you,” Yeonjun says, his voice softer now. “Maybe he just didn’t want anyone else to get there first. The way he looked at you—even during those interviews—it wasn’t hard to see that.”

He says it without drama, his tone steady, carrying the weight of someone who’s been watching this unfold longer than I thought.

His eyes wander across the room, settling on Beomgyu and Chaewon, still wrapped up in their own world. They laugh softly, leaning closer together as they move in a quiet, unspoken rhythm.

Yeonjun falls silent beside me.

“…But now I’m not so sure.”

I follow his gaze again. And this time, I see it.

Chaewon reaches out, her fingers brushing over his sleeve with a light touch—as if smoothing a wrinkle or simply finding an excuse to get closer to him. Then slowly, she leans in, closing the space between them until their lips meet in a soft and steady kiss.

He doesn’t pull back. Instead, he leans forward, meeting her halfway as he pulls her closer towards him. One hand settles firmly on her waist as the other softly caress her rosy cheek. They remain close to one another, neither moving away nor breaking apart, caught in the quiet pull between them.

The room around them seems to blur and fade, leaving only the stillness of the kiss between their bodies.

Fuck.

I don’t say anything. I can’t.

I freeze, staring at him—the boy I thought I knew with all my heart, the one I had quietly hoped liked me back—now pressed close to someone else, their lips meeting without any hesitation.

Suddenly, the room shrinks as the noise presses in, sharp and impossibly overwhelming.

The hum of the party, the clink of plastic cups, the faint notes of music… it all blurs around me. And yet, I can see every detail: the tilt of her head, the ease in his hands, the way they move together like a rhythm I wasn’t allowed to learn. I swallow, painfully aware of how quiet I’ve become in the middle of all this noise. My chest tightens, my hands curl at my sides, and I realize—I need to get out before the weight of watching them crushes me completely.

Yeonjun shifts beside me. I catch his glance just before his voice breaks the silence.

“Hey,” he mumbles, gentle. “You okay?”

My mouth opens, but no words come. I blink once, twice, my eyes locked on the door even as I remain frozen in place.

“Yeah,” I manage, but my voice feels thin. “I just— I need a second.”

Yeonjun doesn’t push. He simply nods and lets me go.

I begin to slip through the crowd of students, the music and laughter fading fast behind me. Beomgyu clings to Chaewon, completely unaware of anything. The weight in my chest is heavier than I expected.

But I keep moving.

No goodbyes.

No glances back.

[Part three]

a/n: I KNOW I KNOW I ENDED THE PART WITH A CLIFF HANGER IKKKK AKLSBDKABSHAB