nevernonline

The drive home was quiet. The hotel faded behind her, the morning sunlight washing over the streets. In the privacy of the car, Y/N’s thoughts churned, but she kept her expression calm. To Mingyu, this was just a errand for a friend. To her, it was a necessary detour to figure out something else entirely.

By the time she pulled up to her building, her hands were gripping her phone a little too tightly. She sat there for a moment, taking a deep breath, steeling herself.

“Thank you for last night.” She said leaning over and giving his thigh a squeeze. “It was perfect.” 

“Anything for you.” He smiled and really meant it. 

Mingyu hopped out of the driver's seat fast, grabbing Y/n’s bag for her from his truck, hanging it over her shoulder. His eyes lingering on her for a second. 

“You good?” 

“Yeah, fine. Just happy.” He ran his hands over her arm, leaning in and giving her a kiss on the cheek, bidding her a goodbye before getting back into the driver's seat and pulling out of the loading zone. Giving her a honk on the way out and waving out his window. “Bye, Y/n.” 

“Text me, okay?” 

“As soon as I get home.” 

Y/n watched him as he drove away, as soon as his car rounded the corner she took a deep breath in. Maybe on a high from last night, but also breathing out the anxiety she has from whatever is about to happen as she goes up the elevator. 

As soon as the elevator door split and opened up to their shared floor, Y/n’s heart started beating faster than it was a few hours earlier. As she stepped down the hallway, the lights felt brighter than it had in the past, she reached Seungkwan's door, and held her hand up to knock just as his knuckles hit the wood that flung open. 

“Oh, thank god. I wanted to be dramatic, but I know Seungcheol has a weed delivery or something coming, so I took my chances.” He stood there with a smile on his face, which Y/n couldn’t tell if it was a good one or an anxious one. 

He grabbed the bag from her shoulder and shuffled her inside like he was in a dramatic movie. 

“What’s going on?” Y/n asked sort of laughing under her breath, looking at his fleeting eyes as he led her past the entry way to their couch where Soonyoung was sitting criss-cross, sipping something dark red out of a plastic cup. 

“Y/n!” Soonyoung reached his paws out to grab her hand and whisked her next to him on the couch.

“Hi.. I cannot tell if you guys are excited to see me or just are incredibly fucking anxious because of what you texted me and its really weirding me the fuck out.” 

Seungkwan sat down next to her, leaving her in the middle of her two friends feeling more awkward than she ever has. “Both, I think.” 

Hoshi and Seungkwan exchanged glances, smirking slightly, which only made Y/N’s chest tighten more.

Y/N raised a brow, trying to laugh it off. “Okay, well, should I be scared? What’s everyone doing here? Is this, like, an intervention? Because I’m still in my pajama shorts and that feels like a cruel setup.”

Soonyoung snorted, nearly spilling his drink. “You do look like someone who just got out of a cute dream and walked straight into a hostage situation.”

“Perfect,” Y/N muttered, tugging at the hem of her shorts. “Exactly what I was going for.”

Seungkwan grinned, trying too hard to keep things light. “Alright, options. Wine, weed, snacks, or emotional chaos, dealer’s choice.”

She blinked, still scanning the room, unsure whether to play along or brace for impact. “Uh… I don’t know, maybe start with whatever that message was?”

That wiped the grin right off Seungkwan’s face. He sat forward a little, elbows on his knees. “Right. The message.”

Soonyoung’s playful expression softened too, his thumb tapping against his cup as if he already knew what was coming.

Y/N frowned, the lightness in her chest collapsing. “Okay, that’s not a fun tone. What is it?”

Before Seungkwan could answer, the door clicked open behind them.

Seungcheol stepped in, looking slightly out of breath, a plastic bag of iced coffees dangling from his hand. “What’s going on?” he asked, eyes moving between all of them. “You texted me like it was an emergency.”

“It kind of is,” Seungkwan said quickly.

Y/N turned toward him, her voice caught somewhere between nervous and impatient. “Can someone please explain what the hell is happening before my brain starts inventing crimes I didn’t commit?”

Seungkwan hesitated, glancing between her and Seungcheol, who was still standing near the door, confused. Finally, he exhaled and said quietly, “It’s about that message I sent you this morning. I got more of them.”

The room went quiet. Y/N’s stomach dropped.

“More of what?” she asked carefully.

He swallowed hard. “More messages. And they’re about that night you guys went to the bar.”

Seungcheol’s brow furrowed as he set the coffee bag down on the counter. “The night at the bar? What does that have to do with—”

“Cheol,” Seungkwan interrupted, holding up a hand dramatically, like he was directing a stage play. “Please, sit your tall, confused, dad-energy self down before I develop a stress rash.”

Seungcheol blinked at him. “What?”

“Sit. Down.” Seungkwan pointed at the empty chair across from the couch like it was a throne in a courtroom. “I am not repeating myself while you hover around like a lost retriever.”

Soonyoung snorted into his drink. Y/N would’ve laughed too if her heart wasn’t already doing gymnastics in her chest.

Seungcheol sighed, but crossed the room anyway and dropped into the chair, still looking bewildered. “Okay. I’m sitting. Now what the hell is going on?”

Seungkwan leaned forward, unlocking his phone with a dramatic flourish like he was about to reveal state secrets. “Thank you. Now can everyone breathe quietly while I ruin Y/N’s morning?”

Y/N’s stomach twisted at the way he said it, half-joking but serious underneath. Her fingers curled against her thigh. “Just show me.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Seungkwan muttered, scrolling quickly. “You might want to, like, hold on to a pillow or Soonyoung or… I don’t know, emotional support furniture.”

Soonyoung patted her knee softly. “I got you.”

Finally, Seungkwan turned the phone toward her. His face wasn’t playful anymore. “Okay,” he said, voice quieter now. “This is what I woke up to. And it’s not just a text. There’s a video, too.”

Y/N leaned in, taking the phone from Seungkwan’s hand. Her thumb hovered over the screen for a second before she finally scrolled.

At first, it looked like screenshots, text bubbles, half-cropped names, blurry profile icons. But she knew those colors, those typing patterns, the punctuation.

It was Yuqi’s messages.

The first few seemed harmless enough, flirty jokes, emojis, talk about the night at the bar. But as Y/N scrolled further, her chest tightened. The tone changed. Yuqi teasing someone, saying a guy had “stayed late,” that “he was so sweet about it.” Then a blurry video thumbnail attached at the bottom.

Y/N hesitated, her pulse thudding against her throat.

“Is that—” Soonyoung started, leaning in, but Seungkwan lifted a hand quickly.

“Wait, let her see first,” he said softly.

Y/N tapped the video open. The sound was muffled, grainy, bar noise, laughter, and someone’s voice too close to the mic. Two figures sitting close together in the corner of what looked like the same bar where she’d confronted Chaewon that night. Yuqi’s laugh was unmistakable, even through the static. The other person’s face was harder to see, broad shoulders, familiar hair, maybe Mingyu. Or maybe not. The angle was off, and every frame felt like it could be a trick of the light.

Her stomach dropped anyway.

“When would this even have been?” she whispered.

Seungkwan looked at her, eyes heavy. “Apparently the same night you went home. After everything with Chaewon.”

She blinked at him, still staring at the blurry video looping silently on the screen. “That doesn’t make sense,” she murmured. “I left early. Mingyu and Yuqi stayed to close the tab. It could’ve been anyone.”

Soonyoung leaned closer, frowning. “Wait—what is it?”

Y/N didn’t answer. She just pressed her lips together and shook her head faintly, the phone trembling in her hand.

From across the room, Seungcheol’s voice broke through the silence, confused but cautious. “What are we looking at?”

Y/N swallowed hard, still watching the flickering screen, her reflection ghosted faintly over it. “I… I don’t know yet.”

Seungcheol leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Who sent this?”

Seungkwan exhaled, his hand drifting up to rake through his hair. “That’s the thing, I don’t actually know them. It came from a friend of a friend. You know Jiyeon? The girl who used to bartend at The Dive?”

Soonyoung nodded slowly. “Yeah, the one who always gives us free fries.”

“Right. She texted me this morning saying her coworker, some new girl was there that night too. Apparently, she saw Yuqi and Mingyu still at the bar after Y/N left. Said it looked a little too close.” He winced at his own phrasing, eyes flicking toward Y/N. “Anyway, the coworker recognized them from someone’s story, and before anything could spread, Jiyeon sent it straight to me because she didn’t want it ending up on the stupid gossip account.”

Y/N finally tore her eyes off the screen, her head spinning. “So you don’t even know who actually filmed it?”

Seungkwan shook his head. “No clue. Jiyeon said the girl didn’t post it, just mentioned it in passing, but someone else clearly had the footage. She panicked when she realized it was about you and sent it before it could get passed around.”

Soonyoung blew out a low whistle. “So we’re talking about a maybe-video, from a maybe-guy, about a maybe-situation.”

“Basically,” Seungkwan muttered. “But I figured Y/N should see it before it gets twisted into something worse.”

Y/N stared down at the paused video again. It was all shadows and movement, but her mind wouldn’t stop filling in the blanks. Yuqi’s laugh, the man, maybe Mingyu’s hand near her drink, the way they leaned close to talk.

She handed Seungkwan back his phone, her fingers trembling. “Thank you for showing me,” she said quietly, even though her voice barely sounded like hers.

Y/N sat back down slowly, her eyes still unfocused on the dark screen of Seungkwan’s phone. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the fridge and the soft clink of ice in Soonyoung’s cup.

Seungkwan shifted beside her, glancing between her and Seungcheol. “Okay,” he said after a long beat, clapping his hands together a little too loudly. “That was emotionally dense. I think I’ve hit my daily quota for dramatic revelations before noon.”

Soonyoung looked at him. “You’re not helping.”

“No, I am helping.” Seungkwan pointed at Y/N, then Seungcheol. “You two clearly have stuff to talk about. I’m gonna do my laundry like a responsible adult.”

“You hate doing laundry,” Soonyoung said flatly.

“Exactly. That’s how you know I’m serious,” Seungkwan replied, already standing up and grabbing his keys from the counter. He gestured to Soonyoung. “You’re coming with me.”

Soonyoung frowned. “Why?”

“Because you’ll sit here and make bad jokes to fill the silence, and I am not letting that happen while I’m gone.”

“I do not make bad jokes,” Soonyoung protested, standing anyway.

“Uh-huh. Let’s go, Mr. Emotional Buffer.” Seungkwan tugged him toward the door before anyone could argue. “Y/N, just, breathe. Cheol, don’t be an idiot. I’ll be back before the spin cycle’s done.”

The door shut behind them with a soft click, leaving Y/N and Seungcheol alone.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Y/N’s fingers played absently with the hem of her sleeve, her mind still looping through what she’d just seen.

Finally, Seungcheol broke the silence. “You think it’s true?” he asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” She sighed, staring at the floor. “It doesn’t even look clear enough to tell. But, It's Yuqi. And Mingyu was there with her.” Her throat tightened on the names. “It could be them.”

Seungcheol nodded slowly, leaning back. “That was the night everything went sideways, wasn’t it? When did you go home?”

“Yeah.” She rubbed her temples. “After Chaewon. After the tequila. Not that long after you Irish goodbyed.”

He smiled faintly. “Good times.”

She shot him a look, half exasperated, half grateful for the levity. “Yeah. Great night.”

He sighed again, quieter this time. “I remember them staying back when we all split. But, it didn’t seem weird then. Just like they were talking. I mean they were obviously drunk, but so was everyone else.”

Y/N swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his eyes. “I mean, yeah. And it’s not unusual for them to be out together, like they’ve been friends for a long time. But it seems weird doesn’t it?”

His gaze softened, steady. “A little bit, but you can’t even be sure it’s him, right?”

“Right. But, that still means she might have cheated on Mark.”

That quiet assurance sat between them, uneasy, but real.

Y/N let out a shaky breath, her shoulders sinking. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to feel right now,” she said finally. “Like, am I supposed to be angry? Sad? Embarrassed? Because honestly, I just feel… like an idiot.”

Seungcheol watched her, elbows on his knees, his voice low. “It makes sense you’d feel that way. You don’t even know what’s real yet.”

“Yeah, but it feels real,” she murmured. “That’s the problem. Even if it’s fake, even if someone edited it or it’s just bad timing or whatever, it still makes me feel stupid for believing everything’s fine for once.”

Her voice cracked just a little on that last word. She covered it with a soft laugh that didn’t land.

“I mean, Yuqi?” she continued, shaking her head. “She’s supposed to be my person. And Mingyu—” she stopped herself, eyes flicking toward the window. “Last night felt so uncomplicated. For once, it felt like things were okay. And now this.”

Seungcheol leaned back, the muscles in his jaw tightening. “Hey,” he said quietly. “You don’t owe anyone calm right now.”

She looked at him, surprised.

He shrugged. “You always do this thing where you try to sound fine because you don’t want to make anyone else uncomfortable. But you get to be pissed off if this turns out to be what it looks like.”

Y/N looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers together. “You think I’m pissed?”

“I think you’re hurt,” he said. “And pretending you’re not.”

That landed heavier than she expected. She sat with it for a long second, blinking hard. “I hate that you’re probably right,” she muttered.

“I usually am,” he said softly, and she almost smiled.

Almost.

The silence after that wasn’t sharp, just weighted. She finally leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees. “You were there that night. You saw how messy everything got. Do you think I made this happen? Like I set it up to fall apart?”

Seungcheol frowned, his voice gentler now. “No, Y/N. You didn’t make this happen. You got drunk and kissed Vernon, that’s not the same thing as this. Whatever Yuqi and Mingyu did or didn’t do, that's on them.”

She nodded faintly, but the guilt didn’t leave her face. “It just feels like everything’s bleeding together again. Like one bad night is going to become the story people tell about me.”

Seungcheol reached over then, resting a hand briefly on her shoulder. “Then maybe it’s time you stop letting other people write it.”

Seungcheol’s hand lingered on her shoulder for a moment before he pulled it back, his tone soft but steady. “You know what makes this worse?” he said. “Yuqi’s not even single. She’s been with Mark for how long now? If this is real, it’s not just a betrayal, it’s reckless. For both of them.”

Y/N let out a shaky laugh that wasn’t funny. “Yeah, well. That makes me feel so much better.”

He gave her a small, sympathetic smile, but didn’t push.

She stared down at the floor, chewing at the inside of her cheek. “Did you notice anything, like, when I wasn’t around that night? Or at my parents house with them?”

Seungcheol exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “Honestly? I was out of it. Still bleeding, remember? Vernon was trying to get me ice, Mingyu went to grab a drink. Yuqi was there, talking to him. I didn’t think anything of it.”

His brow furrowed as he looked at her. “You left right after me with Vernon, right?”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “Nothing happened until…” She trailed off, swallowing hard. “Until I kissed him.”

Seungcheol nodded once, not judging, just listening. “You were drunk. You were hurt. That’s not the same as what this looks like.”

Y/N looked at him for a long moment, then asked, almost without thinking, “So you’re not mad? About me and Mingyu?”

He blinked, thrown by the question. “Mad? No. Why would I be mad?”

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice smaller than she meant it to be. “Just thought maybe you’d have an opinion.”

He tilted his head a little, searching her face. “You’re allowed to do whatever you want, Y/N.”

That should’ve comforted her, but instead, it stung.

Something about the way he said it, steady, unbothered, detached, made the ache in her chest twist tighter. She wanted him to mean it, to be as calm as he looked, but part of her had hoped he wasn’t.

“Right,” she said quietly. “I guess I am.”

He looked at her for a moment longer, his expression unreadable. “You deserve to be happy, even if it’s not with the same people who hurt you before.”

She nodded, blinking hard, trying to keep her voice from cracking. “Yeah,” she murmured. “Guess I just have a really bad habit of picking people who know each other.”

That pulled a faint laugh from him, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

They sat in silence for a while, the weight of Seungkwan’s earlier words still hanging between them. The sound of a washing machine starting somewhere down the hall filled the gap where either of them could’ve spoken.

Then Seungcheol cleared his throat softly. “So,” he said, glancing at her, “your date. With Mingyu. How’d it go?”

Y/N blinked, caught off guard. “You really want to know how it went?”

He shrugged, his eyes fixed on a thread loose at the hem of his sleeve. “You said you wanted to give him a chance. I just want to know if it was worth it.”

“It was fine,” she said after a pause. “He was sweet. Funny. He tried, I guess. It’s just hard to focus when you feel like everyone’s watching you.”

“Everyone’s always watching you,” Seungcheol said quietly. “You just notice it more when you care what they think.”

Y/N gave a small, wry smile. “So you think I care what people think?”

He looked up then, meeting her eyes. “I think you care what someone thinks.”

Her stomach twisted. “Mingyu?”

Seungcheol hesitated, then shook his head. “No. Me.”

The room went still. He broke eye contact first, a faint, sad smile tugging at his mouth. “But that’s not fair to you. You should get to have a night without all this history following you around.”

She studied him, searching his face for some regret, jealousy, anything to prove she wasn’t imagining the distance. But all she saw was restraint. The kind that comes from wanting someone and knowing you shouldn’t.

“You don’t have to act like it doesn’t bother you,” she said finally, her voice quiet.

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not about acting,” he said. “It’s about not making you feel guilty for doing exactly what you’re supposed to, living your life.”

She nodded slowly, eyes stinging. “You make it sound so easy.”

“It’s not,” he said softly. “Trust me.”

Y/N blinked, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” He paused, looking down at his hands, fingers flexing against each other. “…I don’t deserve you worrying about me. Or about Mingyu. Or about Yuqi. About anyone.”

Her brows knit together. “Seungcheol…”

“No,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “Listen. You care. You feel guilty, or protective, or whatever and you shouldn’t. Everyone here, everyone who actually matters, we just want what’s best for you. You shouldn’t have to weigh other people’s feelings against your own happiness.”

Y/N’s throat tightened, her chest aching in a way she couldn’t quite put into words. “You really mean that?”

“Of course I do,” he said, voice quiet, but steady. “I care about you. That’s why I’m telling you, don’t let anyone’s actions or opinions make you doubt yourself. Don’t let anyone’s feelings pull you away from what makes you happy.”

She swallowed, trying to steady herself, feeling both relief and a deeper ache at the same time. “I don’t know how to do that sometimes.”

“You’ll figure it out,” he said gently. “And I’ll still be here. Even if it’s not me.”

Her lips parted, but no words came. She just let the weight of his honesty settle around her, quiet and grounding, even as her heart continued to ache from everything that had happened.

The sound of keys jingling and the apartment door opening pulled Y/N from the fog of her thoughts.

Seungkwan strutted in first, arms raised in mock triumph. “Ladies and gentlemen, the laundry heroes have returned.” He glanced at Soonyoung, who was trailing behind, shaking his head but smirking. “And what do I see? Y/N and Seungcheol, sitting all serious and brooding like some cheesy drama scene. Don’t tell me, you two were just having a deep conversation about feelings without me?!”

Y/N’s cheeks flushed immediately, and she glanced at Seungcheol, who gave her the smallest, almost imperceptible shrug.

“Uh, yeah, something like that,” Y/N said quickly, trying to sound casual while her stomach twisted.

Seungcheol, for once, didn’t roll his eyes or joke. He just looked at her quietly, his expression unreadable, letting the moment linger.

Seungkwan tilted his head, squinting at them. “Huh. Well. That’s suspiciously mature for you two. Should I be taking notes?”

Soonyoung snorted, dropping onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. “Notes? Kwan, I think you just missed a masterclass.”

Seungkwan waved a hand dismissively, clearly oblivious to the tension he was poking at. “Masterclass in what?”

Y/N looked at him, trying to force a laugh. “In handling complicated feelings? Something like that.”

Seungkwan’s grin widened, completely missing the reality. “Ooooh, complicated feelings! Classic. Well, don’t worry, we won’t intrude. You two just  figure it out. Or fight. I’m down for either.”

Seungcheol’s jaw tightened just slightly, but he stayed quiet, eyes drifting back to the floor.

Y/N shifted in her seat, a mixture of embarrassment and relief washing over her. Somehow, the humor helped, even if just a little, to ground her before the next wave of reality hit.

“Okay… so,” she started, her voice hesitant, “should I tell Mingyu? Or Yuqi? Confront them? Ask them about it?”

Seungkwan flopped back into the armchair across from her, exaggeratedly rubbing his temples. “Oh, so now it’s a full-on ethical dilemma. Classic Y/N. You want my advice? Don’t do it yet.”

Y/N blinked at him. “Not do it?”

“Hell no,” Seungkwan said, leaning forward with mock gravitas. “First, you need to make sure you actually know what happened. Because confronting people with half-truths is basically throwing a grenade in your own living room.”

Soonyoung, still perched on the couch next to her, nodded. “Yeah. And from the looks of it, you don’t even know if that video is real. If you go in guns blazing it could blow up in your face.”

Y/N bit her lip, twisting her fingers together. “But what if it is real? Or what if it’s not, and I do nothing and it actually is real? Then I’d just be sitting here letting them—” she stopped herself, shaking her head.

Seungcheol, who had been quietly observing her the whole time, spoke up softly. “Then you handle it when you’re ready. Not when someone else says you should. If it’s real, Y/N, it’ll come out. And if it’s not, you’ll have saved yourself a lot of unnecessary drama.”

Seungkwan clapped once, making a little show of pointing at Seungcheol. “Look at you! Being all sage and calm. Respect.”

Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “Sage? The guy still looks like he wants to punch someone from last night.”

Y/N let out a short laugh, finally feeling a little lighter. “Okay. Okay. So I don’t confront them yet. But—” she hesitated, looking at Seungcheol, “what would you do if you were in my shoes?”

Seungcheol’s jaw tightened, and he ran a hand through his hair. “Honestly?” he said quietly. “I’d probably sit on it, figure out the facts, then decide if it matters enough to confront anyone. And if it’s someone you care about, like Mingyu or Yuqi, do it carefully. Don’t let anger make the call for you.”

Y/N nodded slowly, absorbing his words. “Carefully,” she murmured. “Got it.”

Seungkwan leaned back with a dramatic sigh. “Look at you two, all thoughtful and serious. Meanwhile, I have laundry in the spin cycle and Soonyoung is eating potato chips in my ear like a fucking maniac. Life goes on, kids.”

She let out a genuine laugh this time, the tension in her chest loosening just a little.

Seungkwan flopped back dramatically, crossing one leg over the other like he was about to host a talk show. “Okay, but seriously, can we talk about the real crime here?”

Y/N blinked. “What?”

He gestured at her outfit, the soft sweatshirt hanging off her shoulder, her hair still tousled from the night before. “You show up here looking like that, all glowy and mysterious after your big romantic getaway, and expect us to focus on messages?”

Soonyoung grinned. “He’s got a point. You looked good, Y/N. Like, dangerously good. Like you just walked out of a perfume ad and forgot to tell anyone you were filming.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, cheeks warming. “You guys are fucking idiots.”

“Hot idiots,” Seungkwan corrected quickly, pointing at himself and then at Soonyoung. “But still idiots, yes. And honestly?” He threw a glance toward Seungcheol, who was suddenly pretending to be very interested in the floor. “We’re both just a little sad it wasn’t us you got all dressed up for. Right, Cheol?”

Seungcheol looked up, half-smiling despite himself. “Don’t drag me into your delusions.”

“Oh, please,” Seungkwan said, waving a hand. “You can pretend all you want, but I saw that micro-expression when she walked in. Don’t test me, I read people for a living.”

That got a real laugh out of Y/N,  the kind that pushed her shoulders back and softened her features for the first time all morning.

Seungkwan leaned forward, smug. “See? Mission accomplished. Distracted.”

“Barely,” Y/N said, shaking her head, but she was smiling now. “You’re impossible.”

“Impossibly fabulous, thank you very much,” he said, flicking an imaginary lint off his sleeve. “Now, we can either keep spiraling about potential betrayal or we can hype you up some more. Because, babe, that post-date glow is serious.”

Soonyoung lifted his cup in mock cheers. “To Y/N, survivor of chaos, breaker of hearts, and too good for this nonsense.”

Even Seungcheol cracked a quiet smile at that, and for a second, it almost felt normal just friends teasing, trying to make her forget the knot forming in her stomach.

Y/N’s phone buzzed on the coffee table, startling her out of the teasing laughter and playful banter. She picked it up slowly, frowning as she saw Mingyu’s name flash across the screen.

“Uh that’s weird,” she murmured, her heart skipping a beat.

Seungcheol glanced over, curious. “What is it?”

She hesitated, thumb hovering over the screen. “He just texted me. Says we need to talk.”

Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. “Talk about what?”

Y/N’s stomach twisted. “ I don’t know. That’s the thing. The timing is fucking weird. Right when we were just talking about him.”

The apartment grew quieter after the laughter died down, though the air still buzzed with tension. Y/N’s mind kept flicking back to the messages, her hands clenching the edge of the couch.

“So…” Soonyoung started, breaking the silence, “are we actually going to do anything about this? Or are we just gonna sit here and slowly implode?”

Seungkwan groaned, flopping dramatically onto the floor. “I swear, Y/N, you’ve dragged us into a full-on emotional hostage situation. I came here to hype you up, not—”

“—to freak out!” Y/N finished, voice a little louder than she meant, and suddenly the room felt heavier. “I don’t even know what’s real, or what I should do, or—”

Seungcheol held up his hand. “Okay, okay. Breathe. One thing at a time. You don’t have to decide anything right now. You just process.”

Y/N nodded, taking a shaky breath, her eyes flicking to her phone on the coffee table. It buzzed again. She glanced at it, heart lurching, and saw Mingyu’s name flashing once more.

“He texted me again,” she said softly, almost afraid to speak it aloud.

Seungkwan’s eyes lit up. “Oh, is this it? The dramatic talk we’ve all been waiting for?”

Y/N blinked. “I don’t know. He just said we need to talk.”

A beat of silence stretched across the room. Then Soonyoung’s voice, incredulous: “Now? Now? Right when we’re all losing our minds?”

Y/N groaned, swiping to open the message. And then she blinked, confused, and a small laugh escaped her.

“‘Hey, can we talk? I need your opinion, what suit do you think I should wear for the charity man auction beauty pageant thing?’” She read aloud.

Seungkwan froze for a second, staring at her in disbelief. “That’s it?”

“That’s it,” Y/N said, shaking her head. “That’s why he said we need to talk. He literally has no idea about any of this.”

Soonyoung groaned, sinking back into the couch. “Of course. He’s completely clueless. Classic Mingyu.”

Seungcheol’s lips twitched, almost a smile, but he stayed quiet, letting her release a little of the tension.

Y/N finally laughed properly, the sound shaky but real. “Wow. The universe really knows how to time things, huh?”

Seungkwan grinned, clapping his hands together. “See? Everything’s fine. Emotional meltdown? Check. Dramatic vibes? Check. And the culprit? Totally harmless. Crisis averted.”

Y/N shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, harmless, if completely oblivious.”

Even Seungcheol let out a quiet chuckle, the first real warmth in the room since she’d arrived, and for a moment, it felt like maybe she could breathe again.

Her heart pounded. Mingyu’s clueless text had arrived at the exact wrong  or maybe perfect moment. It was almost cruelly timed, a reminder that while her friends were here to support her, the people involved in the drama were out there, unaware, waiting or maybe oblivious.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, and pulled the video back up. The weight of it all pressed down, but for the first time since she’d arrived, she felt like she could face it.

Y/N pressed pause on the video, throwing her head back against the couch. She let out a strangled laugh that quickly turned into a hiccuping mix of giggles and tears.

“What the fuck…” she choked out between laughs, her voice wobbling. “What is happening to me right now?!”

Seungkwan froze mid-bite of a chip, eyes wide. “Uh, are you okay?”

Soonyoung’s jaw dropped slightly, staring at her like she’d just started speaking an alien language. “Did… did she just laugh-cry?”

Seungcheol’s eyebrows knit together, and for the first time, he actually looked genuinely concerned. “Y/N. Are you okay?”

She waved a hand wildly, laughing through her tears. “No. I’m fine. I just… I don’t even know what’s happening. I’m watching myself act like a lunatic, and somehow everything is a disaster, and also, I might die from embarrassment, and I don’t know if I should scream or cry or what the hell is happening?!”

Seungkwan held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, we get it. Full panic mode. Message received.”

Soonyoung muttered, mostly to himself, “Someone save this girl…”

Y/N wiped at her cheeks, hiccupping and laughing at the same time, looking between them. “I swear… I can’t. This is so fucking much shit, I want a reset.”

Seungcheol leaned closer, voice calm but firm, trying to anchor her in the chaos. “Y/N, breathe. Just breathe. One thing at a time.”

She sniffled, managing a shaky nod. “Okay but what the fuck is happening to my life?”

Seungkwan, grinning despite himself, shrugged. “Apparently, it’s this. Welcome to the chaos club. Membership is mandatory. And payment is bi-monthy bottles of white wine and cookies.”

Even Soonyoung cracked a small smile at that. Y/N laughed through another hiccup, and despite the panic still thrumming in her chest, she realized somehow, the presence of her friends made it a little less unbearable.

Y/N paced in front of the couch, phone clutched in one hand, hair messy, eyes wide. Her words tumbled out faster than she could process them herself:

“What should I do? Like, how do I confront them? Tell them? Show them the video? Make a post on the drama page about Yuqi cheating on her boyfriend in the style of Gossip Girl? I can’t just sit around knowing this semi-truthful information and be normal. I haven’t even showered yet, but she’s probably sitting across the hall waiting for me to walk in so she can make a weird joke that I smell like sex or lust, even though I maybe fucked the guy she kissed behind my back? Like, I’m embarrassed and so mad, I am spiraling.”

Seungkwan, crouched by the coffee table, watched her with a sly grin. “Hmm. Okay, hear me out,” he said, voice conspiratorial. “You don’t have to confront anyone yet. You don’t even have to post anything. You just rant. And, hypothetically, maybe I will submit a subtle, spicy Gossip Girl-style post about cherry red girl cheating… totally anonymous… totally safe… just to see how people react.”

Y/N froze mid-step, blinking at him. “Wait are you seriously saying—”

“I’m saying,” Seungkwan interrupted, smirking, “that chaos is an art. You hypothetically suggested it, so I’m hypothetically executing it. Totally harmless. Trust me.”

She stared at him for a moment, mouth slightly open, then flopped dramatically onto the couch. “Oh my fucking god. No, I can't.. I can’t even handle myself right now.”

Seungkwan chuckled, grabbing his phone while she continued pacing, ranting, and flailing her arms in a mix of fury and amusement. “Relax. This will be perfect. Subtle. Cryptic. Ambiguous. Maximum chaos, zero names.”

“Seungkwan, I don’t think-”

Minutes later, her phone buzzed. One notification. Then another. And another.

Y/N glanced at it and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Cherry red girl caught with mysterious stranger… secrets of the night to be revealed”

“…Seungkwan,” she whispered, equal parts horrified and thrilled.

He raised his hands innocently. “What? You said it first. Hypothetical chaos. I just made it reality.”

Soonyoung snorted, barely containing laughter. “Oh my god. You’re insane. This is brilliant.”

Seungcheol shook his head, smirking. “You actually did it. I can’t believe it.”

Y/N grabbed her phone, tapping frantically. “I didn’t do anything! Oh my god. I can’t even handle this.”

Seungkwan leaned back, grinning. “You are handling it. Look at you. Chaos queen in action. And the best part? You didn’t even have to lift a finger.”

Y/N groaned, hiding her face in her hands, laughing through the panic. “Oh my god… this is insane. But… also… I love it.”

The three of them erupted into laughter, the absurdity of the situation her rant, Seungkwan’s stealth posting, the notifications blowing up, turning the chaos into something exhilarating and strangely satisfying.

Y/N’s phone buzzed again. Yuqi. Probably still freaking out. She hesitated, then picked up the call. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” 

“Please tell me you’re on your way home.” 

“Oh, I just got here. I’m at Seungkwans, he got me coffee. Is everything okay?” 

“No. Fuck. I’m coming over.”

When she hung up, she could already hear the frantic knock from the other side. Before she could look up, the door flung open.

“Y/N! Fuck! Where have you been?!” Yuqi’s voice was sharp, panicked. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her eyes were wide. “Did you guys see that post on the page?! Mark probably saw it!  I don’t even know what to do.”

YAs she stepped in, hands slightly raised in mock surrender. “I have no idea what you’re talking about?”

Yuqi’s eyes narrowed, scanning the room. Behind Y/N, Seungcheol, Soonyoung, and Hoshi froze, all perfectly still, trying to look like innocent bystanders.

 Seungcheol said casually, leaning against the wall. “What post?”

Soonyoung raised his hands, feigning ignorance. “Oh, that? I just saw. I mean it’s not true right?”

Seungkwan chimed in, voice a little too cheerful, “It’s not that bad.”

Yuqi’s panic didn’t falter, but she frowned at the perfectly staged innocence. “I.. Does that even fucking matter right now if it’s true? Like, who the fuck would do that? To me? Whoever it is I’ll fucking kill them.”

Y/N bit her lip to keep from laughing, slipping past Yuqi into the apartment. “Well, we’ll help you figure it out.”

Yuqi’s eyes flicked between the four friends, all wide-eyed and perfectly fake-surprised. “ You really don’t know?”

Seungkwan, leaning casually against the counter, smiled faintly. “Nope.”

Yuqi groaned, burying her face in her hands. “This is a disaster. Mark’s going to see it… I… oh my god.”

Y/N tried not to roll her eyes, whispering to Seungcheol and the others as Yuqi continued ranting. “This feels like a mistake.”

He just gave her a look before looking back and Yuqi, “Look people have some crazy shit to say about all of us too, it’s not any different, unless it’s the truth.” 

Yuqi leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms tightly. “Who the hell would even post that? Like, someone had to know. Someone had to be there.”

The room went still again.

Y/N felt Seungkwan’s elbow brush hers, a silent plea to keep it together.  Soonyoung looked at the ceiling like it had the answers. Seungcheol casually picked at a loose thread on his sleeve.

Yuqi’s gaze flicked between them. “Wait.” Her voice sharpened. “Did you guys see something? Or hear something? Because if you knew and didn’t tell me—”

“Woah, woah,” Seungkwan cut in, holding up both hands like a traffic cop. “We’re innocent civilians here. We just found out like five minutes ago. You think I’d sit on gossip that big? Please, I’d have already sent a group text.”

Soonyoung nodded earnestly. “He really would’ve.”

Yuqi squinted at them, suspicious but frazzled. “I don’t know? This feels personal. Like someone wanted to humiliate me.” Yuqi’s eyes widened as if an idea had just been whispered by God herself. “Oh my god. Of course. That bitch.” She stood up, pacing, hands flying again. “She totally would! She’s obsessed with me,like she’s always trying to one-up me, acting like she’s above the drama when she is the drama!”

Soonyoung looked confused, like he had missed something. “Wait, who?” 

“Chaewon. Seriously she’s had it out for me since she realized she couldn’t be Y/n’s top bitch, that little fucking snatch.”

Seungcheol leaned back, a faint smirk twitching at his mouth. “Wouldn’t be the first time she started something.”

“Exactly!” Yuqi snapped, nodding furiously. “You all saw how she was at the bar. She probably got someone to send it in.”

Y/N glanced at Seungkwan, who looked seconds away from bursting into laughter. 

“So what are you gonna do?” Y/N asked.

Yuqi stopped pacing and looked at them with wild eyes. “I should go talk to Mark, right? Before he sees it from someone else? I should just tell him myself.”

“That’s probably smart,” Seungkwan said quickly, seizing the opportunity to get her out of the apartment. “Get ahead of it. Be the first to control the narrative. PR 101, baby.”

Soonyoung added, “And maybe, like, don’t mention Chaewon by name yet. Just in case. You know. Legal stuff.”

Yuqi nodded decisively, taking a shaky breath. “Okay. Yeah. I’m gonna go. I’m just, I can’t believe this is happening.”

She started toward the door, muttering to herself, “Chaewon’s going down for this.”

As soon as it closed behind her, there was a long beat of silence.

Then Seungkwan exhaled loudly, collapsing against the counter. “Oh my god, I’m never doing PR again. That was the most stressful thing I’ve ever done.”

Y/N dropped her face into her hands, trying not to laugh. “You almost cracked, Kwan.”

He peeked through his fingers. “I did crack. But in a charming way.”

Seungcheol rubbed his temples. “We’re all going to hell.”

Y/N lifted her head just enough to grin. “Yeah,” she said softly, “but it’s kind of funny.”

Y/N leaned against the wall, arms crossed, every nerve buzzing.

Seungkwan broke the silence first, his tone sharp but not cruel. “You were enjoying it.”

She turned toward him. “What?”

“The post. The look on her face when she came in here—” His voice faltered, a flicker of regret showing through. “You liked it.”

Y/N didn’t answer right away. Her throat felt dry. “Maybe I did,” she said quietly. “Because I’m tired of people acting like I’m the problem. She told me herself she’s submitted posts about me before. And she’s the one who sent the thing about Seungcheol at the party, saying he was flirting with someone.”

Seungcheol’s head lifted immediately. “Wait. What?”

Y/N nodded, sheepish. “That’s why I got pissy with you that night.”

His brow furrowed, disbelief written all over his face. “You thought I was flirting?”

“I thought you were leaning into some girl,” she muttered.

Seungcheol scoffed, half amused, half frustrated. “I was asking if she’d seen you. You’d vanished.”

Soonyoung leaned forward, voice cautious. “So Yuqi lied?”

“Yeah,” Y/N sighed. “Guess so. About a lot of things.”

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Seungkwan said, softly now, “If you hadn’t seen that text would you have even gone out with Mingyu?”

The question landed like a stone in the middle of the room.

Y/N blinked, then looked at him. His expression had already shifted, guilt creeping in, his hand half-raised like he wanted to take the words back.

“Sorry,” he said quickly. “That was too far. I didn’t mean it like that. I just—”

“No,” she interrupted, shaking her head. “It’s fair.”

Seungkwan frowned, watching her closely.

“I was on the fence,” Y/N admitted. “About Mingyu. About the whole thing. And when Yuqi sent that message, it just pushed me. Like, if you were already moving on or whatever, then maybe I should too.”

Seungcheol’s jaw clenched, eyes fixed on the floor.

Y/N exhaled, voice dropping. “It’s not his fault. Or yours. I just didn’t want to feel pathetic anymore.”

Seungkwan let out a soft sigh and leaned against the counter beside her. “I shouldn’t have asked that,” he said. “It’s not my place. I just didn’t think about how it’d sound.”

“It’s fine,” Y/N said, and she meant it. “You’re not wrong.”

Soonyoung looked between them, his voice quiet but a little weary. “Guess we all kind of messed up today, huh?”

No one disagreed.

The four of them sat in the echo of it,  the laughter from earlier gone, replaced by something quieter, heavier, but maybe just a little more honest.

Seungkwan was the first to break the uneasy quiet. He cleared his throat, still fiddling with his phone like it might explode.  “Okay, so. Crazy thought,” he said slowly. “We’re all just gonna pretend we didn’t see the video again? Like, just totally move on?”

Soonyoung groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Oh my god, Seungkwan.”

“What?” Seungkwan shot back, indignant. “We’re sitting on the biggest piece of drama this campus has seen in months. It’s practically a public service to investigate.”

Y/N frowned. “Investigate?”

Seungkwan’s eyes flicked between her and Seungcheol. “Well, if it is Mingyu in the video, don’t you wanna know for sure? Like, really sure?”

Soonyoung sat up, a sly grin spreading across his face. “You know what we should do?” he said. “We should go back to the bar. Ask the bartender if they saw Yuqi with anyone that night.”

There was a pause.

“Like detectives,” Soonyoung added with a wink. “You know. Mission: Find the Mystery Man.”

Y/N blinked at him, half ready to laugh, half ready to say absolutely not.  “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” she said flatly.

“Yeah,” Seungkwan said, already standing. “But it’s not the worst idea.”

Seungcheol’s head lifted, and Y/N could see the gears turning behind his expression, that mix of reason and chaos she recognized all too well.

“Oh my god,” she said, realizing it. “You’re all actually considering it.”

Soonyoung shrugged. “Hey, it’s either that or sit here overthinking until Yuqi figures out we might’ve accidentally destroyed her relationship.”

Seungkwan gestured dramatically toward the door. “Come on, we’ll just ask around! Casual, harmless, totally not suspicious.”

“Right,” Y/N muttered. “Because nothing says casual like showing strangers a grainy video and asking if they recognize the back of someone’s head.”

Seungcheol was quiet, but the corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile, but something close. “It wouldn’t hurt to know the truth,” he said softly.

Soonyoung clapped his hands together. “Operation Bar Crawl for Justice begins now.”

Seungkwan paced the small living room like a general mapping out a battle plan. Y/N sat on the edge of the couch, arms crossed, trying not to look too invested, though her stomach was buzzing with equal parts dread and excitement.

“So step one,” Seungkwan said, pointing dramatically at his phone as if it were a whiteboard, “we confirm the target. I mean, hypothetically. Like, who we’re even talking about. We don’t go in blind, people.”

Soonyoung leaned back, pretending to be a captain of some elite squad. “Right. Then we gather intel. Not creepy or anything. Just subtle reconnaissance. A casual observer.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “You mean follow strangers and ask bartender questions?”

“Exactly,” Seungkwan said, clasping his hands together like he’d just announced a brilliant strategy. 

Seungcheol stayed quiet, leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed, but his eyes flicked to Y/N every now and then. She caught one of those glances and felt something twist in her chest, that same pull of familiarity and tension that always seemed to appear when it was just the two of them.

“So…” Y/N said softly, scooting a little closer to him. “Do you think she’d really do this, like to hurt me or?”

Seungcheol shrugged, but his voice was gentle. “Does it matter? Whoever it is, it doesn’t change a lot of other stuff.”

She swallowed, realizing she didn’t know how to respond, so she didn’t. Just sat there, letting the weight of the moment hang.

Seungkwan’s phone suddenly blared a ridiculous, obnoxious alarm, the kind that could wake the dead.

“Ugh.” he groaned. “Laundry. It’s done. Soonyoung, you’re coming with me. I will not have wrinkled pants again. Last time I nearly cried in front of the dean because of these damn creases.”

Soonyoung groaned dramatically, standing. “I’ve already risked my life for this mission, now I’m doing laundry?”

“Priorities, people,” Seungkwan shot back, not even looking at them as he marched to the door. “Wrinkles are not an option.”

As the two of them shuffled out, Y/N and Seungcheol were left sitting in the quiet apartment. She exhaled, leaning back a little.

“You’re surprisingly calm,” she said softly, just loud enough for him to hear.

He shrugged, glancing at her with a small smirk. “You’re the one freaking out about the video, the post, the whole mess. I’m just observing.”

She rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. “Observing, huh? That sounds suspiciously like you’re judging me.”

“Maybe,” he said quietly. “But, I get it. I don’t think you should ever feel bad about standing up for yourself, even if it’s weird.”

She blinked, caught off guard by the gentleness in his tone. “Yeah” she whispered. “Thanks.”

For a moment, neither spoke. Outside, Seungkwan’s muffled complaints about folding pants drifted in, and Soonyoung’s groans followed.

Y/N leaned back and let herself relax a little, the storm inside her settling, if only for now.

Seungkwan finally returned, holding a half-folded stack of pants with the precision of someone diffusing a bomb. “Alright,” he announced, “step one: gather evidence. Step two: confirm identity. Step three: optional chaos.”

Soonyoung leaned over the counter, pretending to take notes. “Optional chaos?  Is that like moral support?”

“Strategic interference,” Seungkwan corrected, eyes flashing. “Never underestimate chaos. Step four: profit. Or, you know, closure. Whatever works.”

Y/N sank onto the couch, watching him run around with a notebook he had commandeered from Soonyoung’s desk. “You’re insane.”

“So are you for even considering this,” Seungkwan shot back, scribbling furiously.

Seungcheol, leaning against the wall, watched them both and let out a quiet laugh. “I think we’re about to get involved in something we’ll regret.”

Y/N smirked, nudging him with her elbow. “And you’re just sitting there observing again?”

He shrugged, lips twitching. “I like to watch the chaos before I decide if I should step in. Makes me feel wise.”

“You’re not wise,” she said softly. “You’re annoying.”

“Noted,” he replied, but the corner of his mouth lifted in that small, teasing smile that made her chest tighten.

Seungkwan interrupted their moment by holding up a diagram he had drawn — a crude map of the bar, scribbles and arrows everywhere. “Step five: enter the bar discreetly, observe the subject, note suspicious behavior, retreat if necessary.”

“Soonyoung,” Y/N said, pointing at the diagram, “you realize none of this is actually discreet, right?”

He grinned. “Details, details.”

Seungcheol’s eyes flicked to Y/N again. “You really think it’s Mingyu?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted, shrugging. 

He leaned just slightly closer, voice low. “If it is, it’s not your fault.”

Y/N felt heat rise to her cheeks and looked down, smothering a laugh. “Thanks. I think.”

Seungkwan suddenly clapped his hands, startling them both. “Step six: reconnaissance gear!”

Y/N groaned. “You mean our phones?”

“No,” Seungkwan said, brandishing a pair of sunglasses and a trench coat he had somehow found in the corner. “We need to look like professional detectives.”

Seungcheol shook his head, hiding a smirk. “Professional is not the word I’d use.”

Soonyoung snorted. “You look like a cosplay gone wrong.”

Y/N laughed, finally letting herself relax fully. Despite the absurdity, the tension in her chest eased just a little.

And somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized she liked having Seungcheol there, not lecturing, not judging, just quietly watching the chaos unfold with her.

Seungkwan, oblivious to the subtle moment, started pacing again, muttering about “exit strategies” and “timing our approach.”

Y/N leaned back, smiling despite herself. 

Seungkwan had declared that before they went full-scale, they needed to “run a dry recon” in the apartment.

“So,” he said, adjusting the trench coat that was far too big for him, “we simulate. Y/N, you’re the suspect. We need to follow your movements without being noticed.”

Y/N blinked. “What? I’m the suspect?”

“Yes,” Seungkwan said, dead serious. “We need to anticipate behavior patterns. Think of it as spy training.”

Soonyoung immediately jumped into the role of “undercover observer,” crouching behind the couch like a cartoon. “I see all. I am invisible.”

Seungcheol leaned against the wall, arms crossed, trying not to laugh. “You’re not invisible. You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous is exactly the point,” Seungkwan said, waving a finger at him. “Distraction, misdirection, chaos. All essential tools for any field agent.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, stepping around the living room carefully, playing along. “Okay, Mr. Secret Service, what’s my behavior pattern supposed to be?”

“You’re casual,” Seungkwan said. “Confidence. Innocent. But, suspiciously graceful.”

Soonyoung peeked around the corner and whispered dramatically, “She’s moving! Everyone freeze.”

Seungcheol groaned. “You’re literally stalking her in the living room.”

“Observation is key.” Seungkwan protested. He crouched behind the counter, peeking over the edge like a kid in a hide-and-seek game.

Soonyoung, still crouched, leaned over to Y/N. “Honestly, though maybe we should follow them for real if it comes to it.”

Y/N laughed quietly, shaking her head. “You guys are stupid.”

Seungcheol finally stepped forward, voice quiet. “You okay?”

She paused, then nodded. “Yeah. It’s kind of nice, actually. Being part of this ridiculous chaos with you guys takes my mind off of sulking”

A small smile tugged at his lips. “I guess I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Y/N’s lips twitched. “Yeah, me neither.”

Seungkwan crouched behind the couch again, adjusting his trench coat and whispering to Soonyoung. “Okay, we need to establish a perimeter. Y/N’s movements are unpredictable, but I can anticipate them if we recalibrate.”

Soonyoung peeked over the edge of the couch, nodding seriously. “Right. Thermal readings. Pattern recognition. I think I saw someone in the hall earlier who could be a double agent.”

Y/N groaned, rubbing her temples. “We’re not in a spy movie.”

Seungcheol, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, gave a slow sigh. “Or maybe we should just be normal.”

Seungkwan froze. “Normal? What is this, surrender?”

“No,” Seungcheol said patiently. “We ask the bartender straight up. You think they’d care about us asking? Probably not. Spying is a little weird.”

Soonyoung blinked, then frowned. “We could blend in and observe. Casual, inconspicuous, definitely not weird.”

Y/N let out a laugh she didn’t mean to, shaking her head. “Soony, you are the least inconspicuous person I’ve ever met.”

Seungcheol smirked faintly. “Exactly. That’s why we go straight. No trench coats, no hiding behind counters, no pretending to be secret agents. Just talk to the bartender.”

Seungkwan huffed, glaring at him. “Where’s your sense of adventure? The thrill? The dramatic tension?”

“The thrill can be imaginary,” Seungcheol replied calmly. “But a direct question gets real answers.”

Y/N nodded, feeling oddly relieved. “Yeah, I like that. Direct. Simple.”

Soonyoung muttered, “Fine. But if it fails, I reserve the right to initiate full surveillance mode.”

Seungkwan crossed his arms, pretending to sulk, but there was a mischievous glint in his eye. “Fine. But I’m keeping my trench coat.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. For the first time since the chaos started, she felt a little like maybe this ridiculous mess could actually be handled.

Seungcheol glanced at her, quietly, almost like he was checking if she was okay. She caught the look and gave him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks,” she whispered.

“For what?” he asked, voice low.

“For just being normal with me,” she said softly.

Y/N stretched, flopping back on the couch. “So, when are we actually going to do this? I thought we were just planning for fun today.”

Seungcheol rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, we didn’t really need to go out tonight…”

Seungkwan’s eyes snapped open, dramatic as ever. “Tonight, people. Tonight. The bachelor auction is tomorrow night. And the day after, I have that thing I told you about. Soonyoung’s mom is visiting next week. This is literally the only night all of us can do this.”

Y/N blinked. “Like, right now?”

Soonyoung groaned, flopping onto the couch. “Yeah, guess there’s no other option. Might as well get it over with.”

Seungcheol nodded slowly. “Alright, tonight it is. But maybe we should keep it low-key?”

Seungkwan waved a hand. “Low-key? No, no. Professional, tactical, stylish. Black only.”

“Soonyoung, take something from my closet,” Seungkwan said, tossing him a pair of sleek black pants.

Soonyoung shook his head. “Nah, I’ll just borrow something from Cheol. He’s already dressed like a secret agent anyway.”

Seungcheol gave him a side-eye, smirking. “I do not look like a secret agent.”

Y/N chuckled quietly. “You do.”

Seungkwan threw her a dramatic look. “Exactly. Coordinated, professional, stealthy. Trust me, you’ll thank me.”

Y/N groaned, grabbing her bag. “Fine, spy night it is. But if anyone trips over a trench coat or knocks over a drink, it’s on you.”

Seungcheol chuckled, leaning back. “This shit is like a fucking circus.”

Soonyoung grinned. “Chaotic spy circus. I like it.”

Seungkwan, already fussing with his trench coat and sunglasses, gave a small, proud nod. “Black. Sleek. Professional. Spy vibes only.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smiled. “Alright, I’m going to change. I’ll meet you in the hall.”

Y/N stepped into her apartment, the familiar hum of the fridge and distant city noises grounding her for a moment. She set her bag down and leaned against the door, letting out a long breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

Her fingers lingered on her phone, scrolling briefly through the messages from earlier, but she quickly locked it. Not now. Not while she needed a second to just exist.

She kicked off her shoes and wandered toward her bedroom, slipping out of the casual clothes she’d worn all day. The soft fabric of her pajamas fell to the floor as she pulled on something sleek and black, more for confidence than anything else.

Standing in front of the mirror, Y/N took a long, steadying breath. Her hair fell into place, her makeup minimal but enough to make her feel like she wasn’t just walking into a storm, she was walking in prepared.

She exhaled again, letting the tension roll off her shoulders. “Okay,” she whispered to herself, “you’ve got this. It’s just a stupid plan with friends. Nothing can go wrong… probably.”

Y/N grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, and gave herself a last glance in the mirror. One final deep breath. One last moment just for herself.

Then she stepped out, ready to meet Seungkwan, Soonyoung, and Seungcheol, and dive headfirst into whatever ridiculous spy antics awaited them tonight.

Y/N stepped out of her apartment, her purse slung over her shoulder, and spotted Seungkwan leaning against the wall like a kid in a spy movie, trench coat flaring dramatically in the hall light. Soonyoung crouched low behind a potted plant, peeking out like he was on some covert mission.

“Ready?” Seungcheol asked quietly, hands in his pockets, trying not to laugh at the absurdity.

“Ready,” Y/N said, smirking. “Let’s just try not to draw too much attention to ourselves, okay?”

Seungkwan straightened with a flourish. “Attention? No. Stealth mode, maximum. Observe, record, report.”

Soonyoung peeked around the corner again. “I see the elevator. Initiating approach protocol.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Protocol. Right.”

As the elevator doors closed, Seungkwan whispered under his breath, “Tonight, we are shadows. Ghosts. Legends.”

Seungcheol gave him a side glance. “Legends in black hoodies and trench coats.”

Soonyoung elbowed him. “Hey. Hoodies can be tactical.”

Y/N laughed quietly, feeling a little lighter. Even with the chaos, even with the stress of the video and the drama, this ridiculous mission with her friends was grounding.

When the elevator doors opened to the lobby, Seungkwan moved first, dramatically sweeping his arm toward the exit. “After me, team. And remember stealth. Elegance. Precision.”

Soonyoung followed closely, crouched low. Y/N and Seungcheol exchanged a glance and silently agreed to just  walk normally.

Outside, the night air was cool against their faces, and the city lights stretched ahead. Y/N inhaled deeply. This was it, the start of their “recon mission.” And despite herself, she was actually excited.

Seungcheol leaned closer, voice low. “You good?”

Y/N smiled faintly. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

The four of them piled into Seungcheol’s car, Y/N sliding into the passenger seat while Seungkwan immediately started whispering tactical instructions to Soonyoung in the back.

“Alright,” Seungkwan murmured, “we need to be discreet. Everyone stays in position. Y/N, eyes forward, remember, this is surveillance.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smirked. “Sure, tactical genius.”

Seungcheol started the engine, glancing at her with a faint smile. “We’ll get there in about an hour. Plenty of time to, you know, strategize.”

Soonyoung leaned forward slightly, grinning. “I’ve got my spy notebook ready. Codes, signals, disguises.”

“Or we could just talk to the bartender when we get there,” Seungcheol interrupted, shaking his head with an amused look. “No need for full-on espionage.”

Seungkwan pretended to be offended, slumping dramatically in his seat. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

Y/N laughed quietly, leaning back against her seat. “Honestly, I don’t know if I’m ready for the full spy treatment. Let’s just get the bartender, okay? Simple, direct, less chance of someone tripping over a trench coat.”

Soonyoung snorted, pulling out a small notebook anyway. “Fine, fine. But if we need codes, I’m ready.”

The city lights blurred past as they drove toward Seungcheol and Y/N’s hometown. The hum of the car, the occasional muttered instructions from Seungkwan, and the quiet banter between them made the hour feel shorter than it actually was.

Y/N stared out the window, her thoughts a jumble of anticipation and nerves. “Once we find the bartender, maybe we’ll actually figure out if this video is real. And if it is well. At least we’ll know.”

Seungcheol reached over, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Whatever happens, we’ve got this.”

Y/N nodded, gripping her bag a little tighter. “Yeah. Let’s just hope the bartender remembers anything useful and that we don’t get too carried away playing detectives.”

Seungkwan, hearing this, leaned over with a sly grin. “Too late for that.”

Soonyoung snorted, already scribbling notes. “Mission accepted.”

By the time the car rolled into the quiet streets of their hometown, the sky was turning a deep, soft orange from the setting sun. Y/N watched the familiar storefronts blur past, a mix of nostalgia and nerves fluttering in her chest.

Seungkwan’s eyes practically popped out of his head. “Oh my god! Look at this place. It’s adorable! And fancy! Who even knew this town had—”

“Seungkwan,” Seungcheol said, trying not to grin, “it’s just a normal town. This is where we grew up.”

“Normal?” Seungkwan gasped, hands flailing. “These cobblestones. The little cafés. The streetlights. I mean I knew you guys were rich, but Jesus.”

Soonyoung snickered from the back seat. 

Y/N chuckled quietly, glancing out the window. “Honestly, it is kind of cute, though.”

Seungkwan leaned forward, voice full of wonder. “Tell me everything. How’s the bakery down the corner? The ice cream shop? Are the streets still named after those old founders? I have to know.”

Seungcheol gave a small shrug, smirking. “Some things haven’t changed. The bakery still smells amazing. The ice cream place, still overpriced.”

Y/N laughed, shaking her head. “And apparently Seungkwan is going to write a full report on the town’s aesthetics before we even find the bartender.”

Seungkwan gasped dramatically. “A report? No, no, no. This is reconnaissance. Every detail matters. The streets, the lighting, the vibe, it all affects the mission.”

Soonyoung muttered, half-laughing, “If by ‘mission’ you mean wandering around like tourists, then yeah, totally critical.”

Y/N smiled at Seungcheol. “Just let him have his fun.”

Seungcheol gave a quiet laugh. “Alright.”

As the car wound closer to the familiar bar where the night in question had happened, Y/N took a deep breath. “Okay. Enough sightseeing.”

Seungkwan leaned back, giving a dramatic sigh. “Fine, fine. But seriously this town is incredible.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but the faint smile on her face didn’t fade. No matter what happened tonight, at least they were doing it together, and somehow, even Seungkwan’s theatrics made the nerves a little lighter.

They parked a few blocks from the bar, the familiar neon sign flickering in the early evening light. Y/N took a deep breath, her stomach fluttering nervously. “Alright. Here goes nothing.”

Seungkwan and Soonyoung immediately leapt into full spy mode, crouching behind a trashcan and peeking around corners, whispering code phrases like they were on a covert ops mission.

Seungcheol groaned, rubbing his face. “Please. Stop. You look ridiculous. We’re literally about to walk into a bar, not infiltrate enemy territory.”

Seungkwan huffed dramatically. “Disrespecting protocol again, Seungcheol. You clearly don’t understand operational security.”

Soonyoung crouched lower, whispering conspiratorially, “Agent Y/N, you need to stay low. Eye contact with civilians is dangerous.”

Y/N blinked at him, half-laughing. “Soonyoung, it’s a bar. There are literally thirty people in here. How dangerous can eye contact be?”

Seungcheol threw up his hands, exasperated. “I cannot take you two seriously right now. I’m begging you. Just walk normally.”

Seungkwan gave him a mock salute. “Understood, General Cheol. But the mission requires stealth.”

Seungcheol groaned again, muttering under his breath, “I can’t believe I agreed to this.”

Y/N, trying not to laugh, tugged at Seungkwan’s sleeve. “Maybe tone it down a little?”

Seungkwan blinked at her, a little pouty. “Fine. For you. But only slightly.”

Soonyoung whispered conspiratorially, “Slightly is my favorite level of crazy.”

Seungcheol buried his face in his hands. “I am doomed. Completely doomed.”

Y/N couldn’t help it, she laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, we’re doomed. But at least it’s kind of fun.”

And with that, the four of them stepped toward the bar, half-spies, half-tourists, fully ready to find the bartender and get the answers they needed. Seungcheol was still muttering dramatic warnings under his breath the whole way.

The four of them pushed open the bar’s door, the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses greeting them. Seungkwan and Soonyoung instantly went rigid, scanning the room like it was enemy territory.

Seungcheol groaned audibly, grabbing Seungkwan by the shoulder. “Okay, enough. Sit down, seriously. You’re making everyone else uncomfortable. Here, let me get you a drink before you start twitching.”

Seungkwan flopped dramatically onto a barstool, sighing. “Fine, but only because this is part of the operation.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Operation or not, you look like you’re about to fall over from anxiety.”

Seungkwan gave her a sheepish grin. “Maybe I wasn’t just doing the spy act for fun. It’s a way to not freak out, honestly. I didn’t want to think about what we might find.”

Seungcheol shook his head, smirking. “I get it. But you don’t have to act like a secret agent to cope. Sit. Relax. I’ll get your drink. Everything’s fine.”

Soonyoung leaned back, laughing quietly. “Guess the spy mission is officially downgraded.”

Y/N chuckled, sliding onto the seat next to Seungkwan. “Yeah, I think we can manage asking one bartender some questions without full espionage mode.”

Seungkwan leaned his head back, finally exhaling. “Thanks. I didn’t want to freak out in front of you guys.”

Seungcheol patted his shoulder. “You’re fine. Just chill. Drink in hand, eyes open, detective mode off. Got it?”

Seungkwan nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Got it.”

Y/N let herself relax a little too, feeling the tension ease. Maybe they could actually do this, get the answers they needed without turning it into a full-blown covert operation.

Y/N took a deep breath, stepping closer to the bar. Seungcheol stayed behind to ease Seungkwan’s anxiety. “Hey, um, do you remember a few months ago, me and my friends were here? I’m not sure why you remember, because you see a lot of people, but uhm.. I just wanted to ask, did you see anyone unusual? Someone interacting with this girl?” Y/n held up her phone to the bartender's face with a picture of Yuqi on it. 

The bartender blinked, leaning on the counter. “Oh yeah, her. Unusual how?”

Y/N hesitated for a moment. “ I’m not sure. Just acting differently, maybe someone who didn’t normally come here. Anything that stood out?”

As the bartender thought, Y/N’s eyes flicked to the restroom doorway and froze. Yuqi was coming out, slipping into a booth on the other side of the bar. Y/N ducked down instinctively, heart racing, trying not to be seen.

She straightened and quickly made her way back over to Soonyoung, Seungcheol, and Seungkwan, crouching slightly to whisper. “She’s here.”

Seungkwan’s eyes went wide. “Who? The bartender? Is that her?”

Y/N shook her head quickly. “No. Yuqi. She’s in the bar.”

Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, leaning closer. “What? Are you fucking serious?”

Y/N nodded, biting her lip. “Yes, I am fucking serious. I just saw her. Sitting at a booth. I couldn’t see who she was with, but…” She swallowed, glancing back toward Yuqi subtly.

Seungkwan leaned back, trying to mask a grin. “Well, that complicates things.”

Soonyoung muttered under his breath, “What the fuck is going on.”

Seungcheol sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Okay. Let's not panic. Just, stay calm. We ask our questions, get the info, and try not to get caught staring at her.”

Y/N exhaled slowly, glancing toward the booth again. “Are you insane? We can’t stay here. We have to go. Now.” 

The four of them just stared at each other, the tension mixed with anticipation, knowing that Yuqi being here added an entirely new layer to their night.

“Wait. But, don’t you want to know who she's with?” Soonyoung asked quietly, all of them still whispering. 

“Obviously, but how the fuck do we do that without her seeing us.” Y/n said, rubbing her temples. Stealing the drink Seungkwan had set down. 

Seungkwan squinted up at the bar, trying to make sure he could get up there somehow without being noticed and came up with an idea. 

“Okay, you guys go back to the car. I have an idea.” 

Seungcheol groaned immediately. “Oh, god.”

But Seungkwan was already in motion, eyes glinting with that dangerous mix of nerves and enthusiasm. “We get the bartender to help us. She probably knows everyone. I’ll tell her what’s going on, just enough and ask if she can, like, take a photo or get the name on the guy’s tab.”

Soonyoung blinked. “You’re gonna recruit the bartender?”

“Yes,” Seungkwan said, dead serious. “She’s a public servant of vibes.”

Y/N hissed under her breath. “Seungkwan no, that’s too obvious—”

But he was already waving the bartender over with an exaggerated, innocent smile. “Excuse me. Hi! Sorry, um, quick question—”

The bartender leaned in, and Seungkwan immediately lowered his voice. “Okay, so this is going to sound super weird, but we’re kind of trying to help our friend. She’s here, over there, that girl in the booth and she’s with someone who might not be who she thinks he is. Would there be any chance you could, like, discreetly see who she’s with? Maybe get the guy’s name off the tab or something?”

The bartender blinked, processing. “You want me to spy on a customer?”

“Not spy!” Seungkwan said too quickly. “Just lightly observe for justice.”

Before she could respond, his elbow hit his glass and sent it tumbling, tequila splashing across the counter. “Ah, shit! I’m so sorry—”

Y/N jumped up. “Oh my god—”

Soonyoung was already grabbing napkins, but Seungcheol caught Y/N’s wrist and whispered, “Go. Now. Before she looks over here.”

Y/N blinked. “What?”

“Go,” he repeated, nudging her toward the exit.

Within seconds, the three of them were ducking out the door, sliding into Seungcheol’s car parked just down the block. From inside, Y/N peeked out the window toward the bar’s front windows, pulse hammering.

A moment later, Seungkwan burst out, half-running, half-laughing, waving a damp napkin. “Mission accomplished.”

Soonyoung leaned over the seat. “Did she do it?”

“I think so,” Seungkwan panted, climbing in. “She said she’d check. I told her to text the number on the napkin.” He held it up proudly, sure enough, the bartender’s number scrawled in quick pen strokes.

Y/N stared at him, half in disbelief, half in awe. “You gave her your number?”

Seungkwan shrugged, dead serious. “For evidence.”

Seungcheol dropped his head back against the seat, muttering, “This is insane.”

Y/N chewed her lip, still peering through the windshield. “If it works, though…”

Soonyoung grinned. “Then we’re basically detectives.”

Seungkwan turned in his seat dramatically. “No, we’re friends on a mission for the truth.”

Seungcheol groaned again, but he was smiling now as he started the car.

The car was idling just down the street, headlights off, the heater humming low. The four of them sat in an anxious half-silence, waiting.

“Do you think she’s really doing it?” Soonyoung whispered, peering over Seungkwan’s shoulder.

“She said she would,” Seungkwan muttered, still gripping his phone like it was a detonator. “I told her it was, like, urgent-urgent.”

Y/N stared out the window, chewing her lip. Her pulse hadn’t calmed since she’d spotted Yuqi slipping into that booth. The way she’d smiled, comfortable, like she belonged there, made her stomach twist. “ The thing I can’t make sense of is why Mingyu and her would come here? Like it’s so weird and—” 

A sharp ping cut through her voice.

Seungkwan’s phone lit up. He glanced at it, eyes scanning fast. “She sent a name. Hold on—uh…” He squinted, reading aloud.

“Guy’s tab is under Joon Betts. Does that help?”

Y/N’s head snapped toward Seungcheol so fast it startled the others. Her chest went cold.

Seungcheol didn’t say anything. His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, his jaw locked hard.

Soonyoung frowned, glancing between them. “Wait, who’s Joon Betts?”

Seungkwan looked equally lost. “Yeah, should that mean something? ’Cause you two look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Y/N let out a hollow laugh that didn’t sound like her. “He’s the guy who—” She stopped, swallowing. “He’s the reason that video of me and Seungcheol exists.”

Soonyoung’s expression dropped. “What?”

Seungkwan blinked. “As in the guy who filmed it?”

Seungcheol finally spoke, voice low and even. “Yeah. And the one who hit me at the party.”

No one moved. The heater hummed softly, the car suddenly feeling too small.

The name hung between them like a bad smell.

Joon Betts.

Y/N stared straight ahead, her pulse still catching up to her brain.

 Seungkwan looked at Soonyoung. Soonyoung looked at Seungkwan.

 Seungcheol just said, “Don’t say it.”

“I wasn’t gonna say it,” Seungkwan said, offended.

“You were absolutely gonna say it,” Y/N muttered.

He shrugged. “Okay, but can I say it now?”

 Seungcheol groaned. “Fine.”

Seungkwan threw his hands up. “What the fuck is wrong with this bitch?!”

Y/N groaned, eyes still on her phone. The drama page notification glared at her, practically daring her to open it again.

Soonyoung leaned over, frowning. “Okay.  Where are we even supposed to go now?”

Seungcheol rubbed the back of his neck and finally let out a long, tense sigh. “Well, my dad’s out of town. Hana’s home and said we could all crash at the house for the night, she seemed excited for company. Drinks, a couch, maybe some snacks. Figure things out in the morning.”

Seungkwan blinked. “Wait. You mean your dad’s hot fiancé is gonna let all of us just stay there?”

Seungcheol shrugged. “Well it was my house first. She’s surprisingly chill. And we clearly need a plan.”

Y/N exhaled, shoulders finally sagging. “Fine. Drinks. Snacks. Emergency strategy session. But I’m not dealing with any more surprises tonight. I might need Hana too. She’s my favorite girl your dad has had. Sorry. She helped me at my mom’s party, helped Cheol when he was hurt, made him feel. Well, better than he has in a long time. I love her.”

Soonyoung smirked. “No promises. This whole day has been a disaster anyway.”

Seungkwan’s eyes flicked to Y/N’s phone again as another notification buzzed through. He froze, a shadow crossing his face. “Huh. funny how these posts always seem to come right when she’s around.”

Y/N didn’t notice, busy leaning back, trying to steady her racing thoughts.

The car’s heater hummed softly, the sound oddly menacing in the otherwise quiet space. Outside, the neon of the bar faded into the night, leaving only darkness and the unknown stretching ahead.

Y/N’s phone buzzed again. Another alert from the drama page. Her fingers hovered over it, and for a moment, she considered turning the phone off, pretending none of it existed.

But she didn’t.

The screen lit up, casting a pale glow across her face. And in the back of her mind, she knew one thing for certain. Nothing tonight would be simple ever again.

note: well hi, everyone <3 sorry theres no actual texts in this chapter i just chose to make it written for more context reasons ykwim. but let me know what u think, do u think the guy in the video was mingyu or u think it was shady joon. (also yes gave him the last name betts bc i'm a dodgers fan && always a mookie fan lmao.) let me know what u think, ilyily. next one will be the auction where im sure more shit will hit the fan, quite possibly blow up yk. ily.

Y/N blinked. “For what?”

Yuqi sighed, dropping onto the edge of the bed finally. “I think I’ve been acting weird. Like, all the comments about Mingyu and Seungcheol and making dumb jokes. I wasn’t trying to make you feel worse. I think.. I don’t know. I’ve been feeling a little left out lately. Like everyone’s caught up in these big dramatic things, and I’m just kind of orbiting around it.”

Y/N’s heart pinched. 

“I know it’s dumb,” Yuqi rushed to add. “I have Mark, and I love him, and I love you. But when I saw you with Seungcheol last night, I realized I was being kind of shitty. Like maybe it looked like I was judging you for not picking Mingyu, and I swear I wasn’t.”

Y/N shook her head. “You weren’t being shitty. I just didn’t want to make you feel like you had to choose sides. I also have literally no idea what I’m doing. Also, I still haven’t picked anyone. I don’t want to feel like I have to either.”

Yuqi shrugged. “You don’t have to explain. I just wanted you to know that no matter what you choose, or who. I’m on your side, okay? You could date a broomstick and I’d be like, 'That’s my best friend and her stick. We love him.'”

Y/N finally smiled, the first real one all morning.

“I missed you,” she said softly. “Like really missed you, even when you were right there.”

Y/N and Yuqi made their way back into the kitchen, still bleary but more settled now, wrapped in the quiet warmth that only comes after clearing the air.

The apartment was sun-dappled and still smelled like last night’s perfume and leftover sugar from a half-eaten birthday cake. The windows were cracked open, letting in a light breeze that tugged at the corners of their frayed thoughts.

Y/N slid into a seat at the kitchen counter, sipping her cold brew slowly.

Yuqi flopped across from her, tucking her legs up into the bar stool. She was watching Y/N closely now, in that quiet, best friend way where the silences weren’t uncomfortable. Just honest.

“So…” Yuqi said eventually, voice low and teasing but gentle, “was it a good kiss?”

Y/N tried not to smile, but it crept in anyway. “Too early.”

“I’m serious! There’s kissing and then there’s life-shifting cinematic moment kissing.”

Y/N sighed, leaning her chin into her hand. “It was the kind of kiss that makes everything worse, because now I really don’t know what I’m doing.”

Yuqi softened. “You don’t have to know. You’re allowed to feel all of it confused, pulled in different directions, angry, happy, scared. All of it.”

“I hate feeling like someone’s going to get hurt.”

“You’re not doing it on purpose.”

“It still hurts.”

Yuqi reached across the counter and nudged her pinky finger against Y/N’s. “You’ve got time. You don’t have to fix everything today. But, tell me did it bring you back to before all of this? Like when you kissed him for the first time?”

Y/N nodded slowly, eyes drifting toward the phone sitting screen-down beside her drink. She hadn’t checked her messages yet. Hadn’t opened the DMs. Part of her didn’t want to know what was waiting.

But that part was shrinking.

“Yeah. It did. But, I’m scared,” she admitted softly, surprising even herself.

Yuqi let the silence stretch just enough before saying, “Then you just have to change your mindset about it. Think of it like… figuring out where you feel safe. Where it feels like you.”

That stuck.

That stung, a little too.

Y/N didn’t answer right away. Just tapped her finger against her drink lid and stared at her reflection on the surface.

Finally, she looked up. “Want to help me get ready for tonight?”

Yuqi smirked. “Babe, I’m already picking your outfit. I’ve got three options and one of them involves sunglasses and a trench coat in case you want to go full incognito.”

Y/N laughed, despite herself. “God, you’re so annoying.”

“I’m the most annoying,” Yuqi said, standing up. “But I’m yours.”

The apartment had quieted again, the kind of lull that only came after a late night and an early heart-to-heart. Yuqi had disappeared into her room to dig through her “date outfit war chest,” calling occasional updates over her shoulder about silk vs. leather and whether platform boots were “too much.”

Y/N stayed behind at the counter, fingers tapping a slow, uncertain rhythm against her cold brew.

Her phone still sat where she’d left it.

Eventually, with a sigh, she turned it over and unlocked the screen.

The app was still open.

The notification was still pulled up.

She hesitated for exactly one breath before looking at the photo again.

Y/N blinked at the screen. 

The words didn’t shock her anymore. She knew how this game worked. She’d played it enough times, even if she never meant to. Still, it cut deep. Not because it was true. But because there was just enough plausibility in it to make her question everything again.

She set her phone down harder than necessary.

Yuqi reemerged, holding a black slip dress in one hand and a simple pair of kitten heels in the other. “Okay, so hear me out—”

“I said yes to Mingyu because I wanted something to feel easy,” Y/N said suddenly, not looking at her.

Yuqi stopped mid-stride.

“I wanted something good. Something uncomplicated. And he is that. He’s kind, and he’s hot, and he likes me. And it has never felt like a game with him.”

Yuqi walked over slowly, placing the dress and shoes on the counter.

Y/N kept going, voice thinner now. “But now I’m second-guessing everything because one stupid fucking picture from an idiot hiding behind a screen made me feel like a fool. And I hate that. I hate that I care.”

Yuqi gently touched her shoulder. “You care because it’s real. You wouldn’t be spiraling if none of this mattered.”

Y/N finally looked up. “I feel like I’m breaking something, no matter what I choose.”

Yuqi offered a small, knowing smile. “Then choose what makes you feel the least broken.”

Y/N closed her eyes for a second, grounding herself. Then opened them and exhaled.

“…Show me the dress again.”

Yuqi beamed, holding it up. “See? Now this is breakup-proof, drama-resistant armor.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “You’re aware I’m not breaking up with anyone yet, right?”

“Details, details,” Yuqi said, waving her off. “Let’s get you hot.”

Incoming Texts — Mingyu 🐾

[4:42 PM] hey, just checking in, still on for later?

[4:42 PM] i booked us a table at the dove inn at 7. i want you to have a night that’s about you, not anyone else

[4:43 PM] i can come pick you up, or we can meet there. whatever feels better for you

[4:46 PM] also no pressure at all!! if today’s weird or you need more time or whatever, just tell me. seriously. no hard feelings

[4:47 PM] (but i’d really like to see you)

Y/N stared at her screen for a long moment, thumbs hovering before she finally typed:

Y/N [4:51 PM] 7 is perfect. just pick me up. 🖤

Yuqi stood behind Y/N with a curling iron in one hand and a glass of rosé in the other, looking like a girl who took her beauty rituals very seriously, even when they were someone else’s.

“You’re too calm,” Yuqi said, tugging gently at a section of Y/N’s hair. “You’re either having a mental breakdown in slow motion or you’re planning something.”

Y/N smirked, sipping from her own glass. “I’m just trying to enjoy it for once. No spiraling. No what-ifs.”

Yuqi studied her in the mirror. “That’s hot girl behavior.”

“Don’t make it weird.”

“You kissed your ex-enemy and now you’re going on a date with your forever-fake date who might be your real crush. I think we passed ‘weird’ three chapters ago.”

Y/N laughed despite herself, twisting slightly to face her. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For still being my friend even when I’m a whole-ass mess.”

Yuqi softened. “You think I don’t relate? Come on.”

They laughed together, and Yuqi handed her a tube of lip gloss. “Okay. Final touches. Do not cry it off before the appetizers.”

There was a knock right as Y/N slipped her heels on.

“I got it,” Yuqi said, darting from the room.

She opened the door to find Seungcheol standing there, hoodie on, game controller in hand.

“I promised you ‘Stardust Kart 8,’” he said, holding it up like a peace offering.

Yuqi smiled, taking it. “You’re a man of honor, I respect that.”

“Who’s here? I swear to go if it’s– Oh, Hey.” Y/N peeked her head out from the hallway, freezing just slightly when she saw him.

Seungcheol’s eyes lifted, briefly catching hers. His mouth parted, maybe to say something, maybe just a breath,  but nothing came out.

Yuqi looked between them and made a dramatic show of stepping backward into the kitchen. “And I will plug this in and definitely not eavesdrop.”

The door stayed open behind her, and the silence lingered.

“You look really nice.” Seungcheol said softly, trying to shake off the awkward feeling in his stomach.

Y/N tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thanks. I’m, um, going out with Mingyu.”

He nodded once, slowly. “Right.”

More silence. The soft thrum of the game starts up from the other room.

Y/N bit her lip. “I should finish getting ready.”

“Yeah,” he said, backing up. “I hope you have a good time.”

She watched the door close behind him, but didn’t move for a beat.

Seungcheol dropped onto the couch next to Seungkwan like gravity was working overtime.

Seungkwan didn’t even look up from his phone. “You look like you just watched someone kill a puppy.”

Cheol didn’t answer.

Seungkwan finally turned to him. “Okay, wow, you’re spiraling, drama queen. What happened?”

“I just saw Y/n. She’s going on a date with Mingyu.”

Seungkwan blinked. “Okay, and?”

“And she looked happy.”

“Right. So naturally, your plan is to sit here and emotionally wallow like a Victorian widow?”

Cheol glared at him. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Tell her you’re still in love with her, dumb ass. I’ve never seen you act like such a puss before. What’s going on?”

“I can’t do that right now. She’s confused.”

Seungkwan groaned and tossed a throw pillow at him. “You’re also confused. You’re both doing that thing where you pretend you’re fine when you’re actually being slowly crushed by your own emotional constipation.”

“That’s not a thing.”

“Oh, it’s a thing,” Seungkwan said, poking him in the chest. “But here’s the good news, you’re not dead yet, and you’re not out of time. Who the fuck makes up their mind after one lame date at a fancy fuck dinner where they don’t even give you enough food, which I also might point out is not very Y/n. She, like you, grew up being spoiled and hating shit like this, so I’m not sure at this point if he’s trying to impress her or her mother more. ”

Seungcheol looked at him, rolling his eyes.

“Look, people make the wrong choice all the time,” Seungkwan continued. “But they also change their minds. Especially when they realize the right one’s been waiting right across the hall the whole time.”

Cheol didn’t respond right away.

Seungkwan smirked. “Now come on. Put on some shoes. We have to go get some food so we can either rage and play video games or do face masks and talk about our feelings. Your choice.”

Y/N checked herself in the hallway mirror for the third time, pressing her lips together to make sure the gloss hadn’t smudged. The soft hum of music played from the speaker in Yuqi’s room, the kind of girly playlist made for outfit changes and small affirmations.

“You look like you’re about to get drafted into the WNBA,” Yuqi said, standing in the kitchen doorway with her phone up. “Now hold still, I need like three full-body shots and one close-up for safety.”

Y/N groaned. “You’re so annoying.”

“Shut up and pose,” Yuqi commanded, snapping a burst of photos as Y/N awkwardly turned toward her. “Okay now one smiling like you actually like him, cute. And now a ‘don’t start drama or I will’ face, perfect. Oh my god. Vogue is shaking.”

“This is so embarrassing.”

Yuqi grinned. “You’re welcome. Now go. Be hot. Be mysterious. Text me if you need an escape route.”

“I won’t.”

“But you might,” Yuqi called after her as Y/N opened the door.

“And if you kiss him, lip gloss check at all times.”

“Okay, enough. See you later.” 

“Maybe you won't, if you’re lucky.”

The sun was just dipping beneath the treetops, casting everything in soft amber. The street outside their building was quiet except for the distant thrum of someone’s bluetooth speaker and the occasional breeze.

And there he was.

Mingyu stood leaning casually against the side of his car, black slacks and a linen shirt rolled to his elbows, bouquet in hand. He was texting one-handed but looked up the second the door clicked behind her.

His smile grew instantly.

“Wow,” he said, pushing off the car to meet her halfway. “You look…”

She raised an eyebrow as she approached. “If you say ‘nice,’ I’m going back inside.”

Mingyu laughed, holding out the flowers. “I was gonna say perfect, actually. But noted.”

Y/N softened as she took them, the scent hitting her immediately,  lilac and something citrusy.

“I didn’t know your flower knowledge was that good.”

“I asked my sister what not to get on a first date,” he shrugged. “No roses, no carnations. Went for vibes.”

“You nailed it,” she said, tucking the bouquet close.

He opened the car door for her with a small grin. “You ready?”

She hesitated only for a second, then nodded. “Yeah. I think so.”

The grocery bags weren’t heavy, but Seungkwan made them sound like a punishment from God.

“Do we look like men who carry fresh produce? This is why humans invented delivery, Cheol.”

Seungcheol just huffed a quiet laugh, adjusting the bag in his arms. “You insisted we needed juice and those fancy granola bars.”

“Yeah, emotional support granola bars,” Seungkwan muttered. “You’re the one brooding in the dark about your crush-slash-friend-slash-fake enemy-slash—”

He stopped cold. Seungcheol almost didn’t catch it until Seungkwan’s hand shot out like a reflex across his chest.

“Dude. Don’t look. But, actually, no. Look.”

Seungcheol turned.

There, across the street in the golden evening light, was Y/N, her hair curled, lips glossed, wrapped in a different dress than he’d seen her in earlier. Laughing.

Mingyu was standing next to her in a white button-up, one hand slipping into the pocket of his slacks, the other gently offering her a bouquet of flowers.

The two of them looked like two perfect characters in a movie.

Y/N smiled softly, brushing his fingers as she took the flowers. Mingyu leaned in to say something, close, and she laughed again.

Seungcheol didn’t realize he was holding his breath until Seungkwan said, “Okay. Now you can look away.”

He didn’t.

Not until Mingyu opened the passenger door for her and she slipped inside with ease.

They drove off, tires humming on the pavement.

Seungkwan glanced at his best friend, reading the clenched jaw, the grip tightening on a handle of oat milk like it was the problem.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man get emotionally bodied by wildflowers before,” Seungkwan muttered. “That’s a new one.”

“Shut up,” Seungcheol said quietly.

“I’m just saying—”

“Seriously, Kwan.”

“Sorry.” 

They started walking again, silence thick between them. The apartment building came back into view, the sun fully dipped now. Seungkwan finally broke the quiet.

“You know, if this were a drama, this would be the part where the second male lead realizes he’s actually the main one.”

Seungcheol didn’t answer.

“But lucky for you,” Seungkwan added with a shrug, “this is real life. So nothing’s written yet.”

They reached their floor and paused outside their door.

“You think she looked happy?” Seungcheol asked suddenly.

Seungkwan sighed, unlocking the door.

“Honestly?” he said, nudging it open. “She looked like she wanted to be.”

Back in the car, the silence was awkward, not in the way they had nothing to say to one another just in the way they weren’t sure how to start the night off. “I’m happy you decided to come,” he said softly.

“You really thought I wouldn’t?”

“No,” he grinned, “but I was nervous anyway.”

The air between them in the car felt like laughter in motion. Mingyu had some playlist going, one he proudly titled “For Y/N, Always”and even though it was mostly a mix of songs she’d once offhandedly said she liked, it somehow hit every mood just right.

Y/N had her legs curled up in the seat, hand dangling out the window, hair catching the wind. Mingyu drummed the steering wheel, occasionally sneaking glances at her and grinning when she caught him.

When Let’s See What the Night Can Do came on, sweet, nostalgic, cheesy in the best way, she gasped.

“Oh my God, how do you even know this song?” she laughed.

“You told me once you and Vernon sang it at a wedding, drunkenly during his best man speech.”

“I said that one time!”

“And now it’s our song,” Mingyu declared dramatically, turning it up and serenading her in the most off-key falsetto.

Y/N threw her head back laughing, clutching her chest like it hurt. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You love it.”

“I really do.”

When they pulled up to the restaurant, a tucked-away little spot with warm lighting glowing through the front windows, Mingyu parked and cut the engine. For a second, neither of them moved.

He turned toward her, suddenly quieter, but still smiling. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, smoothing her hands over her jeans like she couldn’t sit still.

Mingyu climbed out first and jogged around the front of the car, popping her door open before she could even reach for the handle.

“Stop,” she giggled, pretending to swat him away. “You’re gonna make me feel spoiled.”

“That’s the point,” he said, offering her his hand.

And when she stepped out, her eyes met his and something about the night, how light she felt, how careful he was with her without ever making her feel small, made her heart leap a little.

“I’m really glad it’s you,” she told him suddenly, voice soft.

Mingyu just squeezed her hand. “Me too.”

The host greeted them with a polite smile, but Mingyu didn’t even have to say his name. “Ah, welcome back, sir,” the host said, already reaching for two menus. “Your table is ready.”

Y/N blinked. “You have a table?”

Mingyu just smiled. “You’ll see.”

They followed the host through the softly lit space, past couples sharing wine and small plates, through a narrow corridor lined with candles. The music was low and jazzy, a little romantic, and the hush of conversation added to the sense of being somewhere far away from everything else.

When they stepped into the back terrace, Y/N stopped short.

“Oh.”

The table was tucked into a quiet corner under string lights, surrounded by leafy plants and a view that spilled out over the water. The sun was low enough now that the last of the gold was pooling on the lake's surface, and the candles on the table glowed like fireflies.

“This one,” she whispered. “I told you this was my favorite spot here once.”

“I know,” Mingyu said. “I remembered.”

He pulled out her chair before she could say another word, and when she sat down, she looked out at the water, trying not to show how her eyes shimmered just a little. She didn’t even know when she’d told him that. It had been forever ago. Maybe some late-night conversation or a casual memory she’d shared without thinking. But he remembered.

He always remembered.

When he took his seat across from her, she smiled at him softly. “You’re kind of making this hard.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Hard?”

“It's hard not to fall for you.”

Mingyu’s lips parted for just a second before he laughed, gentle and a little stunned. He leaned forward, forearms on the table, his voice low like a secret. “Maybe I’m not trying to make it easy.”

She didn’t look away. Not this time.

As the server poured sparkling water into their glasses, Y/N glanced around, then leaned across the table with a playful whisper. “Did they forget our menus?”

Mingyu grinned, slow and sheepish like he was waiting for her to notice. “Nope.”

She blinked. “Then, are we just gonna vibe and guess what we’re eating?”

“I already ordered for us.”

Y/N sat back in mock surprise. “You what?”

“I planned the whole meal,” he said casually, reaching for his water like this was the most normal thing in the world. “Course by course. You’re always indecisive and you get flustered when the waiter comes. So I figured I’d save you the stress.”

Her mouth dropped open a little, part laugh, part protest. “That’s actually true, but what if I don’t like it?”

“You will.”

“What if I’m allergic to it?”

“You’re not allergic to anything, you just lie when you don’t want to eat something that you are. You can’t fool me.”

She squinted at him, narrowing her eyes like she was trying to find a flaw in his logic. “Are you trying to be the perfect man or something?”

Mingyu shrugged, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. “I’m trying to be the right one.”

Y/N flushed. It wasn’t even a line, not really. It was just Mingyu, matter-of-fact and completely earnest.

The first course arrived, fresh pasta with lemon butter and shaved parmesan, delicate and comforting, and she raised her brows in approval. “Okay, that’s one point.”

“I’m gonna sweep this,” he warned, teasing now. “You’ll be crying by dessert.”

“From happiness?”

He nodded. “Obviously. And maybe again later from something else, if you catch my drift.”

“Okay, Casanova. You have obviously been spending too much time with Yuqi.” 

“I’m playing.” 

They talked between bites, about everything and nothing. He told her about a construction project he’d seen recently that he couldn’t stop thinking about, and she teased him for sounding like a dad. She told him about a professor who always forgot her name and kept calling her “Emily,” and he vowed to find him and stage a gentle but firm intervention.

And when the main course arrived, her actual favorite dish, perfectly cooked, she just stared at it, then at him, and shook her head.

“This is kind of scary,” she said softly. “I don’t think I like how well you know me.”

Mingyu looked at her for a second, then leaned in again, voice low.

“It’s not scary,” he said. “I just pay attention.” 

“Isn’t a little mystery good?” 

Mingyu laughed, “Don’t worry, you’re still an enigma, just the way you like it.”

By the time dessert arrived, some delicate confection with berries and cream and a warm drizzle of honeyed something, Y/N didn’t even ask how he knew. She just took the first bite, closed her eyes, and let out a little sigh that made Mingyu nearly drop his spoon.

“Okay,” she murmured. “Fine. Crying by dessert.”

He chuckled. “Victory is sweet.”

She narrowed her eyes, chewing slowly. “You might understand food but the subtle art of a good joke is very lost on you.”

“Yeah, but you smiled.”

She tried to hide it. Failed. “Maybe.”

They lingered over the last bites, not in any rush to leave. The restaurant around them hummed softly, low music, soft conversations, candlelight flickering against the glass windows that overlooked the water. For a moment, it felt like the world had narrowed to just them.

When the server came by with the check, Mingyu slid his card in without even looking at the total. Y/N reached for her purse instinctively, but he gave her a look that stopped her short.

“Let me,” he said gently. “I wanted to do this.”

She held his gaze for a second. Then nodded. “Okay.”

They stepped out into the warm night air, a soft breeze brushing Y/N’s hair off her shoulders. The moon glinted off the water, and the quiet from the restaurant made the city sounds feel distant, softened.

“Wanna go for a walk?” Mingyu asked, slipping his hand out slightly, not reaching for hers, just making space for it if she wanted.

She stepped closer, their arms brushing. “Where?”

He grinned. “It’s a surprise.”

“Oh no, not again. You guys really love surprising someone who hates surprises.”

“No, a good one. Trust me.”

“Did you already plan that too?”

“Of course I did,” he said smugly. “You think I’m gonna peak with dessert?”

They wandered through the quiet streets, passing the occasional couple, shop windows aglow. He led her down a narrow alley lined with ivy and string lights, then to an old-looking building with no sign, just a dark green door and a small, golden doorbell.

“Mingyu…”

“It’s a speakeasy,” he said, lips close to her ear as he pressed the bell. “They won’t let you in unless you know the password. Which I do. Because I’m excellent.”

Y/N shook her head, laughing softly. “You are way too proud of yourself right now.”

“Just a little,” he whispered. “But you’ll see. This place, it’s cool. It’s quiet. It’s not like bumping music and sticky floors. It’s for talking. For feeling good.”

The door creaked open slowly from the inside. Mingyu reached out, opened it wider, and turned back to her with a boyish smile.

“After you.”

The moment they stepped inside, Y/N felt it in her chest, the hush of the space, the low hum of music that wrapped around her like velvet.

It was nothing like she expected.

Dark wood floors. Deep green velvet booths lining the walls. A bar lit by amber glass pendants, glowing like something out of a movie. And in the far corner, a small stage with a live band, upright bass, brushed drums, keys, a woman in a silk dress crooning something sultry into a vintage mic.

Y/N turned in a slow circle, trying to take it all in. “Okay,” she said under her breath. 

“Cool?” Mingyu offered his eyes to her, not the room.

She looked at him, lips parting. “Sexy.”

He blinked, caught off guard. “Really?”

“Yeah. This place is serious. How did you even find it?”

“I have my ways,” he said, but his voice dipped a little, maybe because she was still looking at him like that. “I figured you’d like something lowkey. Grown-up. A little out of the way.”

She raised a brow. “So I give grown-up?”

“You give mystery,” he said, pulling out a chair for her at one of the back booths. “But, like, the fun kind.”

The band swelled as they slid into the booth, candles flickering between them. A server in suspenders and red lipstick brought two menus, but Mingyu waved them off.

“I called ahead,” he said casually. “They know.”

“Of course they do,” Y/N said, smiling. “You planned the whole night like it was a movie.”

He shrugged, pretending not to be glowing from her tone. “It kind of is.”

She tilted her head. “What’s the genre? Horror?”

He looked at her for a long moment. “Romance, Y/n. Obviously.”

The drinks came in chilled glasses, hers was smoky with citrus and rose, his deeper, with a hint of coffee and something spicy. They sipped. Talked low, leaning in without meaning to. She asked about his week, he told her in that warm, slow way he always did, letting his stories trail into little jokes that made her laugh into her glass.

Then the singer finished her set. And the lights dipped lower.

From across the room, the bassist picked up a new rhythm, lazy, deliberate, and someone began a slow, instrumental version of At Last.

Mingyu looked toward the small space in front of the stage, then back at her. “Do you wanna…?”

Y/N followed his gaze, heart kicking a little. “Are you serious?”

He stood and offered his hand anyway. “Only if you want.”

She didn’t answer. Just took it.

The dance floor was barely a few feet wide, but it didn’t matter. It felt like they were the only ones there. The music wrapped around them, warm and sleepy, and Mingyu’s hand pressed against the small of her back, careful but sure. Her palm rested against his chest, steady with the beat.

Neither of them said anything. They didn't need to.

She leaned her head against his shoulder. He let out a breath like he’d been holding it all night.

“I really like you,” he murmured.

She smiled against his collar. “I know.”

The dim, honey-lit room pulses with the low hum of live jazz, all amber warmth and velvet shadows. A saxophone croons in the background, slow and sultry. Mingyu and Y/N are still dancing. They haven’t stopped, not because of the music, but because it’s easier to keep moving than to sit still with everything stirring between them.

Their bodies move together gently, close but not pressed, Mingyu’s hands resting on her waist like he’s afraid to push the moment. Y/N leans her head back slightly to look up at him, her expression softer now, more honest. 

 “I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for months.”

Mingyu nods, not pushing her. Letting her go at her pace.

“I like you. I do. I think  I always have, even when I didn’t know it. But everything’s just gotten so complicated, and I feel like I’m still figuring out what’s mine and what’s leftover from everything else.”

Her voice cracks a little, not from sadness exactly, but from exhaustion and honesty.

 “I don’t want to be a mess in your hands. And I wouldn’t blame you if this, me, not knowing what I’m doing, not knowing what I want fully yet, if that made you not want to wait around.”

Mingyu exhales slowly, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. The music carries on, but everything between them is hushed.

 “You’re not a mess to me. You’re human. You’re figuring it out. And you’re here. That’s enough.”

She finally looks at him.

 “You don’t have to have an answer tonight. I just want to keep dancing with you.”

 “Even if I’m still dancing with other ghosts?”

 “I’ll wait until I’m the only one in the room.”

A beat. Her eyes brim, not from sadness, but from the simple truth of being seen and accepted.

They don’t say anything else for a while. They just keep moving to the rhythm of the saxophone and the soft sounds of clinking glasses. The world keeps turning around them, but for now, it feels like they’ve carved out a tiny, timeless space of their own.

They took their time finishing the last drink,  something rich and floral that neither of them could pronounce but both agreed tasted like the color purple.

Y/N rested her chin on her hand, smiling across the small table at Mingyu. Her shoes were off beneath the booth, her feet sore in the best way from dancing for hours. Her eyes were bright, cheeks flushed, and for once, her chest wasn’t weighed down with overthinking.

He glanced down at his watch with a reluctant sigh. “It’s getting late. I don’t want to drive back this tired,” he said, nudging his glass away. “So, I might’ve gotten us a place nearby. Two rooms. Promise.”

Y/N blinked at him, surprised. “You did?”

“I figured if the night went well, neither of us would wanna end it crashing on a couch or white-knuckling it back in the dark,” he said with a shrug. “And I got you pajamas.”

She laughed, a genuine, glowing sound that made a couple at the bar glance over and smile to themselves.

“Mingyu,” she said, shaking her head with that same fond disbelief she always seemed to reserve for him, “you’re unbelievable.”

“Just a little prepared,” he said, beaming. “I didn’t want anything to ruin this. Not for you.”

Something about that settled in her chest deeper than she expected. This hadn’t just been a good date. It was magic. And now he was offering her a safe, quiet way to end the night. No pressure. Just thoughtfulness.

Y/N stood and slipped her coat on. “Okay, Boy Scout. Show me the way.”

He held out his hand, and she took it without hesitation.

The hotel had boutique-style warm lighting, soft jazz in the lobby, even the scent felt intentional. Everything about it matched the rest of the night: considered. Mingyu handed her one of the two keycards and they took the elevator in tired but happy silence, shoulders brushing as they leaned back against the wall.

When they reached her room, he smiled and nodded toward the door across the hall. “I’m right there if you need anything.”

Y/N gave him a sleepy smile. “Thanks for everything tonight. Really.”

He hesitated, hand on his door. “Of course. Sleep well, okay?”

“You too.”

She slipped inside, and he did the same, quietly clicking his door shut behind him, letting the stillness settle over his shoulders. His shirt was unbuttoned before his brain even caught up to how fast the evening had passed. He was unbuttoning his pants to slide into his sweats, when the knock came.

Not loud. Not rushed.

He quickly pulled on his t-shirt. He opened the door, hair already a little messy, pants still unbuttoned and froze.

Y/N stood there in an oversized t-shirt and cotton pajama shorts, a bottle of wine cradled in her arm and two tumblers in her hand. Her makeup was off, and her smile was soft and a little hopeful.

“I know it’s late,” she said, “but I’m not very tired, and I was getting bored.”

Mingyu blinked at her, then grinned so wide it dimpled. “Yeah. Me either.”

She walked in without waiting for an invite, already handing him a glass. “Hope you don’t mind red.”

“Not at all,” he said, watching her curl up on the floor like it was nothing, like this kind of comfort between them had always existed.

He poured carefully, passed her a glass, and then sat beside her, close but not assuming.

Y/N looked around and smiled again, softer this time. “Are you going to button your pants? Or?”

“I was just changing before you came over. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay, Champ.” she said, tilting her glass toward him. 

He ran to the bathroom, quickly pulling on a pair of black joggers, and the room went quiet for a beat, warm with the buzz of wine and late-night calm, that golden hour of vulnerability where things unsaid start to float to the surface.

When he came back out he took the spot on the floor next to Y/n, they sipped slowly, knees nearly touching, both staring straight ahead for a while with their backs resting against the mattress. The muted hum of the city below filtered in through the cracked window. One of them had turned on the bedside lamp  low, amber, and warm.

Y/N was the one who broke the quiet first.

“I feel like I’ve been running on autopilot lately,” she said, almost to herself. “Like I keep moving forward, but I’m not really sure where I’m actually trying to go.”

Mingyu glanced at her, quiet. “Is that about school? Or something else?”

She exhaled a soft laugh. “School. Life. Guys.”

“Ah.” He smiled into his glass. “The eternal trifecta.”

She nudged him with her shoulder. “You’re annoyingly good at pretending this is casual.”

“I’m not pretending anything.” He turned to look at her fully now. “But I also don’t want to make it heavier than you want it to be.”

Her lips pressed into a line. “What if I don’t know what I want it to be?”

“That’s allowed.”

She looked at him, really looked. His hair still messy from undressing, his long frame curled gently toward her but not pushing. Kind eyes. Solid presence.

“I just feel like this is all really unfair to you..”

“It’s not,” he said, simply. “You’re just figuring it out. That doesn’t make you the bad guy.”

She looked down at her glass. “It’s just there's still history with Seungcheol, and then there’s all of this confusing shit going on with Vernon.  And I know you know there’s a part of me that’s kind of a mess right now.”

Mingyu was quiet, letting her speak.

“But thank you for showing up,” she continued. “Even when you don’t have to.”

“No thanks needed. I want to,” he said. “And I’ve never expected you to be anything other than yourself. Mess and all.”

She blinked. “That sounds dangerously close to a confession.”

He laughed, cheeks pinking a little. “Maybe it is.”

A beat passed. Y/N bit the inside of her cheek, then asked, “What do you want from me, Gyu?”

He didn’t rush. Took another sip of wine.  “Time. Honesty. A chance, if you ever feel like giving it. Maybe for you to be a little more open about your feelings about everything instead of just keeping them vague.”

She didn’t say anything right away. Just reached for the bottle again, refilled both of their glasses. Her hand lingered on his when she passed his back.

“You really mean it?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I do.”

She leaned back against the headboard now, exhaling slowly. “Then I’ll try not to run, at least.”

He smiled, softer this time. “Then we’re good.”

“Okay, pause. I just chugged that second glass and now I have to pee so badly.”

And they were not perfect, not tied up in a bow, but good. For now.

Mingyu had followed suit, chugging his own glass and  just finished pouring them each a glass of wine when Y/N came back from the bathroom, her hotel slippers whispering across the carpet. Her hair was  starting to curl near her ears from washing her face, her oversized pajama top sliding off one shoulder.

He looked up from the floor and smiled, something small, fond. “You look like a disheveled toddler.”

She let out a soft laugh, setting her glass on the table. “Shut up, it’s not that bad.”

“You’re worse,” he said, patting the spot beside him.

She curled up next to him like she’d done a dozen times before, but it felt different tonight. Not just the wine or the quiet hum of the heater or how they were both pretending not to notice the slow-lingering scent of her skin cream and his cologne mixing together. It was heavier. Realer.

Mingyu pulled the blanket over both of them and let his arm rest behind her.

Y/N was quiet for a moment, nursing her glass, then asked quietly, “Can I ask you a stupid question?”

Mingyu blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“Why did you ever like me?”

“Seriously?”

“You've been patient. With me. With all of this,” she said, gesturing vaguely, like the mess of everything in her heart was a visible cloud in the room. “I keep thinking about tonight. About how easy it was with you. And then I think about everything else. And I wonder if I’m hurting you just by not knowing what I want.”

His brow furrowed gently. “Y/N…”

“I’m trying not to be selfish,” she said, curling in closer, like she couldn’t quite bear to look at him directly. “But I’m scared I already am.”

He was quiet, letting her talk.

“I love Vernon,” she continued, “not like, maybe not how I used to think. But I do. And Seungcheol, he’s like this unfinished chapter I keep trying not to reread, but it’s still bookmarked.”

Mingyu stared at the ceiling a second before answering. “Do you want me to be honest?”

“Of course.”

“I didn’t fall for you because you were sure of everything. I fell for you because you feel everything so deeply even when you’re confused. Even when it hurts.” He turned slightly so he could look at her. “And yeah, sometimes it’s hard. When you talk about them. But I’d rather be the person you’re honest with than the one you lie to because you’re afraid I’ll leave.”

She swallowed hard, eyes glossy. “That’s a lot of faith to put in someone.”

“I’ve had it in you for a long time.”

She reached for his hand without thinking, fingers slipping between his. “Do you ever wish you didn’t?”

“No,” he said simply. “Even when it hurts, I don’t.”

She was quiet again, her head resting gently against his chest now, letting the rhythm of his heartbeat anchor her.

“I’m really glad I knocked on your door,” she whispered.

He smiled, brushing his thumb across the back of her hand. “Me too.”

Mingyu glanced down at the bottle she cradled, the soft hotel lamplight catching the curve of her smile as she settled beside him on the edge of the bed. She was in his hoodie now, barefoot and warm from the wine and laughter.

“You only brought one bottle?” he teased, nudging her knee with his. “You thought that would be enough?”

Y/N narrowed her eyes playfully. “I didn’t know if we’d even open it. Thought I’d play it cool.”

“Well, good thing one of us is a planner,” he grinned, leaning over to dig into the hotel’s mini credenza. He pulled out his own bottle with a triumphant flourish. “Surprise. I brought two of them. Just in case you wanted to extend the night.”

She laughed, genuinely, and it echoed off the walls like something familiar and soft. “You had the same idea.”

“I always do,” he said, voice lower now, more intimate. “When it comes to you.”

That softened the mood, just a touch. She curled into his side, her knees tucked under her, head gently resting near his shoulder like they’d done a hundred times before. But this time, it felt more known. More chosen.

He glanced at her, half a grin tugging at his mouth. “Can I ask you something now?”

She looked over, head resting on a pillow, hair a little messy now from the hoodie and her hands. “Yep.”

Mingyu hesitated, then said it anyway. “Why do you like me?”

She blinked, caught off guard. “Oh, reversing the question now?”

“I mean you could’ve liked anyone,” he said, lightly but not uncurious. “You have all these intense connections. Seungcheol. Vernon. Even Yuqi knows how you think better than most people. But me? I’m not from your hometown. I’m not tied into all that history. I’m just me.”

Y/N sat up a little, brows knit. “That’s kind of why,” she said. “You’re not a puzzle I already solved.”

He let out a soft, surprised laugh. “That’s a really weird compliment.”

She smiled. “But it’s true. You’re smart and kind and weird and really thoughtful in ways I don’t think people always notice. I didn’t either, at first. But it started adding up. You remember what I say, even if I say it when I’m tired or mad or pretending not to care. You bring extra wine. You always walk on the outside of the sidewalk.”

Mingyu looked down for a second, his cheeks tinged pink. “That’s just manners.”

“No,” she said, nudging his knee. “That’s you.”

He looked at her again, slower this time. The air shifted a little between them.

“You said you weren’t trying to hurt me,” he murmured, “but, do you think it’ll happen anyway?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I don’t want it to. I think that matters.”

He nodded, quiet. Thoughtful. Then, gently, he reached out and touched her face. “Can I kiss you?”

Y/N’s breath caught, but not in a bad way. He wasn’t teasing, not like that night during truth or dare, when everything felt like a game and she didn’t know what was real yet. This wasn’t a dare. This was a choice.

“Not like last time,” he added softly, like he read her mind. “Not just because we were drunk and everyone was watching. I want to kiss you because I want to. If you want to.”

She leaned in, slow but sure. “Yeah,” she said. “I want to.”

Mingyu kissed her like he had all the time in the world.

No games. No dares. Just them.

When they pulled back, forehead to forehead, neither of them said anything for a moment.

And then he whispered, “I’m still opening my bottle, though.”

She laughed into his chest, and he held her closer.

Y/N held her glass up, swirling what little wine was left as she tilted her head at him. “Okay, your turn. Truth or dare?”

Mingyu grinned, settling further into the headboard, legs stretched out in front of him while Y/N curled at his side. “Truth. I don’t trust you with a dare.”

She laughed softly, cheeks warm. “Coward. Fine. When did you first know you liked me?”

Mingyu smiled into his glass before taking a sip. “I could give you some fake deep answer, like the time you lent me a pen in class and it felt so fucking meaningful,” he teased, then softened. “But probably the first time you called me at like, two in the morning, I totally panicked about a quiz. You were pacing your room and rambling and I thought. God, I could listen to this girl talk about nothing forever.”

Y/N blinked, warmth blooming in her chest. She nudged him with her toe. “That was when I thought you were annoying. You were too nice about it.”

“Yeah, you were really mean,” he said, pretending to flinch. “Okay, your turn.”

“Truth.”

Mingyu raised a brow. “What was it about me, then? What made me different?”

Y/N toyed with her sleeve, eyes cast downward. “I think I didn’t notice at first because it felt so easy. No drama. You never made me question how you felt or if I could lean on you. I liked you before I even realized I was allowed to.”

There was a quiet beat between them, the kind of silence that hums with everything unsaid.

When they finally pulled away, both smiling and a little shy, Y/N tapped her glass. “Okay. One more question. Loser drinks.”

“We’re both losers,” he said, holding up another bottle of wine he’d secretly stashed behind the nightstand.

Y/N narrowed her eyes as he triumphantly popped open the second bottle of wine. “You think you’re so clever, huh?”

“I am clever,” Mingyu said, pouring them each another glass. “I knew you'd try to play it cool and bring one bottle like this was just casual. But I came prepared for a sleepover.”

“Oh, is that what this is?” she teased, raising her brows. “A sleepover?”

“Well, I brought wine and my nicest sweats,” he said, gesturing to his very oversized hoodie and the pajama pants he’d clearly packed with zero intention of sleeping on that couch. “So yeah. I had high hopes.”

She sipped slowly, smirking over the rim. “You always have high hopes around me, don’t you?”

Mingyu leaned closer, elbows resting on his knees, voice dropping just a little. “Only when I think they might actually happen.”

Her stomach flipped. “That’s bold of you.”

“You’re bold,” he shot back. “You showed up looking like that and expected me to behave?”

Y/N laughed, even as her cheeks flushed. “I’m literally in a t-shirt and my pants have Care Bears all over them.”

“You make them look like lingerie, don’t play with me,” he said, and she swatted at his arm with a disbelieving grin.

They stayed close like that, the space between them charged, wine loosening their grins.

“Okay,” Y/N said, “new game. You finish this sentence: ‘If I wasn’t trying to be a gentleman right now, I would—’”

Mingyu raised a brow, mouth twitching into a grin. “Dangerous game, Y/N.”

“I’m brave.”

He leaned in, voice smooth. “If I wasn’t trying to be a gentleman right now, I’d have you in my lap already, probably distracting you so much you forgot whatever game you were playing.”

Her breath caught for half a second before she recovered. “That’s so specific.”

“Not hypothetical, either.”

“Then why are you being a gentleman?”

He reached out and brushed his fingers over her knee, warm and light. “Because I like you too much to rush it. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think about it.”

Y/N didn’t say anything at first, only let her leg fall slightly against his. “Well,” she said, lifting her glass to her lips again, “maybe I like being distracted.”

Mingyu took that as an open invitation, scooting in until their knees were fully touching, and her drink threatened to spill from her laugh when he tried to fake whisper, “So... what happens at sleepovers again? Do we braid each other’s hair or...”

“Okay,” Mingyu said, tapping his fingers against his thigh. “Truth or dare? And no dumb questions or I’ll give you a swirly in the toilet.

Y/N gave him a look. “You’re saying that like you’re not the one who got dared to kiss me in front of half of our friends.”

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game!” he defended, laughing. “Also, I’d do it again.”

“I know,” she muttered under her breath, trying not to smile. “Alright, truth.”

He tilted his head, clearly debating something. “Did you ever tell Yuqi or anyone about having a crush on me?”

She groaned. “That’s unfair.”

“That’s a stall.”

“Fine. Yes, Soonyoung.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, eyes flicking toward the ceiling like the answer might be written up there. “That day we all went to the lake over summer break. You made me that dumb sandwich because you said I get weird when I’m hungry. And you didn’t even sit next to me, but I remember thinking ‘Oh no. That’s a problem. I also think that may have been the first time I saw you without your shirt on, so it’s not like that helped me any. I didn’t want to tell Yuqi cause I knew she’d throw a weird fit about it and everyone would find out, so Soony was the best option for me.’”

Mingyu stared at her for a long second, softer now. “I remember that. You fell asleep in the sun and your nose got all pink.”

“You put your hat on me,” she added, quieter.

“I didn’t want anyone else to see your sunburn and think you looked cute.”

She blinked. “Wow. Possessive and sweet. Hot combo.”

He smiled with half of his mouth and said, “Your turn.”

“Okay... She hesitated, then leaned in just a little. “Do you ever wish that kiss during the game had gone differently?”

Mingyu looked at her like she’d asked something far more serious. “Yeah,” he said. “I wish it had been private. I wish you didn’t feel like it was a joke. I wish I could’ve kissed you like this—”

He caught himself, paused. “Like now. With no one watching. Just you and me.”

Y/N swallowed. “Then why don’t you?”

His gaze flicked down to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Because I want to be sure it’s okay. Not like before.”

She leaned in closer, until their foreheads almost touched 

Mingyu’s voice was low. “Can I kiss you, Y/N?”

Her breath hitched. “Yes.”

He didn’t rush. He brought his hand up to her jaw like he needed to memorize it first, eyes scanning hers for any flicker of hesitation. And then soft, steady, he kissed her.

It was nothing like the quick dare at the party. This one was warm and open and real, like he had waited a long time and wanted her to feel that in every second of it.

When they broke apart, her lips were still parted, heart thudding. He rested his forehead against hers.

“I really like you,” he whispered.

And Y/N, who didn’t usually let herself feel that safe with anyone, whispered back, “I know.”

Mingyu’s grin widened when Y/N flicked the bottle cap at him. The bottle of wine between them was already half gone, their legs barely brushing, every look lingering just a second longer than it used to.

“I still can’t believe you brought wine too,” Y/N said, taking another sip. “It’s like you knew I’d crash your room.”

Mingyu chuckled. “I absolutely knew you’d crash in my room. You can’t resist the hospitality.”

She laughed, bumping his shoulder. “You are so fucking cocky.”

“Only because you like it.”

“Oh, do I?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t play coy. You like it when I plan things. When I get the wine. When I—” He reached over, brushing a piece of lint from her pajama sleeve, lingering too long. “—make you laugh.”

She paused, the air around them shifting, a tension threading between the warmth. “You're not wrong,” she said quietly.

“What?” Mingyu asked, his voice low, his hand still resting lightly over hers.

“I just realized I haven’t looked at my phone all night,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at where it sat, face-down and forgotten, on the dresser. “Which is probably not smart. I should check. Just in case.”

But before she could move, Mingyu reached out, gently tugging her hand back toward him.

“Nope.” He shook his head. “Don’t kill the mood.”

She raised a brow. “You think one text is going to ruin your romantic momentum?”

“I think,” he said, inching closer again, “that whatever’s on that phone can wait until tomorrow. Just give me tonight. Just this.”

Y/N stilled, her breath catching. “That smooth line rehearsed?”

“Not even a little.” He smiled. “Come on. You and me, in this room. Bad wine. Good lighting. No interruptions. Feels like a crime to waste it.”

She hesitated only for a second more before settling back against the carpet beside him, curling her fingers into his like it was second nature. “Okay,” she whispered. “No phones. No real life. Just vibes.”

“And maybe one more kiss?”

She looked at him, a smile playing on her lips. “Now that,” she said, “is something you don’t even have to ask for.”

Eventually, the wine dwindled, the television softened to a sleepy hum, and the laughter between them turned into quiet smiles and lingering looks. Y/N stretched her arms above her head, already sunk into the plush carpet, blinking lazily at the ceiling.

“I’m too comfy to move,” she murmured.

Mingyu glanced toward the door, then back at her, amusement flickering across his face. “You know we’re not twelve. We can just share.”

Y/N looked at him for a beat, then nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Yeah. Okay.”

They moved without ceremony, Y/N grabbed her wine glass and her phone (which still stayed unopened), and Mingyu flicked off the main light. They climbed into the same bed, still half-dressed from lounging but both quieter now. The kind of quiet that meant this matters.

Y/N curled naturally into him, head on his chest, leg hooked lazily over his. His arm settled around her like it always had, protective, like he’d been waiting for her to land there.

After a long, hushed moment, he spoke.

“I know we’ve done this before,” he said, voice just above a whisper, fingers drawing slow shapes against her arm. “But why does it feel so different now?”

Y/N exhaled against his shirt, her breath warm through the cotton. “Because we’re not pretending we don’t want it to mean more.”

Mingyu smiled softly in the dark, heart hammering like it was the first time again.

“Yeah,” he said. “That might be it.”

They lay there in the hush, the kind of quiet that felt warm instead of awkward. Y/N’s hand rested lightly against Mingyu’s stomach, rising and falling with each breath he took. His fingers trailed up and down her back, slow and thoughtful.

“Can I ask you something?” she murmured, tilting her face toward him slightly, her cheek still on his chest.

Mingyu hummed. “Anything.”

“Why do you think we’ve always been friends? Like how did it even start? I don’t remember.” 

“I just remember you coming into the class, it was organic chemistry . You sat in front of me and you were the only person in that room that didn’t look around awkwardly for a lab partner, like you knew someone would find you. So cocky as always.” 

“Oh my god, right. But all of that was because I was so fucking scared. I thought we’d get paired up from the teacher, but I was mistaken, I didn’t move out of fear of making a fool of myself.”  

He let out a soft laugh. “Are you kidding? You walked into that room like you didn’t owe anyone an explanation. Like you already knew you were the most interesting person there. It wasn’t confidence, it was just you. I couldn’t look away.”

Y/N let the words soak in. “That sounds fake but okay.”

He nudged her with his knee. “I’m serious. You made everything feel electric. And even when you weren’t trying, you were kind. You remembered stuff people said. You’d make faces at me in class just to see if I’d break.”

“I did do that,” she whispered, smiling. “I thought you were way too cool to notice. But, thank you for volunteering to be my partner, I got lucky.”

Mingyu laughed again, this time lower, softer. “I noticed everything. Still do.”

She went quiet for a second, then quietly asked, “Does it hurt? That I’ve liked other people?”

He was quiet too, but not in a way that felt uncertain. More like he was being careful with the answer.

“I think it only hurt when I felt like I didn’t matter. When it felt like you were trying to forget I ever did.” His fingers paused their slow trail. “But I get it. You weren’t supposed to wait around. I just hoped I hadn’t imagined it all.”

Y/N lifted her head slightly so she could look at him, her features soft in the dim room. “You didn’t imagine it.”

He looked at her then, really looked, and his voice dropped even lower.

“Is it okay if I kiss you again?” he asked. 

Her heart stuttered. “Yeah, and you can stop asking,” she said, barely above a breath. “It’s more than okay.”

He leaned in slowly, giving her the chance to change her mind, but she didn’t. She moved with him. The kiss was gentle at first, warm and careful, like it had always been waiting. And then it deepened, her hand moving up to the side of his neck, his arm wrapping fully around her to draw her closer, closer still.

The lines between comfort and craving blurred until they were tangled up in each other, breath catching, hands exploring slow and reverent. Not rushed. Not like a secret. Just two people who had waited long enough.

The kiss deepened like it had something to prove, years of waiting compressed into one slow pull of her bottom lip between his teeth, into the way her fingers curled into his shirt like she needed to hold onto something real. Mingyu’s hand slid under the hem of her top, his palm warm against the small of her back, drawing her closer, until there was no space left to bridge.

“You sure?” he murmured against her jaw, breath shaky, lips brushing just below her ear.

Y/N nodded, her voice soft but certain. “I’ve never been more sure.”

Clothes shifted, limbs tangled, breath hitched. Everything about it was patient but hungry, the kind of intimacy that felt like a long exhale after holding it in for too long. Mingyu kissed every inch of skin like it was familiar and new at the same time, like he’d dreamed about this but hadn’t let himself believe it.

She whispered his name once, maybe twice, and each time it made his hands stutter a little, made his lips press harder to her skin like he was anchoring himself there.

And when they moved together, it wasn’t frantic or messy, it was slow and deep, a conversation in movement, a quiet understanding passed between their bodies. Mingyu looked at her the whole time, awe written all over his face like he still couldn’t believe this was real.

After, they stayed close, breath mingling, fingers tracing patterns across flushed skin. Mingyu pressed a kiss to her shoulder, murmuring, “You feel like home.”

Y/N didn’t know how to answer that, so she just turned in his arms and let their legs tangle again, forehead resting against his. “Thank you.” she whispered.

Sunlight spilled into the room the next morning, golden and slow. Mingyu woke first, bleary-eyed and warm, with Y/N still wrapped around him like gravity itself had changed. Her hair was a mess, her cheek smushed against his chest, and he thought she’d never looked more beautiful.

He brushed a piece of hair from her face and kissed the top of her head. She stirred, eyes fluttering open.

“Morning,” she whispered, voice raspy.

Mingyu smiled, soft and stupid and completely gone. “Hi.”

Neither of them moved, and neither of them wanted to.

“Does it still feel different?” she asked quietly, remembering his words from the night before.

He looked down at her, eyes shining.

“Yeah,” he said. “But now it feels right.”

Y/N stretched slowly, sore in that lazy, satisfying way, blinking up at the ceiling like she couldn’t quite believe the night before had been real. She turned her head and saw Mingyu already awake beside her, propped on one elbow, watching her with a soft smile.

“Creep,” she teased, voice husky with sleep.

“You snore,” he whispered back, grinning. “But, like, really cute.”

She laughed, nudging him with her foot under the covers. He caught it, kissed her knee. It was absurd how comfortable this all felt.

Then her phone, somewhere across the room, buzzed.

And buzzed again.

And again.

Mingyu’s phone started lighting up too calls, texts, more notifications than either of them wanted to deal with before brushing their teeth.

“Should I check?” Y/N mumbled, already rolling over to peer at her screen on the nightstand.

He caught her wrist gently. “Wait. Let’s stay in this bubble a little longer. Whatever it is can wait.”

Y/N hesitated. “What if it’s, like, a real emergency?”

He sighed dramatically, dragging his arm over his face. “Fine. But if it’s just a group chat panic over breakfast bagels again, I’m revoking your phone privileges.”

She grabbed it, squinting at the messages. Two separate ones. One from last night and one from this morning, two very different energies. 

[Yuqi]: how was your night?? U didn’t come home.. So..

[Seungkwan]: hey.. Well interesting news, I got a message with something you might want to see.. When you’re home, come over. Please. Also, Good Morning. 💙

She ignored the message from Yuqi and immediately texted Seungkwan back. 

[Y/n]: Is everything okay? 

[Seungkwan]: I’m not sure, no rush. It’s not an emergency or anything, it’s just something you want to see. 

[Y/n]: okay, i’ll be home in like an hour? Maybe?

[Seungkwan]: okay, see u then. 

note: omg hi. long time no see (missed u guys sm) i had a super busy end of summer/start to my semester this few months, but now things have slowed down lmao. thank goodness. but im happy to be back finishing this up. this chapter is really just he first part towards the end resolve and i'll probably have another one up by tonight or tomorrow with whatever tf is going on w/ seungkwan, which will make sense v soon. hope u all are having a good time. ily.

But Seungcheol’s presence that coils around her spine the tightest. He’s laughing at something Mark just said, head tipped back slightly, arms crossed, like nothing’s wrong, like the last few nights didn’t leave them tangled up in lines they weren’t supposed to cross.

She feels like a thread pulled taut between all of them. Too many truths she doesn’t know how to say out loud. Too many silences she doesn’t know how to sit in.

“Hey, Birthday Girl” Mark says softly, stepping up beside her and bumping her arm with his. His voice is steady, kind. “Want a muffin before DK eats them all?”

She manages a soft smile. “Depends. Are they the good ones or the fake healthy ones with flax seeds?”

“They’re the lemon poppyseed,” Soonyoung adds, popping up like a ghost beside her. “And I already stole two.”

“Classic,” Seungkwan sighs, flopping into the seat next to her and tossing his phone onto his lap. “You look like you’re about to start levitating from anxiety. Breathe, Y/N. You’re not being auctioned.”

“Yet,” Soonyoung says, then winks.

Y/N lets out a breath, actually laughs. It’s small and shaky but real. Mark offers her one of the muffins, actually the good kind and the warm pressure of the three of them settling around her creates just enough of a buffer to ease the tightness in her chest.

She knows she should look at Vernon. Mingyu has been awkwardly staring at her for the last five minutes. Seungcheol hasn’t said a word, but his laugh rings a little too loudly whenever she gets close.

And Chaewon… Chaewon is smiling at her phone again, tapping the screen. Like she’s not sitting in a room full of barely-simmering wreckage.

She bites into the muffin and decides she’ll deal with it later. For now, she leans into Soonyoung’s shoulder, let's Mark make some dumb joke about DK’s show-host voice, and watches the chaos of the auction prep unfold around her like it’s a play and not her actual, unraveling life.

“Okay, someone’s definitely gonna trip on this stage and I hope it’s Vernon,” Seungkwan declares, stretching his legs across two folding chairs like he owns the place.

“Your vendetta against Vernon is so 2022,” Soonyoung says with a mouth full of muffin. “Let it go.”

“I don’t have a vendetta,” Seungkwan replies quickly. “I have taste. And memory. Which is different.”

Y/N snorts, the laugh catching her by surprise. It’s the kind of dumb back-and-forth she usually lets wash over her, but today it feels like a life raft. She presses her thumb into the ridges of the muffin wrapper, grounding herself. Every nerve in her body is on alert, Seungcheol brushing past her on his way to grab a coffee cup and heavily poured the wine Y/n brought in. Mingyu’s gaze flicking toward her then away again, Chaewon still typing something quietly like she’s outside of the tension entirely. Untouchable. Above it.

And Vernon, sitting two rows ahead, jaw clenched beneath his over-ear headphones, not once turning around.

“Still with me?” Mark’s voice cuts through, soft. He doesn’t crowd her, never does, but there’s a warmth to him that’s always made Y/N feel like she could sit in silence and still be seen.

She nods. “Yes, just soaking in the disaster.”

“We’ll call it a soft disaster,” Soonyoung offers, tapping the back of her hand. “There’s wine. That makes it manageable.”

“And you're not the one being auctioned off,” Seungkwan adds. “I’m already planning my fake bidder. I can’t have some stranger winning me and discovering my skincare routine out of context.”

Y/N smiles, and it hurts a little because it’s real. “You’re the only person I know who would sabotage a charity event to keep your beauty secrets. Plus, you’re the clear frontrunner.”

“Someone has to have standards,” Seungkwan replies with a shrug.

“Let me guess,” Soonyoung says, turning to Y/N. “You’re pretending everything’s fine while internally screaming?”

She hesitates. Blinks. “That obvious?”

“It’s giving a repressed spiral,” he says, not unkindly. “But it's hot.”

That earns another laugh from her and a sideways glance toward the people she's avoiding or the one’s avoiding her. There’s still a faint echo of Seungcheol’s fingertips brushing her lips from the night before, a ghost of his voice in her ear when he lit the joint and whispered something that wasn’t quite teasing.

She shuts it all out and turns back to her safe trio.

“You guys know you’re like, the only normal people in this room, right?”

Mark smiles. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me all day.”

“You’re welcome,” she says, voice quieter now. “I didn’t realize how much I needed to be around people who weren’t pretending.”

“Who says we’re not pretending?” Seungkwan quips, then leans in dramatically. “I’m actually emotionally unwell and fueled entirely by spite and espresso.”

“Same,” Soonyoung says. “But I’m really good at compartmentalizing.”

“Mark?”

“I’m the emotionally stable one,” he says with an exaggerated peace sign.

“That tracks,” Y/N mutters.

She takes a breath, lets it fill her up slowly. For now, the mess is still distant. For now, it’s just voices, wine, the clatter of mic checks and the comforting chaos of three boys who let her breathe.

She doesn’t know how long the moment will last, but she knows she needs it. Desperately.

The corners of her lips are still curled when another chair scrapes against the floor beside her.

“Didn’t realize the cool kids were all hiding back here.”

Mingyu.

Y/N freezes for just a second, barely noticeable, probably, but her heartbeat trips over itself. He smells like clean laundry and aftershave, and she hates how instinctively her body reacts to him. She hasn’t seen him much since her disastrous ride home from her parents or really even spoken to him since their phone call when he popped the question of a date. 

“Hey, Y/n. Happy Birthday.” he adds, softer now, his voice just for her.

Mark leans back in his seat, suddenly more alert. Soonyoung stops chewing. Even Seungkwan, bless his dramatic little heart, still goes on like he can feel the temperature shift.

Y/N doesn’t look at Mingyu. Not yet. “Didn’t know you were even coming today.”

“I figured I’d better come rehearse at least once,” he says casually, stretching his long legs out. “Support the cause. Flirt with the volunteers.”

Soonyoung fake-gags.

Seungkwan recovers quickly. “Well, you just missed your chance with me. I’m exclusively dating people with blood sugar issues now.”

Mingyu laughs, easy and low, but his eyes are still on Y/N. “Damn. Always late.”

“Story of your life,” she says before she can stop herself.

His smile falters. Just slightly. “You okay?”

“I’m great.” She finally looks at him, smiling razor-thin. “We’re doing group therapy through wine. You should try it.”

Mark bumps his shoulder lightly against hers, barely there, just enough to remind her he’s on her side. She’s grateful for it.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Mingyu says, but he doesn’t get up. Doesn’t move.

“You didn’t,” she lies.

“I bought a few more  bottles, if anyone wants some more.” He gestures to the drinks tray he set on the edge of the table.

“Well, I’d be a bad person turning it down, right?” Seungkwan asks, already reaching.

Y/N lets the banter swirl around her, but her body’s tense now. Every laugh feels a little too loud, every silence a little too long. Mingyu’s presence throws the balance off just enough to remind her what she’s trying to forget: that her chest still twists when he looks at her like that. That she still doesn’t know where they stand.

She glances toward the stage. Seungcheol there, headphones around his neck, scribbling something down in a notepad. 

And Chaewon, not far behind him, casually scrolling through her phone.

Y/N leans back in her chair and takes a sip of the drink Mingyu set down for her without asking. Her favorite thing. Of course it is.

From somewhere near the front, a voice cuts through the scattered conversations.

“Alright!” DK’s bright voice echoes across the room, cheerful but commanding. “We’re getting started in five, so if y’all could wrap up your very important matchmaking circles and head toward the stage, that’d be super sexy.”

A few laughs ripple through the room.

“Chaewon, mic check with Joshua?”

“On it,” Chaewon replies crisply, sliding off the armrest of a couch she’s been half-perched on. Her eyes flit briefly toward Y/N’s corner, a small smile. She doesn’t approach.

Y/N uses the shift in movement as an excuse to get up. She brushes her hands on her jeans and looks at Soonyoung, Seungkwan, and Mark.

“You guys heading over?”

“In a minute,” Seungkwan says. “Someone’s gotta finish Soonyoung’s emotional CPR.”

“I’m thriving,” Soonyoung says, mouth full of cookies.

Mark flashes her a soft grin. “Want me to walk with you?”

She hesitates. Mingyu’s still beside her. So is the weight of everything that hasn’t been said. “No, I’m good,” she says quickly. “I should probably check in with Joshua anyway.”

She makes her way across the room, weaving through folding chairs and camera cords. She feels Mingyu’s eyes on her as she walks. And not far from the stage, Seungcheol finally glances her way giving her a wave and a big wink. 

It’s brief. Barely a beat, but she knew what he meant, he didn’t even have to say it. 

Joshua stands with a clipboard in hand, half-laughing as Chaewon fiddles with a mic pack on his back.

“Y/N,” he says, pleased, when he sees her. “Perfect timing. I was gonna ask if you’d be willing to help run timing cues and maybe keep the boys from—” he gestures loosely toward a corner where Soonyoung and Seungkwan are now play-wrestling, “—breaking their limbs.”

Y/N smiles. “Yeah, I’ve got you.”

Chaewon turns just slightly, eyes flicking over her. “ Y/n, hey, Happy Birthday first of all. Second of all I was meaning to ask if you’re okay to help backstage later too? There's a few segments that might run long, and I trust you more than, like… Wonwoo with a walkie.”

“Hey,” Wonwoo mutters from somewhere near the soundboard.

Y/N nods. “Thanks, but yeah, of course. Just tell me where you need me.”

Chaewon gives her a crisp smile, polite, almost too polished, but she looked hurt, her eyes heavier than Y/b has even seen her. 

It’s strange. Everything is functioning. Everyone is doing what they’re supposed to. But Y/N feels like she’s standing in the middle of a glass box, watching herself interact from the outside. Her smile fits, her voice works, but it’s all a little offbeat.

Her phone buzzes.

A message from Vernon. “Hey. We good?”

She doesn’t answer it. Not yet.

The stage lights buzz to life, flooding the front of the room in soft gold. Joshua hops up with a theatrical flair, holding a cue card dramatically in one hand.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he says, voice echoing over the speakers, “and everyone in between, welcome to the inaugural rehearsal of the Bachelors With Purpose charity auction. Remember, all proceeds go to a good cause. Mostly me never having to work with Soonyoung’s improv again.”

“Fucking rude!” Soonyoung yells from the wings, already standing in a spotlight he was not called to.

Y/N finds herself smiling despite everything. She slides into a seat by the stage, clipboard resting on her lap, ready to time segments. The comfort of logistics helps,  counting seconds, managing order, staying useful.

Mark plops into the seat beside her, whispering, “This is either going to be the most entertaining fundraiser or a complete disaster.”

“Both,” she whispers back.

The first round is light: a trial run with Seungkwan as a sample auctionee.

DK’s voice rises with mock enthusiasm: “Next up is Seungkwan! He sings! He dances! He cries during The Bear!”

Seungkwan steps forward, over-dramatic, blowing kisses to the empty audience chairs. “My talents include memorizing everyone’s coffee orders and surviving having agonizing conversations about movies with Vernon.”

“Hey.” Vernon calls from off-stage, holding a foam prop he’s clearly going to throw at him.

Y/N laughs before she can stop herself. For a moment, everything’s warm and easy.

But then her eyes flick toward the edge of the stage, where Mingyu is leaning against a column, arms crossed, watching her with unreadable calm. His smile when their eyes meet is soft. Subtle. Knowing.

Seungcheol steps up next for his run-through. And it’s like the air shifts.

Joshua lifts the mic. “We now present — the one and only — Seungcheol. He builds things, breaks hearts, and probably has a Spotify playlist called “Sad Boy Autumn.’”

Laughter from the team. Y/N watches as Seungcheol takes center stage, slightly bashful but composed. He adjusts the mic, then looks out across the room and his eyes land on her. Just for a second. And then he smirks and looks away.

Mingyu makes his way toward her seat a little while later, slipping into the row behind her. “You didn’t laugh at my test line,” he murmurs, teasingly. “I said I was donating my time, charm, and possibly my abs.”

“You didn’t have the mic,” she says, dry.

He leans in a little. “You’d rather I keep the charm to myself?”

Before she can respond, Seungcheol walks past them again, this time toward the side lighting rig and Y/N feels a shift. Mingyu does too. There’s something tense in the line of his shoulders as he straightens back up, jaw set.

“Do you want to help me figure out some good lines or something later? My coach literally a fucking snooze fest, she told me to pick a girl from the audience and slow dance with her to a Taylor swift song.” Mingyu asks, louder now. “Which ultimately I considered, because I know Yuqi would fucking barf.”

Y/N blinks. “Lines?”

“You know what I mean. If I say something stupid when I’m up there like, ‘I love dogs’ and then someone says ‘but cats are better’ and I panic.”

Y/N raises a brow, suspicious. “Are you planning on turning your auction set into a debate?”

“I’m just saying… I’d be less panicked if you were coaching me.”

She doesn’t know what to say. Part of her wants to say yes. The other part of her is still stuck on Seungcheol’s glance. On the way the room shifts when they’re near each other. On the fact that every little thing feels loaded lately like she’s constantly at the edge of saying something she can’t take back.

“Alright,” DK says from the mic, “next up — we’ve got a mock duo round, just for fun. Two for one. Let’s say the radio station wants to auction off double dates. Or chaos.”

Wonwoo raises a brow. “That’s not in the script.”

“I am the script,” DK replies.

Joshua jumps in. “Mingyu. Seungcheol. You’re up. Show us how it’s done.”

There’s a pause.

Mingyu, leaning against a folding chair, looks toward Y/N first, then pushes himself up and walks toward the stage. “Sure.”

Seungcheol follows more slowly. Not hesitant. Just careful. Watching.

Y/N shifts in her seat, suddenly tense.

The two of them stand side-by-side in the light. Close, but not comfortably. The kind of close that feels like a test.

“Okay,” DK says, grinning, oblivious. “Pretend someone just bid on the two of you for a private dinner. Give me your pitch.”

Mingyu looks over at Seungcheol, then turns to the room. “You’d be getting a night with two guys who could build you a house and fix your kitchen sink. Might argue over the blueprint though.”

A few people laugh.

Seungcheol doesn’t. His tone is even. “I wouldn’t argue. I’d just fix whatever you mess up.”

More laughter — but sharper this time. Even Joshua sits up.

Mingyu’s smile flattens. “Wouldn’t want to overstep. I know you’ve got experience in telling people what to do.”

“Only when they pretend they don’t know what they’re doing.”

The silence that follows is immediate.

Soonyoung whispers to Seungkwan, “Are they still in character?”

“Pretty sure this is the character,” Seungkwan mutters.

Y/N feels the heat crawl up her neck. She wants to disappear. She wants them to stop. She wants to scream.

Before anyone can speak again, Chaewon claps her hands. “Okay! Let’s call it here for the night.”

Everyone files out in loose groups, the earlier buzz now muted. Joshua jokes quietly with DK. Soonyoung’s texting someone. Chaewon’s already on her phone with a sponsor, voice brisk and professional.

Y/N lingers by the side door, wrapping her sweater tighter around herself. She hadn’t even remembered it was her birthday today. Not really. Not with everything else.

“Hey.”

She turns.

Vernon.

He’s got his hands in his coat pockets, curls tucked under his beanie, face calm as ever, but his eyes hold something quieter. Something she can’t name.

“Happy birthday,” he says.

Her breath catches. “You remembered.”

He shrugs. “Of course I did.”

From his pocket, he pulls out a small, unevenly wrapped package. No card. Just black tissue and a silver ribbon.

She takes it gently. “What is it?”

“Open it later,” he says, smiling just a little. “Didn’t want to make a thing of it. But, I figured you’d need something nice today.”

Y/N swallows. There’s so much she could say. So much she wishes they’d talked about sooner.

Instead, she just nods. “Thanks, Vern.”

He walks backward toward the sidewalk, slow, hesitant like he wants to stay.

“We’ll talk later,” he says, softer this time.

She watches him go, the gift in her hands. She doesn’t even realize she’s clutching it until it starts to crinkle.

Five minutes later, Seungkwan and Soonyoung pulled up in a rideshare, Seungkwan dramatically rolling down the window like it was a limo.

“Your chariot awaits, birthday princess,” he called, sunglasses far too big for his face.

“Where are you kidnapping me first?” she asked, sliding in.

“Nope, we’re not telling you” Soonyoung said, cracking open a can of something suspiciously fruity. “Just trust the process.”

Their first stop was a bright, over-decorated dive bar that served alcoholic slushies in absurd flavors and even more absurd cups, Y/N’s was a neon green drink called Freaky Frog Friday served in a boot-shaped cup. Seungkwan insisted on Blue Meltdown and Soonyoung got Cherry Hot Lips, because of course he did.

Two slushies in, Y/N was giggling with the two boys running into the first boutique they saw. 

“Should we get dressed up and go to the weird dive bar later?” Y/n looked between the two of them Seungkwan’s eyes sparkling either from the alcohol or all the silk fabric draping around the room, he ran through the racks trying to find the perfect thing for Y/n to try on. 

“What about this?” He pulled out a black mini skirt and a matching top that was way more revealing than anything Y/n has probably ever worn, twirling it towards them.

Y/n’s eyes opened wide. “The fuck. Where is the rest of the fabric?” 

Soonyoung gasped like she’d just revealed state secrets. “That is exactly what your enemies would hate you for.”

“Which means,” Seungkwan said, sipping his straw pointedly, “you literally have to buy it.”

“You guys are being way too fucking nice it’s suspicious,” Y/N said, narrowing her eyes.

“We’re always nice,” Soonyoung said, grinning.

“But today we’re suspiciously nice,” Seungkwan added, “because it’s your birthday and we actually like you, even if we act emotionally unavailable.”

She stared at them, suspicious but soft. “There’s something going on.”

“Nope,” they said in unison, completely lying.

“No, come on. Spill the beans.” Y/n set the leaned back on the rack and crossed her arms, flicking her eyes between the two of them. 

Soonyoung just laughed, “There are no beans to spill, we just wanted to treat you on your birthday, especially since we know you weren’t really feeling it this year. We just wanted you to have a perfect day, well night, same thing.” 

“Yeah, you mean a lot to us. So we’re literally just here to buy you things and hype you up,” Seungkwan smirked, handing Y/n the outfit he picked for her, “Now take your cute ass inside the fitting room and try it on, thank you.” 

Y/N stared at the tiny scraps of black fabric draped over her arm, still narrowing her eyes at the two of them.

“You’re both way too coordinated with your lies,” she muttered, but the edges of her mouth curled up anyway.

Soonyoung raised his slushie like a wine glass. “To being deeply suspicious and incredibly charming.”

Seungkwan clinked his cup to Soonyoung’s with a nod. “And to our birthday girl, whose trust issues we completely understand.”

Y/N shook her head, laughing under her breath as she ducked into the fitting room, the heavy velvet curtain brushing behind her.

Inside, the outfit fit better than she expected, maybe a little too well. It was flirty, bold, a little unlike her. But she didn’t hate how she looked. In fact, she looked kind of hot. The kind of hot that would make people stare. Or regret. Or confess.

“Are you alive in there?” Seungkwan called, knocking twice.

She exhaled, one last glance in the mirror before pulling the curtain aside.

Their reactions were immediate. Soonyoung's jaw dropped. Seungkwan clutched his chest like he’d been shot.

“I’m calling the fucking cops,” Seungkwan said.

Soonyoung just blinked. “Wait… This is potentially the best you’ve ever looked, like you always look good, but this is… Damn.”

Y/N smiled slowly, her confidence catching up with her body. “You think?”

“You’re going to emotionally destroy someone tonight,” Seungkwan confirmed. “Like, minimum one person. Hopefully someone who deserves it.”

“Okay, well, if this was your evil plan all along, it’s working.”

“No evil,” Soonyoung said, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “Just us. And you, looking criminally hot.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Still don’t believe there’s not a bigger scheme.”

Seungkwan’s voice got a little softer. “Swear there’s not. We just figured… After everything this week, you deserve to feel good again. Like, really fucking good. Even if it’s just for one night.”

That gave her pause,  the kind of pause that meant her throat tightened just a little and she had to blink too much.

“Thank you, I love you guys.” she said quietly.

“Don’t get sentimental on us now,” Seungkwan warned, fanning himself. “You’ll ruin your eyeliner.”

They paid, Y/n not changing out of the outfit they put her in, plus a few more accessories they all agreed on, carrying their bags. Talking loud and a little wobbly from their slushies, and headed out onto the street, the city buzzing as the sun began to dip. Everything felt golden. Light. Like things might be okay for a second.

In the car, Y/N leaned her head back, watching the sky blur past, her friends bickering on each side of her over which playlist to put on.

She wasn’t sure what they had planned, but maybe that was the whole point.

The sky was soaked in orange and lavender by the time they pulled up in front of her apartment building. Everything looked deceptively normal. Too normal.

“Wait,” Y/N said, squinting at the quiet entrance. “We’re really just going to the dive bar? You didn’t change your minds?”

Seungkwan shrugged, suspiciously casual. “I forgot my ID, so we’re swinging by to grab it first.”

“You forget your fucking ID the same way people forget to breathe,” she muttered, but followed them through the doors anyway.

In the elevator, she leaned against the mirrored wall, fixing her hair in the reflection. Her outfit still felt like borrowed confidence, but now, she didn’t want to give it back.

She caught Soonyoung and Seungkwan exchanging a glance in the mirror.

“You two are acting like we’re about to rob a bank.”

“Honestly,” Soonyoung said, clearing his throat, “I would commit crimes for you tonight. You look that good.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but her heart felt warm. Even if she couldn’t shake the sense that something was off.

Then the elevator stopped.

Not on their floor.

On the rooftop.

The button was already glowing.

“What the—” she started, but the doors slid open before she could finish.

It was dark at first, until—

“Surprise!”

A cheer rang out, followed by applause and whistles and laughter as string lights illuminated the rooftop space. The scent of grilled food, candles, and something sweet hit her all at once.

Her eyes widened as the scene came into view, fairy lights strung between the railings, old photos clipped to wire displays, a table of drinks, and almost every person she knew standing there smiling at her.

Yuqi pushed her way to the front, holding a cupcake with one very crooked candle jammed in the center. “Happy birthday, bitch,” she grinned, eyes shining. “You didn’t really think we were going to let you skip celebrating, did you?”

Y/N blinked a few times, overwhelmed and frozen.

Seungkwan gently pushed her forward. “Go. Let them love you.”

Soonyoung whispered, “You can cry, but not too much or your makeup will run and I didn’t buy that shirt for nothing.”

She stepped forward slowly, breath catching as someone turned the speaker up. A playlist, her playlist, spilled into the air. The rooftop glowed with soft golds and deep purples from the sky above.

Someone handed her a drink. Someone else hugged her. Mingyu waved from across the space, standing near Mark and a few others from the radio station. She saw Seungcheol leaning against the railing, eyes already on her, unreadable but present.

And even in the thick of it, even in the flood of noise and love and light, Y/N felt it.

That something was shifting. But she smiled anyway. Because this, right here, this moment, was hers.

The rooftop felt like it had been pulled from a different universe, one where nothing had gone wrong, no one had kissed the wrong person, and Y/N’s only concern was making sure her drink stayed full and her heels stayed on.

She bounced between groups, letting herself be passed from hug to hug like a birthday gift herself. Jeonghan and Wonwoo had shown up late with a ridiculous oversized card filled with inside jokes and doodles. Mark handed her a shot and said, “For being the glue,” before immediately handing her another and saying, “And for being unhinged, in the best way.”

She laughed until her stomach hurt with Seungkwan and Soonyoung as they dragged her into an impromptu dance-off to Britney Spears: Deep Cuts Edition.

It was messy. It was fun. It was exactly what she didn’t realize she needed.

She felt loved.

And a little invincible.

It wasn’t until her third trip to the snack table that she noticed how certain people orbited each other at awkward distances. Chaewon was across the space, deep in conversation with Joshua and DK. Vernon lingered by the drinks, every so often glancing over but not approaching. Mingyu, all tall and radiant, had a laugh too loud and too easy, like he was trying too hard to not look like he was watching her.

And Seungcheol…

He hadn’t moved much.

He’d spoken to a few people, gave her a quick smile when she’d arrived, but otherwise, he stayed leaning against the railing, watching the chaos unfold with quiet eyes and a drink he barely touched.

Y/N was halfway through a light cocktail when Yuqi’s voice suddenly rang out, louder than it should have been.

“Okay, okay, everyone shut the hell up for like two seconds.”

The rooftop buzz thinned out. Everyone turned.

Yuqi stood near the center now, awkwardly holding a solo cup like it was a microphone.

“I wasn’t going to do a speech because Y/N hates those,” she started, and already Y/N wanted to crawl into the floor. “But then I remembered that since I was literally her first friend when she came to school I know every dirty detail about her, and if there’s one person who can embarrass her legally, it’s me.”

A few cheers. Someone yelled, “Let her cook!”

Yuqi rolled her eyes. “No, but seriously, Y/N has been through hell lately. And not like dramatic hell, like actual flaming, secret-exposing, almost-lost-all-her-friends hell.”

That got a couple of uneasy laughs. Y/N froze.

“But through all of it, she’s still shown up for everyone. Even when she shouldn’t have had to. And I don’t say that lightly, she’s stubborn, she’s emotionally constipated, and she doesn’t let people love her nearly enough. But she’s one of the best people I know.”

A beat passed.

“I’m not going to pretend we haven’t all messed up,” Yuqi added, a little softer now, “but I hope this proves something, that she’s still got people in her corner. And that corner is fucking full.”

The group erupted in applause, a little unsure, a little too much, like no one was sure whether to clap for the speech or the person it was about.

Y/N tried to smile. It was a little watery. She wasn’t sure if it was the drink or the truth hitting her square in the chest.

As the music came back and the group began to break apart again, Y/N ducked away for just a second slipping past the table and into the quieter corner of the rooftop, trying to get some air.

She needed a second. But someone else was already waiting there.

Chaewon.

Sitting on the ledge, nursing a soda like it might explode. They locked eyes. And for the first time in weeks, neither of them looked away.

The music was a soft thump behind them, like a heartbeat they were both ignoring. Y/N hovered by the ledge, not sitting, not leaving. Just there.

Chaewon didn’t look up right away. She took a sip of her soda and let out a little sigh.

“You know this wasn’t how I imagined talking to you again,” she said quietly. “I thought maybe we’d run into each other at a coffee shop. Like, neutral ground. Fluorescent lighting. A buffer of overpriced lattes.”

Y/N let out a breath that wasn’t quite a laugh.

“This party isn’t exactly neutral,” she replied.

“Nope.” Chaewon glanced around. “This is very much nuclear.”

Silence settled for a second. Not tense. Just old. Familiar. Heavy.

“I didn’t know if I should say anything,” Chaewon continued, her voice barely above the music. “You looked happy when you got here. And I figured the last thing you needed was me ruining it.”

“You’re not ruining it,” Y/N said. Her voice cracked slightly, surprising even herself. “Just throwing in a curveball. Feels on brand, for both of us really.”

That stung. She saw it land, right there in Chaewon’s tightened jaw. But Chaewon didn’t fight it. She nodded.

“I deserve that.”

More silence.

Y/N finally sat beside her. Not close. But not far either. She looked straight ahead, toward the skyline, all glittering city lights and everything that felt bigger than her feelings.

“I don’t know what to say to you,” she admitted.

Chaewon picked at the label on her soda bottle. “I don’t expect you to say anything. Honestly, I wouldn’t know what to say either if I were you.”

They sat like that for a minute.

“I miss you, though” Chaewon said finally, barely above a whisper. “And I know that doesn’t fix anything. But I do.”

Y/N felt something in her chest twist. Because she did too. And she hated that.

“People keep lying to me,” she said, more to the sky than to Chaewon. “And every time I start to think I’m okay, it’s like another secret slips out and reminds me I’m just the last to know everything.”

Chaewon didn’t argue. Just let the words hang.

“I never wanted to be part of that,” she said. “I was your friend first. And I didn’t mean for any of it to get so…” Her voice cracked. “Complicated.”

“You could’ve just told me,” Y/N said, quieter this time. “Or said something when everything started falling apart.”

“I know.” Chaewon finally looked at her. “I’m trying now.”

They locked eyes, and it was quiet in the most painful, truthful way.

Y/N let out a slow breath.

“Trying is better than nothing,” she murmured.

They didn’t hug. No dramatic tears or grand forgiveness.

But they sat there, shoulder to shoulder, watching the city.

Footsteps padded over the gravel rooftop behind them. Not rushed. Not loud. Just… sure.

Chaewon glanced up first, and Y/N followed her gaze just in time to see Mingyu approaching.

He hesitated when he spotted them. His usual lopsided grin faltered for a second, but he pushed forward anyway, hands stuffed awkwardly into the pockets of his black trousers. His sleeves were rolled to the elbows, and his hair looked like he’d run his fingers through it too many times trying to say something he hadn’t yet figured out.

“Oh, shit. Sorry,” he said, stopping a few feet away. “Didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

“You’re not,” Y/N said, her voice more even than she expected. “We’re good.”

Chaewon stood a beat later, brushing invisible lint off her jeans. “I should go help Mark wrangle Seungkwan before he grabs the mic again. He’s dangerously close to telling that story about freshman year and the trampoline.”

Y/N cracked a small smile. “God forbid.”

Chaewon gave her a look that meant something, maybe “thank you,” maybe “we’ll talk again.” And then she was gone, slipping back into the warm glow of the party lights.

Mingyu lingered in her space for a moment, then slowly dropped down next to her, mirroring the way she sat.

“Didn’t think I’d find you here,” he said softly.

“Didn’t think anyone would look.”

“Please. I always look.”

It hung there, heavier than it should’ve. Y/N tilted her head to glance at him.

He smiled a little, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Are you doing okay?”

“Define ‘okay,’” she said, stretching her legs out in front of her.

Mingyu chuckled quietly. “Fair enough.”

They were quiet for a moment. The music below was muffled now, just a thrum under the still night air.

“You look good,” he said finally, turning to face her fully. “The skirt is doing heavy lifting, but the face is carrying the team.”

She gave him a dry look, but it warmed quickly into a reluctant laugh.

“You’re such a dork.”

“I try.”

There was a pause. And then—

“I meant what I said on the phone the other night,” he added, his voice gentler. “About wanting to take you out. Not just because of the deal we made, but because I want to.”

Y/N looked down at her shoes. “I know.”

“You don’t have to say yes now. Or at all. I just figured with everything going on, you should at least have someone who wants to make you feel special.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak yet.

He nudged her shoulder gently. “Plus, we both know the Dove Inn’s food slaps.”

That made her laugh. Really laughing this time, her head falling back.

“Fine. Dinner,” she said, pointing at him. “But you’re not allowed to psychoanalyze me over appetizers.”

“No promises.”

They sat like that a moment longer. And just when it was starting to feel easy again—

Her phone buzzed.

Then his.

They both reached for their phones at the same time, glancing down at the screens.

Another drama page post.

Y/N didn’t open it yet. Her fingers hovered. She looked at Mingyu, who was already frowning down at his screen.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered.

Her chest tightened.

But she hasn't read it yet. Not yet.

“You keep checking your phone,” Mingyu said, nudging her knee with his.

“Because it won’t stop buzzing,” she muttered, setting it down beside her.

“Okay,” he said, scooping it up before she could protest, “ten minutes. Just ten. You don’t get to think about anyone else right now.”

She blinked at him, halfway to annoyed and halfway to smiling.

“Seriously?”

He held it out of reach. “I’m invoking birthday immunity. It’s a real thing.”

“And what exactly happens during this immunity?”

He didn’t answer. Not right away. Instead, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded receipt from the bar, smoothing it across his palm.

“You said once you liked when things feel unplanned but still thoughtful,” he said. “So I wrote a list while you were talking to Chaewon at the bar, the other night. Just dumb stuff I want to do with you.”

Y/N’s stomach flipped. “What kind of dumb stuff?”

Mingyu read aloud from the back of the receipt:

“Get matching socks.”

“Try to cook something you’ll hate and pretend you like it.”

“Take you to a museum just so we can make fun of the weird portraits.”

“Kiss you outside The Dove Inn like we’re in a romcom and someone’s watching from a window.”

She was quiet. The kind of quiet that made her feel warm and a little dizzy.

“That’s not dumb, it’s actually really sweet.” she said softly.

He looked at her, his voice quieter now too. “I don’t know what’s going on with everything. But I meant it when I said I wanted to be the one who showed up.”

Y/N didn’t know what to say. But the smile tugging at her mouth said enough.

Mingyu held out her phone then, like a peace offering. “Ten minutes are up. But if you don’t want to read whatever it is yet, you don’t have to.”

She looked down at the screen, still dark in her hand.

Y/N tipped the cup back only to find it nearly empty, the last bit of slush melting into syrup at the bottom.

She held it up between them. “Tragic. I’m gonna need a refill before this becomes a crime scene.”

Mingyu grinned, taking it from her hand like it was a mission. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered.”

“Do you, though?”

“Always.”

And there was something so easy in the way he said it that made her chest ache just a little. Not in a bad way, in a way that reminded her what it was like to be chosen gently, without a catch.

As they made their way back toward the louder part of the roof, laughter and music swelling around them again, Y/N felt like she was floating, a strange calm washing over her that she hadn’t felt in weeks. She wasn’t ready for it to end.

But she also didn’t want to pull away from it too fast.

Mingyu headed off to the makeshift drink table, leaving her behind in the soft glow of the string lights for just a moment. Y/N exhaled, pressing her palms against the cool metal railing. Behind her, she heard Seungkwan yelling something about a karaoke mic and Soonyoung demanding a dance battle. Everything was still spinning, still messy, but for now, it felt kind of like magic.

Her phone buzzed in her bag again, a tiny vibration against her side. She didn’t check it.

Back in the thick of it, someone yelled something about beer pong, and suddenly there was a rush of movement, red solo cups being arranged, ping pong balls being hunted down from under couches and behind planters.

The table was chaos in the best way, cheers, hoots, someone yelling about a redemption shot. But when Seungcheol stepped up beside Y/N with a smirk and said, “You and me,” the noise dipped just slightly. Enough for a few heads to turn.

“Oh, we’re doing this?” she asked, arms crossed, already smiling. There was an edge to her voice, teasing, knowing. She stepped into place across the table from their opponents, brushing shoulders with him as they sized up the cups.

Seungcheol slid into her side like it was the most natural thing in the world. He already had two cups in his hands, one for her. “I’ve been carrying this party on my back. Don’t embarrass me.”

She raised a brow, taking the cup and trying not to smile too obviously. “That’s rich, coming from someone who couldn’t hit a single shot at Soonyoung’s birthday.”

“Please,” he scoffed, bumping her shoulder with his. “That table was slanted. Everyone knows it.”

“Uh-huh. Keep making excuses. I’ll just carry you this time.”

“Oh, she’s cocky tonight,” Seungcheol said to no one in particular, grinning as he handed her a ping pong ball. “Let’s go then, birthday girl. Show me what you’ve got.”

Seungcheol leaned in, a low whisper against her ear: “If we lose, you owe me dinner.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight the grin. “You’d throw the game for a free meal?”

“Only if you’re paying. But I have faith in us.” He winked. “We’ve always made a good team.”

Y/N shot first, and landed it. Of course.

Seungcheol let out a loud, dramatic gasp and clutched his heart like he’d just witnessed a miracle. “Hell yes!” he shouted, dropping to one knee before cracking up and hopping back to his feet.

Across the patio, Seungkwan sipped his drink slowly, watching with narrowed eyes.

“Is this… is this happening?” he muttered mostly to himself.

Soonyoung leaned toward him without looking away from the game. “I’m pretty sure it’s always been happening.”

“Oh my god.”

Seungkwan didn’t say anything more, but his eyes followed every glance, every brush of Seungcheol’s hand on Y/N’s waist when she leaned over the table, every soft grin that passed between them when their fingers touched over the ping pong ball.

They were winning, naturally. Seungcheol fist-pumped when he sank the last shot and immediately pulled Y/N in for a celebratory hug, lifting her slightly off the ground before setting her down gently.

When she laughed and looked up at him, just for a moment, it was like no one else was there.

Someone shouted “Rematch!” but she was already stepping back, cheeks flushed, her voice light: “I need a refill. And maybe a bathroom.”

She didn’t look at anyone in particular as she walked inside. But behind her, Seungkwan turned to Soonyoung with a long sigh.

“This is going to be a fucking mess.”

Across the patio, Mingyu had just arrived with fresh drinks in hand, only to stop short when he saw Seungcheol still smiling toward the door Y/N had disappeared through. His expression slipped, just a little.

He didn’t say anything. Just passed a drink to Soonyoung and took a long sip of his own.

The bathroom was dimly lit, cooler than the rest of the rooftop, and mercifully quiet. Y/N leaned against the sink for a second, the beat of the music muffled behind the walls, just letting herself breathe. Her drink was half-finished and she could still taste the syrupy sweetness of it on her tongue.

She hadn’t checked her phone since the beer pong game, she hadn’t needed to. Between Soonyoung, Seungkwan, Seungcheol, and Mingyu fluttering in and out of her orbit, it was easy to get caught up.

But now, alone with nothing but the hum of the overhead fan and the faint laughter outside, she finally opened it.

Five notifications.

Three from the group chat, Yuqi sending a photo of Mark mid-dance, captioned “literally who let him cook”, a meme from Soonyoung, and someone saying “Y/N WHERE R U I MISS U” in all caps.

But the other two were private messages.

From: campustea_unfiltered 8:42 PM

Hope you’re having a good birthday 💋

8:47 AM

Just wondering how it feels watching him flirt with someone else at your party. Would love your thoughts 😇

Y/N blinked at the screen, her breath catching in her throat. Her thumb hovered, then reluctantly tapped into the account.

The message was followed by a blurry zoomed-in photo. Not damning, not explicit, but Seungcheol standing with a girl near the bar, angled toward her. The girl looked like she was laughing, her hand brushing his arm. The body language was suggestive, the framing deliberate.

Her stomach sank.

She stared at the photo for longer than she meant to, heart thudding loud in her ears. It wasn’t proof of anything, not really. She knew that. Seungcheol hadn’t even looked interested earlier. But seeing it like this, filtered through someone else’s lens, twisted into a narrative she couldn’t control, it made her feel like the ground under her was slowly tipping sideways.

There was a knock on the door. Someone is waiting. She didn’t move. She just turned the phone face-down on the edge of the sink and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her lips were smudged. Her eyeliner faded a little. Her birthday outfit looked good, and she’d been having fun. But something behind her eyes, tired. Wary.

She blinked, hard.

Then stood up straighter, picked up her phone, and walked out.

Y/N pushed the bathroom door open, back into the buzz of the hallway, but she didn’t step forward.

Seungkwan was already standing there.

Hands on his hips. Eyebrows arched. “Girl.”

She blinked. “What?”

He didn’t even let her finish blinking. “You’ve been gone for ten minutes. Mark started a conga line. Yuqi tried to kiss everyone on the cheek. Mingyu went looking for you with the most worried boyfriend energy I’ve ever seen. And Seungcheol lost four straight rounds of flip cup because he was too busy glancing at the bathroom door every thirty seconds.”

Y/N opened her mouth to say something, she wasn’t sure what, but Seungkwan just shook his head and closed the space between them.

He looked at her like he was trying to read more than what she was saying. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” she lied automatically.

“I know something is up. You dipped, and I knew it wasn’t just to pee.”

She sighed, eyes softening slightly. “I’m fine.”

“Yeah, no offense, babe, but you look not fine. You’ve got your ‘I’m about to dissociate in public’ face on. That’s usually my thing.”

She let out a quiet laugh, but it didn’t quite land. Seungkwan stepped closer, tilting his head to try and catch her gaze.

“So? What happened?”

Y/N held out her phone wordlessly, letting him read the DMs.

He skimmed them once. Then again. And on the third pass, his expression shifted from playful concern to full protective fury.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” he muttered, jaw tightening. “I knew that girl in red was weird. She downed like three tequila shots deep and no sense of personal space.’ Cheol didn’t even look like he was into it.”

Y/N leaned back against the wall, head thudding gently. “Doesn’t matter. It looks bad. And I don’t want to be the girl who cares when I shouldn’t.”

“First of all,” Seungkwan said, crossing his arms and looking more like someone’s terrifying aunt than a drunk college student, “you’re allowed to care. It’s your party, it’s your birthday, and that account is obviously trying to piss you off.”

She didn’t respond right away. He lowered his voice, stepping in closer.

“Was it just the post?”

Y/N hesitated. “I think I wanted tonight to feel easy. Like maybe things were finally falling into place.”

He sighed, nudging her shoulder. “Things are falling into place. You just have to make them fall the right way. And hey, you still looked hot doing it.”

She laughed, finally real this time, softer around the edges.

He smiled. “Come back upstairs. Finish your drink. Dance with me for like thirty seconds so I can pretend people are into me, then go flirt with your date. You earned it.”

Y/N exhaled slowly, then nodded. “Okay. Yeah.”

Seungkwan held out his pinky. “Promise you won’t disappear again without telling your bestie?”

She hooked hers through his.

“Promise. “I don’t want to ruin the night,” Y/N muttered, even as she let him guide her down the hall.

“You’re not ruining fucking anything,” he said quickly. “We love drama. But more importantly, you are the party. You are the reason everyone showed up in crop tops and glitter and spent twenty bucks on slushies earlier.”

She laughed a little, weak but real.

“And if some nosy anonymous troll is trying to mess with your head on your birthday?” Seungkwan paused at the door leading back onto the roof, pulling her to a stop. “We don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing you sulk in a bathroom. You walk out there with your head high and your lip gloss popping.”

Y/N smiled, watery and reluctant. “You rehearsed that in the mirror, didn’t you?”

He scoffed. “Obviously. I’m deeply underappreciated in this friend group.”

She squeezed his hand.

“I’m okay,” she said, not fully sure if she meant it yet. “But thank you. Really.”

“Good,” Seungkwan said, straightening her collar like a stage mom. “Now let’s go back before Seungcheol thinks you crawled out the window or something.”

He pushed open the door dramatically, letting the rooftop noise spill out again, as Y/N blinked at the sudden contrast.

Back on the rooftop, the music had shifted to something bass-heavy and bold, the kind of beat that made it impossible to stand still. People had started dancing in the far corner. The smell of someone’s off-brand mango vape clung to the fairy lights.

Y/N stepped out with Seungkwan just as Yuqi screamed something gleeful and launched herself at Mark with cake on her face. Someone had clearly started shots without her.

Across the space, Mingyu looked up and locked eyes with her instantly—his whole face relaxing when he saw her. He was holding her drink.

“Where the hell did you go?” he asked, handing it to her as she reached him.

“Bathroom,” she said, sipping it. “But apparently I was missed.”

“Like hell you were,” Mingyu said, stepping in just a little closer, his hand hovering at the small of her back. “Almost caused a search party. You okay?”

She glanced up at him and smiled, warm but distracted. “Yeah.”

But when she looked away, her eyes landed on Seungcheol.

He was sitting on the edge of one of the lounge chairs, a half-empty beer in his hand, knee bouncing slightly. He was already watching her. He didn’t look away.

She wasn’t even sure what she felt exactly, annoyance, maybe, or embarrassment, or some strange cocktail of hurt and pride and fuck it.

Mingyu leaned in again, voice lower now. “Hey… not to be that guy, but I’ve been holding off asking because tonight’s supposed to be about you—but… you still down for that dinner? The Dove Inn? Just us?”

Y/N didn’t look away from Seungcheol.

She tilted her head, just slightly. “You mean the date you promised me?”

Mingyu smiled. “Exactly that.”

Y/N turned to him fully, her smile blooming brighter than it had all night. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

And she felt it, the way Seungcheol’s gaze snapped away like he’d touched a hot stove. Like the moment had signed him.

Soonyoung whooped behind them, catching just the tail end of the interaction. “Ohhhhh, okay birthday girl! Is that a date I just heard?”

Y/N laughed, biting the inside of her cheek. “Maybe.”

“Get it,” Seungkwan whispered under his breath, half-impressed, half-dramatic as he slid into view with a drink of his own.

Mark grinned. “Better wear something Dove-worthy.”

The group burst into chatter again, back to drinks and games and someone setting up another round of beer pong. But the undercurrent was there now. Buzzing.

And across the roof, Seungcheol stood up too fast and muttered something to Joshua before disappearing inside.

Y/N shook her head once like she could physically throw the feeling off her shoulders. “Okay. That’s it. I’m not ruining my birthday because of some drunk girl and some coward on a fucking drama account.”

Seungkwan grinned, proud and pleased, and dramatically held his hand out like he was escorting royalty. “That’s my resilient, emotionally complex queen.”

The music swelled and someone called for another round of beer pong, but Y/N waved them off, eyes catching Seungkwan and Mark doing some ridiculous two-step dance across the rooftop. Yuqi was behind them, talking to one of the radio boys with that wild glint in her eye, the one she always got when she was planning something borderline dangerous and probably hilarious.

For the first time in days, Y/N felt a little, anchored.

A little normal.

A little okay.

Mingyu nudged her arm gently. “You good?”

She turned to him, and for once, didn’t fake it. “Yeah,” she said honestly. “This is really nice.”

He smiled, a little crooked. “Well, don’t get used to it. I’m probably gonna lose beer pong and get roasted for it later.”

“You’re not even playing.”

“I’m pre-roasting myself. Saves everyone time.”

She laughed and took a sip of her drink, letting the moment stretch. It was warm and safe and a little fizzy, in her glass and in her chest.

Somewhere in the background, someone yelled her name, and then a chorus of “Speech! Speech!” started up. She groaned, already knowing Yuqi was behind it.

“Please, fuck no,” she muttered.

But Seungkwan reappeared, dramatically tossing a feather boa around her shoulders. “It’s your time, birthday royalty.”

Mingyu leaned closer, voice warm against her ear. “You’ve got this.”

The chorus of “Speech! Speech!” finally died down when Y/N raised her glass and leaned into the mic someone had shoved in her hand.

“My only birthday wish tonight,” she said, deadpan, “is that no one ever makes me do another speech again.”

Laughter broke out around the rooftop, and she tipped her drink toward the crowd with a smirk before slipping back into the sea of familiar bodies and glowing faces.

Mingyu caught her hand before she could vanish. “That was brave.”

“It was an act of self-defense.”

“You were incredible. Should’ve ended with a mic drop though.” He tugged her just slightly, a soft pull at her fingertips. “Come dance with me.”

The music had shifted, not too slow, but slower than the chaos from earlier. The kind of song you could sway to without making a scene. She hesitated for a second, but he gave her that look the one that was too sincere, too patient, too sure and she followed him.

They didn’t do anything wild. Just leaned into the rhythm. His hands settled low on her back, hers loosely around his neck. It was quiet, in the way that only a dance could be on a rooftop surrounded by noise. The kind of quiet you had to lean into.

“You’re really not gonna wish for anything else?” he asked after a moment.

She tilted her head. “What else would I ask for?”

Mingyu smiled, but didn’t answer. Just kept moving with her, fingers tracing careful circles into the fabric of her shirt.

And then—

“Can I cut in?”

Seungcheol.

Y/N blinked up at him. He wasn’t smiling, not fully. Just standing there like he’d always had the right to step in, like she wasn’t dancing with someone else, like he hadn’t been holding tension in the corner of the room all night like a secret waiting to leak.

Mingyu’s hands didn’t drop right away, but he glanced at her for a cue.

“It’s okay,” Y/N said finally, untangling herself gently.

Mingyu stepped back. Quiet. Watchful.

Seungcheol stepped in.

The music hadn’t changed, but something about the space between them had. He didn’t touch her right away. Just stood there, both of them barely moving. When his hands finally found her waist, they were tentative. Like he was scared he’d mess it up.

“You looked happy,” he said, not quite meeting her eyes.

“I was happy.”

That made him look up. “And now?”

She didn’t answer right away. “I don’t know. This night’s weird.”

“Yuqi’s parties are always weird.”

She looked at him, really looked at him. “I don’t mean the party.”

He didn’t answer, and she didn’t press.

Instead, they swayed. Awkwardly at first. The way you do with someone you know too well and not well enough at the same time.

His hands tightened a little at her waist. “You still don’t make birthday wishes?”

“Not unless they come true.”

There was something in his face then,  something small and breaking. Like he’d missed something he hadn’t even known to look for.

“Maybe you should start,” he said, quiet enough that she almost didn’t hear.

The song faded out. Seungcheol's hand lingered at Y/N’s waist a beat longer than it should have, and she didn’t move away. Not until her eyes flicked up and caught something,  someone,  across the rooftop. Then her whole body tensed like a wire pulled too tight.

He noticed.

“Hey,” he said, voice soft, brushing her hair from her cheek. “You good?”

“Do you make all the girls feel special, or just the ones you don’t kiss?”

Seungcheol blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

She tilted her head, smiling like she wasn’t crumbling. “Just wondering if that’s your thing. Flirting until someone else takes it the wrong way.”

“What are you talking about?” His voice dropped, firm now, but still confused.

“You really don’t get it?” she asked, stepping back just a little. “Never mind.”

“Y/N—”

“Don’t worry about it, Cheol,” she said, already walking toward the drink table. “You’ve got your admirers. Stick to what you’re good at.”

He just stood there, stunned.

Across the patio, Seungkwan lowered his drink mid-sip, watching them with a sharp kind of stillness. He didn’t say anything, just clocked the interaction like it meant more than either of them would admit out loud.

And Seungcheol?

He was still standing in the same place, unsure when exactly things turned sideways or why it felt like he'd lost something that wasn’t his yet.

“Hey.”

Seungkwan’s voice came soft as he approached, not needing to ask what had just happened.

“You okay?”

Seungcheol dragged a hand through his hair, still staring in the direction Y/N had walked off to. “I don’t know. She said something, and I don’t even know what I did.”

Seungkwan sipped his drink. “You probably did something.”

Cheol turned to him, irritated. “Well, thanks.”

“I mean it in the nicest way possible. You have a special talent for saying the wrong thing or doing nothing at all when it counts.”

Seungcheol exhaled slowly, tension curling in his shoulders. “I wasn’t even talking to that girl in. She was just drunk. Chatty. I didn’t want to make a scene.”

“But it looked like something,” Seungkwan said.

“Yeah.” His voice cracked. “I think it did.”

They stood in silence for a few beats, the hum of the party rising again behind them.

“Go talk to her,” Seungkwan finally said.

“She doesn’t want to talk.”

“Not yet,” Seungkwan agreed, “but if you wait too long, someone else is going to say everything you didn’t.”

Seungcheol didn’t answer. Just watched Y/N laugh at something Mingyu said, her smile a little too bright to be real.

The elevator back down as their night came to an end had been cramped and echoey, someone half-heartedly hummed a song they couldn’t remember the words to, and Soonyoung said something about being too old to drink this much on a Thursday. It was easier to laugh in that tin can of metal and warm bodies, easier to pretend things were still smooth.

When the elevator doors slid open on their floor, the group spilled out in twos and threes. Yuqi was already unlocking the door to their apartment, Mark trailing along behind her, tipsy and glowing from the night.

“I’m stealing your ice cream before I go to bed,” she called over her shoulder as she kicked off her shoes and disappeared.

Y/N hovered in the hallway just a little longer.

Mingyu shifted next to her, one hand rubbing the back of his neck like he was trying to figure out the right level of chill. “So tomorrow?”

She smiled, warm but tired. “Yeah, sounds nice.”

He reached out and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear, slow like he didn’t want to overstep. “I’ll text you. Pick you up at seven?”

“Perfect.”

She leaned up to kiss his cheek, and his hand lingered a second too long on her waist, not greedy, not unusual for them before everything started going down just hopeful. She let herself linger too, and when she pulled back, she didn’t miss the way his eyes searched hers.

Across the hall, Seungkwan had paused outside their door.

So had Seungcheol.

They weren’t pretending not to see it, not exactly. But they weren’t watching either.

Y/N turned, feeling it in the back of her neck more than she saw it.

She gave Mingyu a last soft smile. “Goodnight.”

“Night,” he said, letting her go.

She crossed the hallway slowly. As she reached for her door, she glanced sideways and caught Seungcheol’s eyes just for a second. Not long enough to read anything. Just long enough to feel it.

She closed the door behind her with a soft click.

Seungcheol turned around immediately, reaching for their own door, but Seungkwan stopped walking.

“You know,” Seungkwan said, leaning against the doorframe like the night hadn’t already drained him, “you probably should’ve kissed her.”

Seungcheol didn’t answer right away. His jaw flexed, then relaxed again.

“I didn’t think she wanted me to,” he muttered.

“She did,” Seungkwan said simply, key in the lock. “She just didn’t want to want you to.”

And then he disappeared into their apartment, leaving Seungcheol standing alone in the hallway, lit by nothing but the glow of the exit sign and the weight of everything he hadn’t said.

The quiet that followed her door closing was too immediate.

Seungcheol stood still for a few beats, his fingers curled loosely around his key, like maybe if he stayed there long enough, the door would open again. But it didn’t.

Inside their apartment, Seungkwan had already thrown himself onto the couch, muttering about needing electrolytes and a neck massage and maybe divine intervention. But Seungcheol didn’t go inside right away.

The door clicked shut, and Seungcheol stared at it like it might crack open again.

It didn’t.

Behind him, the hallway was quiet. His apartment waited, dark and dull across the corridor, but his feet wouldn’t move toward it. His body stayed rooted. Chest tight.

You probably should’ve kissed her.

He still could.

That thought sparked through him so fast it made his fingers twitch.

And for once, he didn’t fight it. He turned back to her door. Stared at it like it was a cliff edge. And raised his hand.

Three soft knocks.

Barely a pause before he heard movement on the other side. Light steps, muffled voices. A little laugh that sounded like Yuqi. Then the lock turned.

Y/N opened the door, blinking at him. Her lipstick was smudged just slightly, like she’d been drinking or smiling too hard. Her eyes widened.

“…Did you need something?”

Seungcheol’s breath caught. His tongue felt clumsy in his mouth.

“Yeah,” he said, quietly. “I forgot to give you something.”

She opened the door a little wider. “Okay?”

And then he stepped forward, one hand bracing the doorframe, the other coming up to her face with almost hesitant care, like if she flinched, he’d stop.

She didn’t.

So he kissed her.

It wasn’t desperate. Wasn’t a claim. It was soft, slow, like a question he didn’t know how to ask out loud. His thumb brushed her cheekbone as her hands, frozen for a moment, found his shirt.

The kiss broke, not awkwardly, just like it had to.

Her eyes searched his face, unreadable.

“I don’t know what this means yet,” he said, voice low, barely above the quiet music floating from her apartment. “But I didn’t want to leave without doing it.”

Y/N blinked. Still quiet.

And then Yuqi’s voice rang out faintly from inside. “Y/N, is that the pizza?”

Y/N’s eyes widened. Seungcheol stepped back, but she caught his wrist lightly.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” she whispered.

He just nodded, the corners of his mouth tugging up as he turned and crossed the hall again.

And as she closed the door, Y/N leaned back against it for a second, lips tingling, heart pounding.

Yuqi rounded the corner, holding a slice of pizza and staring. “Wait, where is the food? Who was it?”

Y/N just shook her head slowly, breathless. “It was a delivery guy, but they had the wrong door.”

“Should’ve taken it anyway.” 

Y/n just smiled, giving her a fake yawn. “Yeah. Missed opportunity. I’m heading to bed now, you guys have fun, save me a piece of pizza to eat cold at 5am.” 

“Love you, birthday girl.” 

Y/n disappeared down the hallway, the faint echo of their laughter lingering behind. The quiet in her room felt heavier now, filled with the unspoken questions she couldn’t quite shake.

She sank onto the edge of her bed, fingers tracing the spot where his lips had brushed her skin. The taste of that brief, unexpected moment flickered behind her eyes, sweet, confusing, and impossible to ignore.

Her phone buzzed, but she didn’t reach for it. Instead, she let the silence settle, letting her heart wrestle with the weight of what she wanted and what she was afraid to admit she needed.

Tomorrow was another day. But tonight, all she had were the shadows of the choices she couldn’t yet make.

note: hi :') i hope u guys enjoy this chapter its prob (?) third to last??? fourth to last?? idk but i;m enjoying writing and getting into nitty gritty more yk. which i'll prob keep for the next few and then we can go on to the next.. which u can help me with if u want like joshua?? dino?? dk??? idk u let me know bc I have a few ideas hehe. ily. also team mingyu or team seungcheol bc….

The sidewalks felt quieter than usual. Every step back toward her house tugged her closer to the weight she’d been dodging all week: Vernon’s silence, Yuqi’s knowing eyes, Mingyu acting like nothing happened, and the ever-present hum of Seungcheol in the background of everything.

She stopped just before the street corner and pulled out her phone.

[Text to Seungcheol]Y/N: heading back now. Y/N: if you still want to hang out.

She hesitated, then hit send. No punctuation, not too eager. Casual. Or something like it.

She didn’t expect a reply before she reached her building steps. But her phone buzzed before she’d crossed the next block.

[Text from Seungcheol]Seungcheol: yeah. roof?

[Text to Seungcheol]Y/N: see you there.

The door to the roof creaked louder than she remembered.

Y/N stepped through it slowly, careful not to let it slam behind her. The air was cooler up here, breezy in a way that made her hug her arms instinctively. It smelled good, someone must’ve been burning a fire pit or grilling. Or maybe she was just too used to holding her breath lately.

Seungcheol was already there, sitting cross-legged on a stack of folded blankets. He looked comfortable, not careless, but like he’d made an effort. A speaker played something soft, Fleetwood Mac or Phoebe Bridgers, something timeless and quietly emotional. A few candles flickered in the corner, like they’d been borrowed from an overly romantic picnic.

“Hey,” he said, glancing up.

He wore a hoodie, sleeves pushed up, and that stupid necklace she always noticed but never asked about. His phone lay screen-down beside him like he wasn’t checking it every five seconds for once.

“Hey,” she echoed, stepping closer.

Seungcheol patted the spot next to him without standing. “You cold?”

“Not really,” she lied.

He handed her a blanket anyway.

She sat down, knees brushing. It wasn’t silent there was music, distant cars, and a group of drunk twenty-somethings laughing on another rooftop, but it felt quieter than anything had in days.

He didn’t rush to speak.

Neither did she.

Instead, they just sat there, sharing a blanket under a moon that wasn’t doing its job properly. For the first time in a long time, Y/N felt maybe everything didn’t have to be figured out right away.

Maybe it was okay to just be here. With him.

Seungcheol nudged her with his knee. “So. Was the movie good, or did Hoshi just yell through the whole thing again?”

Y/N smiled, tugging the blanket tighter. “A little of both. He cried at the end.”

Seungcheol laughed, low and warm. “Of course he did. He’s cried during Minions before.”

“Okay, yeah. If you weren’t such an emotional fortress you would’ve cried too.”

“Not a chance.”

“You’re so full of shit.”

He tilted his head, grinning. “Maybe. But at least I cry quietly. With dignity.”

She rolled her eyes, but the sound of his voice settled into her like a weighted blanket, familiar. Safe. Dangerous.

He leaned back on his palms, looking up. “You really like to be up high when you need space, huh?”

“Yeah, since high school, really. It’s quieter than my room and my mom never thinks to check these spots for me.” She glanced sideways.

Seungcheol nodded like he already knew.

Y/N pulled the blanket’s edge to cover his leg too. She didn’t look at him, but he noticed anyway and let his knee press lightly against hers.

The speaker hummed something soft and moody. Her fingers fidgeted with the blanket between them, and his hand shifted closer, not quite touching.

“You seem different tonight,” he said after a moment.

“Yeah?”

“Not in a bad way. Just quieter. Tired, maybe.”

Y/N exhaled. “It’s been a weird fucking week.”

“Yeah.” He paused. “I figured, after everything.”

Another beat passed. Not uncomfortable.

Then, almost like he couldn’t help it: “You wanna talk? Not the whole drama, just whatever you want.”

Y/N glanced at him, then down at the sliver of space between their hands. Her pinky stretched slightly, grazing his.

He didn’t pull away.

She nudged his pinky back, barely a brush, and looked out across the rooftops.

“I don’t even know where to start,” she said softly. “It’s all just loud. In my head.”

Seungcheol didn’t answer right away. He leaned over, pulled a thermos and a can from a tote bag.

“Okay, so—I brought options,” he said. “Hot chocolate or beer. Depending on the vibe.”

She blinked, surprised. “Seriously?”

He handed her the thermos first. “It’s probably lukewarm, but if you were crying, you’d want hot chocolate. If not, beer.”

She laughed quietly. “I’m not crying.”

“I noticed,” he said gently. “Still figured you’d want something.”

She unscrewed the thermos and took a sip. It wasn’t hot, but still sweet. Warm-ish. Something he thought about.

“You remembered,” she said quietly.

“Course I did.”

She held the thermos like it might anchor her. “I kissed Vernon because I was drunk. I was caught up in the moment. I’m so pissed it happened the way it did. He’s always been there, and it just felt easy, like maybe I could undo some of the mess.”

“You don’t have to explain,” he said, but she shook her head.

“No, I do. Not because I think you’re mad. You didn’t text me back, so I figured you weren’t thrilled. But I hated not hearing from you.”

Seungcheol sat up straighter. “I wasn’t mad.”

“You were something.”

“I was…” He scratched his neck, eyes flicking away. “Weirded out. But not because of you. I know you’re trying not to hurt anyone. I hate watching you carry that alone.”

Y/N stared into the thermos like it held answers.

“It’s killing me, Cheol. Because I care about you, Vernon, Mingyu in some confusing way. And no matter what I do, someone gets hurt. I don’t want that.”

His voice was quiet. “I know you don’t.”

“But I don’t want to lie to myself either.”

He didn’t push. Just shifted closer until their shoulders touched, letting the moment hold.

Y/N sipped the hot chocolate, holding it like an anchor.

“I think I made things worse,” she said finally.

He glanced at her. “You?”

She nodded. “With Vernon. The kiss. The weird text. I think I made it harder for you to believe I meant any of it.”

He didn’t say anything.

“I didn’t even get the money,” she added, as if the absurdity was still sinking in. “I just made everything more confusing for no reason.”

“So you didn’t kiss Vernon for a hundred bucks?”

Y/N groaned. “God, I hate you.”

Seungcheol laughed. “I’m just clarifying.”

“No,” she smiled tiredly. “I kissed him because I didn’t know what else to do. Because everything was weird. I felt weird.”

He didn’t respond, but the humor slipped quietly from his face.

“You’ve always made things complicated.”

That got his attention. He looked at her, something careful in his expression.

“Complicated how?”

Y/N shrugged. “You’ve always been a constant in my life, but not the way I thought or wanted you to be.”

Her eyes widened a bit. She looked back down.

“I didn’t mean—”

“It’s okay,” he cut in. Not brushing it off, but steadying it. Meeting her there.

They sat in silence for a while.

He leaned back with a quiet smile. “Want a beer too? If we’re getting into it?”

Y/N snorted. “Honestly? Yes. This is kind of brilliant.”

“Right? Emotional support beer.”

“Trademark it.”

“Limited edition. Rooftop exclusive.”

They smiled into their drinks, both more aware of the space between them and how thin it suddenly felt.

“Isn’t it against your better judgment to send confessional texts while tipsy?” Seungcheol asked, amusement tugging at his lips as he fumbled with a joint.

Y/N laughed and nudged him, taking the papers. “Isn’t it against yours to try rolling when clearly underqualified and half-frozen?”

He held up his hands. “I was trying to be helpful.”

“You were trying to show off.”

“I was trying to impress you,” he muttered.

She blinked, caught off guard, but smiled crookedly. “Well, color me impressed. That’s a solid six out of ten roll.”

“I can live with that.”

Y/N tucked the joint between her lips, squinting at Seungcheol from beneath her lashes. “Light me?”

He raised a brow, amused. “You’re getting real comfortable bossing me around.”

“You’re getting real comfortable listening.”

He let out a low chuckle and leaned forward, flicking the lighter to life with one hand. His other cupped slightly against the breeze as the flame sparked at the end of the joint.

Y/N inhaled, the smoke curling around them in the night air. The light flickered across her face, and for a second, it was like time slowed just enough for him to really see her.

She exhaled and grinned. “You’re staring.”

“You’re imagining things,” he said, shifting back. “Or maybe you’re just really high.”

She passed him the joint, shaking her head. “I’ve smoked with you enough times to know you don’t look at everyone like that.”

“I don’t look at anyone like that,” he muttered, just under his breath, but loud enough that she heard.

Her smirk faltered slightly.

They kept passing it back and forth, the smoke soft between them, the music low in the background, the rooftop world closing in tighter and tighter until it felt like they were the only ones left awake in the city.

Y/N took another hit and then winced, pulling back. “Ow—shit.”

Seungcheol reached for her hand instinctively. “Burn yourself?”

“No,” she said, laughing. “Almost. I didn’t realize we were down to the roach.”

“Here.” He took it from her, holding the tiny roll delicately between his thumb and forefinger. “One more for the road?”

She hesitated, then nodded.

He held it out for her, angling it toward her mouth — but he didn’t pull away as she leaned forward. His fingers steadied the roach just as her lips closed around it, and for a second, they were both completely still, focused on nothing but the warmth of breath and the faint scratch of skin against skin.

Her fingers brushed his wrist when she exhaled, and his stayed where they were, just barely grazing the edge of her mouth.

When she opened her eyes again, his were already on her.

Something settled between them. Or maybe something broke loose.

“Thanks,” she murmured.

He dropped what was left of the roach in the tin beside them without looking away. “Anytime. You cold?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Not really.”

He grinned. “Good. Me neither.”

The quiet settled again, but it wasn’t awkward. Just thick with the kind of energy that comes when you know something is shifting not loudly, but in small, irreversible ways.

Seungcheol leaned back on his elbows, glancing up at the sky, and without looking at her, said, “You remember when you got nominated for homecoming court?”

Y/N groaned. “God. Please don’t.”

He laughed instantly  like he’d been waiting for that reaction. “You lost your mind on Mr. Dugan.”

“In my defense,” she pointed a finger at him, “he tried to force me into a sparkly dress while I was actively trying not to fail calculus.”

“And you told him and I quote ‘I’m not wearing a tiara and pretending to be likable while I’m dying inside over derivatives.’”

Y/N covered her face. “I can’t believe you remember that.”

“How could I forget?” He sat up now, eyes warm with amusement. “You had a whole meltdown in the hallway. I think you threw a highlighter at his office door.”

“It was a mechanical pencil,” she corrected. “And I missed.”

“Tragic aim. Still iconic.”

She laughed, trying to hide the way it made her heart twist. “I was stressed, okay?”

“I know,” he said, more gently this time. “You were always hardest on yourself.”

She met his gaze, softer now. “You were always the one who noticed that.”

He didn’t look away. “I still do.”

Something in her chest tightened. Not painfully, more like the way your muscles tense right before you jump into cold water.

There was a long pause before she said, quieter, “I didn’t go to homecoming that year.”

“I know. You stayed in the library. Said you were studying, but you didn’t touch your textbook for, like, two hours.”

She blinked. “How do you know that?”

He raised a brow. “I was there.”

Y/N stared. “You were supposed to be in the pep rally.”

“I ditched.”

“You ditched the pep rally?”

He shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Figured someone should keep you company while you spiraled.”

She was quiet for a second, trying to recall the memory fully. She remembered someone being there. Sitting across from her, sketching lazily in the corner of his notebook while she tried not to cry over integrals. She just hadn’t realized it was him.

“You know,” she said, smirking a little, “that might’ve been the first time you were ever actually nice to me.”

He leaned in, just slightly. “Don’t get used to it.”

Her eyes flicked to his, then his lips, and back again. “You’re nicer now.”

His voice dropped, teasing but edged in sincerity. “Only to you.”

And there it was again, that something. The feeling that the air had shifted, that the years they spent pretending not to feel this had finally thinned the distance too much to ignore.

She bumped her knee against his. “You’re still annoying.”

He bumped her back, slower. “You’re still mean.”

“I’m still not wearing a tiara.”

“You’re still stressed about everything but the right things.”

She gave him a look. “Oh? And what should I be stressed about?”

Seungcheol didn’t answer immediately. He just held her gaze, something flickering in his expression, that quiet dare again.

“You tell me,” he said softly. “What’s actually on your mind?”

And for the first time all night, Y/N wasn’t sure if she was going to answer.

But she was sure he already knew.

“Nothing, just that you make shit hot chocolate.” 

Seungcheol just titled his head back and laughed, raising his beer to her before taking a sip. 

“But, I do make good beer.” 

“You literally didn’t make this, but that’s fine.”

 “No, really though. What’s on your mind?” 

“I guess just the fact that everything's on my mind?” Y/n sighed, looking out over the lights of the city flickering slightly, the small tear in her eye making them look crystalized. “I know it sounds stupid. It was always bad, but somehow being home just made everything worse. The fact that I somehow manage to lose every fucking person important in my life in the matter of a few days? Or most of them anyway. I just feel lost, I guess. Between my mom, Vernon, Chaewon, now Mingyu and Yuqi it seems like they are avoiding me for some reason.. Not that they are, I just feel like eventually that will blow up too and I’m nervous. I’m nervous all the fucking time, it sucks. I feel like I can’t do anything right anymore. It might sound literally fucking insane, but it’s starting to feel like every day I wake up and something else bad happens.. Or it all gets worse, I don’t know? You know?” 

“It’s not insane, but it’s not true either.” Seungcheol placed a hand on her knee, not romantically, but it didn’t feel all too friendly at the same time. “Nobody hates you or is mad at you, that’s just your perspective. Vernon’s just upset, he’ll come around, Chaewon made her own mistake and I’m sure if you let her make up for it or want her to she can. Yuqi and Mingyu are just having fun, they clearly aren’t mad considering the way they continuously show up for you, maybe they just trust that you can figure it all out on your own.” 

“And you?” 

“What about me?” 

“I still have you?” 

Seungcheol smirked, “Of course you do, you also have Soonyoung and Seungkwan for what that’s worth.” 

Y/n just giggled, tossing his hand off her knee playfully, feeling the heat creep through her cheeks at her cheesy question. 

“But it’s different now, isn’t it?” she asked.

He didn’t answer with words, just lifted a hand, tentatively, brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek, his fingers lingering against her jaw like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to be doing this.

“I don’t want to mess this up,” he said.

“You’re not.”

“You’re scared.”

“So are you.”

His lips twitched, not quite a smile. “I’ve never wanted to kiss someone this badly and also be this afraid of it.”

She felt her heart race again, her skin hypersensitive to the closeness. Their knees are touching now. Her breath is quick and shallow.

So she did what she always did with him, softened the moment with something teasing, something safer.

“Bet you say that to all the girls who yell at teachers.”

He chuckled, eyes never leaving hers. “Only the ones who call themselves fake-ass princesses.”

Her grin matched his, but the moment between them didn’t dissolve. It was held. Teetering.

And for a second, it felt like the universe might finally tip in their favor.

A buzz. Then another. Both their phones lit up at once, the glow catching on their faces in the dim rooftop light.

Seungcheol groaned, dragging his hand down his face. “Why does this always happen when things start getting good?”

Y/N smirked, pulling her phone out of her hoodie pocket. “Swear to God if it’s Yuqi again, I’m revoking her friendship privileges.”

He chuckled and tilted his screen toward her. “Double buzz. You know that means it’s Twitter.”

Y/N tapped her lock screen, and sure enough, top of her feed, bolded in campus drama font, was a tweet from the infamous gossip account. Her stomach sank before she even read it, and when she did, her skin went cold despite the warm blanket over her lap.

[submission: 1:17am] okay but why were Y and MG out together tonight… alone… no usual suspects in sight, and definitely no 5-foot space between them.

they didn’t kiss or anything (unfortunately for us), but the body language was giving “this isn’t the first time.”

no one’s saying they’re cheating… but no one’s not saying it either.

also… how do you think Y/N feels knowing the fallout from her drama-filled weekend somehow brought her two closest friends closer and now she’s nowhere to be found? #campustea #spotted #messy #momspartyaftermath

She didn’t say anything at first. Neither did he.

Then Seungcheol gave a dry, humorless laugh and muttered, “Wow. That’s one way to bring us back down to earth.”

Y/N stared at the screen, the familiar pressure building behind her eyes. Her jaw clenched.

“Guess I’m really out here being the plot twist in my own life,” she muttered.

He looked over, face unreadable for a second. “You okay?”

She swallowed hard, trying to play it off. “Yeah. Just funny how even when I’m not around, I still somehow end up in the headline.”

Seungcheol leaned back against the railing, rubbing the back of his neck. “Do you think they…?”

“I don’t know,” she said quickly. Too quickly.

She didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to feel anything about it. Especially not here, not now. 

She tried to shake it off with a half-laugh. “Yuqi’s probably somewhere reading this and swearing she told me so about everything. It’s like she has a sixth sense for ruining our moments.”

Cheol’s mouth quirked up. “Nah, she doesn’t ruin them. She just resets them. Like a cosmic reminder that we’re still in the real world.”

But it didn’t reset. Not this time.

Because suddenly, the real world was right here. It was Vernon and Mingyu and gossip threads and the weight of history pressing between their knees under the blanket.

Seungcheol’s hand inched a little closer to hers.

“Does it bother you? Like them not telling you they were hanging out?” he said quietly. 

Y/N didn’t answer. Couldn’t.

Y/N stared down at the tweet again, then locked her phone. Her voice came out quieter than she expected.

“Do you think they didn’t tell me because of me?”

Seungcheol blinked. “What?”

She tucked her knees to her chest, resting her chin there. “Like… because of everything lately. My mom’s party, the falling out, the kiss,” she paused, correcting, “kisses. Me choosing you. Then not. Then Vernon. Then not. Mingyu…” She rubbed her hands over her face. “I’ve been the center of every damn thing. And I feel like maybe everyone’s just waiting for me to implode again. Or trying not to set me off.”

“You’re not a landmine, Y/N.”

She looked at him. “Aren’t I? I kind of blew everything up.”

Cheol didn’t respond right away. Instead, he glanced at the tweet again and then looked back at her. “Even if that was true, it’s not like they handled it better. If that tweet’s even accurate.”

“That’s the worst part. I don’t even care if they were out alone, or if they kissed, or whatever.” Her voice broke slightly, not angry, just sad. “I just care that no one told me.”

Seungcheol shifted closer. “Then let’s find out the truth. Because either that tweet’s another one of campus tea’s half-baked rumor bombs or…”

“Or?”

“Or it’s real. And if it is, then yeah. That’s a conversation. But it’s not your fault.”

Y/N gave a hollow laugh. “It’s starting to feel like everything is.”

He bumped her shoulder lightly with his. “You know what I think?”

“Hm?”

“I think this is someone’s full-time hobby now. Watching us like we’re episodes of some show. And that page…” He trailed off, staring out over the quiet campus below. “That page feels weird. Like it always knows the worst version of the story. Never the truth.”

Y/N glanced over. “You think it’s someone we know?”

Seungcheol’s mouth tightened into a line. “I think it’s someone too close.”

Before she could respond, the rooftop door suddenly burst open with a loud bang, both of them flinching as Yuqi, wearing the same outfit from the photo and sheer panic, came sprinting across the rooftop.

“Y/N!” she shouted. “Cheol? Okay, it’s not true!”

Y/N scrambled up halfway, eyes wide. “What?”

Yuqi skidded to a stop in front of them, out of breath. “I swear, I wasn’t with Mingyu like that. We ran into each other buying alcohol for the party and because we were off to the same place, we just went together, my phone was dead and I had to tell Mark they were out of that weird Tequila he liked so he let me use his phone. No scheming. No secret romance. No betrayal!”

Y/N blinked. “You ran here to tell me that?”

“Yes!” Yuqi huffed, hands on her hips. “Because Twitter is hell, and I knew your dramatic ass would spiral.”

Yuqi blinked between them as she finally caught her breath, squinting under the dim fairy lights that Seungcheol had strung up earlier.

“…Wait,” she said slowly, glancing between Y/N’s cozy blanket-wrapped shoulders and Seungcheol’s suspiciously casual lean against the wall. “What exactly are you two doing up here?”

Y/N pulled the blanket tighter around herself like she’d been caught. “Hoshi bailed after the movie and I texted him to talk so we just came here.”

“For what? Rooftop therapy?” Yuqi’s eyes narrowed. “Why does it feel like I interrupted something that’s been in the works since, like, ninth grade?”

Seungcheol gave her a look. “It’s not like that.”

Y/N let out a laugh, nervous, maybe. “It’s definitely not not like that.”

Yuqi turned to her. “Girl. You’re literally on a rooftop, wrapped in a blanket, drinking hot chocolate. With him.” She gestured wildly at Seungcheol like he was evidence in a courtroom.

“So? Soonyoung and I do this all the time too. ” Y/N defended, but she was smiling now, cheeks warm despite the wind. “We were just talking. Catching up.”

Seungcheol offered a shrug like, Yeah, sure, but his eyes stayed locked on Y/N’s for just a second too long.

Yuqi’s gaze flicked back and forth between them like she was watching a game of tennis she hadn’t realized was in the finals. “So let me get this straight. You two were up here vibing. Blankets, music, drinks and somehow I’m the one under suspicion for hanging out with Mingyu?”

Seungcheol held up both hands. “It’s not like we were doing anything suspicious, Yuqi.”

“Yet,” Yuqi muttered, then gasped. “Oh my fucking God. Have you two kissed?”

Y/N froze. “No.”

Yuqi pointed. “But you paused. That’s a pause, Y/N.”

Y/N buried her face in her hands. “This is the worst intervention-slash-investigation ever.”

Yuqi grinned, finally plopping down next to her. “Don’t worry. I’m not mad. Just confused. Thought the big boy here was pissed about the Vernon kiss text thing?”

There was a beat of silence, a mutual look between Y/N and Seungcheol before Y/N spoke quietly, eyes fixed on the ground:

“No. He didn’t care, which is what we were talking about actually.”

That shut Yuqi up for a second.

“Oh,” she said, softer now.

“Yeah,” Seungcheol murmured, “Oh.”

Seungcheol raised his hands like he was caught red-handed. “We’re just sitting. Talking.”

Yuqi blinked. “And… smoking?”

“Barely.”

There was a beat of silence, the three of them standing in this weird triangle of tension, broken only by the wind picking up.

“Sorry I interrupted. I mean I just came up here to tell you guys that that post is bullshit,” Yuqi started, eyes flicking to Seungcheol, then quickly back to Y/N. “I mean Vernon and Mingyu didn’t do anything. Not like that.”

“I know,” Y/N said softly.

“I just—I didn’t want you to read it and think something was going on behind your back.” Yuqi stepped closer, sincerity in her face. “I would never let that happen. You know that, right?”

Y/N nodded, though her stomach tightened at the way her friend looked so anxious.

“I mean…” Yuqi let out a breathy laugh, trying to lighten it. “Not everyone’s out here sneaking around with people they’re not supposed to be with.”

Y/N’s eyes snapped up.

Yuqi froze. “I didn’t mean that how it sounded.”

Seungcheol shifted, but didn’t say anything.

Yuqi winced. “Shit. I wasn’t trying to call you out. I just meant—”

“No, it’s fine,” Y/N said quickly. Too quickly.

“Seriously, Y/N, I didn’t mean it like that.” Yuqi stepped forward, her voice softer now. “I think I just… panicked. I saw the post and I thought of how much worse things might feel for you if you saw it alone. And I wanted to fix it. But then I saw you two up here and I was just like… what the fuck is happening tonight?”

Y/N didn’t answer right away. The sting lingered, not because Yuqi had said anything that wasn’t sort of true, but because she had felt like she was hiding. And maybe that was the worst part. The not-telling.

Yuqi glanced between them again, this time with something more like understanding—and maybe a little wariness. “Okay, well… you’re both being weirdly cute and complicated, so I’m gonna go order chicken and pretend none of this happened until I have snacks.”

She stood, brushing gravel off her pajama pants.

“And for the record,” she added, walking backwards toward the door, “I still think you paused.”

Y/N groaned into her knees.

Seungcheol chuckled. “She’s not wrong.”

The rooftop felt colder the moment Yuqi disappeared back through the hatch. For a while, neither of them spoke.

But then Y/n’s phone buzzed. She looked down, thumb already unlocking her screen when she saw his name flash across it.

Mingyu “Hey. Are you up?”

She didn’t respond right away.

Seungcheol tilted his head. “That him?”

Y/N gave a tiny nod, reading the follow-up before she could stop herself.

Mingyu “Can I call you? Just for a minute. Or… maybe ask you something.”

Seungcheol leaned back on his hands, letting out a breath through his nose. “Timing’s unreal, huh?”

She glanced at him, hesitant. “Should I…?”

“I’m not stopping you.”

“But do you want to?”

He didn’t answer right away, and when she looked at him again, his gaze was already on her. Something unspoken flickered in his eyes. A little hesitation. A little more than that.

“It’s not my call,” he finally said, his voice quiet. “Not yet, anyway.”

That not yet echoed louder than anything else tonight.

She looked at her phone again.

It rang.

She stood, half-smiling down at Seungcheol, suddenly unsure of which part of her felt worse: the part that wanted to pick up or the part that didn’t.

“Hey,” she whispered, stepping toward the hatch. “I’m gonna take this.”

He nodded, not looking away.

“I’ll come back,” she added before she could think too hard about it.

And then she went back into the staircase, into the pull of whatever Mingyu was about to ask her. Leaving Seungcheol behind with cold fingers, the memory of her lips on his fingertips, and the question neither of them had dared to ask just yet.

Y/N slipped into the hallway, phone pressed to her ear as she tried to quiet the pounding in her chest.

“Hey,” she said softly once she heard the line connect.

There was a pause on Mingyu’s end before he replied, “You answered.”

She smiled faintly, leaning against the cool wall. “You said it was just for a minute.”

“I lied,” he said, voice lower than usual—a little unsure, a little too vulnerable for how confident he usually tried to be. “I think I needed to hear your voice.”

Y/N closed her eyes for a second. “You okay?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I saw the post. About us. The tweets. I didn’t think it would bother me but…” He trailed off, then laughed, humorless. “Okay, that’s a lie too. It does bother me. Because I feel like it hurts you. And so now I’m finally sick of waiting around and not asking you out.”

“Mingyu…”

“That was the deal, wasn’t it?” he said, and she could hear the hint of a grin in his voice. “You said if I went to that nightmare party with you, you’d go out with me.”

Her smile deepened, a quiet laugh slipping out. “I also said I’d owe you forever.”

“You do,” he said easily. “But I’m not cashing that in yet. This is just me asking you to let me take you out. For real this time.”

Y/N leaned her head against the wall, staring at the patterned carpet. “Where?”

“The Dove Inn,” he said. “Your favorite, right? Just dinner. We don’t have to make it a whole thing. Just… you and me, talking, eating, breathing, preferably not in the middle of gossip or chaos for once.”

She was quiet for a moment, lips parting like she might say something, but she didn’t yet. Mingyu picked up on it instantly.

“I get it if now’s not the right time,” he added. “Things have been insane. But I’ve been thinking about asking for a while. And I guess I didn’t want someone else’s tweet being louder than my own voice.”

She swallowed that tight knot in her throat. “You remembered my favorite place.”

“Course I did,” he said. “You don’t shut up about those bread rolls.”

A soft, genuine laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it. “They’re fucking amazing.”

“Exactly,” he said, and she could hear the warmth spread across his whole face. “So let me take you. Doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to. But if it could…”

She felt her heart knock against her ribs again.

“Let me think about it,” she said, voice gentle but honest.

“Take your time,” he said easily. “But just so you know, I’d be really happy if you said yes.”

He didn’t wait for anything else. He just added a quiet, “Goodnight, Y/N,” and hung up.

She stared at the screen in her hand, thumb still resting over the disconnect button, before slowly lowering it.  She wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was. But she knew that for the first time in a long time, someone had asked for her in a way that made her feel like she could say yes.

He remembered the Dove Inn. He remembered the bread rolls.

He remembered her.

And even though she’d said she needed time to think about it, something about the way he phrased it—I’d be really happy if you said yes—sat warm and golden in her chest.

But as she climbed the stairs again, the night air wrapped around her shoulders like a different kind of pressure. One she couldn’t name. Not yet.

When she pushed the door open to the rooftop, Seungcheol was still there, legs stretched out, back against the railing, his head tilted up like he’d been counting stars—or trying to clear his head.

He looked over when he heard her footsteps, his eyes soft but alert.

“You okay?” he asked, flicking his thumb across the lighter he still held. The glow of the joint burned low between his fingers.

“Yeah,” she said, walking over and slipping back into her place beside him like no time had passed. “Just Mingyu.”

A pause. “Everything alright?”

She nodded, pressing her knees to her chest. “He asked me out.”

That got his attention.

Seungcheol’s brows twitched, but he didn’t say anything right away. Just took a slow inhale, his shoulders lifting with it.

“To the Dove Inn,” she added.

He exhaled a puff of smoke and glanced at her with a slight smile. “Fancy.”

“Not that fancy,” she murmured, teasing. “It’s mostly about the bread.”

He chuckled at that, shaking his head. “You and the damn bread rolls.”

Silence fell again. Not heavy, but charged.

“So…” he said after a beat, voice quieter. “Are you gonna go?”

She looked up at him through her lashes. “Do you think I should?”

A pause. The flicker of something in his expression, restraint, maybe. Or something just barely cloaked.

“I think…” he started, then stopped. “I think you should do what makes you feel good. And safe.”

She swallowed. “I haven’t felt very safe lately.”

“I know,” he said. “I’ve been trying to fix some of that.”

Y/N blinked slowly. “I know.”

More silence. Then she tilted her head toward him with a half-smile.

“You look like shit, by the way. We have a lot of work to do before some girl or woman bids on you.”

His laugh broke the tension like glass, head dropping to her shoulder in mock defeat. “Oh my god, fuck you. I obviously will look way better than sweats and Seungkwan’s furry blanket draped over me, eyes glazed as fuck.”

She grinned, leaning into him for real this time. “Excuses.”

“You’ve always been such an ass.” His grin stretched across his face, warm and familiar.

That’s what made it dangerous.

Because there it was again, the them that still lived in the cracks. Not in memories. Not in nostalgia. But right now, in how easily they still made each other laugh. How they still knew the exact versions of each other no one else did.

They looked at each other. Too long. Not enough.

And then—

“Cheol,” she said, almost a warning.

But it was too late.

Because he leaned in.

Not like a decision, more like gravity. Like he was already halfway to her before either of them could name it.

And she didn’t stop him.

His hand came up to her jaw first, fingers tentative, thumb brushing a wisp of hair from her cheek. His gaze flicked down to her lips like he was asking, but only barely.

“You’re gonna make this complicated,” she whispered, voice low and unsteady.

His thumb paused near her mouth. “Hasn’t it always been?”

And then he kissed her.

Not softly. Not like it was new.

Like it was familiar. Like it was muscle memory. Like it had been waiting behind every almost-touch since the moment he came back in her life.

Her hand curled in the front of his hoodie, dragging him closer, and his other arm came around her waist without hesitation. The rooftop spun, but it didn’t matter. There was only this his mouth, his breath, the way his lips curved like he was half-smiling even now.

They broke apart just barely, foreheads pressed together, catching their breath.

“We shouldn’t…” she breathed.

“I know,” he said. But he didn’t move.

Her eyes closed. “Everything’s a mess.”

“Then let it be messy.”

Silence crackled.

But her phone buzzed again—too loud, too sharp—and they both jumped like the rooftop had tilted.

Reality surged back.

She pulled away slowly, blinking hard, the wind suddenly biting. “I should… check that.”

He nodded, jaw tight.

The air was different now. Charged and hollow.

She looked at the screen. Another message.

From the gossip page.

Seungcheol didn’t ask who it was. He just sat back and looked up at the sky again, jaw set, eyes unreadable.

hi , y/n. not to stir the pot but you’ve been real quiet lately and funny how the two guys everyone swears you’re not choosing between both went out of their way for you tonight. I guess some people like having their cake and eating it too. don’t choke, babe.

Her stomach dropped. She felt it physically—like the floor of the roof gave out beneath her, the cold biting into her skin sharper now.

The kiss.

The party.

Mingyu.

Seungcheol.

Her.

Yuqi. 

Vernon.

And now everyone was watching again.

She didn’t even show him. Didn’t even say a word. Just let her phone fall face down beside her, screen still glowing in the dark like an open wound.

Y/N let out a slow breath and laid back, spine pressing into the rooftop like it might ground her, but nothing felt solid anymore.

“Still think it’s the same sky?” she asked quietly, voice barely above a whisper. Her throat felt tight, raw.

Seungcheol turned his head to look at her, his expression unreadable in the shadows.

“Not tonight,” he murmured.

And neither of them said anything after that.

The air between them once electric, now thrummed with something else. Something heavier. Like a thread pulled too tight.

So she closed her eyes instead and let sleep take her.

Unspoken words hanging in the air like smoke.

Unanswered. Unfinished.

note: hi omg i didn't even realize it had been like three weeks?? time fucking flies. i'm sorry i haven't been posting, i went on vacation after my semester sort of randomly. lol. anyway, i made this a little written as well, which i may start doing more often as this story reaches more towards it's close, rip. but let me know what you guys think ily. xoxo.

She was curled up in a chair beside his bed, still awake, though she looked exhausted. He noticed the way her hands were gripping the blanket over her lap, the tense set of her shoulders.

His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. “What the hell happened?”

Y/N looked up, startled by his sudden alertness. “Cheol,” she breathed, relief flashing across her face before she quickly masked it. “Morning.”

“Yeah. And very much not dead,” he muttered, grimacing as he sat up, a sharp pain shooting through his head. “Why am I still here?”

Y/N hesitated before answering. “You fainted.”

He blinked. “I what?”

She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. “You passed out last night, after getting hit by Joon. Your blood sugar was low, and you were running on, like, zero sleep. The doctors said your body just shut down from everything—stress, exhaustion, dehydration, the works.”

Seungcheol groaned, leaning back against the pillow. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“I wish I was.”

He was quiet for a moment, processing. Then, his head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing as he took her in. “Wait. How do you know all this?”

Y/N swallowed, suddenly feeling caught. “Because I slept here and took care of you, your dad and Hana looked stressed so I told them to go home for the night.”

Seungcheol stared at her, unreadable. “You stayed.”

“Yeah,” she admitted, shifting uncomfortably. “I felt bad. I didn’t want you to wake up alone.”

A flicker of something passed through his expression—surprise, maybe something else—but it was gone too quickly for her to catch. He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Shit. So everyone saw me go down?”

“Uh, yeah. Pretty dramatically, too.”

“Great,” he muttered, pressing his fingers to his temples. “I’m never gonna live this down.”

Y/N snorted. “Nope.”

Despite the situation, she saw the corners of his lips twitch, like he wanted to smile but was too annoyed with himself to fully commit.

Then, his expression sobered as his gaze flickered back to hers. “Seriously, though… why’d you stay?”

Y/N inhaled sharply, caught off guard by the weight of his question.

She could’ve told him the truth—that she felt guilty, that seeing him like that had shaken her more than she wanted to admit, that despite everything, she still cared about him more than she probably should.

Instead, she went with the safer answer.

“Because someone had to be here when your stubborn ass woke up.”

Seungcheol studied her for a long moment, something unreadable in his eyes. Then, finally, he huffed out a small laugh, shaking his head.

“You’re impossible.”

Y/N forced a smirk. “And you’re a dumbass.”

A smirk of his own played on his lips. “Guess that makes us even, huh?”

Not even close, she thought. But she didn’t say that. Because the truth was, she didn’t know why she had stayed.

Y/N shrugged, crossing her arms. “Mingyu and Yuqi are on their way over, and Vernon’s with his parents, but he’ll come check on you later tonight.” She paused, then smirked. “Someone’s popular.” 

Seungcheol was already irritated. Not only was he stuck in a hospital bed, but now he had to sit here and listen to Y/N tell him how everyone was about to show up like this was some sort of field trip.

He rubbed a hand over his face. “So, let me get this straight—I get knocked out, and now I have a whole damn welcome committee?”

“Pretty much.” 

Seungcheol groaned. “Great. Can’t wait.”

Y/N didn’t miss the way his expression soured slightly at Mingyu’s name. He wasn’t obvious about it—he never was—but she knew him too well. Seungcheol could tolerate Mingyu at best, and at worst… well, he’d never admit it out loud, but she knew.

She leaned against the chair, watching him. “You know, for someone who pretends not to care about Mingyu, you’re doing a terrible job hiding it.”

Seungcheol scoffed. “I don’t care.”

Y/N raised a brow.

“I don’t.”

Her brow lifted higher.

He exhaled sharply. “Okay, maybe I mildly care.”

Y/N grinned. “Right. And I mildly think you’re full of shit.”

Seungcheol rolled his eyes but didn’t argue further.

She let the teasing go for now, instead shifting in her seat, her expression becoming more serious. “Also… This might make me sound fucking insane but, I swear I saw Chaewon at the party.”

Seungcheol’s head snapped toward her. “What?”

Y/N nodded, chewing on her lip. “I mean, I think I did. It was only for a second, but I swear she was there. Then she was gone.” She huffed, shaking her head. “I probably just imagined it, but it freaked me out.”

Seungcheol frowned. “Chaewon, as in—”

“Yes, that Chaewon,” Y/N cut in, rubbing her temples. “I don’t know. I was already on edge, and with everything going on, my brain could’ve been playing tricks on me. But for a moment, it felt real.”

Seungcheol stayed quiet, his jaw tightening slightly.

Y/N sighed. “Anyway, that’s not even the biggest problem right now. I’ll bring it up later when everyone else comes. The problem is you—specifically, how you’re gonna explain to everyone that you went down like a poorly built Jenga tower.”

Seungcheol, looking far too comfortable for someone who had been knocked out cold the night before, watched her with that knowing smirk. He was relaxed, but there was something in his eyes—something sharper, heavier.

“So,” he said, drawing out the word. His voice was a little hoarse, but steady. “We gonna talk about it?”

Y/N glanced at him, feigning confusion. “Talk about what?”

His smirk deepened. “Don’t do that.”

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of wine straight from the bottle. “You’re on painkillers.”

“Actually, I’m not. My dad probably turned them down because he thinks I’m going to be an addict or whatever else he can come up with.. So?”

“You’re being bold.”

He laughed softly, shifting slightly in the bed. “Maybe.” He didn’t look away. “But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

Y/N sighed. She knew exactly where this was going.

“We almost kissed,” she admitted.

Seungcheol tilted his head, as if considering something. “Yeah. And?”

“And it didn’t happen.”

“Right.” He nodded. “But do you wish it did?”

Her stomach flipped. She looked away, eyes focusing on the monitors beside him. “You’re seriously asking me this while hooked up to an IV?”

He grinned. “Wouldn’t be the first time we had bad timing.”

That made her laugh, despite herself. “No, it really wouldn’t.”

His gaze searched hers, like he was looking for an answer before she could even say anything. “You felt it too, didn’t you?”

Y/N opened her mouth, but before she could respond, the hospital door swung open.

“Oh, good! You’re awake.”

Yuqi’s voice filled the room as she stepped in, holding up a bottle of wine triumphantly. Behind her, Mingyu followed, arms full of snacks.

Y/N closed her eyes for a brief second, exhaling through her nose. Of course. Somehow, no matter when these moments happened, Yuqi was always the one interrupting.

Seungcheol glanced at Y/N, amused by the way her shoulders tensed.

“Speaking of bad timing,” he muttered under his breath, voice laced with something teasing.

Y/N shot him a look, but he just grinned, and somehow, she knew this conversation wasn’t over.

Yuqi set the wine down with a dramatic sigh. “You have no idea the struggle we went through to get this. Apparently, people have issues with buying alcohol before noon. Like, excuse me, my best friend had a stressful night, and I think she deserves a drink.”

Mingyu dropped a bag of chips onto Seungcheol’s lap. “You just get snacks, though.”

Seungcheol glanced at the bag before looking up at Y/N. “This feels like a weak trade.”

“Be grateful,” she deadpanned, though she was still tense from their conversation.

Yuqi flopped onto the chair beside Y/N, eyeing the two of them suspiciously. “Alright, what’s going on here? I walked in, and the air was thick.”

“Nothing,” Y/N said quickly, a little too quickly.

“Uh-huh.” Yuqi narrowed her eyes. “Cheol?”

Seungcheol leaned back against the pillows, looking entirely too smug for someone in a hospital gown. “I don’t know, Yuqi. Maybe Y/N was just about to confess her undying love for me.”

Y/N rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. “Right. That must be it.”

Mingyu, who had started unpacking the snacks, snorted. “Yeah, that sounds fake, but okay.”

Yuqi, however, seemed intrigued. She glanced between them, her matchmaking instincts kicking into high gear. “Wait. Wait, wait, wait—did something happen last night?”

“Nope,” Y/N said immediately.

“Almost,” Seungcheol muttered.

Yuqi’s eyes widened. “Almost what?”

“Nothing,” Y/N insisted. “Nothing happened.”

Mingyu paused mid-bite into a granola bar, staring at them. “Okay, now I feel like something definitely happened.”

Seungcheol smirked, shifting just slightly toward Y/N. “She’s just mad because people keep interrupting us.”

Yuqi gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Me?"

Y/N pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yuqi, you literally always interrupt.”

Mingyu laughed, tossing a snack onto the table. “Damn, okay. Should we, like, leave so you two can—”

“No,” Y/N cut in quickly.

“Yes,” Seungcheol said at the same time.

Yuqi clapped her hands together, absolutely delighted. “Oh, this is fun.”

Y/N groaned. She could feel Seungcheol looking at her, waiting, but now that their friends were here, she wasn’t going to keep whatever that moment was alive. Not now.

So instead, she grabbed the bottle of wine, twisted the cap off, and took a long, much-needed sip.

Yuqi smirked. “Okay, so now I definitely need to hear the full story.”

Y/N, still reeling from the almost moment with Seungcheol, decided to steer the conversation far away from that particular topic. “Actually, something else was weird about last night.”

Yuqi raised a brow. “Weirder than you and Cheol almost—”

“Yes,” Y/N interrupted, leveling her with a glare. “I swear I saw Chaewon at the party.”

That got their attention. Yuqi’s smirk faded, replaced with genuine surprise. “Chaewon? Like Chaewon?”

Mingyu, who had been less than enjoying Yuqi interrogating Y/N, suddenly looked much more alert. “Wait. You think you saw her?”

Y/N nodded. “I mean, I only caught a glimpse, but I know what I saw. And she—she looked like she was hiding.”

Mingyu frowned, popping a chip into his mouth. “You don’t think she was just, like, there as someone’s plus-one?”

Yuqi scoffed. “Yeah, sure, because Chaewon definitely rolls in those kinds of circles. No offense, but why the hell would she show up to that party of all places?”

Y/N bit her lip, hesitant. “That’s the thing… I don’t know.”

Seungcheol shifted in the bed, wincing slightly. “You’re sure it was her?”

Y/N hesitated, but then nodded. “I think so. It was fast, but it felt… I don’t know, like she wasn’t supposed to be there or she got scared when she saw me and ran off, like I genuinely have no fucking idea.”

Yuqi tilted her head. “Okay, but if she was there, why wouldn’t she just say hi? I mean, yeah, it’s awkward, but it’s not like she—” Yuqi suddenly stopped her phone scrolling and gasped loudly.

Y/N watched her carefully. “What?”

Yuqi’s lips parted slightly before she cursed under her breath. “Oh my fucking god.”

Mingyu blinked, confused. “Oh my fucking god what?”

Yuqi looked at Y/N, then at Seungcheol, then back at Y/N. “Chaewon is dating Joon.”

The words hit like a slap to the face.

Seungcheol’s expression darkened instantly, his grip tightening around the blanket on his lap. “You’re fucking kidding.”

Y/N’s stomach dropped. It made so much sense now—the secrecy, the way she ran. “So that’s why she didn’t want me to see her?”

Yuqi let out a low whistle. “Damn. No wonder she kept that quiet. She knew how bad that would look.”

Mingyu shook his head. “So, let me get this straight. Joon—who was already acting like a complete psycho last night—brought Chaewon to that party? And she didn’t tell any of us?”

Y/N exhaled sharply, sinking back into her seat. “And it gets worse. If she was there with Joon, then that means she saw everything.”

Seungcheol’s jaw clenched. “Including him taking a swing at me.”

Yuqi groaned, rubbing her temples. “This is a mess.”

Mingyu nodded. “I mean, no offense, but she’s dating an asshole.”

Seungcheol scoffed. “You’re just figuring that out now?”

Y/N shook her head, mind still racing. “I just—I don’t get it. Why would she go for him? Do you think she knows what he did to me? What did he did to Cheol?”

Yuqi shrugged. “People make bad choices for bad men every day.”

Seungcheol still looked pissed, but now there was something else behind his eyes—something that looked almost like… hurt. Like the idea of Chaewon knowing what Joon did and still being with him bothered him in a way he wasn’t ready to admit.

Mingyu sighed, grabbing a handful of snacks. “Well, guess we’ll just have to figure out how to deal with this now, too.”

Y/N nodded slowly, but her mind was still stuck on Chaewon’s face, the way she had disappeared into the crowd. She knew this wasn’t the last time she’d have to deal with her. And somehow, she had a feeling that whatever came next wasn’t going to be simple.

Yuqi leaned back against the little sofa in the hospital room, a chip still half-hanging out of her mouth. “Okay, what if you just text her?” she said, chewing thoughtfully. “Act like you don’t know anything. See what she says.”

Y/N blinked. “What would I even say? ‘Hey, random question, were you lurking around a launch party hosted by my mother while dating my ex’s psycho best friend?’” She gave Yuqi a flat look.

Mingyu laughed through a sip of his soda. “Maybe dial it back a little.”

Seungcheol, still lying stiff in the bed but watching closely, added, “You could say you were just thinking about her or checking in, maybe something about the fundraiser. Something casual.”

Yuqi nodded. “Exactly. Play it cool. If she lies, we’ll go from there.” Then, with a glint in her eye, she added, “And if she doesn’t lie, maybe we can figure out what the hell she was doing there.”

Y/N sighed, unlocking her phone. “I hate that this is actually a decent plan.” She started typing.

Mingyu let out a low “damn” from across the room, then raised his brows at Y/N. “Remind me not to lie to you. Ever.”

Y/N shrugged, crossing her arms. “Only if you’re bad at it.”

Seungcheol, head tilted slightly on the pillow, gave her a look. “And you think she'll just confess to you?”

“I hope so. I guess,” Y/N said slowly, “If theres no issue I don't see why she wouldn't?”

Mingyu tilted his head. “Yeah, not to be rude, but… since when do you go full private investigator on someone?”

Even Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, rubbing the side of his temple gently. “You hate confrontation. You used to make your mom break up with your friends for you.”

Y/N gave a short laugh under her breath, but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. She glanced at her phone for a second before tucking it into her back pocket and sitting back in the chair, suddenly a little quieter. “Yeah. I know.”

Yuqi exchanged a glance with the boys but stayed quiet, waiting.

Y/N exhaled through her nose, fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie. “I think I’m just tired,” she finally said, voice softer than before. “Of letting people lie to me. Of brushing it off and pretending it doesn’t get to me.”

No one said anything, but the air in the room shifted. Heavier. More real.

“I used to tell myself it wasn’t worth it—confronting people, pushing back, whatever. That it just made things messy. But the thing is…” She looked around at all of them, her eyes briefly landing on Seungcheol’s before drifting away again. “It’s already messy. And I’m still the one cleaning it up.”

Yuqi’s expression softened instantly. “Y/N…”

“I don’t want to stay stuck in this cycle anymore,” she said, her voice getting steadier, firmer. “Where people get to hurt me or hide things from me, and I just swallow it down because I don’t want to ruin the vibe or start a fight.”

Seungcheol’s lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he stayed quiet.

Y/N glanced at him again, her voice gentler now. “I’m not doing it to start drama. I just… want things to be simple again. I want to move forward without always wondering who’s telling me the truth.”

Mingyu leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, and after a moment he nodded slowly. “That actually makes sense.”

Yuqi walked over and perched on the side of the hospital bed. “Okay, I’m proud of you, but also—are we going undercover to a bar tonight or what?”

Y/N cracked a smile. “Yeah.”

Seungcheol finally spoke, voice low but clear. “You deserve simple, Y/N.” His eyes met hers. “You deserve better than what we’ve all put you through.”

Y/N sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face as she leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “I just hate when people get caught in my crossfire,” she said quietly. “Especially people I care about.”

Yuqi's teasing grin faded.

Y/N glanced toward Seungcheol without really looking at him. “I never wanted you to get hurt either. And I think… I think I might’ve hurt Vernon’s feelings last night, too. So now I just need to figure out what the fuck I’m doing.”

That made the room go still. Seungcheol’s jaw tensed ever so slightly, and Mingyu looked up from the snack he was unwrapping.

“I’m trying to move forward, but it’s like—every step I take just ends up hurting someone else, and it makes me feel sick. I didn’t mean for any of this to be a game, and I know it’s not, but it feels like it sometimes. And I hate that.”

There was a long pause before Yuqi quietly said, “Okay, well, step one of moving forward: get the truth.”

Y/N huffed a laugh and looked up. “If Chaewon was at the party, then something’s up. I mean she’s not from around here. She doesn’t have family nearby. And she’s dating Joon. So what the hell was she doing at my mom’s house?”

Yuqi nudged Mingyu. “We should get her a few drinks, loosen her up. Drunk people are bad at lying. And hey, maybe we steal her phone.”

“Yuqi,” Seungcheol said flatly, raising an eyebrow.

“What?” she shrugged. “For truth. For justice.”

Y/N laughed despite herself, shaking her head. “Let’s not steal anything, yet. But if she’s lying to my face, I want to know. I’ve let too much slide already.”

Seungcheol’s voice was soft. “You sure you want to do this tonight?”

“I need to,” Y/N said, firmer now. “I’m tired of wondering. Tired of guessing who’s real and who’s full of shit. I want answers, and if I don’t get them, I want peace anyway.”

Yuqi stood up with a dramatic stretch and clapped her hands together. “Alright, I'm gonna hit the bathroom. If I come back and someone’s crying, I’m walking right back out.”

“Noted,” Y/N muttered with a small smirk.

Once Yuqi disappeared down the hallway, the room fell into an awkward, loaded silence. Y/N stayed standing, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. Mingyu leaned back in his chair, arms crossed loosely, watching her for a beat.

Then, casually—but not really—he asked, “What did you mean earlier? About Vernon?”

Y/N hesitated, fiddling with the edge of her hoodie sleeve. “Nothing, just I think I crossed a line last night.”

“How?” Mingyu asked, brows furrowing like he couldn’t quite figure out what she could’ve done.

Seungcheol didn’t jump in, but his eyes flicked to her, clearly listening. Quiet, but tuned in.

Y/N shrugged and sat down on the edge of the chair beside Seungcheol’s bed. “I was drunk, we were talking, it got weird.”

Mingyu tilted his head, trying to read her. “Weird how? Like kissing weird?”

Her silence was enough of an answer.

Mingyu’s eyes widened slightly. “Wait—did you actually kiss him?”

“No.” Y/N’s voice was quick. “But it almost happened. And I didn’t mean for it to. I mean, it was kind of a joke, kind of not, and it just—” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. The point is, I saw his face after, and I think I hurt him. And I hate that. Vernon’s like—he’s been my best friend since I was a kid.”

Mingyu looked like he wanted to say something more but bit it back, his expression unreadable.

Seungcheol was still quiet, gaze down on the blanket across his lap. After a moment, he said softly, “He’s not the only one who got weird with you last night.”

Y/N looked over at him. “Yeah,” she said. “I’ve been thinking about that too.”

Mingyu leaned forward, a little incredulous now. “Wait. You’re telling me you almost kissed both of them? Last night?”

Y/N buried her face in her hands. “I hate it here.”

Seungcheol let out a low chuckle, and even Mingyu cracked a smile.

“Okay, that’s… that’s kinda interesting, honestly,” Mingyu said, shaking his head. “Messy as hell. But it's interesting.”

Y/N dropped her hands. “I’m not trying to be interesting. I just want to stop feeling like I’m ruining everything.”

“You’re not,” Seungcheol said, voice steady. “You’re just figuring it out.”

Before Y/N could reply, they heard the toilet flush down the hall.

Yuqi’s footsteps padded back down the hallway, but she hadn’t quite rounded the corner yet when Mingyu leaned back again, arms behind his head like he was stretching out the tension.

“So wait,” he said, mock-offended, “you almost kissed Vernon and Seungcheol last night…”

Y/N gave him a cautious look.

He raised a brow, grinning. “But not me? Damn, Y/N. I thought we had something special.”

She rolled her eyes. “Gyu—”

“I mean,” he went on with faux dramatics, “you’ve got this whole Bachelor situation going on, and I’m still in first place without even trying. Talk about winning by default.”

Y/N let out a small laugh, but it didn’t reach her eyes. The joke hit a little too close to a sore spot she wasn’t ready to unpack—again. Her stomach twisted as she looked down at her hands.

Mingyu didn’t seem to catch it. “You really can’t commit, huh?” he teased, his smile wide. “One foot out the door with all of us.”

That one stung. Her smile faltered, and the air shifted.

Seungcheol sat up straighter in the bed, his voice sharper than usual. “Dude. That’s not funny,” Seungcheol said, eyes steady on him. “Feelings are involved.”

Y/N didn’t say anything right away, but her throat was tight. She tried to play it off, brushing invisible lint off her pants. “It’s fine. He’s just joking.”

Seungcheol glanced at her, then back at Mingyu. “Still. Don’t make her feel like she’s some joke you’re winning.”

Mingyu’s grin faded a little as he looked at Y/N again. The momentary flicker of guilt passed over his face.

“Sorry,” he said, a little more seriously now. “I didn’t mean it like that. You know that, right?”

Y/N nodded, but the silence that followed was heavier than before.

Yuqi finally stepped back into the room, breaking it like a snapped string. “Okay, what did I miss? Why do you all look like you just cried without me?”

Mingyu quickly cleared his throat and offered a crooked smile. “We were just talking about Y/N’s love triangle.”

“Love square,” Yuqi corrected with a knowing glance, sitting back down. “And I’m still voting that we steal Chaewon’s phone tonight.”

Y/N managed a real smile this time. “Only if I get to do the talking.”

Mingyu opened his mouth, maybe to say something light again, but this time he thought better of it. He just nodded once.

Yuqi looked between them. “So. We’re still doing this, right?”

Y/N stood, setting her wineglass down with a little more force than she meant. “Yeah. We’re doing this.”

She turned toward the door and then paused, glancing back at her friends. “But I’m the one who’s gonna talk to her. No games. No drama.”

Yuqi grinned. “We’ll just be your backup dancers.”

Mingyu gave a mock salute. “Operation Bad Bitch, begins.”

Seungcheol watched from his bed, slow and steady, eyes still on Y/N. “You sure you don’t want someone with you?”

Y/N shook her head. “No. I need to do this one myself.”

And despite everything, there was something solid in the way they all looked at her—maybe even proud. As much as she felt scattered and uncertain and guilty, there was one thing she finally had a grip on.

The knock at the hospital room door came with the distinct sound of a nurse pushing a cart, and a moment later, the door opened to reveal not just the nurse, but Seungcheol’s dad stepping in behind her—tall, serious, and surprisingly gentle in his tone. Hana followed quietly, her expression unreadable but eyes darting straight to Seungcheol in the hospital bed.

“Sorry to interrupt,” the nurse said cheerfully, already glancing at the monitor. “Just one more set of vitals and we’ll get the paperwork going. He should be good to go soon.”

Seungcheol groaned softly, but not from pain. “You mean I actually get to leave?”

His dad smiled—just a flicker, but it was there. “Told you it wouldn’t be forever.”

“I didn’t believe you,” Seungcheol muttered, leaning a little so the nurse could check the cuff on his arm. He tried not to flinch at the blood pressure reading; it still made him feel like a patient instead of a person.

Hana stood off to the side, eyes scanning the room—taking in the way Y/N stood with her arms crossed, Mingyu lounging awkwardly nearby, Yuqi tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair in the room, and the tension that had clearly only just started to settle.

Seungcheol’s dad nodded to the room in general. “Didn’t realize you had this much company.”

Y/N offered a polite smile. “We were just about to head out, actually.”

Yuqi dragged Mingyu up and started leading him outside, with just a small goodbye to the rest of the group still lingering in Seungcheol’s room. 

The nurse smiled as she scribbled something down. “Well, you’re free to hang around until discharge is finalized. Just don’t go trying to run off before I bring the wheelchair, alright?”

Seungcheol gave her a tired look. “I’m not eighty.”

“Hospital policy,” she chirped, before rolling out of the room with a wave.

His dad stepped closer to the bed, hands in his pockets. “You’re lucky. You hit your head harder than they first thought. Take it easy, alright?”

“I will,” Seungcheol mumbled, but his eyes were on Y/N again, like whatever tension had paused between them was waiting to pick back up the second everyone cleared out.

Hana’s voice finally cut through. “We brought some of your things, by the way. Clothes, that hoodie with the stupid hole in the elbow you like so much. Some snacks, just a care package of sorts.”

“Thanks,” he said, though it came out a little stiff.

Y/N didn’t miss the way Hana looked at her—kind, curious, and cool.

“I’ll go put them over there,” Hana said, slipping past Y/N with a slight brush of her shoulder. Not to be rude. Just enough to remind her she was there.

As Hana set the small duffel bag down on the chair near the bed, she turned slightly toward Y/N, her expression softening from cool to warm in a heartbeat. She waited until the nurse and Seungcheol's dad were briefly distracted talking over the discharge papers.

“Hey,” she said quietly, just for Y/N to hear. “Thank you for staying. You being here let his dad and me actually sleep last night.”

Y/N blinked, caught a little off guard by the genuine tone. “Oh—yeah. Of course. I didn’t mind. It was kind of my fault anyway.”

Hana tilted her head, her voice low and kind. “Still. You didn’t have to. But I think he needed you here, even if he doesn’t say it out loud.”

Y/N gave her a small smile, something tired but grateful in her eyes. “He always says it without saying it.”

That earned a soft laugh from Hana. “Sounds about right.”

They shared a moment—brief, but real—before Hana squeezed Y/N’s arm lightly. “Go get some air. I’ll stay with him until everything’s settled. You’ve done your part.”

Y/N hesitated. “You sure?”

Hana nodded. “I’ve got him now. Go breathe. Maybe sneak a real coffee.”

Y/N glanced at Seungcheol, who was distracted with the cuff still wrapped around his arm and muttering something to his dad. Then back at Hana.

“Thanks,” she said quietly. “For not… making this weird.”

Hana grinned. “You and me? We’re on the same team.”

Y/N stepped out of the way to let her sit beside the bed, still a little stunned at how simple the exchange had been. But grateful. Really, really grateful.

Y/N lingered by the door for a moment longer, letting the calm energy in the room settle. Hana was already talking to Seungcheol’s dad, who was reviewing the last bits of paperwork with the nurse. The noise of the busy hospital corridor outside felt distant, and Y/N, for the first time in what felt like days, took a deep breath, letting herself relax.

She felt the weight of everything—the party, the tension with Seungcheol, the confusion with Vernon, and everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours—begin to catch up with her. It wasn’t just the mess of emotions that had been swirling around her; it was the fact that she felt like she was always walking on the edge, trying not to hurt anyone else or let her feelings get the best of her.

As she stepped outside the room and into the hallway, the sudden quietness was almost overwhelming. She didn’t know whether she wanted to find some space, clear her head, or run away from the whole situation. But what was she running from, really? She didn’t even know where she was heading. Maybe she was just looking for something to hold onto.

Just then, her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She shoved her phone back into her pocket with a sigh, feeling a lot less satisfied than she had hoped. She leaned back against the wall for a moment, rubbing her eyes as she tried to clear her head.

She had to focus. Focus on Seungcheol. Focus on everything going on around her. Maybe confronting Chaewon wasn’t the best idea, but it was the only thing that was making sense to her right now.

A soft voice broke through her thoughts. It was Hana, standing at the door to Seungcheol’s room, her head poking out from the threshold. “Y/N, you okay?”

Y/N nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, all good.”

Hana smiled kindly, the understanding between them unspoken. “Everythings gonna be fine. Don’t worry too much.”

Y/N walked back toward the room, her mind buzzing. She didn’t want to overthink everything, but it felt like everything was coming to a head. Whatever Chaewon was hiding, it had to come out. She couldn’t keep letting things slide, not when people she cared about were getting caught in the crossfire.

She pushed the door open slowly, finding Seungcheol looking much more awake and alert, though still groggy. He flashed a tired smile when he saw her, his eyes still a little unfocused.

“Hey,” Y/N said quietly, sitting down beside him again, offering him a soft smile.

“Hey…” Seungcheol’s voice was hoarse, but there was a certain calm in his expression. He reached out for her hand, squeezing it gently. “How are you doing?”

Y/N swallowed, her emotions still swirling. “I’m okay. Just a lot on my mind.”

He gave her a small, knowing look. “I get that. But you don’t have to carry everything yourself, you know? I’m here.”

Her heart softened at his words, the familiar comfort of his presence still grounding her, even if things felt off. She couldn’t help but feel conflicted, even as she tried to push aside the tension and focus on the moment.

“I know,” she replied, her voice quieter now, a little more vulnerable. “But sometimes it just feels like it’s all too much. Like I’m just letting it all pile up.”

Seungcheol gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, his expression turning more serious. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now. Let’s just take it one step at a time.”

As Y/N sat beside Seungcheol, lost in her thoughts, the door creaked open, and the nurse from earlier stepped inside with a clipboard in hand. She looked between Seungcheol and Y/N, offering a warm smile.

“So, Seungcheol, everything looks good to go,” the nurse said, giving him a quick check of his vitals. “If you’re feeling up to it, we can get you discharged.”

“Fuck yeah.” 

The nurse nodded with a smile. “I’ll just leave this here then.” She handed over some papers for Seungcheol to sign and stepped back toward the door. “I’ll be back in a minute to get you on your way out.”

As the nurse stepped out to grab a wheelchair for Seungcheol, Y/N lingered by the window, scrolling aimlessly on her phone. She heard him groan softly behind her and turned to see him sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, rubbing his temples.

"Ugh, my head feels like someone hit it with a brick," he muttered, squinting as he tried to stand.

"Well," Y/N said, walking over to him with a wry smile, "that’s because someone kind of did."

"Right," he said with a short laugh, wincing as he shifted his legs over the side. “God, I feel like I aged twenty years overnight.”

"You're really committing to the grumpy old man vibe, huh?" she teased gently.

He gave her a crooked grin, eyes flicking to hers with a softness she hadn’t seen from him in a while. “Only thing missing is a cane and yelling at kids to get off my lawn.”

Y/N rolled her eyes playfully. “Alright, Grandpa, let’s get you dressed before the nurse comes back and sees you flashing your ass in this hospital gown to the world.”

Cheol snorted but didn’t object as she moved to grab his folded clothes from the chair beside the bed. She handed him his shirt first and turned her back halfway, giving him privacy while still staying close enough to help if he needed it.

After a few seconds, she heard the faintest sound of a grunt—him trying to tug it over his head—and turned back around just enough to see him struggling to lift his arms properly.

"Okay, stop," she said, walking over before he could protest. "Let me help, you’re going to rip a stitch."

He didn’t argue. Instead, he sat still while she gently helped him ease the shirt over his shoulders, mindful of the bandages and bruises. Her touch was careful, but there was something intimate in the silence that followed—quiet, steady, trusting.

Cheol cleared his throat after a moment. “Thanks for staying. You didn’t have to.”

Y/N looked at him, her hands brushing down the fabric of his shirt as she straightened it. “I wanted to,” she said softly. 

His eyes met hers. There was a flicker of something there—something warm and searching—but he didn’t press it. “You’re gonna make me cry in a hospital gown,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood again.

“You’ll live,” she replied with a small smirk, handing him his sweatpants. 

“Debatable,” he muttered dramatically as he leaned forward to step into them, groaning with every movement. “Okay, this is officially the least sexy thing that’s ever happened between us.”

“Good,” she said, holding his arm steady as he stood. “Let’s keep it that way for now, old man.”

He laughed again, low and hoarse but genuine. And as she helped him ease down into the wheelchair the nurse had left outside the door, neither of them said much—just sat in that shared, quiet understanding that something between them had changed again. Maybe not in the big, dramatic way it always used to, but in a quieter, more human way.

The nurse reappeared just as Y/N adjusted the blanket over Seungcheol’s lap, tucking it around his legs like someone who’d clearly done this before—probably for her grandma, or maybe a friend. She gave them a quick glance, a cheerful smile forming as she double-checked the chart in her hands.

"Vitals look great, and you’re officially cleared to go," she said, unclipping the last monitor from Seungcheol’s finger. “Now—did your girlfriend want to wheel you out, or should I?”

There was a split second of silence.

Y/N froze, halfway through adjusting the wheelchair handles. Seungcheol blinked. Hana, standing just outside with a half-empty coffee cup, covered her mouth like she was trying not to laugh. His dad just raised his eyebrows with the kind of silent amusement only a father could pull off.

“Oh—uh,” Y/N said, her voice going a bit high, “I’m not—he’s not—we’re not…”

“I mean, if she wants to, I’m not stopping her,” Seungcheol added quickly, that usual smirk tugging at his lips even as his ears turned red.

“She stayed overnight,” Hana added slyly, sipping her coffee with a knowing look. “That counts for something.”

Y/N gave her a playful glare and then cleared her throat, trying to recover. “I’ll wheel him out. Might as well see this through.”

The nurse nodded, clearly entertained but saying nothing else, and handed Seungcheol his discharge papers. “All yours, then. Take it easy for the next few days, alright?”

“Not like I have a choice,” Seungcheol grumbled.

They rolled out slowly, Y/N behind the chair as they exited the hospital room and headed toward the elevators. Hana and his dad walked ahead, giving them a little space, murmuring about stopping by the pharmacy on the way home.

Y/N dug her phone out of her pocket with one hand and shot a quick text to their friends that they're coming out and ready to go as they waited for the elevator.

By the time she looked up from her phone, Seungcheol was eyeing her suspiciously over his shoulder.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said, leaning his head back against the wheelchair. “Just making sure you’re not trying to kill me for not telling the nurse you weren’t my girlfriend and just some annoying stalker.”

She gave him a look. “You’re so dramatic. Relax. You’d be so fucking lucky if I was your stalker.”

“I am relaxed,” he muttered. “Just fucking around, I think the head injury got to me.”

Y/N rolled her eyes fondly, pushing him into the elevator as the doors dinged open. “Okay, grandpa.”

The elevator doors closed with a quiet ding, and Y/N leaned lightly against the back rail as it descended, her fingers curled around the wheelchair handles. Seungcheol’s head tilted lazily to the side, his shoulder brushing against her knee as he adjusted in the seat.

“You know,” he said after a beat, voice a little hoarse but playful, “if I’d known you’d be helping me get dressed and wheeling me out of the hospital like some tragic drama scene, I would’ve gotten punched in the face way sooner.”

Y/N huffed a laugh, even though her heart was still knotted from earlier. “Don’t get used to it. This was a one-time thing.”

He smirked, then grimaced when the motion made his head pound. “Noted. Old man rules still apply, though. Might need help getting into bed.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smiled, the elevator gliding to a stop. “You’re literally almost thirty years old, you’re fine.”

“And someone with a minor concussion and a face bruise to match my bruised ego. Don’t age-shame me.”

They exited into the quiet hospital lobby, where Hana and his dad were already waiting near the doors. Y/N’s grip tightened subtly on the handles, a strange pang hitting her chest as the bright afternoon sun spilled through the glass.

“Thanks. For staying. For helping me, if you ever wanted a change in majors you could be a nurse, you’d look cute in scrubs.”

Y/N helped him slide his arms through his hoodie, moving slow so it wouldn’t jar his stitches. “Mhm, thank you, but It’s kinda my fault you were here in the first place.”

“You didn’t make Joon hit me,” he replied.

“No. But if I never kissed you back then and let it go further than maybe you wanted, it would’ve never happened.” She looked down at the ground, scratching her shoe on the pavement.

Seungcheol stilled a little at that.

He didn’t say anything at first. But when he did, his voice was low.

“You never made me do anything I didn’t want,” he said. “The feeling was mutual.”

Her eyes flicked to his, and for a second, they just looked at each other—past the teasing and the banter, past all the things they hadn’t said out loud.

And then Hana called out from the passenger seat, cheerful as ever, “Cheol! You want your grandma blanket for the ride home?”

The moment popped like a soap bubble. Y/N chuckled under her breath and stepped back.

“Come on,” she murmured, patting his shoulder. “Let’s get you out of here before she starts asking if we need to pick up prunes and slippers too.”

Seungcheol groaned as he stood, leaning lightly on her for balance. “You joke, but I think she already got me a cardigan.”

Hana popped open the backseat door just as Seungcheol leaned into Y/N’s side again for balance. He was wobbly, not from pain this time, but mostly just exhaustion. Even with a solid night’s sleep, it was like his body hadn’t quite caught up to everything that had happened.

“Okay, big step,” Y/N coached gently, guiding him toward the car.

“Don’t patronize me,” Seungcheol mumbled with a crooked grin. “I’m still taller than you.”

“Not if you collapse in the parking lot.”

“I’d fall with dignity.”

Hana reached out to steady him on the other side. “You’d fall like a baby deer.”

That made him snort, wincing as he lowered himself into the seat. Y/N crouched to help him swing his legs in, adjusting the blanket while Hana fluffed the little pillow she’d brought from home.

“You good?” Y/N asked him.

Seungcheol nodded slowly, eyes fluttering shut for a second. “Yeah. This is the most care I’ve felt since I had the flu in middle school.”

“Cute,” Y/N murmured. “Try not to make this a regular thing.”

Once he was situated, she stepped back to let Hana close the door. They lingered for a second on the curb, a rare moment of quiet between them.

“Hey,” Hana said, nudging her shoulder lightly, “you’re welcome to come hang at our place tonight. Invite the rest of your friends, watch a movie and order pizza or something?”

Y/n smiled at the offer, genuine but apologetic. “I wish I could,” she said, brushing her hair back. “I need a shower. I feel like I slept in a hospital chair, which—spoiler alert—I did.”

Hana nodded, understanding but still a little disappointed. “Totally fair. Do you guys have plans tonight?”

Y/n paused a beat too long before saying, “Yeah. Just something small.”

She didn’t elaborate, and Hana didn’t push. But she noticed the way y/n looked back at the car—just for a second, a flicker of guilt in her expression. Like maybe she didn’t want to leave him right away, but had already decided she would.

“Thanks for staying with him last night,” Hana added quickly, her voice softening. “You gave us a chance to get some sleep, and I know he needed you more.”

Y/N’s throat tightened at that, but she managed a quiet, “He would’ve done the same.”

“I know,” Hana said with a smile, stepping away toward the passenger side. “He’s good at taking care of people. I’m glad someone’s around to take care of him too, for once.”

Y/N stood on the curb a moment longer after Hana’s car disappeared down the street, the warmth of the moment fading into the chill of her nerves. She stared down at her phone, thumbs hovering to cancel her other plans and just have a night off from anything dramatic, but she knew she couldn’t avoid it.

She sighed. If she let it go now, if she pushed it down again like she always did, it would fester. And she was tired—tired of pretending things didn’t hurt when they did, tired of letting people lie and act like it didn’t matter, tired of being the one who always cleaned up the mess without saying anything.

This wasn’t about Chaewon, not really. It was about everything.

Y/N finally moved, walking toward the car where Mingyu waited in the driver’s seat, messing with the aux cord like it was a life-or-death mission. Yuqi was sitting in the back seat, texting rapidly like her fingers were going to fly off. 

He looked up when she slid into the passenger seat. “Ready?”

The silence that followed was comfortable for a moment. Then, without turning his head, Mingyu added, “You sure you wanna do this tonight?”

“No,” she admitted honestly. “But I need to.”

He nodded slowly, taking the corner onto her street. “You really think she’s with Joon?”

“I know I saw her,” Y/N said. “And unless she took up ghosting and astral projection in her free time, she’s hiding something.”

Yuqi snorted. “Chaewon always was a little… elusive.”

“You think she knew what he did to Seungcheol?”

Y/N didn’t answer right away. The thought of it had been sitting in the pit of her stomach all day, growing heavier with every passing hour. If she gave Chaewon the benefit of the doubt, she might have missed it. But if she didn’t...

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. “But she knows us. And I feel like she should’ve said something. Anything.”

They pulled into the driveway. Mingyu killed the engine but didn’t move to get out. “You think she’s gonna confess the moment we show up?”

“No,” Y/N said with a wry smile. “That’s why we’re bringing Yuqi.”

“Ah, yes. The human lie detector with excellent fashion sense.” Yuqi just smiled, gassing herself up. 

Y/N unbuckled, pushing the door open. “She’s the super secret weapon because if I fail, she’s got full permission to steal her phone.”

Mingyu let out a bark of laughter. “You guys are both way more terrifying than you look.”

Yuqi smacked the back of his head, “Yeah, and don’t you forget it. Next time you fuck up we’ll haunt you too.” 

They stepped into the house, the familiar scent of her mom’s hand soap still faint in the air from earlier. Her dad was in the living room, sprawled across the couch like he’d melted there, a glass of water on the coffee table and a blanket her mom must have thrown over him. 

Mingyu was already raiding the fridge. “What time are we leaving?”

Y/N checked her phone. “Maybe, around 7?  Vernon’s meeting us there.”

Yuqi just smirked, pouring hot water into her mug of tea. “Can’t believe I’m saying this… but I actually need  to see Vernon tonight. Just to make sure you didn’t break his heart or something.”

Y/N froze mid-sip of water.

Her dad, of course, woke up from his nap at the perfect moment and didn’t let that go unnoticed. “Wait—what did you do to Vernon?”

“Nothing, he’s fine! They’re just being dramatic.” she said quickly. 

Mingyu gave her a look, exaggerated and teasing. “Y/N Y/L/N, you’re turning into a full-blown heartbreaker. At this rate, you’ll have all three of us in therapy.”

Her dad chuckled from the couch, but it faded quickly. Y/N couldn’t tell if he drifted back into his nap or was just listening on. 

The awkwardness from Mingyu’s comment still hung in the air, but Y/N wasn’t in the mood to dwell on it. She wanted to focus. To get this night over with and figure out what was really going on with Chaewon.

She glanced back at the clock, seeing that they only had about 45 minutes before they were supposed to meet Vernon.

“Alright. Let’s go over the plan again,” she said, her voice taking on a more determined edge. “We go to the bar and I figure out what’s really going on. I’ll talk to her, and we’ll see what happens. I don’t know what she’s up to, but I’m going to find out.”

Yuqi nodded, giving her a small smile. “Exactly. You’ve got this, Y/N.”

“Yeah,” Mingyu added, smirking again. “Just don’t–” 

Y/N shot him a glare. “I swear, Mingyu...”

Yuqi chuckled, her hand brushing against Y/N’s arm in a comforting gesture. “Let’s just get this over with, okay?”

Y/N took a deep breath, putting her phone back in her pocket. She was still nervous, but there was no turning back now. The plan was set, and she was ready to face whatever came her way tonight.

With one last glance at her friends, Y/N nodded. “Let’s go.”

With one last glance at her friends, Y/N nodded. “Let’s go.”

The bar was buzzing with energy when Y/N, Yuqi, and Mingyu arrived. The low hum of conversation and the clink of glasses filled the air, and the neon lights overhead gave everything a slightly hazy glow. Vernon was already waiting for them, leaning against the bar, scanning the crowd. When he saw them, he waved, his familiar grin lighting up his face.

Y/N felt a little lighter at the sight of him, but the weight of the situation wasn’t easy to shake. Chaewon still hadn’t responded to her text, and she was feeling the sting of uncertainty.

“Hey, you guys made it,” Vernon said, standing up straight and giving them a quick hug. “Are you nervous?”

Y/N laughed nervously, trying to hide her nerves behind the usual bravado. “A little,” she admitted. “But I’m just gonna ask her what’s going on. I have to know.”

Yuqi leaned in, squeezing her arm. “You’ve got this. Just keep it cool.”

Mingyu, on the other hand, was already scanning the bar with a smirk. “Alright, what’s the plan? Do you want us to eavesdrop, or?”

Y/N, despite her nerves, couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. “Let’s just find a spot where we can hear her without being too obvious. I don’t want to confront her with the whole group there.”

Vernon nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we’ll just keep it chill. If anything goes down, we’re ready to step in.”

The group made their way to a booth in the back corner of the bar, a small, cozy spot where they could see the front door but remain hidden in the shadows. The dim lighting in the corner booth would give them a slight advantage in keeping an eye on the entrance, but it was just out of view enough to avoid drawing attention.

Y/N sat on the edge of the booth, her fingers tapping nervously against the table. “I don’t know if I can do this, you guys.”

“You can,” Yuqi assured her, taking a seat beside her. “But you’re gonna have to relax. She might not even show up tonight, you know? She could be avoiding the whole thing.”

Mingyu, taking a seat on the other side of Y/N, nudged her gently. “But, hey, if she does show, I’ll be on standby to help you. Just give me a signal and I’ll pretend to spill my drink on her or something.”

Y/N couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Mingyu’s antics, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Thanks for the offer. I’m sure that’ll work wonders.”

Time seemed to stretch on in the quiet booth, the noise of the bar surrounding them but not really reaching her. Every minute felt like an hour, and with each passing second, Y/N grew more anxious.

The bar was buzzing, dim lights flickering against clinking glasses and low music. Y/N sat in the booth with Yuqi, Mingyu, and Vernon, her nerves tingling with every passing minute. She kept checking the door. Fifteen minutes late. Twenty. Thirty.

Yuqi leaned in. “She’s not coming.”

“She said she would,” Y/N muttered, gripping her drink. Her stomach had been twisting for the past hour, and the tequila wasn’t helping.

“She could’ve changed her mind,” Yuqi offered with a shrug. “Or maybe she—”

But before he could finish, the door opened again—and there she was.

Chaewon.

She stepped inside, hair tousled from the wind, a soft blush of embarrassment on her face as she looked around and spotted Y/N. She lifted a hand in a small wave, mouthing, Sorry!

Y/N’s breath hitched a little. “Shit.”

Vernon straightened slightly. “Huh.”

Yuqi blinked. “No way.”

“She looks nervous,” Mingyu muttered, adjusting in his seat to watch through the gap in their booth.

Chaewon approached, clutching her coat tighter around herself. “I am so fucking sorry,” she said as soon as she reached Y/N’s table. “I got so lost—I haven’t really been here before, and I thought I could find it on my own, but then I turned down the wrong street and—yeah. Anyway, I’m here.”

“It’s alright,” Y/N said, forcing a polite smile as she stood. “I’m just glad you made it. Wanna sit?”

Chaewon glanced at the booth. “You came alone?”

Y/N nodded. “Yeah. Just figured it’d be easier to talk one-on-one.”

In the booth behind them, her friends ducked slightly lower, their drinks halfway to their mouths, fully invested.

Yuqi whispered, “Okay, I literally love eavesdropping more than actually being involved, but I wish I could see the look on her face when Y/n brings up Joon.”

Mingyu nodded. “Now let’s just hope she doesn’t lie to her face.”

Vernon, still nursing the same beer, murmured, “She’s definitely hiding something. I’m not sure what, but you know.” 

Y/N, back at her table with Chaewon, took a breath. Her pulse thumped in her ears, but she kept her voice steady. “So? You’re here. That’s kind of surprising.”

Chaewon offered a nervous laugh. “Why’s that?”

“You’re not from here,” Y/N said. “And you didn’t mention anything about visiting. Just caught me off guard.”

Chaewon glanced down at her drink menu. “Yeah, it was sort of a last-minute thing. And I really did not remember you were from here. I was surprised when you texted me. I just wanted to enjoy the long weekend and get away, you know?”

“Mhm,” Y/N said carefully. “Get away from what, though?”

Chaewon hesitated, just for a second, and Y/N caught it.

Back in the booth behind them, Yuqi whispered, “That was a pause. She’s lying.”

“She’s definitely lying,” Mingyu agreed.

“Now we just see how good Y/N is at calling her bluff,” Vernon added quietly.

Chaewon had ordered a simple cider. Y/N had switched to a club soda a while ago, the earlier buzz from tequila fading into something steadier. She kept tapping the edge of her glass, nerves stitched through the casualness she was trying to maintain.

“So,” Y/N said after a few minutes of catching up. “What’s really going on, Chae?”

Chaewon blinked. “What do you mean?”

Y/N gave her a look. Gentle, but pointed. “I mean what made you come here out of nowhere? Why did I see you at my mom’s party but you avoided me? Why are you pretending this is all just some little detour?”

Chaewon sighed and set her cider down. “Okay. You’re right. I wasn’t totally honest about that.”

Y/N didn’t respond, just waited. Her silence urged the truth forward better than any questions could.

“I really didn’t know it was your mom’s event,” Chaewon said. “I swear. I wouldn’t have shown up like that if I had known. It was just—he brought me.”

Y/N frowned. “He?”

Chaewon hesitated. “The guy I’m seeing.”

Y/N’s throat tightened, but she kept her expression even. “So you’re seeing someone.”

“Yeah,” Chaewon said, eyes flicking away briefly. “It’s kind of new. And kind of complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“We got into it at the party,” she admitted. “There was some insane shit going down, I guess? Honestly, I don’t even know how to explain it. He was being weird and kind of intense, and I felt so awkward once I realized where I was, and by the time I got the courage to say something to you, we had to leave.”

Y/N studied her, trying to piece together the truth buried underneath. “You left because of what? Drama?”

Chaewon nodded. “Partially, yeah. And I just—I felt horrible. I knew you saw me, and I didn’t know how to explain any of it without sounding like a bad friend.”

There was sincerity in her eyes. Y/N could see it. Or maybe she just wanted to.

“You could’ve said something earlier,” Y/N said softly. “We’ve been through too much for silence to be our thing.”

Chaewon’s eyes dropped. “I know. That’s on me.”

Back in the booth behind them, Yuqi muttered, “She’s good.”

“She’s too good,” Mingyu added, leaning in.

“She’s not lying about everything,” Vernon said under his breath. “But she’s definitely not telling the whole story.”

Back at the table, Y/N finally sighed. “I’m not mad you’re seeing someone, Chae. I’m mad I had to find out by spotting you across a damn party and then you ran away from me.”

“I know. I know,” Chaewon said again. “It wasn’t fair. I was scared. He’s not really someone I thought I’d be seeing seriously. And I just didn’t want to be judged, especially if it didn’t work out.”

Y/N nodded slowly, but something didn’t sit right.

She tilted her head, giving Chaewon a soft smile as she swirled the straw in her drink. “So… this guy you’re seeing.”

Chaewon’s eyes flickered with a nervous edge. “Yeah?”

“Is he from school?” Y/N asked casually.

Chaewon nodded. “No actually. He’s from here, and goes to law school. We met through some mutual friends at the comedy club.”

Y/N hummed. “Must be serious if he brought you to a fancy party.”

Chaewon gave a tiny laugh. “I mean, I didn’t even realize whose party it was until I got there. I didn’t know how to act, honestly.”

Y/N nodded, taking a slow sip before setting her glass down. Then, lightly—like it barely mattered—she said, “So… Joon, right?”

Chaewon blinked. “What?”

“Joon?” Y/N repeated, brow raised just a little, like she didn’t already know the answer.

Chaewon froze. Just for a second—but it was there. That split second where someone’s brain stutters trying to play catch-up. “…Wait. How do you know Joon?”

Y/N tilted her head. “You said mutual friends, right? Small world.”

Chaewon was clearly thrown off. “Right, but… I didn’t think you… I didn’t even know you two had met.”

Y/N just gave a soft shrug, keeping her tone neutral but her gaze sharp. “Oh, yeah I’ve definitely met him.”

The color in Chaewon’s face shifted slightly, like her body had just caught up with the panic her brain was trying to hide. She reached for her drink again, stalling. “Oh. Huh. That’s… I mean, yeah. He’s—uh. Great. I guess I just didn’t realize you two would have crossed paths.”

Y/N let the silence stretch for a moment, then offered a small, polite smile. “Like I said. Small world.”

Chaewon laughed awkwardly, still clearly trying to figure out if she was being accused of something or just… exposed. “I really didn’t mean to seem weird at the party, by the way. I just panicked. I didn’t know what to say.”

“Makes sense,” Y/N said, still watching her carefully.

Chaewon nodded too fast. “Anyway, we didn’t stay long. There was a little… incident or something. And he wanted to leave early.”

Y/N just hummed, but the glint in her eyes said she’d heard everything she needed.

“Okay, okay—she’s surprised?” Yuqi scoffed under her breath, incredulous. “Like he doesn’t have a picture with her on Twitter?”

Vernon shrugged, sipping his beer. “She didn’t expect Y/N to know. That’s what’s throwing her off.”

Mingyu shook his head. “Which is wild. Because Y/N might be sweet, but she’s not blind. Especially not anymore.”

Yuqi smirked. “I told you. We came prepared. Girl scouts would be proud.”

Vernon leaned on the table, eyes narrowing. “Let’s just hope Y/N doesn’t let her deflect. I know she hates confrontation but... she deserves the truth.”

“She’ll get it,” Yuqi said. “And if she doesn’t—”

“Plan B,” Mingyu and Yuqi said in unison.

Chaewon’s smile faltered for a split second. Barely there. Most people wouldn’t have noticed—but Y/N did.

“Why?” Y/N asked, more direct now. “What would’ve been hard to explain?”

Chaewon hesitated. “Well… he brought me, and then there was that whole mess with his ex or something showing up—and it just got weird.”

Y/N blinked. “His ex?”

“Yeah,” Chaewon said quickly, like she was glad for the change of subject. “I guess they came and got all dramatic, and he had to leave to deal with it. That’s why we left early.”

Y/N stared at her, pulse quickening. That’s what she’s calling it?

“So he didn’t tell you anything else?” Chaewon asked. “Like... not about me, I mean—just... that night?”

Y/N hesitated. She wanted to say everything. About the screaming. About Joon hitting Seungcheol. About Seungcheol’s blood staining the floor.

But something held her back.

“I heard pieces,” she said instead. “You know how words get around.”

Chaewon nodded slowly. “Well,  we didn’t even talk after. He said he felt bad for dragging me into it, so I figured it was over.”

Y/N studied her, heart thudding. She could feel her friends listening to her from the next booth. Probably ready to jump in. But she wasn’t done yet.

“So, you didn’t know it was my mom’s party?” she asked gently.

“No. I swear,” Chaewon said, reaching for Y/N’s arm. “I would’ve said something if I had. I just… I was nervous. Everything felt weird.”

Y/N looked down at her drink, her voice barely above a whisper. “It was weird.”

Y/N gently pulled her arm back, her fingers curling around her glass again. Her tone stayed soft, but something shifted in her eyes.

“You know, Chaewon,” she started, “there’s something I’ve always wondered about.”

Chaewon blinked. “What?”

Y/N sighed, swirling the melting ice in her drink. “The video that got posted. Of me and Seungcheol.”

Chaewon immediately looked uneasy. “Yeah, you told me. That’s awful.”

Y/N nodded slowly. “It was. Especially since it was filmed without us knowing. And posted by Joon.”

The words landed like a dropped glass.

Chaewon froze. “What?”

Y/N didn’t flinch. “He was the one who leaked it. And Seungcheol told me,  it was all some bet or prank. And he never meant for it to get out. But Joon made sure it did.”

Chaewon’s face paled, her lips parting like she wanted to speak but didn’t have the words.

Y/N tilted her head. “You didn’t know that?”

“I—” Chaewon looked cornered now. “No. He never said anything like that to me. I swear.”

“Okay,” Y/N said, letting the weight of it linger before she continued, quieter. “And you also just completely missed him hitting Seungcheol the other night?”

Chaewon swallowed. “I didn’t. He said an ex-something, I assumed he meant a girlfriend, not.. Not a friend.”

“You didn’t hear it either?” Y/N pressed, brows furrowed. “You didn’t hear the shouting? The crash? Or see Seungcheol bleeding on the floor?”

Chaewon shook her head, too fast. “No, I—I went outside for a phone call. I didn’t even know anything had happened until Joon said we had to leave.”

“You just left?” Y/N asked. “No questions?”

“I was confused! He told me someone was being dramatic and we had to go. I didn’t… I didn’t know what happened until later.”

Y/N studied her face carefully, heart beating fast. “Do you believe him? That it was just drama?”

“I don’t know what to believe,” Chaewon said helplessly, voice cracking. “I thought I knew him. But now—”

She didn’t finish.

Behind them Yuqi was practically vibrating with frustration, phone in hand under the table. Mingyu leaned forward to whisper, “You’re texting him, aren’t you?”

“He needs to be here,” she muttered. “If she’s gonna unravel this much, Cheol deserves to hear it.”

“Isn’t he supposed to be resting?” Vernon asked.

Yuqi’s eyes never left her screen. “You think he’s gonna sit this out when he hears Joon’s name again?”

Y/N exhaled slowly, unsure if she felt relieved or sick.

“You know what fucking sucks?” she said after a beat. “I want to believe you. I really, really do. Because I don’t think you’re a bad person, I know deep down you aren’t.  But I feel like I’ve spent so long giving people the benefit of the doubt that I don’t even know when I’m supposed to stop.”

“Y/N…”

“I’m tired of people lying to me. Or leaving me in the dark and acting like it’s not a big deal when I get hurt.”

“I didn’t mean to—”

A voice cut through from behind her.

“Y/N.”

She turned, blinking in surprise as Seungcheol stood there, hoodie pulled over his head, out of breath and looking like he never should’ve left his bed.

Chaewon blinked up at Seungcheol, eyes wide. “Wait... what are you doing here?”

He didn’t say anything at first—just looked at Y/N, then back at Chaewon, jaw tight. The bandage across his face was faintly pink at the edge, like it was still healing. His posture was stiff, like standing here was costing him.

Y/N shifted in her seat and answered for him, voice calm but cold. “He fainted the night of the party, by the way. After Joon hit him. Cracked his head open and everything. Needed stitches.”

Chaewon’s mouth opened slowly, her face going pale. “Wait... I didn’t know it was that serious.”

Y/N tilted her head, expression unreadable. “I guess it would’ve been hard to know, if you were already on your way out with him.”

“I didn’t know,” Chaewon said again, quieter this time. “I thought he just got into an argument, not a physical fight. Not that he passed out. Not that it was—hospital level serious.”

“Well, it was.” Y/N’s tone wasn’t sharp, just... tired. “And I’m not saying this because I want to pick a fight or make you feel bad. I’m saying it because Joon is bad news. He has been for a long time.”

She glanced at Seungcheol for half a second, just long enough to see him still, listening.

“I let him into my life once and he did some real damage. To me. To Cheol. You didn’t know me then, but that stuff still follows us around.” She took a breath. “So I’m not here to tell you what to do. I’m just saying... maybe think twice before letting someone like that convince you of what’s true.”

Chaewon looked like she didn’t know where to look, her mouth pressed into a line. “He’s never been like that with me.”

“I believe you,” Y/N said honestly. “But sometimes people only show you what they want you to see.”

There was silence for a moment. The air in the booth had shifted—less accusatory, but more real.

Behind them, the rest of the group sat frozen in their booth, not even pretending to sip their drinks anymore.

Chaewon sat there for a moment, her hands wrapped around the nearly-empty glass in front of her. Her expression softened, not defensive—just conflicted. “People change, though,” she said finally. “I mean… look at Seungcheol.”

That made Y/N blink. Chaewon wasn’t trying to be cruel, and her voice carried no bite—just sincerity. “I know I wasn’t around back then, but I’ve heard enough to know how bad things got between you two,” she went on. “And you still gave him another chance. He changed. You saw it.”

Y/N looked over at Seungcheol without meaning to. He wasn’t looking at either of them—just staring down at the condensation on a glass someone had set in front of him. Her chest tightened.

Chaewon continued, quiet but hopeful. “I just… I want to believe Joon can change too. That maybe he already has. That I’m not a complete idiot for trusting him.” She laughed a little, almost embarrassed. “And if I am… I guess I’ll have to learn the hard way.”

Y/N didn’t answer immediately. Her face was calm, but her shoulders carried something heavy. “It’s your life,” she said gently. “I’m not here to tell you how to live it. Just keep your eyes open, okay?”

Chaewon gave her a grateful little smile, then glanced at her phone. “I actually have to get going—I’ve got to drive back early tomorrow. The Bachelor charity event set up stuff kicks off in the afternoon, and I’m already behind.”

She stood and pulled her coat on. “I’m glad we talked though. I’ve missed you. And I really hope you both don’t change your minds about participating. We need people like you to keep it from being a complete mess.”

Y/N gave her a tired smile. “I’ll let you know.”

“Let me know when you get back to town, we can talk more.” 

Chaewon waved a little as she slipped past the booth and disappeared out into the cold night.

As the door closed behind her, the booth behind them immediately stirred. Yuqi popped her head over the divider like she’d been physically holding herself back. “Okay, I didn’t want to interrupt,” she said, voice low and fast, “but oh my god, is she really that fucking delusional?”

“She really meant that,” Vernon added, frowning. “She didn’t seem like she was pretending.”

Mingyu let out a low whistle and passed Y/N her drink. “You handled that way better than I would’ve. I would’ve been like, ‘ He knocked a guy out and ran. Please.’”

Y/N just shook her head and took the drink. “It’s not worth blowing up over. She heard me. I think.”

Seungcheol was still quiet, eyes back on his drink. Yuqi noticed. “You okay?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I don't think she gets it. What he did. Not really.”

Y/N leaned back, her voice soft. “I don’t think she does either. But she will.”

There was a pause. The weight of the conversation hung there, lingering, even as the music from the bar picked up again.

Y/n raised her glass. “To people who don’t fucking suck,” she declared.

Vernon lifted his. “To Y/N being the most composed drunk I’ve ever seen.”

Yuqi grinned. “To Seungcheol showing up like he was in a fucking movie at the perfect time.”

Seungcheol cracked a small smile, finally, and tapped his glass against theirs. “To dumb bets and better choices.”

They all clinked, laughing quietly. Even if it wasn’t perfect, at least they had each other.

“You know what? I’m done fucking waiting around for shit to happen. I just want to get drunk.”

Yuqi blinked, taken aback by the bluntness of her words. “Well, I can’t say I didn’t see that coming,” she said with a small, knowing grin. 

Y/N looked up at her friends, her frustration evident in her eyes. “I just need to forget about all of this for a while. I just need a break from all this fucking shit. I’m done trying to make sense of Chaewon’s excuses. And I’m done with everyone pretending like things are fine when they’re clearly not.”

Mingyu leaned back in his seat, his tone light but still with a hint of concern. “Well, if you’re going to get drunk, we’re all in. But let’s just make sure we do it right. No weird texting people while we’re all hammered, yeah?”

Y/N shot him a sarcastic smile. “I’m not planning on texting anyone else tonight.”

Yuqi raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a good plan.”

As the night wore on, Y/N, Yuqi, and Mingyu slowly but steadily made their way through the drinks, the alcohol lifting their spirits—if only for a little while. Mingyu was already a bit tipsy, his loud laugh echoing through the bar as he told one of his typical ridiculous stories, much to the amusement of Yuqi and Y/N. Every so often, his attention would flicker to his phone, but he wasn’t looking for any texts or notifications; he was just trying to avoid making things awkward.

Yuqi, who’d started off slow, was now matching Mingyu’s pace. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes had the relaxed, playful gleam of someone who had indulged just enough to feel at ease. She leaned back in her seat, a half-empty glass of wine in her hand, and looked at Y/N with a raised brow.

“You okay?” Yuqi asked, a bit of teasing in her tone as she watched Y/N fiddle with her glass. “I mean, besides the whole Chaewon situation.”

Y/N let out a deep breath, sinking back into the booth and stretching her legs out. “I don’t even know what to think anymore. One minute, I’m here hoping to get some closure, and the next…” She motioned vaguely with her hand. “It’s just… this.”

Mingyu nodded as if he understood, though his slurred words were a little more playful than thoughtful. “Honestly, you might be better off without the whole ‘closure’ thing. The last time I tried to get closure, it ended with me making bad decisions and eating an entire pizza by myself. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”

Yuqi chuckled and shook her head, taking another sip of her wine. “I think Mingyu’s advice is more for entertainment purposes than actual wisdom.”

Y/N smiled despite herself, the alcohol already starting to make her feel more relaxed. “Yeah, well, I guess that’s what I get for coming here and thinking I could fix everything. Maybe I was just kidding myself.”

Mingyu leaned forward a little too eagerly, clearly tipsy enough to push the conversation in his usual teasing direction. “Honestly, you’re just lucky you didn’t get caught up in my chaos tonight. That would have really messed up your whole vibe.”

Y/N laughed softly, shaking her head. “I’m fine with chaos. But now that I think about it, I have kissed pretty much every one of my friends in some form or another, haven’t I?” She raised an eyebrow, looking at Mingyu as if daring him to comment.

Yuqi grinned, recognizing the shift in Y/N’s mood. “Are you keeping score now?”

Y/N smirked, the words coming easier now. “Maybe I should. Vernon, Seungcheol, Mingyu…” She let the words linger for a second, just to make sure Mingyu caught on.

Mingyu, his tipsy grin widening, immediately jumped on the bait. “Oh, I see how it is,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “You’re telling me I’ve got some competition now? This is what I get for being the only one who’s always been here for you?”

Y/N rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. “Oh please, you’re not even in the running. I’ve kissed all the guys, not just you. Maybe you should step it up.”

Mingyu laughed, almost spilling his drink, clearly enjoying the banter. “Well, I’m just gonna say it. I’m still in first place.” His voice dropped to a teasing tone. “But maybe that’ll change after a few more drinks.”

Yuqi shook her head, but her grin was infectious. “It’s a wonder how you two manage to survive each other.”

Y/N didn’t get a chance to respond before Vernon, who had been nursing the same beer since he arrived, cleared his throat.. He hadn’t been part of the conversation much, he was too busy convincing Seungcheol to head back home and rest for his own good. He gave them a smile, though it was slightly strained, and leaned forward.

“You guys sound like you’re having fun without me,” he said, his voice light, but there was an underlying hint of something Y/N couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was jealousy, or maybe something deeper.

Yuqi just laughed, tipping back a shot of clear liquid, “Where the fuck is the patient?” 

“I finally convinced him to head back home and get some rest. He wanted to say goodbye, but his head was killing him and it’s loud as fuck in here, so I just let him know I’d tell you guys.” 

Y/n just shook her head, “Seungcheol just Irish exited us? Party pooper.” 

Vernon laughed, “You remember he’s hurt right?” 

“Yes, but also I know his mom and dad sent him to etiquette classes.”  Y/N shot Vernon a glance. “You’re just taking it slow, huh? Still nursing that same luke-warm, half drank beer?”

Vernon shrugged, his gaze shifting between the group. “Yeah, not really in the mood to drink much tonight. Just wanted to hang out, I guess.”

Mingyu raised his glass in Vernon’s direction. “No worries, man. You know, I’d offer you a shot, but I think you’re just not ready for my level of madness.”

Yuqi chuckled, but Y/N could sense something different about Vernon tonight. His usual chill vibe was off. He wasn’t fully in the moment, and it made her feel like something else was going on. Maybe it was the frustration from earlier in the day, or maybe he was just trying to keep his own feelings in check.

Y/N didn’t want to press it, though. Instead, she smiled and raised her glass. “Well, you’re welcome to join whenever you want. No judgment here.”

Vernon’s smile was quick but faint, and he nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

Y/N tilted her head, looking at Vernon from across the table. She felt the need to shift the mood, to break the subtle tension hanging between them. A playful smirk tugged at her lips as she leaned in slightly, her voice light but with an edge of mischief.

“So,” she started, her eyes narrowing slightly. “About that money you owe me. The one where you’re supposed to kiss me for a hundred bucks.”

Vernon stiffened, looking over at her in surprise. “Wait, what? You’re not serious, right?”

Y/N let out a soft laugh, casually sliding into the seat next to him. She crossed her arms and grinned, enjoying the way his eyes flickered nervously. “Oh, I’m dead serious. You agreed to it. Or do you need a refresher?”

Vernon shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to recover from the unexpected confrontation. “Come on, Y/N, you know I didn’t think it was really gonna happen.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. “But you didn’t say it wouldn’t happen. That’s on you.”

Mingyu, who had been listening, chimed in with a teasing laugh. “Oh, this is rich. Vernon, I think you’re just afraid to lose.”

Vernon shot Mingyu a look, but it was half-hearted, the teasing from earlier forgotten in favor of the current playful banter. “I’m not afraid, I just—” He looked back at Y/N and huffed in frustration. “This is silly..”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head. “It’s not silly. You agreed to it. And you’re still trying to back out?” She leaned in a little closer, her voice soft but teasing. “What happened to being a man of your word, huh?”

Vernon shifted awkwardly, his fingers tapping lightly against his beer bottle. “I’m not backing out. I just—” He stopped himself, a little unsure of how to continue. He turned to face her, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and frustration. “I don’t think it’s the right time, alright?”

Y/N leaned back, crossing her legs as she gave him a skeptical look. “Oh, I see. Too scared to kiss me now?” She couldn’t help herself—she was enjoying the game too much.

Vernon rolled his eyes but smiled in spite of himself. “I’m not scared, okay? I just think there are other things we should probably talk about first.”

Mingyu, leaning in with a mischievous grin, added, “Ah, so now there’s something more important than a hundred bucks and a kiss?”

Y/N shot him a quick glance, still enjoying the tension she was building. “I think we all know there’s more to it than that, don’t we, Vernon?”

Vernon seemed to hesitate for a moment, his expression flickering between amused and uncertain. “Yeah, well maybe I’ll surprise you later,” he said with a shrug, though his tone was soft, almost like a challenge.

Y/N smirked. “You’ll cave eventually, Vernon.”

Mingyu snickered, thoroughly enjoying the moment. “I think we all know you won’t,” he said, raising his glass to Y/N. 

Y/N’s grin softened, and she laughed, leaning back into the booth. “I guess we’ll see what happens.”

The three of them shared a lighthearted moment, their laughter mingling with the chatter and music of the bar. For a brief moment, things felt simple again, and Y/N felt a slight shift in the air—a reminder that despite everything, she could still find moments of ease, even when life felt complicated.

But as she glanced at Vernon, his amused smile hiding a hint of something more, she couldn’t help but wonder what would really happen next. 

The night stretched on, the noise of the bar swirling around them as Y/N, Yuqi, and Mingyu laughed louder, their drinks flowing freely. Y/N was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol, her head buzzing and her cheeks flushed from the warmth of it all. She had been in a bit of a haze, caught between the laughter and the jokes, but as the hours wore on, she could feel herself getting more and more tipsy. Mingyu had been playing some ridiculous card game with the bartender, and Yuqi was showing off some dance moves they all had long forgotten about, but Y/N was starting to lose track of it all.

She leaned back against the booth, a half-smile tugging at her lips, but her thoughts were blurry. She tried to focus on the conversation, but the words felt like they were slipping through her fingers. When she tried to stand, the room swayed a little, and she grabbed onto the table to steady herself, giggling at her own clumsiness.

Vernon watched her with a mixture of amusement and concern. His eyes flickered to Yuqi and Mingyu, who were still clearly intent on staying out longer, their energy far higher than Y/N’s.

“You guys think it’s a good idea for her to keep going like this?” Vernon asked, his voice careful, even though he was trying to keep things light. He already had a slight headache from the secondhand noise and the general chaos of the bar.

Yuqi, grinning from ear to ear, waved him off. “Oh, let her have fun. It’s been a while since she let loose like this.”

Mingyu joined in, leaning back in his seat and tipping his glass, as if to toast to their good time. “Yeah, she’s fine. Who else would be this much fun after a day like today?”

But Vernon’s brow furrowed. He knew Y/N better than anyone in the group, and this was starting to feel like a bit much. She’d been carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders lately, and he could see that she was beginning to fade, her usual spark dimming as the alcohol hit her harder than it had earlier in the night.

He glanced at her again—her laugh was a little more drawn out than normal, and she was leaning a little too far forward in the booth. His instinct kicked in, and he stood up, pushing his chair back.

“I think it’s time we get her home,” he said, his voice firm, more out of concern than anything.

Yuqi, still half-grinning, raised an eyebrow. “What, you want to be the hero now?”

Vernon shrugged, looking at Y/N. “Someone needs to be. Her mom’s gonna freak out if she sees her like this.”

Y/N giggled from the booth, clearly not really grasping the conversation, but the moment she tried to stand, she wobbled, and Vernon was quick to catch her, gently placing an arm around her waist to steady her.

“Let’s get you out of here,” he said softly, his voice warm with concern. Y/N grinned up at him, barely able to keep her eyes open.

“I’m fine,” she slurred, her words a bit too exaggerated. “I can walk. I think.”

But Vernon was already helping her stand, guiding her out of the booth. Yuqi and Mingyu exchanged a glance but didn’t protest. They both knew when it was time to bow out.

“Fine, fine, take her home,” Yuqi said, waving her hand dismissively, though she was clearly enjoying the chaos of the night. “We’ll hang out a little longer and catch up. You guys go ahead.”

Mingyu chuckled, adding with a playful wink, “Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of her next time.”

Vernon shot him a look, raising his eyebrows, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he helped Y/N to the door, her arm loosely around his shoulders as he guided her through the crowd.

By the time they reached the car, Y/N’s head was lolling a little to the side, and she giggled softly, her words a little more jumbled now.

“This was fun,” she mumbled, looking up at him with a dazed smile. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess tonight.”

Vernon’s lips curled into a soft, understanding smile, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. “You’re not a mess, Y/N. You’re just having a good time. And you deserve that. ”

He helped her into the car, securing her seatbelt before he got in himself, and they started the short drive back to where they were staying. Y/N leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes for a moment. She let out a long, content sigh, still feeling the warm buzz from the alcohol and the chaos of the night.

When they arrived at the house, Vernon helped her out of the car and into the front door, his arm securely around her waist. He was mindful of how unsteady she was, trying his best to keep her steady.

When they finally made it back to Vernon’s house, Y/N was still feeling the effects of the alcohol, her head swimming with the buzz and her thoughts hazy. She was leaning against Vernon for support as they entered the front door, but the moment they were inside, she stopped and pouted, glancing up at him with a playfully frustrated expression.

“Vernon,” she whined, her voice a little slurred, “I can’t... I can’t get my jacket off. Help me.”

Her hands fumbled at the zipper, unable to get a good grip on it, and she pouted, her lower lip sticking out like a little child. It was too cute to ignore, and Vernon couldn’t help but smile at her, even though he was trying to keep his focus.

“Alright, alright,” he said, shaking his head in amusement as he gently took hold of her jacket and pulled the zipper down for her. “You really can’t get that off by yourself?”

Y/N looked up at him with wide eyes, still pouting. “No, I’m too tired. You’re the only one who can help me,” she mumbled, the tipsiness still making everything feel a little exaggerated.

Once her jacket was off, she leaned into him a little more, her face softening with a faint smile. “You know,” she started, her voice a little more serious but still carrying the slurred edge of alcohol, “the bet... I never really got to finish it.”

Vernon raised an eyebrow, already knowing where this was going. “What do you mean, finish it?”

Y/N gave him a mischievous smile, her eyes twinkling despite her obvious drunken state. “I promised you a kiss, didn’t I?” she teased, stepping closer and lifting her hands to his chest, her fingers grazing his shirt. “I think it’s time I make good on that.”

Before Vernon could respond, she leaned up on her tiptoes and planted a quick, soft kiss on his lips. It was brief, but definitely real.

As soon as Y/N kissed him, her lips lingering just a little longer than before, she pulled back with a satisfied grin. But then, almost as if it wasn't enough, she leaned in again, this time a little more confidently. Her eyes were half-lidded with the warmth of alcohol, and her fingers grazed his chest once more, her lips moving closer to his.

"Just one more," she murmured, her voice husky and playful. "I promised, didn’t I?" She was being bold, her body pressed against his as she looked up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

But Vernon gently pulled back, placing his hands on her shoulders to create a little distance between them. His expression softened, though there was a firmness in his tone as he said, “Y/N, no. You’re too drunk right now.”

She frowned, looking disappointed for a second, then pouted. “But I want to... I want to kiss you more,” she admitted, her voice soft but insistent.

Vernon sighed, his brows furrowing slightly. He gently pushed her hair back behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her skin for a brief moment. “I know you do,” he said, his voice low and calm. “But not like this, okay? Not when you're like this. It wouldn’t be right.”

Y/N’s face fell for a moment, the playful sparkle in her eyes dimming slightly as she processed what he was saying. “You’re really not gonna let me?” she whispered, her voice almost too soft to hear. There was a vulnerability in her tone that almost made him second guess his decision, but he knew this was for the best.

“No,” he said gently but firmly. “I’m not. You deserve to have a kiss that’s real, and right now, you're not thinking clearly. I want it to count too, Y/N.” His hand softly cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek as he leaned in, kissing her forehead lightly. “I’ll be here when you’re ready... but not like this, okay?”

Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a long, exaggerated sigh, her lower lip sticking out in a playful pout. She didn’t say anything more for a few moments, just silently accepting it with a small, resigned nod.

“Fine,” she muttered, though her eyes still held a bit of that mischief. “But you owe me one. When I’m sober, I’m holding you to it.” She glanced up at him with a teasing smile, knowing he would probably regret saying no when the moment came.

Vernon smiled back, shaking his head at her playful persistence. “Deal. But only when you’re sober, Y/N. Promise me.”

“I promise,” she replied, almost giggling at the absurdity of the situation. “You’re so mean. I’ll make you regret it.”

They both chuckled a little, the tension easing between them, though it still hung in the air like a subtle undercurrent. The night had already been so unpredictable, but somehow, this moment felt like a small step toward something that wasn’t rushed, something that could happen when they were both ready.

Vernon led Y/N upstairs to the guest room, his hand gently guiding her as she swayed slightly, her steps unsteady. The room had always been hers whenever she stayed over at his house, and though it was technically the guest room, everyone called it Y/N's room. It was cozy, with soft, neutral colors and a bed that was always made up perfectly, as if waiting for her to return.

He helped her sit on the bed and pulled the blankets up around her, making sure she was comfortable. "Stay here, okay? I’ll be right back with some water."

Y/N nodded, her eyes barely staying open as she flopped back into the pillows, the alcohol making her limbs feel heavy. When Vernon returned, he placed a glass of water on the nightstand along with some Tylenol. "Here," he said quietly, his voice soft as he gave her a warm smile. "Drink this if you’re feeling bad tomorrow, okay?"

She reached for the glass, taking a small sip. "Thanks," she mumbled, her voice still a little slurred. "You’re nice."

Vernon chuckled softly, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. "You should get some sleep now, okay? I’ll be right downstairs if you need anything. Just text me."

Y/N blinked up at him, her expression momentarily serious. "I’m not always like this, you know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, almost sounding vulnerable.

“I know,” he reassured her, squeezing her hand gently before standing up. "Just get some rest, alright? Good night, Y/N."

"Good night," she echoed, sinking further into the pillows, her eyes already beginning to close.

Once Vernon left the room, Y/N took a moment to let everything sink in, but the alcohol was already working its way through her body, making her more relaxed than she should have been. She reached for her phone on the nightstand, her fingers a little uncoordinated as she unlocked it.

Her thumbs hovered over Seungcheol’s contact. She needed to talk to him. She needed to know he was okay. Without thinking much about it, her fingers started typing, the words coming out sloppily as she texted him:

Her phone buzzed, and she half-expected a response right away, but then she remembered that Yuqi might still be out or sleeping. She hadn’t replied immediately, and Y/N thought nothing of it, sinking further into the bed, her eyelids heavy.

She didn’t know it, but she’d sent the message — the one about kissing Vernon, the casual way she threw it out there — to the wrong person. It wasn’t Yuqi who received it. It was Seungcheol. She hadn’t meant to stir anything, and in her current state, she couldn’t even process the mistake, let alone how it might land with him. All she knew was that it felt like a small confession, something light after such a chaotic, emotionally intense night.

As she waited for a reply she wouldn’t get — not from the person she thought, anyway — her mind began to drift, the weight of the alcohol, the exhaustion from the day, and the tangled emotions pulling her into sleep.

note: hi omg sorry this took so long, i redid it like a thousand times especially with the ending and i had another version where chae didn't come but this felt like the best vibe to keep things going. i'm not incredibly happy w/ it still but thats okay. (also the tumblr rules rlly make me edit out a bunch of stuff but anyway) also studying for exams and everything has been kicking my ass, but my semester ends at the end of next week so if u guys are also in the thick of it good luck!!

But there wasn’t time to dwell on it.

With a deep breath, she threw off her blankets and got up.

Downstairs, the house was a whirlwind of activity. Florists were setting up arrangements, catering staff shuffled in and out of the kitchen, and Y/N’s mom stood in the center of it all, directing every little detail.

Y/N had barely stepped into the kitchen when she heard her mother sigh—one of those long, deep sighs that meant she was barely holding onto her patience.

"Unbelievable," her mom muttered, lowering her phone. "Why is it so hard for people to follow simple instructions?"

Y/N took a slow sip of her coffee. "Morning to you too."

Her mom barely acknowledged her. "The caterer is behind schedule, the decorator is missing a whole shipment of linens, and—oh—your father just texted me that he might be running late because he's taking Vernon’s parents out for brunch."

Y/N fought back a smirk. Classic.

"Sounds like he’s having a great morning," she teased.

Her mom shot her a look. "You should be making yourself useful. Where are your friends? I don’t want anyone slouching around like last time—"

"Relax, Mom. We know how to dress ourselves."

Her mom exhaled sharply but didn’t argue. Instead, she checked her watch. "Where's Seungcheol?"

Y/N hesitated. "Why?"

Her mom gave her an exasperated look. "Because I want to know if his father is bringing her again."

Ah. Her. Hana.

"I don't know," Y/N admitted. "But I think so."

Her mom let out another sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Of course. Of course, he is."

Y/N didn’t really know what to say to that. It wasn’t like Hana had done anything wrong—if anything, she was probably the least dramatic person in this entire situation—but her mom’s distaste for Seungcheol’s dad’s choices was a storm cloud hanging over the whole day.

And that wasn’t the only brewing tension.

As Y/N leaned against the counter, scrolling through her phone, a notification caught her eye.

A new comment from the gossip page.

[Why has our favorite group been MIA? 👀 Spotted: Seungcheol, Mingyu, Y/N, and Vernon back in town. Are we getting a reunion, or is something else brewing? Stay tuned. #whatsgoingon]

Y/N groaned. Of course, someone had noticed.

Before she could process it, Yuqi breezed into the kitchen, looking way too energetic for someone who had also barely gotten any sleep.

"Good morning, dysfunctional family!" she greeted cheerfully, grabbing a banana off the counter.

Her mom sighed. "At least someone’s in a good mood."

Yuqi grinned. "It’s called optimism, Mrs. L/N. You should try it sometime."

Y/N hid a laugh behind her coffee cup.

"Do not encourage her," her mom muttered, before turning on her heel and heading back toward the chaos in the living room.

Yuqi waited until she was out of earshot before leaning against the counter. "So, when do we think the first disaster of the day is going to hit?"

Y/N checked the time. Not even noon yet.

"Honestly?" she said. "I think it has already started."

Y/N barely had time to register the absolute mess of the morning before her mom was already barking orders at the house staff about last-minute party preparations.

The air in the house was thick with stress.

It wasn’t just her mom’s usual perfectionist tendencies—it was worse. The tension rolled off of her in waves, and Y/N, Mingyu, and Yuqi were caught in the middle of it.

“I explicitly told them white roses for the centerpieces,” her mom muttered, pacing the kitchen with her phone pressed to her ear. “Why on earth would they send pink? Do I look like someone who would settle for pink?”

Y/N, seated at the counter, exchanged a wary glance with Yuqi.

Mingyu, still groggy from sleep, lazily stirred sugar into his coffee. “Pink roses are nice.”

Her mom shot him a look so sharp he nearly dropped the spoon.

“Never mind,” he mumbled.

Before anyone could attempt to calm her down, her mom suddenly pulled the phone away from her ear and turned to Y/N, eyes narrowed. “By the way, I hope you’re aware of the mess you left behind last night.”

Y/N blinked. “What?”

“The drama,” her mom said, waving her hand. “The tension. The way your little friend group disappeared from the public eye all at once. Do you know what that does to people?”

“…Provides them peace?” Yuqi suggested.

Her mom ignored that. Instead, she reached for her tablet and, with the smug expression of someone about to expose secrets, slid it across the counter.

Y/N looked down.

It was a DM from the campus gossip page. 

[MIA?? How could you do this to us, my sweet y/n.  Are we a little upset over a tense little family gathering? 👀 Trouble in paradise? 👀 We’re waiting.]

Y/N groaned, rubbing her hands down her face.

Mingyu squinted at the screen. “I mean, at least they called you sweet. Maybe it’s just to tease you or something?”

“Right,” Yuqi muttered.

Her mom smirked, clearly entertained by the gossip. But before she could comment further, her phone rang again, and with an exasperated sigh, she stormed out of the kitchen to deal with the next disaster.

Y/N exhaled slowly, leaning back in her chair. “This day is already too much.”

Yuqi clapped her hands together. “Amazing. Who wants to start drinking now?”

Just as Yuqi reached for the fridge, probably about to pop open a bottle of champagne way too early in the morning, a sharp voice called out from the hallway.

“Y/N.”

Her mom was back—faster than expected, and she did not look pleased.

Y/N sat up straighter. “What now?”

Her mom crossed her arms, expression unreadable. “Tell me why I just got a call from one of our caterers asking if we changed the menu.”

Y/N blinked. “We didn’t?”

“That’s what I said,” her mom snapped. “But apparently, someone sent an email last night saying we needed all the seafood removed due to ‘multiple allergies among the guests.’”

Mingyu let out a low whistle. “Wow. That sucks.”

“Why is that my problem?” Y/N asked, confused.

Her mom raised an eyebrow. “Because the email was sent from your name.”

Silence.

Yuqi slowly closed the fridge.

Mingyu’s eyes widened. “Oh, damn.”

Y/N’s stomach dropped. “What? That’s not—I didn’t—”

Her mom sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “The caterer wanted confirmation because it seemed odd that you’d be the one making changes. I told them it was absolutely fake, but now I have to do damage control and make sure they still have time to prep everything we originally ordered.”

“That wasn’t me,” Y/N said firmly, heart pounding now.

Her mom gave her a long, scrutinizing look. “Then who was it?”

Y/N had no idea.

Yuqi frowned. “Okay, but that’s weird, right? Who would even—”

And then Mingyu cursed under his breath, sitting up. “Wait. You guys remember that Twitter post?”

Y/N and Yuqi turned to him.

Mingyu tapped his phone. “The gossip account. If someone’s keeping tabs on us that closely… what if this is connected?”

Y/N felt a shiver run down her spine.

Was someone trying to sabotage the party?

Before she could say anything, her mom’s phone rang again, and with an exhausted sigh, she held up a hand. “I don’t have time for this. Just figure it out, Y/N.”