They stepped out of the restaurant together, one after another, the warm glow of the interior fading behind them as the glass doors closed softly.
The night air greeted them instantly—cool, crisp, and slightly sharp against the skin. Streetlights stood tall along the parking area, their pale yellow light spilling onto the ground and stretching into long, distorted shadows that moved with every step they took. Those shadows overlapped, separated, merged again—just like the people walking beneath them.
The crowd around them never truly quieted. Laughter, half-finished sentences, overlapping voices, teasing remarks—it was a constant hum, a living soundscape that refused to settle. Their footsteps, however, fell into a strange rhythm, all moving forward together, as if the night itself had decided the pace.
Minji walked beside Jeon.J, her steps light, her presence familiar.
She glanced at him, noticing the unusual silence.
"You're so quiet tonight," Minji asked casually, looking up at him while they walked. "Why?"
Jeon.J didn't answer immediately.
For a brief moment, he lifted his gaze toward the parking lights ahead. The glow reflected faintly in his eyes, but his expression remained unreadable. His jaw tightened slightly before he finally spoke.
"It's nothing," he said, his voice calm but distant. (his breath slow, controlled, like he was holding something back.)"There's really nothing wrong."
Minji didn't look convinced.
Without saying anything, she reached out and gently took his hand.
Jeon.J froze.
Just for a second.
He stopped walking, his body reacting before his mind could. He turned his head to look at her, surprise flickering across his face. Behind them, Sophia and Hana were walking together, lost in their own conversation. Zoya followed a little farther back, quiet, observant, her presence almost blending into the night.
Zoya's eyes lifted at the wrong moment.
She saw their hands.
Her steps slowed—not enough for anyone else to notice, just enough for her heart to register it. Her gaze lingered there, on their joined fingers, before instinctively lifting to Jeon.J's face.
Their eyes met.
Only for a moment.
But that moment carried weight.
Then Zoya looked away and continued walking forward, as if nothing had happened.
Jeon.J didn't.
That single glance stayed with him—heavy, loaded with something unspoken. In that fraction of a second, he felt a quiet ache bloom in his chest. There was no accusation in her eyes, no anger. Just… something that felt like a complaint, like hurt carefully hidden behind restraint.
Without fully realizing it, Jeon.J gently pulled his hand away from Minji's.
The movement was subtle, almost unconscious.
But Minji felt it.
She noticed the shift instantly—the way his fingers slipped free, the sudden space where warmth had been.
Trying to sound casual, Jeon.J spoke again.
"I was just busy today," he said, forcing a small shrug. "That's all. I'm tired."
Minji slowed her steps and turned to look at him properly now.
Her eyes searched his face.
"You're changing," she said quietly. Then, after a pause, added, "Or maybe I should say—you've already changed."
Jeon.J stopped.
He reached out again and took Minji's hand this time deliberately, tightening his grip slightly as he turned to face her.
Zoya had already reached and was standing with the others, waiting. Yomin, Jin-hun, and Hosu had gone ahead to bring the cars from deeper in the parking lot. Zoya absentmindedly turned back—and that's when she saw it.
Jeon.J was holding Minji's hand again.
Her lips curved into a small, painful smile.
"You both look good together," she thought silently.
Her eyes burned. Moisture gathered, but she refused to let it fall. She looked away quickly, scanning the empty spaces, the lights, anything—just to make sure no one noticed the tear in her eyes.
"I'm fine," Jeon.J said softly to Minji. "Just tired."
As he spoke, he pulled her into a hug.
One arm wrapped around her waist, the other resting gently on her head as he stroked her hair slowly, comfortingly. It was a familiar gesture—protective, reassuring.
But as he held her, his gaze lifted without intention.
And landed on Zoya.
She was standing there, trying very hard to look normal.
His heart tightened.
"You're here, right?" he asked Minji quietly. "Then I'll be completely fine."
He stepped back from the hug just as Teahun's loud voice cut through the moment.
"If the romance is over," Teahun shouted dramatically, "can we go now?"
Jeon.J turned toward him, raising an eyebrow.
"Why are you so jealous?" he asked dryly.
Teahun ignored. Without waiting for an answer, he started walking toward the cars.
Teahun suddenly slowed his steps.
Then stopped.
Completely.
He inhaled deeply and shouted at the top of his lungs," From today onward," he announced, voice trembling with exaggerated emotion, "I am extremely sad."
Minji glanced at him from the side."You were laughing literally five seconds ago."
"That," Teahun said solemnly, pressing a hand to his chest," was my last happiness."
He sniffed dramatically."Tomorrow morning… Zoya is leaving. And I will remain here. Alone."
Jeon.J shot him a sharp look. Teahun was on his left, Minji on his right. Everyone stopped walking now, forming a loose circle around him, fully invested in the performance.
Hosu burst out laughing."Bro, Zoya is leaving, not the train. You can go too."
Teahun clutched his heart harder."You people will never understand my feelings."
Jeon.J looked at him coldly.
That single glance was enough to chill Teahun mid-sentence.
Zoya, composing herself, walked over and stood beside Teahun.
"Teahun," Zoya said calmly, "if you're this sad, should I give you a tissue?"
He shook his head."No use. This pain is internal."
Yomin immediately added, "Yeah, Zoya. He'll be so sad that when he gets home, he'll turn the music on full volume and start dancing."
Everyone laughed.
Teahun protested loudly."That will be a dance of sorrow!"
Kim Joon clapped enthusiastically."Great! Who's choosing the background music?"
Minji, trying not to laugh, pulled out her phone."I'll record it. Caption: When best friend leaves, but drama stays.
"Best friend?" she repeated, turning back.
Her tone wasn't loud. That made it sharper.
"Who are you calling best friend?"
Teahun blinked.
Zoya crossed her arms lightly and looked straight at him.
"I don't even call him a friend," she said flatly."So when did best friend happen?"
Silence.
For exactly half a second.
Then Teahun's world collapsed.
He sucked in a dramatic breath, slapped a hand to his chest, and staggered back as if he'd been stabbed—emotionally.
"She doesn't even consider me a friend," he announced to everyone, voice trembling on purpose."Best friend is a dream so far away it doesn't even exist."
He looked at the sky.
Then at Zoya.
Then at the sky again.
"She doesn't become a fan," he continued, counting on his fingers."She doesn't follow. And now she's saying she's not even my friend."
His voice cracked. Or pretended to.
"And yet," he said accusingly, suddenly pointing at her,"with Ji-ho with him, you spoke so politely. With so much respect."
He shook his head, wounded.
"So what does that mean?" he asked dramatically."Are you Ji-ho's friend then?"
No one answered. just enjoy
Teahun sighed deeply, as if carrying the burden of the universe.
"I swear," he said, pressing his palm to his heart again,"making you respect me… for my sake… in this lifetime?"
He paused for effect.
"Impossible."
Zoya stared at him for two seconds.
Then nodded once.
"You're absolutely right," she said calmly.
Teahun froze, hope flickering in his eyes.
Zoya continued, unfazed.
"Now tell me—what do you take to stay quiet?"
His hope died instantly.
"Wait," Teahun said quickly, stepping in front of her."Don't go yet. I promise I won't bother you."
Zoya narrowed her eyes.
She didn't raise her voice. She didn't need to.
"You keep talking," she said.
Teahun nodded eagerly.
"I won't," he said at once."I mean—"
Smack.
Minjo hit him firmly on the waist, not hard—but with purpose.
"Enough," Minjo said, shaking his head."You're an overacting shop."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Teahun looked straight at her."And you? Don't you feel even a little sad?"
Zoya replied without hesitation, "Not at all. And if you are sad, please lower your voice. At this volume, even sadness would run away."
They laughed again.
Teahun stopped walking dramatically."Tomorrow morning, I'll wake up… and remember… Zoya is gone."
Sophia replied instantly, "Then you'll make coffee."
Teahun's eyes widened."Don't mention coffee!"
Hana laughed."Poor guy. First blind, then sick, now coffee-less."
Zoya shrugged."This is all your own story."
They began getting into the cars.
Teahun suddenly stopped again."One last question… will you miss me?"
Zoya turned while walking."Teahun, what do you take to stay quiet?" she snapped playfully."And as for missing you—don't worry. I don't remember things."
"What?!" Teahun yelled. "I'm not a thing! You called me a thing!"
"Minji, make him stop," Zoya said tiredly.
Minji glared at him.
Teahun immediately lowered his head."Okay. I won't talk."
Everyone doubled over laughing.
"Get in already," Kim Joon called out.
Cars were assigned.
Yomin drove one.Jeon.J drove another. Teahun took the third.
"Zoya, come with me," Teahun pleaded. "One last journey together."
"Why?" Zoya shot back. "Are you going to die?"
Teahun pouted.
Minji sat in the front seat with Jeon.J. Behind them, Minjo and Hosu settled in.
Kim Joon joined Yomin. Jinhun joined Teahun.
Hana, Zoya, Ruhi, and Sophia were still standing.
"Zoya," Teahun shouted while pulling the car forward dangerously close, "Are you coming or should I run the car over you?"
"Minji," Jeon.J muttered, "I think your friends are being harassed."
He asked Minjo and Hosu to switch cars so Minji's friends could sit comfortably.
Seats filled quickly.
Hana sat first. Then Ruhi.Then Sophia.
Zoya bent down to look inside.
No space.
She looked at Minji—and everyone burst out laughing.
Jeon.J gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as he watched Zoya turn away toward Teahun's car.
"If you stay quiet," Zoya warned Teahun, "I'll sit. Otherwise, I'm walking."
"I'm silent," he said immediately.
"You're talking right now," she replied, and was sitting in the back.
Jeon.J drove forward.
Then Teahun.Then Yomin.
As the cars moved, Hana asked from behind, "Is the Easter song ready?"
"Yes," Jeon.J replied. "It'll be released that day. Just make sure nothing leaks."
Don't worry, all the girls said.
Jeon.J glanced at Minji." Your friend stays quiet usually… but with Teahun, she's always competing."
"He never lets a moment goby without teasing," Minji replied.
"She should keep some distance," Jeon.J said sharply.
What do you mean, and her name is zoya (Minji noticed Jeon.J never call zoya's name)
His tone softened immediately." At lunch… her reaction was strange. Today at dinner, everything was normal—even though we ate the same food."
Minji explained calmly. "She was scared. She almost ate it. Hana stopped her. That's why she panicked."
She continued, firm but gentle. "We respect each other's values. That comes first."
Jeon.J fell silent.
The cars disappeared into the night.
To be continued.....
Regards
ZK