My heart is no longer afraid
of what's next. It's too busy looking
forward to seeing you again.
Y/N POV:
When we stepped inside, I was surprised by how beautiful his home was.
It looked simple from the outside, but inside, it felt elegant and warm—minimalist, yet luxurious.
Oh… they have taste. My kind of taste.
A girl who looked younger than us—probably his sister—glanced up from the sofa. She had the same sharp eyes and soft features as Sunghoon. She's gorgeous.
"Follow me," he said, leading me to his room.
It was incredibly tidy—neater than most girls' rooms I'd seen—done in sleek blacks and whites, but still feeling bright and intentional. Not dark or moody like some guys' rooms.
"Just sit. I'll grab my laptop," he said before stepping out.
Alone, I let my eyes wander.
There was a beautiful painting hanging near his desk—soft strokes, muted colors, clearly made with care.
He likes art too? We really would be the perfect couple— I caught myself thinking, slipping into my delulu world again.
But then I leaned in for a closer look at the painting.
And my heart dropped.
There, in the corner of the canvas, was a small, delicate signature:
Wonhee.
"Do you think it's beautiful?" he asked suddenly, making me jump.
"Not at all," I blurted out without thinking. His expression shifted slightly, and I quickly tried to backtrack, my voice shaky. "Uh… I mean, I think it must be… beautiful…"
He just laughed softly, though he still looked a little confused.
We started working on the project, but even with my crush sitting right next to me, studying was still… studying. He tried explaining his ideas and how we should divide the work, but I was too distracted to really process anything.
Just then, there was a soft knock and his sister entered, carrying a tray of snacks. "Ehem…here, eat this," she said shyly, I thanked her, she offering me a warm smile before slipping back out.
As soon as the door closed, I blurted out:
"That's your sister, right? She's so pretty! Do you have more siblings? What's her name?"
"Yeah, that's Yeji. She's my only sibling," he replied warmly.
"She's so pretty! She looks like an idol. Are all your ancestors just naturally… pretty—?" I trailed off, my eyes widening as I realized what I'd just said. Why can't I ever control my mouth around him?! I screamed at myself internally.
Sunghoon just laughed lightly, a soft, amused sound that made my face grow even warmer. He didn't say anything, which somehow made it more awkward.
Desperate to break the silence, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind:
"I wish I had a pretty daughter like her someday."
He blinked, then wrinkled his forehead in confusion, clearly caught off guard.
Well… that didn't help.
__
While he continued working on the project, I snacked beside him, growing more bored by the minute.
Finally, I stood up. "I need to use the bathroom."
I took two steps before realizing I had no idea where it was.
"…Where is it?"
He pointed silently toward a door without looking up from his laptop.
Even his bathroom was impeccably organized—clean, minimalist, and smelling faintly of fresh linen.
I couldn't help but strike a silly pose in the mirror, trying to mimic Sunghoon's serious expression.
I giggled to myself. Nailed it.
When I returned, he was still focused on the screen, completely absorbed.
Quietly, I pulled out my phone and sneakily took a picture of him.
He looked so calm, so unbothered—giving his full attention to the work in front of him.
How does he make even studying look cool?
I went and sat back down beside him. When I checked the time, only thirty minutes had passed.
Why is time moving so slowly?
I glanced at his work, but I had no idea how to help. Honestly, he didn't even need my help—he was doing perfectly fine on his own.
Bored and sleepy, I rested my head on the table and just… watched him.
His concentration was kind of mesmerizing.
Before I knew it, my eyes grew heavy, and I yawned.
Maybe I'll just close them for a second…
Then, I felt something—a gentle touch on my cheek.
In my half-asleep state, I smiled. I'm dreaming about Sunghoon… and he's touching my face…
But then my eyes fluttered open.
Wait…
This wasn't a dream.
I was still in Sunghoon's room. I had fallen asleep during our project. And he was… he was right there, his hand still near my face.
I jolted upright, my heart racing.
Before I could stop myself, I blurted out:
"Hey—you-you have a girlfriend!"
The words hung in the air—awkward, abrupt, and completely out of nowhere.
Before he could even respond, I nervously added, "She might be angry…"
My voice was shaky, my words awkward. I didn't know what else to say.
"My girlfriend?" He looked genuinely confused.
"Yes. Your. Girlfriend," I repeated, my annoyance growing.
He's such a player. He knows I like him, and he's still pretending?
My chest burned with anger. Was he trying to fool me? How rude.He's no different from any other guy.
He just stared at me, a thoughtful—almost puzzled—look on his face.
I glanced at the clock. It was already 6:00 PM.
"It's late. I'm going home," I said abruptly, slinging my bag over my shoulder and storming out without looking back.
I stepped out of Sunghoon's room and hurried toward the front door.
Yeji looked up from the couch. "Oh, you're leaving? Is Oppa not walking you home?"
I forced a smile. "No need… My house isn't far."
She looked confused but didn't say more.
I opened the door—and nearly bumped into a woman who looked about my mom's age. I quickly bowed and offered a polite, though strained, smile.
Just then, I heard quick footsteps behind me. Sunghoon's voice rang out, "Mom, I'm going to walk her home. I won't be long."
I turned and saw he had already thrown on his shoes and jacket.
The woman—his mom—smiled warmly, but I couldn't return it fully.
"Really, don't bother. I can go by myself," I insisted, trying to keep my voice polite despite the anger simmering inside me.
I didn't want his help.
"Mom, we're going," he said, slipping his arm around my shoulder and gently guiding me out the door.
He was so tall and his steps so long that I could barely keep up—it felt like I was being carried more than walking.
"You pervert, let go of me!" I whispered sharply, trying to shrug his hand off. "What if your girlfriend sees? I don't want any trouble."
"You don't want trouble?" he replied, a hint of laughter in his voice. "Funny—it feels like you're always looking for it."
I pouted, pulling away slightly. "You're so annoying. You know I never start anything."
"Do I?" he teased, his tone playful.
Frustrated, I sped up, putting distance between us.
"Just go find your girlfriend."
Suddenly, he grabbed my waist and pulled me to a stop, turning me to face him.
His grip was firm but gentle, and he drew me closer until I could feel the warmth of his body.
"Why do you keep saying 'your girlfriend, your girlfriend'?" he said, his eyes locked on mine." I don't even know who my girlfriend is,"
"H-huh? You're such an idiot! Wh-who doesn't know their own girlfriend?" I stammered, my voice shaking. My heart was racing—being this close to him, with his hand on my waist, left me completely flustered.
He leaned in slightly, his expression serious yet soft.
"I don't know who my girlfriend is. You tell me—who is she?"
My confusion must have been written all over my face.
"So… you're not dating anyone?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"Yeah… I feel like you're the one who have," he said, his voice low and his eyes still fixed on me.
"I DON'T HAVE ONE!" I exclaimed, maybe a little too loudly.
He raised an eyebrow, a doubtful smile playing on his lips. "So I heard wrong? What were you and your friends talking about earlier today?"
What is he talking about? I wracked my brain.
Then it hit me. "Ohhh… you mean the single dad?"
He nodded slowly, his expression unreadable but intense.
"You passed by before we finished talking!" I explained quickly. "You didn't hear the whole thing—we weren't saying it like that!"He seemed to relax a little when I said that.
Emboldened, I added, "And what about you? You're always with Wonhee, smiling and talking with her…"
His reply made my heart beat so fast I thought it might leap out of my chest.
"Oh? So I'm going to have a jealous girlfriend?" he said, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
My heart felt like it was soaring.
It was starting to get dark, and the street was quiet—no one around but us.
He still hadn't let go of me, his hand resting lightly but possessively on my waist.
"Starting tomorrow, you're not allowed to think about any other boys. Got it?" he said, lowering his face closer to mine. "Not even that single dad."
Is this really happening?
Or am I dreaming?
My heart was doing backflips.
Trying to play it cool—and maybe annoy him just a little—I put on a serious face.
"Hmm… I'll have to think about it tonight."
He narrowed his eyes playfully. "You're so naughty," he said, before gently flicking my forehead.
"Hey, that hurt!" I pouted, though it really didn't. I pretended to rub the spot as I slipped out of his hold, laughing softly to myself.
He chuckled softly. "Then does this make it better?"
Before I could react, he leaned in and kissed my forehead.
I froze, completely speechless.
A swarm of butterflies erupted in my stomach, and my mind went blissfully blank.
"Let's go," he said, his voice gentle. "It's getting late. Your family probably thinks I kidnapped you."
He took my hand and started walking, his grip warm and sure.
Even my wildest dreams aren't this perfect, I thought, my heart still racing.
We reached my house far too quickly. "Go inside. And don't forget to study—remember, we have surprise tests starting tomorrow," he reminded me, ever the responsible one.
Ugh, how can he be so boring at a time like this? Does he really think I can focus on studying after that?
Still, I nodded. Just before I stepped inside, I glanced back one last time. He was still standing there, watching me. He waved, and I waved back, a silly, happy smile spreading across my face.
As soon as I got inside, I ran straight to my brother and hugged him tightly out of pure joy. He looked totally confused, which only made me laugh even harder and I dashed up to my room.
I immediately changed my profile picture to the photo I'd secretly taken of Sunghoon—the one where he was focused, handsome, and completely unaware.No one can snatch him away from me now, I thought proudly.
Mine. All mine.
Then I dropped the bomb in the group chat:
"I HAVE A BOYFRIEND💃."
Within seconds, my phone exploded with a video call. Everyone was screaming, talking over each other:
"OMG HOW DID IT HAPPEN??"
"YOU LOOK SO SMITTEN!"
"DID HE KISS YOU?"
"WHAT ABOUT WONHEE??"
"TELL US EVERYTHING!!?
.........???????
There were way too many questions to answer at once.
"I'm way too happy to explain right now!" I said, beaming. "I'll tell you everything tomorrow—promise!"
I ended the call and collapsed onto my bed, hugging my phone to my chest, still smiling like an idiot, and fell back onto my bed, replaying every moment in my head.
Today felt like a dream… and I never wanted to wake up.
____
At dinner, I couldn't stop smiling. I probably looked like a complete fool, but I didn't care.
"Someone's very happy tonight," my dad said, glancing at me with a curious smile. "Want to share the good news?"
I just shook my head, still grinning.
"She's been like this since she got home," Mom said, looking doubtfully at me. "Did you finally get that Seventeen album?"
"Nope," I chirped.
"Only idiots smile for no reason," my brother teased, trying to get a rise out of me.
But tonight, nothing could bring me down. I simply smiled wider.
"Wow, you really are happy," my sister said, impressed. "You didn't even bite back at Soobin!"
Later, while washing the dishes, I was humming my favorite song, my heart still floating somewhere near the ceiling.
Then my phone buzzed.
I dried my hands quickly and saw a message from Sunghoon.
My smile returned, bigger than ever.
This really is the best day.
_____
Once I'm done, I go up to my room and and start scrolling through my phone .
When I saw my phone light up with a text from Sunghoon, my heart did a little flip.
💬Sunghoon: Your profile pic… When did you take that?
I giggled. He noticed!
Then another message came through:
💬Sunghoon: Don't get too distracted. Focus on your studies.
Is he serious right now?
I replied with a playful:
💬Y/N : Yes, captain 🫡 But I don't have time to study tonight…😉
💬Sunghoon : If you want to think about me, do it after you study.
He's so confident.
I couldn't resist teasing him back:
💬Y/N : Huh? I'm not going to think about you at all! Besides, you said 'from tomorrow I can't think about other boys'… so tonight is my last chance to think about whoever I want 😏"
💬Sunghoon: You're so naughty. I need to study now. You should too.
And then he went offline.
I smiled to myself
I tried to study, but my mind was everywhere except my books.
All I could think about was today—his smile, his touch, the way he looked at me.
And tomorrow… tomorrow I'd see him at school… as his girlfriend.
Just the thought made me roll over in bed, hugging my pillow with a happy sigh.
Since focusing was hopeless, I decided to go to bed early.
I picked up my novel, but every male character suddenly reminded me of Sunghoon.
Is this what every girl feels like when they have a boyfriend? I wondered, smiling to myself. Or is it just me?
I closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to come, my heart still fluttering with the joy of the day.