Noori's POV:
It's finally the weekend. LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOO! I haven't been this excited about the weekend since…last week? Anywhooooo
Wait a minute, I have a meeting with the dance team today. AAAANNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIII (NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO)
I opened my closet to grab something comfy and BAM—A shirt I swear I've never seen before is just… sitting there.Cute tho. Light, soft, oversized, with a "54" on the front.A whole wanderer aesthetic.Very me.Probably bought it during one of my 3am "I deserve this" phases and forgot. Classic.
So I wore it. And wow, it was SO COMFY? Like hug-level soft?? It smelt nice too. Must've been expensive…Dang, Past Me really loved Present Me.
I walked to the bus stop. All the guys spent their time at Lee knows, place. How do I know? Probably cuz they rubbed it in to the girls of our group chat. So, I kinda expected them to show up near the bus stop. I hummed to a random song, but then, I noticed something weird.
All the boys in our friend group…were already there.And they were staring.
Chan elbowed Jisung.Jisung bit his lip so hard he looked like he was physically dying trying not to laugh.Hyunjin straight up HID BEHIND HIS HANDS.Seungmin was recording. RECORDING!
And Lee Know was just leaning on the bus pole, arms crossed…trying SO HARD to look normal. Key word: trying.
"Uh. Why are you all staring at me like I stole your wallets?" I blinked.
Silence.
Then an explosion:
Jisung: pfft—HXJKDJSJKK—Hyunjin: "OH MY—NO—CHAN HYUNG HELP ME—"Seungmin: "This is documentary material."Chan: "Kids…behave…for the love of God…"
Lee Know?Lee Know didn't say anything.
He just looked at me—then at my shirt—then away so fast he nearly sprained his neck.
"Um…what?" I asked.
"Noori," Seungmin said, camera still rolling, "that shirt looks reaaally familiar."
I looked down at it.
"…Does it?""It was in my closet so…"I shrugged.
The way ALL of them froze.
The bus pulled up. The doors opened.Nobody went in.
Except Lee Know.Who brushed past me, whispering just loud enough for me to hear:
"…Unbelievable."
I blinked. "HUH???"
Behind me, Jisung exploded into laughter so violently he had to hold the bus railing for support.
Hyunjin wheezed, "SHE DOESN'T KNOW. SHE REALLY DOESN'T KNOW."
"KNOW WHAT??" I yelled, officially done with all of them.
Chan patted my shoulder like he was sending me off to war."Just…get on the bus, Noori."
I climbed on, totally confused, totally annoyed, totally unaware…
I squinted at them. "You guys are acting weird."
The bus filled up quickly. Seats were disappearing.
Then Chan clapped his hands like a kindergarten teacher.
"Oooh, looks like Noori and Minho have to sit together. Nowhere else left!"
I turned.
They had CLEARLY orchestrated this.
They left EXACTLY one empty two-seater.
Minho looked away, face blank, but his ears?Redder than a tomato getting roasted.
The bus jolted forward and my shoulder bumped his.
"Sorry!" I squeaked.
"It's fine," he said, but he shifted just a little closer, like he didn't actually mind.
Then, quietly, almost under his breath:
"That shirt suits you."
My brain:SIR??? YOU DON'T GET TO SAY THAT WITH YOUR DEEP VOICE AT 8:16AM?!
I fidgeted with the hem of the shirt."It's new, I think…? I… don't remember where I bought it though."
He froze.
The boys in the back: silent scream
"Right," he said lightly, but his ears were turning pink. "Easy to forget, I guess."
Another bump in the road.This time, his hand steadied my arm.
Warm.Firm."Careful," he murmured. "You always bump into things."
"I DO NOT— okay maybe I do but— wait why are they staring?"
I turned around.
Five boys immediately snapped their heads away like synchronized robots.
I squinted."…Weird."
Lino let out a tiny laugh under his breath — the kind that sounded like he was trying really hard not to smile.
Then he leaned slightly closer, voice low enough for only me to hear:
"Just ignore them. Eat your breakfast?"
He slid the granola bar he always carried out of his pocket and handed it to me without looking.
Like it was routine.
Like he'd done it a hundred times already.
I stared at the bar in my hand.Then at him.
"…You okay?" I whispered. "You're unusually… nice today."
His gaze flicked to my shirt one more time, eyes softening in a way I had never seen before.
"Yeah," he said. "Just… morning stuff."
But the tiny smirk tugging at his lips said otherwise.
And behind us?
Chan whispered way too loudly:
"HE'S BLUSHING AGAIN."
Lino kicked the seat so hard the whole bus shook. I just blinked.
I replayed the smirk Lee Know gave me in my head, unintentionally letting my gaze drop to his lips.
WHY. DID. I. DO. THAT.
Wait—Why is he leaning closer?
He stops just close enough for me to feel his breath on the corner of my lips ."You really want me to kiss you?" he whispers.
My SOUL left my body.
My eyes widened. "WHY TF WOULD YOU THINK THAT?"
He raises an eyebrow, annoyingly calm. "Your eyes. They're staring."
"AT WHAT?" I almost screech.
He taps the air between us. "Here. And here."Then the corner of his mouth lifts—that dangerous smirk."Oh? You looked again."
"I DID NOT—"I turn away, but the boys in the seat behind us are already choking on their own giggles.
Hyunjin whispers way too loudly, "Bro, she's wearing it. She actually wore it."
Han smacks his arm. "SHHHH, SHE'LL HEAR YOU."
I blink. "Hear what?"
They all suddenly look out the window like five-year-olds caught stealing cookies.
Lee Know leans an arm behind my seat, his arm not touching me, but still behind.
Like a silent threat to my sanity.
I stared straight ahead, refusing to look at him because if I did, I would simply pass away on public transport, and that would be very embarrassing for my family.
The bus finally slowed down.
The doors hissed open and everyone stood up at once, bags bumping, shoes squeaking, chaos everywhere.
I stood too—and immediately regretted it because guess who stood up at the exact same time?
Lee. Minho.
We were chest-to-shoulder close. Again.
WHY is this bus allergic to personal space???
He grabbed the handle above us to steady himself, arm completely boxing me in for half a second.
"Careful," he murmured, low enough that it felt like a secret.
My brain blue-screened.
I stepped off the bus way too fast, nearly tripping over my own feet.
Behind me—
Jisung: losing his mindHyunjin: wheezingChan: pretending not to see anything but seeing EVERYTHINGSeungmin: still recording. STILL.
I spun around. "WHY are you all acting like this is the funniest thing you've ever seen?"
"Nothing!" Jisung said way too quickly."Just… fashion appreciation," Hyunjin added, suspiciously."Yeah," Seungmin nodded. "Very… sentimental outfit."
Sentimental???
I looked down at my shirt again.
It was just a shirt.
Oversized.
Soft.
Compass design.
Comfortable.
…Why did it suddenly feel heavier?
Lee Know stepped off the bus last.
The moment his feet hit the ground, the boys quieted.
Which was TERRIFYING.
He walked up beside me, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.
"You heading straight to practice?" he asked casually.
"Oh—yeah," I said. "Dance meeting."
"Thought so," he replied.
Then, without looking at me:
"Try not to lose that shirt."
I frowned. "Why would I lose it?"
He stopped walking.
Turned to me.
For half a second, his expression slipped—something soft, fond, almost… nervous.
Then it was gone.
"No reason," he said lightly. "Just… suits you."
And then—LIKE A COWARD—he walked ahead.
The boys immediately surrounded me.
Yeji wasn't even there yet and I could FEEL her spirit judging me.
Jisung grabbed my shoulders. "Noori."
"What."
"That shirt," Hyunjin added, very serious now.
"What about it."
Seungmin lowered his phone. "You really don't remember buying it?"
I stared at them. "…Should I?"
They all looked at each other.
Then Chan sighed like a tired father who raised eight gremlins.
"Alright," he said. "Let's move before we're late."
"WAIT—" I protested. "You can't just—"
But they were already walking.
And ahead of us, Lee Know didn't turn back—
But I could see it.
That tiny smirk.
Like he knew something I didn't.
And for some reason…
My heart decided to trust it.
Dance practice started at 9 a.m. sharp.
And when I say all day, I meanALL.DAY.
By noon, my legs felt like noodles.By 3 p.m., my soul had left my body and filed a resignation letter.By 5 p.m., I was running purely on spite and music.
The studio was chaos.
Felix was sweating like he'd just survived a war.Ryujin was counting beats like her life depended on it.Yeji kept hyping everyone up like a motivational speaker.
And Lee Know?
Lee Know was thriving.
Of course he was.
Every time we switched formations, somehow—somehow—I ended up next to him.
Our hands brushed during turns.Our shoulders bumped during transitions.
I needed water. And therapy.
by 6pm, we were all drained. later, our whole group, including the ones who werent in the dance team entered the dance room. "Hello, hark workers" Chan said smugly, like he was about to conduct an experiment. He looked at lee know, then at me, and smirked. WHAT IS GOING ON? "AHHHHHHH, WHY IS IT SO HOT?" Jisung complained. "give them a break, they have been here the whole day" Lia added. We all laughed ,sat in a circle, and started talking.
We all settled into a loose circle on the wooden floor, backs against the mirrors, water bottles scattered everywhere like fallen soldiers. Someone turned the music down low, just background noise now.
Chan plopped down right beside me way too casually.
Like… too casually.
He leaned back on his hands, stretched dramatically, then glanced at me with that mischievous glint in his eyes."So," he said, voice light, teasing, "how does it feel to survive an entire day of practice?"
I shrugged. "I think my legs are filing a missing person report."
He laughed and nudged my shoulder. "Impressive though. Not everyone lasts that long."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Are you flirting with me or conducting research?"
His lips twitched. "Why can't it be both?"
I felt my cheeks warm instantly. Traitorous cheeks.
From behind me, there was a shift.
A very deliberate shift.
Lee Know, who had been sitting just behind me, moved closer—close enough that I could feel the heat of him through my back. Not touching. Just… there. Present. A silent warning sign.
Chan noticed.
Oh, he definitely noticed.
He tilted his head slightly, pretending not to, and continued, "You know, Noori, you're surprisingly charming when you're tired."
I opened my mouth to respond—
But then Lee Know shifted again.
This time, there was no mistaking it.
His chest brushed lightly against my back as he adjusted his position, knees bracketing me in, like he'd claimed his spot and dared anyone to question it.
My breath hitched.
Chan's eyes flicked up.Then he smiled.
Dangerous. Experimental.
"Interesting," Chan murmured, more to himself than to me.
I frowned. "What's interesting?"
"Nothing," he said innocently. "Just… observations."
Behind me, Lee Know let out a quiet breath, his presence solid, grounding. Then—almost absentmindedly—his hand slid down beside mine.
Not grabbing.
Not forcing.
Just there.
His fingers brushed mine once.
Twice.
Then gently, slowly, he laced his fingers through mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
My brain blue-screened.
I didn't pull away.
I couldn't.
His grip wasn't tight—just firm enough to say I'm here. Protective. Steady. Like he was anchoring me to reality.
Chan raised an eyebrow."Oh?" he said lightly. "Am I interrupting something?"
Lee Know didn't even look at him.
"No," he said calmly.Then, without missing a beat, his thumb brushed against the back of my hand—slow, grounding, deliberate.
Chan laughed under his breath. "Fascinating results."
I finally found my voice. "Results of what?"
Chan stood up, stretching again, completely unbothered."My hypothesis," he said with a grin. "That Minho gets jealous very easily."
Lee Know's fingers tightened just a little.
"Wrong," he replied flatly. "I don't get jealous."
Chan smirked. "Sure."
The room erupted into laughter—Jisung choking, Hyunjin fake-gasping, Yeji staring at us like she'd just been handed premium gossip.
I just sat there.
Heart racing.Hand still held.Back warm against Lee Know's chest.
And for some reason… I felt safe.
Really, genuinely safe.
"Wow," Chan continued casually, plopping down right beside me, way too close for comfort. "You survived a whole day of practice? I'm impressed."
I shrugged, tired. "Barely."
He leaned in a bit. "Still, kinda cool. You looked really focused today."
I felt my cheeks warm. "Oh—uh, thanks."
Behind me, there was a shift.
Minho moved.
Not dramatically. Just… closer.
I didn't even turn around, but I could feel it—the warmth of him suddenly right at my back.
Chan noticed.
Oh, he definitely noticed.
Interesting, Chan said, like he was mentally taking notes.
"So," Chan continued, resting an elbow on his knee, clearly enjoying this far too much, "you hungry? I know a place nearby. I could walk you there."
My brain short-circuited. "Walk…?"
Before I could finish the sentence, Minho shifted again.
This time, his legs spread out, me in between them
And then—
His fingers brushed mine.
Light. Almost hesitant.
I froze.
Chan's smile widened just a little.
Minho's hand didn't pull away.
Instead, his fingers gently curled around mine—barely holding, like he was testing whether I'd let him.
I didn't pull away.
Actually… without really thinking about it, I leaned back.
Just slightly.
Enough that my shoulders rested against his chest.
The room went very quiet.
Not silent—but quiet in that oh something just happened way.
Minho inhaled sharply behind me.
His grip tightened just a fraction, grounding. Protective.
Like: she's mine, stop poking.
Chan blinked once.
Twice.
Then grinned like he'd just confirmed a hypothesis.
"OHHH," Jisung whispered loudly from across the room. "THE DATA IS DAT-A-ING."
Seungmin muttered, "This is why we don't let Chan run experiments."
Chan raised both hands innocently. "What? I was just being friendly."
Minho's voice came from behind me, calm but unmistakably firm.
"She's tired."
I swear the temperature dropped five degrees.
Chan glanced back at Minho, then at me—still leaning into him, still holding his hand.
"…Right," Chan said slowly. "Of course."
Minho didn't say anything else.
He didn't need to.
His thumb brushed lightly over my knuckles once—absent, protective, grounding.
And my heart?
Yeah.
Absolutely not surviving this chapter.
"…Am I interrupting something or am I just dehydrated?" Jisung broke the silence
Hyunjin snorted. "Nah, you're seeing it too."
Chan glanced back, eyebrow raising when he noticed Minho behind me.
Oh.
Ohhhh.
Minho's fingers tightened just a little—protective, not possessive.
Chan laughed softly. "Relax, Minho. I'm just talking."
"I know," Minho said calmly.
His voice was right near my ear.
"I'm just… listening."
I stayed right where I was.
Leaning back.
Fingers lightly held.
Heart doing that stupid quiet flutter thing.
And for once—I didn't overthink it
His chest was pressed lightly against my back, like he'd shifted without making a big deal out of it. One arm rested behind me, fingers barely—barely—touching mine where my hands lay in my lap.
I froze.
Chan noticed instantly.
He leaned closer, grin sharp. "You comfortable there, Noori?"
I laughed. A little too quickly. "Y-Yeah! Totally!"
Chan tilted his head, clearly amused. "Funny. Your ears are red."
"I've been dancing for six hours," I shot back. "Everything is red."
He hummed, clearly not convinced, and shifted even closer—WAY too close for comfort—his shoulder brushing mine.
And then—
Lee Know shifted too.
Closer.
Like… closer closer.
His chest pressed more firmly against my back now, and his fingers slid into mine—not gripping, not pulling—just… holding. Light. Casual. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
My brain melted.
My body relaxed before my brain could stop it.
I leaned back.
Just a little.
Enough for my shoulders to rest against his chest.
Oh no.
OH NO.
This felt—dangerously comfortable.
Chan noticed. Of course he did.
"Oh?" he said, innocent tone, evil eyes. "Am I interrupting something?"
I felt Lee Know's fingers tighten slightly around mine.
Protective.
Possessive.
Very, very noticeable.
"Hyung," Lee Know said calmly from behind me. "Stop bothering her."
Chan blinked.
Then smiled wider.
"Ohhhh," he said. "That's interesting."
I should have moved.
I knew I should've moved.
But I felt… dazed. Like my body was heavy and light at the same time. Like the exhaustion from practice had turned my brain into cotton.
Lee Know's chin dipped slightly, near my shoulder—not touching, just there.
"You okay?" he murmured, just for me.
I nodded automatically.
Then—
I checked the time.
6:47 PM.
My heart dropped straight to the floor.
I sat up so fast my spine nearly disconnected.
"I— I need to go."
Everyone blinked.
"What?" Yeji asked. "Why?"
I scrambled to my feet, panic fully activated. "It's late. The buses—"
Chan checked his phone.
"…Yeah," he said slowly. "Last one left at 6:30."
Silence.
The realization hit like a slap.
All the buses.
Gone.
My stomach twisted. "You're joking."
Jisung winced. "Uh… nope."
I ran a hand through my hair, pacing. "Great. Amazing. Fantastic. I'm stranded."
"It's fine," Chan said quickly. "We'll figure something out."
"Ever heard of public transport?" Jisung said, eyebrow raised, clearly mocking me.
"I…" I groaned, throwing my hands up. "Yeah, yeah, obviously.
"Good, ill book them and i will see you all tomorrow" Chan said.
FASTFORWARD TO THE BUS
oof. i hate public transport. Because there is the public. Do i really need to explain?
Lee know stood behind me, in order to make sure i wasn't lost.
There weren't any available seats left so we had to stand. it was around 7 pm and i know i would be cooked when i came home. Hopefully she would be asleep. Despite there being atleast 60kms left for me to go home, i would be here for atleast and hour and a half.
Maybe more. I'd probably reach after nine. I didn't know. I didn't even want to think about it.
My legs already felt weak—unsteady, like they might give up at any second.
I loosened my grip on the handle for just a moment to check my phone.
Big mistake.
The bus jerked suddenly.
I stumbled backward—
—and didn't fall.
Two strong arms caught me instantly.
Lee Know.
I barely had time to process it before I realized I wasn't facing away from him anymore.
I was chest to chest with him.
Close.
Way too close.
His arms circled around me, steady and firm, holding me upright like it was instinct. My hand pressed flat against his chest for balance, fingers curling slightly into his hoodie.
I could feel his heartbeat.
Fast.
Mine wasn't doing any better.
The noise of the bus faded into the background as we just… looked at each other. His eyes softened, the usual sharpness melting into something gentler. Concern. Focused entirely on me.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
I nodded, breath caught somewhere between my chest and my throat. "Yeah. I—yeah."
He didn't move immediately. Didn't let go either. Just adjusted his grip slightly, one arm staying around my back as if daring gravity to try again.
"Hold on to the pole," he said softly. "I've got you."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERDFGYTRESDFIUIU7Y6RYHKHGTDG7RIYGHJDXFGDGIUDKGJRKUTYROIGHRGYRHFIDIYIRHGJRTHRDYTFEWUIRHKESGBJFBVCJKGFIGHDRLTKETH8ESUTHRETGIREGHLRIYKHFIGUAWHEITIHI3REFJHRESGPGGAIHPROGHLFDHGJFDGDBGDFIHKEJYTGJREHGFDIUHGESULFGRUGFJRBGFVNBGFEUHKFUSUGFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Oh, and for the record, you look cute in my tshirt" he added, still holding me
HIS TSHIRT? DOES THAT MEAN? OH.MY.GOD. FU-
"You—" I pointed at him, voice shaking. "This— this is— WHY WAS YOUR SHIRT IN MY CLOSET?!"
He paused at the door and finally looked back at me.
A slow, smug smile curved onto his lips.
"Guess you'll have to figure that out."
Lee Know POV-
⏮ FLASHBACK ⏮
the day before
Lee Know's living room was a mess in the way only boys who "totally cleaned five minutes ago" could manage.
Jisung was sprawled on the floor, Chan on the couch, Hyunjin half-hanging off the armrest, Seungmin scrolling through his phone like he wasn't listening (he was), and Lee Know was in the kitchen, pretending not to care.
"Why are you all staring at me like that," Jisung said suddenly, sitting up.
Chan tilted his head. "Because you look guilty."
"I always look guilty," Jisung argued. "That's just my face."
Lee Know came out with a glass of water. "If you broke something, say it now."
"I didn't break anything," Jisung said quickly.Then paused."…But I did move something."
Everyone froze.
Hyunjin squinted. "Move what."
Jisung rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, so—remember that time I was at Noori's place waiting for my mom?"
Lee Know's grip tightened on the glass. "Why."
"So," Jisung continued, steamrolling ahead, "I had this shirt."
Chan blinked. "Why did you have Minho's shirt."
Jisung pointed at Lee Know. "Because SOMEONE left it in the studio, and SOMEONE ELSE picked it up."
Lee Know glared. "You said you'd return it."
"I meant to," Jisung said defensively. "But then Noori's mom called her, and I panicked."
Seungmin looked up slowly. "Panicked… why."
"…And I put it in her closet."
Silence.
Dead. Absolute. Silence.
Hyunjin's jaw dropped. "You—"
Chan covered his mouth, eyes lighting up. "You put Minho's shirt in Noori's closet."
"I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY," Jisung cried. "Like a harmless prank!"
Lee Know set the glass down very carefully.
"…You what."
Jisung pointed both hands at him. "Relax! I was gonna take it back next time I went over!"
Seungmin smirked. "You didn't, though."
Chan leaned forward slowly, already seeing the future. "So she might find it. Wear it. In public."
Jisung's eyes widened. "…Oh."
Hyunjin started laughing first. Then Chan. Then Seungmin.
Lee Know?Lee Know turned red.
"WHY are you all laughing," he snapped.
Chan slapped his knee. "Because if she wears it—"
"She'll think it's hers," Seungmin finished.
"And everyone else will know it's yours," Hyunjin added.
Jisung gasped. "WAIT—WAIT—WAIT—"
Lee Know's ears were burning. "You're fixing this."
Jisung nodded rapidly. "Yes! Totally! Absolutely!"
Beat.
"…After I see what happens."
Lee Know lunged. "HAN JISUNG—"