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Saturday arrived much faster than I expected.
One minute it was Monday.
Then Wednesday.
Somehow Friday disappeared, and now I was standing in front of my closet, holding two hoodies like they were going to make the decision for me.
The light blue one.
Or the dark grey one.
I looked at them both for another few seconds.
"...They're hoodies," I muttered to myself.
"They are."
I jumped just enough to almost drop them.
"When did you get in here?"
Minho leaned against the bedroom door with a grin.
"About thirty seconds ago."
"...And you just watched me argue with myself?"
"I was curious who was winning."
"I haven't decided."
"I noticed."
I sighed dramatically before holding both hoodies up.
"Help."
He walked over, looking between them for all of two seconds.
"The blue one."
"That was quick."
"I like the color."
"...That's your reasoning?"
"Mhm."
I looked back down at the two hoodies.
"...Okay."
Without another thought, I folded the grey one and tossed it back into the closet.
Minho smiled.
"See?"
"What?"
"You trusted me."
"I always trust you."
The words left my mouth before I had a chance to think about them.
For a second, neither of us said anything.
Then his smile softened.
"...Yeah?"
I nodded.
"...Yeah."
His hand found mine.
Not because he had to.
Not because either of us needed reassurance.
Just because it felt natural.
He gave my hand a gentle squeeze before letting go again.
"I'll wait downstairs while you finish getting ready."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
He smiled.
"I want to."
Before he left the room, he leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against my temple.
"Don't overthink it."
"...I wasn't."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You've changed your outfit twice."
"...Three times."
"I know."
I laughed, nudging him toward the door.
"Go."
"Yes, sir."
The door clicked shut behind him.
I looked back at myself in the mirror.
Blue hoodie.
Baggy jeans.
White sneakers.
Nothing fancy.
Just...
Me.
And somehow, that felt enough.
When I finally made it downstairs, the smell of coffee drifted through the villa.
Chris was reading something on his laptop at the kitchen island.
Changbin was making pancakes.
Hyunjin was sitting on the counter, somehow managing to stay out of the way despite taking up half the kitchen.
Felix looked up the second he saw me.
"...Wow."
I blinked.
"...What?"
"You look exactly the same."
I stared at him.
"...Thanks?"
"I mean—"
He waved his hands around frantically.
"I meant it as a compliment."
Chris didn't even glance up from his laptop.
"You've somehow made it worse."
"I know."
Felix sighed.
"I don't know how to recover."
"You don't."
"I figured."
Minho laughed quietly beside me.
"I think you look nice."
I smiled.
"Thank you."
Felix pointed at Minho.
"See?"
"That's how you compliment people."
"I panicked."
"We noticed."
Changbin slid another pancake onto a plate before looking over his shoulder.
"So..."
He grinned.
"First double date."
I felt my ears warm.
"...Don't make it weird."
"I'm not."
"You already are."
"I haven't even started."
Chris finally closed his laptop.
"Leave them alone."
"I'm supporting them."
"You're interrogating them."
"Same thing."
"It absolutely isn't."
Hyunjin smiled into his mug.
"I give them twenty minutes before Jisung disappears into a bookstore."
"I do not disappear."
Minho looked at me.
"...You absolutely disappear."
"...You found me last time."
"Eventually."
"See?"
He laughed.
"I rest my case."
I crossed my arms.
"I'll have everyone know that I am perfectly capable of staying with the group."
The kitchen fell suspiciously quiet.
Then...
Felix looked at Chris.
Chris looked at Changbin.
Changbin looked at Hyunjin.
All four of them looked back at me.
Nobody said a word.
"...Okay," I admitted.
"...Maybe I wander a little."
"A little?" Changbin repeated.
"I said maybe."
Minho slipped his hand into mine underneath the edge of the counter where nobody else could see.
Well...
Where he probably thought nobody else could see.
Chris noticed immediately.
He smiled into his coffee but didn't say anything.
Neither did I.
I just let my fingers settle comfortably between his.
Outside, the sun was already bright enough to promise another warm June day.
Somewhere across town, Élise was probably getting ready too.
Jeongin was already downstairs, pretending he wasn't checking his phone every few minutes.
I smiled to myself.
He wasn't fooling anyone.
Today wasn't going to be anything extraordinary.
No big celebrations.
No difficult conversations.
Just four people spending the day together.
And somehow...
I had a feeling it was going to become one of my favorite memories anyway.
About twenty minutes later, the four of us were standing in the front hallway.
Well...
Three of us were.
Jeongin was pacing.
"You know she's not going anywhere, right?" Changbin asked from the couch.
"I know."
"So why have you looked out the window six times?"
"I haven't."
Felix looked up from his phone.
"It was seven."
Jeongin sighed.
"You guys are unbelievable."
"No," Chris corrected.
"We're observant."
A knock echoed through the house.
The hallway went quiet.
Felix immediately pointed at Jeongin.
"Get the door."
"I was going to."
"You hesitated."
"I didn't."
"You definitely did."
Jeongin rolled his eyes before opening the front door.
"...Hi."
I couldn't see her at first.
He'd opened the door just enough to block most of the view.
Then he stepped aside.
She smiled.
"Hi."
She was a little shorter than Jeongin, wearing a pastel pink cardigan over a white blouse with a tiny ribbon at the collar, paired with a cream pleated skirt and white sneakers despite the warm weather.
A small canvas tote bag rested over one shoulder, and her light brown hair moved slightly in the breeze.
She looked...
Comfortable.
Not nervous.
Not overly confident.
Just...
Comfortable.
"It's nice to finally meet you," she said, smiling at Minho and me.
"I'm Élise."
"I'm Jisung."
"It's nice to meet you too."
Minho smiled beside me.
"I'm Minho."
She nodded politely.
"I've heard a lot about both of you."
I looked at Jeongin.
"...Only good things?"
He looked offended.
"Obviously."
She smiled.
"...Mostly."
I laughed.
"I like her already."
Jeongin let out the quietest sigh.
"I'm glad."
Behind us, Felix leaned around the corner.
"Is this the famous Élise?"
Jeongin closed his eyes.
"...Please don't."
Too late.
Felix grinned.
"Hi! I'm Felix!"
She laughed softly.
"Hi, Felix."
Chris appeared behind him, gently pulling Felix back by the hood of his hoodie.
"They have places to be."
"...Right."
Felix pointed at Jeongin.
"Don't mess it up."
"I wasn't planning to."
"Good."
Changbin called from the living room.
"Have fun!"
Hyunjin lifted a hand in a small wave.
"See you later."
I smiled.
Living with seven other people really did mean nobody ever left the house quietly.
The drive to the café only took about fifteen minutes.
Jeongin drove.
Élise sat in the passenger seat.
Minho and I sat in the back.
The conversation came surprisingly easily.
Mostly because Felix had somehow become the topic.
"...Does he always have that much energy?" Élise asked.
Jeongin laughed.
"That was actually one of his calmer mornings."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"...You're joking."
"I wish."
Minho looked over at me.
"Remember when Felix tried making pancakes?"
"Oh no."
Jeongin immediately laughed.
"I forgot about that."
"You forgot?"
"He somehow set off the smoke alarm."
"I still don't know how."
"There wasn't even smoke," I said.
"There was just..."
I tried not to laugh.
"...Confusion."
Élise covered her mouth, laughing quietly.
"I'm starting to think your house is never boring."
"It isn't," Minho admitted.
"I don't think we've had a completely normal week."
"I don't think we've had a completely normal day," I added.
She smiled.
"I like that."
The café was exactly the kind of place I would've picked myself.
Small.
Bright.
Plants hanging from the ceiling.
The smell of fresh coffee drifted through the room the second we walked inside.
Someone led us to a table by the window.
Sunlight spilled across the wooden table between us.
For a few minutes, we all hid behind our menus.
"...I already know what I'm getting," Jeongin said.
"You've been here before?" I asked.
"Mhm, I wanted to make sure it was good."
I smiled.
"...You planned this."
"A little."
Élise nudged his shoulder.
"A lot."
"...Maybe."
The waitress came over a few minutes later.
After we ordered, conversation picked up again almost immediately.
"So," I asked.
"How are you liking the U.S. so far?"
Élise rested her elbows lightly on the table.
"It's different."
"In a good way?"
"In a mostly good way."
She smiled.
"I still miss home sometimes."
"I can imagine."
"But..."
She looked around for a second.
"I think having people here makes a big difference."
Jeongin glanced at her.
"...People?"
She smiled at him.
"...Person."
The corners of Jeongin's mouth lifted almost instantly.
I looked over at Minho.
He was already smiling too.
It was impossible not to.
When the food arrived, conversation shifted to everything and nothing.
Felix's cookies.
Chris pretending he wasn't everyone's parent.
Changbin's obsession with the gym.
Hyunjin's sketchbook.
At one point, Jeongin disappeared into a story about accidentally spilling coffee on one of his professors.
By the time he'd finished, all four of us were laughing hard enough that the waitress looked over to see what had happened.
I wiped at the corner of my eye.
"I don't think I've laughed this much in weeks."
"I'm choosing to take that as a compliment," Jeongin said.
"You should."
Élise smiled as she looked between the two of us.
"Can I ask you both something?"
"Of course," Minho said.
"How did you two meet?"
I looked over at him.
He looked back at me.
"...You remember it better than I do."
He laughed.
"I probably do."
He rested his elbows on the table.
"It was at college."
"A few months into the semester," I added.
"I was running late," Minho admitted.
"I wasn't."
"You were standing in the hallway looking at your timetable."
"I got lost."
"You absolutely got lost."
"I was trying to figure out where my next class was."
He smiled.
"I came around the corner..."
"...Way too fast."
"...And walked straight into Jisung."
I laughed quietly.
"My papers went everywhere."
"So did my computer and binder."
"I think we spent more time picking everything up than we did actually talking."
Jeongin smiled.
"Did either of you know who the other was?"
I shook my head.
"No."
"I'd never seen him before."
Minho looked at me.
"I noticed you after that, though."
"You did?"
"Mhm."
"I'd see you around campus every now and then."
I blinked.
"...You never told me that."
"You never asked."
I laughed.
"Fair enough."
Élise smiled.
"So when did you actually become friends?"
I thought for a second.
"It wasn't all at once."
"No," Minho agreed.
"It just kind of... happened."
"We'd run into each other."
"Sit together sometimes."
"Talk between classes."
"Eventually..."
I smiled to myself.
"We just kept choosing to spend time together."
Minho looked over at me.
"I think one day I realized it felt weird if I didn't see you."
The corners of my mouth lifted.
"I think I realized the same thing."
Élise rested her chin in her hand.
"I like that."
"What?"
"That there wasn't one big moment."
She smiled.
"It was just... a lot of little ones."
I looked at Minho.
She wasn't wrong.
When I thought back to the beginning, I couldn't point to one exact day and say, That's when everything changed.
It was the conversations between classes.
The lunches that slowly became routine.
The studying that turned into hanging out.
The little moments that didn't seem important at the time.
Until one day...
They were.
Jeongin smiled.
"I remember when the rest of us finally figured it out."
Minho looked over.
"Figured what out?"
"That you liked each other."
I frowned.
"...Was it really that obvious?"
Chris would've said yes.
Felix definitely would've said yes.
Jeongin laughed.
"You two thought you were being subtle."
"We were."
"No."
"You'd always end up sitting next to each other."
"Coincidence."
"You'd wait outside each other's classes."
"...Convenience."
"And if one of you wasn't around..."
He looked between us.
"...The other would spend the next ten minutes asking where they were."
Heat crept into my face.
"...I did not."
"You absolutely did."
Minho smiled into his drink.
"...He's not wrong."
I looked at him.
"You too?"
"I never said I was innocent."
Élise laughed softly.
"I think everyone except you two knew."
I covered my face for a second.
"...That's embarrassing."
Minho gently nudged my shoulder.
"A little."
I laughed.
"...Okay, maybe we weren't as subtle as we thought."
I glanced around the café.
People talked quietly over coffee.
Someone sat by the window reading a book.
Soft music played somewhere above us.
For a moment...
Everything felt slow.
Comfortable.
The kind of afternoon you wished could last a little longer.
Eventually, Jeongin looked at the time on his phone.
"...Should we head to the aquarium?"
Élise smiled.
"I've been looking forward to it all week."
"So have I," I admitted.
Minho looked over at me.
"I know."
He smiled.
"You've mentioned the otters three separate times."
"...Maybe four."
"I was being generous."
I laughed as we all stood, gathering our things before heading toward the door.
The day had only just started.
But somehow...
I already knew I wasn't going to forget it.
The aquarium was busier than I expected.
Families wandered between exhibits, little kids ran ahead of their parents, and quiet conversations echoed softly against the glass walls.
The second we stepped inside, everything felt...
Blue.
The lights were dim, the water from the massive tanks casting gentle ripples across the ceiling.
"...Whoa," I whispered.
Minho smiled beside me.
"Yeah."
Jeongin laughed quietly.
"I had a feeling you'd like this."
"You were right."
Élise slowly looked around, taking everything in.
"It's beautiful."
For a while, none of us really knew where to start.
Eventually, Jeongin pointed toward one of the larger exhibits.
"Let's go this way."
We wandered slowly from tank to tank.
Bright orange clownfish darted between sea anemones.
Tiny blue tangs swam in loose schools.
Stingrays drifted gracefully overhead in one of the tunnel exhibits, their shadows sliding across the glass above us.
Every few minutes, someone would stop.
Point.
Smile.
Move on.
There wasn't much conversation.
Somehow...
There didn't need to be.
The quiet felt comfortable.
At one point, I found myself standing in front of a tank filled with jellyfish.
They floated effortlessly through the water, glowing beneath soft blue lights.
I wasn't even sure how long I'd been standing there until someone stepped beside me.
"They almost don't look real."
I looked over.
Élise smiled at the tank.
"They're strangely calming."
"They kind of are."
We stood there for another few seconds.
"You know," she said quietly, "we have aquariums in Switzerland..."
She laughed softly.
"...Just not like this."
I smiled.
"I guess being landlocked makes giant ocean exhibits a little difficult."
She laughed again.
"Just a little."
A few feet away, Minho and Jeongin had somehow started discussing whether penguins had knees.
"...They do."
"I've literally never seen one."
"They're inside their bodies."
"I don't believe you."
"They're real."
"I need proof."
I couldn't stop myself from laughing.
Élise looked over.
"...What are they talking about?"
"I honestly have no idea anymore."
"I'm right here," Jeongin called.
"I know."
"I'm still confused."
"That sounds about right."
We eventually continued walking until we reached the largest exhibit in the building.
A wall of glass stretched from floor to ceiling.
Sharks glided silently through the water while schools of silver fish shifted together like one enormous living cloud.
People around us spoke in whispers.
Like the room itself asked you to.
Nobody in our group said anything either.
We just...
Watched.
I don't know how long we stood there.
Long enough to forget about checking the time.
Long enough that the rest of the aquarium disappeared.
It was peaceful.
Really peaceful.
Minho quietly stepped closer until our shoulders brushed.
He didn't say anything.
Neither did I.
He didn't need to.
Sometimes...
Just knowing he was there was enough.
Eventually, Jeongin checked the map.
"I think the otters are this way."
I looked at him so quickly that everyone laughed.
"...What?"
"You've been waiting for that all day," Minho said.
"I have not."
"You mentioned them four times."
"...Maybe."
"Five."
"Okay, maybe five."
A few minutes later, we reached the outdoor river exhibit.
"...Oh."
I don't think I'd ever seen anything that cute before.
Two otters floated on their backs near the edge of the water.
One reached over...
And took the other's paw.
I immediately looked at Minho.
"...They're holding hands."
He laughed.
"I see that."
"No, look."
"I'm looking."
"They're actually holding hands."
"I know."
"They do that so they don't drift apart."
He smiled.
"I know."
"...That's adorable."
"It is."
I couldn't stop smiling.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Élise quietly lifting her phone to take a picture.
Not of the otters.
Of Jeongin smiling at the otters.
She lowered it before he noticed.
I smiled to myself.
Maybe...
We weren't the only couple having a really good day.
By the time we reached the gift shop, none of us were really paying attention to the map anymore.
We just wandered wherever looked interesting.
At some point, I stopped to read one of the little information signs.
When I looked up again...
Everyone else was gone.
"...Huh."
I wasn't even surprised.
I wandered around another corner before feeling a familiar hand slip into mine.
"There you are."
I looked over.
"Were you looking for me?"
"I've been looking for five minutes."
"...Sorry."
He smiled.
"You got distracted again."
"I did."
"Mhm."
"...By fish."
"...They were interesting."
He laughed quietly before giving my hand a gentle squeeze.
"I know."
For a while...
The four of us didn't stay together anymore.
Sometimes Jeongin and Élise drifted ahead while Minho and I stopped to read something.
Sometimes we caught up again.
Sometimes we split off without even realizing it.
It never felt awkward.
It just...
Happened.
And somehow...
That made the day feel even more real.
The afternoon sunlight felt warm against my face as we stepped out of the aquarium.
Right across the street, the outdoor shopping district stretched between rows of brick buildings decorated with hanging flower baskets.
Music drifted from somewhere farther down the street.
People wandered in and out of little bookstores, cafés, bakeries and gift shops.
Élise smiled.
"So..."
She looked around.
"Where do we start?"
I glanced toward a bookstore.
Minho followed my gaze.
"...Absolutely not."
I looked at him innocently.
"What?"
"I know that look."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You've already disappeared."
"I haven't even moved."
"You disappeared mentally."
Jeongin laughed.
"I think he's right."
"...One bookstore.".
I grinned.
"One bookstore."
He looked at Jeongin.
"If he's still in there after twenty minutes..."
"I know," Jeongin laughed.
"We’ll come rescue you."
"I don't need rescuing."
Élise smiled.
"I think that's exactly what someone who needs rescuing would say."
"...I'm suddenly outnumbered."
"You've been outnumbered all day," Minho said.
I nudged his shoulder.
"I thought you were on my side."
"I am."
"Really?"
"Mhm."
He smiled.
"I'm just also realistic."
I sighed dramatically.
"...Fine."
The bell above the bookstore door chimed softly as we stepped inside.
The smell hit me almost immediately.
Paper.
Coffee.
Old wood.
It was...
Perfect.
Shelves stretched almost to the ceiling, packed with books of every color imaginable.
I wandered toward the fiction section before I even realized I was moving.
Minho chuckled quietly behind me.
"Told you."
"I was simply drawn over here."
"Like a moth to a lamp."
"I was going to say 'curious reader.'"
"I like my version better."
I rolled my eyes.
"Of course you do."
For a while, all four of us drifted in different directions.
Every few minutes someone would call out.
"Jisung."
"Hm?"
"I found one with otters on the cover."
"...You're lying."
"I absolutely am."
I looked up just in time to see Minho trying—and failing—not to laugh.
"...You're the worst."
"I know."
"And yet..."
He stepped closer, gently taking the book from my hands before reading the back.
"...You still like me."
"I tolerate you."
"That's basically the same thing."
"It isn't."
He smiled.
"I'll take it."
By the time we left the bookstore, I was carrying two paper bags.
Minho glanced at them.
"...One bookstore."
"I know."
"You bought four books."
"They were yaoi."
"That's not the point."
"It is to me."
Jeongin laughed.
"I respect it."
"Thank you."
"I don't," Minho said.
"You enabled him."
"I absolutely did."
Élise linked her arm through Jeongin's.
"I think it's cute."
"I like you," I told her.
Minho looked offended.
"...Excuse me?"
"I like you too."
"You hesitated."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
I laughed.
"...You're impossible."
"Apparently."
The farther we wandered, the busier the shopping district became.
Small cafés spilled onto the sidewalks.
Street musicians played soft acoustic songs near the fountain.
Flower baskets hung from black iron lamp posts.
Everything felt...
Warm.
Comfortable.
Like the whole afternoon had slowed down.
A tiny plant shop caught Élise's attention.
She stopped outside almost immediately.
"...Can we?"
Jeongin smiled.
"Of course."
The shop smelled faintly of soil and fresh flowers.
Tiny succulents covered one wall while hanging plants filled the ceiling.
Élise crouched in front of a shelf near the window.
"Oh..."
She picked up the tiniest cactus I'd ever seen.
It couldn't have been taller than my hand.
"It's adorable."
She turned it slowly.
"Look how tiny it is."
Jeongin crouched beside her.
"It looks grumpy."
"It does."
"I kind of love it."
She laughed.
"...Me too."
She carefully placed it back on the shelf.
"We should probably keep walking."
"Yeah."
She stood up and wandered toward another display.
Jeongin looked back at the cactus.
Then at me.
He pointed toward it.
Very subtly.
I smiled.
"...Go."
"I'll be quick."
While Élise admired a collection of hanging plants with Minho, Jeongin quietly picked up the cactus and carried it to the register.
He looked strangely nervous over something that probably cost less than a coffee.
A minute later he slipped the tiny paper bag behind his back just as Élise turned around.
"...Ready?"
"Mhm."
Nobody said a word.
The next stop wasn't planned.
It just happened.
The smell of fresh pastries drifted out of a nearby bakery, making all four of us stop almost simultaneously.
Minho looked at me.
"...Don't."
"I wasn't going to say anything."
"You were thinking it."
"I absolutely was."
Jeongin laughed.
"I think that's enough to go in."
The display cases were filled with croissants, fruit tarts, cinnamon rolls and little cream-filled pastries.
We spent longer deciding what to take home than choosing something for ourselves.
"Felix would like this one."
"No," Minho said.
"He'd steal mine."
"Good point."
"Chris likes anything with coffee."
"And Changbin..."
"He'll eat literally anything."
"...That's true."
By the time we left, Minho was carrying a box tied neatly with string.
"If Felix eats all of these..."
"I'm hiding one first."
"Smart."
"I've lived with him long enough."
As we continued walking, the crowds became thinner.
The afternoon sun had softened into a warm golden light.
Long shadows stretched across the brick pathway.
Élise suddenly stopped walking.
"...Look."
She pointed toward a small photo booth tucked between an ice cream shop and an old record store.
The kind that printed little strips of photographs.
"We have to."
Jeongin smiled.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Minho looked at me.
"...You okay with it?"
I nodded.
"Yeah."
"I think it'd be nice."
The booth was much smaller than it looked from the outside.
The four of us squeezed inside, shoulders pressed together.
I laughed before the camera had even started counting down.
Three.
Two.
One.
Flash.
The first picture was surprisingly normal.
The second...
Felix would've been proud.
Jeongin blinked at exactly the wrong moment.
Élise burst into laughter halfway through.
I looked over at Minho instead of the camera.
And Minho...
Was already looking at me.
Flash.
By the third picture, none of us were even trying anymore.
Someone laughed.
Someone leaned too far forward.
I wasn't entirely sure whose elbow was in the frame.
The final flash went off while all four of us were still laughing.
A minute later, the machine whirred quietly.
Four photo strips slowly slid into the tray below.
Jeongin picked them up first.
"...These are terrible."
I looked over his shoulder.
"They're perfect."
He smiled.
"...Yeah."
They really were.
For a while, we just stood outside the photo booth, laughing over the pictures.
Jeongin was still convinced he'd blinked in every single one.
"You blinked twice," I pointed out.
"I know."
Élise nudged his shoulder.
"I think it's cute."
"...You do?"
"Mhm."
He looked down at the photo strip again.
"...Okay."
Minho leaned closer to me, looking over my shoulder.
"I like this one."
I followed where he was pointing.
The second picture.
The one where I'd looked at him instead of the camera.
"...I wasn't even paying attention."
"I know."
"You were."
"I was."
I smiled.
"...You're such a sap."
"I've accepted that."
I laughed, carefully sliding the photo strip into my wallet.
"I'll probably lose mine."
"You absolutely will."
"I won't."
He gave me a look.
"...You lost your student ID three times."
"...That's unrelated."
"It really isn't."
"It happened over several months."
He smiled.
"I'll keep reminding you where this one is."
"...Deal."
Eventually, hunger caught up with all of us.
We ended up at a small Italian restaurant tucked into one corner of the shopping district.
Nothing fancy.
Just warm lights, wooden tables, and the smell of fresh bread drifting through the dining room.
"I vote we order something to share," Jeongin said as we sat down.
"I second that," Minho replied.
Élise smiled.
"I'm happy with anything."
I looked around the table.
"...As long as nobody gets garlic bread."
Three pairs of eyes immediately landed on Minho.
He stared back.
"...Seriously?"
Jeongin laughed first.
"I was wondering how long it'd take."
"I've moved on."
"No, you haven't," Minho sighed.
"You brought it up."
"I absolutely did."
He shook his head.
"I live with bullies."
"You live with comedians," I corrected.
"Debatable."
Dinner slipped by the same way the rest of the day had.
Easy.
Comfortable.
The conversation bounced between stories from school, favorite movies, places Élise wanted to visit while she was in the States, and Felix's latest attempt at baking.
"I still don't understand how he forgot butter," Élise said.
"I'm not convinced he knows what butter does," Minho replied.
I laughed into my drink.
"That's probably true."
Every now and then, I'd catch myself looking around the table.
Jeongin was smiling more than I'd ever seen him smile.
Élise listened when people talked.
Really listened.
Minho reached over without thinking and stole one of my fries.
I noticed.
He noticed that I'd noticed.
"...You weren't eating it."
"I was about to."
"You hesitated."
"I was talking."
He smiled.
"I'll buy you another fry."
"...One fry?"
"I have a budget."
I nudged his knee under the table.
"Liar."
"I'll buy you five."
"Generous."
"I know."
The waitress came back one last time with the bill.
Before I could even reach for my wallet, Minho quietly rested his hand on my wrist.
"I've got it."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
He smiled.
"I want to."
I opened my mouth to argue.
Then closed it again.
"...Thank you."
He squeezed my hand once beneath the edge of the table before letting go.
—
By the time we left the restaurant, the sky had turned shades of orange and pink.
Streetlights flickered on one by one as people wandered through the shopping district.
The day had somehow disappeared.
Jeongin unlocked the car.
"I'll drop Élise off first."
The drive was quieter than before.
Not awkward.
Just...
Comfortable.
The kind of silence that only happened after a really good day.
Élise looked out the window.
"I had a lot of fun today."
"I'm glad," I said.
"So did we."
She smiled.
"You'll have to let us return the favor next time."
"Oh?"
"I'll plan the whole day."
Jeongin looked at her.
"...Should I be worried?"
"A little."
"I'll take my chances."
Twenty minutes later, we pulled up outside her apartment building.
She unbuckled her seatbelt before turning around to look at us.
"It was really nice getting to know you both."
"You too," Minho said.
"I hope we can do this again."
"I'd like that."
I smiled.
"Me too."
She looked at Jeongin.
"...Text me when you get home?"
He smiled.
"I always do."
"I know."
For just a second, neither of them moved.
Then Jeongin got out of the car and walked her to the entrance.
Minho and I watched quietly from the back seat.
I smiled to myself.
"They're cute."
"Mhm."
"They really like each other."
"They do."
“Now we need the others to try that”
We laughed until our stomach hurt after that.
Outside, Élise hugged Jeongin before disappearing inside the building.
He stood there for another second.
Watching to make sure she'd gotten in safely.
Only then did he walk back toward the car.
As soon as he opened the driver's door, I looked at him.
"...You smiled the whole way back."
He blinked.
"...Did I?"
"The whole way."
Minho nodded.
"I noticed too."
Jeongin looked down, trying to hide another smile.
"...You two are unbelievable."
"We're observant," I said.
"I've heard that one before."
We all laughed.
As Jeongin pulled away from the curb, I leaned my head against the window, watching the city lights blur past.
My hand brushed against something in my pocket.
The photo strip.
I pulled it out again.
Four pictures.
Four smiles.
One really good day.
I don't think I stopped smiling the entire drive home.
The drive back to the mansion felt different.
Quieter.
Not because nobody had anything to say.
I think we were all just tired in the best way possible.
The kind of tired that only came after spending an entire day outside, laughing more than you expected to.
Jeongin hummed softly along to the music playing through the speakers while the city lights drifted past the windows.
Every now and then, I'd catch him smiling to himself.
I didn't think he even realized he was doing it.
Minho reached over, quietly intertwining our fingers where they rested between us on the back seat.
I smiled without looking at him.
"You had fun?" he asked quietly.
"Mhm."
"You?"
"The best."
I glanced over.
"Even after spending almost twenty minutes trying to pull me out of a bookstore?"
He laughed.
"I knew exactly where to find you."
"I wasn't lost."
"You were sitting on the floor."
"I was comparing books."
"To everyone else..."
He smiled.
"...You were lost."
I nudged his shoulder.
"I can't believe you're still making fun of me."
"I'll probably still be making fun of you when we're eighty."
"...That's a long commitment."
"I know."
"I guess I'll allow it."
His thumb brushed gently across the back of my hand.
"I'm glad."
By the time we pulled into the driveway, the mansion was almost completely dark.
Only the living room lights were still on.
"I thought everyone would've gone to bed," I said quietly.
"So did I," Jeongin replied as he turned off the engine.
We climbed out of the car, each of us carrying far more bags than we'd left with that morning.
The front door clicked softly behind us.
The house smelled faintly of popcorn.
"...Hello?" Jeongin called.
"In here," someone answered.
We followed the voice into the living room.
Hyunjin and Felix were curled up on opposite ends of the couch beneath the same oversized blanket, a bowl of popcorn balanced between them while some animated movie played quietly on the television.
Felix looked up first.
"Oh."
"You're home."
"Were you waiting up?" I asked.
"A little," Felix admitted.
Hyunjin smiled.
"We wanted to know how the date went."
"It went really well," Jeongin said, unable to hide the smile on his face.
Felix noticed immediately.
"...That smile tells me everything."
Jeongin rubbed the back of his neck.
"It was a good day."
"I'm happy for you," Hyunjin said warmly.
Jeongin smiled.
"Thanks."
Felix pointed at the pastry box in Minho's hands.
"...Is that for us?"
"It was."
Felix was already reaching for it before Minho had even finished speaking.
"You're an angel."
"I know."
"You've said that before."
"I'll say it again."
Hyunjin laughed quietly as Felix immediately opened the box.
"You couldn't even wait five seconds?"
"I've been thinking about dessert all evening."
"I can tell."
For a few minutes, the six of us sat talking about the aquarium, the bookstore, and the photo booth.
Felix laughed so hard at the pictures that he nearly dropped one of the pastries.
"...Jeongin, you blinked in two of these."
"I know."
"It's art."
"It really isn't."
Eventually, Hyunjin glanced at the clock.
"...It's getting late."
Felix stretched, letting out a quiet yawn.
"I should probably sleep."
The movie credits had started rolling without any of us noticing.
Jeongin stood first.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow."
As everyone started heading toward the stairs, he slowed beside me.
"...Hey."
"Hm?"
He smiled.
"...Thanks."
I blinked.
"For what?"
"For today."
His smile grew just a little.
"I was nervous."
"I know."
"But..."
He glanced toward the staircase where Élise's tiny cactus sat in its paper bag, waiting for next time he saw her.
"...It went better than I hoped."
I smiled.
"I'm really happy for you."
He nodded once.
"...Goodnight, Jisung."
"Night."
He disappeared upstairs with the same small smile he'd been wearing ever since we'd left the restaurant.
I couldn't stop smiling either.
Minho and I followed a minute later.
The hallway was quiet.
Everyone else's bedroom doors gradually clicked shut behind us.
Halfway to our room, Minho suddenly leaned a little closer.
"...Can I tell you something?"
I looked over.
"Of course."
He lowered his voice dramatically.
"I think something's going on."
"...With who?"
He glanced toward the staircase behind us before looking back at me.
"Hyunjin and Felix."
I stared at him.
"...What?"
"I'm serious."
I laughed.
"What makes you think that?"
"They were downstairs."
"...Yes?"
"Together."
"They live together."
"At nearly eleven."
"They've stayed up watching movies before."
"Mhm."
"Beneath the same blanket."
I smiled.
"...It gets cold."
"Jisung."
"What?"
"The popcorn bowl was exactly in the middle."
I blinked.
"...I don't think that's suspicious."
"It absolutely is."
I laughed harder.
"I think you're reading into it."
He folded his arms.
"I've got a feeling."
"...A feeling."
"Mhm."
"Based on a blanket."
"And the way Felix smiled."
"He always smiles."
"...Exactly."
I couldn't stop laughing.
"You've officially lost it."
"You'll see."
"We'll see."
"I'll remember this conversation."
"So will I."
He pointed a finger at me.
"When I'm right..."
"I'll buy you garlic bread."
He gasped.
"...You finally admitted it's good."
"I didn't say that."
"You implied it."
"I absolutely didn't."
He smiled to himself as we reached our bedroom door.
"I think I might be onto something."
I unlocked the door.
"...Or they're just friends watching a movie."
"We'll revisit this."
I laughed, shaking my head.
"Goodnight, Detective Lee."
"I like that title."
The room was lit only by the soft glow of the bedside lamp.
I changed into one of Minho's oversized T-shirts while he disappeared into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
When he came back, his hair was slightly damp where he'd splashed water on his face.
"You tired?" he asked.
"A little."
"Mhm, so am I."
I climbed into bed first, pulling the blanket up around my shoulders.
A second later, the mattress dipped as Minho settled beside me.
For a while, neither of us said anything.
The room was quiet.
Peaceful.
He reached over, gently brushing a loose strand of hair away from my forehead.
"You know..." he said softly.
"I had a really good time today."
I smiled.
"So did I."
"I think the aquarium was my favorite."
"...Really?"
"No."
He laughed quietly.
"It was seeing you get excited over the otters."
I groaned, hiding my face against his shoulder.
"They were holding hands."
"I know."
"You would've loved them too."
"I did."
He tilted my chin up until I was looking at him again.
"I'm glad we went."
"So am I."
For a moment, we simply looked at each other.
The silence between us wasn't awkward.
It never was.
His hand rested lightly against my cheek.
Mine found his wrist.
Then, naturally, he leaned in.
Our lips met in a slow, lingering kiss.
It wasn't rushed.
There was no hurry to pull away.
Every time the kiss softened into something gentle, one of us would smile against the other's lips before closing the tiny distance again.
I felt his thumb trace a slow circle along my cheek.
My fingers slipped into the hair at the back of his neck.
Time seemed to disappear.
The rest of the house had gone completely silent.
There was only the quiet sound of our breathing and the warmth of being close.
When we finally parted, neither of us moved very far.
Our foreheads rested together.
I couldn't stop smiling.
"I love days like today," I whispered.
"So do I."
He pressed one last soft kiss against my lips.
"Goodnight, Jisung."
"Goodnight."
As he wrapped an arm around my waist and I settled comfortably against him, I found myself thinking about the photo strip tucked safely inside my wallet.
Four pictures.
One perfect day.
I fell asleep smiling.
Tuesday mornings had quietly settled into a routine.
Wake up.
Eat breakfast.
Therapy.
Come home.
Somehow, it had stopped feeling like something I had to prepare myself for.
Months ago, I'd spend the entire morning with a knot in my stomach.
I'd replay every possible conversation in my head.
Wonder what questions I'd be asked.
Wonder if I'd leave feeling worse than when I'd walked in.
Now...
It just felt like another part of the week.
Not because therapy had become easy.
Some sessions still left me emotionally exhausted.
Some topics still hurt more than I wanted them to.
But I'd stopped seeing it as something to survive.
It was helping.
Slowly.
Quietly.
The weather was warm by the time I stepped out of the office building.
The first real signs of summer had finally started replacing the cool spring mornings.
I slipped my headphones on as I started the walk toward the nearest bus stop.
Usually my appointments lasted almost an hour.
Today...
Not even forty minutes.
My therapist had smiled at the end of the session.
"I think you've done enough work for one day."
I hadn't argued.
Honestly...
I didn't know what to do with the extra time.
I checked my phone.
11:47 a.m.
Most of the others wouldn't be home yet.
Chris had work.
Changbin and Hyunjin still had classes.
Jeongin was on campus too.
Felix had mentioned something about going into town that morning.
Minho wouldn't be back until later that afternoon.
Which meant...
The mansion should've been completely empty.
I smiled to myself.
Maybe I'd make lunch before everyone got home.
Or finally start one of the books I'd bought over the weekend.
The bus ride passed quietly.
I watched neighborhoods drift by through the window, sunlight flickering between the trees.
When my stop finally came, I stepped off onto the familiar sidewalk.
Home.
The word still surprised me sometimes.
Not because it felt unfamiliar anymore.
Because it didn't.
A few months ago, I would've called it the mansion.
Or the house.
Now...
Without even thinking...
It had become home.
I unlocked the front door as quietly as I could out of habit.
The house was silent.
Exactly like I expected.
I slipped my shoes off by the entrance and hung my bag on the hook beside the stairs.
Then I froze.
...
Was that...
The television?
I stood still for another second.
Maybe someone had forgotten to turn it off before leaving.
It wouldn't have been the first time.
I walked toward the living room, following the quiet sound of a movie.
"...Guys?" I called.
No answer.
I rounded the corner.
And immediately stopped walking.
I saw Felix kissing—
Honestly...
It wasn't even kissing.
They were making out.
I tried to see who it was.
But before I did, their head turned to face me.
Hyunjin.
First thing that came to mind was:
"Oh."
"Please, don't tell any—"
"Oh my god..."
Both of them stared at me.
"...Minho was right."
Silence.
Hyunjin blinked.
Felix blinked.
I blinked.
"...What?" Felix asked.
I looked between them.
Then back at Felix.
"...Last night."
Still nothing.
"Minho."
Hyunjin frowned slightly.
"...Minho?"
"He thought something was going on between you two."
Another pause.
Felix slowly pulled away from Hyunjin just enough to look at him.
"...He knew?"
"No," I said quickly.
"He guessed."
"He literally called himself Detective Lee."
For a second...
Nobody said anything.
Then Hyunjin laughed.
Not a small laugh.
An actual laugh.
Felix looked at him.
"...Hyung."
"I'm sorry."
Hyunjin covered his mouth, trying to stop laughing.
"It's just..."
He looked at me.
"...Detective Lee?"
I nodded.
"He said sharing a blanket at eleven o'clock was suspicious."
Felix groaned dramatically, letting his head fall against the back of the couch.
"...Seriously?"
"He also said the popcorn bowl being exactly in the middle was evidence."
Hyunjin laughed even harder.
"I can't believe that was his reasoning."
"I told him he was reading too much into it."
"And yet..."
Felix sighed.
"...Here we are."
The room finally settled into silence again.
A slightly more awkward one this time.
Felix rubbed the back of his neck.
"...You really weren't supposed to find out like this."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
I frowned.
"...Why are you apologizing?"
He looked surprised.
"I mean..."
He glanced at Hyunjin before looking back at me.
"We weren't hiding it because we didn't trust you."
"We just..." Hyunjin continued quietly.
"...Wanted a little more time."
I nodded almost immediately.
"I figured."
"I wasn't planning on telling anyone today."
Felix let out a small breath he looked like he'd been holding since I'd walked into the room.
"...Really?"
"Of course."
I leaned against the doorway.
"It's your relationship."
I smiled a little.
"You should be the ones to tell people."
Neither of them spoke for a second.
Hyunjin was the first to break the silence.
"...Thank you."
I shrugged.
"It wasn't really my news to tell."
Felix smiled.
"...That's one of the reasons we like you."
Heat crept into my face.
"...Thanks."
Another comfortable silence settled over the room.
Then...
I looked at both of them.
"...Can I ask one question?"
Felix visibly tensed again.
"...Sure."
How long?
Hyunjin and Felix looked at each other.
Hyunjin smiled, a little sheepish.
"...About a month and a half."
"A little over six weeks," Felix admitted.
"We wanted to make sure this was actually..."
He searched for the right word.
"...Real."
I smiled.
"I get that."
They both looked relieved.
"...One more thing," I said.
Felix immediately groaned.
"There's another thing?"
I couldn't help smiling.
"...You should probably tell Minho before he starts investigating."
Hyunjin laughed.
"...Investigating?"
"He genuinely thinks he's solved a mystery."
Felix buried his face in his hands.
"I am never hearing the end of this."
"Probably not."
I pushed myself away from the doorway.
"I'll pretend I never saw anything."
I took two steps toward the stairs before stopping.
"...Actually."
Both of them looked up.
"I definitely saw something."
Felix covered his face.
"...Jisung."
"But I'll keep pretending I didn't."
Hyunjin laughed quietly.
"I think we can live with that."
I smiled.
"...Good."
Then I headed upstairs, leaving the two of them downstairs.
I made it halfway up before I started laughing to myself.
I could already picture Minho's face.
He was going to be unbearable.
I smiled one last time before disappearing upstairs.
The hallway was quiet again.
The movie downstairs had started playing once more, the voices muffled through the floorboards as I walked toward my room.
I closed the door behind me and let my backpack slip from my shoulder, setting it beside my desk.
For a moment...
I just stood there.
My therapy notebook was still tucked neatly inside my bag.
Without really thinking about it, I pulled it out and placed it on my desk.
It was strange.
Not the notebook.
Just...
Everything.
This morning had started like any other Tuesday.
I'd gone to therapy.
Talked for a while.
Gotten out early.
And somehow...
I'd come home to discover that two of my closest friends had been secretly dating for over a month.
I laughed quietly to myself.
"...Minho was right."
I could already picture the look on his face if he ever found out.
That stupid little smile.
The one that always showed up whenever he won an argument.
"I told you so."
I covered my face for a second.
"...He's never going to let that go."
My eyes wandered around the room.
The books I'd bought a few days ago were stacked neatly on my nightstand.
The photo strip from the shopping district still peeked out from the page I'd used as a bookmark.
I picked it up.
Four pictures.
Four smiles.
One really good day.
A small smile found its way back onto my face.
It was funny.
Not that long ago...
I couldn't imagine people trusting me with something like this.
Back then, I kept everyone at arm's length.
I was scared.
Scared of saying the wrong thing.
Scared of trusting the wrong people.
Scared that if anyone got too close...
They'd eventually leave.
Now...
Hyunjin and Felix had trusted me with something that belonged to them.
Not because they had to.
Because they wanted to.
Because they knew I'd keep my word.
I carefully tucked the photo strip back into my book.
Somewhere along the way...
This place had stopped feeling like somewhere I happened to live.
It had become home.
Not because of the house.
Because of the people inside it.
A soft click echoed from downstairs.
The front door.
I smiled before I even looked at the time.
Minho.
I didn't know how.
Maybe it was the sound of the door.
Maybe it was the way his footsteps were just a little heavier than everyone else's.
Or maybe...
After all this time...
I'd simply learned what home sounded like.
I walked toward my bedroom door, already smiling to myself.
I had a feeling Detective Lee was about to ask a lot of questions.
And for the first time...
I was going to have all the answers.
I just wasn't going to tell him.