𝘀𝗮𝗷𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 | 𝗭𝗼𝗲𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆

The restaurant was loud with laughter and chopsticks clinking against bowls, a rare shared lunch squeezed between packed schedules. Huntrix and the Saja Boys took up nearly half the back corner, eight bodies crammed around two pushed-together tables tucked away from the main crowd. Plates of tteokbokki, kimchi stew, and fried dumplings filled the space between them.

Mystery sat at the end of the table while Zoey sat between him and Mira. Across from them, Rumi was squished between Jinu and Abby. Baby was complaining to Romance, who was across from him, about how Abby took up too much space with his big biceps.

Abby was dramatically recounting a chaotic photoshoot where Romance nearly set his sleeve on fire.

“I swear it was an accident!” Romance defended.

“You did try to hold it near his ass though,” Mystery pointed out with a slight smirk, leaning his cheek against his palm.

Romance scoffed. “You’re welcome by the way. That footage went viral last week.”

“You’re going to go viral when I staple your mouth shut,” Mira said, deadpan, grabbing a dumpling with her chopsticks.

Zoey was mid-laugh when she noticed Mystery. He was stiff, and his hand trembled while holding onto his chopsticks.

She tilted her head. “Hey,” she lightly nudged his knee under the table.

“Yes?” he asked, trying to sound casual.

She narrowed her eyes. “Are you okay? You’re shivering.”

He blinked, startled, then forced a small smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… weird.”

Without a word, Zoey bent down, grabbed her hoodie from her bag on the floor, and tossed it to him. Mystery stared at it, then at her.

“You’re cold,” she said casually, dipping a dumpling into the sauce. “Put it on before you start looking like a sad anime boy in the rain.”

He chuckled, pulling the hoodie over his head. It was oversized, even for him, and it smelled like her.

“That’s weird,” he murmured. “I haven’t felt this cold in years.”

Jinu, who had been half-listening from across, perked up. “That’s because you haven’t been human in years.”

Mystery looked up, surprised. Jinu wiped some sauce from his lips with a napkin before continuing. “Demons don’t feel temperatures the same way. Back then, we didn’t get cold or overheated. We noticed the heat and the cold, like, we knew when something was on fire or freezing, but we didn’t feel it. Now?” He took a sip of his soup and made a face. “Now, spicy food actually hurts again.”

Zoey raised a brow. “So what, now he’s gonna start freezing every time the wind blows?”

Jinu shrugged and turned to Mystery. “Pretty much. We’re squishy now. Cold, hot, tired. Welcome back to humanity.”

Zoey grinned and leaned closer to Mystery. “If you’re still cold, I could always wrap you in my arms.”

He stared at her for a second, caught completely off guard, then smiled softly. “That might actually work. You’d do that?”

“Wow. You didn’t even hesitate.”

Mystery leaned back, tugging the hoodie sleeves over his hands, and let out a content sigh. “Well, you offered. Warmth is warmth, and I’m cold.”

“I was joking, you know,” Zoey gave a small laugh.

“I wasn’t.”

She paused, flushing slightly, and gave him a quick side hug.

On the other end of the table, Romance started dramatically fanning himself with a napkin. “Am I the only one who feels like I’m watching a romcom unfold in real time?”

“Yes,” Mira muttered. “Now shut up and pass the kimchi.”

“Hey, can everyone please stop flirting and focus on the fact that I almost got third-degree burns because of Romance?!”

Baby snorted. “You’ll probably trend if you set yourself on fire for fashion.”

Zoey shook her head and turned back to Mystery. He was watching the group, quietly amused. Still slightly shivering, but better.

She lowered her voice. “You sure you’re okay?”

He glanced at her, serious for just a second. “I didn’t know I missed this. Feeling things like this.”

Zoey’s face softened. “Well, if the human experience includes freezing your butt off, consider yourself fully initiated.”

Mystery laughed under his breath. “It’s not so bad. Your hoodie helps.”

“Of course it does. It’s mine.”

He smiled and mouthed a soft, “Thank you.”

She just bumped his knee again under the table, grinning. “Anytime.”

As the conversation shifted back to who had eaten the last dumpling (it was Baby, but he denied it), Mystery leaned back in his seat, his fingers wrapped around Zoey’s hand.

He felt oddly settled. Cold, yes. But also new. And with Zoey next to him, it didn’t feel so scary.