Love? Off the record!

At Aram Arts High School, love was treated like a performance. Dramatic confessions in hallways, couples holding hands by the lockers, whispered rumors spreading faster than announcements. Yuna Park thought it was ridiculous. Jaewon Yun thought it was meaningless. Neither of them believed in love, and neither of them knew that before the semester ended, they would become the center of the very drama they hated.

____________________________________

Jaewon Yun, a second year student who majors in acting has an interesting take when it comes to love.

Carefree, confident, and effortlessly charming, Jaewon moves through life like everything is a stage. He jokes around, avoids serious talks, and never stays in relationships for long. Love? Just another role to play...or so he thinks.

He's been in three relationships so far and each one of them lasted for about a month before it ended. People say it's because he doesn't vibe with anyone but it's really just his unserious and careless personality.

The first spring indicating the start of a new year with changes and surprises has officially started.

But to him, It didn't feel like anything changed.

Just this morning–

He got dumped again.

_______________________________

Jaewon Yun didn’t look heartbroken.

He looked bored.

Leaning lazily against the metal railing outside the convenience store near Aram Arts High School, he scrolled through his phone like nothing had happened. The late afternoon sun hung low behind the school building, casting long shadows across the pavement while students passed by in small groups, laughing, whispering, living their dramatic little lives.

Meanwhile, his friends stood in front of him like judges at a trial.

"You're seriously not going to say anything?" Yeonha Sim asked, crossing his arms dramatically. "Not even pretend to be sad?"

Jaewon barely glanced up from his phone.

"About what?" he replied casually.

Yeonha blinked, visibly offended.

"About your breakup, idiot!"

Jaewon finally looked up, slow and unbothered, like the word meant absolutely nothing to him.

"Oh," he said. "That."

Cheolsu Ahn let out a quiet scoff from beside Yeonha, shaking his head.

"Unbelievable," Cheolsu muttered. "You dated her for one month and a half."

"And?" Jaewon shrugged, slipping his phone into his pocket. "That's basically a lifetime in my relationship history."

Yeonha stared at him like he was witnessing a crime.

"You got dumped this morning," he said slowly. "This morning."

Jaewon tilted his head slightly, thinking for a moment like he was trying to recall something mildly inconvenient.

"Oh right," he said. "That happened."

Yeonha groaned loudly, dragging a hand down his face.

"You're actually hopeless."

Jaewon smirked faintly.

"Relax," he said. "She said I wasn't 'serious enough.' Whatever that means."

Cheolsu folded his arms, unimpressed.

"It means you treat relationships like jokes," he said bluntly.

Jaewon gave a small shrug.

"That's because they are."

Yeonha turned sharply toward Cheolsu, eyes lighting up with sudden mischief. The dangerous kind that usually meant trouble for someone.

"Wait," he said slowly. "Say that again."

Jaewon raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You said relationships are jokes," Yeonha repeated. "So love means nothing to you?"

Jaewon snorted.

"Obviously."

Cheolsu narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Then prove it."

That caught Jaewon's attention.

He straightened just a little, curiosity flickering across his face.

"Prove what?"

Yeonha grinned. Wide and mischievous, absolutely up to something.

"That it's easy to get a girlfriend," he said. "Since you're so confident."

Jaewon huffed a quiet laugh.

"It is easy."

Cheolsu and Yeonha exchanged a look.

The kind of look that meant something reckless was about to happen.

Yeonha turned back to Jaewon, grin still in place.

"Then make Yuna Park fall for you."

The name landed between them like a dropped weight.

For the first time, Jaewon didn’t answer immediately.

He frowned slightly.

"...Yuna Park?" he repeated.

Cheolsu nodded once.

"Fashion major," he said. "Second year. Keeps to herself. Rejects every confession."

Yeonha leaned closer, smirking.

"Yeah. The one everyone calls untouchable."

Jaewon let out a quiet breath through his nose.

Of course he knew who she was.

Everyone did.

Yuna Park was the girl with the sharp eyes, blunt mouth, and reputation for turning down every single confession without hesitation. The one who walked through school like romance was a joke meant for someone else.

Interesting.

Jaewon tilted his head slightly, considering.

"So," Yeonha said casually, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "you really think it's easy?"

Jaewon chuckled.

"Love's not real anyway," he said lightly.

Cheolsu watched him carefully.

"Then it shouldn't be hard," he added.

Yeonha grinned wider.

"If you make Yuna Park fall for you," he said, voice full of challenge, "we'll do every assignment you have due this semester."

Jaewon's eyes lit up immediately.

Now that sounded useful.

Assignments were easily the worst part of school.

"Every assignment?" he repeated.

"Every single one," Yeonha confirmed.

Cheolsu sighed like he already regretted being involved.

Jaewon leaned back against the railing again, a slow smile spreading across his face.

Careless.

Confident.

Dangerously amused.

"Fine," he said.

Yeonha blinked.

"...Wait, seriously?"

Jaewon pushed himself upright.

"Yeah," he said easily. "I'll do it."

Cheolsu frowned slightly.

"You haven't even talked to her before."

Jaewon smirked.

"Doesn't matter."

He slipped his hands into his pockets, confidence rolling off him like it always did.

"How hard can it be?"

Somewhere inside the school building, completely unaware..

Yuna Park was adjusting a mannequin, scissors in hand, focused on her latest design…

Not knowing that somewhere outside, someone had just made a decision that would change both their lives.

_______________________________

Unlike Jaewon, Yuna Park hated love. Not disliked. Hated. The dramatic confessions, the cheap chocolates, the awkward stares in hallways..it all felt painfully cheesy to her. Standing in the fashion studio at Aram Arts High School, scissors in hand and half-finished fabric draped over the mannequin, she snipped another loose thread and silently wondered why people wasted so much time chasing something so unrealistic.

Her phone buzzes with a notification.

“@AramSpills posted a story!”

“Oh..Harim posted a story?” she thought to herself as she clicked on it to see what it was.

A picture of the tall cherry blossom tree at the back of the school immediately shone through the screen.

Apparently, It was very popular among the students.

Not because it was pretty.

But because there was a popular rumour about that tree.

According to it, Whoever realised their feelings for someone there..will end up with good luck.

And because of that very reason, mostly everyone confessed to their crushes under that tree.

But ofcourse..

Yuna didn't believe in any of that. Partly because she had turned down a lot of confessions before.

Suddenly, The bell rang signalling the end of class.

Students immediately left their classes.

Hallways bustling with laughter, chatter and people passing by.

As Yuna stepped outside, she found her friends just outside the door.

“..Ready to leave?” Yejin Oh asked casually.

Yuna shrugs, “You bet!” then adds bluntly, “I'm so tired that I don't think I can even walk back to the dorm”

Harim Kim chuckled softly, “Well that shouldn't be a problem. Afterall, There are several boys who would love to help you–”

She immediately gets cut off in between of her sentence by Yuna.

“As if! I'm perfectly fine on my own, Thankyou very much” She spoke with a hint of sarcasm slipping through her voice.

Yejin smirked slightly, “Oh yeah, Typical Yuna.”

Harim grinned “You never know. Maybe this year you'll actually change your point of view.”

Yuna gave Harim a deadpan face, “You say that every year.”

Yejin shrugs an amused smile playing on her lips, “I don't know, Maybe or maybe not. It all depends on destiny.”

Yuna sighs like she's already done with the conversation, “..Give me a break. Destiny? Really Yejin?”

Yejin smirked further, “Relax. I was just trying to get a reaction out of you.”

Harim nods slowly a small smile lingering on her lips, “I wasn't. I'm sure something will change for sure.”

Yuna scoffed, ridiculed by the whole thing.

“Yeah, like your grades if you waste your time on this love thing again.” She said completely unfazed.

Harim paused and gave a small pout.

“Hey! That was because he was naturally a red flag. I should've seen that coming.” She protested.

Yejin shook her head slightly, “I told you so.” She said.

Harim sighs dramatically, “Why does the topic always shift towards me whenever we're talking about love?”

Yuna softly chuckled putting her hand on Harim's shoulder.

“Because you're the perfect example of ‘What happens when you fall in the trap of love.’”

Harim looked at her offended.

But before she could say anything, Yejin cut her off.

“Okay..Time for some snacks! Who's up for some Corn dogs?” She said as she points towards the exit.

“I am! Man, I'm starving..” Yuna replied the quickest.

Harim also nodded.

Nobody can resist a little treat given by a friend.

Yejin pauses for a moment. A sudden wave of realisation washing over her.

“Wait– I'm not giving any treat!” She explained weakly.

Too late.

Harim and Yuna were already on their way towards the exit.

Yejin sighed, “..Fine. Wait for me!” She said as she ran to catch upto them.

_______________________________

Soon, The sun that was shining brightly in the morning settled down.

And a beautiful full moon replaced it along with the deep blue sky.

The convenience store lights buzz softly against the quiet night.

Most students had already gone back to their dorms, leaving the area unusually calm. The hum of refrigerators filled the small store, mixed with the faint rustle of snack wrappers and the occasional beep from the cashier's counter.

Near the drink aisle..

Yuna Park stood quietly, scanning the shelves.

One hand rested casually on her tote bag while the other reached for a cold bottled coffee. Her expression stayed neutral, calm, unreadable. But her eyes were sharp, observant, always noticing more than she let on.

She checked the label briefly.

Then..

Footsteps entered the store.

Loud.

Unbothered.

The kind of footsteps that didn't care who was around.

Yuna didn't turn immediately.

Instead, she twisted the bottle cap open with a soft click, taking a small sip. Only then did she glance sideways..

..and spotted him.

Jaewon Yun.

Of course.

She recognized him instantly. Hard not to. His presence was the kind people talked about whether he was around or not.

Popular.

Careless.

Annoyingly confident.

Her gaze lingered for half a second longer than necessary.

Then she looked away like it meant nothing.

Until..

You reached for the same drink she had just grabbed.

Her hand paused slightly mid-air.

Not dramatic.

Not obvious.

Just enough.

Then she spoke. Flat tone, calm voice, just a little sharp at the edges.

Yuna (dryly):

"You're late."

She didn't look at you when she said it.

Just took another sip of her drink like the words were completely normal.

Like she already knew you.

Even though this was the first time you'd actually spoken.

A beat passed.

Then she finally turned her head slightly. Green eyes landing on you, expression unreadable but faintly challenging.

Yuna:

"Convenience stores usually run out of decent drinks after 10."

A small pause.

Barely noticeable.

Then..

Yuna (matter-of-fact):

"So if you're here for coffee, you're already losing."

She leaned one shoulder lightly against the shelf, completely calm.

Unbothered.

Waiting.

Jaewon glances at her breifly.

Knowing she's the one.

Yuna Park.

Then he lowered his hands towards a different drink.

A mint chocochip frappe resting near the area where they prepare freshly made coffee.

Jaewon (Shrugging like it's obvious):

I disagree. Not everyone knows how good drinks actually taste.

He adds a straw and takes a sip closing his eyes as if savoring the flavour

Jaewon (Muttering):

Now that's what I call..a real drink.

Yuna didn’t react immediately.

She watched him from the corner of her eye as he grabbed the mint choco chip frappe, of all things, and drank it like he’d just discovered the meaning of life.

A mint choco chip frappe.

At night.

Her expression stayed calm… but there was the faintest twitch near her eyebrow.

Judgment.

Silent, brutal judgment.

She took another slow sip of her bottled coffee, letting the quiet stretch just long enough to make it slightly awkward.

Then..

Yuna (flat, unimpressed):

"Mint choco chip?"

She finally turned fully toward him, eyes landing on the cup in his hand like it had personally offended her.

A small pause.

Then she tilted her head slightly.

Yuna (deadpan):

"That's not a drink."

Another sip of her coffee.

Unbothered.

Yuna:

"That's dessert pretending to be useful."

Her gaze flicked up to his face now.

Yes.

Definitely Jaewon Yun.

Same careless posture. Same irritating confidence everyone talked about. The kind of person who probably thought effort was optional.

She leaned her shoulder more comfortably against the shelf, completely relaxed.

But her eyes stayed sharp.

Observant and Measuring.

Yuna (calmly blunt):

"You look like the type who orders sweet drinks because real coffee tastes 'too bitter.'"

A beat.

Then she added, completely straight-faced.

Yuna:

"And then tells everyone you have good taste."

Her tone wasn’t loud.

Just matter-of-fact.

Like she was stating a scientific observation.

But there was a faint glint in her eyes now.

Something closer to curiosity… mixed with the tiniest bit of challenge.

She tapped her finger lightly against her bottle.

Once.

Twice.

Then..

Yuna (casual, but pointed):

"So," she said, finally meeting his gaze directly,

"are you actually going to drink that?"

A tiny pause.

Her lips curved just slightly. Not quite a smile.

More like the beginning of one.

Yuna:

"Or was that performance for my benefit?"

Jaewon's eyes breifly glance towards her.

Now it's not about the bet..

It's about Mint Chocochip.

And he doesn't play when it come to that.

Without a word, Jaewon takes another sip of the frappe.

A long one this time.

Quitely giving her an answer without actually saying it. (Damn right, I will!)

Yuna watched him take that second sip.

Long.

Deliberate.

Like it was a personal declaration.

Her gaze dropped briefly to the cup again. Mint choco chip frappe, bright and offensively cheerful under the harsh white lights.

Then back to his face.

No hesitation.

No embarrassment.

He really meant it.

A faint exhale left her nose. Not quite a sigh, not quite a laugh. Something in between.

Yuna (quietly, unimpressed):

"You're serious."

Not a question. A statement.

She pushed herself off the shelf slightly, standing straighter now, still holding her coffee bottle loosely in one hand.

There was a short pause.

Then she took a slow sip from her own drink.

Black bottled coffee.

No sugar.

No nonsense.

Her eyes flicked toward his frappe again.

Yuna (flatly):

"That explains a lot."

A beat passed.

Then, without warning..

Yuna:

"You're Jaewon Yun."

Again, not a question.

Just fact.

Like identifying a brand name.

She tilted her head slightly, studying him properly now.

Closer.

More direct.

There was no shyness in her gaze. Just calm evaluation, like she was assessing fabric quality or measuring proportions.

Yuna (calm, blunt):

"Acting major."

A small pause.

Then..

Yuna:

"Serial dater."

No judgment in her tone.

Just observation.

Matter-of-fact.

But there was the faintest edge there now that was sharp and subtle.

Her fingers tapped once against her bottle again.

Tap.

Yuna:

"You break up often."

Another pause.

Then she met his eyes fully again, steady and unflinching.

Yuna (dryly):

"So tell me."

A slight tilt of her head.

Almost curious.

Almost challenging.

Yuna:

"Do you always celebrate breakups with ice cream disguised as coffee…"

Her gaze flicked to the frappe.

Then back to him.

Yuna:

"…or am I witnessing something special?"

Jaewon pauses slightly and looks at her slightly amused.

He shifts his body, not directly facing her.

Mint chocochip frappe in one hand.

Jaewon (Amused):

No. You tell me..

He leans slightly in

Jaewon (A slight smirk):

Do you know everyone like that...

He tilts his head slightly.

Jaewon:

..Or am I witnessing something special?

Yuna didn’t move when he leaned in.

Didn’t step back.

Didn’t flinch.

She just looked at him. Steady, calm, like his smirk was mildly interesting but not particularly impressive.

Her fingers tightened slightly around her coffee bottle, the cool plastic pressing into her palm.

Then..

A very small pause.

Her gaze traveled from his face… down to the mint choco chip frappe still in his hand… and back up again.

Like she was judging more than just his words.

Yuna (calmly):

"I don't make a habit of memorizing people."

A beat.

Then she tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing just a fraction. Not annoyed, not shy.

Just… sharp.

Yuna:

"But you're hard to ignore."

Not said like a compliment but more like a fact.

Her expression didn’t change, but there was a faint edge to her tone now.

Observant and Blunt.

Yuna (matter-of-fact):

"You talk loudly. Laugh louder."

A pause.

Then..

Yuna:

"And your relationships last about as long as microwave noodles."

Her lips pressed together briefly. Not really smiling, but dangerously close to it.

Then she took another slow sip of her coffee, completely unbothered.

Letting the silence stretch.

Letting him sit in her words.

Finally, she lowered the bottle slightly and met his gaze again.

Steady and Unwavering.

Yuna (flat, honest):

"So no."

A small beat.

Yuna:

"You're not special."

Another pause.

Then..

Her eyes flicked once more to the drink in his hand.

Yuna (dryly):

"But the mint choco chip thing…"

A faint exhale through her nose.

Almost, just almost.. amusement.

Yuna:

"That part might be."

Jaewon scoffs slightly.

Jaewon (Matter-of-fact):

Ofcourse it is.

Suddenly his phone buzzes with a call.

He takes it out of his pocket, looks at the name and then turns his face back to Yuna.

Jaewon (Casual):

I have to take this.

Excuse me.

He turns around, Picking up the call.

Phone in one hand, The frappe in another.

And just like that he exited the shop with that careless charm left behind.

Yuna watched him turn away without another word.

No goodbye.

No hesitation.

Just that same careless ease people always talked about. Like nothing ever stuck to him long enough to matter.

The door chimed softly as he stepped outside, cool night air slipping in before the glass swung shut again.

Silence returned.

For about three seconds.

Then?

Beep.

Yuna walked toward the counter, placing her bottled coffee down with a soft tap. She reached into her tote, already pulling out her wallet.

Routine.

Quick.

Done in seconds.

Until—

Cashier (casual, distracted):

"That'll be 6,500 won."

Yuna paused.

Her fingers froze halfway to her wallet.

Slowly… very slowly… she looked up.

Yuna (flat):

"For one bottle?"

The cashier blinked once, then gestured toward the door.

Cashier:

"And the mint choco chip frappe."

A beat.

Silence.

Heavy silence.

Yuna didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

Just stared.

Yuna (slowly):

"...What."

The cashier looked confused now.

Cashier:

"The boy you were with didn't pay. I thought you'd cover it."

Another pause.

Longer this time.

Yuna's expression didn’t explode into anger.

Didn’t show embarrassment.

It just… went still.

Dangerously still.

Her grip tightened slightly around her wallet.

Yuna (very calm):

"I wasn't with him."

Cashier:

"Oh."

A small, awkward pause.

Then..

Cashier (sheepish):

"But he left already…"

Silence again.

Thick.

Uncomfortable.

Yuna slowly exhaled through her nose.

Not loudly.

Not dramatically.

Just once.

Measured.

Controlled.

Then she glanced toward the door—the same door Jaewon had walked out of seconds earlier, still visible through the glass under the dorm lights.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Not furious.

Not loud.

Just… quietly irritated.

Which was worse.

Much worse.

She reached into her wallet.

Pulled out the money.

Placed it on the counter with a soft, precise tap.

Yuna (flat):

"Add it."

No complaint.

No argument.

Just controlled damage.

The cashier nodded quickly, relieved.

Receipt printed.

Drink handed over.

Yuna stepped outside into the cool night air, the glass door chiming softly behind her.

Her coffee sat cold in her hand.

Her expression?

Colder.

Across the short walkway, Jaewon Yun stood under the dorm lights, phone pressed to his ear, mint choco chip frappe still in his hand like nothing in the world had gone wrong.

Like he hadn’t just walked out without paying.

Like she hadn’t just been charged for his drink.

Her steps were steady.

Not rushed.

Not dramatic.

Just purposeful.

Each step quiet against the pavement until she stopped a few feet in front of him.

Close enough to be noticed.

Close enough to be a problem.

She didn’t interrupt immediately.

Just waited.

Watched.

Eyes fixed on the bright green drink in his hand.

Tap.

Her finger lightly tapped the side of her coffee bottle once.

Then..

Without warning.

She reached forward and lightly flicked the side of his frappe cup with two fingers.

Not hard enough to spill.

Just enough to make it wobble slightly in his hand.

A silent interruption.

Her voice came out calm.

Controlled.

Flat.

Yuna:

"You owe me 4,000 won."

Straight to the point.

Her gaze lifted from the drink to his face, steady and sharp.

Yuna (matter-of-fact):

"The cashier thought we were together."

A small pause.

Then..

Yuna:

"And you walked out like you owned the place."

Not accusing.

Not loud.

Just stating facts like a receipt being read aloud.

Her eyes narrowed slightly in quiet irritation.

The dangerous kind.

Yuna (dryly):

"So congratulations."

A beat.

Yuna:

"You just made your first financial mistake tonight."

Jaewon blinked and slowly put the phone away from his ear.

Jaewon (Slowly):

..Yeah, I'll talk to you later.

Then he looks at her with a small hint of amusement in his eyes.

He slightly tilts his head.

Jaewon:

And you actually paid for me?

Instead of screaming “We aren't together”?

Yuna didn’t answer immediately.

She just stared at him.

Not flustered.

Not embarrassed.

Just… unimpressed.

Her grip tightened slightly around her coffee bottle as she watched that hint of amusement in his eyes. The kind that suggested he found this situation entertaining.

Which made it worse.

Much worse.

A quiet breath left her nose.

Controlled.

Measured.

Yuna (flat):

"I did say we weren't together."

A beat.

Her gaze shifted briefly to the frappe still in his hand.

Still intact.

Still annoyingly cheerful.

Then back to his face.

Yuna:

"They just didn't care enough to fix their mistake."

Another pause.

Then she tilted her head slightly, studying him again.

Just evaluating.

Yuna (matter-of-fact):

"And screaming is inefficient."

A small beat passed.

Her expression stayed calm. But there was the faintest edge now. The kind that suggested patience had limits.

Yuna:

"Paying was faster."

Silence settled between them for half a second.

Then..

Her fingers tapped lightly against her bottle again.

Tap.

Yuna (direct):

"So pay me back."

No hesitation.

No awkwardness.

Just straight to business.

Her eyes held his steadily, sharp, unwavering.

Then, after a brief pause..

Yuna (dryly):

"Unless you also believe debts are imaginary."

A faint shift in her posture followed by weight settling onto one leg, relaxed but unyielding.

Like she had absolutely no intention of leaving without her money.

And despite her calm tone…

There was something quietly challenging in her gaze now.

Not loud or dramatic.

But very clear.

Like: You’re not walking away from this.

A small soft chuckle escapes his mouth as he raises both of his hands up in surrender.

Jaewon:

Okay, okay. Calm down, Miss Yuna Park.

He puts one of his hands inside his jackets pocket and takes out two bills of “2,000 won”

He takes her hand, turns it around to see her palm and then he places them inside her hand.

Without hesitation.

Then he looks at her again. The amused smile still lingering on his face.

Jaewon:

Here. We're even now, Right?

Yuna didn’t react when he said her name.

Not outwardly.

But the moment he reached for her hand...

There was a brief flicker in her eyes.

Surprise.

Small. Quick. Gone in a second.

Her fingers stiffened slightly as he turned her palm over, placing the bills neatly into her hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Warm paper against her skin.

Uninvited contact.

Too casual.

Too confident.

He let go.

And just like that, the warmth disappeared.

Yuna stared down at the money in her palm for a second.

Two 2,000 won bills.

Exact amount.

Correct.

Her fingers slowly curled inward, folding the bills into her grip.

Then she looked back up at him.

Face calm.

Expression unreadable.

But her eyes?

More aware.

Yuna (quietly):

"You remembered my name."

Not accusing.

Not impressed.

Just… noting it.

A small pause followed.

Her gaze lingered on his face like she was trying to decide something.

Measuring.

Reassessing.

Then..

She slipped the money into her tote bag without breaking eye contact.

Yuna (matter-of-fact):

"We're even."

A beat.

Then her head tilted slightly, curiosity slipping in beneath the calm surface.

Yuna:

"But next time…"

Her eyes flicked briefly toward the frappe still in his hand.

Then back to him.

Yuna (dryly):

"Try paying before you leave."

Not angry at him just being blunt.

Her gaze held his for another second longer than necessary.

Then..

She turned slightly, shifting her body as if ready to leave.

But not fully walking away yet.

Not quite done.

There was still something unfinished hanging in the air.

So she added, almost casually.

Yuna (calm, direct):

"And for the record…"

A small pause.

Then she looked at him again, fully this time.

Eyes steady.

Unflinching.

Yuna:

"You didn't answer my question earlier."

A beat.

Her tone stayed neutral, but there was unmistakable curiosity now.

Subtle.

Yuna:

"Do you always celebrate breakups like this…"

Her gaze dropped briefly to the mint choco chip frappe.

Then returned to his face.

Yuna:

"…or was today special?"

Jaewon glances at his frappe.

“Yuna Park..” he said.

“The girl who's popular for rejecting every confession she get's..Was the one who started the conversation first.” he added smoothly.

He looks at her, to her eyes infact. His smile slightly softens.

“So, yeah.” he shrugs.

“Today is somewhat special from my perspective.” he said, a mix of tease and gentleness.

Yuna held his gaze.

Didn’t look away.

Didn’t get flustered.

But the moment he said her name again and pointed out that she started the conversation first? There was the faintest tightening in her expression.

Not embarrassment.

Awareness.

Annoyance… mostly at herself.

Her fingers shifted slightly against the strap of her tote bag as she processed his words. The night air was cool, quiet except for the distant hum of traffic and the buzz of the convenience store lights behind them.

Then...

A slow breath left her nose.

Yuna (flat):

"I commented on your drink."

A small pause.

Her eyes flicked once more to the mint choco chip frappe, then back to his face.

Yuna:

"That's not a conversation."

But there was the tiniest flaw in her logic and she knew it.

Which made her narrow her eyes slightly.

Then he said it.

Today is somewhat special.

That softened smile.

That tone.

Teasing… but not entirely careless.

That caught her off guard for half a second.

Just half.

She recovered quickly.

Her head tilted slightly, gaze sharpening again.

Yuna (dryly):

"You're not that memorable."

A beat passed.

Then..

Yuna:

"But your drink is."

The corner of her mouth twitched faintly. Not quite a smile, but dangerously close to one.

She shifted her weight to one leg, relaxed but composed.

There was curiosity there now.

Reluctant curiosity.

Yuna (matter-of-fact):

"And for someone celebrating a breakup…"

Her eyes flicked toward his face again, searching.

Yuna:

"You look suspiciously fine."

A pause.

Then..

Yuna (calm, blunt):

"Most people at least pretend to be upset."

Her gaze held his steadily

And this time..

She wasn’t just teasing.

She was genuinely curious.

Yuna:

"So what happened?"

A slight tilt of her head.

Tone more honest.

Yuna:

"Did she get tired of mint choco chip too?"

Jaewon blinks once and then a soft laugh escapes before he could stop it.

“You sure know about my dating history for someone who claims I'm ‘not that memorable’” He says as if it's a fact.

Then he turns around. His voice coming out as a quite and casual.

“Anyways..Now that we're even. I suppose we don't have anything else to talk about.”

He glances behind once. And waves with one hand, the same soft smile from before.

“See you then. Good night.”

With that, He left.

Neither did Yuna stop him.

Nor she called after him.

Infact, she didn’t react immediately at all.

She just stood there, watching his back as he turned and walked away like the conversation had ended exactly when he decided it had.

Careless.

Effortless.

Annoyingly smooth.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the strap of her tote bag.

Not out of anger.

Not exactly.

More like… irritation mixed with something unfamiliar.

He waved.

Said good night.

Left like it was nothing.

Like she was nothing more than a passing conversation.

The dorm lights flickered softly above, casting long shadows across the pavement as his figure grew smaller with every step.

Yuna stayed where she was.

Still and Quiet.

Then..

A slow breath left her nose.

Yuna (muttering quietly to herself):

"Unbelievable."

Not loud.

Just under her breath.

Her gaze dropped briefly to the ground… then lifted again, following the direction he had gone.

That stupid mint choco chip drink still in his hand.

Still bright.

Still irritating.

Still memorable.

A pause lingered in the night air.

Then she turned on her heel, finally heading toward the dorm entrance.

Steps steady.

Controlled.

But her mind wasn’t as calm as her expression.

Because one thought which was small and unwanted, slipped into her mind before she could stop it.

Yuna (quiet thought):

"He didn't deny it."

Not the breakup.

Not the question.

Not anything.

That bothered her more than it should have.

She pushed open the dorm door, stepping into the quiet hallway, already telling herself it didn’t matter.

That it was just a random encounter.

Just a careless boy with bad taste in drinks.

Just another forgettable night.

Except...

Right before disappearing inside, she muttered one last thing under her breath.

Soft.

Dry.

Almost annoyed.

Yuna (quietly):

"…Mint choco chip."

A beat.

Then she walked inside.

Unaware that tonight had just become the first page of something much harder to ignore.

To be continued ~