CHAPTER 1The Coffee Cup Catastrophe
Min-jun kitchen island par rakhe iced americano ko aise ghur raha tha jaise woh koi live grenade ho.
Cup par sloppy black sharpie se do naam likhe the—Do-hyun aur, thik uske neeche, ek chhota sa heart.
"Yeh pakka barista ka friendly gesture hoga," Min-jun apne baal nochte hue khud se badbadaya. "Or maybe it’s a declaration of love. What if Do-hyun us barista ko date kar raha hai? What if unki shaadi ho jaye, aur mujhe best man bankar wahan speech deni pade ki kaise main Do-hyun ke gande protein shaker cups saaf karta tha? No way, main yeh nahi kar sakta. I'll flee the country."
"Min-junnie? Subah-subah caffeine par kyun growl kar rahe ho?"
Do-hyun kitchen mein ladkhadate hue aaya. Uske baal ek majestic, messy bird's nest lag rahe the, aur woh sirf grey sweatpants pehne tha. Min-jun ka dimaag instantly short-circuit ho gaya. After seven years, lagta hai insaan Do-hyun ke ridiculously broad shoulders ka immune ho jayega. Par woh nahi tha.
"Kuch nahi!" Min-jun squeak kiya aur fatfat coffee cup ke upar dish towel faink diya. "Just... naye script ke liye facial expressions practice kar raha tha."
Do-hyun ne apni aankhein blink keen, ek giant puppy ki tarah yawn kiya, aur turant apna poora body weight Min-jun ki back par daal diya, apni chin ko Min-jun ke shoulder par hook karte hue.
The Internal Panic Meter: 150% and climbing.
"Tum bohot zyada kaam karte ho," Do-hyun ne mumble kiya, uski warm breath Min-jun ki neck par tickle kar rahi thi. "Naye director ko lekar stress mat lo. Agar usne tumse badtameezi ki, toh main accidentally-on-purpose uske paas ek studio light gira dunga."
"That's aggravated assault, Do-hyun," Min-jun ne kisi tarah choke karte hue kaha, while trying desperately ki woh floor par hi na melt ho jaye. He loved this. He hated this. Every single touch ek meetha par agonizing reminder tha ki Do-hyun shayad sabke sath hi aisa hai. Right?
Wrong. Do-hyun kisi aur ke sath aisa bilkul nahi tha. But Min-jun ki insecurity ek mazboot kile jaisi thi, aur koi bhi casual cuddling use tod nahi paa rahi thi.....
Chapter 2: Enter the Director
Upcoming romance drama, Love in Rewind, ka script reading session Min-jun ke liye ek bada milestone hone wala tha. Instead, yeh ek battleground ban gaya.
Min-jun bohot nervously us lambe se conference table par baitha tha, apne laptop ko zor se clutch kiye hue. Do-hyun usse kuch seats door baitha tha, use ek encouraging aur blinding smile pass karte hue.
Aur tabhi, director ne entry li.
Han Seo-jin bilkul bhi ek director nahi lagta tha. Woh koi aisa model lag raha tha jisne galti se film degree le li ho. Usne apne wire-rimmed glasses ko adjust kiya, poore kamre par ek nazar ghumayi, aur phir apni aankhein Min-jun par tikah deen.
"So, you're the writer," Seo-jin ne kaha, uski voice expensive whiskey ki tarah smooth thi. Woh chalte hue aaya, Min-jun ki chair par thoda lean kiya, aur full confidence ke sath uski personal space invade kar di. "I read the draft. The longing is exquisite. Mujhe batao, Min-jun... tumhara dil kisne toda jo tumne itna khoobsurat likha?"
Min-jun ka chehra sharm se bilkul tamatar jaisa laal ho gaya. "I—uh—it's just fiction! Imagination! Standard tropes!"
Table ke doosri taraf se, Do-hyun ka woh pyaara golden-retriever aura instantly gayab ho gaya. Uski aankhein chhoti ho gayeen aur uski body stiff ho gayi. "Director Han," Do-hyun ne beech mein tokte hue kaha, uski voice ek octave neeche drop ho gayi thi. "We should probably start the reading. Min-jun bohot jaldi fluster ho jata hai jab log uske zyada close khade hote hain."
Seo-jin ne apna sir thoda tilt kiya, uske lips par ek smirk thi jab usne Do-hyun ke tense shoulders aur Min-jun ke burning face ko dekha. "Oh? My apologies. Jab main raw talent dekhta hoon toh bas appreciate karne se khud ko rok nahi pata." Woh Min-jun ke aur close leaned in hua, aur whisper kiya, "Chalo aaj raat dinner par chalte hain to discuss the revisions. Just the two of us."
Min-jun ne bas us aadmi ko door hatane ke liye frantically apna sir haan mein hila diya.
Aur tabhi, Do-hyun ka pen beech se cleanly do tukdon mein snap ho gaya......
