As Ha-Joon and In-Su strolled through the quiet streets on their way home, Ha-Joon suddenly turned to In-Su with a sly smile, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Hey… In-Su," Ha-Joon began, voice playful. "Why were you staring at Nara back there? Is there something going on?"
In-Su shot him a quick glance, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly as he considered the question. After a brief pause, he nodded calmly.
"Yeah," he said simply. "She was too close."
Ha-Joon raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Means you like her…?" he asked, voice teasing but with an underlying curiosity.
In-Su's expression remained unreadable. He looked straight ahead, then shrugged with a slight smirk.
"No… I do not like her. You can rest assured," he replied, his tone cool and dismissive.
Ha-Joon chuckled softly to himself, a satisfied smile on his face. He doesn't like Nara—that's delightful, he thought, feeling a little amused.
But inside, a different thought was brewing.
Why is he asking if I like Nara? Is he jealous? In-Su's gaze flicked to Ha-Joon, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them.
In-Su's mind was racing.
Why does he care so much? Is he worried I might be interested in someone else? Or maybe… he's trying to gauge my feelings? His smirk deepened just a little, betraying nothing outwardly but sparking with quiet suspicion.
Ha-Joon, meanwhile, was watching In-Su carefully, noticing the subtle shift in his expression.
Why is he so interested? he wondered. Does he really not like Nara, or is he just pretending?
They continued walking in silence, the city lights flickering around them.
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Ha-Joon and In-Su stepped into Ha-Joon's house, the familiar warmth of home wrapping around them.
As they moved toward the living room, In-Su suddenly announced, "I'm staying with you tonight.."
Ha-Joon blinked, slightly caught off guard, but he quickly nodded with a grin. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"
In-Su's expression was calm, almost unreadable, but his eyes flicked toward Ha-Joon with a flicker of something more intense—like he was measuring him, or hiding something.
They entered the living room, where Mrs. Kim was sitting comfortably on the couch, watching TV, her face lit by the flickering screen.
Min-Ju and Ji-Woo were giggling and whispering, clearly excited about something.
Without warning, Ha-Joon tiptoed behind Mrs. Kim and wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind.
He gave her a quick, playful hug, a mischievous smile on his face.
"Oi, who is this?" Mrs. Kim asked, turning her head slightly with a warm, teasing smile.
Min-Ju and Ji-Woo immediately burst into laughter, their eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Wow, sneaky, Ha-Joon," Min-Ju teased, giggling.
Ji-Woo nudged Min-Ju, grinning. "Careful, he's up to something."
Ha-Joon, maintaining his playful demeanor, pointed at In-Su with a confident smirk. '' In-Su. He's staying over tonight. My parents are out."
In-Su, standing calmly nearby, smirked slightly, but there was a flicker of something else—a guarded gleam in his eyes, as if he was watching everyone carefully.
His gaze lingered on Ha-Joon just a second longer than necessary, making Ha-Joon's smile falter for a moment.
Mrs. Kim chuckled softly and gave a gentle nod.
"That's fine. As long as everyone's having fun," she said warmly, but her eyes briefly darted to In-Su, sensing that something was beneath the surface.
Min-Ju and Ji-Woo continued giggling, exchanging knowing glances.
"Looks like it's going to be a fun night," Min-Ju whispered to Ji-Woo, both of them smirking mischievously, clearly sensing the tension underneath the cheerful atmosphere.
Ha-Joon hesitated for a heartbeat, then reached out and ruffled In-Su's hair, trying to keep the mood light.
In-Su's eyes flicked to him, unreadable and cool, but there was a subtle tension in the way he kept his guard up—like he was carefully watching Ha-Joon's every move, or perhaps, hiding something himself.
Ha-Joon caught the slight narrowing of In-Su's eyes, a suspicious glint that didn't quite fit with his calm exterior.
It was almost like In-Su was probing, trying to figure out what Ha-Joon was hiding—or maybe what he wasn't telling him.
Mrs. Kim, sensing the undercurrent, gave a soft smile but kept her gaze on In-Su.
She was used to reading people, and she knew this wasn't just a casual sleepover. Something more was going happen maybe In-Su's planning something big.
As they settled in, the atmosphere grew thick with unspoken questions. Ha-Joon kept exchanging quick, meaningful glances with In-Su,
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As the night deepened, the room was filled with a cozy, slightly chaotic atmosphere.
Min-Ju and Ji-Woo had finally settled into their silly pajamas—Min-Ju in a neon pink onesie with sparkles, Ji-Woo in a dinosaur print with tiny claws on the feet.
Mrs. Kim had tucked everyone in with a warm smile, and the room was softly lit by a small bedside lamp.
Ha-Joon and In-Su changed into their pajamas in Ha-Joon's room.
Ha-Joon struggled slightly with his loose gray sweatpants, trying to keep his balance, while In-Su, in his starry red pajamas, sat on the edge of the bed, watching him with a playful smirk.
Suddenly, In-Su leaned forward, eyes narrowing teasingly.
"So… do you like Nara?" In-Su asked casually, but there was a sharp edge to his voice this time.
Ha-Joon froze, cheeks burning, and hurriedly looked away, fumbling with his shirt.
"What? No, I… I mean, she's just a friend," he stammered, voice cracking.
In-Su's smirk didn't fade. Instead, he leaned closer, voice lowering. "Come on, don't give me that. Do you like her or not?"
Ha-Joon sighed, feeling cornered.
"I… I don't know. Maybe. I get annoyed sometimes, disappointed… but she's just… I don't know." His voice trailed off, and he looked down, embarrassed.
In-Su's eyes flickered with something unreadable—sadness, perhaps? Or hurt? He kept asking, voice gentle but persistent.
"Do you like her?"
Ha-Joon hesitated, then finally nodded, his voice barely a whisper. "Yeah. I do."
In-Su's face fell for a brief moment, a flicker of sadness crossing his features.
He quickly masked it with a smile, but the glint in his eyes was different—more subdued, almost betrayed.
He sat back, trying to act casual, but his tone was softer now. "I see. Well, I hope she feels the same way."
Ha-Joon looked at him, puzzled by the sudden change. "Why do you look so… sad?"
''Don't tell me you are starting to fall in love with me or you like her?'' Ha-Joon teased, smiling playfully.
In-Su forced a small, sad smile, shaking his head.
"It's nothing. Just… I'm happy for you," he said, but his eyes betrayed him—there was a shadow of something else there, something unspoken.
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken feelings hanging in the air.
Ha-Joon, feeling awkward and trying to lighten the mood, grinned and pointed at their pajamas. "Nice starry PJs, by the way. Very… stylish."
In-Su chuckled softly, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thanks. Sleep like a star tonight."
They finally settled into their beds, but the mood was different now—more quiet, more contemplative.
Later, as they lay under the blankets, In-Su hesitated before speaking again.
"Hey… if Nara ever asks you out, what will you do?"
Ha-Joon groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. "Please, stop asking! I just want to sleep."
In-Su's eyes lingered on him, a mix of sadness and something else—regret, maybe. "Just asking," he whispered softly. "But don't forget, I'm always here."
Ha-Joon mumbled into his pillow ''Yeah In-Su'', unaware of In-Su's hidden feelings, and smiled faintly.