CHAPTER THREE POINT FOUR

The warm scent of fried food and sizzling burgers enveloped them as they stepped into Lotteria, the cozy fast-food joint just a short walk from the police station. The soft glow of lights bounced off colorful posters on the walls, offering a comforting contrast to the sterile, tense atmosphere they had just left behind. The lunchtime rush had passed, leaving the place with a quiet hum of conversation and the occasional sizzle from the kitchen, punctuated by the distant clatter of trays.

Khynny, Hye Jin, and Oner made their way to a corner booth, tucked away from the main seating area. The tension from the interrogation still clung to them, but it began to loosen as they settled into the cushioned seats. The trio sat in a brief, comfortable silence, letting the warmth of the restaurant and the faint chatter around them ease the weight of the day.

Hye Jin leaned back, her eyes scanning the brightly lit menu overhead. "Alright, I'm starving. I'll go with the classic bulgogi burger. You two?"

Khynny's fingers tapped a light rhythm on the table as she smiled faintly, her gaze flicking up to the menu. "Same for me. I need something simple after all those questions."

Oner, sitting across from them, nodded. "Make it three."

Hye Jin grinned as she stood up, heading to the counter. The moment she was out of earshot, Khynny's smile faded. She glanced at Oner, her voice softening, careful. "So… the police really think your ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend were involved in the heist?"

Oner sighed, his hand moving to rub the back of his neck, tension in his movements. "Yeah. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Seeing her with him was bad enough, but this?" He exhaled sharply, the frustration in his voice palpable. "I never thought I'd be dragged into something like this."

Khynny's fingers stilled on the table, her expression thoughtful. "It's strange how our personal lives get tangled in things this big." Her gaze shifted toward the window, where the afternoon sun filtered through, casting a soft glow over the scene. "I can't believe the break-in is about more than just the vase."

Before Oner could respond, Hye Jin returned with a tray of food, sliding it onto the table. "Alright, let's eat before the fries get cold," she said, catching the tail end of their conversation as she sat down. "What did I miss?"

Khynny picked up a fry, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Just talking about how all of this started. The heist, the interrogation—it's been a lot."

Hye Jin nodded, taking a bite of her burger. "You're telling me. This whole thing's like a movie, but we're stuck living it."

They ate in silence for a while, the warmth of the food and the rhythmic clatter of the restaurant slowly easing the tension that had built up. It wasn't long before Hye Jin excused herself, heading to the restroom. The booth felt quieter, more intimate now.

Khynny broke the silence first, her eyes wandering to the red T1 logo on Oner's jacket. "History and gaming," she mused, raising an eyebrow. "Not the usual combination."

Oner smirked, leaning back in his seat, his fingers drumming lightly on the edge of the table. "Life's full of surprises."

His grin widened, and he leaned in just a little, matching her playful curiosity. "And you? Following in the footsteps of someone like Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr.? You know, Indiana Jones? The famous archaeologist?" The jungler's gaze lingering on her a second longer than necessary before looking away.

Khynny blinked, caught off guard. "Oh. Right." A soft, embarrassed laugh escaped her as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her gesture shy. "What makes you say that?"

"Well," Oner leaned closer, his tone teasing, "you're into history, artifacts, and you're not afraid to throw a few punches to defend a priceless vase. Sounds like something straight out of an adventure film."

The memory of the heist flickered across the professor's mind, and she smiled, her voice dropping as though sharing a secret. "Maybe I am like Dr. Jones," she admitted, her eyes meeting his. "But I'm real—and definitely younger."

The air between them grew still, the playful banter giving way to a subtler exchange. Oner's gaze softened, his lips twitching into a smile. "And way better at martial arts."

Khynny laughed, lifting a fry and gesturing with it. "The martial arts part comes from years of fending off my six siblings. Middle child problems."

Oner's eyebrows shot up, genuine surprise flickering across his face. "Seven? That's impressive. No wonder you know how to handle yourself."

There was something in his voice—a quiet admiration that made Khynny's cheeks flush ever so slightly. She fought to keep her composure, but the warmth lingered. "Years of sibling sparring," she confirmed with a grin. "But you're not too bad yourself. I'd say you've got a few black belts under your belt."

Oner's eyes widened in surprise before a slow, appreciative smile spread across his face. "Sharp observation, Professor."

Khynny chuckled softly, the tension between them easing into something lighter, more comfortable. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Just then, Hye Jin returned, a sheepish grin on her face. "Sorry, long line in the restroom."

"No worries," Khynny said, smirking as she glanced at Oner. "Did you know your brother here is hiding his real identity?"

Hye Jin frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

"He just told me he's Juri from 'Street Fighter'."

Oner choked on his drink, a stream of macha-flavored milk tea shooting from his nose. Khynny's laughter rang out, clear and melodic, as she grinned mischievously. "Gotcha."

The playful banter continued, the comfortable atmosphere between them building as they teased and laughed, but beneath it all, there was an undeniable spark—a connection that went beyond their shared circumstances.

They had crossed paths by chance, but somehow, fate kept throwing them together. And though the heist and everything else loomed over them, there was something unspoken between Khynny and Oner—something neither of them would rush into, but both quietly acknowledged.

As their laughter died down, Hye Jin shot a playful look at her brother, nudging him with her elbow. "You two seem to get along fast," she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Khynny smirked, her gaze still on Oner, who was rubbing his nose, trying to recover from the milk tea incident. "I have a younger brother about his age," she said with a shrug, leaning back in her seat. "He reminds me of him a lot. And, just like him, he can't stop blushing when teased."

Oner rolled his eyes, his cheeks still flushed, though a faint grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "I'm not blushing," he muttered defensively, though the red tinge on his face told a different story.

Hye Jin grinned, clearly enjoying the banter. "Oh, trust me, he's full of surprises," she said, casting a knowing glance at her brother before her expression grew more curious. "But enough about that. I still want to hear about how you two met in Leyte. You've been secretive about it, nam-dongsaeng."

Oner's posture relaxed a little, the playful tension between him and Khynny softening. "Secretive? I wasn't hiding anything," he replied, shooting a brief, amused look at Khynny, who raised an eyebrow.

Khynny chuckled, sensing that Hye Jin was only half-serious. "It wasn't exactly a dramatic meeting," she said, leaning forward as if sharing a light-hearted confession. "I was in Leyte for a lecture at my old high school, and we kind of… bumped into each other."

Oner smirked. "More like, she bumped into me while trying to escape reporters. Pretty sure my map got ruined in the process."

Hye Jin leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "Reporters? What were they after?"

Khynny waved a hand, dismissing the memory with a chuckle. "Nothing important. They just wanted to ask about an artifact I'd found. I was trying to avoid the attention, but I ended up invading his space instead."

"And you became his tour guide?" Hye Jin teased, raising an eyebrow.

Khynny laughed. "Not officially, but I did help him find his way back after he got separated from his tour group. We ended up talking about the local history while we waited for his bus to come back."

"I wasn't lost," Oner said, though his grin gave him away. "Just… temporarily misplaced."

The playful tone of their conversation softened slightly as the memory of their chance meeting lingered between them. For a moment, it felt like something unspoken hung in the air—something neither of them seemed eager to define just yet.

Hye Jin, always quick to pick up on subtle shifts in the mood, leaned back with a knowing smile. "Well, whatever it was, it sounds like fate had a hand in it. Meeting in Leyte, then again at the gala? Seems like the universe has plans for you two."

Oner chuckled softly, exchanging a glance with Khynny. "Fate's funny like that."

Khynny smiled, feeling the warmth in his words, but not pushing the moment further.

The conversation flowed easily after that, shifting to lighter topics. Hye Jin shared a few stories from her civil engineering studies, laughing about her struggles with long lab hours and secret history courses she took just for fun. Oner talked about the intensity of his upcoming esports matches, and Khynny spoke about her passion for archaeology and the complexities of teaching at the university level.

Before long, Hye Jin checked her phone and sighed. "I've got a lab in an hour," she said, standing up. "I can't afford to be late again."

"Same here," Oner said, stretching as he grabbed his jacket. "I've got practice coming up soon." He turned to Khynny, his gaze softening. "You need a ride back to campus?"

Khynny blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Oh, I don't want to trouble you—"

"It's no trouble," Oner interrupted with a casual smile. "I'm heading that way anyway. Come on, it's easier than the subway."

She hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Alright, thanks. I appreciate it."

The three of them made their way out of Lotteria, stepping into the bright afternoon sun that flooded the bustling street outside. They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the buzz of the city surrounding them, until they reached Oner's Mercedes, parked just a block away. The sleek, dark vehicle gleamed under the sunlight—simple, yet undeniably expensive.

Khynny stopped in her tracks, letting out a low whistle. "Wow. Is that the latest AMG model in the series?" She grinned, her eyes sweeping over the car's flawless exterior. "Now I'm seriously contemplating a career change."

Oner laughed, shaking his head as he unlocked the car. "What, trading in the professor life for esports?"

"Maybe," Khynny teased, giving him a playful nudge as they climbed into the car. "I mean, if it comes with perks like this, why not?"

Hye Jin smiled from the backseat, amused by the exchange. "You should've seen his face when he bought it. Like a kid on Christmas morning."

As the engine hummed softly to life, the city passed by in a blur of color and motion, the mood in the car light and easy as they headed toward SNU.

They reached Seoul National University before long, Oner pulling up near the main gate. The afternoon air was cool as they stepped out, the city humming around them.

"Thanks for the ride," Khynny said, genuinely appreciative as she adjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder.

Oner shrugged, offering her a faint smile. "Anytime. I'll see you around."

Hye Jin grinned, giving a mock-salute as she turned to leave. "Next time, let's meet and hang-out somewhere a little less… dramatic. No museums, no police stations."

Khynny laughed, waving them off as they headed in different directions. "I'll hold you to that."

As she walked toward her building, a sense of calm settled over her. The chaos of the past few days—the interrogation, the heist, the mystery surrounding Oner's ex-girlfriend—still loomed in the background, but for the first time in days, it felt like everything might just be okay.

Or at the very least, they'd get through it together.