Chapter 11: Yoon Sera

I woke up so late that morning that I had to rush through my usual routine. By the time I reached the kitchen, breakfast was already over. My stomach growled in protest, reminding me of the missed meal, but there was no time to fix it. I just had to suck it up and run for the classes. I knew that Dohyun and Taesan would be waiting outside, and I didn't want to make them late. They would've insisted on stopping at the cafeteria if they knew I was hungry, and we couldn't afford to miss class.

We boarded the bus, which was packed with people, not an inch of space left unoccupied. I ended up squeezed between Dohyun and Taesan. They were both so tall, towering like mountains above me, holding onto the bus straps effortlessly. Meanwhile, I struggled to find something to hold on to, so I braced myself and did my best to stay upright. With the crowd pressing in, I found myself wedged tightly between them, their presence oddly comforting. I felt safe between them, even amidst the jostling of the crowded bus.

Suddenly, the bus came to a sharp stop in front of the gate, and as people rushed to get out, I lost my balance. In the chaos, I slipped, but before I could hit the floor, a firm hand caught me around my waist. It was Taesan. His strong grip held me steady, and for a fleeting moment, I found myself close to him, feeling his warm breath against my skin. Our eyes locked, and time seemed to slow down. My heart pounded in my chest, and for those few seconds, I felt like I was completely lost in his gaze. Around us, it felt like everyone was staring, but I couldn't pull my eyes away.

Dohyun broke the moment with his calm voice. "Are you okay, Sera?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine," I stammered, my face heating up with embarrassment.

Taesan helped me find my footing again, and we stepped off the bus together. My cheeks were still burning, and my stomach growled again, reminding me of my empty breakfast. Without thinking, I turned towards the cafeteria instead of heading to class. Dohyun's voice called after me.

"Where are you going, Sera? Wait, didn't you eat?" he asked, concern lacing his tone.

"No, I didn't," I admitted, feeling a bit guilty for worrying them.

"Okay. We'll come with you then," he said, already turning to follow me.

"But class is starting in just five minutes!" I protested. "Please, you don't have to come. I'll be fine."

Taesan stepped closer and gave me a reassuring look. "It's okay for us to join you. Besides, I haven't eaten yet either."

I caught the way Dohyun shot him a curious glance, one that seemed to say, Really? It made me realize that Taesan had already eaten. He was just saying that so I wouldn't have to eat alone. My heart swelled a little at the gesture, but I chose to keep my mouth shut and accept their company.

As we walked together toward the cafeteria, I couldn't help but smile, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the sun overhead. Even though I had started the day late and hungry, their presence made it feel a little brighter.

After class ended, Jiwon eagerly asked me to go shopping with her. I had a cooking class scheduled at The Velvet Fork restaurant, and I didn't want to disappoint her, so I hesitated. In the end, I decided to call my cooking teacher and let them know I'd be a bit late. Jiwon's enthusiasm made it impossible for me to say no. Zixuan joined us, too, and the three of us spent the afternoon weaving through stores, trying on clothes, and sharing laughs.

When we finally finished, Jiwon clapped her hands together with a bright smile and said, "I want to treat you both as a thank you for coming with me."

Zixuan chuckled and replied, "It would be rude to refuse such a generous offer. But, Sera, aren't you running late for your class?"

Jiwon pouted and grabbed my hand. "It will only take fifteen minutes, I promise. Please?"

I looked at Zixuan, feeling a bit torn, and he gave me a small, encouraging nod as if saying he was willing to help me manage my time. So, we ended up going to a cozy little café nearby. The place had a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with soft music playing in the background. As soon as our drinks arrived, I started sipping my coffee quickly, feeling the pressure of the ticking clock. My hair kept falling into my face, and without a word, Zixuan reached over and gently tucked a loose strand behind my ear.

Jiwon noticed the small gesture and raised an eyebrow with a knowing smirk. "Are you two dating or something?" she teased, her voice laced with curiosity.

Her sudden question caught me so off guard that I nearly choked on my coffee, coughing uncontrollably. Zixuan waved his hands in denial, his expression calm. "No, no, it's not like that. I was just helping her," he said with a small, awkward laugh.

Jiwon wasn't convinced. "Oh, come on, Zixuan. I've seen how protective and caring you are with Sera. You can't fool me."

Desperate to diffuse the situation, I blurted out, "No, it's not that. He has four older sisters, so he knows how to take care of girls' stuff."

The moment the words left my mouth, I wanted to bury my head in my hands. What did I just say?! I had somehow made the situation even more awkward and ridiculous. Zixuan turned to look at me, and instead of giving me the scolding I expected, he just smiled softly.

Why is he smiling? I thought, feeling my face grow hotter. We quickly finished our coffees and left the café, eager to escape the lingering awkwardness. As we boarded the bus together, I noticed that Zixuan's smile still hadn't faded. Unable to hold back my curiosity any longer, I asked, "Why are you still smiling? I made everything awkward back there. I thought you'd be annoyed with me."

He turned his gaze towards me, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "You're cute, Sera," he said simply.

"Huh?" I managed to reply, my face turning a deeper shade of red.

"Cute," he repeated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Anyway, if I ever make you uncomfortable, just let me know, okay? I'd want to know if I overstep. I'll make sure to treat you well."

I shook my head quickly, trying to reassure him. "You don't make me uncomfortable, Zixuan. You're my friend, and you always make me feel at ease. You know, you didn't have to come with me to The Velvet Fork today, but you still chose to, just to keep me company. That's what friends do, right? And your aunt is amazing—I hope I can make her proud with my cooking."

He gave me a warm, gentle smile and patted my head like I was a little kid. "Of course you will, Sera. You've got this."

And just like that, the awkward tension between us melted away, replaced by a sense of warmth and camaraderie that made my heart feel a little lighter. As the bus rattled on, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the small moments like this—moments that made everything else just a little bit brighter.

After a long day, I finally returned home. The weight of the day clung to me, so I took a refreshing shower, hoping to wash away the exhaustion. As I began to prepare a simple dinner in my small kitchen, I heard a knock on the door. Opening it, I found Dohyun standing there, his hands filled with dishes. He gave me a warm smile and asked, "Can I come in?"

"Sure," I replied, stepping aside to let him in.

He carefully placed the dishes on my small dining table and said, "Sera, Mom cooked for you tonight. She wanted you to have these. I just got home a little while ago and saw your place was locked up. You've been working so hard lately. I wish you all the best. It's pretty late now—Mom and Dad were waiting for you, but they've gone to bed. So, I thought I'd bring the food over myself."

A pang of guilt hit me, and I said, "I'm so sorry. You should have called me, Dohyun."

He shook his head with a reassuring smile. "It's okay. Next time, maybe. For now, I'm here to keep you company. You should start eating before it gets cold."

"Sure, thank you," I said, touched by his thoughtfulness.

We sat down together, the warm aroma of the food filling the air. As I ate, Dohyun's gaze wandered to my small, cluttered bookshelf. I noticed and quickly said, "I know, everything's a mess. I haven't had time to organize the clothes yet."

Dohyun's eyes landed on a particular shirt that was draped over the back of a chair. He pointed at it and said, "Sera, isn't that the shirt you wore at the orientation? The one you changed into later?"

I froze for a moment, the memory rushing back to me. It was the shirt given to me by a stranger on the bridge that night when I felt utterly lost. He had wrapped it around my shoulders to keep me warm when the rain poured down. "Yes. But it's not mine," I confessed.

"Not yours?" Dohyun asked, looking puzzled. "It looks so familiar to me. I remember seeing it before. I wanted to ask you about it that day, but it didn't seem like the right time. Who gave you this?"

"The stranger who saved me on the bridge," I answered quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded slowly, as if piecing together something in his mind. There was a look in his eyes that suggested he might know more than he let on, but he didn't push the topic further. After I finished my dinner, Dohyun insisted on cleaning up the dishes himself before heading out. He reminded me to sleep early instead of spending time on my phone, knowing that we had early classes the next day. With that, he left, leaving me with a sense of warmth and gratitude.

As I closed the door behind him, I walked over to the window and happened to glance outside. To my surprise, I saw Taesan, deeply focused on studying at his desk. His glasses framed his face perfectly, making him look even more handsome under the dim light of his study lamp. I couldn't take my eyes off him; he looked so serene, like a scene out of a movie. But then, as if he sensed my gaze, he shut his book, turned off the light, and caught me staring. A smirk played on his lips as he called out through the open window, "When are you planning to sleep?"

"In a minute," I stammered, caught off guard.

He raised an eyebrow playfully. "Extend that minute. Come downstairs. I want to grab a drink—if you're up for it."

Oh my goodness. Taesan, the usually quiet and reserved guy, was inviting me for a drink. I never expected that from him. He rarely spoke, never asked questions, just observed. My heart raced with excitement, but I tried to keep my cool and nodded. Inside, I was so thrilled I could've jumped around, but I managed to keep my composure. I didn't know why I felt this way, but I quickly grabbed my hoodie and went downstairs.

As soon as I reached him, he noticed the laces of my hoodie were undone. With a small sigh, he leaned in close, almost too close, and said, "Are you a kid?"

"Huh?" I mumbled, confused.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing against my hoodie as he tied the laces neatly. He adjusted the hood over my head, his fingers gently smoothing out my hair. My breath hitched at the closeness, the way his touch lingered. Then, his voice softened, turning serious, "What if I were a bad guy? Would you still have come if I asked you?"

My mind screamed, Yes, I'd come, Taesan. I trust you. But the words got stuck in my throat. He noticed my silence and continued, "Why are you staring at me like that? Don't trust people too easily. I just wanted some company for a drink, and since you were awake, I thought I'd invite you. Thanks for coming. Now, let's walk and find somewhere to sit."

"I trust you," I whispered under my breath, almost afraid to say it out loud.

He turned to me, eyebrows furrowed. "What did you say?"

"I trust you, Taesan. More than I trust myself," I repeated, my voice a bit stronger this time.

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression softening into something I couldn't quite understand. His gaze was so intense it made my heart race even faster. But then, as if trying to hide his feelings, he turned away quickly, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Let's walk," he said, his voice low and a bit flustered.

We walked to a nearby restaurant that was still open late at night. As we arrived, a middle-aged man stepped out, looking surprised to see us. "Jongkook-nim, why are you here?" Taesan asked, clearly familiar with him.

The man smiled warmly, adjusting his coat. "Oh, Taesan! I just finished dinner here and was about to leave. And who is this?" His curious gaze shifted to me.

I bowed politely and introduced myself, "Hello, I'm Sera. A friend of Taesan's."

He nodded with a friendly smile. "Nice name. Nice to meet you, Sera. I'm Kim Jongkook, Taesan's..." He hesitated, glancing at Taesan, who gave him a quick, almost warning look.

"My previous neighbor," Taesan filled in quickly.

Jongkook nim chuckled lightly and waved at us. "Alright, you two. I have to get going. See you around, Taesan."

As he walked away, I couldn't help but notice the tension in Taesan's shoulders. I wondered what history lay between them, but I decided not to ask just yet. Instead, I simply cherished the unexpected turn of the evening, the quiet connection we shared under the soft glow of the streetlights.