The air between them was thick with unspoken words, with emotions neither of them could put into words just yet. For Chih En, it was more than just the near accident - it was the overwhelming presence of JL that seemed to affect him in ways he couldn't explain.
JL sat up slowly, his voice tinged with concern. "Are you okay?" His eyes searched Chih En's face, but Chih En couldn't quite meet his gaze. Instead, he nodded quickly, feeling an awkward tension building between them.
"I… I'm fine," Chih En muttered, standing up and brushing himself off. His heart was still pounding from both the adrenaline and the unexpected closeness. He couldn't understand why his chest felt so tight, or why he couldn't stop thinking about how JL's hand had felt on his arm.
And just like that, the moment was over, but the feelings lingered, silent and confusing, like a secret he wasn't yet prepared to face.
---
Dongyun was the first to speak, his voice a little sheepish. "Sorry about that, Chih En. I didn't see you while I was on my phone."
Chih En just waved it off, brushing the dirt off his jacket. "It's fine," he muttered.
Juwon, always quick to lighten the mood, grinned and chimed in, "Yeah, Dongyun! We should all just be grateful no one got hurt. Right, Chih En?" He shot a teasing look at his friend, but there was genuine concern behind his words.
JL, not taking no for an answer, stepped forward, his eyes still focused on Chih En. "You should get checked out. What if you have a concussion? I can take you to the hospital."
Chih En shook his head, feeling an uncomfortable warmth rise to his cheeks. "I'm fine," he said quickly, though his voice was a little shaky. "You don't need to do that."
"But - " JL started, his brows furrowing.
"I'm fine." Chih En cut him off, his gaze flicking to the ground. "Really, JL. You've got to go... I'm not the one who needs help."
JL smiled gently, the concern in his eyes not fading. "I've fallen many times and bounced back up. I'll be okay," he said with a playful wink, trying to ease the tension. But his words only made Chih En blush harder, and he quickly turned his head away.
Dongyun, not wanting to miss his chance at humor, knelt down in front of Chih En, clasping his hands together. "Please forgive me, Chih En! I swear I didn't mean to push you." He exaggerated the movement, looking up at him with puppy-dog eyes.
Chih En raised an eyebrow, but he couldn't suppress a small chuckle. "Dongyun, it wasn't your fault."
JL laughed too, shaking his head. "No one's at fault here. It's just one of those things, right?"
Chih En nodded, though his mind was still racing. He looked down at his palm, and his breath caught when he saw it - his earring. He had the earring!
A wave of relief washed over him, but he quickly composed himself. He couldn't let anyone know how happy he was, especially not JL. He tucked the earring back into his pocket, his hands shaking ever so slightly.
Juwon, ever the optimist, broke the silence. "Alright, if no one wants to go to the hospital, how about we all go get hot soup?" he suggested, his voice upbeat. "It'll be good for all of us. JL and I were planning on going anyway."
Chih En hesitated, glancing between the three of them. He didn't want to be a burden, but the idea of food was suddenly very appealing, especially after the whole ordeal. Before he could respond, Dongyun grabbed his arm with surprising strength, pulling him along.
"Let's go, Chih En! You need to eat something," Dongyun said, almost dragging him in the direction of the restaurant.
Chih En shot a quick look at JL, but JL had already given him a warm, reassuring smile. "Come on, you'll feel better after a hot bowl of soup," JL said, his voice gentle but insistent.
---
The small soup restaurant had a cozy atmosphere, with a few tables occupied by locals enjoying their evening meals. The aroma of simmering broth filled the air, and the warmth of the restaurant was a welcome contrast to the chilly evening outside.
As they sat down at a table in the corner, Juwon wasted no time in ordering. "One big pot of hot soup for everyone here!" he announced, grinning. "We're all in this together, right?"
Chih En sat down quietly, trying to ignore the growing knot in his stomach. He was still feeling the weight of everything - JL's proximity, the near accident, and the strange, uncomfortable feelings that kept surfacing when JL was around.
Dongyun sat next to him, giving him an encouraging grin. "You'll feel better once you eat, trust me."
The conversation flowed easily, with Juwon teasing Dongyun about his earlier clumsy moment, and JL and Chih En quietly listening. Every now and then, Chih En caught JL's gaze and felt his heart skip a beat, but he quickly looked away, not ready to confront whatever was happening between them.
Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in the kitchen doorway, wearing an apron and dishwashing gloves.
It was Steven.
The group froze, eyes widening in surprise. No one had expected to see him here, especially not like this.
Steven removed the gloves, wiping his hands on the apron with a forced smile. It was clear that he hadn't expected to run into his classmates. His eyes met theirs, and there was an awkward silence.
JL and Juwon smiled at Steven, calling him over. "Hey, Steven! Didn't know you were here," JL said, trying to keep the mood light. Juwon nodded in agreement, though his voice was soft, as if he didn't want to pry into whatever was going on.
Steven nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah... long story. Shift's over, anyway." He pulled off his apron and tossed it aside, clearly not in the mood for conversation. He gave them a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Just as Steven was walking over to join them, the entrance door swung open. A group of students entered the restaurant, and they could immediately tell from their uniforms that they were from Groove Institute. The first person to enter was none other than Kyungho, and his voice echoed as he complained loudly.
"Why do we have to come here? It's so far from our school!" Kyungho's annoyed tone rang through the room, drawing the attention in the restaurant.
Jeongwoo, the class president, gave him a sharp look but quickly turned to greet the Rhythm High students the moment he noticed them, effectively breaking the tension. "Hey, Rhythm High! Good to see you all." He smiled brightly at the table, also calling out Juwon's name with a friendly wave. JL, too, smiled back, but there was an undeniable sense of discomfort in the air.
Park Han, the star student of Groove, followed Jeongwoo into the restaurant, though he seemed a bit caught off guard when he noticed Rhythm High sitting at the table. His eyes met JL's for a split second, and there was a flicker of surprise in his gaze. But his expression quickly returned to his usual calm, though it didn't hide the tension building up in the air. Jeongwoo, ever the leader, guided the group toward the opposite table with a polite nod to the Rhythm High students. Kyungho, on the other hand, seemed less willing to move so easily. He gave Park Han a nudge, pushing him to the table as if to distract him.
Steven's eyes narrowed as he observed the group from Groove Institute. His jaw clenched slightly, and it was clear he wasn't too thrilled to see them. The tension in the room thickened, and it didn't go unnoticed by the other students.
Just as the mood seemed to settle, another group of students walked into the restaurant, led by none other than Woongki from Beat Music High. He was laughing loudly, his voice echoing through the room as Jinho cracked a joke. Yuito and Kairi followed closely behind, along with Doyoon.
When Woongki caught sight of Kyungho, his laughter immediately faded. His eyes locked onto Kyungho, and for a brief moment, it seemed like he might turn around and leave. But before he could do anything, Doyoon stepped up behind Woongki and back-hugged him, gently urging him toward an empty table.
Kyungho's glared at them, clearly annoyed by Doyoon's actions. "What are you doing?" he muttered under his breath, but Doyoon, oblivious to the tension, simply laughed and led Woongki to the table.
The atmosphere in the restaurant grew even more charged as the three groups from Rhythm, Groove , and Beat exchanged uncomfortable glances. Even the other people in the restaurant couldn't ignore the palpable tension in the air. The group sat at their respective tables, barely able to meet each other's eyes.
And then, for the first time since they had all entered, there was silence.
A strange quiet hung over the room, as if time itself had slowed down. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something to break the tension, but nothing came...