Hyerin shook her head, exhaling softly. "I don't even know why I'm still sitting here."
I smirked, watching her carefully. "Because you're curious."
Her fingers tapped lightly against the side of her coffee cup, her expression unreadable. "Curious about what?"
"About me."
She let out a quiet laugh, but there was no denial in her voice.
"I don't get you, Saehwa," she admitted, finally meeting my gaze fully.
"Good," I murmured, taking another sip of my cappuccino. "That means you'll keep thinking about me."
She scoffed, looking away. "You really like hearing yourself talk, don't you?"
I chuckled. "I do."
Silence settled between us again—not awkward, not tense, but something else entirely. A shift.
I watched as she glanced out the window, her thoughts distant for a moment before she spoke again, her voice quieter.
"You said I don't follow a script," she murmured, more to herself than to me.
I raised an eyebrow, waiting.
"But neither do you," she continued. "Not really."
Now that was interesting.
I tilted my head slightly, smirking. "Oh? And why do you think that?"
She tapped a finger against her cup, thoughtful. "Because if you did, you wouldn't be here. Not with me."
Her words lingered in the air, a quiet realization between us.
She wasn't wrong.
If I followed the same set of rules as the others, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be spending my evening at a café with Yeon Hyerin.
And yet—here we were.
I smiled, slow and deliberate. "Maybe you're onto something."
She huffed, shaking her head. "That's terrifying."
I laughed, genuinely amused. "Is it?"
She looked at me then, her expression unreadable.
"I think it is," she murmured.
The silence that followed wasn't empty. It was charged.
She wasn't running from me anymore.
She was staying.
I picked up my spoon again, breaking off another piece of tiramisu before sliding the plate toward her.
"Then stay a little longer," I murmured. "And see just how terrifying I can be."
Hyerin hesitated.
Then—slowly, carefully—she picked up her fork.
And that was all the confirmation I needed.
I leaned back slightly, watching as Hyerin absentmindedly twirled her fork between her fingers. Relaxed, but still cautious. Still figuring me out.
Good.
"Should we go somewhere else?" I asked, breaking the comfortable silence between us.
Hyerin raised an eyebrow. "Where to?"
I tapped my fingers against the table, pretending to think. "How about some karaoke?"
She blinked, clearly not expecting that answer. "Karaoke?"
"There's a place nearby. Owned by the same person as this café," I continued smoothly. "Ever heard of it? Kyo's Karaoke?"
She frowned slightly, shaking her head. "No."
I exhaled dramatically, shaking my head. "You're missing out."
She looked unimpressed.
I smirked. "Come on, let's go. It'll be my treat this time."
Hyerin raised an eyebrow. "Your treat?"
"Tiramisu is pretty expensive, you know?" I mused, sipping the last of my cappuccino. "Considering you're not from a wealthy family like me, take it as an honor."
I added the last part with a teasing lilt, a hint of humor laced into my tone.
Hyerin gave me a completely deadpan look.
I chuckled. "What? Did that offend you?"
She sighed, rubbing her temple as if she were dealing with an insufferable child.
"If I agree," she muttered, "are you going to gloat about it?"
I smiled. "Absolutely."
She groaned but didn't say no.
I took that as a yes.
"Perfect," I said, standing up and reaching for my coat. "Let's go."
Hyerin exhaled slowly, shaking her head. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this."
I smirked, offering my hand.
"You probably will," I murmured. "But you'll still come with me anyway."
She hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Then, finally, she took my hand.
Her fingers were warm against mine—firm, steady, but hesitant.
She wasn't the type to take someone's hand so easily, not without thinking about it first.
But she still did.
And that?
That was enough for me.
I led her out of the café, the cool night air settling around us as we stepped onto the quiet street. The glow of streetlights reflected off the pavement, casting long shadows beneath our feet.
"You walk fast," Hyerin muttered as she kept pace beside me.
I glanced at her, smirking. "You walk slow."
She rolled her eyes.
The streets weren't too crowded at this hour—just a few people moving in and out of nearby restaurants, muffled laughter spilling into the night. A peaceful kind of busy.
"Kyo's Karaoke is just a few blocks down," I said, tucking my hands into my pockets. "It's one of those private room places. No crowds, no embarrassing yourself in front of strangers."
Hyerin raised an eyebrow. "Who said I'd be embarrassed?"
I chuckled. "Oh? So you can actually sing?"
She shrugged, glancing away. "I never said that either."
Cute.
The walk wasn't long. By the time we reached the entrance of Kyo's Karaoke, the neon sign flickered softly above the glass doors, casting a faint blue glow over the sidewalk.
I pulled the door open, motioning for her to step in first.
Hyerin hesitated for half a second before walking past me into the lobby.
Soft music hummed through the speakers, blending with the faint chatter of customers checking in. The place had a sleek interior—low lighting, modern furnishings, a hint of luxury in its design.
A familiar face stood behind the counter—a manager I recognized from past visits.
"Miss Yoon," the man greeted, straightening slightly. "A room for two tonight?"
"Make it one of the best ones," I said smoothly, sliding my card across the counter.
Hyerin shot me a look. "You're paying extra for a fancy karaoke room?"
I smirked. "What's the point of being rich if I don't use it?"
She exhaled, shaking her head, but didn't argue.
The manager handed me the keycard, bowing slightly. "Room 7, down the hall to your left."
I nodded, motioning for Hyerin to follow.
As we stepped into the private room, the door clicking shut behind us, I turned to her with a lazy grin.
"Well then, Yeon Hyerin," I mused, picking up the microphone from the table. "Let's hear you sing."
She crossed her arms, unimpressed. "You go first."
I chuckled, tapping the microphone against my palm.
Oh, this was going to be fun.
I glanced at Hyerin, who had already made herself comfortable on the couch, arms crossed, an amused but skeptical look on her face.
"I'm not much of a singer," I admitted, tilting my head slightly, "but I'll do my best to entertain you."
Her lips twitched, as if holding back a laugh. "How generous of you."
I smirked, twirling the microphone between my fingers before continuing, "Also, make sure to capture this moment on your phone."
Her brows furrowed slightly. "Why?"
I leaned in just a little, lowering my voice, letting the words settle between us.
"Because you'll be the only one—the first one—to ever see me sing."
She blinked, clearly not expecting that.
For a moment, she didn't say anything, just studying me, as if trying to figure out whether I was joking.
Then, after a beat, she scoffed. "You really like making things sound dramatic, don't you?"
I chuckled. "Would you prefer if I were boring?"
She sighed, pulling out her phone anyway. "Fine. Let's see how bad this is."
I grinned, scrolling through the song selection.
"Be careful what you wish for, Hyerin," I murmured, selecting a song.
The screen lit up, the first notes playing through the speakers.
And just like that, the night had only just begun.