Lee Minho ²³

The restaurant shone in its quiet elegance: fine crystal glasses, warm lighting, and a calm that seemed expensive. Everything was measured, elegant… even the way Minho observed.

Jisung, on the other hand, looked at the place with distracted curiosity, resting his chin on his hand.

"It's beautiful," he murmured.

Minho didn't answer. He had his eyes on him, not on the place.

When the waiter approached, everything was normal until Jisung looked up and suddenly his expression changed.

"Huh?" he blinked . "Wait... aren't you...?"

The waiter smiled, surprised as well. "Jisung, right? Long time no see."

The reaction was immediate. Jisung sat up a little more, clearly excited.

—Yes! I can't believe it, it's been ages. How are you, Hyunjin? — she began to speak quickly, as if time hadn't passed.

Minho said nothing.

I was just watching.

He watched every smile, every gesture, how Jisung seemed to forget everything else during those seconds. How his eyes shone in a way he hadn't caused.

The waiter finished taking our order, exchanging a few more words, and finally left with one last smile. Silence. Annoying.

Minho rested his elbows on the table, slowly interlacing his hands.

"How... curious," he said in a low voice.

It took Jisung a second to realize the tone.

-The fact that?

—That you get so worked up over someone you barely see.

He didn't say it out loud. There was no need.

Jisung frowned slightly. —He's just someone I knew, Minho.

-Clear.

A pause.

—You seemed quite… friendly. There was no shouting. There was no argument yet. Only that fine, uncomfortable tension, like a rope about to snap.

Jisung looked away for a moment. —It's not that big of a deal.

Minho smiled. But it wasn't a real smile. —For you, perhaps.

She leaned back in the chair, still looking at him. —I don't find it funny at all.

And there it all remained, suspended between them, ruining the perfect atmosphere of the place as if it had never been enough.