One step to you

Shaking in the reverberation

So Jeonghan and Seoyeon returned and sat down, and the two cups of coffee Jeonghan had bought were already quietly placed on the table.

An awkward silence flowed in the heavy air for a moment. Jeonghan picked up his coffee and took a quiet sip.

Meanwhile, Seoyeon sat down a little later and was gently turning the rim of a paper cup with her fingertips.

에스쿱스(승철)

"Oh, that's right, Seoyeon. I have something to talk about~ Hehe."

It was Seungcheol who broke the silence.

Seoyeon was startled by the playful remark made while drinking coffee, then looked at Seungcheol with a slightly excited smile.

이서연

“Oh, yeah…? What is it? I think I gave my brother a lot of advice about my worries in the past…!”

에스쿱스(승철)

"So~ I'm going to try it too~"

Jeonghan was quietly listening to the conversation.

A slight tremble passed the corner of Seoyeon's eye, an awkward laugh. Jeonghan couldn't ignore it.

정한

"What are you trying to say?"

Jeonghan asked quietly, setting the cup down on the table. Seungcheol smiled and said, "Listen~."

에스쿱스(승철)

"I feel like I'm on a spring train these days. I'm just lonely and stuff."

정한

"so?"

Jeonghan answered in a voice that seemed uninterested, and Seoyeon carefully lowered her gaze.

에스쿱스(승철)

"There was a girl I liked when I was a trainee, and I ran into her by chance recently?"

At that moment, Seoyeon's fingers stopped wrapping around the cup.

에스쿱스(승철)

"Do you remember? That feeling back then. When I heard you didn't have a lover, I started thinking a lot about myself."

Seungcheol said nonchalantly.

Seoyeon's expression froze for a moment, but then a smile appeared.

As if nothing happened.

에스쿱스(승철)

"So, Seoyeon~ How do women like to be approached in situations like this?"

Seoyeon opened her eyes wide and reacted a beat late.

이서연

"note,

이서연

Just casually? Like, ‘Let’s have a meal together’… without any pressure.”

A thin smile and careful speech.

Inside it was a feeling that had been suppressed without anyone knowing.

Jeonghan stared at her face for a moment. Unlike the smiling corners of her lips, her eyes were pale.

정한

"Hey, it's Coups."

Jeonghan suddenly spoke in a heavy tone.

Seungcheol laughs and then turns his head at the voice.

에스쿱스(승철)

"huh??"

정한

"Let's go in. I've finished my coffee, and Seoyeon… you look a little tired."

At those words, Seungcheol looked back at Seoyeon and said, "Huh??."

에스쿱스(승철)

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I didn't think of it that way. Thank you for the advice. As expected, Seoyeon is my little sister!!"

정한

"Let's stop and go. For a bit."

At those words, something in Jeonghan's head seemed to snap, and he lowered his head as if he was a little angry as he spoke to Seungcheol.

에스쿱스(승철)

"Hey, why are you being so serious? Hey, let's go. Hey, Yoon Jeonghan, don't follow me~!!"

Seungcheol greeted Seoyeon, looking slightly annoyed at Jeonghan, and left.

Jeonghan sat there without raising his head.

Only then did Seoyeon's smiling expression return to the expression she had been trying to make when she saw Seungcheol.

Her expression, as if she had lost the world, seemed to hide an even greater sense of helplessness.

Jeonghan slowly sipped the remaining coffee with his fingertips. The cup hadn't cooled yet.

이서연

“I, senior…”

Seoyeon speaks cautiously.

Jeonghan still had his gaze down, and she continued speaking with a small smile.

이서연

“You helped me again… Thank you.”

정한

"...."

이서연

"I'm so sorry. I just meant it with good intentions, senior... but I keep failing to control my expression..."

정한

"....don't do it"

Jeonghan spoke briefly and quietly. Seoyeon's eyes widened in surprise and she paused.

"..yes?"

Only then did Jeonghan slowly raise his head. He looked at Seoyeon with a quiet, yet firm gaze and opened his mouth.

정한

"Don't make that face in front of me..."

That one word.

At those words, Seoyeon was taken aback and took a deep breath, clasping her hands together.