After coming down from the rooftop, Haneul and Taeo walked side by side through the lobby, keeping a noticeable distance between them.
Neither spoke. The silence was so thick, you could probably hear their stomachs grumble if you listened hard enough.
“…Aren’t you hungry?” Taeo finally broke the ice.
Haneul turned her gaze away, awkwardly shaking her head.
“I was just going to go home and eat some instant noodles. You know… classic trainee diet.”
Taeo paused, then whipped out his phone and started tapping furiously as if the answer to their tension was hidden in an app.
Haneul peeked curiously—was he hunting for chicken places nearby? Suddenly, she felt her cheeks burning.
“Um… Want to grab something to eat? Or should we invite Sujin?” Taeo stammered, barely meeting her eyes.
“Just us?” Haneul blurted, then instantly turned bright red.
“W-We could call the others too, if you want.”
Silence returned, thick and awkward. Just then, Sujin appeared, waving a takeout bag like a magic wand.
“Hey! I brought chicken! Who’s hungry?” she sang, oblivious to the mood.
Taeo gave the slightest sigh of resignation.
Meanwhile, Haneul was oddly relieved—and disappointed? She couldn’t tell.
Sujin looked between the two, grinning. “Were you two having a moment? The vibe up there was spicy!”
Haneul nearly choked. “N-no! We were just… getting some fresh air!”
Taeo’s face was a rosy embarrassment as he hid behind his phone.
Soon, Jimin joined, and the four collapsed around the studio sofa, tearing into chicken wings.
“Oh! By the way, you all know about tomorrow’s selfie mission, right?” Sujin suddenly reminded them.
Haneul nodded, dodging Taeo’s gaze as she grabbed a pickled radish.
Taeo, glancing her way, asked, “We have to take one together, right?”
Sujin jumped in again. “I swear, are you two secretly dating? Every mission you get is together!”
Haneul stuffed her mouth, trying to hide how red her face had gotten.
Taeo pretended to check his phone, dead silent now.
At that moment, the manager’s group message popped up: “Tomorrow, selfie mission in pairs. Partners announced in the morning.”
Sujin gasped. “Don’t tell me it’s you two again!”
Haneul and Taeo locked eyes—for the first time, neither looked away.
The tension drowned out even the smell of fried chicken in the studio.
Who would be paired together tomorrow? With fluttering hearts and nervous smiles, Haneul and Taeo could only wonder what was next.