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Hyunjin's POV:-

The wind was warm, the sky clear, and the birds singing a familiar, pleasant tune as I laid under the old tree in the University Garden. It was a peaceful spot, a place where I could let my thoughts settle while nature wrapped me in its quiet beauty. I’d often wondered how many stories this tree had heard over the years, how much love and heartbreak were etched into its branches.

After my last lecture, I’d gone straight there for a break. On the surface, I might seem disconnected, but I’ve always felt a strong pull toward nature, art, and poetry. Lately, though, my mind had been a mess—ever since I saw him again.

“Aren’t you hungry, Hwang? Or have you started eating leaves now?”

“Well, hello to you too, Minho hyung,” I said, opening my eyes to see him towering above me with his trademark smirk.

“Get up. We’re going to eat,” he announced, offering his hand like the so-called gentleman he believed himself to be.

“The last time I trusted that hand, I ended up with back pain for two weeks,” I pointed out, narrowing my eyes at him.

“What? I offered my hand, and you were taking too long, so I decided to take it back,” he replied, his face the picture of mock innocence.

“Oh, right. Of course. You, of all people, would never do anything shady.”

Despite my better judgment, I accepted his hand. Boom.

“LEE MINHOOOOOO!” I yelled, clutching my lower back. He’d done it again, yanking me halfway before letting go. You’d think I’d have learned my lesson by now, but no. The pain was sharp and immediate.

“Hi, Hyunjin,” he said in a sing-song tone, completely unbothered.

I pushed myself to my feet and groaned. “That’s it! I’m not falling for this again!” Then I started moving—well, more like hobbling—away from him. “Whoever gets to the cafeteria last pays for lunch!”

Running to the cafeteria had always been our thing. I met Minho a few years back, and if I had to sum him up, I’d call him a soft-hearted troublemaker who pretended not to care. We didn’t share many classes, but the time we spent together had quickly become one of my favorite parts of university life.

By the time I made it to the cafeteria, I’d managed to snag a quiet corner table. At least I won this round, I thought with a small, victorious smile.

“Hi, Hyunjin.”

“Oh, hi, Binnie,” I greeted Changbin as he walked up to me, always so effortlessly cheerful.

“Minho hyung is sitting with us today. He’s waiting for you over there,” Changbin said, gesturing toward a table packed with people.

I glanced over and spotted Minho deep in conversation.

“Oh. Okay, thanks, Binnie. Let’s go.”

Minho sitting with them could only mean one thing: Han Jisung, the guy he’d been crushing on since our first year, was there. No one else knew about Minho’s feelings except me. He was bold about everything except romance.

But when I got to the table, Jisung was nowhere in sight. Instead, there was someone new.

“Hi, Channie,” I greeted, sliding into the seat next to Minho.

“Hi Jin,” Chan said with his signature grin. His energy was always contagious. I already knew Chan, Changbin, and Jisung through Minho, who had a knack for befriending everyone.

“So,” I whispered to Minho as I grabbed a bite of my food, “why are we sitting here today?”

“Oh, right. Remember that junior I mentioned? The one who went to my high school?”

“Yeah, the one starting here this year.”

“Well, meet Yang Jeongin—or IN,” he said, nodding toward the new guy.

“Hey,” I said, giving Jeongin a polite smile.

“Hi, Hyunjin hyung,” Jeongin replied, smiling back, though his puffy eyes didn’t escape my notice.

Apparently, someone had messed with him earlier, and Chan had taken it upon himself to make sure Jeongin was okay.

As the table filled with conversation and food, I noticed someone else join us. I didn’t need an introduction to know who it was. I turned to the person sitting next to me, and there he was.

Felix.

My heart stuttered. Everything else seemed to fade—the voices, the clatter of trays and utensils—and all I could see was him. His freckled skin glowed under the cafeteria’s harsh lights, and his starry eyes held the same light they always had. It felt like no time had passed at all, yet everything about him seemed brighter, sharper.

“Hyunjin, you okay?” Minho’s voice cut through the haze as he snapped his fingers in front of me.

“Oh—yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

“You totally zoned out just now,” Changbin pointed out, looking concerned.

I forced a smile, willing myself to look composed. “It’s nothing. I’m good, really.”

But Minho didn’t buy it. I knew that look. He’d press me for answers later.

“Guys, I’m going to the restroom,” Felix said suddenly, standing up.

“There’s no way you’re going alone,” Jisung said around a mouthful of food.

“Take Hyunjin,” Minho added. “He’s done eating anyway.”

Me? Of all people?

Felix didn’t even look at me. “Fine, let’s go, whoever you are.”

Whoever I was? Wow. Really?

“Yeah, sure,” I said, standing up to follow him.

He might want to ignore me, but I couldn’t deny it anymore—I’d missed him. So much.

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A/N:

be ready for the drama.
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