??? ????? ? yang jungwon ?

After a few minutes of listening to Jay recount some exaggerated story about his latest antics at school, Minah found herself growing thirsty. She glanced toward the kitchen, debating if she should ask Jay for a drink, but he was too caught up in his storytelling, his arms flailing wildly to demonstrate some ridiculous point.

"I'm just going to grab some water," Minah said, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"Yeah, sure," Jay said absentmindedly, already moving on to the next part of his tale.

Minah stood and headed for the kitchen, quietly stepping into the brightly lit space. She froze when she saw Jungwon leaning against the counter, scrolling through his phone. He didn't look up at first, seemingly unaware of her presence.

For a moment, Minah considered retreating, but then she shook off the thought. It wasn't like she was trespassing or anything. Clearing her throat softly, she walked over to the sink.

Jungwon glanced up at the sound, his sharp eyes meeting hers. For a second, neither of them said anything. Then he straightened, slipping his phone into his pocket. "What do you want?" he asked, his tone flat but not unkind.

Minah raised an eyebrow. "A glass of water. Is that allowed, or do I need to fill out an application first?"

The corner of Jungwon's mouth twitched, almost like he wanted to smile but refused to let it show. Without a word, he reached up to one of the cabinets, grabbed a glass, and handed it to her.

"Thanks," Minah said, surprised by the gesture. She filled the glass from the tap, taking a small sip before turning back to him. "So, do you always interrogate your brother's friends, or was today special?"

Jungwon leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms. "Depends. Jay's friends are usually... interesting."

Minah tilted her head, feigning offense. "Interesting in a good way or a bad way?"

He smirked faintly, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Haven't decided yet."

"Oh, come on," she said, setting the glass down and crossing her arms to mirror his posture. "I've been nothing but charming and delightful."

Jungwon let out a soft laugh, the sound catching Minah off guard. It wasn't loud or obvious, but it was genuine, and it softened the sharpness of his features. "If that's what you want to call it," he said, shaking his head.

Minah found herself smiling, the earlier tension between them fading. "You're not as scary as you pretend to be."

His brows furrowed slightly. "I don't pretend."

"You do," she insisted, leaning slightly closer. "You've got this whole 'don't mess with me' vibe, but deep down, you're probably just... a big softie. Jay said you cry at animal videos."

Jungwon groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I don't cry. And remind me to kill Jay later."

Minah laughed, a genuine, warm sound that seemed to catch Jungwon off guard. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, his expression unreadable.