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As the trio finished off the last bites of their hotteok, the warm sweetness lingering on their tongues, Jay's attention was quickly stolen by a nearby shooting gallery.

"I'm going to win something huge! Just watch!" he declared, already jogging away, leaving Minah and Jungwon standing together under the soft glow of the string lights.

Jungwon shifted awkwardly, his hands stuffed into his hoodie pockets. The tips of his ears were still pink from earlier, and he avoided Minah's gaze for a moment, as if gathering courage. He cleared his throat softly, the sound barely audible over the cheerful hum of the carnival.

"Uh, hey," he started, his voice a little quieter than usual. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve as he peeked at her through his lashes. "I was wondering..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle, his shy demeanor only making Minah more curious.

Minah tilted her head, her soft smile making her look even prettier under the twinkling lights. "Wondering what?" she prompted gently, her tone light but warm.

Jungwon hesitated, his eyes flickering to the side as if trying to find confidence in the lively crowd. After a deep breath, he finally met her gaze, his dark eyes filled with a quiet but earnest warmth. "Would it be... okay if I got your number?" He said it quickly, almost like he was afraid the words might get stuck in his throat if he didn't. "You know, so we can stay in touch or something..."

Minah blinked in surprise, but her lips quickly curved into a playful grin. "You want to stay in touch?" she teased, her voice light but kind.

Jungwon's face flushed a deeper shade of pink, and he let out a nervous laugh, his hand flying back to the nape of his neck. "Yeah... I mean, only if you want to. No pressure or anything."

She bit her lip, trying to suppress her amusement at how adorably flustered he looked. "Sure, Jungwon. I'd like that," she said softly, her smile widening as his tense shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.

His expression brightened immediately, a mix of relief and excitement lighting up his face. He pulled his phone from his pocket, fumbling just a little as he unlocked it and handed it to her.

Minah carefully entered her number, adding a little bunny emoji next to her name before handing it back to him with a playful glint in her eye.

"All set," she said cheerfully. "Now you can text me if you ever need hotteok recommendations—or moral support for carnival games."

Jungwon glanced down at the contact she'd saved, a small grin tugging at his lips. For a moment, they stood there, the noise of the carnival fading into the background. The air between them felt warmer, lighter, as if the world had momentarily narrowed down to just the two of them.

Jungwon opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could, Jay's triumphant voice broke the quiet spell.

"Minah! Jungwon! You're not gonna believe it—I just won the giant panda plushie!" Jay appeared out of nowhere, an enormous panda toy tucked under one arm and a grin so wide it practically sparkled.