Page 51

The way his brows knit together, the slight tension in his shoulders, the unspoken hope in his eyes. He was bracing himself for disappointment, waiting for me to walk away, to prove him right.

But I wasn’t going to.

I exhaled, the weight in my chest easing just a little. “Well… You were wrong.”

A breath of something—relief, maybe—flickered across his face. Then, so softly I almost missed it, he smiled.

The tension between us didn’t break immediately. We just stood there, the hum of the city fading into the background, exchanging stolen glances and swallowed smiles. Then—

Baekhyun tilted his head slightly, as if something had just occurred to him. “Oh,” he said, his tone shifting. “My place is empty tonight. Family’s visiting Auntie in Sunchang.”

I blinked at the sudden change in topic. “…Okay?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets, lips quirking up just a little. “So… wanna come over and have some instant noodles?”

That made me laugh—an actual, real laugh that bubbled out before I could stop it. I swatted his arm lightly. “Are youseriousright now?”

His expression was all wide-eyed innocence. “What?” Then his grin deepened, eyes twinkling. “I’m just being thoughtful. It’s past dinner time. What if you haven’t eaten yet?”

I shook my head, biting my lip to keep from smiling too much, feeling the last bit of tension melt away.

Baekhyun squeezed my hand lightly, waiting for my answer.

Maybe it was reckless. Maybe it was stupid. But with Baekhyun, I always followed my heart, not my head.

“…Alright,” I finally said, pretending to hesitate. “But only if you actually cook them properly this time.”

He let out a dramatic sigh. “Fine. I’ll even add kimchi. Happy?”

Just like that, he took my hand again, leading me away—from the alley, from the café, from all the doubt I had carried with me tonight.

And this time, I didn’t look back.

***

I never imagined Baekhyun actually grew up living above a small restaurant.

Before long, we arrived at his family’s house, and even though I knew nobody was home, I still tiptoed inside.

It felt strange being in an empty restaurant, surrounded by vacant tables, the smell of jjampong and jjajangmyeon still lingering in the air.

“By the way, is it okay for you to just leave the café like that?”

Baekhyun blinked, as if just realizing. “Right! I need to make a call…” He excused himself and stepped into a quieter corner of the restaurant.

As he walked away, I wandered further inside, taking in the quiet atmosphere. My fingers trailed along the edge of a table before my gaze drifted toward the kitchen.

I’d never been inside a restaurant kitchen before, but something about this one—small, lived-in—felt warm. It wasn’t hard to picture a younger Baekhyun here, washing dishes for his mom or doing his homework at an empty table while she cooked.

A moment later, Baekhyun returned, stretching his arms above his head. “Crisis averted. The café can survive one night without me.”

I smirked. “Good to know. Wouldn’t want your fans rioting.”

He chuckled, but as I studied his face, my tone grew more serious. “And… did you talk to the girl who was cheering for you at the café?”

There was a slight pause before he nodded. The air between us grew heavier. “Yeah… that was Sun-hee. My ex. The one I went to Paris with.” He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You knew that we broke up, but… she still contacts me all the time. I don’t think she really gets that it’s over. But I think she finally gets it now.”

I gave a small nod, understanding all too well. It was the same with me and Min-seok.