[Kei, No-Ah]
"No-Ah." He said it slower this time, like he was testing how it felt.
But No-Ah didn't react. She didn't scream of excitement like the others.
Which, for some reason—made him want to push more.
"It suits you." Kei said back with a teasing smile.
A pause.
Then—
"What does that even mean?" No-Ah countered, her tone flat and unimpressed.
Kei let out a quiet breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
"Means it fits," he said.
"That explains nothing," No-Ah replied.
"Exactly," Kei said.
That earned him a look—a proper one this time. Sharp. Slightly annoyed.
"Aren't you gonna ask my name?" Kei asked, as if he didn't know that he himself was famous.
No-Ah's lips curled up slightly. She didn't try to stop it. "What's your name?"
"Kei." They both said at the same time.
Kei blinked once, then let out a quiet scoff.
"…so you already knew," he said.
No-Ah shrugged slightly. "You're not exactly low-profile."
"That's disappointing," Kei muttered.
"You'll live."
A small smile tugged at his lips.
"…you're really not impressed."
"I'm not."
"Not even a little?"
"No."
Too quick.
Kei caught it immediately.
Of course he did.
"…you hesitate a lot for someone who doesn't care," he said.
No-Ah clicked her tongue softly. "You talk too much."
"Only with you."
"…don't."
"Don't what?"
"Make it weird."
Kei let out a quiet laugh.
"Too late."
A beat—
Then suddenly—
voices.
Faint at first.
"—he went this way!"
"Check the side streets!!"
No-Ah's head turned instantly toward the alley entrance.
"…they're coming back," she said.
Kei exhaled through his nose. "…persistent."
"Move."
She didn't wait this time.
No-Ah stepped out first, scanning quickly before slipping back onto the street.
Kei followed a second later.
The noise was louder now—but not close enough yet.
They started walking.
Side by side.
Not too close.
Not too far.
Like strangers.
"…so this is where we pretend we don't know each other?" Kei said under his breath.
"We don't," No-Ah replied.
"Right."
A pause.
Then—
"…you always disappear this fast after helping someone?" he asked.
"Yes."
"That's kind of cold."
"It's efficient."
Kei glanced at her briefly.
"…you're interesting."
"What am I supposed to say?"
"Yes, I am."
"No, I'm not."
He huffed a quiet laugh.
"…there you go again."
They reached a crossing.
Crowds.
Safer.
Busier.
No-Ah slowed.
Then stopped.
"…you'll be fine from here," she said.
Kei didn't stop immediately.
Then turned slightly toward her.
"…you always this quick to leave?"
"Yes."
A beat.
Then—
"…No-Ah."
She looked at him.
Just for a second.
"…what?"
Kei held her gaze.
Not teasing this time.
Not entirely.
"…I meant it."
A pause.
"…about your name."
Something in her expression shifted—just slightly.
Then disappeared.
Kei glanced at her, like he was considering something.
"…you have a phone?"
No-Ah gave him a look.
"…obviously."
"Give it."
"No."
No hesitation.
Kei blinked.
"…that was fast."
"I don't give my number to strangers."
"…I have a name now."
"Still a stranger."
A beat.
Then—
"…you're serious," he said.
"Yes."
Kei exhaled softly, shaking his head.
"…unbelievable."
"believable."
"...when are we going to meet again?"
"I dunno."
And just like that—
she walked away.
Didn't look back.
Kei stood there for a second, watching her now slowly disappearing figure.
Then exhaled softly.
"…yeah," he muttered.
"…definitely weird."
But he didn't leave immediately.
And that—was new.
☆☆☆
[Run-Seo]
The café was quieter than usual.
Not silent.
Just… soft.
The kind of quiet that made every small sound feel louder than it should be.
The clink of ceramic.
The low hum of conversation.
The faint tapping of fingers against a phone screen.
Run-seo stood behind the counter, drying a cup that had already been dry for the past minute.
Her hands moved automatically.
Slow.
Repetitive.
Familiar.
…
Too familiar.
Her gaze drifted—to the corner table.
Second by the window.
Two seats.
Always the same two seats.
…
She shouldn't have looked.
But she did.
And just like that—
"You're late."
"I'm three minutes late."
"That's late."
"You checked the time the moment I walked in, didn't you?"
"…maybe."
A quiet laugh.
"Wow. That's kinda scary."
"You still came."
"Of course I did."
A pause.
Then softer—
"Where else would I go?"
Run-seo's fingers stilled around the cup.
The café blurred for half a second.
Then—
"You ordered already?"
"Yeah."
"…you got the same thing again?"
"You always get this."
"That's not a reason."
"It is to me."
A small scoff.
"…you're weird."
"And you still like me."
A pause.
Then—
"…unfortunately."
The sound of ceramic lightly clinking snapped her back—
just for a second.
Then—
it pulled her under again.
"You're staring."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"…so what if I am?"
"Nothing."
A beat.
Then quieter—
"…just don't stop."
Run-seo inhaled slowly.
Too slow.
Like her body forgot how to do it properly. Her grip tightened slightly around the cloth.
But the memory didn't stop.
"Hey."
"Mm?"
"Don't disappear on me, okay?"
A pause.
"…I won't."
"You promise?"
"…I promise."
Silence.
Sharp this time.
Not soft.
Not warm.
Just—
empty.
"…you're doing it again."
Run-seo blinked.
The café rushed back all at once.
Sound.
Light.
Movement.
Her coworker's voice.
"Doing what, Min-Ji?" she asked, her voice steady—too steady.
"That table."
A pause.
Run-seo set the cup down carefully.
"It's just a table."
"Mm."
Min-Ji didn't believe her.
But he didn't push.
…
Run-seo wiped her hands slowly against the cloth.
Then—
without thinking—
she stepped out from behind the counter.
Walked toward the window.
Toward that table.
Each step quieter than the last.
She stopped beside it.
Didn't sit.
Just looked.
The chair across from her stayed empty.
Of course it did.
It had been for a while now.
…
Her hand hovered over the back of the chair.
Just for a second.
Then dropped.
Her phone buzzed softly in her pocket.
Run-seo pulled it out, almost needing the distraction.
A notification.
A headline.
"IDOL KEI SPOTTED AGAIN — 'MYSTERIOUS HELPER' STILL UNKNOWN"
Her eyes lingered.
Just for a moment.
Then she locked the screen.
Like it didn't matter.
Like none of it did.
…
But her gaze drifted back to the empty seat.
☆☆☆