I didn't understand how a simple day off had turned into this, but somehow I found myself here.
Still standing in Lotte World.
Still with Taemin breathing the same oxygen as me.
And now, apparently, heading to dinner with him.
After the Ferris wheel ride ended and I gave Suha my jacket, Taemin kept acting like he'd freeze to death in twenty-degree weather. When he whined again, I pointed at a random campfire area and told him to sit on it. Ha-Eun laughed. Suha tried to hide her smile.
That should've been the end of it.
But of course, Taemin wasn't done.
"So," he said, walking backward in front of us like a kid who didn't grow past seven, "should we go to dinner together? Come on. It's been ages."
Before I could stop myself, the words slipped out.
"Yeah, sure. You stay outside. I'll take Suha and Ha-Eun to dinner."
Ha-Eun burst into laughter so loud a nearby staff member glanced at us.
Taemin clutched his chest like he'd been shot.
"You wound me, man."
"Good," I said.
Suha tugged my sleeve lightly. "Jay… that wasn't very nice."
"It was accurate."
She tried to hold in a laugh and failed. "Still."
Ha-Eun stepped closer to Suha. "He's always like this?"
Suha nodded. "Most of the time."
"And you still married him? Brave woman," Ha-Eun teased.
Suha flushed. I felt something uncomfortable twist in my chest and pretended I didn't notice.
Taemin slung an arm around my shoulder. "Come on, lover boy. Have mercy. Let's go eat before I starve. I haven't eaten anything since noon."
I removed his arm. "That's not my problem."
"Jay," Suha whispered.
I sighed. "Fine. Dinner."
Taemin threw his arms up like he won the lottery. "Victory!"
I regretted this already.
We chose a restaurant just outside Lotte World—warm lighting, wooden tables, quiet enough to talk. Suha gave me my jacket back after we entered the restaurant. Taemin ordered like we were feeding a family of six. Ha-Eun kept apologizing. Suha giggled every time Taemin mispronounced something on the menu.
Everything about this was chaotic.
When the food arrived, Suha handed me chopsticks that she had already split neatly.
"You didn't have to do that," I said.
"I wanted to."
Her voice was soft. Warm. It did something strange to my chest.
Before I could respond, Taemin elbowed me. "So. Married life."
I glared at him. "Eat your food."
"I'm just asking."
Ha-Eun nudged him. "Don't be annoying."
"But I'm curious."
Suha shifted in her seat. "It's… going well."
"Wow," Taemin said. "That sounded like a student reading a presentation they don't like."
Suha covered her face, embarrassed. I felt myself glare at Taemin again. "Stop."
He blinked. "What? I'm just giving constructive feedback."
"No one asked."
Taemin ignored me and turned to Suha. "Blink twice if you need help."
I kicked him under the table.
He yelped. "Jay!"
"I warned you."
Ha-Eun shook her head. "The two of you are hopeless."
Suha leaned to me and whispered, "Are you always like this with him?"
"Unfortunately."
"We call it affection," Taemin said.
"No, we don't."
Suha laughed quietly, a soft breathy sound that made me look at her for a second too long. She noticed and quickly looked at her plate.
The awkwardness between us crept back, but the good kind. Gentle. Pleasant. Something I didn't know how to handle yet.
While we ate, Suha and Ha-Eun fell into conversation easily.
Ha-Eun asked, "So what do you do in your free time, Suha?"
"I like to sketch."
"That's so cool! I'm like to do painting. We're basically cousins."
Suha smiled, relaxing in a way I hadn't seen all day. "Do you like it?"
"I love it," Ha-Eun said. "I actually want to draw a portrait of Taemin before our wedding."
Suha's eyes widened. "Wedding?"
"Oh!" Ha-Eun grinned. "Yes. We're getting married in a few months."
Suha gasped. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks! Honestly I'm shocked too." She pointed her thumb at Taemin. "I didn't expect him to propose before losing at least three more brain cells."
I snorted. Suha tried very hard not to laugh.
Taemin gaped. "Hey! I'm smart."
I raised a brow. "Are you?"
"Yes!"
"Give me one example."
Taemin opened his mouth. Closed it. Looked at Ha-Eun for help. She shrugged.
"I rest my case," I said.
Ha-Eun covered her mouth, laughing. Suha looked like she wanted to disappear from second-hand embarrassment for him.
"Anyway," Taemin said loudly, "weddings are great. You two have yours planned yet?"
Suha stiffened. I felt her glance at me.
"We don't… talk about that," I said before the conversation could turn uncomfortable.
Taemin's expression softened. He nodded once. "Got it."
The rest of the meal was lighter, easier. Ha-Eun complimented Suha's earrings. Suha returned the compliment. They exchanged social media. Taemin teased me about being stiff. I told him he had the intelligence of a broken toaster.
Normal things.
Things I didn't experience often.
I didn't realize how much I missed this.
We stepped outside, the cool night air hitting us instantly. Suha wrapped her arms around herself. Before she even complained, I shrugged off my jacket again and put it around her shoulders.
She startled. "Jay…"
"You're cold."
"I'm fine."
"You're still cold."
She looked down shyly. "…thank you again."
Her voice was soft. Almost too soft.
Taemin cleared his throat dramatically. "Ahem. If anyone wants to give me a jacket—"
"No," I said.
Ha-Eun smacked his arm. "Wear your hoodie, idiot."
"Oh yeah." He pulled it out of his bag.
I sighed.
This was Taemin. Irritating. Loud. And annoyingly human.
Maybe that's why he was the only friend I had.
As we walked toward the parking area, Taemin nudged me.
"You know… you're different today."
"How."
"Less corpse-like."
I glared. "I can fix that."
"See? There he is." Taemin laughed. "But seriously. You seem… lighter."
I didn't answer.
Across beside us, Ha-Eun whispered to Suha, "He's really sweet. In his own silent, grumpy way."
Suha smiled, small and warm. "He is."
Her voice was so soft I almost thought I imagined it.
I felt something shift in my chest. Not heavy. Not painful.
Just… unfamiliar.
We reached the parking lot. Taemin stretched. "We should do this again. This was fun."
"No," I said.
"Yes," Ha-Eun said. "We'll text you, Suha."
Suha nodded happily. "I'd like that."
I glanced at her. She was still wearing my jacket.
I didn't ask for it back.
Taemin bumped my shoulder one last time. "Take care of her, man."
I nodded.
"And take care of yourself too," he added, softer this time.
I didn't respond.
He didn't wait for one.
They walked away hand in hand. Suha watched them for a moment before looking up at me.
"Your friend is… something."
"Annoying."
She laughed. "But a good person."
"…yeah."
Silence settled over us again, but it wasn't awkward this time. It felt… comfortable.
She gently held the jacket around herself. "Thank you for today."
"It was your idea," I said.
"But you still came with me."
I moved my eyes away. "It wasn't bad."
"Really?"
I nodded once. "I don't… hate it."
Suha smiled softly.
"Let's go home?" she asked.
"Yeah."
We got into the car.
She leaned her head against the window, looking peaceful.
I watched her for a second longer than necessary before starting the engine.
Today was strange.
Loud.
Chaotic.
Soft.
Warm.
I didn't know what any of it meant.
But for once…
I didn't mind not knowing.