BITTERSWEET || Jeon Wonwoo

05

Mingyu POV

"Yeah, everything is good. Don't worry; we didn't make a mess or anything. Yeah, bye, Mom." I hung up the phone and walked to the studio since we all had an hour free, and we agreed to work on the project. On my way here, I saw Jieun. I was about to call her when I noticed someone else behind her. Isn't that Minho? I thought to myself. Why is he following her like that, though?

I sped up and walked up to him, making sure Jieun doesn't notice us. I mean, how could she? She's buried in her books as always. "Oi, Minho!" I interrupted him. "What are you doing here, bro?" He stopped walking and rolled his eyes. "None of your business, Mingyu." I smirked. "You know you're not being very discreet by following her like that."

"I couldn't care less, and I'm not following her. Don't call me a stalker."

"But aren't you, though? People talk, Minho, and you don't have the best reputation. My best guess is you have some interest in Jieun." He got closer, and I could feel tension rising. "And what if I do? You're not her boyfriend, so you can't stop me," he said, giving me a light push. "So back off." Then he walked away.

What was that all about? He acts like some kind of villain, but he just seems ridiculous to me. Yet, there's something about him that worries me. I've only known Jieun for a short while, but I noticed she's often anxious. Last time, she really scared me. I thought something terrible might happen to her. She mentioned a fight with Minho, and since then, she's been distant with Wonwoo. It's like Minho said something to her about him. I'll keep an eye on that guy; I don't like the way he's been treating Jieun.

Jieun POV

I looked at Mingyu, who had just entered, and asked if we were okay. The truth is, no, I'm not. I've been really tense since the fight with Minho. I don't want to take sides, but it's hard to believe one or the other. Unconsciously, I've been distant and somewhat rude to Wonwoo, which resulted in us having our very first fight about whether I should sing for the project.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I don't want to sing because I don't feel confident enough with my voice. Wonwoo kept insisting, and I ended up yelling at him to "stop being so annoying and mind his own business." I know how aggressive I can get when I'm under stress, and if I didn't have so much pride, I would've apologized right away. "Yeah, we're good, just focusing on our parts for the project," Wonwoo said without bothering to look up from his notebook. Mingyu looked at me in confusion, and I mouthed a little "sorry."

"So, Jieun, I had an idea," Mingyu said, sitting down. "Why don't you sing a bit in the song? I mean, Wonwoo can agree with me on this – you've got a great voice."

"Aha, see! Mingyu, I told her, you know, but she didn't listen, and we fought," Wonwoo said, crossing his arms and looking at me. "I'm just not confident!" I yelled. "Why?! You're one of the most talented people I've ever met, Jieun. You can sing, you can dance, you're a songwriter, and most of all, you have an amazing personality!" Wonwoo yelled back, taking a breath after he was done.

He really thinks all that. "Wonwoo, I—" He interrupted and sat up. "Sorry, I need some fresh air. Do whatever you want."

TIMESKIP

I anxiously scanned the studio, my heart pounding in my chest. Wonwoo had left nearly twenty minutes ago, and he still hadn't returned. He was usually punctual, and this delay was unusual. "Mingyu-ah I'm gonna look for Wonwoo" he hummed in response, concentrated in his work.

I decided to go look for him in the gymnasium, hoping to find him there. However, I had forgotten my glasses in my rush, and my eyesight was less than perfect. I nervously muttered to myself, "This is how every horror movie starts." Navigating through the dimly lit gymnasium, I strained my eyes to see any signs of Wonwoo. The place felt eerily quiet, and my imagination began to run wild with all sorts of unsettling scenarios. Bracing myself, I headed towards the bathroom, thinking he might be there.

Just as I approached the men's locker room, a loud thud echoed from within, sending shivers down my spine. My heart raced even faster, but I couldn't leave without checking if Wonwoo was there. I hesitantly pushed the door open, and the sound of showers turning on only added to the eerie atmosphere. As I moved closer to the showers, suddenly, a tap on my shoulder made me jump in fear.

My body tensed, and in my panic, I slipped on the wet floor. My heart sank as I was about to fall, but miraculously, a pair of strong hands caught me by the waist and pulled me close. It was Wonwoo! "Woah, are you okay?" Wonwoo asked, concern evident in his voice.

But my mind wasn't registering his question. All I could think about was how close we were right now,
My cheeks flushed bright red as I stammered, "I-I'm fine, just a little startled." Wonwoo smiled, still holding me close to steady me. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I was cold, so I took a quick shower. The loud thud was just my shampoo bottle falling."

His explanation brought some relief to my nerves, but I was still struggling to find my words. "I-I see... Um, it's okay. And I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to be rude earlier." Wonwoo's warm smile persisted, and he gently patted my back. "No worries. Let's forget about it. I shouldn't have argued with you in the first place."

I nodded, grateful for his understanding. My heart was still racing, but this time, it was for a different reason – the closeness between us. I could feel his breath against my skin, and it took all my willpower not to let my knees turn into jelly. As he released his hold on me, I finally found my voice, albeit slightly shaky. "Okay... Let's just focus on finding our way back now."

We both chuckled, the tension between us easing. As we made our way out of the gymnasium, I couldn't help but think that, even though it started like a horror movie, it had somehow turned into a moment that brought us closer together.

As we arrived at the studio, Wonwoo gently nudged me by the waist, signaling for me to enter first. "Look who I found!" I excitedly said to Mingyu, who looked at us and smiled. "Yo, I was starting to get worried. You were gone for like fifteen minutes."

Really? I was gone that long? Time flies when I'm with Wonwoo "Yeah, sorry about that. We had a little problem back there," Wonwoo said, not going into details, which I understood. After all, I wouldn't have shared either.

Mingyu sat up and picked up his things. "I think we all had a long day. So why don't we go for a few drinks together?" he suggested, joining his hands. "As long as you're the one paying, I'm in!" Wonwoo replied, flashing a smile. I grinned and looked at both of them. "I guess I don't have a choice. I can't let you both drink alone." Mingyu pretended to be offended, placing his hand on his chest. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

I laughed. "Nothing, nothing. Shall we go now?" They both nodded, and Mingyu put his arm around me, with Wonwoo standing tall on the other side. In that moment, I felt grateful for meeting these boys. I really am.