based on NCT 127 2ND TOUR 'NEO CITY : SEOUL ㅡ THE LINK⁺ concert and the after party

Seoul, 23.00 KST
October 23, 2022

aespa dorm's bells rang just as Minjeong was about to close her eyes, "Minjeong-ah, open the door will you?" Minjeong could hear Jimin unnie scream from the dorm bathroom.

Honestly, she didn't want to move from her bed. Her head pounding. She drank too much. No, she drank too fast. She shouldn't drank that much champagne. But she did. If only she had high tolerance like her other members. All of them except Ningning just got home after NCT's sunbaenim after party. Minjeong groaned but get up to answer the door. She fumbled with the door handle and pushed open the door. 

Everything in her body freezes. Minjeong open the door to find a man already leaning againts her dorm's wall. Her gaze drifts downward, taking in a pair of perfectly tailored Ader Error track pants and a Prada sweatshirt that she sure cost more than her entire wardrobe, and a MLB cap. He dressed all in black, all worn by a man with sparkling brown eyes and cheekbones that could probably cut glass.

Not just a man. The man. Jeong Jaehyun.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Minjeong take three deep breaths, then open her eyes again. He still standing there, slowly pushing down the hood of his sweatshirt with soft smile on his face.

"Oppa, why are you here?” Minjeong asked in confusion. She held the door knob tightly.

“You know why.” He murmured with his deep voice.

She gulped and feels like her hands trembling. Somehow she knows what he wanted to say. She open the door wider to let him in. He made his way into her dorm, toeing off his shoes in the foyer. She nodded and lead Jaehyun toward her bedroom. Jaehyun stopped, realizing where she lead him. Minjeong had to stop too. He turned to her and tilted his head to the side as if contemplating her. He beams down at her, his mouth open in a ridiculously cute smile.

"My members are here... and.. and i guess you want to say something... privately" Minjeong stammer as she struggle to find the right words to explain.

He leaned in suggestively. “We definitely will need privacy," The way he said it made Minjeong face burning. But she tried tried to act nonchalant, but Minjeong heart fluttered behind her ribcage like a butterfly.

"Oppa, you want to drink something?" Minjeong offered because he looks a little bit tipsy.

"Yes, a water would be great" Jaehyun said while staring inside her room. It's his first time in her room.

"I'll be back in seconds."

As she walked down the hall, searching for the kitchen, her members caught her eye. Jimin and Aeri unnie stood in the kitchen table with two cups of steaming tea.

"Who was that?" Aeri unnie asked curiously.

"Jaehyun oppa"

"Jaehyun sunbaenim? Weren't it just an hour ago you met each other? He is whipped," The corners of Aeri unnie's lips rise in a mischievous smile.

“He's not,” Minjeong said, but Aeri unnie just ignored her with a shrug.

"And he look at you like you're the most beautiful girl he's ever seen" She added, that make Minjeong face flush even redder. She ready to protest but Jimin unnie's voice cut her.

“What do you think of him? Like, really think?”Jimin unnie turned to face Minjeong, her face so serious it scared Minjeong a little bit.

Across the room, she could feel as Ningning watches the three of them. She gave Minjeong an encouraging smile.

"He and I have been texting since we exchanged numbers on Inkigayo. All of our conversations so far have been lighthearted at most. We sent encouraging messages and jokes. But somehow it turned deeper, we started talking about our feelings and vulnerable things. We hanging out more often, he is funny, goofy, he knows how to made me laugh. He sends me cheesy pickup lines, i love it. He's totaly charming and sometime i think he's out of league. He's mature and listen to my worries well. He can cook, good with kids, and kind to people around him. There were time when his body mere inches from mine, my whole body starts to tingle—like that feeling you get when the blood rushes to your foot after it’s fallen asleep. Or when you’re doing something that you know you absolutely should not be doing but you can’t bring yourself to not do it."  Minjeong whispered, her voice raw.

"And i remembered when we dressed all in black head to toe with big jacket just to hangout at Han River." Minjeong laugh to herself recalling that memory. Both of them looks ridiculous that night, but they have fun. Nobody recognized them.

"I’ve spent the last few months trying to convince myself that it’s nothing, i don't feel anything to him, but who am I kidding? The butterflies in my stomach are clearly saying otherwise." Minjeong didn't think she've ever voiced these feelings out loud. Her members gape at her, completely speechless.

"I knew it! You've been glowing lately, he's the reason huh?" Ningning squeals from her bedroom door, a huge grin on her face. Minjeong make a shushing face to silence her. What if Jaehyun hear that?!

“I still can’t believe Jaehyun sunbaenim straight out flew from Milan to came here when we told him you were sick,” Ningning said, shaking her head. “That is some next-level courting.” Jimin and Aeri unnie nodding their head in agreement with Ningning.

Aeri unnie looks right at Minjeong, reacting to her confesion, "I'm not expecting that ..."

"Minjeong-ah, your feeling to him, it's seems so deep... Our company don't have a dating ban, but you guys need to be more careful okay? The dating rumor... it would ruin your career. You know how vicious male idols's fangirls can be right, Minjeong-ah?" Jimin unnie said solemnly. She’s not wrong, though. They need to be more cautious. Minjeong nodded in understanding what her unnie tried to say.

“I guess that's all needed to say, if you're happy, just go for it okay? Just follow your heart. But don't do anything bad tonight” Jimin unnie said stepping back toward her room with a mischievous grin on her face.

Minjeong was left alone in the kitchen to wonder what was going on between her and Jaehyun. Jimin unnie's words were ringing her ears as she walk back to her bedroom. Their feeling to each other, is it worth the risk?

When she returned, Jaehyun already sat on the edge of her bed while staring at her bed table. Or more likely at the MoMA snow ornaments he gifted her a few weeks ago. He smile softly at it.

The sleeves of his sweatshirt are rolled up to his elbows, and she can’t help but notice how nice his arms are. Lean and surprisingly smooth. And strong. Minjeong gulp as she flash back to him putting his arm around the back of her chair at the party.

“Enjoying the view?” Jaehyun draw a knowing smile without shiftin