First Glance

The sound of laughter echoed through the bustling university campus, mingling with the low hum of conversations and the distant strum of a guitar. I tightened my grip on the iced coffee in my hand, my eyes scanning the crowd. The annual cultural fest was in full swing, and the energy in the air was infectious.

But my mind wasn’t on the music or the performances. I was here because Soyeon, my best friend and relentless cheerleader, had dragged me out of my room, claiming I needed to “experience life.”

“Come on, Tae, you’ll love it,” she’d said earlier, practically shoving me into my shoes. “Who knows? You might meet someone interesting.”

I’d rolled my eyes then, but now, standing amidst a sea of faces, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was right.

“Are you even listening to me?” Soyeon’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to find her frowning at me.

“Of course,” I lied, sipping my coffee to hide my smirk.

“Liar.” She nudged me playfully before grabbing my arm. “Come on. Let’s check out the art exhibit. It’s supposed to be amazing this year.”

Reluctantly, I let her lead me through the crowd, weaving past groups of students and vendors selling everything from handmade jewelry to steaming bowls of spicy tteokbokki.

That’s when I saw him.

He was standing near one of the booths, his back turned to me. His broad shoulders were draped in a black leather jacket, and his dark hair fell in soft waves just above his collar. Something about him seemed magnetic, like he was the calm in the chaos around him.

I didn’t realize I was staring until Soyeon tugged at my sleeve.

“Earth to Taehyung,” she teased, her eyes following my gaze. “Oh, I see. Someone’s caught your attention.”

I felt heat rush to my cheeks and quickly looked away. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous? Please. You’re blushing.”

“I am not!”

Soyeon raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further, much to my relief. Instead, she dragged me closer to the booth where the guy was standing.

As we approached, I noticed he wasn’t alone. A group of students stood with him, all laughing and talking animatedly. But he remained quiet, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets as his gaze drifted toward the horizon.

“Excuse me,” Soyeon said, stepping forward to examine the paintings on display. I hovered nearby, pretending to be interested, but my attention kept flickering back to him.

And then, as if he could feel my eyes on him, he turned.

Our gazes collided, and my breath hitched.

His eyes were sharp yet soft, the kind that seemed to hold secrets you’d never uncover. His expression was unreadable, but something about the way he looked at me made my heart stutter.

Before I could look away, he smirked.

Not a friendly smile or a polite acknowledgment, but a confident, almost cocky smirk that sent a shiver down my spine.

I tore my gaze away, my cheeks burning.

“Taehyung, are you okay?” Soyeon asked, noticing my sudden discomfort.

“Yeah,” I mumbled, though my pulse was racing.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him turn back to his group, his smirk lingering like he knew something I didn’t.

Who was he? And why did I feel like meeting him was going to change everything?

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