Shall We? | NCT Lee Jeno ff

Chapter 16 - Hyun Nam

It wasn't until a few days did Winter call Hyun Nam. She was in the shower, getting ready to go to school when her phone rang. She struggled to take a towel and covered herself before answering, her hair still filled with shampoo.

"Hyun Nam! I'm so sorry for bothering you so early in the morning."

"No, no. It's fine," Hyun Nam smiled, adjusting the towel wrapped around her.

"I have extra time today to hang out today and I remembered you! We should definitely catch up," Winter replied. Hyun Nam was puzzled. Catch up? They've never talked or hung out together before, what was there to catch up on. But she agreed anyway.

"Cafe Hermes at 4?" she asked and Hyun Nam nodded silently, but then said yes out loud forgetting that she was on a call.

"Let me drive you there," Kang Dae insisted after Hyun Nam said she couldn't study with him today because she was meeting a friend. She continued walking with Kang Dae beside her, completely ignoring the other girls falling for him. Literally falling.

"Kang Dae, it's fine. We have a project next week anyway and you need to study. Mr. Jungho is already waiting for me, I feel bad to send him home when he's driven all the way here," Hyun Nam sighed, stopping at the lobby. Kang Dae looked at the car waiting for Hyun Nam and nodded.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. Well, tell me next time so I can drive you there, okay?" Kang Dae asked and Hyun Nam nodded before he left to study alone.

"You know, I feel bad for that Kang Dae guy. He keeps on trying to get you, but the truth is he never will succeed," Mr. Jungho sighed as Hyun Nam entered the car.

"Don't start making me feel worse than I already am, Mr. Jungho," Hyun Nam whined, making him laugh and drive away.

"Hi!" Winter was sitting on one of the chairs near the window, a cup of tea ready on the table. She wore a cream turtleneck and a pair of blue jeans. Her coat settled on her body, flowing down like a piece of fabric draped over her. She looked elegant and regal with her clothes and smile of hers.

"How are you?" she said, Hyun Nam taking a seat across from her.

"I'm good, how are you? This place looks comfortable," Hyun Nam smiled, looking around the cafe. She has never once been here before nor has she gone hanging out with friends that much.

"Thank you, I'm also well. Did your boyfriend drive you here today? I would love to see him again, he looked charming. I hope that was appropriate to say," she giggled but stopped when she saw Hyun Nam's confused look.

"Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend," Hyun Nam breathed.

Winter gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. Her rings glittering from the sunlight.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I just thought because you two were always together," her voice trailed off into a whisper even Hyun Nam couldn't hear.

"That's okay, people mistake us as a couple as well," Hyun Nam smiled to make Winter feel better. Although, deep down she panicked if Winter told anyone that Hyun Nam and Kang Dae were dating. Did she? She wanted to ask but felt it wasn't right and it would just become a weird conversation.

"I'll have to tell Jeno and some of the others, I stupidly told them you were dating," she chuckled nervously.

Hyun Nam freezed, her hand still raised in the air to call the waitress. Hyun Nam wanted to scream but knew it wasn't Winter's fault, she didn't know and she didn't have any negative intentions towards Hyun Nam, that kept her in check. So right now, people think Kang Dae and Hyun Nam are dating? People including Jeno? She wanted to scream again thinking of Jeno's reaction, but why was she thinking specifically about Jeno's reaction. It didn't matter to her and shouldn't ever matter.

"Ms? Would you like to order?" the waitress broke the silence.

Hyun Nam immediately ordered tea and a slice of cake so the waitress wouldn't make the situation more awkward. She calmed herself down.

"It's really okay Winter, you didn't know," she tried to put on her most genuine smile, it helped that Winter looked so kind and nice. There was a slight awkward tension but Hyun Nam broke it with a question she's been meaning to ask.

"Have we met before? Like before the concert or conference?"

"Yes, actually! That's why I wanted to meet you. We went to the same highschool, I was a year older than you," Winter clapped her hands excitedly, but Hyun Nam felt bad that she didn't remember, she moved from so many different schools it was too difficult to know all the students who went there.

"If you don't remember me, we actually encountered each other during a class sports assembly. I accidentally spilled my juice on you and helped you clean it off in the bathroom, later on we competed together in the relay, and of course we won!" she smiled and took a sip from her cup. A memory was unlocked in her brain. She remembered the smell of fried snacks at the student-led stalls, she remembered the cold feeling of the juice on her skin, she remembered Winter's smile.

"Do you remember, now?"

Hyun Nam nodded excitedly, knowing that she knew Winter personally when she was younger.

Winter was an interesting woman. Though she was an idol, she seemed quite normal besides the fact she looks like a literal angel. She was less talkative then she was on camera but other aspects of her were the same. Her stories weren't as funny as Jeno's but it sure made Hyun Nam laugh.

"I have a photoshoot next Saturday and the Aespa members are busy with their own schedule. I'm allowed to bring one person and I want to bring you with me," her eyes sparkled, hoping for a 'yes'.

"You might be wondering why I ask you. I don't have that many friends besides my members and I would really like to get close with you," she smiled even brighter which made Hyun Nam feel bad she was going to have to decline. Next Saturday, she promised Jeno to go to Starfield.

Hyun Nam smiled, comforting Winter of what she would say.

"I'm sorry, Winter. I'm going out with someone next Saturday," Hyun Nam said.

Winter's smile disappeared for a while before she grew a small smile.

"Well, if you have a change of plans, tell me, okay?" Winter said and went inside her company's car, leaving Hyun Nam feeling terrible.

Hyun Nam didn't know what she was feeling. She felt irritated, dreadful, and gloomy. Jeno's text had triggered a series of odd emotions in Hyun Nam's body. He had said that he couldn't make it to Starfield because his manager put in a last-minute plan in his schedule, she didn't know what it was but she was too blue to ask. However, a little part of her was excited to be able to meet Winter again at her photoshoot, if she still wanted Hyun Nam to come.

"Hi, turns out the person had unexpected plans that day, so I'm free," Hyun Nam texted.

"I'm sorry they canceled but LOVE you're coming! I'll send you the address and I'll see you next week," she texted back. Hyun Nam couldn't have everything in the world, she slept with that thought circling in her head.

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