ꜱᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ| ateez

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

-CHOI SAN-

Waking up the next morning in my own bed, the events of the previous night swirled through my mind like a vivid dream. Groggily turning over, I reached out for my phone, only to find it missing. The realization that it must have stayed at Wooyoung's house hit me, and I couldn't help but groan, the memories of last night flooding back with a mix of emotions. Frustrated and still processing, I slipped off the bed, running my fingers through my hair in agitation.

Shuffling towards the bathroom, I grabbed my toothbrush and some toothpaste, deciding that diving into my morning routine might help clear my head and wake me up fully. As I started brushing my teeth, lost in thought about how to navigate the complexities that yesterday had unveiled, a series of loud knocks on my door jolted me from my reverie.

A frown formed on my face as I wondered who could be at the door so early. Rinsing my mouth quickly, I made my way to the front door, the unease and curiosity growing with each step.

As I opened the door, the sight of my friends, Jong-ho and Minho, greeted me, a brief distraction from the whirlwind of emotions still churning inside. Without much preamble, they stepped inside, and I, somewhat mechanically, returned to my morning routine, Jong-ho trailing behind with an all-too-familiar grin on his face.

"Have you thought about my idea?" Jong-ho's voice, soft yet filled with anticipation, broke the silence, reminding me of the date he had proposed. The realization hit me like a cold shower, adding another layer of complexity to an already tumultuous period.

After quickly finishing up in the bathroom—spitting out the toothpaste, rinsing my mouth, and washing my face—I attempted to gather my thoughts, which proved difficult given the lingering daze from the night before. Turning to face Jong-ho, I managed a noncommittal, "Kind of I did," my mind racing with how to navigate this unexpected reminder amidst the emotional aftermath of the previous evening.

Before I could process the situation further, Jong-ho turned me around, his lips crashing against mine in a move that caught me completely off guard. His hand gripped the back of my neck gently, yet the gesture felt jarringly out of place, especially given my recent encounter with Wooyoung. My gasp of surprise was barely audible when a familiar voice pierced the moment.

"Hey, you forgot..." The voice, unmistakably Wooyoung's, jolted me back to reality, and I pulled back from Jong-ho, confusion and shock mingling with the remnants of last night's emotions. Jong-ho, too, seemed taken aback, turning to see Wooyoung at the door, his expression a mix of surprise and something unreadable.

The room suddenly felt too small, the air charged with tension and unspoken questions. Wooyoung's unexpected appearance, in the wake of Jong-ho's impulsive act, left me caught between past emotions and present decisions, a crossroads that seemed impossible to navigate without causing more turmoil.

In the tense silence that followed, Wooyoung's presence at the doorway filled the room with a palpable sense of awkwardness. Jong-ho, realizing the gravity of the situation, quickly stepped back, a flush of embarrassment crossing his features as he glanced between Wooyoung and me.

"I... uh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize—" Jong-ho started, his apology hanging in the air, cut short by the complexity of the moment.

Wooyoung, holding my forgotten phone in his hand, seemed to weigh his words carefully before speaking. "I came to return this," he said, his voice steady but not devoid of emotion, extending my phone towards me. His gaze lingered on mine for a moment, an unspoken conversation passing between us.

I reached out, taking the phone, our fingers brushing slightly—a contact that sent a jolt through me, reminiscent of last night's intimacy. "Thank you," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper, the room suddenly feeling too tight with the weight of unsaid feelings and unresolved tensions.