The cafeteria buzzed with chatter, but it felt like all the noise zeroed in on our table.
We were at the so called main table - as Taehyun liked to point out and San, Saehi and I were here sitting together with the Heirs.
If anyone would have predicted this about me a year ago, I would have laughed it off. And if someone had suggested the same the first week I spent at Royals High, I would have called them crazy.
But how had times changed.
We were nearing the end of the year and soon it would be Christmas and then New Years and even soon the end of the term.
Time was flying fast and I forgot one had no idea how to grasp the reins of my life.
Soobin was seated to my right and Saehi to my left, followed by San. Yeonjun directly opposite to me.
Beomgyu sat next to Yeonjun opposite to Saehi and Kai and Taehyun occupied the end of the table on opposite sides.
Even though the flare of conversation didn't dull, I hoped they did not miss either me or Yeonjun participating much.
I poked at my lunch, the mashed potatoes congealing under my absent-minded assault with a fork. Across from me, Beomgyu's dramatic flair was in full swing.
"Am I crazy, or is there crazy tension around our table?" he announced, eyes darting between everyone like a poorly paid detective on a case.
Guess I was wrong about them missing the tension. Or at least only with Beomgyu.
There was a loud thud under the table, and Beomgyu flinched, glaring at Saehi.
"What the hell?" he looked accusingly at Saehi.
"Sometimes, you gotta know when to keep your big mouth shut, you dumbass," she replied, unfazed by his glare.
"Oh, so you think my mouth is big?" Beomgyu's expression flipped, leaning forward with his chin propped in his palm.
His smirk was annoyingly charming and suggestive, as if he were starring in some rom-com.
This guy really knew how to turn on his charms. Not like his looks didn't aid.
"That's what you gathered from my sentence?" Saehi's brow furrowed.
She shook her head as if she expected this from him anyway.
"That's what I wanted to hear." He shrugged with the kind of nonchalance that could make a saint snap.
"You really need to work on your selective hearing" she snorted and chewed on a fry and I didn't miss the look Beomgyu gave her, a little too attentive on her lips before focus on her face.
I couldn't be the only one who notice him paying so much attention on Saehi.
"Maybe you can scream my name to help me with my listening problem," Beomgyu quipped, earning himself a loud gagging noise from Saehi.
"Oh my god, stop," she groaned, throwing a fry at him.
"Ah, you already know your lines" Beomgyu smirked and she made another gaging noise.
"You need to get laid Beomgyu" Saehi said dismissively.
Beomgyu open his mouth to retort with what I am assuming to be another sexual inuendo but he was cut off.
San, seated next to Beomgyu, erupted into laughter, causing Beomgyu to snap his head toward him with a glare.
"Why are you laughing, huh? You're single too, don't act so superior," Beomgyu grumbled.
San opened his moth then closed it, thinking better than to indulge in this argument with Beomgyu and Beomgyu gave a satisfying smile as if he won the argument.
Although I wasn't sure proclaiming he was single and celibate was a win.
I sighed, zoning them out.
Normally, their antics were amusing, but today, I didn't have the energy.
My thoughts kept circling back to Yeonjun.
It had been two days since the incident outside my house, and he hadn't returned any of my calls or texts.
I tried to rationalize his reaction, but wasn't being in a relationship supposed to mean working through conflicts together?
So why did it feel like we were drifting further apart?
I knew my reaction may not have been ideal but hey this was first time in this. I didn't know how to navigate a relationship. It's not like I had prior experience.
Unlike him.
Next to me, Soobin leaned in slightly, his voice cutting through my spiraling thoughts.
"You okay?" he whispered so that only I could hear.
I glanced at him, startled by his proximity.
His eyes were soft, genuine, and I felt a pang of guilt. He'd been kinder to me than I deserved.
One glance at Yeonjun and I knew his attention was zeroed in on Soobin and I and it made me angry.
"I'm fine," I lied, forcing a small smile.
"Sure you are," he said, his tone laced with disbelief.
But before I could respond, Beomgyu groaned loudly, drawing the attention back to him.
"Ugh, don't remind me about the Choi family party this weekend. It's going to be so boring," he whined, slumping dramatically in his seat.
"I mean, who even throws a party just to announce some business stuff?" he groaned again and patted his forehead with the back of his hand in an overdramatic manner.
I was sure I could hear everyone rolling their eyes and it made me smile a little.
He could be so over the top sometimes.
"It's not just any business stuff," Kai countered, tossing a fry into his mouth.
"It's about Yeonjun taking over the textile division. That's a pretty big deal. Not just for the Choi group alone either. For Hyejin's family as well" Taehyun said as a matter of fact.
Just Hyejin's name made me grip my fork a little too hard.
Beomgyu rolled his eyes.
"Still boring. And no date to make it tolerable? No rock music to dance to? Kill me now" he sighed.
"You could just not go," San suggested, his tone teasing.
"Not an option, genius. Remember, I am one of the said Choi? My parents would kill me." Beomgyu sighed deeply before turning to Yeonjun, who was sitting silently, his eyes fixed on the table.
"Speaking of dates, Yeonjun, you bringing anyone? Hyejin maybe? Or maybe that mystry girl people keep spreading rumours about you kissing on the beach? Or are you going solo like the rest of us losers?" Beomgyu lightly proded the question.
But it was enough for me to know that he wasn't aware that the girl was me. I wasn't sure whether I was relieved or not by that fact.
"Yeah Yeonjun, you're the man of the party, surely you must have a date too" Soobin asked, trying to instigate a reaction out of Yeonjun and I furrowed my brows at him.
The question hung in the air, and the tension around the table spiked. Yeonjun's jaw tightened, his gaze snapping up to Soobin, who casually sipped his drink.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Yeonjun replied coolly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Beomgyu blinked, missing the edge in his voice, but Soobin didn't.
He leaned back in his chair, his lips quirking into a slight smirk.
"Maybe I'll bring Yuri," Soobin said lightly, his tone teasing but deliberate.
My head whipped toward him, my eyes wide.
"What?"
"It makes sense," he said, shrugging in defense.
"You're friends with me and the others, and you'd liven up the party. Plus, it's not like you have plans, right?"
"Wait, no, I-" I started, but Yeonjun's voice cut through sharply.
"Yuri doesn't want to go with you, isn't that obvious?"
"Well I am sure we can let her decide who she wants to go with" Soobin countered.
"Please don't have this discussion as if it is confirmed that I am going to this thing. This is a family affair. I have no part in it and I don't want to go to a fancy party" I said bring their attention back to me.
"Why not? It'll be fun. I am sure Beomgyu would appreciate your company as well" Soobin suggested and Beomgyu perked up at the idea and nodded his head enthusiastically.
"No -"
"Don't you sound too desperate for her attention?" Yeonjun countered and I snapped my eyes at him.
His words were a clear jab, and the bitterness in his tone made my stomach twist.
The others around the table exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the sudden tension.
I clenched my fists under the table, anger bubbling up.
"Fine," I said, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.
"I'll go" I announced to no one in particular but my eyes bore onto Yeonjun.
The corner of Soobin's mouth twitched as if suppressing a smile, but he stayed quiet.
"Great," Yeonjun said, his tone biting. He pushed his chair back abruptly, standing up.
"See you all at the party."
He didn't wait for a response, striding out of the cafeteria without looking back.
"Wow," Beomgyu muttered, breaking the silence.
"That was... intense" this earned him another nudge under the table from Saehi and he cursed in pain.
I didn't reply, my thoughts swirling as I stared at my untouched lunch.
Soobin leaned closer, his voice low.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to, Yuri. I just-"
Even though I was angry at Soobin, I was angrier at Yeonjun. It was as if he didn't trust me.
"No," I interrupted, my voice firm.
"I'll go" my voice resolute.
He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable, before nodding.
"Alright. I'll pick you up."
I nodded mutely, my mind already spinning with the implications of my decision.
A/N: Hello lovely people! Another chapter. Another drama. And my bae Saehi and Beomgyu. I always have the most fun pending their conversation.
Alsooooo..... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope your 2025 is filled with abundance of joy light and love.
Did you make any resolutions this year?