𓍯23𓂃

Dove's

I managed to pull myself out of the pool, drenched and slightly embarrassed. But before I can even catch my breath, I hear the unmistakable sound of laughter.

"Megan... Hyejin... don't even-"

But it's too late.

The two of them are already reenacting the whole fiasco, complete with exaggerated splashing and flailing, mimicking the exact moment Minho and I fell in.

"Oh no, look out, Dove! You're going to trip!" Megan says dramatically, stumbling into Hyejin.

Hyejin laughs and then mimics falling, pointing to an imaginary Minho as she shouts, "I've got you, Dove!" in a ridiculously deep voice.

I groan, my face turning bright red. "Stop it!"

They both burst into giggles, and I bury my face in my hands. "You guys are terrible."

"Aww, don't be shy!" Megan teases, "It's cute. I didn't know you two were that close."

I roll my eyes, feeling the awkwardness settling in. Just as I'm about to protest again, I feel something warm drape over my shoulders.

I turn to see Dae standing there, a soft smile on his face. He had just put a towel on my shoulder. "Here. You're going to catch a cold if you stay like that."

I blink in surprise, his thoughtful gesture catching me off guard. I hadn't even noticed him approaching.

"Thanks, Dae," I say quietly, taking the towel from him. I start to dry off, still feeling the heat on my face from the teasing.

"No problem." His smile stays gentle, and he looks down at me with a reassuring calmness. "You're alright, though? That looked like quite the fall."

I nod, grateful for his kindness, even if the teasing still lingers in my mind. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little embarrassed."

"Well," he says with a small chuckle, "At least you got someone to catch you."

I glance at him, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I think I'd rather not have fallen at all, honestly."

He laughs lightly, and for a moment, everything feels a little easier. The teasing fades into the background, and I feel a bit lighter with Dae standing there, offering a quiet kind of support.

"Just dry up," he says, giving me an encouraging nudge. "We'll get through this class without any more dramatic splashes."

I nod, feeling more grounded now. "Yeah. No more falling for me."

Dae's grin widens as he turns to walk off. "Good luck with that."

I glance over at Megan and Hyejin, who are still snickering, and then at Dae, who's already walking back toward the pool.

For the first time today, I feel a little bit more at ease.

Dae's

I sit on the bench, elbows on my knees, fingers loosely laced together. My feet are damp from the splash, but I barely notice. All I can focus on is the tight knot in my chest-the one I hate acknowledging.

Minho saved Dove.

I should be grateful. I am grateful. Really. If he hadn't caught her, she could've hit her head, could've gone under too fast. I don't even want to think about that.

But why did it have to be him?

I exhale sharply, my jaw clenching as I stare at the ground. The image is stuck in my head-Minho's hands gripping her waist, the way she blinked up at him, their faces too close in the water.

I was the one who wrapped the towel around her. I was the one who made sure she had something warm, something solid to hold onto after the shock of it all. That should be enough.

But it's not.

Because no matter how much I try to push it down, to tell myself it doesn't matter, I hate that Minho was the one to save her.

Hate that, for just a second, he got to be her hero.

I'm still sitting on the bench, trying to shake the feeling that's crawled under my skin and refuses to leave. My fingers are still locked together, but now they're so tight that my knuckles are white, the skin stretched thin. I hadn't noticed until now until the ache in my hand snaps me out of my head.

Then, I feel a hand on mine.

I don't have to look up to know it's Dove. Her touch is gentle, the pressure on my fist light but firm enough to get my attention.

I blink, slowly, feeling something warm spread through me, but it's mixed with confusion. She's standing beside me, her towel still draped around her shoulders, wet hair sticking to her skin. Her eyes are soft, watching me like she's trying to understand something I can't even put into words.

"You're tense," she says, her voice quiet but steady.

I don't know how long I've been sitting like this, lost in my thoughts, letting the jealousy churn inside me. But it's almost like Dove can feel it. it can sense it without me saying a word.

I pull my hand back, not wanting her to see how much I've been holding onto, but she doesn't let go. She keeps her fingers lightly on mine, her touch grounding, like she's not worried about the mess of whatever this is between us.

"I'm fine," I mutter, but my voice is tight, and I know she can hear it.

Dove doesn't say anything at first. it just keeps her hand resting on mine. I can feel her fingers warm through the thin layers of my hoodie, and the longer she keeps it there, the more I start to notice how tight I'm holding on, like if I let go of this feeling, I'll lose control.

She slides onto the bench beside me, close enough that I can feel the warmth of her body next to mine. Her hand moves gently but steadily, loosening my fist, one finger at a time. The relief that floods through me is immediate, but it's mixed with something else-something that feels almost like... exposure.

"Your blood needs to circulate," she says, her voice soft, almost teasing, but there's concern in her eyes.

I let out a breath, feeling stupid for not realizing how stiff I'd become. The tension in my hand fades as she pries my fingers open, and it's like a small weight lifts off my chest, but the ache in my heart doesn't go away.

"I'm fine," I murmur again, though it sounds less convincing this time.

Dove tilts her head slightly, her eyes narrowing just a little, like she's trying to decide if I'm being honest. "You don't look fine."

I don't know how to explain this mess inside me. I don't even know how to explain why I'm feeling so... twisted up over Minho, of all people.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

I know, I know, it's Minho's story, but I feel like since it's just the starting of their new, non hatred related friendship, so let's go slow.

Plus, I did tell y'all it's slow burn. While it is a slow burn, it doesn't mean I won't serve some kind of romance in the meantime.