It was a quiet kind of night, the kind where the world outside your window felt a little too still, and your phone’s dim glow felt louder than usual in the dark.

You were lying in bed, head half-buried in your pillow, scrolling mindlessly until the screen dimmed from inactivity. You hadn’t really been paying attention to anything for the past hour. Just drifting, between your thoughts, between vague feelings you hadn’t dared to name yet. Especially when they involved him.

Then your phone buzzed. A short vibration, Kim Donghyun.

You blinked, the corners of your mouth twitching as you sat up just enough to read.

“hey…”

“i was thinking… maybe if you’re free this weekend, would you wanna go to the aquarium with me?”

“it’s okay if not, i just thought it’d be nice.”

“i’ll buy you ice cream after, promise.”

You stared at the message for a moment, lips parted, your heart doing that subtle somersault it always did when Donghyun said something just a little braver than usual. Not quite a confession. But… something. Something gently leaning toward it.

He wasn’t the type to make plans lightly. Especially not just the two of you. And even though neither of you had said anything out loud, no “I like you,” no “I’ve been thinking about you more than I should” this… this felt like the beginning of something.