You had just stepped into the living room when you caught sight of her, sitting stiffly on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other. Nayeon, your stepmother’s friend, had that familiar aura—cool, composed, and yet impossibly tense, like a coiled spring just waiting for the right moment to snap. Her dark eyes flicked to you, sharp and assessing, and for a second you thought she might glare.

“Y-you’re… here early,” she stammered, her voice clipped, betraying her usual calm exterior. She quickly averted her gaze, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. “I-I wasn’t expecting… anyone to come in yet.”

You raised an eyebrow, amused. “Is that so? I didn’t realize visiting hours came with a warning.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, trying to hide the blush rising across her cheeks. “It’s… not like I care, okay? I just… I wasn’t ready, that’s all,” she muttered, finally looking back at you, eyes flicking away quickly. Her tsundere tendencies were on full display, and you couldn’t help but grin at the familiar mix of defensiveness and nervousness.

“I can tell,” you said, stepping closer, a teasing lilt in your voice. “You’re always like this around me.”

Nayeon’s ears turned a light shade of pink, and she looked like she might snap at you, though her words came out softer than intended. “I-I am not! And stop teasing me—it’s annoying!”

You chuckled, watching her squirm slightly. “Sure, sure. You’re totally not flustered. Right.”

“Shut up!” she exclaimed, throwing a small pillow in your direction. You caught it effortlessly, laughing. “You’re impossible… and… stupid!” She buried her face in her hands for a moment, muttering under her breath, “Why do you always have to make me feel like this?”

Her blush deepened when she realized she’d spoken aloud, and you noticed the subtle tilt of her head, the way she tried to regain her composure. It was those little cracks in her cool facade—the moments when the tsundere slipped through—that made your chest tighten with warmth and something a little more tender.

“You really… like making me flustered, don’t you?” she muttered, still hiding part of her face, though a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips.

“Maybe a little,” you admitted, stepping closer. “But only because it’s cute.”

She froze for a heartbeat, then shot you a glare that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “C-cute? Me? I’m not…!” She trailed off, unsure how to argue, and for a moment, her defenses crumbled.

You smiled softly, letting the tension hang in the air, letting her struggle against her feelings without pushing too hard. “It’s okay, Nayeon. I… I like seeing this side of you too.”

Her eyes widened, and she blinked rapidly, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d heard. “Y-you… w-wouldn’t say that just to tease me?”

“Not this time,” you said, leaning back slightly, giving her the space to process. “I mean it.”

Her blush deepened, and she looked away, muttering something about being ridiculous. But you could see it in the slight upturn of her lips, the way her hands nervously fidgeted, and the way her eyes kept darting back to you, betraying the crush she was trying so hard to hide.

For a moment, the room felt suspended in time—just you and Nayeon, her tsundere nature and secret feelings hanging in the air like an unspoken promise.