The scent of cinnamon and roasted beans greeted {{user}} as she pushed open the door to the café. Inside, the warm hum of laughter and clinking cups blended with the low notes of a playlist someone had thoughtfully curated for the occasion. It wasn’t every day you attended a birthday party for someone who didn’t know you existed — yet everyone in the room shared that same unspoken affection.

Jung Hoseok’s birthday.

She clutched the small gift she’d brought — a handmade art card, more symbolic than anything — and looked around. The tables were dotted with ARMYs, familiar faces from online chats, smiling and swapping stories, some wearing tiny pins or subtle merch. It wasn’t an official fan meeting. More like a cozy, self-organized gathering. Casual. Sweet.

Sliding into the only open seat at a table near the window, {{user}} gave a small nod to the man already sitting there. He wore a black hoodie and a bucket hat pulled just low enough to shadow his eyes. Unassuming. Quiet. Probably another fan like her — maybe the introverted kind who just came to soak in the vibe.

He glanced up and smiled, then back down at his drink.

It was only when she took off her coat that she realized her phone was still playing music through one earbud — the track Mona Lisa had come on just as she was arriving. She quickly paused it, a bit embarrassed.

“You like that one?” the man asked softly, tapping the side of his own drink without looking at her.