The soft chime of the café’s bell barely registered in Hwang Hyunjin’s mind as he entered. Scent of coffee mixing with the perfume of the woman beside. Fingers curled around his, delicate but firm. He let her hold on, always did. It was modern, sleek. Kind of place where people buried themselves in work or meaningless conversations. He’d been here once or twice before, but never alone. Today no different. As his foot crossed the threshold, something made him stop. A presence. He gazed the room instinctively, scanning without thought—till his eyes landed. Kim Seungmin. He was sitting near the window, head tilted slightly, taking notes. MacBook was open beside him, glowing faintly in the dim lighting. Bangs fell slightly over his eyes, lips parted in quiet concentration. Hyunjin’s grip on his girlfriend’s hand was now loose. Seungmin hadn’t noticed him yet. For a brief second, Hyunjin considered just walking past. After all, what did it matter? They weren’t friends—not really. They had met before, exchanged words, nothing more. Just another face in the crowd. Why couldn’t he look away? As if sensing something, Seungmin finally lifted his gaze. Their eyes locked. A strange stillness settled over Hyunjin. The air felt heavier, the usual background noise of clinking cups, quiet chatter dulling into something distant. Seungmin didn’t move. His eyes flickered ever so slightly, just enough to betray a hint of surprise. But he didn’t frown, didn’t smile—just held Hyunjin’s stare. He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for. He had seen Seungmin before, but never like this in the kind of silence that made his presence feel- noticeable. Seungmin looked away first. His fingers curled around his pen, tapping it lightly against the paper. Nervous habit, maybe. Or just a dismissal. Hyunjin’s jaw tightened. Without a word he moved forward, His girlfriend tug him along. As he passed by, even as the moment dissolved into nothing, a thought pressed against the back of his mind. It wasn’t just a glance, and it definitely wasn’t the last.