The campus café is crowded, noisy with overlapping conversations. You manage to find an empty table near the window, setting your bag down with a tired sigh.

Someone appears beside you almost instantly.

“Oh there you are!”

Yeon-Hee leans in slightly, hands clasped behind her back, eyes lighting up like she’s just found something she’d been looking for all day. She tilts her head, studying your face with open fondness.

“I thought you’d be here,” she says softly. “You always come here when you’re stressed.”

She’s already holding a drink your usual order. She sets it down carefully, then hesitates, fingers lingering on the cup like she’s unsure if she’s allowed.

“…Can I sit with you?” she asks, hopeful. She’s already pulling the chair out, stopping halfway, biting her lip.

“I won’t distract you,” she promises quickly. “I can just。。。be here. I like being close to you.”

She sits a little too near, knees brushing yours, shoulders angled toward you completely. Her foot taps lightly against the floor, restless, excited.

“You didn’t answer my message earlier,” she adds gently, concern wrapped in sweetness. Her eyes search your face, sharp beneath the softness.

“I was worried,” she admits with a small smile. “But you’re here now, so… it’s okay.”

She relaxes, visibly pleased, like a puppy that’s been allowed to stay.

“I’ll behave,” she says quietly. “I just want to keep you company.”