Ara blinked, completely caught off guard by Mina's sudden exit.
> "Mina?! W–wait! Where are you—"
But Mina was already gone, practically skipping into the crowd with her phone clutched to her chest. Ara stood there dumbfounded, her lips parted in disbelief.
Taehyun, on the other hand, had to bite down a laugh. He leaned closer, his voice dripping with mischief.
> "Well… looks like your little guard dog ditched you for love."
Ara glared at him, folding her arms.
> "She didn't ditch me. She just… got excited. That's all."
Taehyun tilted his head, smirking, eyes glinting with that teasing charm.
> "Mm. So now you're stuck… with me. What a tragedy, huh, Ara?"
She rolled her eyes, huffing.
> "More like my worst nightmare."
But the way her cheeks tinted pink betrayed her words. Taehyun caught it instantly, his grin widening. He stepped just half an inch closer, enough for her to notice, not enough to scare her.
> "Don't worry. I'll take responsibility… protecting you from the scary fireworks and all."
Ara shot him a sharp look, but he just chuckled under his breath, enjoying every second of her fluster.
Ara's eyes flicked toward him, the glow of the lanterns reflected in her dark pupils. Her voice came out low, almost casual, but the weight in it was undeniable.
> Ara: "So… what do you really think about Arianna?"
Taehyun blinked, caught off guard by the sudden sharpness of her tone.
> Ara: "Last time, you said she was just your childhood friend, nothing more. That she didn't send you to follow me around. That she didn't use you to… to get close to me."
Her words trailed, but her meaning was sharp. She folded her arms, a small, defensive shield, her chin tilted as if daring him to say otherwise.
Taehyun exhaled, his lips quirking into that maddening little smile of his.
> Taehyun: "Still doubting me, Ara?"
> Ara: "I don't doubt. I just… don't believe so easily."
For the first time, his teasing faded, replaced with something gentler. He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice.
> Taehyun: "I told you before, and I'll say it again. Arianna is just part of my past, nothing more. My family knows hers, that's all. But me?" —his gaze lingered on her face, steady, almost stubborn— "I'm here. Standing in front of you."
Ara shifted uncomfortably under his stare, her heart betraying her with a faster rhythm. She wanted to scoff, to laugh it off, but the words tangled in her throat.
> Ara: "You're saying that now… but people change their words when it's convenient."
Taehyun chuckled softly, tilting his head.
> Taehyun: "Maybe. But I'm not 'people,' Ara. I don't waste my time chasing after someone I don't mean to."
His tone was confident, but not arrogant—it carried a sincerity that made her pulse skip. She bit her lip, averting her gaze toward the crowd, trying to find refuge in the noise of the festival.
Taehyun tilted his head, his eyes soft but laced with mischief.
"Honestly, Ara… I don't know what Arianna did to you. I don't know your history with her, and I won't pretend to." His voice dropped just a little, serious for a rare moment. "But one thing I do know—" he leaned closer, lips quirking into a small smile, "—you clearly hate her. So… if you hate her, then I'll hate her too."
He chuckled lightly, as if it was the simplest decision in the world. "Simple as that."
Ara blinked, caught off guard. "What kind of logic is that?" she muttered, trying to sound annoyed, but her ears turned red.
"Taehyun-logic," he replied smoothly, flashing a grin. "And it works perfectly. If you say the sky is green tonight, I'll believe you."
Ara scoffed, crossing her arms. "That's ridiculous."
"Mm, maybe," he teased, his eyes glinting with warmth. "But you don't know how convincing you are when you glare at me like that."
Taehyun's fingers brushed into his pocket, and when he drew them out, something glimmered faintly under the streetlight. Ara blinked, recognizing it immediately—
the shiny blue hair stick she had seen once in the store window.
He held it carefully between his fingers, almost like it was something fragile. His gaze softened.
> "Can I… put this on your hair?"
Ara froze. Her chest tightened at the thought of anyone's hand near her. She hated the instinct, the way her body stiffened at the idea of sudden touch. Taehyun noticed it too—her lashes lowered, her lips pressed tight.
He didn't move closer, just held the hair stick out patiently, waiting for her answer. His voice dropped, quiet but firm:
> "I'll be careful. I promise."
Inside, his thoughts flickered uneasily. Why did she always flinch? Why did the smallest closeness feel like a wall between them? It's like I still don't know her at all… like she's keeping herself hidden from me. A stranger… but one I don't want to lose.
Ara swallowed, her mind screaming to refuse—but there was something about the way he asked. No pressure. Just patience. Just… him. Slowly, hesitantly, she gave a tiny nod.
Taehyun's lips curved into the faintest smile. He stepped behind her, careful not to let his fingers brush her skin. He lifted her hair with such gentleness that even the night breeze seemed harsher in comparison, and carefully slid the blue stick into place.
When he stepped back, his smile widened.
> "Perfect."
Ara's heart thudded traitorously.
Ara touched her hair, feeling the cool metal. Her heart was racing faster than it should. She tried to scoff, to hide it.
> "You really think everything looks 'perfect,' don't you?"
Taehyun chuckled softly, eyes never leaving her.
> "No. Not everything. Just you."
Ara blinked, caught off guard, heat rushing to her cheeks. She quickly turned her head toward the other way to avoid his gaze, but inside… something fluttered.