The group wandered toward the music room, their voices rising in surprise. Against one wall stood a glossy black upright piano, its surface reflecting the light like a mirror.
Jinkyung pointed, eyes wide. "No way… you have a piano too?" She turned to me with a teasing smile. "Do you even know how to play?"
All eyes turned to me expectantly.
I rubbed the back of my neck, hesitating a moment. "...A little," I admitted.
Irina clapped her hands together. "Then show us! Just one song."
Everyone turned to me, curious. I raised an eyebrow, lips twitching into a faint smile. "Maybe later. Right now, the food's going to get cold if we keep standing around gawking."
I led them back toward the living hall, where the long dining table had already been set.
A variety of dishes filled the surface steaming bowls of kimchi jjigae, neatly arranged plates of bulgogi, stacks of kimbap, fried Mandu on a silver tray, and banchan filling every little porcelain dish in between.
The warm aroma hit the group all at once, making stomachs growl.
Irina's eyes widened. "Wait… this is all prepared?"
Yang Jinsu whistled low. "It looks like we just walked into a restaurant."
I shrugged casually, taking a seat at the head of the table. "I called ahead. Someone came by to get everything ready before we arrived."
Seol Hyorim hesitated by her chair, still taking in the sight. "So you really… live here by yourself?"
"Yeah," I said simply, pulling out a pair of chopsticks. "But I'm not completely alone. Someone checks in now and then, just to make sure I'm fine. Anyway" I gestured toward the spread. "Eat before it gets cold."
The group finally sat down, still a little dazed, but their hesitation melted the moment the first bites were taken.
Park Dong stuffed a mandu into his mouth, eyes lighting up. "Damn, even the side dishes taste expensive."
The moment chopsticks touched the table, the calm atmosphere broke.
Irina immediately reached for a plate of galbi, only for Park Dong's chopsticks to clash against hers midair.
"Yah, I saw that first!" Park Dong snapped, glaring at her.
Irina narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about? It's food, not a seat on the bus. First come, first serve!"
They both tugged at the same piece like kids, the galbi stretching dangerously before finally tearing in half Irina triumphantly shoving her half into her mouth while Park Dong grumbled, chewing his own.
"Unbelievable…" Hyorim muttered, pressing her palm to her face, but there was a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Meanwhile, Jinkyung leaned across the table with a smirk. "Forget the food, I'm still stuck on the fact that Seojin lives here. And he just calls people to cook whenever he wants. Do you even know how absurd that sounds?"
I just leaned back in my chair, letting them vent. "What do you want me to say? This is just normal for me."
That earned me a synchronized scoff from both Jinkyung and Irina.
Irina jabbed a chopstick in my direction. "Normal, he says. You're like one of those chaebol heirs in dramas except your hair isn't slicked back."
Park Dong, still chewing like a starving man, added with a grin, "At least he fights better than those pretty-boy chaebols. Did you see how that guy flew when Seojin punched him?"
The table erupted in laughter, except Hyorim, who nearly choked on her rice at the mention of the punch. She quickly looked down, her ears turning red.
I noticed and smiled faintly before turning back to the group. "Can we not make the night about that?"
"Why not?" Jinkyung teased, eyes gleaming. "Throwing yourself on top of Hyorim like a knight in shining armor pretty sure that's what they call romance."
Irina gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "No, no tragic romance! He almost broke his arms for it."
Hyorim slammed her chopsticks down, face flushed. "Shut up, both of you!"
That only made them laugh harder.
Park dong, meanwhile, ignored all of it, happily stuffing meat into lettuce wraps like he hadn't eaten in days. "You guys can keep teasing, I'll just keep eating before Irina steals it all."
"WHAT did you say?!" Irina whipped her head around, locking chopsticks with him this time.
The sight of the two of them wrestling over kimchi left everyone in stitches.
And for the first time that day, after all the chaos, the hospital, and the crowd outside Lotte World, the room was filled with nothing but warmth and laughter.
After the plates were cleared and the helpers had gone, the group drifted into the living room. The atmosphere was still lively, the air buzzing with post-dinner energy.
Someone spotted the karaoke machine tucked neatly by the TV, and in no time Jinkyung and Irina were battling it out with duets, their voices half-singing, half-screaming as the rest cheered them on.
In another corner, Park Dong, Yang Jinsu, and Kim Jiseong had discovered the gaming room.
The sound of button mashing and frustrated shouts soon spilled into the hallway as they argued over who cheated and who didn't.
Back in the living room, I stayed on the sofa, watching the chaos unfold with a small smile.
Everyone looked so carefree, the earlier chaos at Lotte World now feeling like a distant memory.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Hyorim sitting nearby.
She was laughing really laughing at Irina's disastrous attempt at hitting a high note, her shoulders shaking as she tried to hold it in.
When she turned, our eyes met. For a brief second, the room seemed quieter.
"What?" she asked, still smiling, though her cheeks colored slightly under my gaze.
I shook my head, leaning back against the sofa. "Nothing. Just… you look like you're having fun."
Her expression softened for a moment, almost as if she wanted to say something back, but then Irina off-key singing made her laugh again, breaking the moment.
Eventually, as the night stretched on, everyone grew tired.
The karaoke machine was switched off, controllers abandoned, and one by one, they began to gather their things. Shoes slipped on, bags were picked up, and the energy slowly calmed into that satisfied quiet after a good day.
Just as I was about to see them out, Hyorim lingered by the door, fidgeting slightly.
She glanced at me, then away, as if debating something. Finally, she muttered, almost too low for the others to hear:
"...Hey, Seojin. Give me your number."
The room seemed to freeze for a second.
I blinked, caught off guard, before a faint smirk tugged at my lips. Pulling out my phone, I handed it over without a word.
Her fingers brushed mine as she quickly typed in her number, her ears turning red. She gave the phone back with a small, almost embarrassed smile.
Irina and Jinkyung exchanged looks behind her, stifling mischievous grins, but thankfully didn't tease her at least, not yet.
After the last goodbyes and the heavy door shut behind them, silence settled over the house. I leaned back against the sofa, letting out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
The laughter and chatter still lingered faintly in my head, but now there was only the hum of the fridge and the ticking of the clock.
I pulled out my phone, scrolling aimlessly, when the screen lit up with a new message.
[01*-****-****]: Thanks for today. lol
I didn't need to check who it was. A small smile tugged at my lips as I saved the number under her name Seol Hyorim.
Leaning back against the cushions, I stared at the text again, the faint heat of her earlier blush flashing across my mind. My fingers hovered over the buttons for a moment before I typed back something simple.
[Seojin: Anytime. Get home safe.
As the screen dimmed, I couldn't help but smirk to myself. The chaos of Lotte World, the hospital, the teasing it had all led to this one quiet message, and somehow, that felt like the real highlight of the day.