The cafeteria doors slid open with a soft hiss.
Warm light, the smell of soup, and the faint murmur of conversations spilled into the hallway. It should have felt ordinary. Familiar. Safe.
But for Seo Jin, it felt like stepping into a battlefield.
Because Li Ran was holding his hand.
Not tightly.
Not possessively.
Just… gently. Purposefully. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Seo Jin's pulse stuttered. "Ran… people are going to stare."
Li Ran leaned down just enough for their shoulders to touch.
"Let them."
Seo Jin squeezed his hand once—tiny, nervous, hopeful.
They walked in.
And the staring began instantly.
---
Eyes Like Needles
A group of technicians sitting by the corner froze mid-chew. Two researchers whispered urgently behind their cups. One woman nearly dropped her spoon when she saw Li Ran guiding Seo Jin toward a small table by the window.
Seo Jin felt the eyes like a physical weight pressing into his spine.
