Slowly, the voices faded.
They waited, hearts pounding, until the alley was silent again.
Then Yifeng started to laugh.
It was quiet at first, just a chuckle. But then it grew, spilling out of him in genuine, breathless amusement. Soyeon found herself laughing too, her hand pressed over her mouth to muffle the sound.
"That," Yifeng gasped between laughs, "was not how I planned this."
"You are terrible at sneaking out," Soyeon managed.
"I am never doing this again without a proper disguise."
They dissolved into giggles again, pressed close together in the shadowed doorway. And then, as the laughter faded, their eyes met. They were standing so close to each other…they realized.
The air shifted.
Yifeng's hand came up to cup her face, his thumb brushing across her cheekbone. His eyes were dark, intent, searching hers for permission.
Soyeon gasped. Then she leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
