PLOT : 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽

𝗼𝗰 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 : 𝗞𝗶𝗺 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗷𝗶

_

Minji kicked a rock in frustration, groaning as she looked around at the endless trees surrounding them. "Great. Fantastic. This is exactly how I wanted to spend my Saturday—lost in the middle of the forest with you."

Behind her, Kyung-jun sighed dramatically, running a hand through his messy hair. "Trust me, sunshine, you think I'm thrilled about this?"

"You were the one who took the wrong turn!"

"And you were the one who distracted me with your constant whining!"

Minji gasped, spinning on her heels to glare at him. "Excuse me? I was trying to tell you that we needed to stay with the group, but someone was too busy acting like he knows everything!"

Kyung-jun crossed his arms, his stupidly handsome face set in a smug smirk. "Well, now you have my full attention. Happy?"

She was so close to throwing her water bottle at his face.

Instead, she groaned again, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Okay, no. I refuse to die in the woods with you."

Kyung-jun scoffed. "Relax, drama queen. We just have to retrace our steps."

"Oh? And you know which way we came from, genius?"

Silence.

Minji smirked. "Exactly."

Kyung-jun clicked his tongue. "Alright, fine. We'll just—keep walking until we find something familiar."

Minji sighed but nodded, and the two of them started walking side by side.

The tension between them was thick—like always. Every little thing he did irritated her, and she was sure he lived to annoy her back. But there was also something else. Something she refused to acknowledge.

And then—after what felt like an hour—Minji suddenly tripped over a tree root.

"Ah—!"

She braced for impact, expecting to hit the dirt—but instead, she was caught by strong arms.

Her breath hitched.

Kyung-jun had caught her.

And now, she was pressed way too close to him.

For the first time since they met, Minji couldn't think of a single insult.

His arms stayed firm around her waist, his face inches from hers. His sharp jawline, the way his dark eyes flickered over her features, the warmth of his body—

Minji swore her heart had never pounded this hard before.

"...You're heavy," he muttered.

Her face burned as she shoved him away. "Jerk! I was just about to thank you!"

Kyung-jun smirked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You? Thank me? I would've paid money to see that."

Minji huffed, turning away to hide her very obvious blush. "Whatever. Let's just find our way back."

They walked in silence for a while, though every once in a while, Minji would catch him glancing at her. She ignored it. Mostly.

Finally, after what felt like forever, they stumbled upon a path—and a few minutes later, they found their group.

As soon as they stepped out of the forest, Na-hee ran up to them. "Oh my god! Where were you two?! We were so worried!"

"Blame him," Minji grumbled, jabbing a thumb at Kyung-jun.

But instead of snapping back at her like usual, Kyung-jun just chuckled.

Na-hee blinked in surprise. "Wait. Did... something happen?"

Minji shot her a warning glare. "Nothing happened."

Na-hee smirked.

Kyung-jun smirked.

Minji hated them both.

As everyone started heading back, Kyung-jun suddenly leaned closer to her, his voice low.

"Next time, sunshine, try not to fall so hard for me."

Minji shoved him.

He only laughed.

And the worst part?

She didn't hate the sound of it.

—

Minji swore she would not let that cocky smirk get to her.

Nope. Not happening.

Yet, as they walked back to camp, the words "try not to fall so hard for me" kept replaying in her mind like an annoying song she couldn't turn off.

"Minji," Na-hee whispered, nudging her side. "You're smiling."

She instantly wiped the grin off her face. "No, I'm not!"

Na-hee wiggled her eyebrows. "You so are. What exactly happened in those woods?"

Minji groaned. "I told you. Nothing happened!"

Behind her, Kyung-jun was walking with his usual laid-back attitude, hands in his pockets, acting like he hadn't just turned her world upside down in the last hour.

She hated him. She really did.

"You're staring at him," Na-hee pointed out.

Minji whipped her head forward. "Shut up."

As they reached the campsite, Minji grabbed a bottle of water and sat by the bonfire, hoping the warmth would somehow burn away the weird fluttering in her stomach.

Unfortunately, Kyung-jun had other plans.

Without a word, he plopped down next to her, stretching his long legs out.

Minji turned to glare at him. "Can you sit literally anywhere else?"

"Could," he shrugged, "but I don't want to."

Minji groaned, turning back to the fire.

They sat in silence for a while, the flickering flames casting soft shadows over Kyung-jun's face. He wasn't smirking anymore. Instead, he looked... calm. Almost peaceful.

Minji hated that she noticed.

"You were really scared, huh?" he said suddenly, his voice softer than usual.

Minji blinked. "What?"

"In the forest. When you thought we were lost."

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "I wasn't scared."

Kyung-jun turned to her, one brow raised.

She huffed. "Okay. Maybe I was. A little. But that's because I didn't want to die next to you."

Kyung-jun smirked. "Next to me? So, you would want me there if you were gonna die?"

She smacked his arm. "That's what you got from that?!"

He chuckled, shaking his head before tossing a small pebble into the fire. "Relax, sunshine. I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

Minji froze.

Did he... just say that?

Did Kyung-jun, her annoying, grumpy, always-teasing-her enemy just reassure her?

She turned to look at him, but he was already staring at the fire, like his words hadn't meant anything.

And maybe they didn't.

But her heart was still racing.

Minji pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them.

Maybe... just maybe... getting lost with Kyung-jun hadn't been the worst thing in the world.

—

𝐄𝐍𝐃 !

(request open ! : )