Limerence-NCT Dream

06.

Jaemin leaned slightly closer, his demeanour friendly. "I'm a psychology major, so I'm taking some child psychology classes. What about you?"

"I'm... in the same class," Nari replied tersely, her nerves making her responses curt.

Jaemin chuckled softly. "I figured as much. What's your major?"

"Child Psychology," Nari answered shortly, hoping to discourage further conversation.

Undeterred by her reserved demeanour, Jaemin continued, "That's interesting. By the way, Jeno mentioned you. He thought you were really nice."

Nari's interest was piqued despite her attempts to stay focused. "He did?"

"Yeah," Jaemin affirmed with a friendly grin. "He mentioned you seemed friendly and—"

Before Jaemin could finish, the professor entered the room and began the lecture, cutting off their conversation. Nari felt a mix of relief and curiosity, her mind buzzing with questions about Jeno as she tried to concentrate on the lecture material.

Meanwhile, Zenji was deeply engrossed in her architectural designs in the studio, where she had just finished printing one of her latest projects. As she examined it critically, Sunhee's voice broke through her concentration.

"Hey Zenji, could you do me a favour and wash one of my brushes? I'm swamped with work right now," Sunhee requested, looking slightly frazzled.

Zenji nodded, setting aside her work momentarily. Walking over to the sink with Sunhee's brush, she was lost in her thoughts when she noticed Renjun standing nearby—the same guy Jeno had spoken with before the race the previous day.

Renjun's smile held a hint of mystery that gave Zenji pause. "Hey, I'm Renjun. I saw you yesterday with that girl Jeno was talking to, right?"

Zenji removed one of her AirPods and returned his smile cautiously. "Oh, hi. Yes, I remember you. I'm Zenji."

"Nice to officially meet you, Zenji," Renjun said, his gaze steady and intense. "What are you working on?"

"Just some blueprints. My professor is quite demanding, What about you?" Zenji replied, her voice softening slightly as they engaged in conversation.

"I'm an art major, so I'm often here working on something," Renjun shared, his tone easing into a more relaxed manner. "I saw your designs yesterday; they looked impressive."

"Thank you," Zenji responded genuinely, feeling a sense of ease despite Renjun's initially intimidating presence. They continued chatting for a few more minutes, the conversation flowing surprisingly smoothly.

"So, you're passionate about architecture?" Renjun inquired, leaning in with genuine interest.

"Yes, I love creating something functional and aesthetically pleasing," Zenji explained, her enthusiasm for her craft was evident in her voice. "What about you? What draws you to art?"

Renjun's eyes shimmered with a mix of emotions. "Art allows me to express things that words can't capture. It's a form of release for me."

Before Zenji could delve deeper into their conversation, Sunhee's voice interrupted them, reminding Zenji about the brush in her hand.

"I should return this to Sunhee," Zenji said, holding up the now-clean brush.

"Of course," Renjun replied politely. "It was nice talking to you, Zenji. Maybe we'll cross paths again."

"Perhaps," Zenji replied with a small smile, feeling a sense of intrigue lingering in her mind as she returned to Sunhee with a thoughtful expression.

Later that day, all the girls gathered for lunch in the campus cafeteria. Nari, Uka, Zenji, Sunhee, Boram, and Jia sat together at their usual table, their laughter and chatter filling the air as they shared stories from their day.

"So, guess who I ran into in my child psychology class," Nari announced, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Who?" Uka asked eagerly, leaning in with curiosity.

"Jaemin," Nari revealed, her cheeks flushing slightly at the memory of their brief interaction. "He was with Jeno at the restaurant yesterday."

"No way! Did you talk to him?" Sunhee inquired, her eyes widening with interest.

"A little," Nari admitted with a shy smile. "He mentioned that Jeno thought I was nice."

Zenji nodded knowingly. "Coincidentally, I had a chance encounter with Renjun in the studio. He seems like a decent guy."

"He does," Sunhee agreed. "Have you noticed how often we seem to bump into them lately?"

"It's almost like fate," Boram chimed in playfully, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

Uka nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe there's some truth to that. Perhaps we're meant to be connected in some way."

Jia smiled warmly at her friends. "It does feel that way, doesn't it? Like everything's falling into place."

"Yeah, and it's a bit nerve-wracking," Nari admitted with a hint of uncertainty. "I mean, Jeno and Mark are so popular, and now Jaemin and Renjun too. It's like we're part of some unfolding drama ourselves."

"Speaking of dramas," Uka interjected with a grin, "how are you juggling your K-dramas and assignments, Nari?"

Nari laughed, shaking her head fondly. "Trying to strike a balance. But honestly, it's a struggle."

They continued chatting and laughing, their conversation flowing effortlessly as they shared stories from their day. It felt good to unwind and support each other after the busy morning.

As the girls continued their lively conversation, a group of boys settled at the table adjacent to theirs in the bustling cafeteria. The girls, engrossed in their own world of laughter and gossip, didn't immediately notice their presence.

Nari was mid-sentence, recounting a funny incident from her psychology lecture, when she heard a familiar voice from the neighbouring table. It was a voice she couldn't forget—the same voice that greeted her in passing, the voice she had secretly hoped to hear again.

She froze, her heart racing as she recognized the tone. Jeno. Her mind raced with memories of their brief encounter and the way his smile had made her cheeks warm. But Nari was determined not to let herself get distracted again. She had assignments to finish, and goals to achieve, and getting caught up in a crush wasn't on her agenda especially when they are a guy like Jeno.

Uka nudged her gently, breaking her trance. "Hey, Nari, you okay?"

Nari blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just zoned out for a second."

Boram glanced at the boys' table with a mischievous grin. "Looks like we've got some new neighbours."

Sunhee giggled. "I wonder if they're as interesting as they look."

Zenji, ever the observant one, quietly studied the group of boys. Her gaze flickered to where Renjun sat, his expression calm and focused as he engaged in conversation with his friends.

Jia leaned closer to Uka. "Do you recognize any of them?"

Uka shook her head, her attention momentarily drawn to Mark, who was deep in discussion with his friends about their upcoming race.

As the girls exchanged curious glances and shared smiles, Nari silently willed herself to stay composed. She couldn't afford to be distracted by Jeno or anyone else. Her studies and her future were her priorities now.

But despite her resolve, she couldn't ignore the flutter in her chest every time Jeno's voice carried across the table. It was going to be a challenging battle between her heart and her determination to focus, and Nari knew she needed to find a balance to navigate this unexpected twist in her day.