After a few minutes, he returned, walking toward the car with a wide smile, two ice cream cones in his hands, wrapped carefully in tissues.
Hauen sighed, shaking her head at him, but the fond smile that followed betrayed her. He's so adorable, she thought, watching him approach before he climbed back into the car.
"Which one do you want?" Suho asked, holding both cones out in front of her. "Chocolate or strawberry?"
She looked at him, eyes glinting, a slow smirk curling her lips. The kind that never meant anything good for his peace of mind but always spelled trouble for him.
"Hmmmm," she hummed thoughtfully. "How about teddy flavour?" she asked sweetly, dragging the word just enough to spell danger.
His heart skipped in a very unprofessional way.
Color rushed to his ears instantly, betraying him. His eyes blinked far too fast, refusing to meet hers, and suddenly the car felt much warmer than it should have. The look she was giving him… it was the same one from last night. Soft, bold, intentionally teasing, and devastating.
And his traitorous brain replayed those memories in painful, ultra HD, crystal-clear detail, complete with sound and sensation.
She leaned in, clearly enjoying his unraveling, closing the space he was desperately trying to protect. "What happened, Teddy?" she whispered, her voice dipping just enough to be unfair. "Is that flavour available now?"
His lips parted, breath hitching. Words queued up somewhere in his head and promptly vanished. Nothing came out. He just stared, frozen, shy, and flustered beyond repair. The way his fingers tightened slightly around the ice creams gave him away completely. He blinked again, mouth opening, then closing. Words failed him completely.
And that did it.
She burst out laughing. The sudden sound shattered the tension, her head tipping back, eyes squeezed shut as she laughed freely. He stared at her, stunned. Betrayed. Utterly, painfully betrayed.
His face fell, lips pressing into a thin line, cheeks still warm as he turned toward the road, sulk settling in like a storm cloud. He stayed quiet, holding the ice creams as they had personally wronged him.
"Yaa," he protested, voice soft and offended. "Stop laughing. How can you just—"
She didn't stop.
He turned his face toward the road, still holding both ice creams, sulking like a wronged child.
Her laughter softened when she noticed his expression. She moved closer, nudging him gently. "I'm sorry," she said, still smiling, voice lower now. "I'm sorry, Teddy…"
She tried to control herself, failing just a little. "You're just too adorable. I really can't help teasing you."
He didn't respond. The sulk stayed. Stubborn. Silent.
"Teddy…"
No response.
"Teddy…" she called again, softer this time.
He didn't turn.
"I'm sorry, yeobo. Look at me," she coaxed, a small smile playing on her lips.
He finally glanced at her, sulk intact. She chuckled again, completely undone by him.
"Don't tease me like that," he muttered, almost whining.
She smiled. "Why do you get so nervous with me, though?"
He looked away again, refusing to answer.
She sighed dramatically. "Okay, fine. I'll spare you. Let's eat the ice cream."
He looked back at her cautiously. Then relieved as she took the chocolate one. And his mistake was thinking she'd stopped teasing.
She took the chocolate one, licking the cone slowly, deliberately. Her eyes, however, never left him. Not even for a second.
He felt it. Every second of it. He blinked, tried to ignore it, and licked his own ice cream. But he could still feel her gaze, warm and heavy, settling on his skin.
"Yaa," he warned.
She smirked, completely unrepentant.
His ears burned again. Finally, unable to take it anymore, he reached out and gently turned her face away with his hand, making her burst into laughter again.
"Hajima…" he whined, flustered and defeated.
She laughed, bright and soft, then finally behaved. The teasing faded like a switch had been flipped.
Without saying anything, she shifted closer until she climbed onto his lap without warning. He froze, confused, but didn't stop her either. She settled comfortably, resting her head against his chest, quietly finishing her ice cream like nothing dramatic had just happened.
He smiled to himself, heart easing at the sudden shift. From menace to softness. From teasing storm to quiet comfort.
He wrapped one arm around her, holding her close. With the other hand, he lifted his ice cream toward her lips.
"Want some of mine?" he asked softly, voice fond, eyes full of quiet love.
She looked up at him, lips curving into that familiar, dangerous little smile. He caught it instantly.
"Don't," he warned, already defensive. "Not again."
She chuckled at his pre-emptive surrender and leaned in anyway, taking a clumsy bite from his ice cream. Some of it smudged her lips.
He smiled, shaking his head.
With her mouth still full, she looked at him and said, "You're spoiling me with too much food, Mr. Kim."
He wiped her lips gently with his thumb. "I like it when you eat well."
"Hmmm," she nodded. "But at this rate, you'll turn me into a pig. And I won't look good standing beside you."
He chuckled. "Hmmm, you are right... Then, work out with me from tomorrow," he said, a smirk sneaking in. "This time, I'll take your classes."
She narrowed her eyes immediately. "Say that you want revenge for making you do those leg stretches back then."
He laughed, head falling back.
She watched him laugh. For a moment, quietly admiring him. Then she added casually, "But I wouldn't mind working out with you… If it involves bed."
His laughter stopped.
He looked at her, smile frozen, clearly trying and failing to control the thoughts she had just unleashed.
She grinned, victorious.
"Oh God," he muttered, shaking his head with fake disappointment. "I married the horniest woman alive in the world."
She laughed, hitting his chest lightly, and this time he laughed with her.
For that moment, wrapped in teasing, warmth, and shared ice cream, the world faded away. The hurt, the silence, the weight of everything they'd endured slipped out of reach.
It was just them again, laughter echoing softly inside the parked car.