The next day, Yunjin wandered through the company corridors, her mind preoccupied with her daily schedule. As she passed by Seventeen sunbaenim, she bowed politely as usual. Mingyu caught her gesture and returned it with a slight smile, but this time, Seungkwan stepped forward, halting her in her tracks.

“Hey, Yunjin, why don’t you and your teammates join us for dinner tonight?” Seungkwan suggested, his tone light and friendly. “It’s a new environment for you, right? Let’s bond and get to know each other better.”

Yunjin hesitated briefly but quickly regained her composure. “Sure, Seungkwan sunbaenim. If it’s okay for you, then it’s fine for us.” Her respectful demeanor shone through as she responded with a warm smile.

Mingyu, standing a little to the side, found himself grinning wider than he anticipated. The mere thought of having dinner with Yunjin unexpectedly filled him with excitement, though he wasn’t sure why.

Breaking the moment, DK interjected, “Hey, Mingyu-ah, why don’t you invite your girlfriend too?”

Mingyu froze momentarily, the reality of his situation sinking in. Oh, right. I have a girlfriend... someone I care about deeply, he thought, though the certainty of his emotions wavered.

Clearing his throat, Mingyu nodded. “Sure, I’ll bring mine. You should also invite your girlfriend or boyfriend along.”

Yunjin’s soft voice chimed in, “Sorry, sunbaenim, but I’m happily single. I don’t have one.” Her calm response caught everyone’s attention, and Mingyu couldn’t help but smile internally, though he kept his expression neutral.

“Wow, that’s surprising,” Wonwoo remarked, raising a curious eyebrow.

Yunjin simply smiled in return, her confidence radiating subtly.

Mingyu seized the moment to finalize the plan. “Alright, it’s settled. Let’s meet at Pierre Gagnaire restaurant at 7:30 p.m. Bring your teammates along.”

“Got it, sunbaenim,” Yunjin replied.

Joshua clapped his hands together cheerfully. “Perfect! Let’s have dinner together, then.”

After exchanging a few more goodbyes, Yunjin bowed again and walked away, rejoining her team. Mingyu, however, couldn’t resist turning back to glance at her retreating figure, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

---

When dinnertime arrived, the restaurant was already prepared for their group, with tables reserved in advance. The luxurious ambiance of Pierre Gagnaire set the stage for an evening filled with lively conversations, laughter, and perhaps a few moments of introspection for certain individuals.

What awaited them at dinner was yet to unfold.

Pierre Gagnaire restaurant

                    Mingyu's look at dinner

Mingyu sat at the table, his girlfriend on his right and Wonwoo on his left.

Moments later, Yunjin arrived, accompanied by her teammates. Mingyu's thoughts froze as he took in her presence: She’s breathtaking.

Yunjin greeted everyone with a polite bow before taking the empty chair next to Seungkwan.

Yunjin's look at dinner

Mingyu sat frozen, staring at Yunjin, completely unaware of his surroundings until his girlfriend's voice jolted him back to reality.

Isa, his girlfriend, smiled warmly and introduced herself. "Hello, everyone. My name is Isa, and I’m Mingyu’s girlfriend."

Yunjin responded with a polite bow and a smile, but Mingyu couldn't ignore the unease brewing within him. Why am I thinking about another woman when my girlfriend is right here beside me? he wondered, guilt creeping into his thoughts.

Isa continued chatting with the group. "So, how’s everything going?"

Sakura replied cheerfully, "It’s going well."

Yunjin added with a calm demeanor, "Things are going nicely."

Mingyu, however, was barely present in the conversation. His gaze kept drifting toward Yunjin, unable to resist the pull of her presence. When Yunjin noticed his stare, she offered a polite, albeit slightly uneasy smile. Mingyu, realizing how intense he appeared, quickly smiled back, masking his inner turmoil.

Dinner continued with light conversations, though Mingyu remained unusually quiet. Despite his longing to engage with Yunjin, Isa stayed close to him, leaving him no opportunity to speak freely.

As the evening drew to a close, everyone began saying their goodbyes. Mingyu’s heart raced; he yearned for even a brief moment to talk to Yunjin.

Just as the group started departing, Mingyu called out impulsively, “Yunjin.”

Everyone turned to look at him, including Yunjin, who appeared surprised.

“You left your phone on the table,” Mingyu said, holding it out.

Yunjin approached him with a grateful expression. “Oh, thank you, Mingyu sunbaenim.”

Mingyu forced a casual tone. “It’s okay.”

The room fell into an awkward silence before everyone resumed heading to their cars, exchanging smiles and goodnights. DK, ever the friendly one, began giving side hugs to the Le Sserafim members. The rest of the SEVENTEEN members followed suit as a kind gesture.

When it was Mingyu’s turn to hug Yunjin, something unexpected happened. Instead of a casual side hug, he pulled her into a full embrace, resting his head briefly on her shoulder.

Caught off guard, Yunjin froze as Mingyu whispered, “Oh, you smell so amazing.”

Confused, Yunjin stiffened. “What?” she asked quietly.

The night ended in silence, but the tension lingered.

To be continued...