pov: “are you taken now?” ni-ki said, matching your pace. you sighed because after all the years that passed, he hadn’t changed a bit. “no, ni-ki and i’m not interested, okay?” you stopped walking and looked at him. “oh.” for a second, he looked disappointed. “good.” you stared. “what?” “i said good.” “why?” ni-ki casually shoved his hands into his pockets. “because now i still have a chance.” you groaned. meanwhile, ni-ki looked completely proud of himself. some things truly never changed. after three years abroad, you expected everything to feel unfamiliar. you expected people to move on. you expected friendships to become awkward. instead, ni-ki somehow made everything feel exactly the same. because he was still annoying, still dramatic, still flirtatious, and still appearing everywhere. if you went to a café, ni-ki was there. if you went grocery shopping, ni-ki somehow appeared. if you mentioned wanting food, ni-ki already knew where to take you. “are you stalking me?” “no.” “you arrived three minutes after me.” “coincidence.” “you literally sat beside me.” “the chair was empty.” “there were twenty empty chairs.” “i liked this one.” you immediately covered your face. meanwhile, ni-ki laughed. days passed, then weeks and somehow, he became part of your routine again. just like before. which honestly should have worried you. because somewhere between his constant messages and random visits, you found yourself looking for him too. then people started talking. and apparently ni-ki wasn’t helping. at all. “wait.” your friend blinked. “you and ni-ki aren’t dating?” “no.” “then why does he tell people you are?” you froze. “what?” your friend looked equally confused. “he literally told people.” you stared, long, then immediately called ni-ki. he answered on the second ring. “hi, beautiful.” “why are you telling people we’re dating?” “because it sounds nice.” you almost hung up. unfortunately, ni-ki started laughing before you could. “i’m kidding.” “you’re not.” “maybe a little.” you hated him. probably. maybe a little. the problem was that he never denied it. and somehow that made your heart beat a little faster every time. then came the college reunion. the first one since you returned. you spent an hour deciding whether to attend before finally giving in. surprisingly—ni-ki wasn’t there. which immediately felt strange. you were so used to seeing him everywhere that his absence became noticeable. throughout the evening, people kept approaching you. some asked about work. some asked about life abroad. others simply wanted to catch up. then eventually, someone asked the question. the dangerous question. “so.” your former classmate smiled. “what exactly is going on between you and ni-ki?” your heart immediately skipped. “oh.” you looked down, then laughed awkwardly. because honestly, you didn’t know. or maybe—you did. you just hadn’t said it out loud yet. “well?” your classmate pressed. you hesitated. for a moment. then the answer escaped before you could stop it. “boyfriend.” then several people immediately reacted. “what?” “finally.” “about time.” your eyes widened. “what do you mean finally?” before anyone could answer—a familiar voice interrupted. “i agree.” you froze completely. you turned around—ktbwas ni-ki standing there, holding flowers and smiling. the biggest smile you’ve seen all year. your heart immediately stopped functioning. “you.” ni-ki walked closer. “me.” “how long have you been standing there?” he looked thoughtful. “long enough.” you covered your face immediately. because this was horrible. meanwhile, everyone around you looked entertained. ni-ki stopped directly in front of you. then tilted his head. “boyfriend?” you wanted the ground to swallow you whole. “don’t.” “boyfriend?” “ni-ki.” “yes?” “stop.” he laughed, which somehow made everything worse. after a moment, however, his smile softened and suddenly he looked nervous. actually nervous. for the first time all evening. for the first time in years. (comsec++) #enhypen #enhypenpov #ni_ki #nikienhypen #fyp - @jayaein_