Plates had been pushed aside, wine glasses half-full, forgotten amidst the lively conversation. Laughter carried easily from the table where Hyun-woo, Min-su, and Eun-sol sat, a striking tableau of animated engagement. They talked with a fluid, effortless ease, a comfort radiating from their small circle. Min-su threw his head back, laughing heartily at something Eun-sol said, his face bright with genuine amusement. Hyun-woo, too, wore a faint smirk, shaking his head slightly, but he added to the conversation without his usual hesitation, completely at ease.

At another table nearby, Seo-jin sat rigidly between Sang-wook and Do-yeon. Sang-wook’s gaze kept flicking toward the trio, watching Hyun-woo, observing how easily he interacted, how genuinely he seemed to enjoy himself.

"I swear," Sang-wook murmured, a note of genuine surprise in his voice, "I’ve never heard him talk this much in one sitting."

Do-yeon exhaled slowly, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on Hyun-woo. "Wonder what their relationship is." The words slipped out, raw with genuine curiosity, before she seemed to catch herself. She blinked, then quickly redirected, her tone suddenly dismissive. "I mean, not that it matters. She’s not even his type."

Sang-wook raised an eyebrow, amused by her obvious fumble. Even Seo-jin, despite her strained composure, looked at Do-yeon’s sudden declaration. Seo-jin then forced a small, brittle smile, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

"I think I’m going for a walk," Seo-jin announced, standing smoothly, her movements composed and deliberate, a practiced escape.

Do-yeon watched her go, exhaling sharply, a flicker of frustration crossing her face. Sang-wook leaned back in his chair, his gaze following Seo-jin’s retreating figure until she disappeared from the pavilion area, heading towards the shadowy gardens. He then turned back to Do-yeon.

"Not his type?" Sang-wook asked, a knowing grin spreading across his face.

A beat of silence passed. Do-yeon said nothing, her expression carefully blank. Sang-wook chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, okay. That was convincing."

Do-yeon dropped her head into one hand, groaning lightly. "I know."

Sang-wook grinned, swirling his drink idly. "You just made it worse, you know that, right?"

Do-yeon squeezed her eyes shut briefly, to acknowledge her blunder. "Don’t remind me." She paused, then her tone dropped, along with her facial expression, a new, more serious note entering her voice. "But he's not so perfect."

While still engaged in the lively conversation with Min-su and Eun-sol, Hyun-woo, almost imperceptibly, saw Seo-jin leave the pavilion area and walk off into the gardens. He was distracted for a second, his gaze lingering on her retreating form, before he returned, with a slight, almost imperceptible shake of his head, back to the conversation.