Matteo watched from a distance, the usual boisterous energy of the group replaced by a heavy, stifling quiet. He saw the worry deep on Lexi’s face, a subtle tremor in her hands that only he seemed to notice. She was a fortress, good at internalizing her emotions and hiding them from the world, but the cracks were starting to show. 

He knew the feeling well, the weight of others' expectations pressing down until you could barely breathe. He stepped in, his voice a steady anchor in the choppy waters.

“Now that we’ve established we can’t control the media, let's try to focus on solutions,” he said, his gaze sweeping over the others, an attempt to take the heat off Lexi.

A frustrated huff broke the quiet. “Ugh,” Seo muttered, the sound laced with more attitude than usual. His jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on the floor as if the answers lay in the polished tile. “This is a PR nightmare. My father already called me this morning, and he’s concerned about our partnership and reputation.” 

The words were a bitter pill, and Matteo could see the familiar shadow of his father’s judgment falling over Seo, making him small and defensive.

Lexi sighed, the sound barely audible. She wanted to shrink away, to disappear from the scrutinizing eyes of her friends. 

“Look, this will all blow over like most things. We did go on a date, but you all knew that. We didn’t even kiss, so I guess technically most would say that it didn’t even count as a date. I promise people will lose interest in a week.” She knew, deep down, that this wasn’t just about a date, it was about something else, but she couldn’t place her finger on it.

Seo scoffed, a short, sharp sound of disbelief, and looked away. It was a reflex, a defense mechanism, but it hit Lexi like a physical blow. The unspoken accusation hung in the air between them, thick and heavy.

A scoff? Hana raised an eyebrow, a slow, knowing smile spreading across her face. This was going to be entertaining.

She leaned over to Seo, her voice a low conspiratorial whisper. “Listen, why exactly are you so worked up about this?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She made sure to add extra emphasis on the word “you,” letting the implication hang in the air.

Seo’s face flushed a deep red. He had been staring at Lexi just a moment ago, but he now shifted his gaze away, his entire body stiffening. “Don't be ridiculous,” he snapped, the words tight and strained.

“Because you have no reason to be jealous, right?” Hana teased, her voice light and playful. “It wouldn’t suit your image at all.”

“It’s not jealousy, I’m just—”

“Just what, Seo?” Hana egged him on, her smile growing wider. She watched the internal struggle playing out on his face, the way he fumbled for the right words.

He finally settled on a lie, a flimsy excuse he hoped would satisfy her. “I’m just concerned for my friend. Yes, that’s what this is.”

Hana could tell he was having a hard time rationalizing his feelings, but it was clear to her what this was. She had seen the way his eyes followed Lexi, the way he would subtly try to protect her. He had a crush, a big one, on Lexi. And now seeing her with someone else, even on a casual date, was pushing him to the breaking point.

Lexi’s sharp voice cut through their quiet exchange. “What are you guys whispering over there?” she asked, moving closer to Seo and Hana. Her eyes, filled with a mix of curiosity and something that looked hurt, settled on Seo. She softened her tone and leaned over, looking directly into his eyes. 

“I hate secrets,” she said, squinting at him, a half-smile playing on her lips. A wave of warmth flooded his face, and he instinctively turned away from her intense gaze.

Hana, sensing the moment was about to get too real, jumped in to diffuse the tension. “Nothing,” she said, her voice a little too cheerful. “We were just curious if you were secretly dating Jae-Yong.”

Hana, relieved to have the focus off of Seo, eased back and walked away. 

“Fine,” Lexi said, a small, tired smile on her face. “Relax, guys. Jae-Yong and I are just friends. Besides, I can’t afford to get involved with someone when I have to go back home eventually.” 

She did her best to hide the truth, to bury the fluttering hope in her chest. That it had been the best date she had ever been on, and a part of her wanted nothing more than to spend more time with him.

“You’ve got a few months,” Seo mumbled, his voice so quiet it was barely audible. It was an olive branch, a small offering of peace, and it was the most honest thing he had said all afternoon.

“Great,” Hana clapped her hands, her sharp eyes missing nothing. The tension in the air, a thick fog of unspoken feelings, dissipated. “Now that we all are on the same page.”

The words were a lie. They were not on the same page. Not at all. There was a story here, a tangled mess of emotions, and it was just beginning to unravel.