Bella
Each night, Bella returned to her room carrying the scent of Yunho's cologne like her security blanket. She would kick off her shoes, drop her bag and collapse onto her bed, staring at the ceiling with a mix of delight and disbelief. Every small detail of the day replayed in her mind: from the brush of his hand when he had held hers that morning to the stolen kisses. Everything felt thrilling and novel to her.
Some nights, she would giggle quietly to herself, muffled under her pillow, remembering a glance Yunho had sent her when she had been joking with Emily. Her phone buzzed intermittently, little messages lighting up the screen. Emily teased her about being officially stolen by the swim captain, Jake sent ridiculous memes captioned "caught in the act of love," and then there was Keith, who had somehow decided to offer unsolicited "love advice."
One message read, "You need to practice kissing moves in the mirror. Trust me. It's a sport." Another: "Remember, don't let his hands move around when you are kissing. Especially if he's moving lower below your waist! I know what he's thinking cos I'm thinking the same thing." Bella groaned, tossing the phone onto her pillow, but a laugh escaped anyway. Keith's ridiculous advice, combined with Jake's teasing and Emily's commentary, made her feel like her secret little world was bursting with chaos and warmth all at once.
Sometimes she traced her fingertips across her wrist, imagining the way Yunho's thumb had circled hers during the walk home. She remembered the quiet way he had held her hand, the subtle strength in his fingers, and the calm certainty in his gaze. Her chest felt full, almost too big for her own body, and a rush of excitement pulsed through her with each memory.
The absurdity of Keith's advice made her daydreams about Yunho even more vivid, mixing humour with the growing thrill of their relationship. Bella closed her eyes and let herself sink into a mix of nervous anticipation, quiet pride and a little bemused laughter at her friends' antics.
Yunho
Yunho's nights were quieter, more contemplative. After the swim team had dispersed and the locker rooms emptied, he would lie on his bed, towel still faintly damp from practice clutched loosely in his hand, staring at the ceiling, replaying Bella's laughter, her teasing remarks, the way her hand felt in his.
He was usually so controlled, so precise in every stroke, every decision, every interaction. But Bella unraveled him in ways that were unexpected, subtle, and thrilling. The way she leaned into his shoulder on their walks, the little sparks in her eyes when he joked with her, the quiet confidence she displayed around her friends. It all stayed with him.
Yunho's chest would tighten in that pleasant ache of anticipation when he thought about her. He felt a quiet pride in how natural things were between them, how she let him in without hesitation, how easily their worlds, so different in pace and intensity, had started to merge. He knew he wanted to be careful, to protect the fragility of these first days, yet he also wanted to let himself enjoy it all fully, completely.
Yunho felt the same mix of nerves and certainty that Bella did, about moving too fast, about reading her wrong, but certain in the quiet, undeniable knowledge that she had chosen him, just as he had chosen her.
And as sleep crept in, he would think about their next morning walk, the soft touch of her hand, the subtle brush of lips, the small intimacies that made the rest of the world fade. Every night, he drifted into sleep with a soft, private smile, heart thrumming with the excitement of the unknown yet feeling grounded by the certainty of her presence in his life.
As the week progressed, Bella started to anticipate his presence in ways that made her both giddy and anxious. She wanted him to notice her noticing him, to feel the thrill of being truly seen. Each morning walk became a game of subtle gestures and small smiles which turns bolder and bolder as the days progress.
For Yunho, the week solidified his quiet but deep affection. Every time she returned to the poolside after practice, he felt a little rush of joy. Her curiosity, her courage in stepping into his world, the way she laughed at his small teasing, all made him more certain that he wanted more than fleeting moments. He wanted her, fully, in his life, in ways both grand and small.
By the end of the week, both of them felt the subtle shift. They were no longer just testing boundaries. They were moving toward something more structure, more routine. Every touch, glance, and word built on the last, layering trust, affection and desire into something that felt real, grounded, and thrilling.
The lunchroom buzzed like usual. Bella and Emily sat at their usual table, laughing over a ridiculous meme Emily had found. Yunho had already come and gone, slipping back to his swim team with a quick wink and a grin that made Bella's cheeks heat all over again.
Emily nudged Bella, eyes sharp. "You're officially the hottest girl on campus, you know that, right?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "Emily, please."
"No, seriously. You've got the swim captain wrapped around your finger. The swim captain," Emily said, emphasizing each word like it was some kind of championship title.
Bella grinned. "He's not wrapped around my finger. He just walks me to school."
Emily smirked. "That's what they all say. But I saw those little kisses on the way home. You're our regular k drama."
Bella blushed, but before she could respond, a sharp voice cut through the hum.
"Well, well. Look who's finally found someone to play with."
They both turned to see Hana, Yunho's most vocal fangirl, known for her sharp tongue and sharper glares, approaching with a smug, dangerous smile.
Emily stiffened. "Oh, great. Here comes trouble."
Hana stopped right beside Bella, folding her arms. "You don't get it, do you? I was here first. I've already laid my claim on Yunho."
Bella held her ground, voice steady and clear. "He's not a piece of meat in a supermarket, you don't get to claim him. He can make his own choices."
Hana's smile twisted into something colder. "Please. You're just a placeholder until I decide what to do with him."
Emily scoffed loudly. "Keep dreaming, Hana."
Hana's eyes flashed with warning. "Watch yourself."
The rest of lunch passed with a charged silence between them. Bella noticed how a few glances lingered a little too long from Hana's clique, whispers that tapered off when she caught their eyes.