One-shots, chapter ninety-five

"I'm a little upset
I didn't get to use my plan"

Thea sat at one of the benches outside the main building of Yonsei University, flipping through her notes while the autumn breeze rustled through the campus. It was late afternoon, and the chatter of students passing by filled the air. Everywhere she went, the same topic buzzed around—prom. The college prom was just weeks away, and it seemed like it was all anyone could talk about.

She overheard a group of girls nearby, excitedly discussing their plans.

"Do you have a date yet?" one asked.

"Not yet, but I heard you can't go without one," another replied. "I need to find someone fast. Prom's no fun alone."

Thea looked down at her notebook, not really paying attention to the conversation at first. Prom wasn't exactly her thing. Sure, she was the girl most people knew on campus—her grades were stellar, and she was effortlessly popular with both guys and girls. But large social events, especially ones as high-profile as the prom, just didn't appeal to her. She wasn't the type to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of it all.

However, as the conversations around her became louder, she found herself getting pulled into the buzz.

"Did you hear that Jung-hoon asked Thea to the prom?" a girl whispered behind her, a little too loudly to be discreet.

"Yeah, but she turned him down. I mean, who wouldn't? He's like, super awkward," another one replied.

Thea felt a slight twinge of guilt. She hadn't even realized that Jung-hoon was serious when he asked. Between her lectures and her personal life, she hadn't given much thought to prom at all. But now, it seemed like half the guys on campus were lining up to ask her out.

It wasn't just Jung-hoon either. Over the past few days, she'd had at least three different guys from various grades—some seniors, some freshmen—try their luck.

"Hey, Thea!" another voice broke her thoughts. She looked up to see Joon-ki, a guy from her economics class, approaching her with a shy smile. "I was wondering... would you like to go to the prom with me?"

Thea blinked, caught off guard. Joon-ki was sweet, kind-hearted even, but she could already sense the awkwardness of having to say no again.

"Joon-ki... I really appreciate the offer, but I've got other plans," she said softly, offering him an apologetic smile. He nodded, trying not to let the disappointment show, and hurried off.

As he left, Thea sighed, slumping back into her seat. It wasn't that she didn't like these guys—some of them were nice, genuine people—but none of them felt right. Besides, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to go to prom in the first place.

She flipped her notebook shut, leaning back against the bench and staring up at the sky. Then, almost out of nowhere, a thought crossed her mind. Mun. Of course. Why hadn't she thought of it earlier?

Her lips curled into a smile at the thought of him. She wasn't the type to follow social trends, but if there was one person she'd want to spend the night with, it was him. Mun, her boyfriend, who always seemed to know exactly how to make her feel comfortable, even when she was stressed out. He wasn't even a student at Yonsei, but the thought of him coming to the prom, walking in with her on his arm, felt like the perfect way to turn the event into something special.

She started to imagine it—the two of them together, Mun in a suit, her in some elegant dress. The idea of him seeing her at her best, laughing and dancing the night away, made her heart skip a beat. Suddenly, the prom didn't seem so bad anymore.

But there was still the issue of how to ask him. Mun wasn't one to care much for fancy events either, and Thea knew it. She also didn't want to put pressure on him, especially since he didn't go to university. But then again, they had been through so much together—it would feel right to have him by her side at such a big event.

With a determined nod to herself, Thea stood up, gathering her things. She would figure out a way to ask him that wasn't over the top or cheesy, just honest and simple. It didn't matter how many other guys asked her to the dance. She'd already made up her mind.

The whispers followed her as she made her way to the library, and she could feel the eyes of a few more guys lingering, probably planning their own proposals. But she smiled to herself, feeling a strange sense of relief. No matter what, she wasn't going to prom with anyone but Mun.

Now, all she had to do was make sure he said yes.

Thea spent the next couple of days planning exactly how she was going to ask Mun to prom. She didn't want it to be overly dramatic, but she wanted it to feel special—something intimate, just for the two of them. She figured she'd ask him when they were alone at home, maybe after dinner, with a simple, heartfelt proposal. It would be casual, yet meaningful. Thea even thought of getting a small gift to go along with it—a way to make it a little more memorable.

But every time she tried to bring up the topic, something got in the way. Whether it was the constant stream of assignments or simply the fact that she hadn't been able to get Mun alone long enough, the moment kept slipping away. She figured there was still time; after all, prom was a few weeks away, and there was no rush. She would just wait for the perfect opportunity.

One evening, after a long day of classes, Thea was heading home. She was running through her plan again in her head, feeling good about it. She'd prepared everything she needed—just a matter of finding the right moment. As she turned the corner to the hideout, she saw Mun standing outside, leaning casually against the wall.

His expression lit up when he saw her, but there was something nervous about the way he shifted from one foot to the other. Thea smiled at him, her heart warming instantly at the sight of him. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Mun replied, pushing off the wall and walking toward her, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Can we talk for a second?"

Thea raised an eyebrow, curious. She could tell by his tone that something was up. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, his usual confident demeanor faltering just a bit, which made Thea even more curious. Mun wasn't usually the nervous type—at least, not with her. She watched him closely as he hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.

"So... I've been hearing some things around campus," Mun started, glancing away for a second before looking back at her. "A friend of yours mentioned that a lot of guys have been asking you to prom. I know you're popular and everything, and it's not like I don't trust you, but... I guess I started worrying that maybe you'd say yes to one of them."

Thea blinked, surprised. Of course, she had mentioned the invitations from the other guys, but she hadn't thought Mun would take it seriously enough to bring it up like this. A small smile tugged at her lips as she realized where this was going.

"And, well," Mun continued, clearly a little flustered now, "I just wanted to ask before it's too late. Before some other guy gets to take you." He cleared his throat, his eyes locking onto hers with a mix of nervousness and determination. "Will you go to prom with me, Thea?"

Thea's eyes widened in shock, her heart skipping a beat. She had spent so much time planning how she was going to ask him, and here he was, beating her to it. The smile that had been playing at her lips grew wider as the realization sank in. He was asking her because he didn't want to lose the chance. He cared about it, about her, even if it wasn't his usual scene.

For a moment, Thea didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had been so focused on her own plan that she hadn't even considered that Mun would want to ask her first. She had no idea that he'd been thinking about it too.

"Mun..." she started, unable to hide the joy in her voice. "You beat me to it. I was going to ask you to prom."

Mun's eyes widened, surprise flashing across his face. "Wait, really?"

Thea nodded, biting her lip to keep from laughing at the whole situation. "Yeah, I had this whole plan... but you just completely ruined it," she teased, her voice light and playful.

Mun let out a soft laugh, his nervousness fading. "So, I guess that's a yes, then?"

"Of course it's a yes," Thea said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him into a warm embrace. "There was never any other choice."

Mun hugged her tightly, the tension finally leaving his body. He chuckled softly, his breath warm against her hair. "I really thought I had to rush and ask you before someone else did."

Thea pulled back just enough to look up at him, her smile still wide. "I don't care how many guys ask. It's you. It's always been you."

Mun leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, and Thea felt the familiar warmth spreading through her chest. The two of them stood there for a moment, wrapped up in each other, the evening air cool around them.

After a few seconds, Thea broke the silence, her voice teasing again. "You know, I'm a little upset I didn't get to use my plan."

Mun laughed, pulling her closer. "I'm sorry I stole your thunder, but I couldn't risk it."

She shook her head, laughing softly along with him. "You're lucky I love you."

"I know," he replied with a grin, pressing another kiss to her temple. "And I'm the luckiest guy in the world that you're going with me."

Thea leaned her head against his chest, feeling content and happy. It wasn't how she had planned it, but it was perfect nonetheless. And now, they were going to prom together, just like she had always wanted.

The night of the prom had finally arrived. Thea stood in front of the mirror in their shared room at the hideout, carefully adjusting her dress. She'd gone all out for this night, choosing a sleek and elegant black gown with subtle gold accents that shimmered in the dim light of the room. The dress hugged her figure perfectly, and as she looked at her reflection, she couldn't help but smile. This was a rare occasion for her—to dress up like this and step into the spotlight.

She heard a knock on the door. "Hey, Thea! Mun's waiting for you outside," Hana called out.

Thea took a deep breath, feeling a rush of excitement. Mun had been surprisingly quiet about the prom, but she could sense his nervousness. He wasn't one for big social events, but she knew he would go anywhere for her.

She slipped into her heels and grabbed her small clutch before opening the door. Hana and Jeok-bong were waiting in the hallway, both giving her approving looks.

"Wow, Thea, you look amazing," Hana said, her eyes wide with admiration.

Jeok-bong nodded enthusiastically. "Mun's going to faint when he sees you."

Thea chuckled, feeling a bit of warmth rise to her cheeks. "Thanks, guys."

She made her way downstairs where the rest of the team—Ms. Chu, Mo-tak, and Jun-seo—were gathered. They were all pretending to be busy with their own tasks but kept glancing at her. She knew they were just as excited as she was, even though no one would admit it.

When she stepped outside, there he was—Mun, standing by the front door in a perfectly tailored black suit. His hands were nervously in his pockets, and when he saw her, his expression softened into something that made her heart skip a beat. He looked... stunned, like he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Thea..." he murmured, his voice a little breathless. "You look... beautiful."

She smiled shyly, walking over to him. "You clean up pretty well yourself," she teased, smoothing the lapel of his suit as she admired how handsome he looked. The matching gold tie he wore complemented her dress perfectly.

Behind them, the rest of the group had gathered at the door, watching with fond smiles.

"Don't stay out too late!" Ms. Chu called out, her voice half-serious but mostly playful.

"And make sure you bring her back safe, Mun!" Mo-tak added with a grin, earning a glare from Hana, who elbowed him in the ribs.

Mun chuckled, taking Thea's hand. "I will."

They both waved goodbye as they made their way out of the hideout and headed to her college prom.

The prom venue was an absolute sight to behold. The college had transformed the large hall into something out of a fairy tale. Golden lights strung up across the ceiling, and elegant decorations filled every corner. The students had clearly gone all out, with everyone dressed to the nines. But even in the sea of glamorous outfits, Thea stood out.

As they entered the hall, Thea immediately noticed the eyes on them—particularly on Mun. Several girls whispered to one another, glancing their way, while a few guys she recognized from her classes couldn't hide their expressions of envy.

It didn't help that many of those same guys had asked her to prom over the past few weeks. She'd turned them all down, of course. There had only been one person she wanted to go with—Mun. And though she had planned to ask him herself, he had beaten her to it.

"You sure you still want to go with me?" Mun asked softly as they entered the hall, his eyes scanning the room as if he could feel the stares too.

Thea squeezed his hand reassuringly. "There was never anyone else I wanted to come with," she said, smiling up at him. "You're the only one I'd say yes to."

Mun smiled back, a hint of relief in his eyes. They made their way deeper into the venue, and it wasn't long before the music picked up and the dance floor started filling with students.

Thea felt completely at ease beside Mun, even as the envious eyes followed them. She could feel the lingering tension from the guys who had asked her to the prom and been rejected. But their looks didn't bother her. If anything, they only made her more grateful that Mun was there with her.

They spent the night dancing, laughing, and enjoying each other's company. Thea could tell Mun was a little awkward on the dance floor, but he gave it his best effort, and she loved him all the more for it. She even teased him about his stiff moves, which made him laugh in that soft way that always melted her heart.

After a while, they took a break and stepped out onto the terrace. The cool night air was refreshing, and the view of the city lights in the distance gave the evening a magical feel.

"I'm glad we came," Thea said softly, leaning into Mun's side as they stood by the railing.

He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. "Me too. Even though I was nervous."

She laughed lightly, turning to look up at him. "I could tell."

Mun grinned sheepishly. "You know me too well."

They stood there in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's presence. The soft hum of music from inside the hall played in the background, and the stars twinkled faintly overhead.

"I'm really lucky," Mun murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Thea blinked, glancing up at him. "Lucky?"

"Yeah," he said, his eyes soft as he looked down at her. "To be here with you. To have you in my life."

Her heart swelled at his words, and she felt a lump form in her throat. Mun wasn't one for grand declarations, but when he did speak from the heart, it always left her feeling like the luckiest person in the world.

She reached up, cupping his cheek gently. "I'm the lucky one, Mun."

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "We're both lucky then."

They stayed on the terrace for a little while longer, basking in the quiet of the night and the warmth of each other's company. It was a perfect moment, one that they both knew they would remember for years to come. And as they returned to the prom, hand in hand, Thea felt more certain than ever that they were exactly where they were meant to be—together.

Author's note;

Sorry for taking too long to update. I've been busy with school and as I said on my other book, too tired and lazy to write. There's only four more extra chapters and this book will be done for. I mean, once they're all published I'll rewrite the rest of the chapters, which there's more than 80 😭

See ya in the next chapter! ❤️

6/10 ✅