Disha stared at her phone in disbelief as the incoming call flashed on her screen. It was her professor, Dr. Kapoor, the last person she expected to hear from this late in the evening. Of all times, why now? She could practically hear the universe chuckling at her misfortune.

"Ugh, really?" she muttered under her breath, shooting an apologetic look at the frozen image of Hoseok on her laptop. "Hang on, Hobi, I'll be right back." She quickly accepted the call, her mind still racing with everything she had been about to say.

"Hello, Dr. Kapoor," Disha said, trying her best to sound composed and not like someone who had just been about to confess her feelings to the most amazing guy ever.

"Disha, I need to discuss something important with you regarding the conference," Dr. Kapoor's voice came through, as crisp and no-nonsense as always. "It's about the opening ceremony."

Disha's stomach did a little flip. Here we go, she thought, trying not to let the anxiety show in her voice. "Sure, what's up?"

"The guest speaker has requested to meet with you personally before the conference. They were very specific about wanting to discuss your research. I've arranged for a one-on-one session tomorrow afternoon."

Disha's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, they specifically asked for me? Who is this guest speaker?" Her mind was racing through possibilities, but nothing could have prepared her for Dr. Kapoor's next words.

"Jeon Hoseok. He's a renowned psychologist in Seoul, known for his groundbreaking work on emotional resilience. Apparently, he's been following your work and sees potential in it."

Disha nearly dropped her phone. "Jeon Hoseok? As in...Hobi?" she stammered, completely thrown off guard. Of all the plot twists, this was not one she had seen coming.

"Yes, Hobi, I mean, Dr. Jeon Hoseok," Dr. Kapoor corrected, clearly missing the personal connection. "This is a rare opportunity, Disha. Make sure you're prepared."

"Oh, I'll be prepared, alright," Disha replied, her mind spinning as she tried to wrap her head around what this meant. "Thanks for letting me know, Dr. Kapoor."

As soon as she hung up, Disha felt her world tilt on its axis. The same Hoseok she'd been pouring her heart out to every night was the guest speaker at the conference—the very one who was supposed to stay a surprise. And now he wanted to meet her. Specifically.

She snapped back to reality and quickly reconnected to their video call, her heart racing as Hoseok's face reappeared on the screen.

"Hey, sorry about that, Hobi," she said, trying to sound casual but failing spectacularly. "You'll never guess who called."

Hoseok raised an eyebrow, sensing the shift in her tone. "Who?"

"Dr. Kapoor," Disha said, biting her lip. "Apparently, the guest speaker at the conference is someone named Jeon Hoseok. Ring any bells?"

Hoseok's eyes widened in surprise, and then, just as quickly, narrowed in suspicion. "Wait...you mean me?"

Disha folded her arms, a sassy grin playing on her lips. "Well, Mr. Emotional Resilience, seems like you've got some explaining to do. Care to share why you didn't mention this little detail?"

Hoseok rubbed the back of his neck, looking equal parts sheepish and amused. "I was going to surprise you...guess the cat's out of the bag now, huh?"

"Oh, you bet it is," Disha said, her voice teasing but her heart racing with a mix of excitement and nerves. "You and I have a lot to talk about tomorrow, Dr. Jeon. Don't think you're getting off easy."

Hoseok chuckled, his eyes shining with affection. "I wouldn't dream of it, Ms. Prodigy."

As they settled back into their conversation, the tension from earlier dissolved into a light-hearted banter, but beneath it all, the anticipation for their upcoming meeting simmered just below the surface. The next day was going to be interesting, to say the least, and neither of them could wait to see what would happen when their worlds finally collided.

One thing was for sure: this was just the beginning of a story that was far from over.

Author's Note:

Whew! Did you see that plot twist coming? 😏 

Just when you thought Disha and Hoseok's story couldn't get any juicier, I went ahead and dropped a bombshell that even I didn't see coming (okay, maybe I did, but let's pretend I was surprised too). You've got to love it when the universe—or in this case, the author—decides to stir the pot.

Now, before you start throwing your devices across the room in a fit of impatience, let's take a moment to appreciate just how epic this next chapter is going to be. 

I mean, Disha meeting Hoseok in person? Though they have met before. Cue the fireworks, people! 🎆

But hey, I won't keep you hanging for too long...or will I? 😜 

Stay tuned, my sassy readers, because this story is just heating up. And trust me, you won't want to miss what happens next.

Until then, keep those guesses coming—I'm enjoying the chaos!