The night continued to hum with laughter and music, but the moment Ryu stepped out of the party, it felt like a shift had occurred. It wasn't a dramatic change, but rather a subtle one—the energy in the room seemed to adjust, the buzz in the air fading just slightly as if the magnetic pull of his presence had been temporarily lifted.
Sarah stayed behind, watching as Ryu disappeared through the door, his figure becoming a shadow in the night. Her heart, still racing, slowly began to calm. He hadn't said much before he left, but that look—that lingering, questioning glance between them—had spoken volumes.
"Sarah, you okay?" Emily's voice broke through her thoughts, her teasing grin in place as she waved her hand in front of Sarah's face. "You've got that look."
Sarah blinked, shaking her head. "What look?"
"The you're thinking about him look," Emily teased, leaning in closer, her breath warm against Sarah's ear. "Come on, don't tell me you didn't feel it. There was definitely something between you two. I saw it."
Sarah felt her face flush, but she shrugged, trying to mask the warmth spreading inside her. "I don't know," she replied, her voice quieter than she intended. "He's... different."
The girls giggled and nodded knowingly, as if they could hear the unspoken truth in Sarah's words.
"I told you he was mysterious," one of the girls, Jenna, chimed in, her voice slurring just a little from the alcohol. "But you've got a thing for that, don't you? The quiet, brooding types."
"I'm not brooding," Sarah protested, though she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "He just... seems to have his own way of being around people."
"You're totally into him," Emily said with a dramatic sigh, flopping onto the couch. "I can see it. I mean, who wouldn't be? Ryu's like... a walking mystery, a puzzle. And honestly, you're looking at him like he's your next project."
Sarah rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but laugh along with them. "You guys are ridiculous."
But then, Sarah's eyes narrowed, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "Wait a second. I bet you like Ryu too, don't you?" she shot back, teasing Emily as her words made the other girls go quiet for a moment.
Emily blinked, her smile faltering just slightly, before she gave a shrug that was a little too casual. "What? No! I was just... you know, making observations. That's all." She let out a small, nervous laugh, clearly caught off guard.
"Uh-huh, sure," Sarah said, arching an eyebrow. "You were definitely just making observations. That's totally what I saw back there—flirting with him like it was a second job."
Emily raised her hands in surrender, her eyes wide with mock innocence. "Alright, alright, you caught me. He's got something, okay? But that doesn't mean I'm swooning or anything. It's just... fun to mess with him. You know how it is."
The other girls burst into giggles, clearly enjoying the dynamic between Sarah and Emily. Sarah leaned back, her arms crossed as she watched Emily's flustered expression, feeling a small sense of satisfaction at flipping the teasing back onto her.
"You're ridiculous, Emily," Sarah said, shaking her head in mock exasperation. "But if you like him, then go for it. Just don't make me your wingwoman."
"Please, Sarah," Emily retorted with a laugh. "You know it's not like that. And anyway, you have first dibs. Ryu seems to have his eyes on you, not me."
Sarah couldn't deny that her pulse had quickened at Emily's words. She didn't know what to make of it, but something about the way Ryu had looked at her before leaving had definitely felt... significant. The question was whether she was ready to confront it or keep pushing it aside.
The conversation shifted after that, the girls moving on to other topics as the alcohol continued to flow. But even as the music played louder and the laughter grew more carefree, Sarah's thoughts kept drifting back to Ryu. There was something magnetic about him—a pull that was impossible to ignore. And as much as she wanted to fight it, she knew she'd have to face it sooner or later.
"I think he likes you, Sarah," Emily said again, her voice light but tinged with something more serious now. "You just have to give him a reason to show it."
Sarah didn't respond immediately. She wasn't sure what to say. Did she want Ryu to show more? Did she want to make a move? Or was she simply caught up in the quiet mystery of him?
Either way, the night was only just beginning.