[L]ee Ju-hee's alluring presence stood out the most on the dance floor, capturing the attention of everyone around her.
Her hips swayed, and her long legs moved with an irresistible grace. Her eyes were half-closed, and a teasing low smile danced at the corner of her lips as she surrendered to the music's rhythm.
Jin-ho watched her intensely, completely enticed and mesmerized.
As the song's tempo picked up, Lee Ju-hee's moves became even more fluid and daring. Her arms traced elegant arcs in the air, and her body seemed to sensually glide across the floor.
Min-ho cleared his throat, interrupting Jin-ho's peculiar fixation on his cousin.
With his earlier irritation seemingly evaporated, Yoo Jin-ho calmly redirected his attention to Min-ho.
"Hey, grab a seat! Let's chat," Min-ho said in a laid-back manner, gesturing to an empty chair. Jin-ho simply nodded and went along with the suggestion.
Park Min-ho casually retrieved a cigarette box with a distinct cyan design, brandishing 'Marlboro Smooth Ice.' Popping it open, he plucked out a cigarette.
This caught Jin-ho's interest, casting a shadow over his mood once more. He recalled Lee Ju-hee had gifted him the same brand during their initial meeting, claiming it was the only one she was familiar with.
Noticing Jin-ho's curiosity about his cigarette box, Min-ho gestured towards him and asked, "Want one?"
"No thanks. I think I'll—"
"Hold up! Jin-ho's always got a pack of these on him," Han-sol chimed in upon seeing the brand Min-ho was smoking. "He's pretty protective about sharing, though. Never figured out why he carried it around if he wasn't planning to smoke it. Don't mind me, man; I'll take one!"
Min-ho nodded in agreement, allowing Han-sol to help himself to a cigarette.
Truthfully, as hosts, they didn't earn much, and while Marlboro Smooth Ice wasn't exactly premium, it was still a luxury they couldn't always afford.
Min-ho's detective instincts kicked in, and he couldn't help but ask, "So, who gave you that pack of cigarettes you're so protective of?"
"None of your business—"
Min-ho let out a sigh, his deductions somehow proving correct. "It was Ju-hee noona, wasn't it?"
"A-ah? That's why you were so possessive about that pack of smokes! You should've just told us," Yoonjae chimed in, recalling an incident when Jin-ho had gone ballistic over them trying to open the pack.
"Tsk, forget it," Jin-ho responded with a bitter tone, signaling to one of the servers. When the waitress approached their table, he casually said, "Just a beer for me, please."
"Anything else?" the waitress asked, her gaze seemingly fixated on Jin-ho, who appeared to be the most attractive of them all.
"A beer for me too!" Min-ho added, raising his hand, and the waitress briefly shifted her focus to him before returning her attention to Jin-ho.
Han-sol and Yoonjae also placed their drink orders. Meanwhile, Min-ho decided to revive their earlier conversation.
"Hey, you have a thing for my noona or something?" Min-ho's question was direct and candid.
Jin-ho frowned, feeling the waitress's eyes on him. He brushed it off and replied nonchalantly, "Why? Worried I might steal her away?"
Min-ho burst into laughter at Jin-ho's response. Yoonjae paused mid-order to give Jin-ho a disbelieving look, while Han-sol shook his head as if he wanted to facepalm himself.
"What? Why the weird looks?"
"Haha, can't believe people think Noona and I are a couple! I mean, our eye color practically scream 'cousins,' you know?" Min-ho chuckled, slightly amused.
Then, a realization hit Yoo Jin-ho, and he raised his brows almost to his hairline. "Wait, you're saying you two are actually related?"
"Yeah, cousins, to be exact!" Min-ho confirmed.
"I mean, the resemblance is so striking, I thought you guys were siblings!" Han-sol chimed in.
As the waitress rolled her eyes and walked away, the group was left to their own little conversation.
"Dude, I bet she's totally spitting in Jin-ho's drink now," Yoonjae remarked as she departed.
"Yeah, she looked pretty annoyed," Han-sol agreed.
Jin-ho shrugged off their teasing, seemingly relieved that Min-ho wasn't actually dating Lee Ju-hee. His gaze drifted back to the dance floor, where she was still moving sensually to the music, hips swaying invitingly.
"You two knew this whole time, and you didn't say anything?" Jin-ho asked absentmindedly.
"Come on, give us some credit! They look so alike; it's an easy mistake," Yoonjae defended.
Min-ho, in the midst of the conversation, lit up his cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled slowly. "Well, actually, we did grow up like siblings," he admitted.
Han-sol picked up on this. "Is that why you're so protective of her?"
After a thoughtful pause, Min-ho nodded, his eyes cautiously observing Jin-ho. "Yeah, you could say that."
"Hear that?" Han-sol whispered, giving Jin-ho a playful punch in the abdomen, eliciting an "Ouff" from him. "Looks like you've got a shot!"
Min-ho couldn't resist adding with a cocky smirk, "Well, don't get too confident. Noona's pretty selective about guys."
Jin-ho, not one to back down from a challenge, replied, "Challenge accepted."
After those words, Jin-ho shot a confident look in Min-ho's direction and got to his feet, striding purposefully toward the dance floor, where a persistent guy was making unwanted advances toward the woman Jin-ho had his eye on.
"I told you, I'm not interested!" Jin-ho heard Lee Ju-hee firmly reject the guy.
"Come on, babe, I'm a great dancer! I promise I'll show you a good time!" the guy slurred, clearly intoxicated and unwilling to take no for an answer.
Shin Ha-eun noticed Lee Ju-hee's predicament and wanted to help but wasn't sure how.
As the guy leaned in, possibly attempting to kiss her, the stench of alcohol was overwhelming. Lee Ju-hee took a step back to create some distance and prepare to defend herself if needed. However, her back met a solid wall of muscle.
A mysterious, spicy fragrance lingered in the air. Then, a chin lightly grazed the top of her head, and a strong hand firmly clasped onto the persistent guy's hand.
"She said she's not interested. Back-off before I make you." Lee Ju-hee quickly recognized Jin-ho's voice.
Jin-ho's menacing tone and the intensity in his eyes would have deterred anyone. However, since Lee Ju-hee had her back to him, she couldn't gauge his expression.
Yet, the simple fact that he was there behind her was enough to ease her tension, making her body relax.
Spotting Yoo Jin-ho, the stranger quickly stumbled backward with his hands raised, signaling surrender, as he scurried away.
"Woah, Jin-ho Oppa, you're quite cool!" Ha-eun's voice echoed nearby.
Lee Ju-hee was about to ask if Shin Ha-eun was alright when Jin-ho's left arm slid around her waist, his palm resting gently on her flat stomach.
She wanted to spit out a snarky comment at that, but the warmth of his hand scorching through the fabric of her dress made her bite her lower lip instead.
Leaning in until he was ear level with her, Jin-ho's voice turned husky as he whispered, "I look away for two minutes, and you're already finding trouble."
His warm breath, teasingly close to her ear, sent a tantalizing shiver racing down her spine, and her skin responded with a cascade of goosebumps. The proximity was dangerously distracting, making it nearly impossible for her to focus on the words tumbling from his lips.
Clearing her throat, she replied evenly, "I didn't exactly ask for it. And could you please step back?"
Swiftly, Jin-ho's hand moved to her left arm, swiveling her to face him. A cocky smirk played at the corner of his lips. If not for the stern furrow of his brows, she might have thought he was teasing her.
"What are you afraid of?" he asked, the hint of a taunt laced in his tone.
"Nothing," she retorted challengingly.
"Is that so?" Jin-ho tilted his head slightly, not bothering to hide his interest in her appearance tonight. "Then dance with me."
Out of the blue, he stepped back and extended his hand in her direction.
In that moment, it was as if the world around them had faded into nothingness, the music reduced to a distant hum in the background.
Their gazes locked with an intensity that could melt steel, and his mesmerizing brown eyes seemed to draw her soul into their depths like alluring whirlpools.
A shiver of anticipation coursed down her spine, igniting an unfamiliar sensation deep within her core.
His gaze held a potent cocktail of dark desires and smoldering emotions, laid bare for her to see.
She released a slow, almost sensual sigh, attempting to regain her composure as her heart raced. With a flicker of intrigue in her eyes, she accepted his outstretched hand and purred, "Okay."