After the fireworks ended, Jennie excused herself and made a quick call to her parents. Her mom sounded tired on the phone but she made sure they said their greetings and "I love you's." When her dad asked where she was, she simply told him she was hanging out with friends. She also sent a short text to her members' group chat, before walking back to Seungyoun who was looking at her curiously.

"So," Jennie began. They were now sat facing each other on the opposite sides of the stone bench. Snacks laid out in front of them.

"So?" Seungyoun asked, as he opened the prawn chips Jennie bought.

She took a chip from the pack he's holding. "So, did you get into an argument with someone?"

"What? No. Why do you ask?"

Jennie knew asking a personal question might be too much to someone she just met but she didn't care at that point. "I saw you've been furiously typing on your phone since we were at the hotel. Did you get into a fight with someone?"

Seungyoun looked confused. "Huh? No? I never get into text arguments. Or engage."

"Oh." That makes the both of us, Jennie thought. She preferred silent cold treatment instead.

He popped a chip in his mouth and after a while said, "I was trying to write a song."

Jennie threw an incredulous look at him. "A song? In an elevator?"

It was Seungyoun's turn to get shy, his cheeks turning to a slight shade of pink. "I- well... not exactly a song but you know, lines, phrases..." He scratched the back of his head.

"Interesting," Jennie couldn't hide feeling impressed. She's written a lot of songs herself, but she's only showed them to very few people. It's not that she thought they , she just didn't have the same creative freedom as her colleagues. "Let me listen to your songs," she finally said.

"Uh- Right now?"

Jennie nodded eagerly. Slowly, he pulled up a playlist on his phone and handed her a pair of airpods, which he kept deep in his pockets.

She put them on and waited. And then, a flush of atmospheric music played in her ears. His voice echoed over a dreamy instrumental as he sings about breaking up because of incompatibility. She didn't know what she expected his music to sound like, but seeing the boy sitting across from her right now looking at her intently, she thought this song is without a doubt his and him.

When it ended, she took out one of the airpods and smiled.

"Well?" he looked at her, a bit uneasy.

"I like it," Jennie said, truthfully. "It's totally my style."

To this, Seungyoun grinned, making his eyes smaller. So damn cute, Jennie thought. "Thank you," he said.

"Play me some more," Jennie said putting back the airpod back on.

And so he did. From his older stuff when he went by Luizy, to his solo songs before X1, to a couple of songs he produced for other artists. Jennie listened to them thoughtfully, making mental notes about his style and lyricism, while Seungyoun gathered what's left of their food and drinks and threw them in the trash bin nearby.

For the next half hour or so, they just walked around the park, with Jennie listening to the songs Seungyoun would play. He didn't say anything, instead he just studied her expressions. Jennie felt shy under his stare so she just keep walking, putting her hands on the pockets of her coat and casually humming to some songs.

They finally stopped at the park playground and Jennie removed the pods.

"Thank you," she handed them back to him and sat on one of the swings. Seungyoun stood just a few steps in front of her.

The cold breeze blew and they fell silent for a minute, just taking in their surroundings and each other's presence.

"Can I ask you something?" Jennie said.

"Hm?"

"Why didn't you go to the party?"

Seungyoun looked at her, probably wondering if he should tell her the truth or not. Finally, he said, "I was trying to avoid someone."

That piqued Jennie's interest. "Someone?" She knew she was being nosy but she had to ask.

"Yeah, someone," he sighed. "An ex."

"Oh," Jennie searched his face for any emotion but he turned to his side and she only saw shadows. "Was it a bad breakup?"

"Not really... we just fell off," he admitted. "Saw each other less and less often until we realized we didn't really care."

Jennie understood what he meant. For people like them, serious relationships are hard to grow, especially if you're the type of person who needs physical contact often. That's just not possible with the schedules they have and rules imposed on them. Save for the few lucky ones.

"I guess all breakups are bad, if you think about it," Seungyoun said. "At the end of the day, that's a piece of yourself that you can't take back. It's just a matter of which ones hurt you less."

"Yeah..." Jennie simply replied. She was looking at the ground, deep in thought.

"What's on your mind?"

She looked at Seungyoun who now sat on the grass, facing her. "My last breakup." He just stared, waiting for her to continue. "It was around New Year's, too."

A few days after she was told that a Dispatch article will be published on January 1st, Jennie broke up with Jongin. They were only seeing each other for a couple of months at that time, and she thought it was for the best that they separate ways before things got more complicated. She was cold and direct and Jongin reluctantly agreed in the end. The breakup news was released weeks later to the press.

She couldn't tell if that breakup hurt less than her previous ones but it definitely left the biggest impact on her. A year passed and she hasn't gone on any dates with anybody, or spent a night alone with a boy.

"Sometimes all we can do is grow through what we go through, you know?" Seungyoun told her and she smiled.

"I think I saw that quote somewhere!"

"Really?" he laughed. "And here I thought I was being original."

"Grow through what you go through. Just keep swimming. happens. Or whatever quote you could find on a shirt."

He chuckled. "That's the first time I've heard you swear."

"I can do it again if you want."

"I'd prefer if it comes out naturally," he smiled at her and Jennie wished she could take a photo right then and there. You need help, she mentally scolded herself.

Then, Seungyoun's phone started ringing. He looked at it and got up. "Be back in a sec," he told her, taking the call and walking a couple of steps away.

Jennie nodded and opened her phone to more messages from Jisoo saying she's bored and asking Jennie what she's up to. She cheekily typed that she was hanging out with someone Jisoo doesn't know, to which the latter replied with "Who? Is it a boy? Details! Right! Now!"

"Later~" Jennie texted back and closed her phone as the boy in question walked back to her.

"That was my friend," he began. "They're going with another group they met from the party and he said we can take his car. I'll drive you to your apartment."

"Cool."

The two started to walk the way back to the hotel. Seungyoun, his hands in his pockets,  few steps ahead of Jennie. As she watched his back, she muttered a silent wish that the night lasts a little bit longer.