The manager stood at the door with his assistants, ready to leave, but he paused, turning back to the room. "Oh, one more thing. Chaeyon will be staying in the dorms until the album is completed."

Beomgyu’s arms were crossed as he narrowed his eyes. "And then?"

The manager raised a brow, unfazed by Beomgyu's tone. "She’ll leave."

A flicker of relief passed through Beomgyu, though his posture didn’t relax. It didn’t change the fact that, until then, she would be around, looking after them.

Kai's POV:

Everything was happening way too fast. I didn’t love the situation either, but we couldn’t really go against the decision. Looking at Chaeyon, though, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. None of this was her fault, yet she was already a target for Beomgyu and Yeonjun’s irritation.

The silence in the room stretched awkwardly. Wanting to ease the tension, I approached her. "Hi, I’m Kai. It’s really nice to meet you," I said, offering a smile.

Chaeyon looked up, startled at first, but then smiled back. "Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of you," she said softly.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Beomgyu click his tongue in irritation before storming out of the room. Typical.

Taehyun stepped in next, his warm demeanor filling the space. "Hey, I’m Taehyun. Don’t worry, we’ll do our best to make you feel welcome."

Chaeyon’s smile widened. "Thank you. Nice to meet you too," she said, her voice tinged with relief.

Soobin, the last to approach, stood up from his chair. Extending his hand, he introduced himself. "I’m the leader, Soobin. Don’t mind Beomgyu and Yeonjun. They’ll warm up to you eventually."

Chaeyon hesitated before shaking his hand. "I hope so," she replied, her tone a mix of hope and uncertainty.

As Chaeyon unpacked her belongings with Soobin and Kai chatting with her in the living room, the atmosphere in Yeonjun’s room was tense. Beomgyu paced back and forth while Yeonjun leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Taehyun sat on the bed, trying to mediate.

"Guys..." Taehyun began, but Beomgyu cut him off.

"I know! The manager must be out of his mind. Seriously, a girl? She looks like... an unbaked potato smurf!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

Taehyun bit back a laugh but couldn’t hide his grin.

Beomgyu ignored it, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "If it was a guy, I could deal with it. But this? I can’t handle girls."

Yeonjun, still brooding, added, "You’re not alone. I’m not exactly thrilled either, but we don’t have a choice."

Taehyun tried again. "Look, maybe we could—"

"try to make her feel welcome? No thanks. I literally don’t care," Beomgyu interrupted, his voice icy.

Taehyun sighed, glancing at Yeonjun, who gave him a subtle gesture to let it go for now. Taehyun nodded, leaving the room.

Yeonjun turned to Beomgyu, his tone softening. "Hey, calm down."

Beomgyu glared at him. "Don’t tell me you’re okay with this too."

Yeonjun sighed. "I’m not. But what can we do? Fighting this is just going to make things harder for everyone."

Beomgyu sat down, still fuming. "I’m seriously fed up."

Yeonjun thought for a moment before suggesting, "How about lunch? Just the two of us."

Beomgyu raised a brow. "No way. That smurf will probably tag along."

Yeonjun chuckled. "No. Just you and me."

Beomgyu’s lips twitched into a small smile. "Fine. But you’re paying."

Yeonjun laughed, shaking his head. "If that’s what it takes to get you out of this mood, deal."

As Beomgyu and Yeonjun walked out of the dorm, Taehyun looked up from his phone. Noticing Beomgyu’s rare, relaxed expression, he asked casually, "Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, lunch," Yeonjun replied, zipping up his jacket.

Soobin smirked from the couch. "A lunch date, huh?"

Yeonjun rolled his eyes, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. Beomgyu didn’t bother to respond.

Chaeyon appeared from the kitchen, holding a towel. "Oh, um... but I was cooking lunch," she said hesitantly.

Beomgyu shot her an annoyed glance. "Exactly why we’re eating out."

His sharp words made Chaeyon flinch, and Yeonjun didn’t bother hiding his cold expression either. Kai stepped in quickly, his tone light. "Why don’t you head out now? Don’t want to miss the lunch rush, right?"

Without another word, Yeonjun and Beomgyu left, the door shutting firmly behind them. Kai turned to Chaeyon with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

Chaeyon forced a smile. "It’s fine," she murmured before returning to her cooking.

Beomgyu’s mood noticeably lifted as he sat across from Yeonjun at their usual spot. There was something about Yeonjun’s presence that always managed to calm him.

"Beomgyu, stop overthinking," Yeonjun said, his voice gentle yet firm.

Startled, Beomgyu blinked. "Huh? Oh... yeah, sorry," he mumbled, offering a sheepish smile.

Yeonjun chuckled, his knowing eyes scanning Beomgyu’s face. "I get it. It’s going to be hard dealing with her until the album’s out."

Beomgyu sighed, resting his chin on his hand. "But why a girl? Couldn’t they have hired a guy? I could deal with that—but no, it had to be... a smurf."

Yeonjun laughed lightly. "True. I’m not thrilled either, but maybe try not to be outright mean to her."

Beomgyu crossed his arms, considering it. "Fine. But if she annoys me, I won’t hesitate to put her in her place."

Yeonjun smirked. "Fair enough. And if she does, I might just back you up."

The waiter arrived with their dishes, and Beomgyu’s expression brightened. "Food smells so much better when someone else is paying for it," he teased.

Yeonjun chuckled, shaking his head. "Food tastes better when you’re with someone worth your time."

Beomgyu rolled his eyes, a laugh escaping him. "Always flirting, huh?"

Yeonjun shrugged, his grin playful. For the first time in days, the tension seemed to melt away, replaced by their easy camaraderie.

To be continued....