Yeonjun's POV:

As Chaeyon carefully set the plates on the table, I found myself distracted. My eyes lingered on the scene for a moment before I decided to check on Beomgyu. He'd been upset earlier, and even though I hadn't meant to hurt him, I knew I'd done just that.

I stood, my movements quiet, and made my way toward his room. The hallway was dim, and as I approached, the soft strumming of his guitar reached my ears. The melody was slow, almost melancholic—a sound that mirrored his emotions perfectly.

Without knocking, I pushed the door open.

Beomgyu stopped playing immediately, his fingers still hovering over the strings. He looked up at me, his gaze heavy.

"Can I come in?" I asked softly, leaning against the doorframe.

A faint scoff escaped him as he strummed a single note, his tone laced with sarcasm. "You already opened the door without knocking."

I sighed and stepped inside, closing the door behind me. Walking over, I sat down beside him on the bed.

"Go away. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone," he mumbled, his focus returning to the guitar as he continued playing that same sorrowful tune.

I glanced at the guitar, then at him. "You always play when you're upset," I said quietly.

He didn't reply.

"You know you shouldn't let this get to you," I added gently.

This time, he put the guitar aside and turned to face me, his expression raw and pained. "Yeonjun... why did you have to treat me like that? Because of her?"

The guilt hit me all over again. I averted my gaze, unable to meet his eyes. "Beomgyu, you know I didn't mean to. I wasn't trying to be cold on purpose..."

"Look at me." His voice was firm, demanding my attention.

Reluctantly, I met his eyes.

"I hate this," he said, his voice breaking. "I don't want some girl coming in here and pretending like she knows us, like she can take care of us."

My eyes widened as his tone cracked further. His shoulders trembled, and I knew what was coming. "No, Beomgyu... don't cry."

"Hyung, I can't—" His voice faltered, and then he broke. He lowered his head, his hands clutching at the edge of the bed as his sobs filled the room.

Seeing him like that made something twist painfully in my chest. His shoulders shook, his cries muffled but still sharp enough to pierce through me. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I leaned closer to him.

"Hey," I said softly but firmly, my voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Beomgyu, stop crying."

He didn't respond, his hiccups breaking the silence instead. The air between us felt heavy, and I could feel my pulse quicken. His presence was overwhelming, his warm breath ghosting over my skin, his floral scent lingering faintly in the air. It was like I couldn't think straight, my emotions clouding everything else.

Acting on impulse, I reached out and pulled him into an embrace. His face ended up pressed against the crook of my neck, and the warmth of his shaky breath sent a chill down my spine. I held him close, my hand resting gently on his back as his body trembled against mine.

"What are you, a big baby?" I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady, though the tightness in my throat betrayed me. "Crying like this?"

He let out a shaky breath, his words muffled against my neck. "Why... are you saying that?"

I exhaled, my hand tightening slightly on his back. "Because you cried in front of Kai last time."

He stilled, his body going quiet for a moment, but his breath remained warm and uneven against my skin. The closeness made my heart race even faster, and I hated how helpless I felt in that moment.

"It's not like you're not allowed to cry," I continued softly, "but don't let Kai and Taehyun worry about you, okay? They look up to you. Try to understand, Beomgyu."

When I finally pulled back, my hand lingered on his shoulder as I looked at him. His nose was red, his eyes swollen from crying, but he nodded, sniffling softly. "I... I understand."

A faint smile tugged at my lips. "Good. Now, come on. Let's eat."

He hesitated. "But... Chaeyon made dinner."

"I know," I replied with a sigh. "Just tolerate her. At least until the album is finished. Hard times won't last forever."

After a moment, he nodded again and got up, following me out of the room.

A/N's POV:

The dining table was already set, and everyone was seated when Yeonjun and Beomgyu walked in. Soobin's concerned eyes immediately caught the tear stains on Beomgyu's face, but he said nothing, relieved that Beomgyu had decided to join them.

Taehyun offered a knowing smile, easily guessing what had taken place in Beomgyu's room. Kai, however, was more direct. "Beomgyu-hyung, you look like a pufferfish."

Beomgyu's lips pulled into a grumpy pout as he muttered, "Shut up."

Yeonjun chuckled, and soon the room filled with laughter as Taehyun and Kai joined in. Even Soobin cracked a smile.

"By the way," Soobin said after a moment, "Chaeyon made your favorite—stir-fried beef tripe."

Chaeyon's nervous eyes darted to Beomgyu. She seemed to hold her breath as she waited for his reaction.

Beomgyu was expressionless for a moment, his gaze flicking to Yeonjun, who gave him a subtle, encouraging nod.

With a sigh, Beomgyu muttered, "Guess I'll try it."

Chaeyon's face brightened with relief. Taehyun and Kai exchanged surprised looks but seemed equally relieved to see Beomgyu finally softening.

Soobin smiled to himself, his eyes briefly resting on Yeonjun. It was clear to him just how much influence Yeonjun had over Beomgyu, and he was grateful for it.

The tension in the room slowly melted away, replaced by a sense of calm as they all began to eat. For the first time in days, things felt a little more normal.

Chaeyon's POV:

I was genuinely surprised by Beomgyu's reaction at dinner. I hadn't expected him to respond so calmly, especially after how tense things had been earlier. It was obvious how much Yeonjun influenced him—it was almost endearing.

As I washed the dishes, I couldn't help but notice how Yeonjun's eyes lingered on Beomgyu while he ate. There was something so soft, so protective in his gaze, like Beomgyu was the one person he cared for the most. The sight made me smile to myself, though I quickly turned my focus back to the plates.

Once I finished, I was wiping my hands dry when I noticed Beomgyu walking into the kitchen. He moved with his usual air of nonchalance, heading straight for the counter to make his coffee.

Without thinking, I spoke up, my voice light. "Oh, Beomgyu, don't bother. I can make it for you if you'd like."

He paused, glancing at me briefly as he pulled out the ingredients. For a moment, he didn't say anything, and I wondered if I'd crossed a line. Finally, in a relaxed, yet slightly guarded tone, he replied, "...Thanks, but I prefer making my own coffee."

I smiled faintly, sensing a subtle shift in his demeanor. While his tone wasn't entirely warm, it lacked the sharp edge I'd grown used to. Even if it felt a little forced, it was still progress.

Leaning against the counter, I decided to break the silence. "You know... you and Yeonjun seem really close."

At that, he froze for a second, then gave me a look that clearly questioned the obviousness of my statement. His response came swiftly, almost as if he didn't need to think about it. "We are."

His tone was sharp enough to make me awkwardly smile, realizing I might've overstepped. I hesitated, debating whether to bring up what was on my mind, but eventually, I decided this was as good a chance as any.

"By the way, Beomgyu," I started cautiously, "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry."

That made him pause again. This time, he turned to look at me fully, his brow furrowed slightly. "You're sorry? For what?" he asked, his tone flat but not unkind.

"For... for butting into your group like this," I admitted, my voice soft. "I just really needed this job, but I didn't know it would make things so uncomfortable for you all. If I had known, I would've never applied."

He sighed heavily, crossing his arms as he leaned against the counter, his gaze fixed on me. "Look," he said after a moment, "it's not your fault. None of this is. So stop beating yourself up over it."

His voice was calm, but there was an underlying tension that I couldn't ignore. He seemed to want to ease my guilt, yet at the same time, I could feel his frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

"I'm sorry if I mistreated you," he continued, his tone steady but tinged with weariness. "It wasn't personal. I just... I just want this album to release as soon as possible. That's all."

With that, he turned back to his coffee, stirring the sugar into his cup with deliberate focus.

I watched him quietly for a moment, sensing how torn he felt. He wasn't trying to hurt me, but it was clear he resented the situation. And honestly, I couldn't blame him. If I were in his position, I might've felt the same way.

I offered him a small smile. "You're kinder than you realize, Beomgyu," I said softly. "I hope we can get along better from now on."

He glanced at me briefly, nodding in acknowledgment before returning to his coffee. Taking that as my cue to leave, I pushed off the counter and stepped out of the kitchen, a quiet sigh escaping me.

For the first time in a while, I felt relieved. Maybe things would be okay after all.

Author's note: please do check out my recent post about this ff. <3
To be continued....