I could feel Taehyun’s eyes on me, silently pleading, hoping I’d come to my senses.

“...I can’t,” I muttered, my voice trembling. “Not after everything I’ve done to him.”

I didn’t want to cry again. My eyes burned from the endless tears I’d shed, and exhaustion weighed heavily on me.

“Do you really think shutting him out like this is going to make anything better?” Taehyun’s voice was steady, but there was frustration simmering underneath. “How long are you going to avoid him? How long, hyung?”

I stayed silent, unable to meet his gaze.

Taehyun clenched his fists against the blanket, his expression unwavering. “...Hyung, just please... leave me alone,” I murmured, burying my face in my palms.

“No,” Taehyun snapped, his tone firm and unyielding. “Every time we talk, you just tell me to leave you alone. Last time I listened, you made the decision to distance yourself from Beomgyu. Who knows what worse choice you’ll make if I walk out again?”

I froze at his words, guilt tightening its grip on my chest.

“At least talk to Soobin hyung and Kai,” he pressed, his voice softening slightly. “They’re worried about both of you. They keep coming to me for answers, and all I can do is lie to them.”

I exhaled heavily, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on me. “Fine. I’ll talk to them... when I’m ready,” I muttered.

“And please, hyung,” he added gently, “come eat dinner. You haven’t eaten in over a day.”

“I’m not hungry,” I said, shaking my head.

“Hyung, this is insane. You haven’t eaten all day. Do you want to collapse? Get up,” he said, his tone firmer now, leaving no room for argument.

I stared at the floor, too drained to fight him anymore. “Alright, fine. I’ll come. Just... leave me alone for now,” I said quietly, still avoiding his gaze.

Taehyun lingered for a moment, as if making sure I wouldn’t go back on my word. Finally, he nodded and turned to leave, shutting the door softly behind him.

As the room fell silent again, I leaned back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling. No matter what I did, it felt like everything was falling apart, and I had no idea how to stop it.

Beomgyu's POV:

I didn’t have the energy to eat. My body felt numb, my mind clouded. It was Taehyun who insisted I join for dinner, so here I was, sitting at the table. Chaeyon moved around quietly, placing the dishes, while Soobin-hyung and Kai were already seated.

The air in the room was thick, awkward, quiet, tangled. No one dared address the elephant in the room.

Taehyun, always trying to lighten the mood, broke the silence. “So, um… Soobin-hyung, when are we going live?” he asked, forcing a smile. It was obvious he was trying to mask the tension with his usual cheerful demeanor.

I knew Taehyun was aware of why Yeonjun-hyung was acting like this. I could see it in the way his eyes darted nervously. But why wasn’t he sharing anything?

As I began scooping rice onto my plate, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Yeonjun walked in and, without a word, took the seat across from me. He didn’t sit beside me, like he usually would.

I froze mid-movement, my hand still gripping the spoon. My eyes lifted, meeting his for a fleeting moment before he looked away.

Everyone else glanced between Yeonjun and me, the tension becoming almost suffocating. Even Chaeyon looked uneasy as she stood near the table.

I shook my head slightly, trying to refocus, and continued scooping rice onto my plate. The others followed suit, starting to eat in an effort to diffuse the silence.

Soobin-hyung finally spoke. “We’re going live tonight, after dinner,” he said, his tone steady but cautious.

Yeonjun’s head snapped up, his gaze sharp as it landed on Soobin. “Why? I’m tired. Can’t we do it tomorrow?” he said, his voice heavy and hoarse.

The words stung more than I wanted to admit. I stayed silent, swallowing hard as the familiar lump in my throat grew. I felt like crying again.

Soobin-hyung frowned, his tone calm but firm. “You know we can’t. We already pushed the schedule because of Beomgyu’s fever.”

My breath hitched. Yeonjun didn’t even glance my way. Not once. I wanted to scream at him. Look at me.

The silence stretched until Kai, who hadn’t said a word all evening, finally broke it.

“Hyung, why are you treating Beomgyu like this?”

The room froze.

Yeonjun stiffened, his chopsticks halting mid-air. Everyone turned toward him, and Kai’s tone was sharper than I’d ever heard.

“What are you talking about?” Yeonjun started, but Kai cut him off before he could finish.

“Don’t pretend, hyung. Because of you, Beomgyu feels miserable,” Kai said, his voice unyielding, his expression serious. He turned his glare toward Taehyun. “And you, too, Taehyun. Just tell us what you’re both hiding already.”

Taehyun’s eyes widened, his usual composure faltering under Kai’s words.

Soobin-hyung and Chaeyon both blinked, glancing between Yeonjun and Taehyun.

I swallowed hard, my gaze fixed on Yeonjun.

I wanted answers too.