Yeonjun's POV

I watched as Beomgyu read through the comments, his lips curling into a small smile. He looked so… pretty.
Shaking my head slightly, I forced myself to focus.
After the live, I noticed a change in him, his mood seemed lighter, more relaxed.

As Beomgyu stood up, he stumbled unexpectedly. My instincts kicked in, and I reached out, steadying him with a firm hand at the small of his back. His eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Careful," I murmured, gently pulling my hand away.

He sighed, his voice light with relief. "Gosh, I almost fell."

I studied him for a moment before asking, "Are you sure you're okay? Did you even sleep?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he replied with a quick nod, brushing it off before disappearing out of the room.

Beomgyu's POV

As I stepped out of my room, Chaeyon appeared, hesitantly approaching me.

"Beomgyu," she started, her tone uncertain, "can I clean your room?"

I let out a heavy sigh, scoffing at her offer. "No, thank you. I'll clean it myself."

She blinked at me, taken aback, but I stood firm, my cold gaze meeting hers. Before she could respond, Yeonjun stepped out into the hallway, his confused eyes flickering between us.

"What’s going on?" he asked, his voice calm yet probing.

Chaeyon quickly explained, "I offered to clean his room, but he said no."

Yeonjun sighed, patting my back lightly before turning to her. "You can clean his room," he said firmly.

I spun toward him, shocked. "No way am I letting her,"

Before I could finish, I saw yeonjun's fingers silently counting down with his fingers. His expression warned me not to argue. Against my better judgment, I fell silent, still fuming.

Chaeyon hesitated but eventually entered my room, leaving me standing there, stunned.

I turned to Yeonjun, my voice barely masking my frustration. "Hyung, why did you let her do that?"

He took a step closer, his calm demeanor shifting into something colder. "Beomgyu, we made a promise about this," he said, his voice low and firm.

I gritted my teeth, anger bubbling to the surface. "You can’t just—"

"You have to behave," he interrupted, his tone sharper now.

Clicking my tongue in frustration, I turned on my heel, ready to storm off, but Yeonjun grabbed my arm, pulling me back. His grip was firm, his authority undeniable.

"What?" I snapped, my voice shaking with the tears that threatened to spill.

His face was inches from mine now, his cold expression making me flinch. "Don’t cry over this," he warned, his voice softer but no less intimidating. "Don’t think I’m taking her side."

I swallowed hard, unable to respond.

"Don’t cry," he repeated, his grip loosening as he let me go.

Without another word, I spun on my heel and hurried away, my vision blurred with unshed tears.

A/N POV:

After Beomgyu disappeared down the hall, Yeonjun remained rooted in place, his eyes lingering on the empty space where his younger member had been.

Soobin, who had been quietly watching the exchange, stepped forward. "Yeonjun, what happened?" he asked gently.

Yeonjun sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He was getting mad at Chaeyon again. I had to step in before things got out of hand."

Soobin nodded in understanding. "Don’t worry too much. He’ll adjust eventually."

Yeonjun exhaled slowly, his concern still evident. "I hope so," he muttered, though his eyes betrayed his lingering worry.

Chaeyon’s POV

As I cleaned Beomgyu’s room, a heavy weight settled in my chest. Guilt gnawed at me, making me question my decision to take this job. I couldn’t bear the thought that my presence was causing tension among the members. Seeing them angry, especially at each other, because of me was unbearable.

I paused, glancing around the room. It felt wrong to intrude on his space. I wanted to talk to Beomgyu, to try and clear the air, but I hesitated. I knew approaching him now would only add fuel to the fire. Maybe it was better to wait… to give him time.

Beomgyu’s POV:

I sat on the couch, my arms wrapped tightly around my legs. My mind raced, berating me for the tears that threatened to fall. You’re stronger than this. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

The sound of footsteps broke through my thoughts. I glanced up to see Kai standing in front of me, his eyes widening in alarm.

"Hyung, what happened?" he asked, his voice tinged with panic as he noticed my tear-streaked face.

"Nothing," I muttered, looking away.

Kai didn’t buy it. He sat down beside me, his hand gently patting my back. "Hyung, come on. You can’t hide it from me," he said, his concern evident.

For a moment, I hesitated. Then, the words spilled out. I explained everything, the argument, the frustration, the overwhelming emotions.

Kai listened intently, his expression shifting to surprise as I finished. "Hyung, it’s okay," he said softly. "Yeonjun hyung’s just worried about the situation."

I let out a shaky laugh. "Worried? About what, exactly?"

Kai’s voice was calm and steady. "Think about it. What if Chaeyon complained to the manager about your behavior? No one’s going to blame her, but the manager would definitely scold you. Yeonjun hyung knows that and doesn’t want you to get into trouble. He’s just trying to protect you in his own way."

His words struck a chord, making me pause. Taking a deep breath, I let them sink in. Kai was right, even if it didn’t make the situation less frustrating.

Kai’s warm smile brought me back to the present. "Come on, hyung. Let’s head to rehearsals together," he said, standing up and offering me his hand.

A small smile tugged at my lips. "Alright, let’s go," I said, taking his hand.

A/N POV

As Beomgyu and Kai left the dorm, Yeonjun stood in the hallway, hidden from view. He had overheard their conversation. The crack in Beomgyu’s voice made Yeonjun’s heart ache.

He leaned against the wall, exhaling slowly. Maybe I should have been gentler with him…

Regret flickered in his chest, but he brushed it aside. He knew he had made the right call for the bigger picture, even if it hurt them both in the moment.

A sad smile crossed Yeonjun’s face as he turned and walked back to his room, the weight of his unspoken feelings following him.

To be continued.....