𝙚𝙪𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙘 ♪ 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙨

ᴇᴜᴘʜᴏʀɪᴄ - 35

𝚡𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚒 𝚛𝚢𝚞

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♫ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The morning light streamed through the curtains as I sat numbly on the edge of my bed, my phone buzzing in my hand. A message from Teagan popped up on the screen, her words brimming with apology and regret.

I'm so sorry, Xena. I wish I could've stayed just one more day. If I hadn't left Korea so soon, I'd be there with you right now. I had to return to take care of a few things, but please know that I'm thinking of you. Stay strong, okay?

I stared at Teagan's message, my heart sinking with every word. She had always been my rock, the one I could lean on when things got tough. But now, when I needed her more than ever, she was half a world away. I typed a quick response, telling her I understood, but the words felt hollow. The loneliness that had been creeping in now settled over me like a heavy blanket, its weight pressing down on my chest.

I set my phone down, trying to push the feelings away, but they clung to me, stubborn and unrelenting. I felt a pang of longing for the comfort Teagan's presence would have brought—a sense of security that, for the first time in a while, I desperately needed.

A sudden ring of the bell at the door jolted me from my thoughts. My heart jumped, and for a brief moment, hope flickered within me. Could it be Minho? Despite knowing he needed space, a part of me longed to see him, to have him here and tell me that everything would be okay.

But when I opened the door, it wasn't Minho who stood there. It was Hyunjin. His expression was a mixture of worry and determination, as if he had been battling his own demons and had finally made the decision to face them head-on. His eyes met mine, and I could see the concern etched in his features, his usual confidence replaced by a vulnerability I rarely saw in him.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. I could see that he had been struggling too, and it struck me that we were both caught in a storm we hadn't been prepared for.

"Hyunjin." I said, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I had to see you." He said, his voice filled with urgency. "There's a lot I need to explain, and I couldn't just sit around and wait."

I led Hyunjin into the living room, the tension between us palpable as we settled onto the couch. The silence was thick, laden with unspoken emotions, and I could see the strain on his face—the way his jaw was clenched and his shoulders seemed to carry the weight of everything that had happened. His usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced by something far more serious, more conflicted.

"We were practicing when the news broke." Hyunjin started, his voice unusually subdued. "Minho was the first to confront me about it. He was... furious." He paused, his gaze dropping to his hands as if he was replaying the scene in his mind. "He was holding it all in, trying to piece everything together. He told me it must've been that day I asked for space... that someone must have overheard our conversation."