On the weekend, the twins returned to the base, their faces bright with anticipation. They had planned a movie marathon to distract Soul from the lingering worries and stress that had followed her from school, hoping to offer her a rare few hours of lighthearted escape.
“It’s so nice to have you here again! We’ve missed you already!” one of the boys exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.
“You… missed me?” Soul asked, a shy smile tugging at her lips.
“Yeah! It’s always so much fun when you’re around!” he said eagerly.
“Hyung, it was just two days ago,” her twin replied with a chuckle, shaking his head at his own overenthusiasm.
“Yeah, but she wasn’t in a good condition then… what exactly happened?” asked one of the twins, curiosity threading his voice.
“Ahh, Canada! I told you not to ask!” Haechan groaned, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Well… we… had to hide her from our brother. Hyung would have completely freaked out if he’d seen her like that,” he added quietly, his eyes reflecting guilt and concern.
“Because she took a shower?” someone asked, raising an eyebrow. The group all bit their lips, uneasy.
“You didn’t tell him?” the Japanese boy asked, clearly confused.
“I thought… Hyung would…” Sungchan muttered, glancing at Haechan, unsure how to explain without raising more worry.
“Hey! Guys!” a familiar voice called from the doorway.
“Oh! Hyung! Hello!” the twins replied in unison, smiling brightly.
“How are you?” someone asked.
“We should be asking you that, Hyung!” Sungchan added with a grin.
The leader chuckled softly, the warmth in his expression fleeting as he turned his gaze to Soul. “I feel much better, thanks… but I was actually asking about something else,” he said, his eyes lingering on her with quiet concern, probing gently without pressing too hard.
“She’s fine, Hyung. Thanks for helping out!” Sungchan said, a small smile playing at his lips.
“We managed to get all the glue out of her hair, and our aunt didn’t notice a thing,” he added, relief threading his tone.
The leader’s lips curved into a faint smile, though it quickly vanished, replaced by his usual composed and stern expression.
“YangYang and Hendery went to get some snacks for you guys. But don’t eat them all at once, and try not to be too loud, alright? I still need my rest, and Ten, Lucas, WinWin, and Yuta are all quite exhausted as well. The rest of the team is training in the basement, and you still have your own session later,” he explained calmly, yet each word carried subtle authority.
“Hyung, can’t we train another dayyyyyyy?” Haechan whined, stretching the last syllable.
The leader shot him a strict look.
“Please… Noona is here. We can’t just leave her alone! That’s exactly why we planned this movie night, remember? You said it’d be fine when we asked!” the youngest added, his voice pleading, eyes wide.
The leader let out a soft scoff, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite the frustration flickering in his eyes at the youngest’s pleading. “Aiii, fine! But that means extra training later. I’ll personally observe your session,” he said, ruffling Haechan’s hair in a rare moment of tenderness, betraying a hint of amusement beneath his usual stern demeanor.
“But still, don’t be too loud tonight, even though the cinema room is just a floor down. I know you three,” he said, raising an eyebrow at Haechan, Chenle, and Jaemin. Their mischievous grins betrayed how well they understood his warning.
“We’ll make sure, Hyung! Don’t worry, you’ll get your rest,” Shotaro added earnestly.
The leader gave a single nod, placing the glass of water on a nearby table, then turned and headed upstairs, the faint sound of his footsteps echoing down the hall.
