The leader stormed upstairs, his steps heavy and uncontrolled.
Yuta’s words echoed relentlessly in his head, sharp and poisonous, digging deep under his skin. His blood was boiling—not only because of the accusation itself, but because of what Yuta had accused him of.
Using her.
Turning her into a target.
Sending her to her death.
Taeyong clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms.
That had never been his intention. Never.
Taeyong knew Yuta could not possibly understand why those words had hit him so hard.
Yuta didn’t know the reasons behind his decisions.
Didn’t know the weight he carried.
Didn’t know how carefully Taeyong had calculated every move since Soul had entered their lives.
Still, it didn’t matter.
The accusation burned.
Because if there was one thing Taeyong would never allow, it was someone getting hurt because of him—especially not her.
All Taeyong wanted in that moment was to be alone.
To shut the world out.
To breathe.
To think.
But then it hit him.
The girl was sleeping in his room.
In his bed.
He stopped abruptly in the hallway, his chest tightening. A slow breath left his lungs as guilt crept in, heavy and uncomfortable. He closed his eyes for a second, running a hand through his hair.
Great. Now what?
“Hyung?”
The sudden voice made Taeyong flinch. He turned around sharply, his heartbeat still uneven, only to find Sungchan standing a few steps behind him, brows furrowed in confusion.
“What are you doing here?” Sungchan asked quietly.
“I—I just…”
“You wanted to check on my sister?”
Taeyong hesitated. Just for a fraction of a second—but Sungchan noticed.
“Y-Yeah,” Taeyong admitted softly.
“She’s sleeping right now,” Sungchan explained. “CJ hyung said she wasn’t feeling well when he brought her home.”
Taeyong’s jaw tightened slightly.
“Who?” Taeyong asked, confused by the unfamiliar name.
“Ah—just a friend of ours. He brought her home earlier,” Sungchan clarified, brushing it off casually.
Taeyong nodded, gaze dropping to the floor again.
“But if you want… you can check on her yourself,” Sungchan offered with a small, reassuring smile.
The leader looked up at him. “A-Ah… no… it’s fine… when she—”
“Hyung, you look after us too,” Sungchan interrupted gently, offering him a small, reassuring smile. “It’s really okay. Just… don’t wake her.”
“Hyung, you look after us too,” Sungchan said gently. “It’s okay. Just… don’t wake her.”
Taeyong swallowed and nodded.
Taeyong felt something unfamiliar twist in his chest.
Warm. Heavy. Dangerous.
Care.
He hated how easily it slipped past his control.
“There’s… something else,” Sungchan continued, his voice lowering. “Please… don’t touch her.”
