"Hyunjae, what's been going on with you lately?" Aerin's voice was quiet, but her words were sharp. Hyunjae's response was an eye roll, followed by her standing up abruptly from the couch, her expression unreadable beneath the layers of clothing she had covered herself with.
"Don't pretend like you're better than us," Hyunjae shot back, her voice colder than Aerin had ever heard it before. Without another word, she slammed the front door behind her, leaving Aerin standing there, bewildered and unsure of what had just happened.
Aerin's thoughts were racing. Every doubt she had been harboring over the past few days hit her all at once. She couldn't ignore it any longer. Something was off, and she needed answers.
Without giving herself a chance to second-guess the decision, she grabbed her jacket and keys. "Girls, I need to step out for a bit. If Manager Yoo stops by, tell her I'm at the grocery store."
The room fell silent as her members exchanged wary glances, but Aerin didn't give them the chance to respond. Her mind was elsewhere, on the conversation she'd had with Seungcheol earlier, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized how his words had been echoing in her head all day. Hyunjae's behavior was only making everything feel worse.
Aerin quickly hailed a taxi, the urgency in her step making her pulse quicken. She didn't even think to ask for Seungcheol's address—how could she have known? He hadn't even told her his favorite color. Yet here she was, racing against her own doubts, determined to find answers.
She fumbled with her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed. Each ring felt like an eternity, each second stretching further than the last. When the call finally went through, Aerin couldn't suppress the relief that flooded her chest.
"Seungcheol? Hey, are you free? I need to talk."
"Oh, uh, sure. Let me send you my address," he replied, his tone casual, but there was something else beneath the words that Aerin couldn't quite place.
The call ended before she could think more about it. She quickly recited the address to the taxi driver, each passing moment feeling heavier than the last. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but the closer she got, the more her heart raced, her mind swirling with a thousand questions. Why was she so nervous? This wasn't like her.
When the taxi finally stopped, Aerin paid the driver quickly, almost stumbling out of the car in her haste. She hadn't expected to feel so overwhelmed, especially not by a building—yet as she entered the sleek, marble lobby of the apartment complex, she couldn't help but feel out of place. The gold accents and pristine finishes made her feel small in a way she hadn't expected.
Before she could even gather her thoughts, the sound of footsteps interrupted her. She turned, startled, to find Seungcheol jogging toward her. He looked effortlessly composed, dressed in a simple black shirt and jeans that somehow managed to look high fashion.
Aerin's breath caught in her throat for a moment, caught between the overwhelming beauty of the building and the even more overwhelming presence of the man in front of her. But then, the reason she was here came flooding back.
"Oh, right. Is it okay if we talk in a more... private space?" she asked, trying to sound calm, but her nerves were betraying her.
"Of course," Seungcheol responded, his voice steady, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes as he led her toward the elevator.
The ride was silent, the tension between them palpable. Aerin's hands fidgeted, her legs bouncing with restless energy, but when Seungcheol glanced at her, she forced herself to calm down.
When the doors opened, Seungcheol guided her down a corridor toward an elegant door. With a few quick taps on the keypad, the door opened to reveal an apartment that was nothing short of breathtaking. The space was modern, spacious, and far beyond anything Aerin had imagined. It felt so... out of reach.
Seungcheol led her to the living room and gestured for her to sit. "Can I get you some water?" he asked, but Aerin stopped him.
"No, it's fine," she said quickly, her voice more anxious than she wanted it to be. "I just... I really need to talk to you. Are your members here?"
Seungcheol shook his head as he settled onto the couch across from her. "No, it's just me."
Aerin hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn't even stopped to think about what she was going to say. She had only come here because something inside her told her she needed to. It wasn't a matter of victory or defeat—she was just trying to make sense of everything.
Seungcheol watched her intently, as though he could already tell that she was struggling to say something important. The weight of his gaze made her feel exposed, but she didn't look away. She couldn't.
Taking a deep breath, Aerin finally spoke, her voice quiet but clear.
"You were right."
