A Symphony Of Home

Ten (Elysia's POV)

(Edited)

I felt a wave of relief when Mr. Lee first said I'd be sharing a room with Ji Soo. But when he changed it at the last moment, my mind went blank. I stared at Tae Ho, trying to convince myself that this was some sort of nightmare. The sound of my own heartbeat echoed in my ears, and a mix of frustration and disbelief made it hard to breathe.

"Elysia, pull yourself together. It could be worse... I think," I muttered to myself, trying to find some solace.

"Okay. When do we move rooms, Mr. Lee?" Dina asked, sounding far too indifferent for my liking.

"Immediately. We need your current bedrooms for the upcoming games or assignments," he said, offering me a brief look of sympathy before continuing.

Without waiting, I stood up and headed toward the bedroom to pack my things. As I began gathering my belongings, I heard footsteps behind me.

"You're accepting this pretty easily, aren't you?" Tae Ho's voice cut through the silence. "He changed your room at the last moment."

He was right, but I wasn't about to admit how much this change bothered me. I could barely look at him. "I have no problem with it. It's not negotiable, remember?" I responded, trying to sound indifferent, but the crack in my voice betrayed me.

"I don't believe that," he said, stepping closer, his presence unnerving me even more.

"I'm just upset I'll miss girls' night and gossiping about the men. That's all," I said, my tone filled with forced nonchalance as I tried to keep my distance.

"Are you sure that's all?" His voice was laced with skepticism, pushing my buttons as he always did.

Annoyed, I stuffed my belongings more aggressively into my suitcase. "Don't you need to pack too?"

"I'm in no rush. I'm not exactly thrilled about this change either, so I'll wait."

"Fine. Then I'll choose my bed first," I shot back, pushing past him with my suitcase.

That got him moving. He turned abruptly, realizing I had the upper hand in claiming the best spot. I didn't care which bed I had, as long as I could keep as much distance between us as possible.

As I packed, I ran into Damru in the hallway.

"Elysia, are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I said, confused.

"Because of the last-minute room switch. I'd be upset if I were you," she replied, fidgeting with her sleeves.

"As long as I have a bed, I'm fine. I'm just annoyed we won't be sharing a room anymore," I said, trying to sound casual. But as soon as the words left my mouth, her eyes welled up with tears.

Oh, no. Not now.

I pulled her into a hug, letting her cry it out on my shoulder. "You're not ridiculous for feeling emotional. Beneath that tough exterior, you're just a soft-boiled egg," I teased gently, trying to lighten the mood. She laughed through her tears, wiping her eyes.

"I know, I just... I wasn't expecting to feel this way," she sniffled.

"We'll still have our girls' nights. They'll just be even more valuable now," I reassured her, and she smiled at that.

After a few more moments of comforting her, she headed to her room to pack, while I made my way to the new one. As I passed the others, I could hear playful comments—Dina's sarcastic "good luck" was the most notable. I paused, feeling an urge to clear the air between us.