You were feeling gloomy. The constant stream of online insults about your body and assertions that you didn't deserve to be in PROMISE or be an idol at all were weighing heavily on you. You sat on your bed, cross-legged, with an open book in your hands. Though your eyes were on the pages, your mind was elsewhere, fixating on the hurtful comments. Heeseung sat on the other side of the room, absorbed in his phone, unaware of your silent struggle as he didn't hear any pages turn for the past half-hour.
Suddenly, the weight of it all became too much. You closed the book with a soft thud and placed it on your nightstand before leaving the room. In the bathroom, you looked at yourself in the mirror, your tear-stained cheeks staring back at you. You washed your face, hoping to rinse away the evidence of your sadness.
When you returned, you paused in the doorway, noticing Heeseung talking and laughing with someone over the phone. You tried to tiptoe back into the room quietly, but before you could enter, you were gently pulled back. Heeseung pulled you into his lap while he finished his call, his arm wrapped securely around you.
He ended the call with a final laugh, saying, "Yeah, I'll be there," before turning his attention to you. "Jungwon got an invitation for ENHYPEN to go to the Late-Night Idol party," he said, his eyes searching yours. "Did PROMISE get invited too?"
You nodded, feeling the heaviness in your chest. "We did, but I'm not planning on going," you replied.
Heeseung's brow furrowed. "Why not?"
You took a deep breath, ready to give a half-hearted excuse about being busy, but he cut you off. "No excuses. You're coming."
Your heart sank. You knew that Karina from aespa would be there, and she despised the fact that you and Heeseung were dating. She often made snide comments about how your group got opportunities that hers didn't, and you were frequently compared to her—your beauty, your voice, everything. The thought of facing her and the inevitable comparisons made your stomach churn.
"But Heeseung, I really—" you started.
He gently pressed a finger to your lips, silencing you. "No excuses," he repeated softly but firmly. "I want you there with me."
In your mind, all you could think was that this wasn't going to end well.
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