Left Out Friend

1

Today, Heeseung, Sunoo’s friend and fellow member, had won a trophy. Sunoo was thrilled for him, but a pang of regret settled in his chest—he hadn't been able to watch the game. His manager had insisted he stay behind to practice, saying he needed to put in more effort, and as a result, he was the only member who hadn’t attended the match.

When he heard the news that Heeseung's team had won, he immediately pulled out his phone to congratulate him.

[Heeseung Hyung]

3:12 PM

Sunoo:
Hyung!!
Congratulations on winning!!
You did it!!

3:34 PM

Heeseung Hyung:
Hmm. Thanks.

Sunoo:
Would you like to eat some tteokbokki??
I can cook for you!!
And for all the members!! HAHAHA

seen

Sunoo frowned at the screen. That’s weird. Heeseung had read the message but didn’t reply. Does that mean yes? Or no? He let out a small sigh and shook his head. Never mind. I’ll just cook for them anyway. The thought made him smile, pushing aside any uncertainty.

After finishing his practice, Sunoo hurried back to the dorm. He didn’t even take a break before heading straight to the kitchen, eager to prepare dinner for everyone.

By the time the food was ready, the clock read 7:12 PM. The sound of the dorm door opening signaled the members’ arrival, their voices filled with excitement as they chatted about the game. Laughter echoed through the hallway as they stepped inside.

Sunoo peeked from the kitchen and grinned. "Hey, guys! Come here, I cooked dinner for us!" His voice was cheerful, full of warmth.

The members stopped in their tracks.

For a moment, a strange silence filled the room—not too long, but enough for Sunoo to notice. Then, Jungwon spoke, a polite smile forming on his lips, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"Oh… Sunoo. We’re sorry, but we already ate dinner not long ago," he said, his tone apologetic.

One by one, the others followed suit.

Jay and Sunghoon offered quick apologies before retreating to their rooms, not sparing Sunoo another glance.

Niki scratched the back of his neck, looking a little guilty. "Uh… We forgot to tell you and didn’t bring you anything… Sorry about that."

Sunoo’s heart sank, but he didn’t let it show. He forced a bright smile. "No, it’s okay! I can just give some of this to the staff."

He kept his voice light, but deep inside, the rejection stung. He had put in so much effort, hoping to celebrate with them, yet here he was, left with a table full of untouched food.

Jungwon nodded before gesturing for Sunoo to follow him. "Come on, let's talk in your room."

Sunoo obeyed without question, leaving Heeseung alone in the kitchen.

The sound of the fridge opening caught Sunoo’s attention as he turned to leave. Heeseung had stayed behind.

Curious, Sunoo glanced back and saw Heeseung grab a bottle of juice, then a plate and a fork. His brows furrowed in confusion. What is he doing?

Then, to Sunoo’s surprise, Heeseung sat down at the table and began serving himself some food.

Sunoo’s eyes widened. For a brief moment, joy surged through him, and he nearly jumped in excitement.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Heeseung asked, barely looking up.

Snapping out of his daze, Sunoo quickly took a seat beside him. His smile was uncontrollable, stretching across his face—until a bitter thought crept in.

I worked so hard to prepare this for everyone… and only two of us are eating.

The realization dimmed his excitement for a second, but he brushed it off. Heeseung staying was enough to lift his spirits.

"Heeseung-hyung…" Sunoo hesitated before speaking. "I'm sorry I couldn’t come to your game. They made me stay behind to practice my footwork. They said I wasn’t putting in enough effort. But I promise I’ll be there for the next one!"

He looked at Heeseung expectantly, waiting for a response.

Silence.

Heeseung didn’t react. He kept eating as if he hadn’t heard a word.

Sunoo blinked, his smile faltering for a second. Maybe his voice hadn’t reached him? Or maybe Heeseung just didn’t care.

Either way, he didn’t press further. Instead, he picked up his chopsticks and continued eating beside him, pretending the unanswered words didn’t weigh on him as much as they did.

To be continued...