Left Out Friend

6

Sunoo returned to the dorm, the plastic bag crinkling in his hand as he walked inside. He had bought his favorite ice cream—mint chocolate—and he couldn’t wait to indulge in its cool, refreshing taste. As he entered the living room, he froze for a moment. His eyes immediately landed on his members, who were lounging on the couch.

Something felt off.

They were dressed up, all of them—looking sharp, well-groomed in clothes that seemed too nice for a regular day. Sunoo furrowed his brows, wondering what was going on. He hadn’t heard of any special occasion, and certainly hadn’t been informed of anything out of the ordinary.

“Are you guys going somewhere?” he asked, his voice carrying curiosity. His footsteps softened as he approached them.

He sat next to Jungwon, leaning in slightly, awaiting some kind of response. The room was filled with an awkward silence that stretched on too long. It made him shift uncomfortably. Why was no one answering him?

Finally, Jay spoke up, though his voice was hesitant, almost as if unsure. “We’re going to meet up with someone today,” he replied, glancing at Sunoo but not quite meeting his eyes.

Sunoo blinked in confusion, his gaze shifting from one member to another. There had to be more to it.

“We’ll have our dinner there, so don’t wait for us,” Sunghoon added, his tone matter-of-fact.

Sunoo’s heart sank. He looked at them, his expression slowly changing to one of disbelief. “Wait—what do you mean ‘don’t wait for us’? Am I not invited?” The words tasted bitter in his mouth.

Jake sighed, glancing away. “Sunoo, maybe next time, okay? It’s just that we got invited out suddenly—”

But Sunoo wasn’t listening anymore. His voice trembled with sarcasm, disbelief dripping from every syllable. “Wait—this is what you guys were talking about? Meeting a new friend to celebrate the ‘success,’ and you didn’t even think to invite me? Without me?”

He could feel his chest tightening, emotions swirling like a storm.

Jay, clearly uncomfortable, quickly tried to explain. “Look, we know you don’t drink alcohol, and we didn’t want to force you into that situation. We might get drunk, and we don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or be forced to stay in a place you don’t want to be.” His eyes were filled with worry, a silent apology hanging in the air.

But Sunoo just scoffed, his hurt turning into frustration. “At least inform me! I’m fine if you don’t want me there. I really am! But doesn’t it feel disrespectful not to even tell me you’re making plans? To leave me out of it without saying anything?” His voice was rising now, emotions spilling over.

The silence that followed was thick, uncomfortable. His members didn’t even apologize, didn’t even meet his eyes.

Sunoo couldn’t take it anymore. With a sharp exhale, he stood up, feeling the weight of his words on his chest. “Enjoy the night, then.”

He turned on his heel and walked toward the door, his steps heavy.

As he passed by the hallway, Heeseung had just emerged from the bathroom, his eyes narrowing when he saw Sunoo heading toward his room. Sunoo didn’t even spare him a glance as he stomped past, slamming his door behind him.

Heeseung, still confused, moved toward the living room where the others sat, giving them a questioning look.

Jay sighed deeply, shoulders sagging in a way that made it clear this wasn’t easy for him. “He got mad.”

A loud bang echoed from Sunoo’s room, as if the door was the only thing left for him to release his frustration on.

***

The tension lingered in the air long after Sunoo had locked himself away in his room. He sat on his bed, staring at the wall, his hands still clenched tightly in his lap. His chest felt hollow, a mixture of anger and confusion swirling inside him. Why hadn’t they told him? Why hadn’t they just been honest with him from the beginning?

Maybe they were right. Maybe I really don’t belong there with them…

His phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking him out of his spiraling thoughts. Sunoo pulled it out, seeing the familiar name on the screen.

[Eunwoo]

The message read:
"Hey, what’s up? Are you alright?"

Sunoo bit his lip, his thumb hovering over the keyboard. His frustration with his members was still fresh in his mind, but he didn’t want to burden Eunwoo with that right now.

Sunoo:
I’m okay, hyung.
Just feeling a little down.

A few seconds passed before Eunwoo replied:

Do you want to talk? We can video call if you need someone to talk to.

Sunoo’s lips curled up slightly at the offer. He needed to talk to someone, and Eunwoo had always been a calming presence for him. He quickly typed a response.

Sunoo:
Yeah, sure. I’d like that.

***

A few moments later, Sunoo was on a video call with Eunwoo, the screen lighting up with the older’s familiar face.

“Are you eating dinner?” Eunwoo asked, his smile kind and warm.

Sunoo laughed softly. “Yeah. Just some cup noodles for now. I’m lazy.”

Eunwoo chuckled. “I get that. We’re just having ramyeon here. Mj’s cooking it right now.” He turned the camera around briefly to show Mj in the kitchen, cooking with the same casual, easy demeanor he always had.

“Do you want to say hi to my members?” Eunwoo asked, his voice carrying a lighthearted tone.

Sunoo perked up. “Yes! Where are they?”

In the background, three faces popped into view, and Sunoo’s smile widened immediately. He waved at them.

“Hi, Sunoo!”

“Hey!”

“Is that Sunoo? Hi!”

Eunwoo, standing behind the camera, laughed. “Yes, yes. It’s Sunoo!”

Sunoo waved at them, laughing. “Hi, everyone!”

The conversation turned to casual banter as Eunwoo and his friends continued to eat their dinner. They asked Sunoo to join in on their playful activities, even “airplane feeding” him, and Sunoo complied, laughing like he was truly part of the group.

As the laughter continued, Sunoo’s smile began to fade.

They’re so happy together, he thought, feeling a pang in his chest. Why can’t I feel like that with them?

His eyes dropped to his lap, the weight of his earlier conversation with his members still heavy in his mind. Why couldn’t I feel that way with my own members?

For a moment, he felt small, lost in the silence of his own room. The comfort of Eunwoo’s warmth on the screen was nice, but it didn’t fill the emptiness that lingered in the corner of his heart.

I hope one day… we can be happy like this too.

His eyes lingered on the video, but the faces of his own members crept into his mind. Where were they now?

To be continued…