Left Out Friend

New Information

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon, yet the atmosphere inside the dorm was anything but peaceful. With their upcoming comeback just two weeks away, every member was buried under a growing mountain of schedules, practices, and expectations. After their latest meeting, everyone let out a collective sigh before dispersing. Sunoo, however, had something on his mind.

Spotting Jungwon lounging on the couch with his eyes closed, Sunoo hesitated for a moment before approaching him.

"Jungwon," he called softly, nudging the leader’s arm.

Jungwon hummed in response, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Do you still remember?" Sunoo asked, his voice tinged with anticipation. "That night when you all went to Heeseung's cousin’s party? You promised that we’d go out together with everyone. I was really looking forward to it."

Jungwon finally opened his eyes, but instead of the warmth Sunoo hoped for, there was only indifference.

"And?" he responded flatly.

Sunoo forced a smile despite the uneasy feeling creeping into his chest. "Since the manager won’t be back with the new song demos until later, I thought maybe we could take this chance to go out and have fun together! Just for a little while."

Jungwon exhaled sharply, sitting up. His gaze locked onto Sunoo’s with something unreadable. "Why are you always so eager to go out? Isn't staying here with us enough for you?"

Sunoo blinked in confusion, but before he could say anything, Jungwon continued.

"Besides," he scoffed, running a hand through his hair, "you’ll just end up posting it online, dropping hints about who you’re with, and then the whole fandom will go crazy. ‘Oh my god, I ship them!’ ‘They look so good together!’ ‘New ship name when?’” He rolled his eyes. "It’s exhausting."

Sunoo stood frozen, a cold, sinking feeling spreading through his chest. He clenched his fists, his lips slightly parted, but no words came out. Jungwon didn't wait for a response—he simply walked away, leaving Sunoo alone with his thoughts.

The realization hit hard.

They don’t like me.

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, Sunoo spun on his heels and stormed out of the dorm. His vision blurred as he walked down the hall, his footsteps growing unsteady. He wasn’t even sure where he was headed—he just needed to get away before the tears fell.

By the time he reached the practice room hallway, his legs had grown weak. He tried to hold himself together, but his emotions crashed over him like a relentless wave. His breath hitched. His body trembled.

"Sunoo?"

The familiar voice made him lift his head.

Without thinking, without hesitation, he threw himself into the person’s arms, his face pressing against their chest.

Eunwoo.

The older idol instinctively wrapped his arms around Sunoo, gently stroking his back in slow, comforting motions. "Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?"

Sunoo sobbed against him, his fingers gripping Eunwoo’s sweater as if it were the only thing keeping him together. Between shaky breaths, he poured everything out—his doubts, his pain, the way the other members treated him, the gnawing insecurity that had taken root in his heart.

Eunwoo listened in silence, his jaw tightening with each word. His grip on Sunoo's shoulders firmed. He was angry—not at Sunoo, but at the way he had been made to feel so small.