Downfall || Seongjoong

- sixty-five -

Hongjoong || Seonghwa

I asked Hongjoong to wait for me outside the room where everyone else was, excluding Yeosang and Wooyoung, of course. I wanted to greet them and share the good news.

But as I approached the door, I could already hear the chaos and arguments erupting inside. My heart sank, realizing that peace was still far from our reach.

Voices overlapped, each one louder than the next, filled with frustration and anger. I knew I should've just knocked and informed someone of my presence, but I couldn't help myself. 

I leaned closer to the door, straining to catch the heated words that spilled out into the hallway.

Inside, I could hear Yunho's voice rise above the others. 

"How amazing! Did you guys even consider what would happen to Wooyoung and Yeosang now? We're at a fucking hotel outside of Seoul's perimeters! They don't even have a car, for the love of God!"

Yunho's anger resonated through the door, and I could almost see him pacing, his face red with frustration.

San's scoff was audible even through the thick door. "Ya! Don't you dare act all tough and caring now! If you want to have them back, then be my guest, but I will not be walking another step with your asses."

The tension was palpable, and I could hear the venom in their words. They were tearing each other apart. Inside, Mingi's voice was a plea for peace, trying to keep the situation from escalating further.

"Guys, please calm down. We can talk about this when you're all better. You're just angry now. I don't think it's the time—"

"Can you shut up for once, Mingi?" Yunho's voice was scathing. "I am done hearing all of you speak nonsense for hours. I am speaking now, so let the mature ones handle this, yeah?"

Mingi's frustration was clear. "What? Mature ones? None of you are being mature about this. Yeah, I'm the last one to know about maturity, but at least I—"

"Stop at that. You know you aren't mature enough, so stay out of this."

Mingi's voice took on a resigned tone. "Fine then. I am going to Hongjoong. Call me when you're done being childish."

I barely had time to step back from the door before it swung open, and Mingi stood there, surprise flashing across his face as he saw me. His surprise quickly turned to a smile, and I could see the relief in his eyes.

"Seonghwa!" he exclaimed, his voice a mix of joy and relief.

I stepped forward, giving Mingi a quick hug. "Hey, Mingi."

He looked over his shoulder at the still arguing group inside. "You came at a good time, I guess. It's a mess in there."

I glanced past him, seeing the tension etched on Yunho's and San's faces, and the hurt in Jongho's eyes. They were all so consumed by their argument that they hadn't even noticed Mingi leave.

Mingi's smile faded slightly as he looked back at the chaos. "I'm glad you're here, though. Maybe you can help calm things down."

I nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'll try."

Stepping into the room, the arguments momentarily ceased as everyone turned to look at me. Their expressions ranged from surprise to guilt, and I felt the weight of their emotions settle on my shoulders. It was clear that things had reached a breaking point, and it was up to me to try and mend what was broken.

Yunho's eyes lit up the moment he saw me, and without hesitation, he brushed past Jongho and San to pull me into a tight hug. I hugged him back, feeling the tension in his body as he held me. When he finally moved back, his eyes scanned my face, taking in the visible scars. He seemed to be searching for the right words, his concern etched deeply on his features.