Left Out Friend

17

It had been three days since Sunoo sealed his fate with a single choice.

A deal—so simple, yet so suffocating.

Love them, and in return, they would etch their love into his skin.

It was unexpected, the confession they had given him. But what could he even call them now? Friends? He used to think so. But friends didn’t do this. Friends didn’t make you feel like you were trapped inside your own body, like you were drowning in something far thicker than water—something invisible, inescapable.

Regret settled heavily in his chest, pressing down like an anchor. Was it wrong to wish? To dream of love, of warmth, of belonging? People always said to be careful what you wish for, but no one ever told him how cruelly wishes could be granted.

These days, he no longer recognized the people around him. The faces were familiar, but the air between them had shifted, thick with something unseen. The dorm he once called home no longer felt safe. Every hallway felt like a cage, every shared moment like a performance where he had no script, only instinct.

And the schedules—oh, the schedules. What once filled him with excitement, proof that he had finally made it, now felt like a cruel, unending loop of fear. Because with every passing day, every planned event, every shoot, every meal, he would be with them.

All day.

Every day.

And there was no escaping them.

He had changed, too.

Sunoo could feel it in the way his own reflection looked back at him—empty, uncertain. The laughter he used to wear so easily now felt like a mask stretching too tightly over his face. The members acted as though nothing had ever happened between them. As if those cold, painful days when they had treated him like he was invisible had never existed.

Now, they greeted him first. Smiled first. Touched him first.

It was too much.

Too sudden.

Too forced.

Too fake.

They called his name like it was something precious. Asked about his day as if they truly cared. Brushed his hair back like they had always done so. Hugged him from behind, fed him, bought him things he didn’t even ask for.

Everything a lonely person could ever wish for.

And yet, Sunoo felt lonelier than ever.

***

"Sunoo-yah~ you sing so well! For a second, I thought an angel was calling my name, ready to take me to heaven!"

Jake's voice was light, teasing, his smile as bright as ever as he approached Sunoo with an almost too-familiar energy.

Sunoo stared at him, confused, uncertain. "T-thanks… Jake," he replied, forcing a small smile that never quite reached his eyes.

Then, without warning, Jake pulled him into a hug.

Sunoo froze.

The scent of Jake's cologne wrapped around him, stirring a memory that made his stomach twist. He used to ask about the brand, used to admire the way it lingered in the air when Jake passed by.

Back then, Jake had only scoffed, calling him a copycat.

Sunoo had laughed it off at the time, thinking it was nothing but harmless teasing.

He had been so, so stupid.

Jake pulled away, his hand coming up to gently tap Sunoo's head. "You're doing great, Sunoo," he said, and then he was gone, walking toward the recording booth.

Sunoo exhaled shakily and sank into a chair, his fingers curling into the fabric of his pants.

It wasn’t just Jake.

Ni-ki, too, had become unbearably close.

So, so clingy.

Sunoo used to see him as their innocent maknae, playful and full of life.

But people had two faces.

And he would never forget the night he lost himself to Ni-ki.

He shook the thought away, forcing himself to focus. Cameras surrounded them, capturing every move, every interaction. The world was watching. He had no choice but to act as if everything was normal.

As if he was still the Sunoo they knew.

But inside, he was unraveling.

The deal hadn't even officially started yet, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. It played in his mind like a song stuck on repeat. He had agreed so easily, so blindly.

Why?

Because he had been starving for love.

Because he had been desperate to end this act.

But in the end, no matter what he chose, he was bound to get hurt.

Pain welcomed him like an old friend.

And fate…

Fate had never been kind.

.
.
.
.

Days bled into each other, the exhaustion clinging to Sunoo’s bones like a sickness.

Their schedules were relentless, their days packed with filming, rehearsing, preparing for their comeback. The teaser shoot was done, and soon, they would finish their music video.

And after that?

Hell.

Sunoo could feel it creeping closer, waiting for him just beyond the horizon.

He had begun avoiding everyone.

Even Eunwoo.

Eunwoo, who had always been warm, always been kind.

But even his presence felt suffocating now.

Sunoo saw the worry in his eyes, the silent questions he never voiced.

'Are you okay?'

Sunoo never answered.

Because how could he?

How could he explain that nothing was okay?

That despite being treated so well, he felt like he was standing at the edge of something dark and bottomless?

That the warmth surrounding him now only reminded him of the cold that had once been there?

That this—this love, this care, this sudden shift—was the very thing breaking him apart?

How could he explain that he had no idea who he was anymore?

Sunoo pressed a hand over his chest, trying to steady himself.

His heart was racing.

The deal had been made.

And now, he had no choice but to see it through.

Because in the end, this was what he had wished for.

Wasn’t it?

To be continued...