𝘚𝘱𝘶𝘳

2.

Yeonjun thought he was going insane. It was like his worst nightmare coming true: Soobin being right about everything. After they somehow managed to finish the project, Soobin left, leaving Yeonjun with a sense of confusion and frustration. They turned in the assignment and received an amazing grade for it. 'They.'

Now, Yeonjun was left to his own devices. On this particular day, he was doodling, sketching out a vision he had for the dorm. Not that they'd ever have the funding for it, but he enjoyed imagining the possibilities. Wall decals, new lights that were less orange and definitely more greens, and updated textiles. He was lost in his creativity, completely absorbed in his ideas.

The calm was abruptly shattered by the ringing of his phone. He glanced at the screen and saw Blaze's name flashing. His heart sank a little, and he felt a mix of excitement and dread. With a deep breath, he answered the call.

"Hey," Yeonjun said, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Hey," Blaze responded, his tone unreadable. "Got a minute to talk?"

Yeonjun nodded, even though Blaze couldn't see him. "Sure, what's up?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Yeonjun could hear the faint sounds of Blaze's surroundings, but nothing gave away what was coming. He felt his stomach twist into knots, the comfortable escape of his doodles now a distant memory.

"Sorry I haven't been replying to your texts," Blaze's voice crackled through the line, raspy and pained. Yeonjun could feel the weight of every word, sensing the depth of emotion behind them. "I was... in a dark place."

Yeonjun's heart tightened. "Blaze, what's going on?" he asked softly, trying to keep his own anxiety at bay.

Blaze took a shaky breath. "You see, my best friend, Nova—you met her, right?"

"Yeah," Yeonjun replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He remembered meeting Nova, her vibrant energy and warm smile.

Blaze's voice broke as he continued. "She took her own life last week."

Yeonjun's world seemed to tilt on its axis. "Oh my God, Blaze," he whispered, his own eyes welling up with tears. He could hear Blaze weeping on the other end of the line, the sound raw and heart-wrenching.

"I'm so sorry," Yeonjun said, his own voice cracking. "I can't even imagine what you're going through."

The silence that followed was heavy, filled with the unspoken pain and grief that Blaze was trying to share. Yeonjun wished he could reach through the phone and offer some kind of comfort, but he felt helpless, struggling to find the right words.

"I just... I didn't know who else to talk to," Blaze finally said, his voice a mere whisper. "I felt so alone."

Yeonjun swallowed hard, his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him. "You're not alone, Blaze. I'm here for you, whatever you need. We'll get through this together."

Blaze took a deep, shuddering breath. "Thank you, Yeonjun. That means a lot."

They sat in silence for a moment, connected by their shared grief and the bond that had always been between them. Yeonjun knew that nothing he could say would take away Blaze's pain, but he was determined to be there for him, no matter what.

"He's lying," Kazzie said, her voice laced with frustration.

"What?" Yeonjun replied, taken aback.

"Nova's very much alive. I went clubbing with her two days ago. That asshole is back to his lying ways again," Kazzie said darkly.