𝟮 𝗛𝗢𝗧 | 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗵𝘆𝘂𝗰𝗸 || 𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗪

𝗪𝗢𝗪

The buzz was electric as everyone in the industry and beyond talked about the surprise release of Hope's latest music video. The internet was ablaze with reactions—Hope, rapping on a sexy red track, her bold lyrics and sultry performance, including some serious ass-shaking, had everyone talking. Fans were thrilled, haters were vocal, and industry insiders couldn't stop speculating about the deeper meaning behind the video.

Back at the house, the atmosphere was charged with tension. Jeno and Jaemin were in the living room, the music video playing in the background on a loop. Jeno, feeling the weight of his recent actions, couldn't help but glance at Jaemin, who was brooding silently.

Jeno cleared his throat, attempting to break the ice. "So, Jaemin... how are you?"

Jaemin didn't even look at him, his voice cold and cutting. "Shut up."

Jeno hesitated, guilt gnawing at him. He knew he had crossed the line, and the tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. But he also knew he had to make things right.

"Listen, I want to apologize," Jeno said, his tone sincere.

Jaemin's eyes finally flicked toward him, full of anger and hurt. "You think 'sorry' is going to fix this?"

Jeno sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know it's not enough, but I don't know what else to say. I messed up, Jaemin. I was angry, I didn't think—"

"Damn right you didn't think," Jaemin snapped, cutting him off. "You had no right to expose my past like that. You had no right to bring Hope into this."

"I know," Jeno replied, his voice heavy with regret. "I was out of line. But I didn't do it to hurt you. I just... I don't know, I guess I was jealous. You're one of my best friends, and it felt like you were slipping away."

Jaemin's expression softened slightly, but the hurt was still there. "You don't get to be jealous, Jeno. Not when you're the one who keeps causing all this drama."

Jeno nodded, accepting the truth of Jaemin's words. "I know. I'm sorry. I just want things to go back to normal, you know?"

Jaemin looked away, his gaze fixed on the music video playing on the screen. "I don't know if we can ever go back to normal."

The room fell into an awkward silence, the unspoken words hanging in the air. Jeno felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, unsure if he could pull his friendship with Jaemin back from the brink.

"I'm willing to try if you are," Jeno finally said, his voice almost a whisper.

Jaemin didn't respond right away. He just kept staring at the screen, where Hope's powerful performance continued to play out. Eventually, he sighed and nodded. "We'll see. But things need to change, Jeno. I can't keep dealing with this."

Jeno exhaled in relief, a small, tentative smile forming on his lips. "They will. I promise."

As the video ended and the room was filled with silence once more, the tension between them felt a little lighter. The road to fixing their friendship wouldn't be easy, but for the first time in a while, it felt like they were taking a step in the right direction.

Renjun, Jisung, and Misty were huddled together in the cozy corner of a quiet café. The chatter of other patrons created a low hum around them, but the three of them were engrossed in their own conversation. Renjun had been acting off all day, and Jisung and Misty could tell something was on his mind.

"Alright, Renjun, spill it," Jisung finally said, leaning back in his chair. "You've been weirdly quiet today."

Misty nodded in agreement, her eyes narrowing playfully at Renjun. "Yeah, you've got that look like you're hiding something. Out with it!"