s.jy || falling for the starboy.

chapter 9: unspoken feelings

jaeyun's pov.

it's been a week, and i still can't get her out of my head. nor can i get that conversation we had out of my head either.

we're in the middle of another dance practice, but once again, i mess up the steps. the music blares through the speakers, but i'm barely paying attention. my body moves, but my mind is somewhere else. somewhere far away from this practice room.

"cut!" the dance instructor's voice echoes across the room, sharp and frustrated.

"sim jaeyun, what's going on? you're off. again."

i sigh, rubbing the back of my neck as everyone turns to look at me. i've lost count of how many times i've messed up this routine. i'm usually the one keeping pace, helping the others, but right now, i can't even keep myself in check.

"sorry," i mumble. "i'm just tired."

the instructor doesn't look convinced, but he lets it slide.

"just focus," he mutters before turning to the others. "let's take a five-minute break."

i plop down on the floor, leaning against the mirror. i can feel their eyes on me—my members. they've noticed how off i've been, but no one's really said anything. not until now, at least.

jungwon takes a seat next to me, his brows furrowed. "you sure you're okay?"

"i'm fine," i reply, even though i'm not. i haven't been fine since i cut things off with harin.

"you're not yourself, hyung," jungwon presses gently. "it's been like this for days."

jay and heeseung walk over, standing in front of me. jay crosses his arms, eyeing me carefully. "you've been out of it all week."

"is this about that girl from the bar?" heeseung asks, his tone direct.

the mention of harin makes my chest tighten, and before i can stop myself, the words slip out. its his damn tone.

"hey, again, she's not just some girl from the bar."

it comes out sharper than i intend.

i see their expressions shift—surprised, maybe even a little concerned. i take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. it's not their fault i'm like this. they don't know.

"sorry," i mutter, running a hand through my hair.

there's a beat of silence before jay speaks up, his voice more careful now. "look, we're just worried. you've been off your game lately."

jungwon nods in agreement. "this comeback is important. we can't afford to slip up."

he's right. the comeback is important. this is our chance to show everyone how much we've grown, to solidify our place in the industry. i should be focused on that, but instead, all i can think about is harin.

it's like no matter how hard i try to push her out of my mind, she's always there. every time i close my eyes, i see her.

i remember the way she laughed that night at the bar, the way she smiled at me like i was just some guy, not an idol. i keep thinking about our time at the cafe, her soft voice as we walked under the streetlights, and how she always had this innocent vibe around her that pulled me in.