Celestial Echoes~

Chapter 22

Era and Al were chatting with the members when Hoshi glanced around, his eyebrows knitting together in concern.

"Why didn’t Ren come?" Hoshi’s voice was soft but filled with a genuine sense of worry.

"She’s feeling a bit under the weather," Era explained, her tone calm as she tried to brush it off lightly.

"What kind of sickness?" Wonwoo’s voice cut through the conversation, the weight of his concern palpable. Everyone turned toward him, sensing the depth behind his simple question.

"She’s just not feeling great, probably from everything that happened yesterday," Era said, her words carefully chosen to avoid stirring up more emotions. "But she asked me to say goodbye to all of you."

"We're really going to miss her," Hoshi sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly in disappointment.

"Yeah, we all will," the rest of the members echoed, their voices warm with sincerity. But amidst the collective sadness, Wonwoo stood still, silent, his thoughts elsewhere, tangled in the unresolved emotions surrounding Ren.

"By the way, where’s Coups?" Al asked, her gaze sweeping the room, noticing his absence.

"He went somewhere earlier. I’m not sure where, though," Seungkwan replied, shrugging.

"Ow," Al murmured, nodding in understanding.

-----
As everyone resumed their conversations, Al turned her attention to Jeonghan, guilt creeping up inside her. After a moment’s hesitation, she took a deep breath. "Jeonghan, about yesterday… I’m sorry for what happened."

Jeonghan, looking slightly taken aback, shook his head with a soft smile. "I was going to say the same thing. We both know that wasn’t supposed to happen. Let’s just forget about it."

A small smile touched Al’s lips as they both nodded, silently agreeing to let the past be the past.

-----
Not long after, the sound of the door creaking open caught everyone’s attention. Scoups walked in, leaning against the doorframe, a casual smirk playing on his lips.

"Oh, you’re back," Mingyu greeted him. "Where were you, hyung?"

"I was at Ren’s apartment for... reasons," Scoups said nonchalantly, shrugging. His casual demeanor, however, didn’t go unnoticed, especially by Wonwoo, whose brow furrowed in confusion.

"What reasons?" Jeonghan inquired, narrowing his eyes as if trying to read into Scoups’ words.

"Nothing major," Scoups waved him off, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "Anyway, we’ve got to be at the airport soon. Let’s get moving."

"We’re ready," Dino chimed in, his tone light, eager to keep the momentum going.

"Perfect," Scoups nodded.

-----
The members quickly shifted gears, gathering their belongings and making sure everything was packed and ready to go. Al and Era helped as well, double-checking that nothing was left behind. As Era moved through the dorm, making her rounds, she found herself alone in the dining hall, her mind wandering when a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Joshua’s voice broke through the silence, his signature smile lighting up his face as he approached her.

"Just making sure everything’s in order," Era responded softly, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

Joshua gave her an approving nod, flashing a thumbs-up. "Looks like you’ve got everything under control."

Before Era could respond, Dino’s voice called from the other room. "Hyung, we’ve got to go now."

"Go ahead, I’ll catch up in a minute," Joshua replied without breaking eye contact with Era. Dino gave a quick nod and left, leaving the two of them alone again.

The silence that followed was thick with unsaid words. Era shifted uncomfortably, staring at the floor as the weight of the moment settled over her. She could feel Joshua’s gaze on her, warm and unwavering.

"So... I guess it’s time to say goodbye," Era whispered, her voice barely audible, as if the words themselves pained her to say.

Joshua stepped closer, the space between them shrinking until they were only inches apart. Era’s heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to meet his eyes, afraid that if she did, the emotions she’d been holding back would spill over.

"Era..." Joshua’s voice was soft, yet it carried an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. "Look at me."

She stayed still, her eyes glued to the floor, unwilling to face the reality of the moment. But Joshua wouldn’t let her hide.

"Look at me," he repeated, this time more firmly, his voice leaving no room for resistance.

With trembling hands, Joshua reached out and gently lifted her chin, guiding her gaze to meet his. Era's tear-filled gaze locked with Joshua’s intense, unwavering stare. In that moment, the flood of emotions they had both been holding back came crashing down around them.

Before Era could process what was happening, Joshua leaned in, and his lips brushed against hers in the softest of kisses. Her eyes widened in shock, but the warmth of his touch melted her defenses. She found herself leaning into the kiss, her heart racing, her mind spinning. Tears, which she had been holding back for so long, began to spill down her cheeks, mingling with the tenderness of the moment.

The kiss lingered for a few seconds—long enough for them both to feel the weight of everything they hadn’t said. When Joshua finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers, both of them keeping their eyes closed as they savored the quiet connection between them.

A voice from the other room called out for Joshua again, but neither of them moved. Joshua pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead before stepping back, his hand gently slipping away from hers.

"Goodbye, Era," he whispered, his voice thick with the emotions he couldn’t put into words.

Era stood frozen, the echo of his kiss still lingering on her lips, her heart a storm of emotions. She wanted to speak, to call him back, but the words caught in her throat as he turned and walked away.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Era remained where she stood, tears silently streaming down her face. She clutched her chest, feeling the ache of unspoken feelings, the overwhelming sense of loss consuming her.

All that remained was the hollow echo of goodbye.

The tale whispers on~~!