𝐈𝐌 𝐓𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐃

𝟎𝟎𝟐

Sunghoon didn't let go until Jake's sobs began to quiet, until the trembling in his body subsided into shallow, uneven breaths. Jake felt like a shell of himself-emptied out, vulnerable in a way that scared him. He had never let anyone see him like this before, not even the members he trusted most. But Sunghoon didn't flinch. He just stayed there, steady and unshakable, as if telling Jake that no matter how heavy his burden was, he wasn't going to let him carry it alone.

Jake pulled back slightly, wiping at his face with the sleeve of his hoodie. His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. "I didn't want to drag you guys down with me."

Sunghoon shook his head, frowning. "You think it's dragging us down to care about you? Jake, we're more than a group, you know that. We're family. And family doesn't just stand by and watch while one of us falls apart."

Jake swallowed hard, feeling the lump in his throat return. The guilt gnawed at him-guilt for not speaking up sooner, for letting things get this bad. But most of all, guilt for thinking he could shoulder everything alone.

"I just... I don't even know where to start," Jake admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's like, every day I wake up and I'm already exhausted. I feel like I'm constantly fighting to keep up, to be the version of myself that everyone expects, and it's killing me. But I don't know how to be anything else."

Sunghoon sighed, his gaze softening. "No one expects you to be perfect, Jake. You put that pressure on yourself, but the rest of us? We just want you to be okay. To be happy."

Jake let out a bitter laugh, his chest tightening at the thought. Happiness felt like such a distant memory, a fleeting thing he couldn't grasp anymore. "I don't even know what that means anymore."

Sunghoon's grip on Jake's shoulder tightened, his eyes filled with an intensity that caught Jake off guard. "Then let us help you figure it out. You don't have to do it alone. We'll get through this together, okay?"

Jake wanted to believe him. He wanted to trust that things could get better, that this suffocating darkness wouldn't consume him forever. But it was hard-so hard-to see a way out when every day felt like a battle just to keep breathing.

"I don't know if I can," Jake whispered, his voice barely audible. "I feel like I'm falling apart."

Sunghoon's gaze didn't waver. "Then we'll pick up the pieces, one by one. But you have to let us in. You can't keep shutting us out."

Jake's throat tightened, and for a long moment, he couldn't say anything. But something in Sunghoon's voice, in the steady warmth of his presence, made the walls Jake had built around himself crack just a little more.

"Okay," Jake finally whispered, his voice trembling. "Okay."

Sunghoon smiled, the kind of smile that wasn't about fixing everything in that moment but about offering hope. A promise that no matter how deep the darkness, Jake wasn't alone. "We'll figure it out, together."

The studio felt different now, less like a prison and more like a space where he could breathe again, even if only for a moment. Sunghoon pulled out his phone, checking the time. "Come on, the others are probably wondering where we are."

Jake hesitated. The idea of facing the rest of the group, of pretending like everything was fine, made his stomach churn. But something in the way Sunghoon stood by him, unwavering, made him feel just a little bit braver.

"I don't think I'm ready to talk to them yet," Jake admitted, glancing at the door.

"You don't have to," Sunghoon said softly. "But you don't have to pretend either. Just let us be there for you."

Jake nodded, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over him. Maybe he didn't have to have all the answers right now. Maybe it was okay to take things one step at a time.

And as they walked out of the studio together, Jake felt something unfamiliar-a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as alone as he had thought.

The hallway outside the studio was quiet, the hum of the building's air conditioning the only sound as Jake and Sunghoon walked side by side. The rest of the members were probably in their dorm by now, unwinding after the long day, unaware of the storm Jake had been holding back for so long.

As they neared the dorm entrance, Jake's nerves began to spike. He knew the others would notice his puffy eyes, the weariness he couldn't hide anymore, and the thought of them seeing him so broken made his stomach twist.

Sunghoon must have sensed his anxiety because he stopped just before they reached the door, turning to Jake with a reassuring look. "You don't have to say anything. Just come inside and be with us. You don't have to explain. Not yet."

Jake hesitated, his hands curling into fists at his sides. His mind raced with what-ifs-what if they saw him differently after this? What if they thought he was weak? But then he remembered Sunghoon's words, the way he had held him in that studio when everything had come crashing down. Sunghoon had seen him at his lowest and hadn't flinched. Maybe the others wouldn't either.

With a shaky breath, Jake nodded, and Sunghoon opened the door.

The dorm was dimly lit, the soft glow of the TV flickering against the walls. Heeseung and Jay were sprawled on the couch, half-watching some variety show, while Jungwon and Ni-ki were playing a video game on the floor, laughing at some inside joke. Sunoo was in the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge, and from the corner of Jake's eye, he could see Sunghoon's phone on the counter, forgotten in the chaos.

"Hey," Heeseung said, looking up as they entered. "You guys took forever. Everything okay?"

Jake's throat tightened again, but Sunghoon stepped in smoothly, his voice calm and casual. "We just needed to talk for a bit. Everything's fine."

Heeseung's eyes flickered between them, and for a moment, Jake felt exposed under his gaze. But then Heeseung just smiled softly and nodded. "Good. We were about to order some food. You guys hungry?"

Jake couldn't remember the last time he had felt hungry. The thought of eating made his stomach churn, but he didn't want to worry them, not now. "Yeah, sure."

Sunghoon shot him a glance, but didn't push. He moved to join the others, sinking onto the couch beside Jay, who immediately started teasing him about something random. Jake stayed near the door, unsure of what to do, unsure if he could slip back into the normalcy that seemed to flow so easily for the others.

But then Sunoo appeared by his side, holding out a can of soda with a gentle smile. "You look like you could use this."

Jake blinked, caught off guard by the kindness in Sunoo's eyes. He wasn't asking questions, wasn't prying-just offering something small, something easy, like he knew Jake needed a way back in without the pressure.

"Thanks," Jake mumbled, taking the can and cracking it open. The cold metal against his fingers grounded him, a small comfort in the middle of the storm.

Sunoo patted his shoulder lightly, before moving back to the kitchen to help Jungwon set the table for dinner. Jake stood there for a moment longer, watching his members-his family-as they moved around the dorm, laughing, talking, just being themselves. And for the first time in a long while, he didn't feel like he had to pretend.

The weight on his chest wasn't gone-not by a long shot-but it felt a little lighter. Like maybe, with them by his side, he could figure out how to keep going.

He slid down onto the floor beside Ni-ki, who looked up from his game and grinned. "You're just in time to watch Jungwon get his butt kicked."

Jungwon shot a mock glare in Ni-ki's direction, but Jake barely heard them. His head was still spinning, his thoughts tangled with everything he had been holding in. But as he watched his members joke and tease each other, the suffocating pressure eased just a little bit more.

Sunghoon caught his eye from across the room and gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod. Jake took a deep breath, letting himself settle into the moment, into the noise, into the warmth of being with them.

Maybe it wasn't perfect. Maybe he was still struggling. But as Sunghoon had said, he didn't have to do it alone anymore.