Her Song, His Heart

A New Melody

The drive back to the dorm was filled with an unusual energy. Mannon couldn’t sit still, her hands fidgeting with the strap of her bag, her feet tapping against the floor of the car.

Chan kept glancing at her from the driver’s seat, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Okay, spit it out,” he said, chuckling.

Mannon turned to him, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. “It was amazing, Channie,” she gushed, her voice carrying a rare liveliness. “The producers were so nice, and they loved the song! Jihye said my voice has something called… what did she call it? Oh! A ‘timeless quality.’”

Chan laughed softly. “Of course, they’d say that. I’ve been telling you you’re amazing for years.”

She beamed at him, a radiant smile that lit up her entire face. “You’re biased.”

“Maybe,” he teased, “but I’m also right.”

As they pulled into the dorm’s parking lot, Mannon practically leapt out of the car before it came to a full stop. Chan followed her inside, shaking his head at her newfound energy.

---

The dorm was unusually quiet when they arrived, with most of the members scattered across the space. Felix and I.N. were in the kitchen attempting to bake cookies, Seungmin was on the couch with his nose buried in a book, and Hyunjin was sprawled across the floor sketching in his notebook.

“Mannon’s back!” Felix called out, peeking his head out from the kitchen. “How was it?”

But before Mannon could answer, she burst into laughter, twirling around dramatically as if she were in a musical. “It was incredible!” she exclaimed, her voice practically singing the words.

The other members froze, blinking at her in surprise.

“Uh… who are you, and what have you done with Mannon?” Seungmin deadpanned, lowering his book.

Mannon stuck her tongue out at him before bounding over to Felix and I.N., peering into the mixing bowl they were arguing over. “What are you guys making?”

“Cookies,” I.N. replied cautiously. “Why are you so… happy?”

“Can’t I just be in a good mood?” she retorted, stealing a chocolate chip from the counter.

Hyunjin watched her from his spot on the floor, his pencil pausing mid-sketch. It was rare to see her like this—so unguarded, so carefree. Usually, she carried an air of quiet confidence mixed with a hint of mystery. But now, she was almost glowing.

“What happened at the studio?” Hyunjin finally asked, his tone gentle.

Mannon turned to him, her eyes bright. “They loved me,” she said simply, but the weight of those words was palpable.

Chan walked in then, leaning against the doorway with a proud smile on his face. “Told you she’d kill it.”

“They want me to come back next week to work on another track,” Mannon continued, the words tumbling out of her like a waterfall. “And they said if things go well, they might even consider an album.”

An album.

The room went silent as the weight of that statement settled in.

“That’s… huge,” Seungmin said, his voice unusually soft.

“Are we gonna get a sneak peek of your song?” Felix teased, wagging his eyebrows.

Mannon shook her head, though her smile never wavered. “Not yet. It’s not ready.”

Hyunjin stood, crossing the room to stand in front of her. “Congratulations,” he said sincerely, his dark eyes locking onto hers.

“Thanks,” she replied, her voice softer now.

For a moment, the world seemed to pause. Hyunjin’s gaze lingered, a quiet admiration flickering in his expression. Mannon tilted her head, her smile faltering slightly as she tried to read the look on his face.

“Well,” Felix said loudly, breaking the moment, “we need to celebrate!”

---

The evening turned into an impromptu celebration. Felix and I.N. somehow managed to bake edible cookies, which they insisted on decorating with little frosting stars. Seungmin ordered pizza, and Chan played Mannon’s favorite playlist on the speakers.

Mannon danced around the living room, dragging each member onto the makeshift dance floor at least once. Even Seungmin couldn’t escape her infectious energy.

Hyunjin, meanwhile, watched her from the couch, a small smile playing on his lips. He wasn’t sure what it was about her tonight, but she seemed to shine brighter than ever.

“You’re staring,” Chan said quietly, sitting down beside him.

Hyunjin jumped, turning to glare at the older member. “No, I’m not.”

Chan smirked. “Sure, you’re not.”

They both turned to watch Mannon as she twirled Felix around the room, her laughter echoing off the walls.

“She’s happy,” Hyunjin said after a moment, his voice softer now.

“She deserves to be,” Chan replied, his tone carrying an edge of protectiveness. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her like this.”

Hyunjin didn’t respond, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.

---

That night, as the others slowly retreated to their rooms, Mannon stayed in the living room, sprawled across the couch with a contented sigh. She stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts racing with possibilities.

Hyunjin walked in quietly, holding two mugs of tea. He handed one to her without a word before sitting on the floor beside her.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said, taking the mug.

“I know,” he replied simply, sipping his tea.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the weight of the day settling over them.

“You’re really going for it, huh?” Hyunjin said eventually, his voice low.

Mannon glanced at him, her blue eyes thoughtful. “Yeah. I think it’s time.”

He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You’re going to be amazing.”

Her cheeks warmed at his words, and she quickly looked away, sipping her tea. “Thanks, Hyunjin.”

He didn’t reply, but the look in his eyes said everything.

For the first time in a long time, Mannon felt like the world was finally opening up to her. And maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t as alone as she thought.