Echoes of the Alley

10 - Shifting Sands

The morning sunlight poured through the sheer curtains of the small café where Jisung sat, his notebook open but untouched. The faint hum of conversation filled the space, mingling with the hiss of the espresso machine. His friends—Felix, Jeongin, and Seungmin—sat around him, the table cluttered with half-empty coffee cups and a shared plate of pastries.

Felix was recounting a funny story about his latest cooking mishap, his hands animated as he gestured wildly. Jeongin laughed so hard he nearly choked on his croissant, while Seungmin shook his head in mock disapproval.

But Jisung wasn't really listening. His pencil hovered over the blank page, his mind replaying yesterday's studio session with Minho.

"What do you think, Sungie?" Felix's voice cut through his thoughts, and Jisung blinked, startled.

"Huh?" He looked up, realizing all three of his friends were staring at him expectantly.

"Do you think I should try baking again, or is it a lost cause?" Felix asked, his grin wide.

Jisung gave a half-hearted smile. "I think you should do whatever makes you happy."

Felix's expression softened, sensing something was off. "Are you okay? You've been quiet all morning."

Jeongin nodded, leaning forward. "Yeah, you're usually the one making us laugh. What's going on?"

Jisung hesitated, his eyes flickering between his friends. He trusted them completely, but the weight of his thoughts felt too tangled to explain. "I'm fine," he said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just tired."

Seungmin narrowed his eyes but didn't press further. Instead, he handed Jisung a chocolate croissant. "Eat something. You'll feel better."

Jisung accepted it with a quiet "thanks" and tried to shake off the heaviness in his chest.

Minho's World

Across town, Minho was in the practice studio with Changbin and Chan. The three of them moved in sync, their reflections mirrored in the long wall of glass. The music pulsed through the room, each beat sharp and demanding.

"Let's take five," Chan said, pausing the track and wiping sweat from his brow.

Changbin flopped onto the floor with a groan. "Five? Make it ten."

Minho grabbed a towel, wiping at his face as he paced the length of the room. He was tired, but something else kept his mind restless—a certain songwriter who had a knack for lingering in his thoughts.

"Still thinking about Jisung?" Chan asked casually, dropping onto the bench by the wall.

Minho paused mid-step, glaring at Chan. "I'm not thinking about him."

Changbin snorted from the floor. "You so are. You've brought him up in every conversation since he started writing that song for you."

Minho scowled. "No, I haven't."

"Yes, you have," Changbin shot back, smirking. "Remember yesterday? 'Jisung can't play chords properly.' 'Jisung keeps looking at me like I'm about to bite his head off.' 'Jisung's handwriting is messy.'"

"That's not me thinking about him," Minho retorted, crossing his arms. "That's me making an observation."

Chan leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Look, we're not saying you like him or anything. But you're definitely... intrigued. Which is rare for you."

Minho rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Instead, he grabbed his water bottle and took a long sip, his gaze drifting to the mirror.

Changbin sat up, grinning. "You know, Hyunjin said Jisung's super talented. Maybe this song he's working on will surprise you."

Minho gave a dismissive wave. "We'll see. He talks big, but who knows if he can deliver."

Chan raised an eyebrow. "You're being harder on him than usual. Why?"

"Because if he's serious about this, he needs to understand what it takes," Minho replied. His tone softened, almost imperceptibly. "And if he's not, he's wasting both our time."

The room fell quiet for a moment, save for the faint sound of their breaths evening out after the intense practice.

Chan stood and clapped a hand on Minho's shoulder. "Maybe give him a little more credit. He might surprise you."

Minho shrugged off the touch, but his lips twitched into a faint smirk. "We'll see."

And yet, as they restarted their routine, Jisung's face—determined and full of nervous energy—refused to leave Minho's mind.

Jisung's Struggle

Later that evening, Jisung found himself in the dimly lit corner of his room, his guitar resting on his lap. The soft glow of his desk lamp barely illuminated the scattered pages of scribbled lyrics and crossed-out chords.

He strummed a few notes, the melody wavering. Every time he thought he had something, doubt crept in, unraveling his confidence.

"What if it's not good enough?" he muttered to himself, the words echoing in the quiet room.

He tried to push through, piecing together fragments of a song. But the pressure to impress Minho—paired with his own relentless self-criticism—felt suffocating. His fingers faltered on the strings, and he let out a frustrated groan.

The knock at his door startled him. "Come in," he called, his voice strained.

Felix peeked his head inside, his usual cheerful expression tinged with concern. "Hey. Thought you might need some company."

Jisung gave a weak smile. "Thanks, but I'm okay."

Felix stepped inside anyway, plopping down on the edge of the bed. "I mean... You don't look okay. What's going on?"

Jisung hesitated, his gaze dropping to the guitar. "It's just... this song. I want it to be perfect, but it's like the more I try, the worse it gets."

Felix nodded thoughtfully. "You're putting a lot of pressure on yourself. Maybe you need to step back for a bit."

"I can't," Jisung said quickly. "Minho's expecting something good. And if it's not—"

"He'll what? Laugh at you?" Felix interrupted gently. "You've already impressed him enough to get this far. That's not nothing, Jisung."

Jisung looked up, surprised by the confidence in Felix's tone. "You really think so?"

Felix grinned. "I know so. But you need to stop being so hard on yourself. Take a break, clear your head, and come back to it later. You're not alone in this, okay?"

The warmth in Felix's voice eased some of the tension in Jisung's chest. He nodded slowly, setting the guitar aside. "Thanks, Lix."

Felix patted his shoulder. "Anytime. Now, how about we raid the fridge for snacks?"

Jisung chuckled, the first genuine laugh he'd had all day. "Lead the way."

A Quiet Resolve

As the night wore on, Minho found himself alone in the studio, the silence pressing against him like a second skin. He moved through a series of intricate dance steps, his movements sharp and deliberate.

But no matter how hard he tried to focus, his thoughts kept drifting back to Jisung. The way his voice had cracked with emotion during their last session. The determination in his eyes despite his nerves.

Minho sighed, leaning against the mirrored wall. "What are you doing to me, Han Jisung?" he muttered under his breath.

He closed his eyes, letting the stillness settle around him. For the first time in a long while, he felt something he couldn't quite name—something unfamiliar and unsettling.

And for once, he didn't try to push it away.

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— A/N: Heyy, uh updates might become less frequent, but I won't quit making this story trust #skibidikewl

— Recommended song for this chapter: "Supercut" by Lorde