Her Song, His Heart

Fractured Silence

The day had started like any other. The guys were scattered around the apartment, the sounds of laughter and music filling the space. But something in the air felt different today. Mannon hadn’t been herself, though no one had dared to say anything aloud. She had withdrawn, retreating into the room she usually kept a sanctuary.

It was Hyunjin who first noticed something was wrong. He had seen her pacing earlier, hands clenched into fists at her sides, her eyes distant and cloudy. At first, he’d chalked it up to stress, maybe too many things on her mind. But as the day wore on, he started to feel a gnawing unease in the pit of his stomach.

---

By the time dinner came around, Mannon had retreated completely. She hadn’t joined the guys at the table, and it wasn’t like her. It was strange.

Hyunjin knocked on her door. “Mannon? Dinner’s ready. You coming?” He waited for a moment but got no response. “Mannon?”

When there was no answer, Hyunjin opened the door just a crack, poking his head inside.

“Mannon?” His voice was soft, cautious.

She was sitting on the floor, her back against the bed, knees drawn to her chest. Her eyes were wide open but unseeing, her fingers twisting into her hair as if trying to hold onto something that was slipping through her grasp.

“Mannon?” Hyunjin said again, stepping into the room now, his voice a little firmer. But something wasn’t right. Her breathing was shallow, and her face was streaked with tears.

“Mannon?” he repeated, approaching cautiously, trying to make sense of the situation.

The moment he got closer, she suddenly jerked back, her hands flying up as if trying to shield herself from something invisible.

“Stop! Please!” she cried, her voice cracking in panic. She pulled at her hair with desperation. “I can’t... make it stop!”

Hyunjin froze, caught off guard. “Mannon, what’s going on?” he asked, his concern deepening, his heart hammering in his chest. He stepped closer, instinctively reaching out to help her.

“No! Get away from me!” she screamed, her hands pushing him away, though not with the strength to hurt him.

“Mannon, it’s me. Hyunjin. You’re okay,” he said softly, his own fear making him speak in gentle tones, his hands held up as if to show he meant no harm.

But it didn’t seem to help. Her breath hitched, and she screamed again, louder this time. Her body was shaking as if she were fighting an invisible battle, her face contorted in agony. “Please, please make it stop!” she begged.

Hyunjin stepped back slightly, not sure what was happening. This wasn’t like Mannon. She wasn’t like this.

“Someone!” he shouted urgently, his heart racing. “Someone, help!”

The guys heard his frantic voice from down the hall and rushed into the room. Felix and Seungmin skidded to a halt at the sight of her, while Changbin followed close behind, his face full of worry.

“What happened?” Felix demanded, his eyes darting between Mannon and Hyunjin.

“She’s—she’s not okay,” Hyunjin said, his voice strained with helplessness. He stepped forward again, wanting to comfort her, but unsure of how to reach her. “I don’t know what’s happening, but she’s not herself. She’s not responding like usual.”

“Mannon,” Changbin said gently, approaching her cautiously. “You’re okay. We’re here. You’re not alone.” But there was no sign that his words were reaching her. She continued to scream and thrash about, her body wracked with sobs as she clutched at her hair.

“I—I can’t stop it, Changbin,” she sobbed. “Make them stop talking! They’re always there, always watching, always—”

Hyunjin quickly moved to kneel beside her, trying to steady her. “Mannon, look at me. You’re okay. You’re safe, I’m right here. Please, listen to me.”

But she didn’t respond. She was beyond hearing him, trapped in whatever world was tormenting her. Her eyes were wide and unfocused, her breath coming in short gasps.

“Guys, we need to do something!” Seungmin said, his face pale as he backed away, trying to think through the situation. “What should we do?”

“Where’s Chan?” Felix asked, his voice tight with panic.

“I don’t know! I’ve tried calling him, but he’s not answering!” Hyunjin responded, his own voice strained with worry. “What do we do? She’s... she’s not okay!”

Her screams turned into sobs, and it was obvious to everyone in the room that Mannon was fighting something inside of herself. Her body trembled violently, her hands grabbing at her clothes, her face flushed with tears.

“Please...” she cried. “Make it stop. Please.”

Hyunjin stayed beside her, his hands hovering but not touching, unsure if it would make things worse. The others hovered nervously, unsure how to help her, their faces filled with helplessness.

---

It was hours later before Chan finally came back to the apartment, rushing in through the door to find the guys sitting quietly in the living room, the weight of what had happened hanging heavily in the air.

“Chan,” Hyunjin said, his voice hoarse. “We—we don’t know what happened. Mannon... she’s not okay. We tried to help her, but—”

“Where is she?” Chan cut him off, his voice sharp with concern as he moved quickly down the hallway to her room. The others followed closely behind.

Chan stopped in the doorway, his heart breaking at the sight of Mannon. She was lying in bed, curled up in a ball, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed softly, her body shaking with the aftermath of the episode.

He immediately knelt by her side, brushing her hair out of her face gently. “Mannie,” he whispered softly, his heart aching as he saw her broken state.

Mannon looked up at him, her eyes full of confusion, fear, and exhaustion. “Channie,” she whispered weakly, her voice cracked.

“It’s okay,” Chan said, his voice calm yet filled with emotion. “You’re safe now. You’re not alone. I’m here.” He leaned down, brushing his lips against her forehead in a tender kiss.

---

It was then that the silence settled over them. The rest of the guys stood outside, unsure of what to do or say. The atmosphere in the apartment was heavy with unspoken questions and the unrelenting fear of what had just happened.

As Chan stayed by her side, his hand gently rubbing her back, Mannon’s sobs slowly began to quiet down. Hyunjin stood off to the side, his heart heavy with a sense of helplessness that he couldn’t shake.

For the first time, the group understood that there was something deeper going on with Mannon than any of them had realized. Something none of them were prepared for. And they couldn’t help but feel a little lost.

But they would be there for her. No matter what.