Echoes of the Alley

19 - Underneath the Noise

The late afternoon sunlight poured into the studio, illuminating the warm wooden floors and casting long shadows across the soundboard. Jisung sat cross-legged on the couch, a notebook balanced on his lap. His pen hovered over the page, the words refusing to come together. The quiet hum of equipment was the only sound in the room.

Across from him, Minho was fiddling with a track, his head bobbing slightly to the beat. Every now and then, he'd glance over his shoulder at Jisung, who seemed lost in his thoughts.

"You're going to wear a hole through the page at this rate," Minho remarked, his tone light but teasing.

Jisung's head snapped up, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I'm just... stuck."

Minho spun his chair around, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied Jisung. "What's on your mind?"

Jisung hesitated, his fingers tightening around the pen. He hadn't told anyone how the pressure was mounting again—the weight of balancing everything, the persistent feeling of inadequacy. He didn't want to burden Minho, especially not when their dynamic was just starting to feel natural.

"Nothing important," Jisung mumbled, looking down at his notebook.

Minho didn't push. Instead, he stood and walked over to the small fridge in the corner, pulling out two bottles of water. He tossed one to Jisung, who barely caught it in time.

"Let's take a break," Minho suggested, settling back into his chair. "You're overthinking again."

Jisung unscrewed the cap of his water bottle, nodding silently. He envied how Minho seemed to navigate life with such ease. Even when he struggled, Minho had a way of carrying himself that made it seem like he had everything under control.

—
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Felix, Jeongin, and Seungmin were gathered at a small café. The atmosphere was lively, the chatter of patrons and the hiss of the espresso machine filling the air. Felix stirred his iced coffee absently, his gaze flickering between Changbin and Seungmin.

"So," Felix began, breaking the comfortable silence. "What's the plan for Jisung's birthday?"

Jeongin raised an eyebrow. "It's a month away. You're already planning?"

"Of course!" Felix exclaimed, his face lighting up. "Seungmin even knows how he gets about his birthday. I want to make sure it's special."

Seungmin chuckled, sipping his drink. "You're too thoughtful for your own good, Felix. But yeah, we should do something nice. He's been... off lately."

Jeongin nodded, a slight frown tugging at his lips. "I've noticed it too. He's been quieter than how we usually him."

Felix's expression softened. "Do you think it's about school? Or like, the music stuff?"

"Could be both," Seungmin replied. "He puts so much pressure on himself. It's like he doesn't know how to take a break."

"Then we'll give him one," Felix declared, determination in his voice. "Something fun, something that makes him forget about everything for a while."

Jeongin smiled. "You're really good at this, Felix. He's lucky to have you."

Felix blushed slightly, waving a hand. "Stop. You're making me sound like a parent."

The three of them laughed, the mood lightening as they began brainstorming ideas. But even as they planned, a part of Felix couldn't shake the feeling that something deeper was troubling Jisung.

—
Back at the studio, the sun had dipped lower in the sky, casting the room in a warm orange glow. Jisung and Minho had moved on from work, their conversation flowing more naturally now.

"So," Minho said, leaning back in his chair, "tell me more about your friends."

Jisung blinked, caught off guard. "My friends?"

"Yeah," Minho replied. "Felix, Jeongin, Seungmin. You talk about them a lot and we hang with them, but I don't really know them."

Jisung's lips curved into a small smile. "They're... everything to me. Felix is the glue that holds us together. Jeongin's like the little brother who's always joking with everyone like a kid. And Seungmin... he's sarcastic and blunt, but he's also the most dependable person I know."

Minho nodded thoughtfully. "They sound solid. Must be nice to have that kind of support."

"It is," Jisung admitted. "But sometimes... I feel like I'm not doing enough for them. Like I'm the weak link."

Minho's gaze sharpened. "You're not a weak link. You're just... very hard on yourself."

Jisung shrugged, looking away. He wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"You know," Minho continued, his voice softer, "everyone's hard on themselves in their own way. But the way you see yourself isn't always the way others see you."

Jisung looked back at him, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "You really think so?"

"I know so," Minho replied firmly.

For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint hum of the equipment. Then Jisung smiled, small but genuine. "Thanks, Minho."

"Anytime," Minho said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk. "Now, how about we finish that track?"

Jisung laughed, the sound lighter than it had been in days. "Let's do it."

—
That night, as Jisung lay in bed, his mind wandered to the conversations he'd had that day. With Minho, with himself. The doubts were still there, lurking in the corners of his thoughts, but they didn't feel as suffocating as before. Not yet. But maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to quiet them.

Somehow.

———————

— A/N: Hi guyss, 3 chapters again! And I know this is lowkey short so I'll try to make the others longerr

— Recommended song for this chapter: "The Night We Met" by Lord Huron