Echoes of the Alley

32 - Late-Night Revelations

The next night, Minho sat across from Jisung in the dimly lit studio, his fingers idly tapping against the edge of the table. The faint hum of the equipment filled the silence between them, but Jisung could sense there was something Minho wasn't saying. It wasn't like him to linger after a session—usually, he was the first to leave, always with something to refine or perfect.

"You okay?" Jisung asked cautiously, setting his notebook aside.

Minho's fingers stilled, and for a moment, he didn't respond. Finally, he let out a soft sigh, his gaze fixed on the floor. "You ever feel like you're fighting yourself? Like... no matter what you do, it's never enough?"

Jisung blinked, caught off guard. Minho rarely talked about himself like this—if ever. "Uh, yeah," Jisung said slowly. "All the time, actually. I think everyone does."

Minho shook his head, a faint, humorless laugh escaping his lips. "Not like this. It's... constant. Like this voice in my head that won't shut up. Always telling me to do better, be better. I've been like that for as long as I can remember."

"That sounds exhausting," Jisung said softly.

"It is," Minho admitted. "But the worst part is... I don't know how to stop. It's like, if I let go of that... who even am I?"

Jisung frowned, watching Minho carefully. He had never seen him this vulnerable before, and it struck something deep within him. "You're still you, Minho. Whether you're striving for perfection or not, that doesn't change who you are."

Minho finally met Jisung's eyes, his expression unreadable. "Maybe. But I'm not sure I know who that is anymore."

The honesty in Minho's words surprised Jisung, and he hesitated before responding. "You don't have to figure it out all at once. And you don't have to do it alone, either."

Minho huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "I'm not exactly great at... letting people in."

Jisung offered a small smile. "Yeah, I've noticed. But you're doing it now, right? That's something."

Minho's lips quirked into the faintest smile. "Don't get used to it."

"Too late," Jisung teased lightly, earning a real chuckle from Minho.

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation lingering but not oppressive. For Jisung, it felt like a breakthrough—a glimpse of the person behind Minho's walls. For Minho, it was a tentative step toward confronting something he had buried for too long.
"Thanks," Minho said finally, his voice quieter than usual.

Jisung nodded, his smile soft. "Anytime."

—
The streets were quiet as Felix and Changbin walked home together, their breath visible in the chilly night air. Changbin had his hands shoved deep into his pockets, while Felix clutched his scarf tightly around his neck.

"You've been quieter than usual," Changbin said, glancing at Felix out of the corner of his eye. "Everything okay?"

Felix hesitated, his steps slowing. "I... I don't know."

Changbin stopped, turning to face Felix fully. "Talk to me."

Felix looked down at the ground, his brow furrowed. "Sometimes I feel like I'm just... not enough. Like no matter how hard I try, there's always something I'm falling short on."

Changbin's heart ached at the vulnerability in Felix's voice. He stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on Felix's shoulder. "Hey, listen to me. You're more than enough. You bring so much to the group, to all of us. And you don't have to be perfect to be valued."

Felix's lips let out a shakey exhale. "It's just... hard to believe that sometimes."

Changbin took a step closer and gently lifted Felix's chin with his fingers, guiding Felix's gaze to meet his. "Look at me," he said softly, his voice steady and warm. "You are enough, Felix. More than enough. And even if you don't see it right now, I do. We all do."

Felix's cheeks flushed at the unexpected gesture, his breath catching. But there was something undeniably comforting in Changbin's unwavering expression, a reassurance that settled the storm in his chest. "Thanks, Bin," Felix murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Changbin smiled, letting his hand drop to give Felix's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Anytime, Lix."

The two continued their walk, the bond between them subtly but undeniably strengthened.

—
Back at the dorm, Seungmin and Hyunjin sat together in the living room, a rare moment of quiet between them. Hyunjin was sprawled on the couch, his sketchpad balanced on his lap, while Seungmin sipped tea from a mug.

"The group feels different now," Hyunjin said suddenly, his voice thoughtful.

Seungmin looked up from his tea. "Different how?"

"Better," Hyunjin clarified, his gaze distant. "Before, it always felt like something was missing. Like I didn't quite fit. But now... now it feels like I've found where I'm supposed to be."

Seungmin's expression softened. "I'm glad you feel that way."

Hyunjin turned to look at Seungmin, a small smile playing on his lips. "A lot of that is because of you, you know."

Seungmin blinked, caught off guard. "Me?"

Hyunjin nodded. "You're always steady, always reliable. You make it easier to feel like things are going to be okay."

Seungmin's ears turned pink, but he managed a quiet, "Thanks. That means a lot."

Hyunjin's smile widened, and for a moment, the two simply sat in comfortable silence, the unspoken bond between them growing ever stronger.

———————

— A/N: Heyy sorry it's short, I didn't know what to write then. But I hope that's okay, and I'll release an extra chapter tomorrow from what I normally publish to make it up!

— Recommended song for this chapter: "Dear Name" by IU