Left Out Friend

26

The live had just ended, and the room remained in a tense silence. The staff were still talking among themselves, discussing some details about their work, but the air was thick with unspoken tension. Jungwon's eyes flicked over to Sunoo, a storm brewing behind them. There was something raw in his gaze, an emotion that couldn't be contained. His eyes darted to Jake, who had also been watching Sunoo closely, and without a word, Jungwon signaled to him.

Jake's jaw clenched in frustration, but he nodded, standing up from his seat. "Come on, Jay," he said, his voice low, like he was trying to hold back his irritation. "Let's grab some snacks for the others." Jay hesitated, glancing at the staff who were still deep in conversation, but he eventually stood up, nodding in agreement. "Alright," he muttered, and the two of them left the room.

With the others out of sight, the room felt emptier, and Sunoo couldn't ignore the heaviness of Jungwon's stare. He could feel his pulse quicken as Jungwon's eyes never wavered, locking onto him with an intensity that made his chest tighten.

Jungwon finally broke the silence, his voice smooth but with an edge that sent a chill down Sunoo’s spine. "Sunoo," he began, his eyes cold yet commanding, "I need to speak with you for a moment."

Sunoo froze, his heart pounding in his chest, unsure of what to expect next. "W-what about?" he stammered, but Jungwon didn’t answer directly. His eyes were unwavering, glued to Sunoo's every move.

Without waiting for a response, Jungwon turned his gaze to the staff, who had noticed the exchange. “I’ll be taking him for a bit,” Jungwon said, the calmness of his tone belying the weight of his words. The staff glanced at each other, but after a brief moment of silence, they nodded in approval.

Jungwon didn’t waste any time. He grabbed Sunoo’s wrist firmly, pulling him toward the door. Sunoo’s breath hitched, his mind spinning. His body stiffened as Heeseung and Sunghoon followed closely behind, leaving Ni-ki behind in the room with the staff. The door clicked shut behind them, and Sunoo couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being led into something he couldn’t escape from.

"Let’s go," Jungwon muttered, his grip tightening as they stepped out of the room, the weight of their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

Sunoo swallowed hard, glancing at the ground, not daring to look up. His heart pounded in his chest as the sound of their footsteps followed them down the corridor, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that everything he did now would only bring more danger closer.

The door slammed shut behind them, and Sunoo flinched despite himself. He tried to stand firm, keeping his chin up, but the tension in the air was suffocating. Jungwon stood in the center of the room, his expression dark, his gaze narrowing on Sunoo like a predator sizing up its prey. Heeseung and Sunghoon flanked him, their eyes heavy with something Sunoo couldn’t quite place... anger, yes, but there was something else, something that made his skin crawl.

“You’ve got something to say for yourself?” Jungwon began, his voice calm but cutting, each word laced with unspoken menace. His lips twitched into a faint smirk, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Because you looked... confident out there. Brave, even. Stuttering through your answer like that... did you enjoy the attention?”

Sunoo stiffened, his heart pounding in his chest. “I-I didn’t mean—”

“You didn’t mean to make us look bad?” Heeseung interrupted, stepping closer. His voice was low, almost a murmur, but there was a sharp edge to it. “Because that’s exactly what you did, Sunoo. The fans aren’t stupid. They’re going to start asking questions, and it’s all because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut.”

Sunoo’s fists clenched at his sides, but he forced himself to meet their gaze. “I didn’t say anything wrong,” he managed, his voice trembling but determined. “I just answered the question.”