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Aiko & Heeseung
The communal room was buzzing with chatter and laughter. Sunoo and Jay were still squabbling over the last piece of bread, while Ni-ki was sprawled on the floor, pretending to referee. Jake sat cross-legged on the couch, loudly arguing with Jungwon about whether the guards were secretly plotting against them or just incredibly bored. Yuna was perched on a chair nearby, quietly enjoying the chaos, and Sunghoon leaned against the wall, observing everyone with his usual calm demeanor, occasionally smirking at the antics.
Aiko walked in, her steps slower than usual, her face pale and tired. The room didn't notice her at first, the conversations too loud. But Heeseung, sitting on the couch, caught sight of her immediately. His brows knitted together in concern as she made her way to sit next to him.
"Hey," he said softly, leaning closer to her. "You okay? You look exhausted."
Aiko sighed, leaning back into the couch. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've been feeling so weak lately. Drained, you know? Like no matter how much I rest, it doesn't help."
The chatter in the room stopped. Everyone turned to look at her, concern written all over their faces.
"You're not sick, are you?" Sunghoon asked, straightening up from where he'd been leaning.
"Maybe it's stress," Yuna said gently, her tone soothing. "You've been through a lot, Aiko."
Aiko shook her head, running a hand through her hair. "I don't think I'm sick. And stress? Maybe, but it feels... different. I can't explain it."
Heeseung didn't hesitate. He slipped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "You should've said something earlier," he murmured, rubbing small circles on her shoulder. "You shouldn't have to deal with this alone."
Aiko let out a tired laugh, resting her head against him. "I'll be fine. Probably just adjusting to everything."
Her hand moved up to rest over Heeseung's, and she began gently rubbing his hand in return, her fingers tracing slow, soothing circles. The intimacy wasn't lost on the rest of the group.
Ni-ki's jaw dropped dramatically, and he nudged Jake in the ribs. "Do you see this?" he whispered, not even trying to be subtle.
Jake grinned, leaning forward. "Oh, we see it. Loud and clear."
Sunoo gasped, clutching his chest in mock astonishment. "Is this... love? Am I witnessing actual love?"
"Guys, stop," Yuna said, though her grin betrayed her amusement.
Jay smirked, raising an eyebrow. "So, uh, Heeseung, care to explain what's going on here?"
Heeseung sighed, glancing down at Aiko, who seemed too tired to care about the teasing. "Nothing's going on. Stop making it weird."
Jake snorted. "Oh, nothing's going on? Sure. Totally normal to be all handsy and—" He cut himself off, pretending to wrap an arm around Ni-ki. "Oh, Aiko, are you okay?" he said in a high-pitched, dramatic voice, nuzzling Ni-ki's shoulder for effect.
Ni-ki played along, sighing dreamily as he leaned into Jake. "Oh, Heeseung, I'm just so weak and tired. Hold me, my love."
The room burst into laughter, even Yuna cracking up at the absurdity. Sunghoon finally spoke, his voice deadpan but his eyes amused. "You two are ridiculous."
Heeseung groaned, burying his face in his free hand. "I hate all of you."
"Aw, don't be mad, hyung," Ni-ki said, grinning as he broke out of Jake's mock embrace. "We're just happy for you. Really."
Jake smirked, leaning back on the couch. "Seriously, though. Spill. When did this happen?"
Heeseung hesitated, glancing at Aiko, who gave him a tired but small nod. "Fine," he said, sitting up straighter but still keeping his arm around her. "After we got here, things just... happened. We've been there for each other, and yeah, we're seeing where it goes."
Jay clasped his hands together, grinning. "Look at you, all grown up. I'm proud, man."
"Same," Yuna said, her smile warm. "You guys are good together."
Sunghoon nodded. "As long as she doesn't put up with your bad jokes, I approve."
"Okay, that's enough," Heeseung said, his cheeks turning red. "Can we move on now?"
"Absolutely not," Jake said with a laugh. "We're never letting this go."
Before they could tease him more, the door opened, and a guard stepped inside, his expression stern. "Miss Nakamura," he said formally. "Dr. Nakamura has requested your presence in the lab. She needs to run further tests."
Aiko sighed heavily, pushing herself off the couch. "Alright," she said, her voice resigned. "I'll be back."
As she walked toward the door, Heeseung caught her hand briefly, stopping her. "Hey," he said quietly, his voice low enough that the others didn't hear. "If you need anything, or if something feels off, you tell me, okay?"
She nodded, squeezing his hand. "I'll be fine," she said softly, offering him a faint smile before following the guard out.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Ni-ki plopped himself down dramatically next to Heeseung. "Alright, spill more," he demanded. "We need details."
Jake joined him, sliding onto the couch with a sly grin. "Yeah, that shoulder-rub thing was way too natural. How long has this been going on?"
"Not long," Heeseung said, his voice defensive but laced with amusement. "We're figuring it out. That's it."
"Figuring it out, huh?" Sunoo said, leaning over the back of the couch. "Is that what they're calling it these days?"
Jay chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't mind them, man. We're happy for you. Really."
Yuna crossed her arms, her grin softening. "Just... take care of her, okay? She's been through a lot."
Heeseung's expression turned serious. "I will. You don't have to worry about that."
Jake clapped him on the back. "Good. Because if you mess this up, we're all coming for you."
"Yeah," Ni-ki added, grinning. "And not even romantically this time."
The room erupted into laughter again, and even Heeseung couldn't help but smile. As much as they teased, he knew they all cared. And as he glanced at the door Aiko had walked through, he silently promised himself he wouldn't let her down.
