24H | SEVENTEEN

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Sleep didn't come easy these days.

Wonwoo lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his phone resting on his chest. The room was dimly lit by the streetlamp outside, casting long shadows against the walls. It had been hours since he'd tried closing his eyes, but every time he did, his mind dragged him back to the same place—to her.

Rumi noona.

The name itself felt like a weight pressing against his ribs. He wanted to be angry, wanted to hold onto the betrayal, the frustration, the feeling of being lied to—but all he could think about was the way she looked at him that last time. Desperate. Regretful. Like she wanted to say more but couldn't.

He exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. Why couldn't she just tell me the truth? His phone buzzed. Making him glance at it, he thought it was once again the boys cooking up something in group chat but then it started to ring indicating he was receiving a call. Wonwoo rolled over and picked up his phone from the nightstand. His fingers tightened around it upon reading the caller id.

Noona.

His heart skipped. His fingers hovered over the screen. He could ignore it—pretend he hadn't seen it. Pretend he wasn't still waiting for an answer to a question he never even asked. But before he could think twice, his thumb moved on its own, sliding and answering it. He took deep breath before putting it to his ear.

"Please pick up the phone Wonwoo-ssi~" Her voice slurred. It seemed like she hadn't noticed that he had received her call. "Please Wonwoo-ssi, let me talk to you. Let me see youu~"

"Noona." He spoke. There was silence from other side, he almost thought she had hung up on him. When a shaky breath crackled through the speaker. Then, a soft, almost hesitant, "Wonwoo-ssi?"

He sat up, gripping the phone tighter. "Yeah, it's me." Silence. Then a sniffle. "Noona..." His voice softened, concern creeping in. "Are you drunk?" A quiet laugh, broken at the edges. "Mmm... just a little." Wonwoo sighed, pressing his fingers against his temple. He could already picture her—probably slumped over somewhere, her hair a mess, her eyes heavy with exhaustion and something deeper, something heavier. "Where are you?" he asked, voice steady despite the way his chest tightened.

He could hear her hesitate. "I don't know..." she mumbled. "Outside... your apartment." Wonwoo's breath hitched. His grip on the phone tightened. Outside? He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, already pushing himself up. "Stay there. I'm coming down."

"No... wait," Rumi's voice wavered. "I—"

But Wonwoo had already ended the call, throwing on a hoodie before rushing to the door. His mind was racing, his pulse erratic. Why was she here? Why now, like this? The elevator ride felt agonizingly slow. He barely waited for the doors to fully open before stepping out into the cold night air. And there she was. Leaning against the wall near the entrance, arms wrapped around herself, eyes glassy and unfocused. Her lips parted slightly as she noticed him, a sad smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Wonwoo-ssi," she whispered, like she hadn't quite believed he would come. He didn't say anything at first just took in the sight of her. She looked exhausted, drained, as if the weight of everything had finally crashed down on her. Her hair cut short, bandages covering her neck. A gust of wind made her shiver, and without thinking, Wonwoo shrugged off his hoodie, stepping closer. "Here," he muttered, draping it over her shoulders. Rumi blinked up at him, surprised by the gesture. "Wonwoo—"

"Why are you here?" His voice wasn't harsh, but it carried the weight of all the questions he hadn't been able to ask. She looked down, fingers clutching at the fabric of his hoodie. "Because... I missed you," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. Wonwoo exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Rumi-ssi..."