𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 || 𝟚𝕞𝕚𝕟

37 | Afterglow

The dance studio echoed faintly with the rhythm of music as the instructor gave them a short break. Most of the class had broken into small groups, some practicing steps, others sipping water or chatting quietly.

Minho stood near the mirrored wall, towel in hand, eyes flicking to where Hyunjin was tying his shoelaces at the far end of the room. Seungmin's words from earlier rang in his head.

"He's still guilty. He feels too ashamed to talk to you first, hyung. He thinks you hate him."

Minho sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow before walking over to Hyunjin, his steps slow but certain. The taller boy looked up, startled when Minho stopped in front of him.

"Hey," Minho said quietly, voice steady but soft.

Hyunjin blinked, unsure. "...Hey."

There was a beat of silence.

"Just so you know, I'm not mad at you," Minho said suddenly, cutting straight to the point. "I have no right to be. Because I know why you did what you did."

Hyunjin's eyes widened slightly, his fingers freezing on his shoelaces.

"But," Minho continued, "you also need to know that I love Seungmin. More than anything. And I will never ever hurt him again."

Hyunjin didn't speak, just looked down, shoulders stiff with tension.

"If this...awkward silence between us is because you feel guilty..." Minho paused, taking a breath. "You don't need to."

Hyunjin looked up at him now, mouth slightly open, eyes glassy.

"You asked if we could start over," Minho added gently, "forgetting everything in the past. So let's just do that, okay?"

It took a moment. Then, slowly, Hyunjin stood up straight and nodded, swallowing hard. "Okay," he whispered. "Thank you."

Minho offered a small, hesitant smile. "No more weird tension?"

"No more weird tension," Hyunjin said, cracking the tiniest smile himself.

It was a start.

And just like that, everything slowly began to fall into place.

It was almost surprising how naturally the eight of them slipped into becoming a complete group. They started hanging out casually after school, at cafes, parks, sometimes just aimlessly walking around together, sharing laughter and stories like they'd always been meant to. 

Minho and Hyunjin, though still cautious, were both trying, really trying, and Seungmin couldn't have been happier. Watching the two most important people in his life slowly find common ground after everything that had happened... it meant the world to him.

Chan, unsurprisingly, was the heart of the group. Despite only recently meeting Hyunjin and Felix, he somehow already shared a strong bond with them. He made everyone feel seen, safe, and cared for...like the dependable dad of their little found family.

Jeongin and Seungmin, the beloved maknaes, had already shared a bond with everyone, and in a way, they were the thread that had sewn the two separate friend groups together. Felix, all sunshine and sincerity, blended in with ease, his bright energy filling every silence and softening every edge.

Even Changbin, who'd only properly known Chan before all this, acted like he'd been part of the crew forever. His booming laughter, chaotic jokes, and quick wit found perfect harmony in their group dynamics.

And every time they all met up, it never failed...someone would give Jisung and Changbin a very suspicious look. And even though those two made a show of walking at least five feet apart at all times, only Chan knew how they spent half their time together in music class, giggling over shared earbuds and unfinished lyrics.