stars × cnblue kangminhyuk

19 : The Suspicion

The refrigerator door clicked shut, its hollow thud echoing louder than it should have in the quiet apartment.
By the time Minhyuk turned to the dining table, Jungshin was already slipping on his jacket.

"I should get going," Jungshin had said lightly, too lightly, as if brushing off the heaviness in the air. "Schedules tomorrow."

Hyojin nodded quickly, almost relieved, walking him to the door. The exchange was short, but Minhyuk noticed the stiffness in her smile, the way her eyes darted once toward the table—toward the phone that still lay there, face-down, screen dimming into black.

A moment later, the door shut behind Jungshin.

Silence reclaimed the apartment.

Minhyuk lingered in the hallway, staring at the faint glow that still seemed burned into his vision. Something about the scene refused to sit right. Two people, late at night, looking guilty the moment he stepped in. Jungshin's phone abandoned like it carried something too heavy.

He swallowed, jaw tightening, before finally moving toward the bedroom.

Inside, Hyojin was already propped against the headboard, blanket pulled neatly over her lap. She looked up when he entered—and for the briefest moment, her eyes widened, startled.

That single flicker, gone as quickly as it appeared, sank like a stone in his chest.

Minhyuk sat on the edge of the bed, loosening his tie in silence. The mattress dipped between them. Hyojin watched him carefully, biting her lower lip.

"You... came home earlier than I thought," she said softly.

"Meeting ended sooner," he replied, voice neutral. A beat passed, his gaze lingering on her face. "Jungshin suddenly came?"

Her heart stuttered. She forced herself to nod, keeping her tone casual. "Mm. He dropped by to check on something."

Minhyuk tilted his head, eyes narrowing just slightly. "Something?"

Hyojin's fingers twisted the edge of the blanket. "Just... agency stuff."

Silence stretched. Then Minhyuk leaned back against the headboard beside her, exhaling slowly. "You two seem close."

Her pulse jumped. She turned quickly, shaking her head. "It's not like that."

His lips curved into a small, almost self-mocking smile. "I didn't say it was."

The heaviness lingered, but he let it drop. He reached out instead, sliding an arm around her shoulders and pulling her against him. The sudden warmth of his embrace made her stiffen, then slowly soften into him.

"You worry too much," he murmured.

Her throat tightened, but she said nothing, resting her cheek against his chest. After a while, she slipped lower beneath the blanket, her breathing evening out. Within minutes, she was asleep.

Minhyuk stayed awake. He looked down at her peaceful face, strands of hair falling across her forehead. Slowly, he brushed them back, pressing a soft kiss there.

For a fleeting second, the world felt steady. Familiar.

But as his lips lingered against her skin, the image of Jungshin's phone flared in his mind again. That glow. That secrecy.

He tightened his hold on her, almost protectively, almost desperately.

What are you hiding from me, Hyojin-ah?

Sleep never came easy that night.

—

The alarm buzzed faintly, but Minhyuk was already awake. He hadn't slept much, his eyes tracing the ceiling through the night, thoughts looping endlessly. Beside him, Hyojin stirred, shifting closer in her sleep until her hand brushed his arm.