24H | SEVENTEEN

९०

When Hoshi reached home, he made beeline to his room. Taking a deep breath he knocked on the door twice, there was no response, he knocked again still getting not response. He was about to call out, "Wo-" when the door clicked open.

"Mian, I was in the bathroom." Wonwoo apologized opening the door. Hoshi gave him tight-lipped smile with small nod. "Come in." Wonwoo said leaving the door open for him as he walked back into his room. Hoshi quietly followed him inside.

Wonwoo had just walked out of shower, he sat there on his bed drying his hair with towel while Hoshi stood in front of him shifting his weight from one leg to another. He didn't know how to begin, but talking with Wonwoo was necessary. He needs to clear up things, no misunderstanding should be created between them. Hoshi cleared his throat, "Wonwoo-ya..." Wonwoo hummed looking up at him. "Umm about the article-" The hand that had been tousling through his damp hair stilled. Wonwoo lowered the towel slowly, his dark eyes steady on Hoshi. The silence stretched long enough that Hoshi's stomach twisted.

"It's not what it look-"

"I know." Wonwoo cut him off. "I saw you both that night." He added getting back to drying his hair. Hoshi froze, his chest tightening. "Then you must know that she was upset. I was just—"

"Comforting her," Wonwoo finished for him, eyes fixed on the floor this time instead of Hoshi. The motion of the towel slowed. "I know, Hoshi. I know what I saw. You don't have to explain anything to me." The tension in Hoshi's shoulders melted, his whole body slumping into the chair. He dragged a hand down his face and let out a shaky laugh. "God, I thought you were going to punch me."

Wonwoo raised a brow, finally meeting his eyes. "I do want to punch you sometimes but not for the reason you are thinking." That earned a short chuckle out of Hoshi, both of them reached a point of silence. After few minutes, he leaned forward, elbows on knees. "You know she's taking the fall for this. Not me, not the bastard who shot the picture but her. They're going to chew her alive if things get worse, and yet she's still out there acting like nothing's wrong." Wonwoo's hands stilled on the towel again. He didn't say anything, but his jaw tightened, the muscle twitching once before settling. He had come to know her better than himself. He knew there's nothing that gonna stop her from doing so. "She's trying to protect us at cost of anything Wonwoo-ya. And I don't think I can sit and watch it happen." Hoshi sighed running his hand through his hair. "She's done enough. I'm gonna to talk with PR team and-"

"It's going to make things worse for her." Wonwoo cut him off. Hoshi looked up at him in surprised, he didn't expect that reaction for Wonwoo. "What?" He asked. "The situation, I know there's more to it and she refuses to speak about it. You know that too." Wonwoo replied. Hoshi leaned back in realization, he was the first one to know about her identity and that time too she refused to explain the situation to in fact she warned him to stay out of it. "Sometimes I feel like I haven't known her enough." Wonwoo spoke. "She's always two steps ahead, always with one eye on something we can't see. The more I try to figure her out, the more I realize she's already decided what we can and can't know. And yet... she still lets me close. Just enough to make me worry. Just enough to make me want to protect her. Then she pushes me back before I can."

Hoshi tilted his head, studying him. "You sound like a man who's already accepted it."

"I haven't." Wonwoo's tone was sharp, quick, almost defensive. Then softer, "But I know her well enough to understand this—if she's keeping secrets, it's not because she doesn't trust us. It's because she doesn't want us to burn with her." Silence settled between them, before Hoshi exhaled deeply. "So what we do now?" Wonwoo shook his head in answer. "There's one thing for sure, no one can come between her and her duty"...I learned that the hard way," Wonwoo finished, his voice low but certain. His eyes darkened, not with anger, but with the weight of acceptance. "Whatever this fight is, she's already decided it's hers alone. We can stand beside her, but we can't take the blade out of her hands."