Guilty As Sin ► Y.JH

03

The low hum of instruments, punctuated by the steady thrum of the bass, filled the studio. *Nocturne* was deep in their rehearsal session, the band members scattered around the space-some in conversation, others in their own world, immersed in the music. The air was thick with a mixture of sweat, coffee, and the lingering hum of amps.

Soleil sat on the edge of a leather couch in the corner of the room, her camera resting on her lap. She was trying to focus on her work, trying to make sense of the rush of images she had taken earlier that day. But her mind was far from her camera. The weight of her emotions-the growing distance between her and Minho, the subtle tension between her and Jeonghan-was making it hard to concentrate.

It had been a strange few days. On one hand, the band's progress was exciting, and it felt like the momentum they had been building for months was finally taking shape. But on the other, everything around her seemed to be shifting-changing in ways she couldn't quite control. Her brother was more distant than ever, and Jeonghan's quiet presence had become a constant, pulling her in every direction.

She glanced up from her camera, and her gaze landed on Jeonghan. He was tuning his guitar, his fingers expertly moving over the strings as his brow furrowed in concentration. There was a quiet intensity about him as he adjusted the knobs and switches. He looked... different today. More distant, more withdrawn than usual. And for the first time in days, Soleil found herself longing for the easy camaraderie they had shared before the tension began to build between them.

Soleil sighed and shook her head, feeling stupid for letting herself get so worked up over something she couldn't even fully understand. She needed a break from all of this-this pressure, this uncertainty, this feeling like she was walking on a tightrope with no way to stop her fall.

That's when Jeonghan looked up, catching her eye. For a moment, there was a pause between them, a silence that stretched a little too long. He seemed to hesitate, as if unsure whether to say anything, but then he lifted his chin in a silent greeting, his lips curling into a small smile. It was a fleeting smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes, but it was enough to make Soleil's heart stutter in her chest.

"Hey," Jeonghan said, his voice low but warm.

Soleil blinked, startled by the sound of his voice. "Hey," she replied, forcing herself to meet his gaze. For a brief moment, the world seemed to quiet around her-there was only Jeonghan and the weight of the unspoken words between them. She felt like they were trapped in some unacknowledged limbo, where everything they wanted to say hung in the air, just out of reach.

Jeonghan stood up from the stool he had been sitting on and walked toward her, his guitar now slung carelessly over his shoulder. He seemed to be in a lighter mood than before, the tension from earlier in the week lifting just a little.

"I'm surprised you're still here," he teased, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Thought you'd have bolted by now with all the noise."

Soleil smiled faintly at his playful tone, though she couldn't shake the knot of anxiety in her stomach. It was moments like these that made her feel vulnerable-like she was treading a line she wasn't sure she should be walking.

"I can handle noise," she replied, trying to keep her tone casual, though her voice felt strained. "Besides, I've got to get these photos edited, right?"

Jeonghan chuckled, taking a seat on the couch next to her, close enough that Soleil could feel the warmth radiating from his body. "Editing photos, huh?" He leaned in, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Maybe you're just stalling because you're bored of us."

Soleil couldn't help but laugh, though it sounded forced even to her ears. She shook her head, trying to brush off the sudden rush of emotions. "Bored of you guys? Never."