For once... the dorm was actually quiet.

No yelling.
No scoreboard updates.
No Kyungmin screaming about "bold moments."

Just silence.

Dohoon stood on the balcony, leaning slightly on the railing, watching the city lights flicker below. The air was cool, enough to clear his head a little.

Today had been... a lot.

Actually—every day recently had been a lot.

Trending edits.
Filming chaos.
The members refusing to let him breathe for five seconds.

And Shinyu—

"Thinking too much again?"

Dohoon didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Shinyu stepped out beside him, closing the balcony door softly behind him.

Dohoon let out a quiet sigh. "You're the reason for like... eighty percent of my stress right now."

Shinyu nodded. "That's fair."

"...you're not even denying it?"

"No."

Dohoon huffed a small laugh, shaking his head.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The city hummed below them.

Inside, faintly, they could hear Youngjae yelling at someone—probably Kyungmin.

Normal.

Comforting, in a weird way.

"Hyung," Dohoon said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"You really don't care that everyone knows?"

Shinyu didn't answer right away.

Instead, he leaned his arms on the railing, standing just a little closer than before.

"I care," he said finally.

Dohoon looked at him, surprised.

Shinyu continued, voice calm but softer than usual.

"I care about how it affects you."

That made Dohoon pause.

"...and?"

Shinyu turned his head slightly.

"And I decided it's still worth it."

The words landed gently—but heavily.

Dohoon swallowed.

"You make it sound easy."

"It's not," Shinyu admitted. "I just don't like pretending."

Another quiet moment passed.

The wind brushed lightly against them.

Dohoon shifted a little closer without thinking.

"Everyone's watching us now," he said. "Fans, staff... the members won't ever shut up about it."

"They won't," Shinyu agreed.

"...then why are you still like this?"

Shinyu looked at him fully now.

"Like what?"

Dohoon hesitated, then said it anyway.

"Bold."

A small smile appeared on Shinyu's face.

"Because if I stop now," he said, "it would mean I was only doing it when it was easy."

Dohoon blinked.

"And I'm not."

Something in Dohoon's chest tightened.

Not uncomfortable.

Just... real.

"You're serious about this," he murmured.

"Yes."

No hesitation.

No joking.

Just truth.

Dohoon looked away quickly, trying to hide the way his expression softened.

"...you're really unfair, you know that?"

Shinyu stepped just a little closer.

"Why?"

"Because now I can't run away even if I wanted to."

Shinyu's voice dropped slightly.

"Do you want to?"

Dohoon didn't answer.

He just leaned—lightly, almost unconsciously—against Shinyu's shoulder.

That was answer enough.

Inside the dorm—

The balcony door suddenly slid open.

"ARE YOU GUYS HAVING A DRAMATIC SCENE WITHOUT US—"

Kyungmin froze.

Behind him, Jihoon was already filming.

Youngjae gasped like he'd just witnessed history.

Hanjin nodded calmly.

"Ah. Character development."

Dohoon groaned.

"Can you guys NOT—"

But Shinyu didn't move away this time.

Not even a little.

And somehow?

That made everything louder again.