018

Taeyang's POV

Ji Yong wasn't picking up. Again.

The call rang until voicemail picked up for the fourth time that morning. Taeyang stood in the middle of his living room, phone pressed to his ear, heartbeat tightening.

He tried to tell himself not to worry. Ji Yong always had phases like this. He disappeared. Switched off. Needed silence. Sometimes it meant he was creating. Sometimes it meant he wasn't okay.

But this time felt different.

Last night's messages were still unread. No "ㅋㅋㅋ", no random selfies, no photos of his dog wearing a stupid hat. Just... nothing.

He dialed again. Nothing.

He didn't even know if he meant to call Daesung or if his fingers did it automatically, but before he could second-guess it, Daesung's voice was there.

-"Hyung?"

"Did Ji Yong talk to you?"

Pause.

-"No. Not since yesterday afternoon."

"I've been calling. Nothing."

-"I tried too," Daesung admitted. "Figured maybe he was with Seunghyun-hyung?"

I felt his stomach drop.

"I don't think so." He hesitated. "He would've said something. Right?"

"Unless something happened."

The silence on the line stretched like static between them.

I turned, grabbed my keys without thinking. "I'm going to his place."

-"I'll meet you there," Daesung said instantly.

Later, at Ji Yong's apartment door

I knocked once. Then twice. Then again, harder.

"Ji Yong-ah!" I called.

No answer.

"Maybe he's not here?" Daesung said behind me, but it didn't sound like he believed it.

I stepped back and pulled out his phone. I was already scrolling to call Ji Yong when he heard it-the faintest sound. Movement. From inside.

I looked at Daesung, eyes wide.

"Again," I said, banging on the door louder. "Ji Yong! It's me. It's us!"

There was a pause. A shuffle. Then, the click of a lock.

The door creaked open just an inch, enough for us to see one tired eye peeking through. Ji Yong's voice came out soft, hoarse.

"Why are you yelling...?"

I didn't answer, just stared at Ji Yong.

He looked like hell. Eyes puffy, hair a mess, chest bare. His body was all angles and shadows, like he hadn't slept properly. And still, he was trying to pretend everything was fine.

"Can we just talk out here?" he said, voice low, almost pleading.

That was already weird.

I stepped forward, placing my hand on the door. "We came all the way here, Ji. You disappeared on us."

"I know. I'm sorry, hyung. I just... needed space."

But the second the door opened a bit more, I saw it - the living room. Messier than usual. A hoodie on the couch that didn't belong to him. A cup, half-full. And a familiar pair of boots near the hallway.

My chest tightened.

Those boots... I knew them.

"Is someone here?" I asked, slowly.

He froze.

Daesung leaned in. "Did you have someone over?"

Ji Yong rubbed the back of his neck, eyes darting away. "It's not-look, I don't wanna talk about it."

That wasn't a no.

Something was off. Way off.

I walked past him before he could stop me.

"Hyung-" he grabbed at my arm, but I shrugged him off and headed straight for the hallway.

The bedroom door was closed.

Too carefully closed.

Like someone made sure it wouldn't creak or open by accident.

I looked back at Ji Yong. His face was pale, lips pressed tight.

"...Is Seunghyun in there?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

Ji Yong didn't answer.

I felt Daesung step in behind me, quiet now. The joke had drained from his face.

I took another step toward the bedroom and stared at the door.

Then knocked.Twice.

"Seunghyun, are you in there?"

There was a long pause. Then-

"...no?"

I blinked.

"Oh god," Ji Yong groaned behind me, dragging a hand down his face like he was reconsidering every life choice.

Daesung muffled a laugh behind his fist.

I cleared my throat, already too deep in this circus to back out. "Okay. Are you... decent?"

Another beat of silence.

"...kinda?"

Ji Yong let out a choked sound that might've been a scream or a laugh. "You're making this worse," he hissed toward the door.

I raised an eyebrow. "What does 'kinda' mean? Like, are we talking pants but no shirt? Or, like... socks and a prayer?"

"Just... Define decent," Seunghyun's voice replied-way too calmly for someone hiding in another grown man's bedroom.

"Hyung, just put something on and come out," Ji Yong snapped.

I turned to him, arms crossed. "You know what's wild? You could've just told us. Like, 'hey guys, I'm fine, just reconnecting with my secret ex-lover-slash-awkward-tall-actor in a very shirtless way.' Would've saved us a drive."

Ji Yong glared at me. "I hate you."

"I know. I'm delightful."

The doorknob turned slowly.

Daesung actually stepped back, like he expected fireworks.

And then, there he was: Choi Seunghyun, standing there like a kid caught sneaking out of class, hair tousled, shirt inside out, and absolutely no shame in his eyes.

"Hey," he said casually.

"...You really said 'no' just now," I pointed out.

He shrugged. "I panicked."

"You're literally twice my size."

"And yet I was hiding."

Ji Yong buried his face in both hands. "I'm moving to another country."

I clapped him on the back. "Cool. We'll send postcards. From your boyfriend's house."

Seunghyun snorted. Daesung lost it.

We all just stood there in the middle of the hallway, laughing like idiots. The weird tension from earlier was still there, but now it had corners softened with affection and complete absurdity.

"...So, are we going to eat or what?" I asked eventually.

Ji Yong glared again, but I saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

"Fine. But you two are paying."

We all sat around the small table, Ji Yong and Seunghyun side by side, Daesung and I facing them. The room still held that weird tension — the kind that comes from too many unspoken words — but it was softened now, like cracks filled with something warmer.

Seunghyun kept stealing glances at Ji Yong, his eyes lingering a little longer than usual. Ji Yong caught it once and gave him a small, reassuring squeeze on the hand under the table.

After a few quiet moments, Daesung cleared his throat. "Hyung, how are you feeling? I mean, after everything that's happened — the hospital, everything you went through. It's the first time we've really seen you in months."

Seunghyun hesitated. His fingers fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve. "It still hurts," he said quietly. "Not just the body, but the rest of me too. But I'm trying... I have to. For Ji Yong."

Ji Yong smiled softly and squeezed his hand again, like a silent promise.

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. "We're here for you, all of us. Whatever you need."

Seunghyun's shoulders relaxed just a little. "Thanks, man. That means a lot."

Then Daesung's eyes sparkled with mischief. "So... what's the deal with you two? What was going on at Ji Yong's place? You two... dating or what?"

Ji Yong choked on his drink, coughing awkwardly. I could see the redness creeping up his neck.

Before Ji Yong could deny or change the subject, Seunghyun answered with a calm but firm, "Yes."

Daesung threw his hands in the air like he'd won the lottery. "I won! Tae, you owe me 1,000 wons."

I rolled my eyes but laughed. "God, could you guys wait like two weeks more before announcing it to the world?"

Ji Yong and Seunghyun exchanged a glance, both clearly embarrassed but smiling. The tension in the room softened further, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like we were all on the same side — like things could actually be okay.