As Minho walked through the dimly lit streets, his heart raced with anxiety. He couldn't stop thinking about the team's reaction to him suddenly stopping seeing Seo-Jun. Each step felt heavier as he approached the grand Phoenix's mansion, its towering structure casting long shadows in the night. Even though it was late, he hoped that none of the members would still be awake to share their thoughts on this matter.
Upon entering, he was immediately struck by an unsettling silence. "Why is it so quiet?" he thought, his brow furrowing in confusion. The mansion was usually alive at every time of the day and night with chatter and security guards going around, especially after a long day of training and teamwork. He paused for a moment, listening intently for any sounds—footsteps, voices, or the clinking of dishes—but all he heard was the soft echo of his own breathing.
Feeling a sense of urgency, he decided to head toward the main meeting room, the heart of their gatherings. It was a place where the team often came together to unwind and share strategies.
As Minho stepped slowly into the meeting room, confusion washed over him at the sight in front of him. The entire main team was gathered around the table, their heads bowed low, faces etched with disappointment. It was a stark contrast to the usual lively atmosphere he was accustomed to. In the centre, Jae stood out as the only one upright, his gaze fixed on the entrance, and it was clear he had noticed Minho's arrival.
Beside Jae, Jin sat with a scowl, his anger palpable, adding to the tension in the room. Minho felt a jolt of shock at the sombre scene. He had never seen his team look so disappointed. His heart raced as he took a step closer, the weight of concern pressing down on him. "What is going on?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear and worry.
The silence hung heavy in the air, each second stretching out like an eternity. Minho's mind raced with possibilities—had something happened to one of them? Was there a problem with their mission? The uncertainty gnawed at him, and he felt a knot tightening in his stomach. Jae finally broke the silence, his voice steady and cold, lacking any trace of emotion, "You are the one who has to give an explanation." The moment those words left Jae's mouth, Minho felt the ground shift beneath him, his worst fears beginning to take shape.
Minho's body involuntarily flinched, and he stammered, "W-What?" The tension in the room was palpable, like a thick fog wrapping around them, making it clear that this was more than just a conversation about the mission —it felt like a confrontation, with the weight of blame falling heavily on Minho's shoulders.
Jae then placed his phone on the table, sliding it toward Minho with a deliberate motion. Minho leaned in closer, his heart racing as he peered at the screen. The image that confronted him was nothing short of shocking: a clear photograph of himself entering Seo-Jun's house, his posture suggesting he was trying to be discreet, glancing around to ensure no one was watching. The realisation hit him like a punch to the gut, leaving him utterly stunned and momentarily speechless, grappling with the betrayal of his own actions captured in that single frame.
After a brief, tense silence, Jae continued in that same unemotional voice, "Jin said you were supposed to go to the bar and meet Seo-Jun there, but as I can see here" - he pointed to the image on the phone - "and with my own eyes when I took the photo, you went straight to his house while making sure no one was following you or seeing you go inside." The weight of Jae's accusation hung heavily in the air, each word sharp and cutting, leaving Minho feeling trapped, exposed, and desperate to defend himself against the growing tide of suspicion that surrounded him.
Then suddenly the question that had been in everyone's minds was said by Jae: "You have been hooking up with him, haven't you?" It hung in the air, heavy with implications, and became the most important and valuable question of the moment. Everyone's eyes turned to Minho, a mix of hope and dread swirling in the room, each person silently wishing he would deny the accusation that loomed over him like a dark cloud.
Minho instinctively took a step back, feeling the pressure of their gazes penetrating him, as if they were trying to peel away the layers of his defences. He was caught off guard, his mind racing to find the right words, but all that escaped his lips was a shaky, "I...I..." His heart pounded as he glanced around, taking in the expressions on their faces—some were filled with concern while others bore the weight of judgement. The guilt gnawed at him, a relentless reminder of his actions, and he felt like an outsider.
Just then, Jin stood up, the sound of his chair scraping against the floor breaking the tense silence. The noise drew everyone's attention, and all eyes shifted to him. Jin's voice was low, laced with disappointment as he asked, "Is this true, Minho?" His piercing gaze locked onto Minho's, searching for the truth, and in that moment, the disappointment in Jin's eyes was overwhelming. It was a look that conveyed not just anger but a deep sense of betrayal, leaving Minho feeling as if he were drowning in a sea of regret and shame, with no clear way out.
Minho's face shifted from worry to urgency as he absorbed the meaning of Jin's words, the tension instantly growing. He quickly defended himself, "I was doing it for the mission!" The moment those words left his mouth, Jin's anger erupted like a storm, his voice booming as he shouted, "Why didn't you tell us from the beginning then?!" The force of his frustration was so intense that he slammed his palm onto the table, the sound echoing in the room, causing everyone to flinch and fall silent, eyes darting between the two.
Minho, taken aback by Jin's fury, felt a surge of panic. He had never witnessed Jin this mad before, and it made his heart race. Desperate to explain himself, he shouted back, "I was scared you were going to try to stop me from doing it! And we just made progress—" But Jin was having none of it. He interrupted with a fierce shout, "WHAT WERE YOU EVEN THINKING?!" His voice was laced with disbelief and frustration, cutting through Minho's words like a knife.
The atmosphere was charged, and it seemed like the room itself held its breath. Just as it appeared things might spiral further into chaos, Jae, sensing the seriousness of the situation and the potential fallout from Jin's escalating anger, intervened. He stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Jin's shoulder, his voice calm and steady. "Enough." he urged, trying to diffuse the tension that hung thick in the air.
Jae then locked eyes with Minho, his gaze cold and unwavering, cutting through the tension like a knife. The atmosphere in the room shifted as Jae's voice sliced through the silence, asking firmly, "Do you have an affair with him now?" Those words hit Minho like a punch to the gut, leaving him momentarily stunned. His heart raced, and he felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he shouted sharply, "WHAT?! NO, OF COURSE NOT! All I did was for the team's sake. Because of this goddamn mission!" The anger bubbled up inside him, fuelled by the accusations that painted him as the bad guy in this scenario.
After Minho's outburst, an uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Every other member of the team lowered their eyes to the table, the weight of the moment pressing down on them, as if they were afraid to speak up or take sides. Jin and Jae remained fixed on Minho, their expressions a mix of anger and disappointment, their disappointment cutting deeper than any accusation. Minho could feel the judgment hanging in the room, each second stretching out painfully as he fought to defend himself against the growing sense of isolation.
Then Jae again broke the silence, his voice heavy with disappointment as he walked back to his seat, slowly shaking his head. "I knew you weren't ready for this." The moment his words left his mouth, Minho felt a surge of rage that he could no longer contain. It was as if a dam had burst inside him, flooding his mind with all the frustration and hurt he had kept bottled up. He was fed up with the accusations and the feeling of shame that had been thrust upon him for simply trying to do what was best for the team.
The memories of all the uncomfortable and embarrassing moments he had endured with Seo-Jun flashed through his mind, each one a reminder of his loyalty and dedication. Yet, despite everything he had done and everything he had been through, no one seemed to appreciate his efforts. Instead, they pointed fingers, blaming him for potentially ruining everything and betraying the gang. The weight of their judgements pressed down on him, suffocating his spirit. With his heart racing and his voice trembling with anger, he finally shouted, "FINE! IF YOU THINK I AM STILL NOT READY FOR THIS, I WILL LEAVE THEN, FOR WHAT I CARE! I won't get in your way anymore!"
With that declaration, he stormed out of the room, the sound of the door slamming shut behind him reverberating like a thunderclap, leaving the remaining team members in shock. The room's atmosphere was unbearably filled with tension, and the silence that followed was deafening, each of them left to ponder the consequences of their words and the fracture that had just formed within their once-united team.
Jin, now finally feeling slightly more calm and beginning to understand the whole situation, stood up. As he processed the moment that had just unfolded, guilt washed over him for shouting at Minho like that, and he felt an urgent need to follow him and make things right. Just as he was about to take a step forward, Jae's hand shot out, pulling his shoulder back with a firm grip. Jae's expression was unreadable, his face a mask of seriousness. "Let him cool off." he said, his voice steady and unwavering.
Yet, Jin's guilt continued to bubble up inside him, a relentless tide of remorse. "We were too harsh on him. He is still a novice, and we shouldn't have—" he began, but Jae interrupted him, his voice dropping to a cold, low tone that sent a shiver down Jin's spine. "Jin. Don't mix your feelings with your job." The weight of those words hung heavy in the air, and Jin felt a mix of frustration and confusion. With that, Jae released his grip, casting a brief glance at Jin before turning away and striding toward the door, leaving the room behind him.
As Jae exited, the atmosphere shifted palpably, and one by one, the others began to leave, their heads bowed in silence, avoiding eye contact. Jin remained rooted to the spot, his heart racing as he grappled with Jae's words. The conflict between his emotions and the harsh realities of their roles within the team gnawed at him. He felt torn—should he prioritise his feelings for Minho, or adhere to the professional standards expected of him?
The room felt emptier with each departing figure, leaving Jin alone with his swirling thoughts, contemplating the fine line between compassion and duty.