Chapter Text
The hallway was unusually quiet.
Hyuna noticed it the moment she stepped outside.
Usually, there was always something—footsteps echoing against metal floors, distant voices, the hum of machinery hidden behind the walls. Even when everyone was supposed to be resting, there was never complete silence.
Tonight, though, everything seemed to have stopped.
Hyuna leaned against the wall and let out a slow breath.
The performance was over.
For tonight, at least.
She closed her eyes.
Her body still remembered the music. Her heart was still beating too quickly, adrenaline refusing to leave her system. She could almost hear the final notes playing again in her head.
Then—
“Hyuna?”
She opened one eye.
Luka stood a few feet away.
His hair was slightly disheveled, and there was still a faint trace of stage makeup around his eyes. He looked tired.
Pretty, Hyuna thought.
Annoyingly pretty.
“You scared me,” she said.
Luka blinked.
“I did?”
“You appeared out of nowhere.”
“I walked.”
“Very quietly.”
“I wasn't trying to.”
Hyuna smiled.
“Sure.”
Luka gave her a small, offended look before walking closer.
“You're still awake.”
“So are you.”
“I couldn't sleep.”
“Why?”
He shrugged.
“I don't know.”
Hyuna studied him.
There was something different about Luka tonight.
Not necessarily wrong.
Just... quieter.
She pushed herself away from the wall.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere less depressing.”
He stared at her.
“This entire place is depressing.”
“Exactly. So let's find the least depressing part.”
Luka laughed.
It was quiet.
But genuine.
Hyuna smiled.
There.
That was better.
She reached out without thinking.
Her fingers wrapped gently around his wrist.
Luka looked down at her hand.
Then back at her.
Hyuna suddenly realized what she'd done.
She could have let go.
Instead, she tightened her grip slightly.
“Come on.”
Luka didn't object.
He simply followed.
---
They ended up on a narrow balcony overlooking the empty training area.
It wasn't much of a view.
There were no stars.
No real sky.
Just the artificial lights stretching across the distant walls.
Still, Hyuna liked it.
Maybe because nobody came here.
Maybe because it was one of the few places where she could pretend, for a few minutes, that they weren't trapped inside a world that demanded something from them every second.
Luka sat on the floor.
Hyuna joined him.
Their shoulders touched.
Neither moved away.
“You know,” Hyuna said, “I think you're getting softer.”
Luka turned toward her.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“You laughed at my joke.”
“It wasn't a joke.”
“It was absolutely a joke.”
“It was terrible.”
“And yet you laughed.”
Luka looked away.
Hyuna grinned.
“Got you.”
“You're annoying.”
“You like me.”
There was a pause.
Luka glanced at her.
Hyuna's grin faltered.
For once, she wasn't sure whether she'd gone too far.
Then Luka smiled.
“Maybe.”
Her heart skipped.
She looked away quickly.
“Maybe?”
“Maybe.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It's the answer you're getting.”
Hyuna laughed under her breath.
Their shoulders pressed together again.
This time, neither of them pretended it was accidental.
For a while, they simply sat there.
No music.
No audience.
No expectations.
Just the two of them.
Eventually, Luka's head tipped sideways.
It landed against Hyuna's shoulder.
Hyuna froze.
Luka didn't seem to notice.
His eyes had closed.
“You tired?”
“Mhm.”
“Then go to sleep.”
“Here?”
“Why not?”
He shifted slightly, making himself more comfortable against her.
Hyuna stared straight ahead.
Her cheeks were burning.
She carefully rested her head against his.
“Idiot,” she whispered.
Luka smiled faintly.
“You're warm.”
“Don't get used to it.”
“I might.”
Hyuna smiled.
“Fine.”
And for a few precious minutes, everything felt normal.
---
Across the hall, Hyunwoo stood alone.
He hadn't intended to stop.
He'd been looking for Luka.
That was all.
At least, that was what he told himself.
Then he'd seen them.
Hyuna and Luka.
Sitting together.
Close enough that Luka's head rested on her shoulder.
Hyunwoo stopped walking.
His fingers curled around the edge of the doorway.
He watched.
Luka looked peaceful.
Hyunwoo knew that expression.
He had seen it before.
Not often.
But enough.
It was the expression Luka wore when he felt safe.
Hyunwoo swallowed.
He should leave.
He knew that.
Instead, he stayed.
Because there was something cruel about seeing the person you loved happy.
It hurt.
But it also made you want to smile.
Hyunwoo looked down.
He remembered all the little things.
The times Luka had fallen asleep beside him.
The times he'd reached for Hyunwoo's hand when he was nervous.
The quiet conversations.
The shared meals.
The smiles.
The small, meaningless touches that Hyunwoo had turned into something much bigger in his own mind.
He had always known.
Luka had never promised him anything.
Not once.
Hyunwoo was the one who had built a home out of moments that had never belonged to him.
And now Luka was building something with someone else.
Hyunwoo closed his eyes.
It was fine.
It had to be.
He loved Luka.
That meant wanting him to be happy.
Even if that happiness had nothing to do with him.
He stepped away from the doorway.
He didn't notice Luka's eyes opening.
---
“Hyunwoo?”
Hyuna looked up.
Luka was still beside her.
He rubbed his eyes.
“Where are you going?”
Hyunwoo stopped.
He hadn't realized Luka had seen him.
He turned around.
“Nowhere.”
“You were leaving.”
“I was.”
“Why?”
Hyunwoo smiled.
“Because you two looked comfortable.”
Hyuna raised an eyebrow.
“That's suspiciously considerate.”
“Someone has to be.”
“Hey.”
Luka laughed.
Hyunwoo smiled.
There it was again.
That smile.
The one he loved.
The one that made everything hurt.
Hyunwoo walked toward them.
“You should sleep, Luka.”
“I wasn't sleeping.”
“You were literally using Hyuna as a pillow.”
“I was resting.”
Hyuna snorted.
“Sure.”
Luka glared at her.
Hyunwoo laughed softly.
For a moment, it almost felt normal.
Like the three of them were simply friends.
Like nothing was wrong.
Like Hyunwoo's heart wasn't slowly breaking.
Then Luka reached toward him.
“Come here.”
Hyunwoo blinked.
“What?”
“Come sit.”
He hesitated.
Then sat beside Luka.
There wasn't much room.
Their knees touched.
Hyunwoo stared at the floor.
Luka leaned against him.
“See?”
Hyunwoo looked at him.
“See what?”
“We can all fit.”
Hyuna laughed.
“Barely.”
“You're the one taking up all the space.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“No, I'm not.”
Luka smiled.
Hyunwoo smiled too.
He hated how easy it was.
How a tiny gesture from Luka could make him forget everything.
For a moment, Hyunwoo let himself pretend.
Just for a moment.
---
Later that night, Hyuna found Luka in the hallway.
He was standing alone.
She walked toward him.
“You okay?”
He nodded.
“Yeah.”
“You're lying.”
He looked at her.
“I'm tired.”
“That's not what I asked.”
Luka was quiet.
Hyuna stepped closer.
“Talk to me.”
He looked down.
“I don't know what I'm supposed to do.”
“About what?”
“Everything.”
Hyuna's expression softened.
She reached for his hand.
This time, Luka didn't hesitate.
His fingers intertwined with hers.
“You don't have to know.”
Luka looked at their hands.
“That's easy for you to say.”
“No, it isn't.”
He looked at her.
Hyuna squeezed his hand.
“We're all scared.”
Luka's expression softened.
“You are?”
“Obviously.”
“You never look scared.”
Hyuna laughed quietly.
“That's because I'm good at pretending.”
Luka smiled.
She looked at him.
Then, slowly, she brought their joined hands closer.
“You don't have to pretend with me.”
Luka stared at her.
For once, he had no answer.
So he simply squeezed her hand.
Hyuna smiled.
“See?”
“See what?”
“You're getting better.”
“At what?”
“Letting people help you.”
He looked down.
“Maybe.”
Hyuna laughed.
“That's your favorite word.”
“Maybe.”
She bumped her shoulder against his.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“Bed.”
Luka raised an eyebrow.
Hyuna immediately realized how that sounded.
“To sleep!”
“I didn't say anything.”
“You were thinking it.”
“I wasn't.”
“You absolutely were.”
He laughed.
Hyuna smiled.
She pulled him along by the hand.
Neither of them noticed Hyunwoo standing farther down the hallway.
He watched their joined hands.
And this time, he didn't stay.
---
The next morning, Hyunwoo found Luka sitting alone.
“You're up early.”
Luka looked over.
“So are you.”
“Couldn't sleep.”
“Again?”
Hyunwoo shrugged.
Luka moved over.
“Sit.”
Hyunwoo sat.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Luka rested his head against Hyunwoo's shoulder.
Hyunwoo froze.
His heart hurt.
But he didn't move.
“You know,” Luka murmured, “you're always there.”
Hyunwoo looked down at him.
“Someone has to be.”
“I'm glad it's you.”
Hyunwoo smiled.
It was small.
“Me too.”
Luka closed his eyes.
Hyunwoo stared ahead.
He could have told him.
He could have said everything.
He could have confessed that every touch meant more to him than it should.
That every smile made him fall a little harder.
That watching Luka hold Hyuna's hand hurt.
That sometimes he wished Luka would look at him and realize.
But he wouldn't.
Because he knew Luka.
And loving Luka meant understanding him.
It meant knowing when to hold on.
And knowing when to let go.
Hyunwoo looked at Luka's sleeping face.
Then smiled.
“Take care of her,” he whispered.
Luka stirred.
“Who?”
“Hyuna.”
He smiled sleepily.
“I will.”
Hyunwoo looked away.
“Good.”
---
That afternoon, Hyuna found Luka waiting outside.
He held out his hand.
She stared at it.
“What?”
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere.”
“Very descriptive.”
He smiled.
She took his hand.
Their fingers intertwined.
And they walked away together.
Behind them, Hyunwoo watched.
He smiled.
It still hurt.
Maybe it always would.
But he was glad.
Because Luka was smiling.
And Hyuna was smiling.
And, for the first time, Hyunwoo understood something.
Sometimes love wasn't about being chosen.
Sometimes it was simply about having the courage to reach out your hand.
Even when you already knew who the other person would take it from.
Hyunwoo turned away.
He put his hands in his pockets.
And walked in the opposite direction.
Behind him, Luka laughed.
Hyuna laughed louder.
Their voices echoed down the hallway.
Hyunwoo smiled to himself.
“Take my hand,” he whispered.
But this time, he wasn't asking Luka.
He was reminding himself that someday, somehow, he would keep walking.
Even if he had to do it alone.