“It’s quiet.”

Choi Jeho leaned his back against the glass wall.

For all the worry, it was quiet. Even when he briefly peeked into the conference room, Kim Iwol was just sitting there with the same face as always.

But then again, Kim Iwol was strong when it counted. He would whine whenever he opened his mouth during practice, but he was perfect on stage.

If all the chaos he’d caused up until now had been preparation for today, it was understandable enough.

Kim Iwol’s family members, whom they encountered in front of the conference room, looked ordinary. They didn’t smell like alcohol like his father did, nor were they wearing clothes that made one doubt if they were properly washed. Not that their actions could be forgiven just because of that.

Did they really need to follow him?

Choi Jeho looked down at Jeong Seongbin standing next to him. Jeong Seongbin was restless but tried not to look inside out of courtesy.

“Why don’t you go in first?”

At Choi Jeho’s words, Jeong Seongbin’s eyes widened. He thought he had spoken quietly enough, but he busily moved his head, wondering if he had been heard inside.

Choi Jeho lowered his voice even more and said.

“It seems like nothing special will happen, so even if I just stay here alone...”

The sound of a heavy table being roughly pushed interrupted Choi Jeho. His gaze reflexively sought the source of the noise.

“Jeong Seongbin, call the manager hyungs.”

Choi Jeho pushed open the conference room door and rushed in. The severely pushed table, and Kim Iwol with one knee on it, clutching his father’s collar, were shocking enough.

But in Choi Jeho’s eyes, only the man’s hand aiming for Kim Iwol’s head was visible.

“Not the head.”

Choi Jeho grabbed the man’s arm with one hand. With the other, he wrapped his arm around Kim Iwol’s head, pulling him away from the man as if embracing him. He could feel the bumpy scar under his fingertips.

“Do you call yourselves human after doing that?”

Kim Iwol gasped for breath.

Choi Jeho shook off the man’s arm and pulled Kim Iwol down from the table. As soon as his feet touched the floor, Kim Iwol lunged at his father. Shouts and the sound of people gathering rushed in from all sides.

“How do you manage to make a worse choice every single time? Why the hell do you live like that?”

As Choi Jeho grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, Kim Iwol pushed against Choi Jeho with his arm, applying force.

“Let go.”

“Calm down.”

“Why should I?”

He tightened his grip. Even with both arms restrained, Kim Iwol didn’t relent.

Technically, Choi Jeho himself was the type to get angry easily. He didn’t fail to understand Kim Iwol’s feelings.

But he couldn’t just let Kim Iwol go.

If Kim Iwol hurt his head again...... He couldn’t help but think about that.

“Leave him be. If he hits us, we won’t stay still either. We’ll call the police immediately.”

Kim Iwol’s parents looked unfazed. Brushing off their crumpled clothes a couple of times was the extent of their reaction.

“For people who think about the police so promptly, you sure abandoned your child easily. How did you live, scared stiff until the statute of limitations ran out? Did you decide not to abandon me because you experienced that nerve-wracking feeling once?”

Kim Iwol screamed. Even then, Choi Jeho didn’t fully understand what Kim Iwol was saying.

“The important thing is that we continued to raise you.”

“So? You want me to be grateful?”

Kim Iwol’s body trembled. Seeing the veins standing out on the back of his hand, Choi Jeho thought he was gripping him too tightly and loosened his hold—but veins were bulging at his temples too.

“You should have just abandoned me.”

“.......”

“How much noona went through because of you... noona......”

Unable to continue, Kim Iwol clutched his throat and muttered in a hollow voice.

“Why......”

“....Kim Iwol?”

Choi Jeho bent down and examined Kim Iwol’s complexion. The two eyes facing him were staring into empty space.

“Why won’t you even let me say this....”

“Hey, Kim Iwol.”

“If it’s like this, only noona ends up wronged. Noona is......”

The fingertips scratching down his neck turned white with increasing force. Long red marks were left wherever his fingers passed.

“Why, why......!”

Filled with resentment, Kim Iwol screamed. Drops of blood seeped out onto Kim Iwol’s choking neck.

“Hey!”

“I can say this much. I have to make them know what they did!”

Choi Jeho grabbed Kim Iwol’s wrists. Kim Iwol’s hands didn’t relax even after losing autonomy.

When forcibly dragged away from his family, Kim Iwol’s body trembled. His voice cracked miserably. His breathing had long become irregular.

“Not once, but twice. How am I supposed to accept this?”

“.......”

“After all the years of dedication. Trying so hard without hearing a single kind word.”

Words without a subject poured out. At the sound that seemed like he would stop breathing any moment, Choi Jeho looked for a bag.

Choi Jeho hurriedly picked up a paper bag and got up. But he couldn’t approach Kim Iwol immediately.

Seeing Kim Iwol, Choi Jeho’s steps faltered.

“At least to noona, you shouldn’t do that......”

Tears were streaming down Kim Iwol’s flushed face.

Jeong Seongbin appeared belatedly. Seeing Kim Iwol’s state, Jeong Seongbin’s face turned deathly pale.

“Chanyoung hyung, get these people out.”

“We haven’t finished talking yet.”

At Choi Jeho’s words, Kim Iwol’s family stood up in protest. The managers forcibly made the two stand up.

“What more is there to talk about? Look at the kid’s condition. Get up.”

“Decide right now. When are you giving the money?”

“I said stop it!”

Im Chanyoung raised his voice.

“I won’t give it.”

Kim Iwol said, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. The rough motion reddened his skin.

“I can’t give it. Why should I give that to you?”

Even with a face that looked out of it, Kim Iwol’s pronunciation was clear.

“To me, that money was given to me by noona. I have no reason to return it.”

“Do you know that unfilial conduct is subject to severe punishment?”

“If you’re going to sue, go ahead. I’m not scared.”

Saying that, Kim Iwol looked... exhausted rather than used to this situation.

Seeing Kim Iwol curl up his body while breathing loudly enough to be heard all around, the woman clicked her tongue.

“They say it’s easy to get mental illness if you become a celebrity.”

Pyeong Daeyeon, who had come in with them, pushed the backs of the two uninvited guests.

As soon as the outsiders left, Jeong Seongbin ran to Choi Jeho and Kim Iwol.

“Hyung, are you okay?”

“....Headache medicine, please.”

Kim Iwol clutched his head.

“My head hurts. Medicine, please......”

“Get him the medicine he takes. And dressing bandages...... no, just bring the whole first aid kit. There’s water here.”

Jeong Seongbin looked once at Kim Iwol’s neck, once at Choi Jeho’s face, and hurriedly got up.

Perhaps his legs gave way, Kim Iwol slumped to the floor. He was still pressing his temple with one hand.

Kim Iwol’s other hand groped the dusty floor.

“Medicine, me, medicine......”

“Jeong Seongbin said he’d bring it.”

Thinking his fingernails scratching the floor might break, Choi Jeho had no choice but to grip Kim Iwol’s wrist firmly.

“Can’t find it, I guess. Because, I can’t see it well, maybe.”

Kim Iwol stammered.

Just as Choi Jeho was about to stand up, thinking he should give him a glass of water.

“That is... I hid the bottle.”

Kim Iwol said something incomprehensible.

“The Manager disliked it...... so I put it behind the calendar, out of sight. He won’t see it right away. I, I should go find it......”

When he’d heard Kim Iwol was badly hurt, he’d been angry.

When he’d collapsed clutching his chest, he’d been shocked.

And now.....

“Supervisor, I, just to my seat...... please......”

....He was scared. Seeing Kim Iwol with unfocused eyes saying incomprehensible things.

Kim Iwol passed out before Jeong Seongbin could bring the medicine. While the returned Jeong Seongbin covered Kim Iwol with a blanket and applied a bandage to his neck, Choi Jeho couldn’t say anything and supported Kim Iwol’s limp body.

“I can’t focus.”

Lee Cheonghyeon lay down on the practice room floor.

“I’m so distracted.....”

Park Juu and Kang Giyeon didn’t argue with Lee Cheonghyeon’s words. Instead, they turned off the music and quietly sat next to Lee Cheonghyeon.

“Nothing bad will happen, right?”

At the question whose answer was already decided, Kang Giyeon nodded. Lee Cheonghyeon let out a sigh.

“Yeah. Worrying here isn’t going to change anything anyway.”

Lee Cheonghyeon brushed off his pants and stood up. Almost at the same time, the practice room door opened without warning. Park Juu, who was about to ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ turn the music back on, dropped his phone.

Im Chanyoung caught his breath and spoke.

“Guys, let’s stop practice for today and go home early.”

“What?”

Kang Giyeon blinked. Lee Cheonghyeon, who was standing with a blank expression, whispered “Kang Giyeon,” tapped Kang Giyeon’s arm lightly, and packed his things.

The whole way to the parking lot felt chaotic. Lee Cheonghyeon swallowed hard.

“.....What about Iwol hyung?”

Park Juu, sitting in the passenger seat, asked as soon as he fastened his seatbelt.

“He went to the dorm first with Jeho and Seongbin.”

The way Im Chanyoung chose his words was painfully obvious to the three of them.

After that, no one rashly brought up the subject during the ride. There was a lot they wanted to ask, but they held back.

Im Chanyoung, having parked the car in the parking lot, called the members.

“Guys.”

“Yes.”

“If anything happens, don’t worry about the time and contact me immediately. Okay?”

Park Juu, Lee Cheonghyeon, and Kang Giyeon rarely heard such things. Most announcements were sorted out by Jeong Seongbin or Kim Iwol.

Im Chanyoung’s uncharacteristic behavior clearly implied something. That the aforementioned two people were in a situation where they couldn’t even listen to such instructions.

With stiff faces, the three entered. It seemed he’d been sitting on the sofa—Jeong Seongbin came out, his face pale.

“....You’re here?”

It was hard to tell whether he looked exhausted or just overwhelmed. Seeing Jeong Seongbin’s half-dazed face, Park Juu called his friend’s name.

“...Seongbin.”

“.......”

“Are you okay....?”

Jeong Seongbin jerked his head up. But soon, he covered his face with one hand and lowered his gaze.

“I’m sorry. I should... explain things to you, but I don’t think I’m in my right mind right now.”

With his head bowed, Jeong Seongbin spoke with difficulty.

“Iwol hyung is sleeping, so don’t make too much noise, and Juu... if it’s okay, could you spare a moment?”

“......Yeah.”

Park Juu wrapped his arm around Jeong Seongbin’s shoulder. At his glance that said he’d go in first, Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Giyeon gave small nods.

Before the room door even closed, Jeong Seongbin burst into tears.

“....Hyung is so pitiful, what do we do?”

With a voice that made even the listener choke up, Jeong Seongbin said while suppressing his cries.

“I know I shouldn’t pity him carelessly. But, with hyung, it’s just too...”

Jeong Seongbin couldn’t finish his sentence in the end. After the door closed, the living room was engulfed in silence.