All kinds of thoughts swirled in my head.

I hurriedly sat him down on the building’s flower bed and checked his condition. Pulling down his sock, I pressed around his ankle and asked.

“Exactly where does it hurt?”

“I don’t know, hyung. I think I twisted it.”

Seeing his pale face, it looked like he’d really twisted it badly.

“Hyung, what do I do? If the director finds out, he’ll scold me hard. And the trainers too...”

“Is that what matters right now?”

I sighed at the maknae’s foolish worry. What should I do?

I called Seok-hwan hyung, but there was no answer. The same with Min-gi hyung. After leaving a slew of missed calls, I rubbed my chest in frustration.

For now, I’d act on my own.

“First let’s go to the hospital. We can get an X-ray and if there’s a problem, get it treated.”

“Hyung, I can’t walk, it hurts too much.”

“I’ll support you, so don’t worry.”

The maknae nodded. I bent forward to loop one arm around his small body.

“Okay.”

“Walk carefully.”

Could he have broken a bone?

I saw tears welling at his lashes. He looked scared.

His ankle hurt, and he was probably worried this would jeopardize the debut schedule. Or that he’d be a burden to the hyungs in practice.

Only then did I remember that Ji-ho was seventeen. Not yet an adult. Five years younger than me, the maknae I had to look out for.

“Hang in there.”

I said as we stepped toward the roadside to hail a taxi.

“I’ll get you to the hospital soon.”

We arrived at the university hospital emergency room.

All the other hospitals were closed for the holiday.

The doctor who saw Ji-ho diagnosed it curtly as a mild sprain.

He said if he rested well for a couple of days, he’d be fine, so don’t worry.

We finished paying the bill and stepped outside.

“You okay?”

“After the anti-inflammatory, I feel a bit better.”

His color was much brighter, and I felt some relief.

“Don’t scare me like that. You really gave me a fright.”

“Sorry, hyung.”

It felt strange to hear the maknae apologize instead of cracking a joke about how much I liked him.

“Hyung, but...”

Ji-ho glanced around, then asked cautiously.

“Are you going to tell the others? The hyungs or the trainers?”

“I have to. Min-gi hyung will come pick you up tomorrow morning—what am I supposed to tell him? Can you go down stairs?”

“Just a sec.”

He tried standing and took a few steps, then sat back down.

“I don’t think so.”

“Don’t worry about it. Missing a day or two because of an injury—who’s going to complain?”

“Even if they don’t scold me, their nagging terrifies me. If Biju hyung sees this, he’ll nag me for a week. No, for a month—following me like a babysitter every time I go down stairs.”

“Look on the bright side. That just means we’re taking care of you.”

“I’m not a baby.”

I stared at the chocolate milk in his hand. Ji-ho cleared his throat to change the subject.

“Then let’s come up with a story together, hyung. Say I slipped because I had no choice, not texting on my phone. For example, I got injured during dance practice.”

“Why are you so afraid of hearing that?”

“Just...”

Ji-ho mumbled.

“I hate seeing disappointment in people’s eyes.”

“Don’t worry, no one will be disappointed over this.”

Even if there was a problem, I would take responsibility. Though I hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

“If anyone says anything, I’ll step in for you.”

His eyes blinked as he looked at me with a strange expression I couldn’t quite read.

Just as Ji-ho’s lips parted to speak:

“Wang Ji-ho!”

A thunderous shout erupted, reverberating with diaphragm power. People turned to look, and someone stood there.

Why was he here?

A sharp-featured young man in a striped shirt and black jeans approached with a frantic face.

“You okay? Are you hurt? Who did this?”

“Ri-hyeok, why are you here?”

Ri-hyeok whipped his head around at my question.

“What happened?”

Why was he overreacting? His shirt was stained with sweat, and aside from his flushed cheeks, his face was pale. I knew he cared about Ji-ho, but this reaction seemed too much for a simple sprained ankle.

“They said you couldn’t walk again?”

“What?”

Ri-hyeok and I blinked at each other. Then, realizing something was off, we both turned to look at him.

The maknae averted his eyes.

“Wang Ji-ho.”

“...Yes?”

“Hurry up and explain.”

Ri-hyeok and I crossed our arms and glared down at Ji-ho sitting in the chair.

“Well... I told Ri-hyeok hyung I was hurt and said I was at a hospital... and that I couldn’t walk again.”

“Don’t lie. Did you send it to me?”

“I was going to send it like that, but I stopped midway in the taxi because it hurt.”

So he’d groaned about being hurt but still texted Ri-hyeok in the taxi—omitting “won’t walk” and just writing “I think.”

While I clicked my tongue, Ji-ho waited to see Ri-hyeok’s reaction. Ri-hyeok was getting angrier by the second.

“Hey, so now you’re acting like it’s a week-long injury... when it’ll heal in a week...”

“It’s two days, not a week.”

Ji-ho glared at me resentfully for interrupting.

“So is your leg fine?”

“It hurts a bit.”

“Right. If it’s fine, that’s all that matters.”

Ri-hyeok mumbled as he cooled down. Just when I thought we’d gotten through it safely, Ri-hyeok narrowed his eyes.

“Wait, Wang Ji-ho. Isn’t that my shirt?”

“No, hyung. I think...”

“It is my shirt. You said you couldn’t borrow it because it was new.”

Ri-hyeok’s head snapped almost ninety degrees toward me, conviction in his eyes.

“You knew?”

“Uh, I didn’t. I just didn’t bother noticing.”

Great. Of course I knew but was too lazy to care. If this had been any other day I’d have scolded him for forgetting something so obvious, but thankfully Ri-hyeok’s anger was directed at Ji-ho.

If we stayed quiet it would pass, but Ji-ho wasn’t one to stay quiet.

“Hyung, you said you’d step in for me—aaaah!”

“You crazy kid!”

Ji-ho got spanked like a kid caught at an internet cafe, crying out for rescue.

“Hyung, you said you’d step in—aaaah!”

Naturally.

“Oh, a call from the director.”

I cheerfully ignored him.

– What happened?

“It’s nothing serious. I went out with Ji-ho for a bit and he sprained his ankle.”

Silence on the other end of the line.

Scary.

I quickly explained the situation according to the facts.

– How’s his condition? Serious?

“Not serious. The doctor says with anti-inflammatories and two days’ rest he’ll be fine.”

– That’s a relief. How did he fall?

Cold sweat trickled down my neck.

“He caught his sneaker in a gap in the paving stones. Anyway, there were ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) circumstances.”

– The hospital?

“We’re at the university hospital in Sinchon.”

– Thank goodness it’s nothing. Is Ji-ho okay?

I saw Ji-ho sitting on a bench getting spanked. (“I left because I was watching a robot vacuum!” “I’m a patient!”)

I looked around worriedly but thankfully no one was watching.

“Ji-ho seems fine. Sorry for worrying you on your day off. I didn’t know who to rely on at that moment.”

– Right. Who else would you call?

A pleasant voice came through the receiver.

– Call me again when you get back to the dorm. Even if you want to play more, get back early. You’ll get hurt if you’re out on a day off. Your body is your asset, you know? (“Who is this?”)

“I got it... Huh? Hyung, I think I just heard a woman’s voice—who is that?”

– On a date, you dummy.

I thought I should hang up, but my curiosity got the better of me.

“Is she real?”

– You’re too much.

Laughter sounded over the line.

– I’ll message your PT trainer later. Tell him to make sure you focus on training so you don’t get distracted.

“Ah, um...”

– Talk again later.

I felt like I’d been teased to no gain. I texted Min-gi hyung not to worry, then approached the bench where the boys sat.

Things were calm now.

“How are you feeling, Ri-hyeok? Is your anger gone?”

“Anger? I want to hit him more. I left the expo for him, you know. It was a robot vacuum with new tech.”

“I can buy you that robot vacuum.”

“It’s not on sale yet. Didn’t you hear it’s first demo at this expo?”

I didn’t understand his point of anger, but so be it.

“He’s a patient. He’s been spanked so much I might need a spine surgeon. What is it, Woo-joo? Spine surgery.”

“Orthopedics.”

“Oh, right. I should go to orthopedics.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Sir, teach me that judo throw. I need it now.”

I told them about my call with Seok-hwan hyung. Ji-ho looked relieved he wasn’t in trouble, and Ri-hyeok complained that careless kids like him deserved scolding.

But they shared the same reaction to one detail.

“Seok-hwan hyung’s on a date with his girlfriend right now.”

“Girlfriend? She’s real?”

“Yeah. I asked him.”

“What’d he say?”

“That he texted the PT trainer to push us harder.”

Both younger brothers shot me reproachful looks. I pointed to the café on the first floor.

“Let’s go get something to drink.”

“Okay. My heart’s still racing—need something to calm it.”

“...I’ll buy it.”

As I moved to help Ji-ho up from the bench, he shook his head.

“I want Ri-hyeok hyung to support me.”

“Why?”

“You’re taller. It’s easier if someone small supports me.”

Ri-hyeok’s face cracked a smile.

Only after presenting the priciest piece of cake at the café did Ri-hyeok calm down.

“So, when you were out with that guy, did anyone recognize you?”

“No. Not a single person. I even brought something for autographs.”

Next to the pouting maknae, I chimed in.

“He even brought sunglasses to cosplay as a celebrity.”

“Sunglasses? You’re not some show-off.”

“You brought them this morning, hyung.”

“...I brought them to protect my eyes.”

We chatted for a bit. Ri-hyeok seemed to relax more and more, until eventually, when he handed Ji-ho the clothes he’d bought as a gift, he was completely at ease.

As Ri-hyeok took the bag, his lips twitched.

“Huh? Isn’t that Jun-hyun hyung and Biju hyung over there?”

I blinked at the maknae’s words. What was he talking about?

“Did they replay Music Café? I don’t see a TV.”

“No. Over there—Jun-hyun hyung and Biju hyung.”

“What are you saying?”

I turned and nearly jumped out of my skin.

There, standing a little distance away, were really Biju and Jun-hyun. They were talking about something and then Biju wandered off. Jun-hyun started walking toward us.

“Did they call them too?”

“No. There’s no way I’d call Biju hyung. He’d only nag me.”

It seemed Jun-hyun hadn’t noticed us yet. Just as I was about to tell the others not to act like they knew them, Ji-ho suddenly stood up, waving cheerfully.

“Jun-hyun hyung!”

Jun-hyun’s leisurely stride halted. After three seconds, he turned toward us with a startled expression.

“An American football coach once said that whether it’s a sports team or office staff, if you can’t trust each other, you’re in trouble. And Ralph Waldo Emerson said distrust is a very expensive price to pay.”

“.......”

“You said you were going to play basketball with Biju hyung. Do they play basketball at hospitals these days?”

At Ri-hyeok’s logical argument, Jun-hyun was struck dumb. Then he looked at me, seeking help.

Why did they always look at me like that?

“Jun-hyun might have his reasons.”

“Then what reasons are those?”

Jun-hyun’s Adam’s apple bobbed under Ri-hyeok’s steely gaze.

Suddenly I remembered meeting the members for the first time. Jun-hyun had seemed like a charismatic eldest brother—handsome, athletic. Yet he was the gentlest of all. I’d never seen him use his strength even jokingly.

“Jun-hyun hyung, you and I have known each other since trainee days for over three years. That’s enough time to build trust.”

“Ri-hyeok, there are some circumstances.”

“Then tell us what they are.”

Ri-hyeok glanced at me and Ji-ho.

“There have been odd things lately but we let them slide. Biju hyung’s been spacing out daily. He even burned his breakfast recently. When things get this strange, don’t we need to know?”

Jun-hyun thought for a moment, then looked back at me.

“What do you think, Woo-joo?”

“Well, it’s tricky. I empathize with wanting to respect personal privacy, but the problem is we already saw them. It’s awkward to pretend nothing happened.”

It would be foolish to chalk it up to just Biju’s personal business and ignore it. And pretending nothing happened back at the dorm would be equally awkward. Jun-hyun stared at the table, then sighed.

“Oh, Biju will hate this if he finds out...”

Ri-hyeok and I leaned in to listen. Ji-ho just blinked between us and took a sip of his frappuccino.

“Biju came because his younger sibling is hospitalized.”

“Sibling?”

A look of internal conflict passed over Jun-hyun’s face once more. After a long silence, he spoke.

“My sibling has cancer.”

Ji-ho spat out his frappuccino.