It was past midnight when Aru finally slipped out. No manager. No staff. No cameras.
For the first time in weeks,no one is watching. The hoodie was pulled low over his face with Mask on, head down. He shouldn't be here, he knew that.
They both did. But some things didn't listen to logic.
The practice room door was unlocked. Dim light spoiled through the crack. He pushed it open slowly. And there he was, already here . No music playing. No Noise. just Silence.
For a moment, neither of them moved. It felt..unfamiliar.
Standing like this. Not as co-stars. Not as strangers. Just...them.
"You came"Zeyu said. The words were quiet. Careful.
"Yeah"A pause.
"You shouldn't have" Zeyu said.
"I know"was Aru's reply. Neither of them left.
They stood a few steps apart. Too far. Too close.
"You looked fine today."Zeyu said. It wasn't a compliment.
"You too."Another pause.
"You are getting better,"Zeyu added after the silence was too loud to bear. "With him"
There it was.
Sharp.
Unavoidable.
Aru's jaw tightened slightly.
"It's my job"
"Right." Silence again.
Heavier this time.
"Do you hate it?"Aru asked. The question came out softer than expected.
"What?"
"The music, the group. All of it."Aru said.
Zeyu released a breath, slow...uneven.
"What do you think?" That was answer enough. Aru's chest tightened.
"Then why didn't you-"
"Didn't I what?" Zeyu interrupted Aru. The interruption was sudden. Sharp.
"Fight?"he continued, a bitter edge slipping through.
"Refuse? Walk away?"He took a step forward.
"And then what?"his voice dropped.
"Watch everything burn. You think I didn't want to?!"The words hit harder than intended. Echoing in the empty room.
"I-"
"They had everything."Another step closer.
"Contracts, Evidence. Plans." Zeyu's hands clenched.
"They were ready to destroy you."
Silence.
"...So you chose to destroy us instead?" Aru asked. That landed. Hard. For a second, Zeyu didn't speak. Because it wasn't entirely wrong.
"I thought-" his voice faltered.
"I thought if one of us survived...it would be enough."Zeyu whispered.
A laugh escaped Aru. Soft. Broken.
"Survived?"He asked.
"This isn't living."Aru said. Their eyes met fully. No cameras around to see. No scripts. No lies. Just the truth.
"I see you everyday," Zeyu said quieter now.
"On screen. Online. With someone else." A step closer. "And, I have to act like it doesn't matter."Another step. "Like you don't matter."
Now, they were close. Too close.
"You think it is easy for me?"Aru asked. The words came out low. Tense.
"I stand there and pretend-"he stopped himself. Pretend what?That he didn't still look for him in every room. That every touch felt wrong. That every smile felt empty?
"...I hate it" Aru said. The admission hung in the air. Raw. Unfiltered.
"I hate every second of it."Silence.
Then a hand moved. Almost without thinking. Zeyu's hands. Fingers brushing against Aru's sleeve. Light. Careful. Like before everything stilled.
"Then stop" Zeyu said. The words were barely a whisper.
"Let's just...stop." for a second,it felt possible. Run leave. Disappear. Just the two of them.
But reality came crashing back just as fast.
"...We can't" Aru said. Zeyu dropped his hand. Of course they couldn't.
"Do you know what the worst part is?"Zeyu asked. There was no answer.
"They were right."A hollow laugh.
"We really are just...a product,"A pause, a long one this time. "...Then why does it still hurt like this?"
No one answered. Because there wasn't an answer. Footsteps echoed faintly in the hallway. Distant. but enough. They both heard it. Time was up.
They stepped back at the same time. Distance again. Safe... And cold.
"....You should go" Zeyu said.
"Yeah."
Neither of them moved immediately. Like leaving meant something final. Like, this might be the last time.
"...Take care of yourself."Aru said.
The same word as before. But heavier now.
"You too." Zeyu said.
Aru turned and walked away without looking back. Because if he did, he wouldn't be able to leave.
The door closed softly. And just like that Zeyu was alone. They were separated again. But this time it wasn't the company's doing. But reality.