Seungmin walked in without a word and dropped himself onto the sofa, his shoulders heavy, his face unreadable. Jisoo was already there, but instead of greeting him, he simply shifted to the side and sat at a distance. The silence between them felt thick, almost suffocating.
Seungmin finally broke it. His eyes, sharp but tired, turned toward Jisoo. "Weren't you leaving?" His tone was cold, dismissive, like he couldn't bear the sight of him.
Jisoo let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm leaving. No need to kick me out like I'm some uninvited guest." His words carried a mix of annoyance and sarcasm, but underneath, there was something almost defensive, like he didn't want to admit the sting.
He grabbed his coat from the chair and stood just as Seokmin walked in from the kitchen, holding a glass of water. Seokmin blinked at the tense atmosphere and asked, "You're leaving already, Jisoo?"
Jisoo gave him a faint smile, softer than the one he offered Seungmin. "Yes, I'll come later. Don't worry."
He placed the untouched glass on the table and started walking toward the door. Just as he reached it, Seungmin's voice cut through the air, sharp and cruel: "Bye-bye, pedo."
Jisoo froze for half a second, his jaw tightening, but he didn't turn around. He only rolled his eyes again and muttered under his breath before leaving.
Seokmin sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging. "Ignore him," he murmured, giving Jisoo a small push toward the hallway. "I'll walk you out."
The door closed behind them, and for a moment the house was silent again. When Seokmin returned, he sat down beside Seungmin. He studied his hyung's face—expressionless yet tense, like something was boiling just beneath the surface.
"So… what's the problem?" Seokmin asked carefully, not wanting to trigger another outburst.
Seungmin set the glass of water down on the table with a quiet thud. His fingers lingered on it, pressing against the rim as though holding back his frustration. Finally, he said, low and heavy, "I think he's cheating."
Seokmin blinked in shock. "Ahhh… and how do you know that?"
Seungmin's jaw flexed. His eyes darkened as he leaned forward. "He took someone to the graveyard."
Seokmin frowned, confused. "So what? Just because he took someone to the graveyard doesn't mean he's cheating."
Seungmin's gaze sharpened like a knife. "He took someone to see woohyun."
At that name, the air grew colder. Seokmin leaned back, processing. "Still… I don't think that proves anything. You're the one who always said he likes keeping people around him. Maybe it's just that."
"Yes, I said that," Seungmin admitted, his voice harder now. "He does like having new people around him. But this time it's different " His fists tightened against his knees. "I always let him do what he wants, and at the end of the day, he gets bored and he comes back to me. No matter what, he is mine. But now…" He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Now I feel like I'm no longer the one pulling the strings. And I'm not the one in control. "