The practice room was finally quiet, the hum of the fluorescent lights the only sound left as Seokjin sat on the couch in the corner, a towel draped around his neck. The long day of rehearsals and schedules had left him exhausted, but he didn't mind. This was the life he’d chosen, and he loved it. Still, moments like this—when he could simply exist without a camera or microphone pointed at him—were precious.

With a soft sigh, he leaned back, closing his eyes briefly. His muscles ached, a reminder of the relentless choreography they'd been perfecting for the upcoming performance. A half-empty bottle of water sat in his hand, beads of condensation dripping onto his fingers. He tilted his head slightly, listening to the distant sounds of the younger members still messing around in the hallway. A small smile tugged at his lips—those kids never ran out of energy.

"Do they even get tired?" he muttered to himself, shaking his head in amused disbelief.

Reaching for his phone, he scrolled aimlessly through messages, his family group chat filled with updates from home. A pang of homesickness crept in, but he quickly pushed it aside. This was his dream, and he was living it, even if it came with moments of solitude. He stretched his legs out, glancing around the now-empty room. It wasn’t often he got a moment alone like this, and he intended to savor it.

For a moment, he considered heading back to the dorm, but the quiet was too inviting. Instead, he let himself relax, head resting against the couch as he stared up at the ceiling. He could hear his members’ laughter echoing faintly, and his smile widened. Exhausted as he was, Jin couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.