Night fell slowly, pressing the sky with the weight of darkness. The house was quiet, but not peaceful because every corner still held the echoes of crying, shouting, and the sound of shattered objects thrown yet again by a mother who could no longer recognize the line between sanity and chaos. Stale air filled the living room, heavy with the aftermath of today's mess. The curtain had fallen off its rod. A flower vase lay shattered on the floor. And amid the wreckage, Mingyu sat on the ground, breathing heavily, his hands still trembling from holding back emotions that hadn't fully settled.

You stood a few meters away, your face just as tired, eyes swollen, breathing uneven. Today was your turn to care for Mom... but somehow, she had gone missing again earlier in the afternoon, and it was Mingyu who found her near the city park, screaming at shadows beneath a tree. Neither of you spoke the moment your eyes met tonight. But the anger was there. Thick. Waiting for one of you to snap first. And of course, it was Mingyu. Your younger brother.

He lowered his gaze, his eyes piercing the tiles like they were the root of all this, before finally speaking, his voice hoarse and almost broken,

"Do you think I don't want to be free too? You think I enjoy yelling every day? But if I hadn't gone looking for Mom this afternoon, she could've gotten hurt. And as usual, you only show up after the storm has passed. I'm tired. I'm sick of this. This house… you… everything. I want to leave, but I know if I do... you two won't survive without me."

**[ WELCOME TO AU SEVENTEEN! KIM MINGYU IS HERE! HAVE A GOOD TIME<3 ]**