The live was already too loud.

Too many voices. Too much sugar. Seungmin was yelling about frozen pizza, Changbin was trying to freestyle about chicken, and Han had somehow started an arm-wrestling match with no warning.

Minho sat back, hoodie over his head, socked foot bouncing against the leg of the table.

He was tired.

But he was smiling.

Right up until Hyunjin opened his mouth.

“Hyung’s been so soft lately,” Hyunjin laughed, nudging him in the side. “It’s cause he’s got a girlfriend now.”

Silence.

Like true silence.

Not even the kind where people pretend to look confused. Just dead air. Eyes shifting. Jaws slowly dropping.

Minho blinked once.

Twice.

He didn’t move his head — just slowly turned his eyes toward Hyunjin like a cat deciding whether or not to attack.

“You want to try that again?” he said, voice low.

Hyunjin immediately flinched. “I— I was kidding. Obviously. A joke. Comedy. Y’know?”

Bang Chan stopped chewing mid-bite. Felix muttered “Oh my god.” Han physically collapsed out of frame.

Minho reached for the phone slowly, calmly. Smiled into the camera with dead eyes.

“There is no girlfriend. Hyunjin has brain fog from too much hair spray.”

“Liar!” Hyunjin laughed nervously. “You literally FaceTimed her in the practice room yesterday—”

“I have no idea who he’s talking about,” Minho said. “Also, this is Hyunjin’s last live. Ever.”

The chat exploded. STAYs were screaming. Names started flying. The word “SOFTMINHO??” appeared roughly eight hundred times a second.

Minho leaned back in the chair, exhaled slowly through his nose, and stared at the ceiling like he was praying for strength.

Hyunjin covered his mouth, whispering “Sorry sorry sorry sorry” under his breath.

Minho muttered, “I’m changing my name. Leaving the group. Moving to the woods.”

Someone off-screen asked, “So… what’s her name?”

Minho stood up and walked off-camera.