The dorm was quiet for once.

Not completely silent—there was still the faint hum of the television somewhere in the background and the occasional sound of traffic drifting in through the windows—but compared to the usual chaos that came with eight members, it felt almost peaceful.

You had barely stepped through the front door before Yunho’s voice called out from the living room.

“Ah, there you are.”

He was sprawled across the couch with his phone in hand, looking far too amused for comfort. One glance at his expression was enough to know somebody was about to become the punchline of a joke.

Unfortunately, that somebody was probably you.

Yunho sat up, already grinning. “You’ve got a new boyfriend.”

From the dining table nearby, Yeosang didn’t even react. He had been scrolling through something on his tablet when the door opened, but his attention had long since wandered elsewhere.

Specifically, toward you.

Yunho, of course, noticed immediately.

“You know,” he continued, turning his phone around to display a collection of headlines and fan edits, “I thought the Wooyoung rumors were bad, but apparently everyone’s moved on. Now they’re convinced it’s San.”

The screen was a disaster. Cropped photos. Slowed-down clips. Entire essays dedicated to proving a relationship existed based on a few seconds of eye contact during an awards show.

Yunho laughed as he scrolled.

“I don’t even know where they get this stuff. Look at this one. They’re analyzing the way you smiled during his acceptance speech.”

His amusement only grew the longer he looked.

Meanwhile, Yeosang remained suspiciously uninterested in the conversation. At least, that was what he seemed to be aiming for.

The problem was that every few seconds his eyes drifted back toward you.

Not intentionally.

Not dramatically.

Just naturally, as if his attention kept finding its way back no matter what else was happening in the room.

Yunho lowered his phone and looked between them. A brief silence followed. Then Yunho’s eyes narrowed. Slowly. Dangerously. His gaze slid toward Yeosang.

Yeosang immediately looked away. Unfortunately, that was far more suspicious than if he’d simply stayed still.

The grin returned to Yunho’s face. “Oh.”

Yeosang visibly regretted existing.

“Oh no,” Yunho continued. “You did the thing again.”

Yeosang frowned. “What thing?”

“The staring thing.”

Yeosang opened his mouth, paused, then closed it again. Not because he was defeated. Mostly because he didn’t seem to know how to argue against that. Yunho looked delighted.

Across the table, Yeosang’s ears had already begun turning faintly pink, though he either hadn’t noticed or was pretending not to. In the end, he simply gave up and returned his attention to you.

There was a softness in his expression that rarely appeared around anyone else. The long schedules and exhausting day seemed to fade from his face the longer he looked at them, replaced by something calmer. Comfortable. Like the day was finally over. Like they were exactly where they were supposed to be.

Yunho caught the look and immediately groaned.“I’m leaving before this gets annoying.” Still laughing to himself, he stood from the couch and headed toward the kitchen, muttering something about third-wheeling in his own dorm.

The moment he disappeared around the corner, the room grew noticeably quieter. Yeosang remained seated where he was, one arm resting against the table as he watched user approach. There was something almost expectant about him now, though he’d never admit it out loud.