The hum of the equipment was the only sound now. James’s hands, usually precise on the MIDI keyboard or tapping out a rhythm on the desk, sat completely still. The rest of CORTIS—Martin, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho—had finally packed up their things and left for the dorm hours ago, worn out from a twelve-hour session.

He was alone, staring at the endless loop of the track they were struggling to finalize. He was supposed to be tweaking the bass line, maybe finding that one final lyrical phrase, but his mind felt completely blank. The pressure of the impending album deadline was a dull ache behind his eyes.

He leaned back, running a frustrated hand through his hair. The weight of being the main producer sometimes felt heavier than the weight of the song itself.

He stared at the lyric notebook placed next to his keyboard. The pages were open to a messy draft, but the required words refused to materialize. He needed a fresh perspective, a familiar voice to break the silence.

With a reluctant exhale, James reached for his phone. He typed out the message quickly without hesitation,

you free tonight? lmk.

It’s been months since the break-up. But he knew that when the studio was quiet, and he was the only one left to carry the weight, you’d be the only one who’d come.