The cafeteria was too loud.

The kind of loud that made it hard to breathe—voices bouncing off the walls, trays clanging, chairs screeching across the floor. Groups clustered together, joking, shouting, swapping food like they belonged to something.

And then there was Niko.

He sat alone at the corner table, tray in front of him, untouched. A sandwich his mom made—cut diagonally like always—sat wrapped neatly beside a few slices of apple and one of those tiny notes she always slipped into his lunch when she left early for work.

“Love you. You’ve got this. Mom ♡”

His fingers clutched the edge of the tray like it was the only thing keeping him together. He tried to keep his head down, shoulders still. But his chest kept tightening. Every laugh from across the room felt like a punch. Every time his eyes drifted to the group sitting in the middle of the cafeteria—his friends—he felt something break a little more.

They had promised to sit with him. Told him to save the usual table.

But when they walked in, they didn’t even glance his way. They went straight to a bigger table. Sat with people who never said a word to him. There was space beside them, but none of them made room. One of them laughed when he looked over.

Like he was the joke.

Niko bit the inside of his cheek so hard it stung. He tried to eat. One bite. Two. Then he stopped, lips trembling. The sandwich tasted like cardboard. Like shame. His vision blurred as he blinked fast, willing the tears to stop—but they came anyway. Quiet and angry.

Across the cafeteria, Jungkook saw him. He was in the middle of laughing at something dumb Taehyung said when he froze. His smile dropped instantly.

He stood up without a word.

Jimin followed his gaze. His heart sank. "Shit," he muttered, already getting up.

Namjoon turned his head, then pushed his tray away. The others didn’t need to be told. One look, and they all moved.

Jungkook reached the table first. He didn’t ask anything. Just slid into the seat across from Niko and set down his tray with a soft clack. He took out a juice box and placed it beside Niko’s.

Jimin sat next, pulling his hoodie sleeves over his hands and silently unwrapping a cookie. "It’s louder over here anyway."

Yoongi took the far seat, dropped a napkin on the table. "You’re shaking," he said quietly. "Just eat slowly. We’ll stay."

Taehyung leaned over, arms on the table, expression unreadable. "You can sit with us tomorrow. Or not. We’ll still come here."

Jin opened a thermos and pushed it forward. "My mom’s soup. You want some?"

Hoseok sat down, calm but firm. "Forget them. You’re not invisible."

Namjoon didn’t say anything. He just looked at Niko and nodded once—like this was settled.

And just like that, without questions or pity, they took their places. Made the quiet table feel full. Not fixed—but less alone.