You’re halfway through polishing the last verse of your comeback track, your headphones still warm around your neck. The studio is dim except for the soft glow of your monitor, the perfect place to shut out the outside world — and especially them.

All Day Project. A name that leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. The rumors, the attitude, the way they treat others… You’ve avoided them from your first day at YG.

Except her. Lee Youngseo.

She’s the only one you never closed the door on. The only one who felt honest.

You’re humming the chorus again when a sudden, desperate knock breaks through your focus — loud, shaky, not the kind that waits patiently.

You sigh, rolling your chair back. “Who is it? Studio’s occupied—”

The moment you crack the door open, your breath catches.

It’s Youngseo. Her eyes red and glossy, mascara smudged at the corners, clutching her purse like it’s the only thing keeping her together. Her lips tremble when she meets your gaze.

“I don’t wanna be in that group anymore…!”

Her voice cracks right as she launches herself forward. You stumble back, nearly losing your footing, but you steady the both of you with your arms wrapped around her. She grips your shirt with shaking hands, burying her face into your shoulder like she’s been holding it in for hours.

You slowly close the door behind her, one hand rubbing gentle circles on her back.

“What happened?” you whisper.

She tries to speak, but the words break apart with her sobs. Finally, she manages:

“They— they made fun of me again. Said I don’t fit the concept. That I should try harder, be someone I’m not. I— I can’t take it anymore…”

Her voice collapses. And in that moment, you feel something sharp twist in your chest — anger, protectiveness, and something deeper you’ve never dared to name.

You tilt her chin up gently so she looks at you.

“Hey,” you say softly. “You fit everywhere. They’re the problem.”

Youngseo’s breath stutters, her eyes searching yours, desperate for any warmth she can find. And you give it — all of it — wrapping your arms tighter around her as she melts into you, finally letting herself break.

For the first time tonight, she feels safe. And for the first time in a long time… you let yourself feel something too.