Chapter 6
Morning came, and the rest of Team Rhythm arrived at the hospital to check on Daisuke. They walked down the hall, chatting casually, but as they neared his room, they all suddenly stopped in their tracks.
“…Whoa.”
Right outside the hospital room, JL was fast asleep, leaning against Yangyang’s shoulder. Yangyang, too, had dozed off, his head resting lightly against JL’s.
For a moment, nobody moved. Then…
Juwon grinned and instinctively pulled out his phone. “This is too good…”
“Dude, no!” Shuabo whispered sharply, trying to stop him.
But the soft chatter was enough to stir Yangyang awake. His brows furrowed as he blinked himself back to consciousness, still groggy. But the moment he looked up and saw his team standing there, wide-eyed and looking way too suspicious… he froze.
“What… are you guys doing?” His voice was hoarse from sleep.
Nobody answered. They were all staring at something, or rather, someone. Yangyang followed their gaze and finally realized it.
JL was still sleeping against his shoulder.
Yangyang stiffened. His mind raced for an explanation, but before he could say anything, a nurse walked up to check on Daisuke, pushing past the group.
The movement must have woken JL because he suddenly stirred, eyes fluttering open. He stretched slightly before glancing up at the group of guys standing there, all staring at him. “…What are you all doing?” he mumbled sleepily.
Then, as his brain caught up, he felt the weight against his side.
He turned his head, only to see Yangyang sitting beside him, looking away awkwardly.
JL instantly sat up straight, his face heating up. Oh. Oh. He had been sleeping on Yangyang’s shoulder this whole time.
Silence. The air was awkward. Nobody knew what to say.
Yangyang cleared his throat first, standing up. “I should, uh, check something with the staff.”
JL quickly nodded. “Right… um, thank you mentor-nim.”
Yangyang gave him a small, smile before walking off.
The second he disappeared, the team immediately turned on JL.
“So…” Shuabo smirked. “Care to explain what that was?”
“There’s nothing to explain,” JL said quickly, standing up and brushing past them. “I’m going inside to check on Daisuke.”
The guys shared knowing looks before following him inside, laughing and whispering among themselves.
But one person stayed behind.
Steven.
He stood in the hallway, watching the door JL had just walked through, his expression unreadable. His jaw clenched slightly, fingers tightening at his sides.
It was subtle, but in his eyes, there was something conflicted. And maybe, just maybe… a little bit of jealousy.