“What if my insomnia gets worse because of me? Then Taeyoon hyung won’t be able to compose, we won’t release albums before our contract expires, and I’ll be distracted and keep messing up my lines until I get cut from the drama. Is that what you want?”
Despite Yuho’s firm refusal, Inhan continued his persistent persuasion with ridiculous reasons about why they should be roommates.
“I can hear everything, Jung Inhan.”
Taylor (Shin Taeyoon), sitting in the front seat, warned Inhan verbally with his eyes closed. At twenty-six, Taylor was the second oldest after Jueon and was both the leader and the real authority in the group.
“See? Taylor hyung has good hearing. For everyone’s peace, I think Hyo hyung should take me in.”
“Yeah, Yuho-ya. Please take that guy away. I’m sick of him.”
Now even Taylor was encouraging Inhan.
Despite his words, Taylor and Inhan had been roommates for eight years without even a minor argument.
In fact, among fans, the second most popular pairing after NanYeom was “MeDanz” or “Roomz,” referring to Inhan x Taylor, nicknamed NanTe.
“Don’t say that, Taylor hyung. Yuho hyung belongs to me.”
Even in this situation, Yeomin didn’t forget to claim ownership of Seon Yuho from Taylor.
“Suhyung hyung.”
With no one to take his side, Yuho called out to their manager as a last resort.
“Oh. Yes, Yuho-ya. What is it?”
“I can’t move out and live on my own, right?”
“Of course not. Just give up, Yuho-ya. The maknaes love you so much, what can you do? I’ll suggest that the three of you share a room in the next dorm.”
“What?”
After apparently listening to the conversation, their manager offered an absurd solution before focusing on driving again.
Why is there not a single person who takes me seriously?
Yuho felt like he had been abandoned alone in a desert.
“That sounds good. The three of us sharing a room.”
“Oh! Not bad.”
Meanwhile, Inhan and Yeomin were responding positively to the manager’s casual suggestion.
Feeling helpless, Yuho plugged his earphones back into his ears and closed his eyes.
Nothing seemed to go his way.
* * *
“Why are you here now?”
Yuho stood at the doorway, staring at Inhan lying on the bottom bunk.
It was quite a sight to see him lying on his side, occupying the bed as if it were his own.
Yeomin, on the top bunk, had already passed out from exhaustion after the concert.
Yuho asked Inhan:
“Why aren’t you sleeping yet? I told you to go to sleep first.”
“I can’t sleep until you come.”
Inhan had his back against the wall, leaving space for Yuho to enter. When Yuho turned off the lights, Inhan turned on the night light and patted the empty space on the bed. The roles seemed completely reversed.
“Come closer.”
Yuho approached the bed and spoke to Inhan.
Inhan and Yeomin had to leave the dorm in five hours for a variety show schedule they were both appearing on.
He should be sleeping on the outside to make it easier to get out of bed, but today Inhan was deliberately occupying the wall side.
“Just lie down here.”
“Are you planning to wake me up when you leave?”
“Hurry.”
At Inhan’s urging, Yuho reluctantly lay down on the bed. Since Inhan wouldn’t let him turn his back, he had to lie facing him.
Inhan naturally reached for Yuho’s nape and waist, pulling him into an embrace.
“It might be nice to wake you up and get a proper send-off, but I also don’t want to disturb you when you’re sleeping soundly.”
Saying this, Inhan rolled half a turn while holding Yuho. Before Yuho could resist, his face was pressed against Inhan’s chest as he was moved to the opposite side.
“What are you doing?”
Startled by the sudden forced relocation, Yuho hit Inhan’s back with a thud. Inhan was too busy giggling, amused by something.
What a scatterbrain. Yuho found it difficult to understand Inhan’s thought process.
“You smell good, hyung.”
“We smell exactly the same, you know?”
Despite Yuho’s retort, Inhan rubbed his face against Yuho’s hair, letting out a contented chuckle.
Trapped in Inhan’s muscular arms, Yuho couldn’t bear the discomfort and pinched Inhan’s forearm.
“Ah!” With a short cry, Inhan’s arms around Yuho loosened.
“Why are you like this?”
“Like what?”
“Why do you keep trying to break free? You promised you wouldn’t.”
“It’s hard.”
Yuho made an excuse about Inhan’s muscles and pushed against his chest. Surprised by Yuho’s comment, Inhan looked down at him, but Yuho kept his head lowered.
“Oh. Should I stop building muscle? Is it uncomfortable?”
“Have you ever considered the option of not hugging me?”
“Why would I ever consider that option?”
“What about respecting my personal space?”
“Why should we maintain such boundaries between us?”
Yuho was momentarily speechless at Inhan’s illogical insistence.
What exactly does he think of me?
Colleague? Family? Friend? Whatever it was, Yuho didn’t like it.
“Will you act like this in front of your girlfriend too?”
Yuho brushed off Inhan’s hand from his shoulder, annoyed.
Though he felt pathetic for bringing up a girlfriend, Yuho needed shock therapy right now.
“What’s wrong with doing this in front of a girlfriend?”
You’re not a woman.
The unspoken sentence was so obvious that Yuho was momentarily at a loss for words.
He had prepared himself for this response, but the pain in his chest felt the same.
Your words carry so much weight.
Today, once again, Yuho was like a frog dying from a stone carelessly thrown by Inhan.
“They might not like it. Whether it’s a man or a woman, my partner might not like me embracing someone else.”
“How are you ‘someone else’? We’re on the same team.”
Yuho sighed at Inhan’s predictable answer.
He had agonized so much before mentioning the word “girlfriend.” Yet this simple-minded guy completely failed to grasp the hidden meaning.
“Don’t worry about what others say.”
On the other hand, maybe he understood all too well. Inhan reached for Yuho’s face, making him look up. Then he spoke with strong conviction:
“People who criticize you or me for this, I don’t consider them my people. Whether they’re fans, the company, or a girlfriend.”
Yuho had only asked about girlfriends, but Inhan was addressing everything beyond that.
As if he completely understood Yuho’s feelings.
“You just need to trust me and wait. Okay?”
“…Until when?”
What future could there be for an idol group barely surviving on the popularity of just two members with public appeal? They weren’t even a group with a solid fandom.
“Forever.”
Yet Inhan was talking about eternity with Yuho.
Who’s the one holding the group back the most?
Inhan, despite being incredibly ambitious and pragmatic, spoke such unrealistic words with ease.
And with firm determination that he would make it happen.
“So don’t worry.”
There was a time when Yuho believed Inhan’s words and felt reassured.
But now he knew better. The person who would stay by Inhan’s side forever wasn’t him.
After much contemplation, Yuho had defined their relationship as ultimately being “strangers.”
“Aren’t you going to answer me?”
“Let me stay like this for a moment.”
Instead of answering, Yuho asked for time. He didn’t think he could ever say what Inhan wanted to hear.
He decided to covet Inhan’s side for just a little while longer.
“Okay. And then you’ll be fine again?”
“Yeah.”
Reassured by Yuho’s ready answer, Inhan reached out his arms and embraced him again.
Yuho couldn’t bring himself to hug Inhan back, only resting his forehead against Inhan’s chest.
That way, even if everything was exposed later, he could still have some excuse.
“You’ll be fine soon.”
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
I’m sure there will come a time when I’ll be fine without you.
The two drifted off to sleep having a conversation with completely different meanings.
Inhan fell asleep quickly.
Once Inhan’s breathing became steady, Yuho moved his body backward, slipping out of Inhan’s embrace. Then he lifted his head and gazed at Inhan’s sleeping face.
This was the moment when Yuho could love Inhan completely.
I like you. This was the only time he could pour out the words he could never say aloud, even if just in his heart.
I like you.
After confessing with his eyes instead of words, Yuho turned his body and completely broke free from Inhan.
* * *
– 5 years ago (3 months before 7SPOT’s debut) –
Yuho first met Inhan five years ago, when Yuho was nineteen.
At that time, Inhan was a seventeen-year-old boy who looked every bit his young age, but as a trainee with three years of experience, he was the most skilled member after Taylor.
“Yuho hyung. Are you tired? Should we stop and go?”
“Ah. I still have parts I’m confused about. But you can go if you want. I can practice alone.”
“Then let’s practice just 30 more minutes and go.”
“Um… you must be tired. Should we just go now?”
“No. Let’s practice 30 more minutes and go together.”
It was 2 AM, and all the lights in the office and hallways were off except for the practice room.
All the other trainees had returned to the dorm, but Inhan and Yuho remained, practicing choreography until dawn.
“I’m sorry for making you suffer because of me.”
“How is it because of you, hyung? We’re all working hard together for our success. We’re on the same team now.”
Looking back, Inhan’s extraordinary care for Yuho had begun since their trainee days.
“But hyung, your dancing has improved so much! What happened to your learning ability?”
“Really?”
“Really. How did you improve so quickly? I’m proud.”
He also fully embraced the role of being Yuho’s praise fairy and self-esteem guardian.
* * *
## Profile – Yeomin (7SPOT)
Real name: Lee Yeomin
Age: 23
Birthday: July 23
Height/Weight: 176cm/62kg
Position: Lead Dancer, Sub Vocal
Nicknames: Yeom, Mini, Min-prince, Min-gongja, Yeomble, Akkaeng-yeom, Nyang-yeom
Hobbies: Reading, meditation, walking
Special talents: Acting, horseback riding, kendo
Family: Only child
Characteristics: Public’s pick, actor-idol, fourth in the group, former child actor, 14 years since debut, born in Seoul, silver spoon, loving personality
