When Eunwoo walked away from Yuna's door, his steps were uncertain. His heart still felt trapped inside that room. He had really intended to leave when he crossed the threshold, but the storm inside him wouldn't let him go.
As he walked along the sidewalk, he pulled out his phone. His fingers hovered over the screen, but he didn't know who to text. Nova members? His manager? None of them could fill Yuna's absence.
Just as he took a deep breath to move forward, a pair of shoes suddenly appeared in front of him.
Hwan.
Eunwoo narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?"
Hwan smirked indifferently. "I knew you wouldn't give up. But Yuna… she has."
Eunwoo clenched his jaw. "She hasn't given up. She's just… afraid."
Hwan tilted his head slightly. "Maybe she has a reason to be. The fans, the media, the agencies… They can be crueler than you think."
When Eunwoo looked into Hwan's eyes, he noticed something. A strange sense of satisfaction.
"Are you enjoying this?" he asked mockingly.
Hwan shrugged. "Enjoying? No. I'm just stating the facts."
Eunwoo stepped closer. "If you're trying to provoke me, it won't work."
Hwan's smirk widened. "Are you sure?"
Eunwoo tightened his fists and stepped back. He wasn't going to give Hwan what he wanted. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and started walking away.
But Hwan's voice followed him.
"You say you won't give up, right?"
Eunwoo stopped.
"Then think carefully about how you're going to break down Yuna's walls."
Then, there was silence.
Eunwoo closed his eyes.
Yes. He wasn't going to give up.
But simply telling Yuna how he felt wasn't enough.
He had to make her believe it.
And he was willing to do anything for that.
Eunwoo gritted his teeth as he kept walking. Hwan's words echoed in his mind. "You say you won't give up, right? Then think carefully about how you're going to break down Yuna's walls."
Hadn't he already thought about it? What else could he do to prove his love for her?
He pulled out his phone and stared at the blank screen for a moment. Should he call? Send a message? No, that wouldn't be enough.
A voice inside him said, "You need to face her in person." But not today. He had seen the determination in Yuna's eyes. If he confronted her again today, he might make things worse.
He wandered the streets aimlessly for a while. He wanted to put on his headphones and listen to music, but his fingers stopped. No matter what song he played, it would only remind him of Yuna.
He went to Nova's practice studio.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Haesoo inside. The main rapper was mumbling something while playing on his phone. But when Eunwoo entered, he looked up.
"What's with that face?" he asked, frowning.
Eunwoo didn't answer.
"Is it about Yuna?"
When Eunwoo remained silent, Haesoo sighed. "If you love her this much, then why are you giving up?"
"I'm not giving up."
"Then why do you look so defeated?"
Eunwoo lowered his head. "Because I don't know what to do next."
At that moment, the door opened, and Doyoon walked in. As always, the leader's face was calm, but his eyes studied Eunwoo carefully.
"Practice starts now," he said shortly.
"Not now," Eunwoo replied without looking up.
But Doyoon wasn't someone who accepted refusals.
"Right now," he said firmly.
Eunwoo scowled. "Do you really think I can focus on dancing right now?"
Doyoon crossed his arms and took a step closer. "If you don't know what to do, at least don't lose yourself. Train, be ready. The next time you stand in front of Yuna, don't be a broken mess. If you're going to fight for this love, you need to stay strong."
Eunwoo was silent for a moment, considering Doyoon's words.
Then, he took a deep breath. "Fine. Let's start."
But at that moment, there was only one thing he knew for sure.
Even while dancing, his mind was still on Yuna.