The echo of Vhy's door slamming seemed to linger in the air, a physical vibration of the fracture that had just occurred within the group. On the screen, the frozen image of Suri picking up the envelope stared back at them, fixed in its awkwardness.
K-Sey and J-Min exchanged a final look that clearly said: What the hell just happened?
K-Sey was the first to swallow hard. He stood up from the sofa and, with a slow movement, unplugged the USB. "Well, that was dramatic," he declared, his tone trying to be casual but failing to hide the tension. "Does anyone else feel like we're in a theater? Because I swear I heard the orchestra in the background."
J-Min, who had been observing Vhy's closed door with an analytical expression, turned toward K-Sey. "The acoustic impact of the slam suggests that Vhy is truly upset. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say an 8.7. Possibly a 9."
"Can you stop that bad habit?" K-Sey scolded. "Calculating emotions—especially the ones that hurt—only makes them sting a bit more."
"It's my way of processing stressful situations," J-Min admitted, shrugging. "You know numbers soothe me."
K-Sey gave him a soft pat on the shoulder. "Alright. We all have our ways of dealing with chaos. You with numbers..."
"And you with theatricality," J-Min interrupted. Then he looked at the USB K-Sey was holding. "But speaking of chaos... that object is the catalyst for every problem within a 50-meter radius."
"Yeah," K-Sey agreed. "This is going straight into the trash. And I'm going to go read. Apparently, I have a poetry date next week; I need to prepare to break Mr. Jahn's heart with my verses on the loneliness of the night watchman. Do you think I need a top hat, or is a crimson cape enough?"
"One would be surprising. But both would maximize the impact by 81%."
"Then it's settled: we're buying them in two hours," he agreed, heading toward his room. But he stopped in front of Vhy's bedroom. "Do you think he'll be okay?"
"Vhy is strong," J-Min replied, though his voice carried a note of concern. "He just needs time."
"Time and space," DM added softly before K-Sey could knock. "Sometimes it's the only thing we can offer him."
K-Sey nodded and left, though not without muttering: "If anyone needs a tortured poet for any emergency, I'll be in my room practicing rhymes about modern surveillance. I think I'm actually starting to like the theme."
J-Min, for his part, pulled his hair back into a tiny ponytail. He turned off the screen with a precise click. He folded his crumpled diagram with almost funereal care and tucked it into a pocket.
"DM is right. We need rest. Tomorrow will be a... complicated day." He paused. "I'm going to analyze the possible scenarios of the conversation with the scholarship girl and I'll send you a summary of 34 key points in the morning. For now, I'm going to my room to prep the wigs; there are still too many people at the mall at this hour." He stopped at the door and looked back. "Jhin, don't torture yourself. Try to sleep at least 10 hours. You need it." And before crossing the threshold: "DM... thanks. Sometimes doing stupid things helps us."
And with that, he also withdrew, leaving Jhin and DM alone in a silence that now felt less oppressive.
Jhin remained standing, staring at Vhy's closed bedroom door as if he could see right through it. The fury had completely dissipated, replaced by a cold, confusing pain that weighed heavy in his chest.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked in a low voice, without turning around. "If Vhy isn't okay... why didn't I know?"
DM approached and stood beside him, also looking at the door. The air conditioning hummed softly, filling the silence with its constant murmur.
"There are things that aren't told, Jhin. Not because we don't trust you, but to protect you. Sometimes the best way to help someone is to give them the space to fight their own battles, and to be there if they happen to fall."
He placed a hand on Jhin's shoulder, a paternal and comforting gesture. "Vhy didn't abandon you. He abandoned himself for a moment. But when he's ready, he'll be back."
"And what if he doesn't this time?" Jhin asked, his voice small.
"He will," DM replied, tracing the broken musical notes tattooed on his neck. "Because he has us. And because, despite everything, he is stronger than he believes."
They stood in silence for a moment, two figures contemplating a closed door and everything it represented.
"Now go to sleep," DM continued. "Tomorrow you need to be clear-headed to talk to Suri. And even if it ends in a goodbye, after today, I think you'll be in the eye of the storm. Things are going to change, Jhin. For all of us."
Jhin finally turned to look at him. "What do you mean?"
DM smiled, but there was something melancholy in his expression. "Only that nothing is ever the same after you truly apologize. Especially when the person you're asking decides to actually give it to you."