Nut paced the length of the practice room, arms tightly crossed over his chest, his expression dark with irritation. His restless energy didn't go unnoticed by the other LYKN members-William, Tui, and Lego-who exchanged amused glances, silently acknowledging that something was definitely off with their friend.
Breaking the silence, William leaned forward with a teasing grin. "Phi, it's just a performance. Why are you so tense?"
Nut immediately turned to him, eyes narrowing. "You'll understand when Est goes and performs with someone he's had a crush on for years."
William chuckled, unfazed. "P' Est doesn't have a crush on anyone."
Tui smirked, his tone laced with mischief. "But Hong did have a crush on P' Nani, right?"
Lego, who had been scrolling through his phone, let out a chuckle. "He even looks cute in that pink hair."
Before Lego could react, Nut snatched the phone from his hand, his gaze immediately locking onto the image sent by Est. A candid shot from the Skynani Fancon rehearsal-Hong standing next to Nani, laughing. Not just a casual chuckle, but the kind of radiant, unguarded laughter that made his eyes crinkle at the corners.
Nut's jaw tightened, his grip on the phone firming as his expression darkened. "You all really enjoy testing my patience, don't you?"
Lego quickly raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, Phi. P' Hong probably doesn't even see P' Nani that way anymore."
Nut's gaze flickered back to the screen. Then why is he smiling like that? The carefree joy on Hong's face sent an unwelcome pang of jealousy straight to his chest.
Sighing, William decided to step in. "If it's bothering you that much, I'll call P' Est for an update. And you? Maybe you should just call P' Hong. Hearing his voice might calm you down."
Nut hesitated, fingers tightening around his phone. The suggestion was tempting, but he didn't want to seem desperate. After a few seconds of internal battle, he exhaled sharply. "Call Est."
William smirked, leaning back against the couch as he picked up his phone and dialed his boyfriend's number. This is going to be interesting.
~~~~
Other side
Est sat on the edge of the practice stage, casually sipping his water when Hong walked over and settled beside him. Without a word, Est handed him the bottle.
"Aren't you tired?" Est asked, his tone light.
Hong shook his head as he took a sip. "I'm used to this. Practicing with the group is more exhausting-Lego won't let us rest until we perfect the choreography."
Est smiled fondly. Being the boyfriend of an idol, he had seen plenty of their intense practice sessions. He knew exactly how Hong's groupmates were-persistent, hardworking, and incredibly dedicated. He admired them for it.
"And how's it going, working with your crush?" Est teased, a knowing smirk on his lips.
Hong smiled shyly. "It's fun, like a dream come true. But honestly... I miss the others. I feel more comfortable working with them."
Est raised an eyebrow. "Missing the group or missing Nut?"
Hong chuckled, shaking his head, but before he could respond, Est's phone buzzed on the floor between them. The screen lit up with William's name. Est exchanged a knowing glance with Hong. "Speaking of the group, looks like my boyfriend wants an update."
Hong let out a soft laugh. "Or... someone else does."
Est smirked, already catching on. He swiped to answer the call and put it on speaker. "Hey, babe. What's up?"
