???? ???? ???? (EN- REVERSE HAREM)

Sunghoon returned to the museum entrance, his steps brisk but calculated. The moment he stepped inside, his sharp gaze immediately found Ni-ki, who was watching him like a hawk, arms crossed with an expectant look.

What did you mean by that call? Ni-ki's stare was almost demanding, but Sunghoon only gave a small nod of reassurance, offering no further explanation. Now wasn't the time. Soon.

Pushing aside the silent conversation between them, Sunghoon crouched down in front of Anvi, his expression unreadable. She sat stiffly on the bench, cradling her injured arm while the others stood around, their presence heavy with tension.

"Here," Sunghoon muttered, reaching into a small bag and handing it to Heeseung. The moment Heeseung's fingers brushed against the contents inside, a flicker of recognition crossed his face. Without a word, he passed it to Jake, who took it and turned slightly, subtly ensuring Anvi was paying too much attention to him.

Jay exhaled and shifted slightly. "Let's just get this over with." He carefully took hold of Anvi's arm, his touch firm but not overly gentle, as though reminding himself to keep a certain level of distance. He examined the wound properly now that most of the bleeding had slowed. It was deeper than a surface scratch—enough to be a nuisance, but nothing life-threatening.

"This is going to sting," Jay warned flatly, not making it sound like much of an apology as he poured antiseptic liquid over the cut.

Anvi inhaled sharply, her arm instinctively jerking at the sudden burn.

"I told you, I'm fine," she muttered, though her voice was quieter than before.

Sunghoon, who had been watching closely, let out an unimpressed scoff. "Yeah? That's why you just winced like you got stabbed?" His tone was dry, but he didn't wait for a response before taking the antiseptic cream from Jake.

He doused a cotton pad with it before pressing it firmly against her wound. Anvi flinched, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from reacting too much.

Jay, still holding her arm steady, barely glanced at her. "Don't move."

She forced herself to sit still, though her entire posture was rigid.

The whole interaction felt strange. Tense. There was so warmth in the way they were handling her—not that she was expecting them to be being cruel, but there was an obvious emotional understanding. No comforting words, no unnecessary concern but still a warmth. Technically, it was just practical, methodical care, as if treating her wound was more of a duty and an act of kindness.

It made Anvi's throat tighten slightly. This was so different from how she imagined interacting with them would be. These were the same idols she had admired for years, whose personalities she had studied through countless interviews and live streams, yet standing in front of them now, there was something completely different feelings about them.

There was a tension of doubt and uncertainty.

Sunghoon finished securing the bandaid, pressing it down carefully to ensure the cotton inside fit properly over the wound. "Done." His voice was neutral, almost detached.

Anvi flexed her fingers experimentally but avoided looking up at any of them. Something about the way they were all watching her—assessing her—made her uneasy.

"You should be more careful," Jungwon finally spoke, his tone polite. "It'd be a trouble if something worse happened."

Trouble. Not bad. Not worrisome. Trouble.

Anvi nodded stiffly. "Got it."

Jake, who had been watching the exchange, finally sighed and took a step back. "Alright, let's move. We don't want people to come and ask us why we have been gathered around her like this."