Mina pressed play and let the shaky demo fill the studio’s hush, her thumb tapping restless patterns on the battered lyric notebook. Across the room, Jungkook leaned forward, elbows on his knees, focus sharp beneath his hoodie. Outside the glass, the rest of Seoul was two in the morning and silent; here, only clipped beats and the hum of anxious electricity joined them. Jimin lounged near the door, bobbing his head to the melody, while V half-listened as he scrolled through photos, dark eyes flicking up often. As the chorus faded, Jungkook broke the quiet first.
“You changed the bridge. Why?”
His voice was soft, but the challenge was real. Mina met his gaze, feeling the weight of both their secrets and the trust they hadn’t named yet.
“It’s stronger this way. The melody gives you somewhere to land.”
Jimin smiled, picking up on something in the air, while V’s expression remained unreadable. Phones buzzed on the table, reminders that time was running out, that someone could walk in. But for now, the studio belonged only to the music and the question hanging between them.