it's you and me in this world [heeseung]

chapter six: enmeshed desires

A LOUD SERIES OF KNOCKS reverberated through the walls of her apartment, jolting Elle out of her contemplative stupor. Maggie's urgent voice followed, piercing the air like a siren. "Elle, hurry up! We're going to be late! Jo is going to kill us!"

She had been awake for hours, her mind trapped in a tumultuous loop of thoughts. The truth was, she had risen from slumber long before Maggie, but she had remained immobile, her body frozen in a state of indecision. She stared at the plain white ceiling, pinching her face, and writhing on the bed in an internal battle. The prospect of facing Jo's wrath typically fueled her sense of punctuality, but today, there was an even greater force at play. The mere thought of encountering Heeseung again was enough to send shivers down her spine, as if she was dancing on the precipice of her own demise.

She had made promises to herself, vowed to give this unexpected reunion a chance. But as the reality of the situation sank in, she couldn't ignore the swirling storm of emotions that threatened to engulf her. It had been a year since she had interacted with Heeseung, a year of avoiding him at all costs, a year of pretending that their shared history didn't exist, their pasts threatening to cross but never actually doing so. Now, the reckoning had arrived, and the weight of anticipation pressed down upon her with a force she couldn't evade.

Every fiber of her being yearned to stay cocooned within the safety of her sanctuary, shielded from the potential heartache and vulnerability that lay in wait. The fear of what lay ahead was suffocating, yet oddly exhilarating in its intensity. Could Elle muster the strength to face the past, to confront the ghosts that lingered in the depths of her memories?

With a final sigh, she summoned her resolve. It was time to rise from the comfort of her bed and brave the storm that awaited her. The choice was clear, even if the path ahead remained obscured in uncertainty. She would gather her courage, plaster a smile upon her face, and step into the maelstrom of emotions that awaited her.

Living in close proximity to the studio had always been a convenient perk, but on days like today, it took on a whole new level of significance. As Maggie and Elle rushed towards the rehearsal, Maggie couldn't resist letting a stream of colorful curses escape her lips, directed not-so-subtly at her roommate. Of course, she knew exactly why they were running late. The real reason was written all over Elle's face, etched with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. They didn't even have time to grab their usual cups of coffee, a fact that Maggie insisted would bring an onslaught of bad luck and single-handedly ruin her ability to perform.

The torrent of curses came to an abrupt halt as they reached the studio door. Elle stopped dead in her tracks, her heart pounding in her chest as she absorbed the reality of what lay behind that door. Fear coursed through her veins, intertwining with a secret yearning that she had denied for far too long. She longed to see his face up close, to bask in the warmth of his smile, and yes, even to catch a whiff of his tantalizing cologne. It was the part of her she had buried deep within, the part she feared most, and now, there was no turning back from the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to consume her.

In that moment of vulnerability, a pair of hands gently settled on her shoulders, offering solace and support. It was Maggie, her voice filled with reassurance. "Everything will be okay," she whispered, the weight of those words echoing in Elle's ears. She took a deep breath, grounding herself, and repeated the mantra in her mind, willing herself to believe it. With newfound determination, she squared her shoulders and pushed open the studio door, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

The atmosphere in the room crackled with anticipation as Elle's gaze swept across the members of ENHYPEN—Sunghoon, Niki, Jungwon, Sunoo, Jay, Jake—each one a captivating presence in their own way. But amidst the sea of familiar faces, there was one conspicuous absence, one figure that had yet to grace the rehearsal space. Her heart quickened as her mind churned, wondering why he wasn't here. Questions danced on the tip of her tongue, but before she could voice them, a shadow fell over her, stealing her attention.