Chapter 44

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Doyoung's POV

Our footsteps echoed hauntingly through the vacant halls as we trudged back to the dorm, the euphoria of the day now a distant memory. An ominous unease permeated the atmosphere - the lingering dread of recent tribulations not yet forgotten.

"Let's get settled in," I announced halfheartedly as we entered the familiar space that was once our sanctuary, now tainted by the darkness that had seeped in from the outside world. 

We mechanically unpacked our belongings, placing them in their designated spots, resuming the routines that once anchored us but now seemed trivial and hollow. Tomorrow, the grueling sessions would resume, shattering any illusion of respite. 

The dorm, typically buzzing with laughter and chaos, was now eerily silent. Even Taeyong, whose vivacity energized us all, seemed muted, his usual radiance dimmed by the shadows that clung to him.

"Wanna bunk with me tonight?" I asked gently. Wordlessly, he nodded, his eyes still haunted by lingering fear and uncertainty. In this moment, he needed the security only found in the embrace of the brothers who had become his rock. 

Morning came, heralding the obligatory return to the studio where expectations loomed like storm clouds gathering on the horizon. The bone-deep exhaustion from the day prior to is now fused with the dread of what lay ahead. But we were professionals, and we would endure, burying our trepidation under a stoic resolve as we marched into the battlefield.

The hours crawled by torturously as we drove our bodies past the brink over and over in a relentless pursuit of unattainable perfection. The studio, once a creative haven, now felt like a prison where we fought against some unseen demon that had infected the music, poisoning the choreography that was once fluid but now seemed mechanical and hollow.

Yet despite it all, an unspoken camaraderie emerged between us - hardened soldiers united in adversity, drawing strength from one another as we weathered the storm raging inside and out. 

When we finally staggered back into the dorm, the day's trauma lingered in our minds and muscles, the music still echoing relentlessly.

"Get some rest, everyone," I said wearily, knowing tomorrow would bring more of the same. We retreated to our rooms, emotionally and physically spent. 

As darkness enshrouded the dorm, Taeyong nestled apprehensively into his makeshift bed, seeking solace in our presence.

"Sleep well, Tae," I whispered, before collapsing into my own bed. A heavy silence, pregnant with uncertainty, settled upon the dorm. But in its depths, an unbreakable bond still pulsed -

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