!! not proofread !!

─────

The meal wrapped up with the kind of casual chaos you'd expect. Su-bong complaining about how there wasn't enough, Gyeong-su thanking you at least three times, and Se-mi tossing a dish towel at Su-bong's head when he reached for seconds without offering anyone else.

Once the plates were cleared, Se-mi clapped her hands. "Okay, you've all stuffed your faces. Time to play something."

Su-bong immediately perked up, grabbing his guitar. "Finally."

The others moved into position like it was muscle memory. Gyeong-su sat back down with his drumsticks, Min-su shifted towards the guitar. Nam-gyu was the last to move, grabbing his bass without looking at anyone.

You took your seat on the couch again, trying to look relaxed even though your hands fidgeted in your lap.

"Ready?" Se-mi shot you a grin. You gave a small nod. "Yeah. Let's hear it."

They started without warning. No dramatic intro, no warm-up. Just a clean, sharp riff from Su-bong, Gyeong-su dropping in perfectly behind him, Min-su layering the melody. Nam-gyu's bass slid in low, smooth, like you could feel it vibrating in your ribs. And Se-mi's voice...gosh, you feel like you could die right there just from hearing her voice.

Then Su-bong started rapping. Quick, cocky, throwing in over-the-top hand gestures like he was on stage in front of thousands instead of four people and a half-empty bottle of water.

The others barely reacted to him, clearly used to it.

Halfway through, you found yourself smiling without meaning to. The song was good. Tight. Nothing overproduced. There was this rough edge to it, like they weren't trying too hard but still gave a damn.

By the time they finished, you clapped before you even realized it.

"That was awesome!" You said genuinely. "You guys sound legit."

Su-bong did an exaggerated bow. "Thank you, thank you. Tips appreciated." Min-su gave you a soft smile. "Glad you liked it."

Gyeong-su flashed you a thumbs up. Nam-gyu? He was already unplugging his bass, eyes fixed somewhere past you, like you weren't even there.

Before you could dwell on it, Se-mi stood. "Alright, we're heading to the studio next week. You should come." You blinked. "Oh, uh, sure."

Su-bong shot finger guns at you. "Prepare to be amazed- by me, of course."

The conversation drifted after that, easy, filled with inside jokes you mostly didn't catch but laughed at anyway. Every now and then, you'd glance at Nam-gyu, wondering if he was going to say something, anything, but he never did.

A thing you noticed though, is that he and Se-mi seemed to have a bad blood due to how much they insult and flash a middle finger at each other.

Another thing you noticed, is how close Se-mi and Min-su are. It's almost like...as if they're a couple. And that doesn't bother you, of course! You're more than happy for them.

─────

The others trickled out one by one, leaving only you and Se-mi behind. The apartment felt noticeably quieter now, the soft hum of the fridge the only sound filling the space. You sat together on her couch, neither of you speaking, a comfortable, if slightly awkward silence stretching between you.

You shifted slightly, before breaking the stillness. "You know," You began, voice light but a little unsure. "You and that Min-su guy seemed pretty close."

You glanced at her out of the corner of your eye. "Are you guys... a couple?" The words left your mouth before you could second-guess them. Your heart jumped, and you quickly added, "Not that I'm judging, of course! He seems like a great guy. Like, the kind who'd treat a woman right."

You let out a nervous chuckle, shaking your head as if to brush off your own curiosity. Se-mi blinked at you, expression unreadable for a second. Then, without warning, she burst into laughter, head tilting back as the sound bubbled up uncontrollably.

You furrowed your brows, lips parting in confusion. "Hey, what's so funny? Do I have something on my face or...?" You ran a hand over your cheek self-consciously.

She waved a hand, wiping at the corner of her eye with the other, her laughter slowing. "No, no," she said between breaths. "It's just, what you said was really funny."

You blinked, still not understanding. Before you could question further, she calmed herself and leaned back against the couch cushions. "But to answer your question," She continued, voice a little softer now, "No, I'm not dating Min-su. Hell, I'm not even interested in men."

That gave you pause.

Your eyebrows pulled together. "What do you mean you're not interested in men?"

Se-mi hesitated only briefly, then met your gaze squarely. "I like girls." She said plainly. "I'm a lesbian. I thought it was obvious already, but I guess not." She gave a small, amused smile, almost like she was used to having to explain.

You sat there, the words sinking in, eyes slightly wide. Se-mi? Lesbian?

You must've looked too stunned, because she shifted, her playful smirk fading into something more cautious. "Is something wrong?" She asked gently.

You shook your head slowly, though your thoughts were a tangle. "No, it's just..." You glanced down at your hands, trying to piece together the right words. "I mean, isn't it wrong to like the same gender?" You felt the weight of the question even as you asked it. "Isn't it... like a mental illness?"

Her eyes widened, the lightness in her face giving way to shock. "What? No!" she shot back, sitting up straighter. "It's not a mental illness. Who told you that?"

You swallowed, feeling heat creep up your neck. "My parents always said that. That it's unnatural, or something's wrong with people who feel that way. And... I guess I just believed them. Until now."

Se-mi's expression softened immediately, some of the defensiveness melting away. Carefully, she reached over and placed her hand on top of yours, grounding.

"You shouldn't listen to them," she said quietly, earnestly. "Loving someone, no matter their gender, isn't an illness. It's just love."

You stared at her hand, the gentle pressure oddly reassuring. You took a breath, exhaling slowly. "Maybe I should stop being so closed off." You murmured, the admission sitting heavy but honest.

She gave your hand a light squeeze. "Don't blame yourself," She said. "It's not your fault. You were just raised differently. But you're here now, questioning it. That's what matters."

You looked up at her, her eyes warm and patient, and felt something inside you ease.

A soft smile pulled at your lips. "Yeah... I guess you're right."

─────

A/N: wowww... erm... so how are you guys doing? hahaha.... 😊 okayokay sorry 😭 as an apology for my unannounced hiatus i released three chapters for you all 😩 ALSO i am very unhappy with this chapter idk why but something feels off 😕 hope yall like it though!!!