FALSE HALO Chapter 5
761 Words
Chapter 5 – The First Thread
Morning practice began earlier than usual.
The members were still sleepy as they walked into the studio.
Youngjae yawned.
"I swear I closed my eyes five minutes ago."
"You said that yesterday too," Jihoon laughed.
"Because every morning feels the same."
Dohoon dropped his bag onto the floor.
"You complain a lot."
"I express my emotions."
"You complain."
Shinyu smiled, already organizing the schedule.
"Let's warm up first. We can rest later."
Everyone nodded.
---
The practice lasted for hours.
By lunchtime, everyone looked exhausted.
Youngjae sat on the floor dramatically.
"I can't move."
"You've been saying that for an hour," Dohoon replied.
"I'm serious this time."
"You were serious the first three times too."
Jihoon laughed so hard he nearly dropped his water bottle.
---
Without saying anything, Hanjin quietly stood up.
He walked to the vending machine outside.
A few minutes later, he returned carrying several drinks.
He handed one to Youngjae.
"You looked tired."
"...For me?"
Hanjin nodded.
"You should stay hydrated."
Youngjae smiled brightly.
"Thank you."
He gave another bottle to Jihoon.
"You've been dancing a lot today."
"Oh... thanks."
Then one to Kyungmin.
"You forgot to bring yours."
Kyungmin blinked.
"You noticed?"
"You mentioned it this morning."
Kyungmin smiled.
"You remember little things."
Hanjin only laughed softly.
"It's nothing."
Finally, he placed a bottle beside Shinyu.
"You've been talking all morning because you're leading practice."
Shinyu looked surprised.
"...Thank you, Hanjin."
"And this one's yours, Dohoon."
Dohoon looked at the drink.
"I didn't ask for one."
"I know."
Hanjin smiled.
"But you haven't had any water since practice started."
For a brief moment, Dohoon looked at him.
Then he quietly accepted it.
"...Thanks."
"No problem."
---
No one thought much of it.
To everyone else...
Hanjin was simply thoughtful.
---
Later that evening...
Shinyu was helping the staff carry equipment.
Before he could lift another box, someone reached it first.
"I'll help."
Shinyu turned.
"Hanjin?"
"It's okay. We can carry it together."
"You've already practiced all day."
"So have you."
Hanjin smiled.
"You don't have to do everything alone, hyung."
Shinyu chuckled softly.
"I guess you're right."
---
Across the room...
Dohoon watched them for a second before returning to his phone.
A few moments later, Hanjin walked over.
"You haven't eaten much."
"I'm not hungry."
"You skipped breakfast too."
Dohoon looked up.
"...You noticed?"
"I worry."
Hanjin's smile was gentle.
"You should take care of yourself."
Dohoon stayed silent for a moment.
"...I'll eat later."
"Okay."
Hanjin didn't insist.
He simply nodded and walked away.
Dohoon's eyes followed him unconsciously.
"...He's... surprisingly considerate."
---
That night, the members gathered in the living room.
Youngjae grinned.
"Hanjin is honestly too nice."
Jihoon nodded.
"He remembers everything."
Kyungmin agreed.
"He's always helping people without asking for anything."
Shinyu smiled quietly.
"He's very thoughtful."
Dohoon leaned back on the sofa.
"...Yeah."
Youngjae looked at him.
"You agree?"
"I just said yeah."
"I didn't expect that."
Dohoon shrugged.
"He's a good person."
Shinyu nodded absentmindedly.
"I think so too."
---
Hanjin stood in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water.
He could hear every word.
Every compliment.
Every assumption.
A faint smile crossed his face.
Exactly as expected.
He hadn't done anything extraordinary.
No grand gestures.
No dramatic sacrifices.
Just small acts.
Small enough to look genuine.
Large enough to be remembered.
People trusted consistency.
They filled in the blanks themselves.
If someone appeared kind often enough...
Others would convince themselves that kindness was real.
He didn't need to tell anyone he was caring.
They were already saying it for him.
His fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
Humans love simple answers.
Give them enough pieces...
...and they'll finish the picture on their own.
He took a sip of water.
In the living room, Shinyu smiled while remembering Hanjin helping with the boxes.
Dohoon looked at the unopened drink Hanjin had bought earlier.
"...He's weird."
Jihoon laughed.
"Why?"
"He notices everything."
Youngjae grinned.
"That's because he cares."
Dohoon didn't answer.
Instead, he looked down at the bottle once more.
For the first time...
The thought of Hanjin lingered in his mind longer than it should have.
Across the room, Shinyu glanced toward the kitchen.
"Hanjin."
"Yes, hyung?"
"Thank you for helping today."
Hanjin smiled with the same warm expression everyone had come to trust.
"Anytime."
Neither Shinyu nor Dohoon realized they had already taken the first step.
Hanjin had never asked them to think about him.
He had simply laid out the path.
And without noticing...
They had begun walking it themselves.
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