FALSE HALO

FALSE HALO Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – A Question He Couldn't Answer

The atmosphere in the practice room was lively as usual.

Youngjae was telling another exaggerated story while Jihoon and Kyungmin laughed.

Dohoon, however, barely listened.

Instead...

"Hanjin."

Hanjin looked over.

"Yes?"

"Come here for a second."

Hanjin walked over.

"What is it?"

"Your timing during the second chorus."

"What about it?"

"It's fine now."

Hanjin blinked.

"...That's all?"

"Yeah."

Youngjae laughed.

"You called him over just to say that?"

Dohoon shrugged.

"I wanted to."

Everyone chuckled, but Hanjin simply smiled.

"Thanks."

---

A little later...

"Hanjin."

"Yes?"

"Did you bring your charger?"

"...I did."

"Good."

Five minutes later...

"Hanjin."

"Hm?"

"Manager said rehearsal starts in ten minutes."

"I know."

Jihoon raised an eyebrow.

"Hyung..."

"What?"

"You've said Hanjin's name like twenty times today."

Dohoon frowned.

"Did I?"

Youngjae grinned.

"You definitely did."

"I was just talking."

Kyungmin laughed.

"You don't usually talk this much."

Dohoon opened his mouth to argue...

...then stopped.

Was I really calling him that often?

He honestly hadn't noticed.

---

Back at the dorm that evening...

"Hanjin."

"I'm in the kitchen."

Dohoon walked in.

"Did you see my headphones?"

Hanjin pointed toward the dining table.

"There."

"Oh."

A few minutes later...

"Hanjin."

"Yes?"

"Want to watch a movie?"

Youngjae looked between them.

"Dohoon hyung."

"What?"

"You're attached today."

"I'm not."

Youngjae smirked.

"Sure."

Dohoon rolled his eyes.

"You're annoying."

But even as he said it...

He couldn't deny one thing.

Somehow...

Calling Hanjin's name had started to feel natural.

Almost comforting.

---

That night, everyone went to bed early.

Shinyu fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.

...

He found himself standing in a quiet park.

The trees swayed gently in the breeze.

Someone was beside him.

He turned.

Hanjin.

He was smiling.

Not the smile he wore on stage.

Just a calm, peaceful one.

"We'll always stay together."

Shinyu heard his own voice answer without hesitation.

"Always."

The two of them continued walking down the empty path.

No cameras.

No schedules.

No one else.

Just the two of them.

Then—

"Hyung?"

The scene shattered.

---

Shinyu's eyes flew open.

He sat upright immediately.

His heart was beating faster than usual.

"..."

"Hyung?"

Hanjin stood in the doorway of the room.

"I was going to ask if everyone wanted breakfast."

For a second...

Shinyu simply stared at him.

The dream.

The words.

Hanjin standing in front of him now.

It all overlapped.

"H-Hanjin..."

"Are you okay?"

Shinyu looked away almost instantly.

"...I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I just woke up."

Hanjin smiled gently.

"I'll wait outside."

"Okay..."

The door closed.

Silence filled the room.

Shinyu covered his face with one hand.

...Why did I dream about him?

He had dreamed about teammates before.

But never like that.

Never with such a strange feeling lingering after waking up.

He tried to convince himself it meant nothing.

Yet...

The image refused to disappear.

---

At breakfast, Shinyu found himself stealing small glances at Hanjin.

Hanjin was talking to Youngjae.

Then laughing at something Jihoon said.

Then quietly eating.

Stop looking.

He lowered his eyes to his food.

A few seconds later...

He looked again.

"..."

What's wrong with me?

His chest felt oddly restless.

Not painful.

Not frightening.

Just unfamiliar.

I've never reacted like this with anyone.

He wasn't even sure what he was feeling.

That uncertainty bothered him the most.

---

Across the table, Dohoon nudged Hanjin's shoulder.

"Hanjin."

"Hm?"

"Pass me the soy sauce."

"Here."

"Thanks."

A minute later...

"Hanjin."

"Yes?"

"Don't forget your schedule after lunch."

"I won't."

Youngjae laughed quietly.

"There it is again."

"What?"

"You keep saying 'Hanjin.'"

Dohoon paused.

"...Do I?"

"All the time."

Dohoon frowned, genuinely confused.

He hadn't realized it.

Not once.

---

Shinyu watched the exchange in silence.

For some reason...

Seeing Dohoon casually standing close to Hanjin made something inside him tighten for just a moment.

The feeling disappeared almost as quickly as it came.

He quietly looked down at his breakfast.

...No.

Something is changing.

And I don't understand why.

For the first time in his life...

Shinyu was afraid not of another person—

but of the feelings he couldn't yet name.