He opened his eyes abruptly, his heart instinctively tightening. Who could it be at this hour? The members? The manager? Or… a reporter? He didn't want to see anyone right now.
The doorbell was still ringing, carrying a persistent determination to achieve its goal.
Ou Yangyang turned off the shower in frustration, and the bathroom instantly became quiet, with only the sound of water dripping from her hair.
He casually grabbed a bath towel and wrapped it around his waist. Still damp and wary, he walked barefoot to the door and peered out through the peephole.
In the light of the corridor outside the door, standing there was none other than Kim Ji-won.
She was wearing simple jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, with a beige trench coat over them. Her hair was a little messy from the wind, and her face showed obvious anxiety and worry. She was also carrying a paper bag that looked heavy.
Ou Yangguang was stunned. All his guard and irritability deflated the moment he saw who it was, like a punctured balloon. In its place came a complex emotion that was hard to describe: surprise, embarrassment, and a trace of... a quiet sense of comfort that even he himself was unwilling to admit.
He took a deep breath and opened the door.
The cold air outside the door mingled with the humid heat emanating from the bathroom.
When Kim Ji-won saw him like this, with his hair dripping wet, wearing only a towel, his bare upper body still steaming and wet with water droplets, and his eyes filled with exhaustion, vulnerability, and a hint of wariness, her heart felt like it was being clenched tightly.
"You..." She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say for a moment.
"...Why are you here?" Ou Yangguang's voice was a little hoarse, carrying the dampness from just taking a shower and the gloom of low spirits.
He stepped aside to let her in, then quickly closed the door, shutting out the cold outside and any potential prying eyes.
“I kept calling you but your phone was off, and I couldn’t reach you, so I was a little worried… and I called Yixing oppa.” Kim Ji-won walked into the living room, which was still dark and only had the faint sound of heating. By the light coming in from the window, she saw the motorcycle keys and hat lying carelessly on the floor, and felt the coldness and oppression that permeated the apartment.
She explained softly, her tone devoid of blame, only filled with genuine concern, "He... roughly told me about the situation."
Ou Yangguang silently walked to the sofa and sat down, picking up the T-shirt he had thrown aside earlier and putting it on slowly.
He didn't want her to see him in such a disheveled state, especially after such a terrible conflict.
Kim Ji-won placed the paper bag on the coffee table, its aroma wafting from it. "I brought you some food, and... some ice and ointment."
Looking at his profile, which still betrayed his weariness even in the dim light, she asked cautiously, "Are you... alright?"
This simple greeting seemed to instantly shatter Ou Yangguang's carefully constructed defenses.
He lowered his head, clasped his hands together on his knees, his knuckles turning white from the force.
After a long while, he answered in an almost murmured voice, heavy with self-mockery and exhaustion:
"No...not good at all."
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