"...right. If we assume he still wants," pause, glance at Tae-gun, "the same thing he's wanted since last time, what does he have to do to get it?"

"He can't, is the thing?" she says, after a pause. "I mean - that might not be what he thinks, he might think it's possible to get back, but it's just not. My presence as his partner changes absolutely nothing besides sunbae's life expectancy, he was absolutely going to kill himself to avoid ever having to..."

"... Was he waiting for sunbae to break and come... crawling back?"

He has decided to practise the virtue of self-control so he doesn't react at all to that.

"That's a distinct possibility. Or something. He might've thought..." Man it's so fucking hard to discuss this when he knows that every word is sending daggers into the heart of his best friend. But hyung insisted on coming, so, he's... he's gotta respect hyung's wishes. "He might've thought that it's one thing to bear years of backlash but it's another to be on death's doorstep and have one single shining beacon of light that could save you."

"Yeah that would literally never happen. Maybe with someone else, not with sunbae. I'm kind of getting the impression from everything that not only does - he -" she catches herself to avoid the dreaded name, "not understand sunbae, but he also doesn't... does he even understand people?? What they're like when they feel betrayed? Augh, this is too much speculation without actually talking to the man, I feel like I'm thinking myself in circles..."

The thing is, Tae-gun himself is not certain of this at all.

Because if he looks within himself—if he's honest, which he almost never is, and pays attention to what his soul is saying—he still, still—he still—

Woo-young knows Tae-gun well-enough, though, and says, in a soft murmur, "Hyung's feelings are... not that simple."

"Because it's not a matter of feelings being simple, they never are, it's a matter of, of - he had everything he wanted, and he decided he wanted more than that, more than anyone can ever ask from anyone else! And now, no matter how nice it would be to go back to being safe and comfortable and loved there would always be the niggling little doubt of 'when will it happen again,' and it would never ever go away, and there can't be that feeling of comfort and safety when you're, you're -" talking about someone else besides Kang Jaeha and Lee Tae-gun.

"- ... Betrayed by someone you loved and trusted," she finishes, lamely.

He squeezes his eyes shut and tries to steady his breathing, noticing it's suddenly gotten a lot harder to do that.

Well that's some fun tapdancing on the triggers of all involved they're doing here.

He really feels like this conversation would benefit from some context about Tae-gun and Jaeha's relationship. It would... definitely be useful to inform any predictions about what Jaeha will do next.

Woo-young really, really can't tell Hye-jin anything about that. That really, really is something only hyung has a right to talk about. But he's not totally sure what to say next, instead.

"I - sorry, I'm. I think I need a minute, I didn't mean to get so..." She buries her face in her hands. "Sorry. I made this about me and my ex, because I am so incredibly not okay and this is striking really close to home for me."

"Yeah, of course." He hates Kang Jaeha. Hates him hates him hates him. Hates what he's done to hyung, hates what he's doing to Hye-jin without, without even doing anything, really? That's what gets to him, is that he just, he just bumped into Hye-jin. That's all that happened. And now it's been weeks and they're paranoid and scared and angry and Woo-young can't teleport him into a volcano!!!!!

Okay, well, then she's going to cry. Quietly, but. Yep she's sobbing now. Probably she should hide in the bathroom for this or something, but what would be the point. She's a broken mess who can't last five minutes without making everything about her.

She's a broken mess??? The last however long's been all about him!!!!!!!!

Fuck, man, he doesn't know how to, how to console her at all.

"I don't—I don't know how to say this. You have a right to feel upset, and this situation is upsetting, and it makes complete sense that it would strike far, far too close to home. You don't need to apologise, it's not making it about you, it's just... it's just having feelings. Having gone through shit. You know? If anyone needs to apologise it's him." Right before Woo-young teleports him into outer space. He might die on the spot of backlash if he tries but damn would his last moment feel satisfying.

Sniffle.

"... Mhm," she hums, from her hands. "I-I just don't like it when my feelings get in the way of. My work. So. Sorry."

Oh if that shit ain't relatable.

"Please, can I—I don't know, please don't apologise? I've got my hands full with one person who does that all the time," gesturing at Tae-gun. "Just—we're friends. Okay? This is fine. This is normal. This is part of friendship, Korean and Japanese culture be damned."

Sniffle sniffle.

"Okay. No apologies. Right. Yes. I'm a fucked up broken and bitter mess, and I am not okay, and also I'm not sorry about it." Smile-sniff. "Better?"

"Much better! Hyung, you could learn from that."

He makes some kind of noise, but he has no idea what that noise is or what emotion it conveyed. They can try to interpret it if they want, but he's still going to be resolutely staring at his feet.

"Don't worry, I'm lying through my teeth a little," she assures. "Um. Why don't we leave this - evil stalker ex planning session here with, 'Okay, we're all agreed we don't know what the fuck, and it doesn't seem like he's doing much of anything,' and try not to overthink it? Because that is probably playing into his mastermind plans because mind control is the worst. Ugh."

"...yeah. That's probably the best idea. Prez and I still have feelers posted all over the place to try to figure out what he's up to, but he's been acting entirely ordinarily outside that one thing. And, you know, that's not conclusive of anything, but... it does make it hard to speculate usefully."