Sunlight baked through the tinted windows, turning the black leather seats into something sticky. The air conditioning whined, fighting a losing battle.

Y/n was wedged in the middle row, between Hyunjin and the window. Han was folded into the back, already dozing against Changbin’s shoulder. Up front, Chan drove with a calm focus, Felix beside him narrating the plot of a new anime.

And then there was Lee Know.

He occupied the seat directly across the narrow aisle from Y/n, one leg drawn up, his forehead pressed to the cool glass. His black wireless headphones were a clear barrier. His eyes were closed.

From across the aisle, a single, slow blink. Lee Know’s eyes were open. He wasn’t looking at the window anymore.

The van fell quiet, save for the road noise and Felix’s ongoing commentary to Chan. The easy warmth of a moment ago had chilled, leaving a sharp, awkward silence in its wake.