A Piece of Home (Brian)

                                    

                                          
Brian had been quieter than usual lately, though the members of Ampers&One didn't think much of it at first. Everyone had their off days, especially with the relentless schedule the group had been maintaining. With the upcoming release of their new single, Broken Heart, and the constant rehearsals, interviews, and late-night practices, it wasn't unusual for someone to retreat into themselves for a while. Brian, being the second eldest, had always been one of the more responsible and grounded members. He handled stress well—until recently, when he began to disappear.
It started subtly at first. Brian would slip out of the dorm for a bit, claiming he needed fresh air or wanted to take a quick walk. But then those walks turned into longer absences, sometimes lasting for hours. The members brushed it off for a while, too caught up in their own exhaustion to notice how often it was happening. They chalked it up to Brian needing space. But after a particularly long stretch where no one could find him, Kamden, the eldest and leader, started to grow concerned.
One night, after returning late from practice, Kamden and Kyrell, the rapper and one of Brian's closest friends in the group, noticed that Brian's shoes were missing from the front door. Again.
"He's gone again," Kyrell said, frowning as he glanced at Kamden.
Kamden, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. "We need to find out what's going on with him. This isn't normal."
Kyrell nodded, worry etched across his face. Brian had always been there for the group, providing emotional support and being a steady presence for everyone, especially the younger members. It felt wrong to just sit back and ignore it now that Brian seemed to be the one struggling.
"Let's follow him next time," Kamden suggested quietly, not wanting to alarm the other members who were lounging in the living room. "We need to know where he's going."
Kyrell agreed, and they decided that the next time Brian slipped away, they would follow.
The opportunity came sooner than expected. The very next evening, as soon as practice ended and they arrived back at the dorm, Brian excused himself again, saying he needed to clear his head. Kamden and Kyrell exchanged glances before silently grabbing their jackets and slipping out the door after him.
They kept a safe distance, watching as Brian made his way through the busy streets, his shoulders hunched against the cool night air. He didn't take his usual route towards the park or any of the cafes nearby. Instead, he kept walking, crossing multiple intersections until he eventually stopped in front of a familiar building—the dorms of P1Harmony.
Kyrell's eyes widened. "What's he doing here?"
Kamden didn't respond, watching as Brian knocked on the door and was quickly ushered inside by Keeho, the leader of P1Harmony.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Brian wasn't just isolating himself. He was homesick. Keeho was the only other Canadian idol Brian had a close bond with, someone he could talk to about home and how much he missed it. Kamden and Kyrell shared a glance, both understanding now what had been eating away at Brian. He wasn't distancing himself because he didn't want to be around them; he was aching for something they couldn't provide—familiarity, comfort, the feeling of home.
Kamden's chest tightened with guilt. They should have noticed earlier. They should have realized something was wrong before it got this bad.
"Let's go," Kamden whispered. "We can't confront him yet. We need to figure out a way to help."
Kyrell nodded, and they quietly turned back, leaving Brian to his moment of comfort with Keeho.
Back at the dorm, Kamden and Kyrell gathered the rest of the members—Jiho, Siyun, Mackiah, and Seungmo—around the table. The atmosphere was tense, worry etched into every face as they explained what they had discovered.