Untitled

𝘖𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘭 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 , 𝘐𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘖𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶… 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.

content / warnings. 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦 – 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 & 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 – 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘜 – 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘺 – 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥-𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 – 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

The problem starts ten minutes into the party.

Not when your ex sees you.

Not when your friends start whispering.

But when Ohyul doesn’t let go.

His arm is still around your shoulders.

Not loosely.

Not casually.

Firm.

Like it belongs there.

“Okay,” you mutter under your breath. “You can let go now.”

“No.”

You blink.

“…no?”

“No,” he repeats calmly, taking a sip of his drink like this is normal.

You try to move slightly.

His arm tightens.

Just a little.

Enough.

“Ohyul,” you whisper sharply, “you’re overdoing it.”

“You said fake boyfriend.”

“Yes.”

“I’m being convincing.”

You turn to look at him.

He’s not even looking at you.

He’s watching your ex.

Your stomach flips.

“Why do you look so serious?” you ask quietly.

He finally glances down at you.

“You want him to believe it, don’t you?”

You hesitate.

“…yes.”

“Then stop complaining.”

Before you can respond, your ex walks closer.

Of course he does.

“Y/N.”

You freeze.

Ohyul doesn’t.

His hand slides from your shoulder to your waist.

Lower.

Closer.

Your breath catches.

“Hey,” your ex says, eyes flicking between you and Ohyul. “Didn’t know you were… seeing someone.”

“Oh, we are,” Ohyul answers smoothly.

You turn your head so fast you almost get whiplash.

We are?

Your ex frowns slightly.

“How long?”

And this is where Ohyul should hesitate.

Where he should look at you.

Where he should ask.

He doesn’t.

“Not long,” he says, voice calm, confident. “But long enough.”

Your heart starts racing.

Because that didn’t sound fake.

That sounded…

real.

Your ex scoffs lightly. “Right.”

Ohyul tilts his head slightly.

“Is that a problem?”

The tension sharpens instantly.

You grab his sleeve subtly.

“Okay— maybe we should—”

But Ohyul doesn’t move.

Doesn’t look away.

“Y/N,” your ex says, ignoring him, “can I talk to you for a second?”

You hesitate.

And that’s when you feel it.

Ohyul’s thumb.

Slowly tracing a small circle against your waist.

Not for your ex.

For you.

A warning.

“Whatever you need to say,” Ohyul cuts in quietly, “you can say it here.”

Your ex laughs.

“You don’t get to decide that.”

Ohyul’s expression doesn’t change.

But his hand presses slightly firmer against you.

“I do if she’s with me.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

You swallow.

“Maybe I’ll just—”

“No,” Ohyul says softly.

Not harsh.

Not loud.

But firm enough that you stop.

Your ex’s jaw tightens.

“Didn’t take you for the controlling type, Y/N.”

Ohyul finally smiles.

Small.

Dangerous.

“I’m not controlling.”

His eyes flick to you for half a second.

Then back.

“I just don’t like repeating myself.”

Your ex exhales sharply and shakes his head.

“Whatever. This is weird.”

He walks away.

And the second he’s gone

You turn to Ohyul immediately.

“What was THAT?”

He finally looks at you properly.

“What?”

“That was NOT fake.”

“It was.”

“You literally—” you gesture vaguely at your waist “—did that.”

His gaze drops briefly to where his hand still rests.

He doesn’t move it.

“You didn’t complain.”

Your face heats up.

“That’s not the point.”

“Then what is?”

You open your mouth.

Close it.

Because the point is

You didn’t pull away.

And he knows it.

“Ohyul,” you say more quietly now, “we’re supposed to be pretending.”

He studies your face.

Longer than necessary.

And for the first time tonight

He looks less amused.

“Yeah,” he says.

But it doesn’t sound convincing.

Your heart starts beating faster.

“Then act like it.”

A pause.

Then, slowly

His hand slides slightly higher on your waist.

More secure.

More intentional.

“Maybe I am.”

Your breath catches.

“What does that mean?”

He leans down slightly, close enough that no one else hears.

“It means,” he murmurs, “you agreed to fake date me.”

Your pulse spikes.

“And now you don’t get to decide when I stop acting like your boyfriend.”

Your eyes widen.

“That’s not how this works—”

“Too late.”

He straightens, completely composed again.

Like he didn’t just say something insane.

Your friends across the room are staring.

Whispering.

Smiling.

You feel dizzy.

“This was supposed to be one night,” you say.

Ohyul glances down at you.

Calm.

Certain.

“We’ll see.”

Your stomach drops.

“See what?”

He smirks slightly.

“How long it takes you to realize this isn’t fake anymore.”

Your heart?

Completely betrays you.

Because the worst part is

𝘖𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘭 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 , 𝘐𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘖𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵

content / warnings. 𝘍𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦 – 𝘍𝘭𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 & 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 –𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 –𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦 – 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥-𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

You didn’t mean to start dating Ohyul.

It just… happened.

And technically it wasn’t even your fault.

It started because of your very dramatic best friend.

You were sitting in a café scrolling through your phone when she suddenly grabbed your arm.

“Y/N. DON’T LOOK NOW.”

You immediately looked.

Across the café, sitting near the window, was your extremely annoying neighbor.

Ohyul.

Black hoodie, messy hair, headphones around his neck, casually sipping iced coffee like he didn’t spend every morning stealing your parking spot.

Your friend leaned closer.

“Isn’t that the guy you told me about?”

“The one who stole my packages twice and pretended it was an accident?”

“Yes.”

“And the one who called me ‘short’ in the elevator?”

“Yes.”

She suddenly stood up.

Before you could stop her.

She walked straight to his table.

You watched in horror.

“Hi,” she said sweetly. “Are you Ohyul?”

He looked up slowly.

Dark eyes. Calm expression.

“Depends.”

Your friend pointed directly at you.

“Y/N is my friend and she’s too shy to admit it but she likes you.”

You choked on air.

“WHAT—”

Ohyul slowly turned his head.

Looked at you.

One eyebrow lifted.

A slow smile forming.

“Oh really?”

You wanted the earth to swallow you whole.

You rushed over immediately.

“I DON’T—”

But before you could finish

Ohyul casually leaned back in his chair and said,

“Yeah.”

You froze.

“…yeah what?”

“Yeah we’re dating.”

You blinked.

Your friend gasped dramatically.

“OMG I KNEW IT.”

You stared at him.

“We are NOT dating.”

Ohyul tilted his head.

“Then why did you text me at 2AM asking if I had extra ramen?”

“BECAUSE YOU STOLE MY GROCERIES.”

“Couple behavior.”

Your friend was practically crying with excitement.

“I’m so happy for you guys.”

You grabbed your bag.

“This is insane.”

You started walking away.

But Ohyul stood up and followed you outside.

“Relax,” he said casually.

You spun around.

“You just told my best friend we’re dating.”

“She seemed happy.”

“That’s not the point.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Look.”

You crossed your arms.

“What?”

“Your ex is coming to that party tonight right?”

You narrowed your eyes.

“How do you know that.”

“You talk loudly on the phone.”

You groaned.

“So?”

“So now you have a boyfriend.”

You blinked.

“…you’re insane.”

Ohyul shrugged.

“Fake boyfriend.”

You stared at him.

He leaned closer.

Too close.

“You get to make your ex jealous.”

Your heart skipped.

“And I get free ramen.”

You pushed his shoulder.

“You’re unbelievable.”

He grinned.

“So is that a yes?”

You sighed dramatically.

“…fine.”

“Great.”

He turned and started walking away.

You frowned.

“That’s it?”

He looked back.

“Yeah.”

“Where are you going?”

“To tell your friend we’re very happy together.”

You ran after him.

“OHYUL DON’T YOU DARE—”

Two hours later at the party.

Your ex was staring.

Your friends were whispering.

And Ohyul had his arm around your shoulders like he had been doing it his entire life.

He leaned down to whisper in your ear.

“You’re blushing.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

He smirked.

“Careful.”

You glared at him.

“Why?”

His voice dropped softly.

“Because I might start thinking this is real.”

Your heart betrayed you.

Immediately.

And the worst part?

𝘖𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘭 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 , 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘖𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶

content / warnings. 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 – 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 – 𝘌𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘺 – 𝘐𝘥𝘰𝘭 𝘉𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘜 – 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Ohyul doesn’t look like someone who needs affection.

That’s what everyone thinks.

On stage he’s confident, controlled, the kind of person who stands straight and speaks carefully in interviews. He looks like someone who has everything handled.

But you know better.

You notice it the first time you sit beside him on the couch after one of his long practice days.

He doesn’t say anything when you arrive. Just greets you quietly, shoulders tired, hair slightly messy from rehearsal.

You sit next to him.

A few seconds pass.

Then another.

And slowly, almost unconsciously, his shoulder leans into yours.

Just slightly.

Like gravity pulled him there.

You glance at him.

“Ohyul.”

“Hm?”

“You’re leaning.”

“I am not.”

You raise an eyebrow.

He sighs quietly but doesn’t move away.

Because the truth is simple.

He’s tired.

And he likes being close to you more than he likes pretending he doesn’t.

A few minutes later your hand brushes his when you reach for the remote.

His fingers immediately hook around yours.

Not tightly.

Just… holding.

You look down.

“Were you waiting for that?”

He hesitates.

“…Maybe.”

You smile softly.

He looks away, slightly embarrassed.

Ohyul isn’t dramatic about affection.

He doesn’t pull you into grand hugs in public. He doesn’t loudly announce how much he likes you.

But when you’re alone?

He’s different.

Later that night you’re lying on the bed scrolling through your phone while he sits beside you finishing messages.

When he’s done, he sets his phone down.

Then without a word, he stretches out next to you.

Closer than necessary.

His arm slips around your waist carefully.

You don’t even react anymore.

This is normal.

Your fingers absentmindedly trace circles on his wrist.

The effect is immediate.

His breathing slows.

His head drops into the space near your shoulder.

“You’re quiet,” you murmur.

“I’m comfortable.”

“You sound like a cat.”

He huffs softly.

“I just like when you touch me.”

The honesty is quiet but heavy.

You glance at him.

“You don’t get that much, do you?”

He shakes his head slightly.

“Not like this.”

Not gentle touches.

Not casual closeness.

Not someone holding his hand without cameras or expectations.

Just warmth.

Just you.

Your hand moves to his hair, brushing through it slowly.

The reaction is instant.

He exhales deeply and pulls you closer, burying his face against your shoulder.

“Careful,” you tease softly. “You’re getting clingy.”

“I know.”

“But you’re not stopping.”

“No.”

His arms tighten slightly around your waist.

Not possessive.

Just grounding.

Like he’s reminding himself you’re real.

“You’re very touch-starved,” you say.

“…Probably.”

“But you pretend you’re not.”

He shifts slightly so he can look at you.

“I only pretend in front of other people.”

Your chest warms.

“And with me?”

“With you I don’t have to.”

You smile softly and press a small kiss to his temple.

His reaction is immediate.

His arms wrap around you even tighter, pulling you fully into him like he’s been waiting for that all night.

“Oh,” you laugh quietly. “So that’s how it is.”

He closes his eyes.

Relaxed now.

Finally.

“You started it,” he murmurs.

Your fingers run gently down his back.

“You like it that much?”

He nods slightly against you.

“Yeah.”

A pause.

Then he adds softly:

“Don’t stop.”

And you don’t.

Because sometimes the person who looks the strongest on stage

Is the one who just wants to be held

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚₊˚ ✧

𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘫𝘪𝘯 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 , 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘫𝘦𝘩 (𝘺𝘰𝘶) 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺.

content / warnings. 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 / 𝘦𝘹-𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 – 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 & 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘢 – 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘱 – 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

You don’t even mean to hear it.

It’s playing in a café,soft, almost drowned out by quiet conversation and the hum of an espresso machine.

At first you don’t notice.

Then the chorus starts.

And your heart drops.

Because you know that melody.

Not the exact song, you’ve never heard it before but the way the chords move. The way the voice carries the words.

You know that voice.

Woojin.

You freeze with your coffee halfway to your lips.

The song playing through the café speakers feels too intimate for a public place.

The lyrics are quiet. Reflective. Almost fragile.

Ejeh.

Yesterday.

You stare down at your phone.

Your chest feels tight.

You already know.

You don’t need to check.

But you do anyway.

Spotify.

New release.

Woojin of LNGSHOT — Ejeh

Your hands tremble slightly as you press play again with headphones this time.

Now the words are clearer.

Every line feels like a memory you buried.

Late-night walks. Rain on the pavement. Arguments that lasted until sunrise. The way he used to hum when he was thinking.

You sit there listening to the entire song without moving.

And by the end?

Your eyes sting.

Because you know.

You know this song is about you.

Woojin was always like that , the type who processed emotions through music instead of conversations.

Even when you dated.

Especially when you dated.

You stare at the screen long after the song ends.

You haven’t spoken in almost two years.

No dramatic breakup.

No screaming.

Just distance.

Timing.

Life pulling in different directions until silence became easier than trying.

But now the silence feels heavier.

Because somewhere out there, he wrote an entire song about ejeh.

About you.

Your thumb hovers over his contact.

You never deleted it.

You almost laugh at yourself.

Of course you didn’t.

You type.

Delete it.

Type again.

Delete again.

Finally you send something simple.

I heard the song.

For a moment nothing happens.

Then your phone buzzes.

You stop breathing when you see the name.

Woojin

His reply appears slowly.

I wondered if you would.

Your heart twists.

You stare at the message, unsure what to say next.

Then another one appears.

Did you recognize it?

You exhale softly.

Of course you did.

You type back.

Immediately.

Three dots appear.

Disappear.

Appear again.

Finally:

I wasn’t sure if I should release it.

Your fingers hover over the screen.

Why did you?

The reply takes longer this time.

When it comes, it’s shorter than you expect.

Because it was the only way I knew how to say goodbye to yesterday.

Your chest tightens.

But something about that answer doesn’t feel like closure.

It feels unfinished.

You type carefully.

And did it work?

A pause.

Then your phone buzzes again.

No.

Your breath catches.

Another message follows almost immediately.

Hearing from you right now proves it didn’t.

You lean back in your chair slowly, heart racing in a way you haven’t felt in years.

Two years of silence.

And suddenly the distance between you feels fragile.

Like one message could break it completely.

Your fingers hover again.

Then you type:

Maybe yesterday isn’t finished yet.

The typing bubble appears almost instantly this time.

Like he was already waiting.

And somewhere across the city or maybe across the world , Woojin is staring at his phone the same way you are.

Realizing that the song he wrote about the past

Might have just opened the door

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚₊˚ ✧

𝘏𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘨 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 , 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘏𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶.

content / warnings. 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 (𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵) – 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘵 – 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘺 – 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 – 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳 (𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘵𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘤)

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Heeseung is not subtle.

He tries to be.

He fails.

It starts small.

A hand on your lower back when he walks past you. Fingers brushing your thigh when you sit next to each other. His palm resting a little too comfortably on your waist during group photos.

At first, you think it’s accidental.

It’s not.

You’re backstage at an event, tucked into a quiet corner while the other members are distracted. You’re both pretending to watch something on your phone.

He’s pretending to focus.

He’s not.

His hand is on your knee.

Not inappropriate.

Not obvious.

Just there.

Thumb tracing absent circles like he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.

You glance at him.

“Heeseung.”

“Hm?”

“You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

Your eyebrow lifts.

His thumb pauses.

Then continues.

“Relax,” he murmurs, voice low.

That tone.

The one that isn’t for cameras.

You swallow.

“You said you’d behave.”

“I am behaving.”

His fingers slide slightly higher.

Barely.

But enough.

You shift closer instinctively.

That’s the problem.

You respond.

He notices immediately.

His jaw tightens just a little.

“You shouldn’t look at me like that,” he mutters.

“Like what?”

“Like you want me to stop.”

You blink.

“I don’t.”

His breath changes.

He leans in slightly, lips hovering near your ear.

“You make it hard.”

Your stomach flips.

Heeseung isn’t rough.

He isn’t aggressive.

He’s controlled.

Which somehow makes it worse.

Because every touch is intentional.

His hand leaves your knee and for a split second you miss it.

Then it’s on your waist instead.

Sliding slowly.

Testing.

His fingers press into the curve of your hip like he’s memorizing it.

“You’re clingy today,” you whisper.

He smirks faintly.

“I’m always clingy.”

“Not like this.”

He exhales against your skin.

“Because you’re wearing that.”

You look down at your outfit.

“It’s just a skirt.”

“Exactly.”

The way he says it makes heat crawl up your neck.

Footsteps pass nearby.

You both freeze.

He doesn’t move his hand.

He just waits.

And when the hallway quiets again, he leans back slightly to look at you.

His eyes are darker.

Not soft-stage Heeseung.

Not playful-interview Heeseung.

This is the version that only exists when it’s just you.

“You know I can’t keep my hands off you,” he says quietly.

It’s not a joke.

It’s a confession.

You tilt your head slightly.

“Then why are you trying?”

He studies your face.

Slowly.

Like he’s debating something.

Then his hand slides from your waist to your thigh , firm now.

Claiming.

His forehead rests against yours.

“I’m trying because if I stop trying,” he murmurs, “I won’t stop.”

Your breath catches.

He kisses you.

Not rushed.

Not messy.

Slow.

Deep enough to make your fingers curl into his shirt.

His hand tightens slightly on your thigh.

Just enough to remind you it’s there.

When he pulls back, you’re both breathing unevenly.

He presses one more soft kiss at the corner of your mouth.

“I need five minutes,” he mutters.

You smile faintly.

“For what?”

“To act normal again.”

He finally removes his hand reluctantly.

But before he stands, he leans down and whispers:

“Next time, don’t sit so close.”

You grin.

“You’re the one who moved closer.”

Heeseung smirks.

“Exactly.”

And as he walks away to rejoin the others, he looks completely composed.

Like nothing happened.

But when he passes you again?

His fingers drag lightly over your waist.

Just once.

Because even when he’s trying

𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 , 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳.

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦 : 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

James is not dramatic.

He doesn’t beg. He doesn’t cling. He doesn’t say things he doesn’t mean.

But he yearns.

It’s subtle. It lives in the spaces between things.

In the way his hand automatically finds yours under restaurant tables. In the way he looks at you like you’re about to leave, even when you’re just getting up to grab water. In the way he memorizes your schedule without meaning to.

You notice it first on a random Tuesday.

He’s lying on your bed, half asleep, watching you get ready to go out with friends. You’re laughing at something on your phone, not paying attention to him.

He’s paying attention to you.

Always.

“Are you going to miss me?” you tease, slipping your earrings on.

He smiles lazily. “You’ll be gone three hours.”

You shrug. “Still.”

He doesn’t answer right away.

Instead, he sits up and pulls you gently by the wrist until you’re standing between his knees. His hands rest on your waist like they belong there.

They do.

“I always miss you,” he says quietly.

Not dramatic. Not performative.

Just true.

James is the type to pretend he’s fine until you’re not around.

When you’re with him, he’s steady. Calm. Protective in a quiet way. He lets you tease him, lets you win arguments just to see you smile.

But the second you leave, he checks your location. Not obsessively. Just… to make sure you’re safe.

He rereads your old texts. He scrolls through photos of you he definitely didn’t mean to save but did anyway.

He tells himself he’s not clingy.

He just loves hard.

And you see it most at night.

When you’re both exhausted. When makeup is washed off and the world is quiet. When it’s just you and him and the soft hum of the city outside.

You’ll be half asleep, and he’ll pull you closer.

Closer.

Until there’s no space between you.

If you shift away, even unconsciously, he follows.

His face buries into your neck. His fingers curl into the fabric of your shirt like he’s anchoring himself.

“James,” you mumble once, smiling against the pillow. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He doesn’t say anything.

But his hold tightens just a little.

Because that’s the thing about him.

He doesn’t fear losing you in a dramatic, explosive way.

He fears losing you quietly.

Through distance. Through misunderstandings. Through time.

So he loves you intentionally.

He listens when you rant about things that don’t make sense. He remembers your coffee order even though he doesn’t drink coffee. He notices when your smile is 5% less bright than usual.

And when you’re upset?

He doesn’t rush to fix it.

He just sits close.

Forehead pressed to yours.

Breathing with you.

“I’m here,” he whispers.

Like a promise. Like a vow. Like something fragile.

And sometimes, when he thinks you’re asleep, he studies your face.

His thumb tracing your cheek softly.

Like he’s memorizing you.

Like he’s afraid one day he’ll wake up and you’ll be gone.

But you’re not.

You’re here.

And when you wake up and catch him staring, he looks away shyly.

“What?” he mutters.

You grin. “You love me so much.”

He rolls his eyes, pretending to be embarrassed.

But then he pulls you on top of him, arms wrapping around you like he’s been waiting all day.

“Yeah,” he admits into your hair.

“I do.”

And the way he says it?

It doesn’t sound casual.

It sounds like something he decided.

Like loving you is the safest and scariest thing he’s ever done.

And he would do it again.

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 other chapters!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 10

It started quietly.

One clip.

Then another.

Then suddenly

everywhere.

A rehearsal cam from the company concert leaked online.

Nothing scandalous.

Just behind-the-scenes footage.

Artists stretching. Laughing. Practicing vocals.

And in the background

Y/N and Heeseung talking.

Too comfortably.

Too naturally.

Fans noticed immediately.

Twitter exploded overnight.

why does heeseung always stand next to bloom y/n???

their vocal chemistry is INSANE

ohyul was trending last week but now heeseung??? what is happening

New hashtags climbed rapidly:

#HeeYN #VocalUnitCouple #MoreVisionPrincess

Edits appeared within hours.

Slow-motion moments of Heeseung handing her water. Both laughing during rehearsal. Eye contact during harmonies.

Fans began choosing sides.

Inside the dorm, Anna groaned dramatically.

"Congratulations," she announced. "You now have TWO rumor arcs."

Y/N buried her face in a cushion.

"I literally did nothing."

Manchae peeked over her phone.

"That's exactly why fans think it's real."

Sieun watched quietly from the kitchen.

Her concern deepened.

Because this wasn't one interaction anymore.

It was a pattern.

And patterns were dangerous.

Meanwhile

Ohyul saw everything.

He tried not to.

Failed immediately.

Edits flooded his timeline despite avoiding searches.

Heeseung smiling at her. Heeseung leaning close during rehearsals. Fans calling them natural together.

Something twisted painfully inside him.

He realized something he had avoided admitting:

He wasn't just worried about rumors.

He was afraid of losing her.

Again.

Except this time...

it wouldn't be his decision.

Company rehearsals continued.

Security presence increased subtly.

Managers became stricter about movement between artists.

Y/N noticed unfamiliar faces near entrances.

People lingering too long.

Cameras pointed from strange angles.

Then her manager pulled her aside.

Quiet voice.

Serious expression.

"Dispatch reporters have started following you."

Her stomach dropped.

"They're investigating interaction patterns after the ending stage rumor."

The room suddenly felt smaller.

"They don't have confirmation," he added quickly, "but they're tracking schedules. Who you leave with. Who you talk to."

Y/N nodded slowly.

Understanding immediately.

She wasn't just an idol anymore.

She was a story.

That night, rehearsal ended late again.

Y/N walked alone toward the parking area, hoodie pulled low.

Security stayed closer than usual.

The air felt heavy.

Footsteps approached behind her.

She turned.

Ohyul.

For once, he didn't stop at a polite distance.

"Can we talk?"

His voice was different.

Not casual.

Not careful.

Honest.

She hesitated before nodding.

They moved toward a quieter corner of the building.

Far from cameras.

Far from staff.

He looked at her for a long moment.

Like he was memorizing her again.

"I hate seeing those videos," he admitted.

She blinked. "What videos?"

"With Heeseung."

The name hung between them.

Unexpected.

Raw.

"You look happy," he continued quietly.

She didn't know how to respond.

Because she was comfortable with Heeseung.

But hearing it from Ohyul felt complicated.

"You broke up with me," she said softly.

Not accusing.

Just truth.

He swallowed.

"I know."

Silence stretched.

"I thought staying away was protecting you," he admitted. "Back then... and now."

His voice lowered.

"But watching you get close to someone else..."

He paused.

Struggling.

"...I realized I never stopped wanting you."

Her breath caught.

The words she once waited years to hear.

Arriving at the worst possible time.

"We can't do this," she whispered.

"Because we're idols?" he asked.

"Yes."

Because Dispatch was watching. Because BLOOM was fragile. Because her heart was already confused.

He stepped closer anyway.

Not touching.

Just close enough to feel real.

"I'm not asking you to choose anything right now," he said softly.

"I just needed you to know... I still love you."

The confession lingered between them.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Real.

Across the street

a camera lens adjusted slightly.

Unseen.

Focused.

Waiting.

Dispatch didn't need proof yet.

They only needed moments.

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 other chapters!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 9

The pairing announcement dropped during rehearsal.

And chaos followed immediately.

More Vision producers gathered everyone around the stage, clipboards in hand.

"For the company concert," one staff member announced, "we'll have mixed collaboration stages."

Excited murmurs filled the room.

Y/N expected dance units.

Maybe vocal stages.

Normal things.

Then the screen changed.

SPECIAL VOCAL UNIT

Names appeared.

Heeseung. Y/N. Two senior artists.

The room reacted instantly.

Anna grabbed Y/N's arm.

"Oh you're famous-famous now."

Y/N blinked.

"A duet stage?"

"Not duet," the producer corrected. "But emotional vocal arrangement. You two will carry the bridge and harmony section."

Her eyes moved automatically across the room.

Ohyul stood near LNGSHOT members, reading the screen.

His expression didn't change.

But his shoulders stiffened slightly.

Practice schedules were rearranged immediately.

Which meant more rehearsals.

More interactions.

More chances for cameras and feelings  to catch up.

The first unit rehearsal went smoothly.

Heeseung was professional, focused, respectful.

He listened carefully when Y/N suggested harmonies, adjusting naturally to her vocal tone.

Their voices blended surprisingly well.

Warm.

Balanced.

Effortless.

Even the vocal director smiled.

"You two match emotionally."

Y/N felt oddly proud.

It had nothing to do with romance.

Just music.

Just connection through sound.

Safe.

Simple.

Rehearsal ended late.

Almost midnight.

Most idols had already left the building.

Y/N stayed behind.

She always did when nerves hit.

Empty practice rooms helped her think.

Soft instrumental music played while she practiced the high note repeatedly, trying to perfect breath control.

She didn't notice someone enter.

"You're going to lose your voice."

She turned.

Heeseung leaned against the doorway, holding two bottles of water.

She laughed softly. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I figured you'd still be here."

He handed her a bottle.

"You always stay late?"

"Only when I overthink," she admitted.

He nodded like he understood completely.

They sat on the floor across from the mirror.

No staff.

No managers.

No expectations.

Just two tired idols after midnight.

Heeseung spoke first.

"Does it still feel unreal?"

"What?"

"Debuting."

Y/N smiled faintly.

"Every day."

She hesitated before adding,

"Sometimes I feel like everyone else already knows how to be an idol... and I'm still figuring it out."

He laughed quietly.

"We all are."

Silence settled comfortably between them.

Different from the tension she felt with Ohyul.

No history.

No unresolved emotions.

Just ease.

Heeseung watched her reflection in the mirror.

"You're different off stage."

She tilted her head. "Different how?"

"Softer," he said honestly. "Quieter."

She chuckled.

"Don't expose me like that."

He smiled.

"I like it."

The words slipped out naturally.

And suddenly the air shifted.

Not heavy.

Just... warm.

Outside the practice room

footsteps stopped.

Ohyul had returned to grab something he forgot.

He heard voices inside.

Recognized hers instantly.

He didn't mean to look.

But through the small window

he saw them sitting together.

Laughing softly.

Comfortable.

Close.

His chest tightened again.

Worse this time.

Because this wasn't accidental skinship.

This was connection.

He stepped back quietly before they noticed.

Leaving without entering.

Inside, Y/N stretched her legs.

"I didn't expect we'd talk this much."

Heeseung shrugged.

"You're easy to talk to."

She blinked.

That compliment felt different.

Gentler.

He added quietly,

"You don't treat people like idols. You treat them like humans."

She looked down, smiling shyly.

"I think I forget sometimes that we're supposed to be mysterious."

He laughed.

"Yeah... you're bad at being mysterious."

They both laughed.

Time passed without either noticing.

Until Y/N's phone buzzed.

A message preview appeared on her screen.

Ohyul: Are you still at the company?

Her heart skipped.

Heeseung noticed her expression change slightly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she said quickly, locking her phone.

But something inside her felt unsettled now.

Two different worlds pulling at her.

One familiar.

One new.

One unfinished.

One just beginning.

As they packed up to leave, Heeseung walked beside her toward the exit.

"Good practice tonight."

"You too."

He hesitated slightly before saying,

"I'm glad we got paired together."

She smiled.

"Me too."

Behind them, unseen

Ohyul stood at the far end of the hallway.

Watching them walk out together.

And for the first time since debuting...

he felt afraid.

Because distance was no longer protecting her.

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 other chapters!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 8

More Vision's company concert preparations turned the building into chaos.

Practice rooms booked every hour. Artists crossing paths constantly. Managers too busy to separate everyone perfectly.

Which meant one thing.

Avoiding each other became impossible.

BLOOM entered Studio B for rehearsal, expecting an empty room.

Instead

music was already playing.

ENHYPEN stood scattered across the floor mid-practice.

Anna froze first.

"Oh, sorry!"

Staff waved casually. "You'll share this room today. Schedule overlap."

Great.

Y/N immediately focused on adjusting her mic pack, pretending not to notice anyone.

She had learned recently:

less interaction = safer.

But fate clearly disagreed.

Break time arrived quickly.

Members sat around the room drinking water, catching their breath.

Y/N stretched near the mirror, headphones around her neck.

She felt someone approach before she saw him.

"Your vocals are really good."

She turned.

Heeseung stood beside her, polite smile, slightly shy but confident presence.

Up close, he looked softer than his stage image.

"Oh..thank you," she replied, surprised.

"I watched your debut stage," he continued. "Your high note surprised everyone."

Y/N laughed lightly. "I almost passed out after that."

Heeseung laughed too easy, genuine.

Conversation felt... natural.

No pressure.

No history.

Just two idols talking.

"I'm Heeseung," he said, offering his hand.

She shook it.

"Y/N."

Their handshake lingered half a second longer than expected.

Not intentional.

Just comfortable.

Across the room

Ohyul noticed.

He didn't mean to.

He had walked in to grab equipment with another LNGSHOT member when his eyes landed on them.

Y/N laughing.

Relaxed.

Talking easily with Heeseung.

Something tightened in his chest instantly.

Unexpected.

Unwelcome.

He told himself it was nothing.

Just colleagues.

Just idols interacting normally.

But his gaze stayed longer than necessary.

He noticed small things:

How Y/N leaned slightly closer when listening. How Heeseung focused entirely on her when she spoke. How natural it looked.

Too natural.

Ohyul looked away first.

Jaw tightening.

He didn't understand why it bothered him.

He was the one who ended things.

He was the one who chose distance.

So why did it feel wrong seeing someone else step into her space so easily?

Back near the mirrors, Heeseung tilted his head.

"You don't act like a rookie."

Y/N smiled. "Is that good or bad?"

"Good," he said. "You seem comfortable being yourself."

That made her pause.

Most people complimented her skills.

Few noticed that.

"You're observant," she said.

He shrugged shyly. "I just notice energy."

Anna walked over dramatically.

"Are you stealing our maknae already?"

Heeseung laughed politely. "I'm just introducing myself."

Anna gave Y/N a knowing look.

Dangerous best friend intuition activated.

Rehearsal resumed.

Groups rotated formations for collaborative stages.

At one point, Y/N found herself positioned between Heeseung and Ohyul during choreography adjustments.

Unavoidable.

The air felt strange.

Heeseung explained a movement casually, guiding spacing with gentle professionalism.

"Ohyul, you move half step here," the choreographer called.

Ohyul stepped closer.

Too close.

Y/N could feel both presences on either side of her.

One familiar.

One new.

One safe history.

One unknown possibility.

When rehearsal paused, Heeseung handed her a water bottle without thinking.

"You looked tired."

She blinked. "Thanks."

Ohyul watched the exchange silently.

Something unfamiliar stirred again.

Not anger.

Not frustration.

Something quieter.

Something sharper.

Jealousy.

Though he refused to name it.

After rehearsal ended, members gathered their things.

Heeseung bowed slightly.

"See you at concert practice."

Y/N nodded, smiling.

"See you."

As he walked away, Ohyul finally spoke.

Low voice.

Only for her.

"You seem comfortable with him."

Y/N looked surprised.

"He's nice."

A simple answer.

But it hit harder than expected.

Ohyul nodded slowly.

"...Yeah."

He wanted to say more.

Didn't.

Managers were watching.

Rules still existed.

So he walked past her instead.

Professional.

Distant.

But the feeling remained.

Because for the first time since seeing her again

Ohyul realized something terrifying:

If he kept stepping back...

someone else might step forward.

And across the hallway

Heeseung glanced back once more.

Curiosity growing into interest.

Without knowing it...

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 other chapters!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 7

The meeting room felt colder than usual.

Too bright. Too quiet.

BLOOM sat on one side of the long table while More Vision executives whispered among themselves.

Y/N kept her hands folded tightly in her lap.

No phones allowed.

No smiles.

No pretending this was normal.

Their manager finally spoke.

"As you know, the ending stage interaction has gained significant attention."

Significant.

That meant bad.

A screen turned on.

Articles appeared one after another.

Dating rumors. Fan theories. Edited clips analyzing eye contact.

Y/N wanted to disappear.

"Dispatch reporters attended yesterday's recording," another staff member added.

The word alone made Anna inhale sharply.

"They currently do not have confirmed evidence," he continued, "but they are observing both artists closely."

Observing.

Watching.

Waiting.

The executive's gaze landed on Y/N.

"Until further notice, unnecessary interaction between BLOOM and LNGSHOT members will be restricted."

Her chest tightened.

"Joint schedules will be minimized. Waiting rooms separated. No off-camera communication."

The words felt heavier with every sentence.

Professional.

Necessary.

Painful.

Across the building, LNGSHOT sat through the same meeting.

Ohyul barely listened.

His focus stayed on one sentence repeating in his head.

Avoid interaction.

He clenched his jaw.

He understood the rules.

He had followed them once before.

And it still cost him her.

Back at the dorm, the atmosphere changed immediately.

Managers monitored schedules more closely. Staff walked members between rooms. Even casual greetings in hallways became careful bows instead of conversations.

Y/N noticed it instantly.

Every time she saw LNGSHOT members

Ohyul wasn't there.

Or he turned away first.

Or staff subtly redirected them.

Distance enforced.

Like high school all over again.

Except this time it wasn't his choice.

Practice felt harder.

Y/N missed choreography counts she never missed before.

Her energy dropped between takes.

Sieun noticed.

Again.

But this time she didn't say anything.

She simply watched.

Concern replacing suspicion.

A week later, More Vision held a joint rehearsal for an upcoming company concert.

Multiple artists rotated through practice rooms.

BLOOM arrived early.

Y/N stretched quietly near the mirror while Anna practiced choreography beside her.

Across the hallway, another practice room door opened.

Someone stepped out.

Tall. Relaxed posture. Hoodie pulled slightly over his head.

Heeseung.

He wasn't supposed to notice anything.

He had only come to grab water between rehearsals.

But laughter echoed from BLOOM's room.

Bright.

Warm.

Different from the usual idol atmosphere.

He glanced inside casually

And saw her.

Y/N dancing freely while warming up, completely unaware anyone was watching.

No cameras.

No performance smile.

Just movement.

Natural.

Confident.

Alive.

He paused.

Something about her energy felt unfamiliar yet magnetic.

Not polished idol charm.

Real presence.

She laughed at something Anna said, switching effortlessly between Korean and French mid-conversation.

Heeseung blinked slightly.

Interesting.

He didn't know her personally yet, only recognized her as the rookie everyone talked about lately.

The girl from the rumors.

But watching her now...

She didn't look like controversy.

She looked genuine.

Before he could think more, a staff member called his name.

He walked away.

But not before glancing back once more.

Curiosity planted.

Later that evening, BLOOM crossed paths with LNGSHOT in the hallway.

Managers immediately guided groups past each other.

No stopping.

No talking.

Professional distance.

Y/N kept her eyes forward.

Until

For half a second

Ohyul looked at her.

No smile.

No greeting.

Just something quiet and heavy passing between them.

Unspoken apology.

Unspoken longing.

Then they walked past each other like strangers.

And somehow...

That hurt more than the rumors.

Behind them, unnoticed

Heeseung watched the interaction from down the corridor.

He didn't know the story.

But he recognized tension when he saw it.

And for reasons he couldn't explain...

he found himself wondering about her again.

Because sometimes love stories don't start with meetings.

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 other chapters!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 6

Music show endings were chaos.

Idols everywhere. Confetti still falling. Cameras sweeping across smiling faces for the final broadcast shot.

BLOOM stood near the front rows, waving politely to fans and cameras like they had practiced countless times.

Smile. Bow. Wave.

Y/N loved ending stages.

It felt like celebration.

Until she felt someone step beside her.

She didn't need to look.

She already knew.

Ohyul.

LNGSHOT had moved into position right next to BLOOM.

Too close.

Way too close.

The ending fairy camera swung toward them.

Members shifted slightly to fit the frame.

Someone behind bumped into Y/N unexpectedly.

Her balance tilted forward

And instinctively, Ohyul reached out.

His hand caught hers.

Not her arm.

Not her shoulder.

Her hand.

Fingers instinctively tightening around hers to steady her.

For one second

They froze.

Eye contact.

Shock.

Recognition.

Memory.

Everything hit at once.

Then realization.

Cameras.

Hundreds of them.

They pulled apart immediately.

Professional smiles returning like nothing happened.

But it was already too late.

The broadcast camera captured everything.

Backstage, Y/N's phone exploded before she even reached the waiting room.

Anna grabbed her arm.

"...don't panic."

Which automatically meant panic.

Y/N opened Twitter.

A slowed-down broadcast clip was already circulating.

Zoomed. Enhanced. Highlighted.

OHYUL HOLDING Y/N'S HAND ON LIVE BROADCAST.

Millions of views climbing by the minute.

Comments flooding in:

THAT WAS NOT ACCIDENTAL.

THE WAY HE LOOKED AT HER???

THEY FORGOT THEY WERE IDOLS FOR A SECOND.

Hashtags rising fast:

#OhYulYN #EndingStageCouple #MoreVisionDatingScandal

Y/N's stomach dropped.

"Oh my god..."

The manager burst into the waiting room minutes later.

Face serious.

"Phones down."

Immediate silence.

Even Sieun straightened.

"The company is monitoring the situation," he continued. "Dispatch reporters were present today."

The room went cold.

Dispatch.

The word every idol feared.

It meant cameras hiding where they shouldn't be. Photos taken without warning. Rumors becoming headlines overnight.

"Right now it's only speculation," he added. "But everyone needs to be careful. No private meetings. No unnecessary interactions."

His eyes briefly landed on Y/N.

Then moved away.

Message received.

The ride back to the dorm was silent.

Y/N stared out the window, heart racing.

Her phone buzzed repeatedly in her lap.

She didn't open it.

She already knew who it was.

Across from her, Sieun watched quietly.

Thinking.

Observing.

Deciding.

Later that night.

The dorm was unusually tense.

Manchae pretended to watch TV.

Anna stayed close to Y/N without saying much.

Sieun stood near the kitchen doorway.

"Y/N. Can we talk?"

The room immediately felt smaller.

Y/N nodded and followed her onto the balcony.

Cold night air greeted them.

City lights glowing below.

For a moment, Sieun said nothing.

Then

"I'm not angry."

Y/N blinked, surprised.

"But I am worried."

Leader voice again.

Calm.

Controlled.

"Today wasn't just fan speculation," Sieun continued. "Dispatch is watching. The company is watching. Every move we make matters right now."

Y/N looked down.

"It was an accident."

"I know."

Sieun's tone softened slightly.

"I believe you."

She paused.

"But your reactions aren't invisible."

Y/N's chest tightened.

"You look at him differently."

The words hit harder than expected.

She didn't deny it.

Couldn't.

Sieun sighed quietly.

"I need you to understand something... BLOOM is still fragile. One scandal could define us before we even establish ourselves."

Not accusation.

Responsibility.

"I'm protecting the group," she added gently.

Y/N swallowed.

"...You think I'd risk us?"

"No," Sieun said immediately. "I think you're human."

Silence settled between them.

Then Sieun added softly:

"Just be careful with your heart."

Because hearts were dangerous in this industry.

More dangerous than scandals.

Y/N returned to her room later.

Her phone lit up again.

One unread message.

Ohyul.

She hesitated before opening it.

Ohyul: I'm sorry.

Another message followed.

Ohyul: I shouldn't have grabbed your hand.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Before she could reply

A new notification appeared.

Breaking news alert.

Entertainment article headline:

"Are LNGSHOT's Ohyul and BLOOM's Y/N More Than Colleagues? Fans Speculate After Viral Ending Stage Moment."

Her heart dropped.

This wasn't just fandom anymore.

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 other chapters!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 5

The dorm lights were mostly off.

Only the kitchen lamp remained on, casting warm shadows across the living room.

Anna sat at the table scrolling through fan comments, still half in performance mode even hours after Music Bank ended.

The door to Sieun's room opened quietly.

"Anna."

Her tone was calm.

Too calm.

Anna immediately knew this wasn't casual conversation.

She locked her phone and looked up.

"What's up?"

Sieun leaned against the counter, arms crossed.

"I want to ask you something."

Leader mode.

Not friend mode.

Anna straightened slightly.

"...Okay?"

Sieun hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

"It's about Y/N."

Anna's stomach dropped.

"She's distracted," Sieun continued. "Today wasn't the first time."

Anna stayed quiet.

"She missed timing. Lost focus. That's not like her."

Sieun rarely criticized members unless it truly concerned her.

"That interaction with Ohyul..." she added.

There it was.

Anna sighed softly.

"You noticed."

"I'm the leader," Sieun replied simply. "It's my job."

Silence stretched.

Sieun's voice softened slightly.

"Are they close?"

Anna debated lying.

But Sieun would figure it out eventually anyway.

"...They knew each other before debut."

Sieun's eyes narrowed just a little.

"How close?"

Anna hesitated.

"...They dated."

The air shifted instantly.

Sieun looked away, processing.

Of course that explained everything.

The looks. The energy. The distraction.

She ran a hand through her hair.

"This is bad timing."

Anna frowned. "It's not like she planned it."

"I know," Sieun said quickly. "I'm not blaming her."

Another pause.

"But feelings don't disappear just because we debuted."

Her voice lowered.

"We can't afford scandals right now."

Leader fear.

Not jealousy.

Responsibility.

Anna leaned forward.

"Y/N isn't careless."

Sieun nodded slowly.

"I believe that."

Then she added quietly:

"But emotions make people careless."

Across the dorm, Y/N lay in bed staring at the ceiling.

Sleep refused to come.

Her brain replayed every moment from today.

His hand grabbing her arm. His voice. The way he looked at her.

Her phone buzzed.

She ignored it at first.

Then it buzzed again.

And again.

She reached for it.

Notifications exploding.

Twitter trending.

Fan edits everywhere.

She opened one video.

Slow-motion clip from rehearsal.

Ohyul pulling her back from the stage edge.

Zoomed eye contact.

Romantic music overlay.

Caption:

"THIS IS NOT NORMAL IDOL INTERACTION."

Another tweet:

the way ohyul reacts faster to y/n than his own members???

Another:

ex-lovers energy i'm calling it NOW

Hashtags climbing fast:

#OhYulYN #MoreVisionCouple #ProtectiveOhyul

Anna's message popped up.

Anna: don't open twitter 😭

Too late.

Y/N buried her face into her pillow.

"We're actually doomed..."

But somewhere deep down

a small part of her felt warm.

Because people noticed what she tried to hide from herself.

Her phone buzzed again.

This time...

a new notification.

Unknown number.

She hesitated.

Then opened it.

Unknown: did you get home safe?

Her breath caught instantly.

She didn't need to ask who it was.

She stared at the message for a long time before typing.

Y/N: yeah.

Three dots appeared immediately.

He was waiting.

Ohyul: good.

Pause.

Another message.

Ohyul: people are talking a lot online.

She laughed quietly.

Y/N: that's your fault.

A few seconds passed.

Then

Ohyul: i didn't think when i grabbed you.

Her heart softened.

Ohyul: i just reacted.

She stared at the screen.

Memories flooding back.

High school walks home. Late night texts. The way he always checked on her.

Some habits really didn't change.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Y/N: you always did that.

Typing bubble appeared.

Stopped.

Appeared again.

Ohyul: i never stopped wanting to protect you.

Her chest tightened.

The room suddenly felt too quiet.

Too honest.

She didn't know how to respond.

Didn't know if she should.

So she wrote the safest thing possible.

Y/N: we're idols now.

Long pause.

Then his reply came.

Ohyul: i know.

Another message followed seconds later.

Ohyul: but you're still y/n to me.

She stared at those words long after the screen dimmed.

Outside her room, voices moved softly in the dorm.

Inside her chest

old feelings began blooming again.

And down the hallway...

Sieun watched Y/N's bedroom light still on past 2AM.

Leader instincts whispering something she didn't want to admit yet:

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 other chapters!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 4

Music Bank waiting rooms were always chaotic.

Stylists moving quickly. Managers shouting schedules. Idols greeting each other every two seconds.

BLOOM had only debuted months ago, so everything still felt overwhelming.

Y/N sat in the makeup chair while a stylist fixed her hair, trying to focus on vocal warm-ups.

Trying not to think.

Trying not to look across the hallway.

Because LNGSHOT's waiting room door was open.

And she knew he was inside.

Anna nudged her lightly.

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Pretending you're not looking."

Y/N kept her eyes forward.

"I'm literally not looking."

Anna smirked.

"Sure."

Their rehearsal slot was called.

BLOOM stepped onto stage for pre-recording.

Lights bright. Cameras moving. Staff directing positions.

Professional mode.

Y/N always felt safe on stage.

Nothing complicated existed here , just music, choreography, timing.

Until halfway through rehearsal.

During a formation change, a staff member rushed across the stage carrying equipment.

Too fast.

Too close.

Y/N stepped back instinctively and nearly lost her footing near the edge of the platform.

A hand grabbed her arm.

Firm.

Steady.

She looked up.

Ohyul.

He had been waiting off-stage for LNGSHOT's rehearsal.

He must have noticed before anyone else.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

Close enough that only she could hear.

Her heart betrayed her immediately.

"Yeah," she nodded quickly. "I'm fine."

His hand lingered half a second longer than necessary before letting go.

Not dramatic.

Not romantic.

Just... instinctive.

Protective.

The staff barely noticed.

But someone else did.

From the other side of the stage

Sieun watched.

Her expression unreadable.

Leader instincts never turned off.

She noticed details others missed.

The way Y/N froze when Ohyul touched her.

The way Ohyul's attention stayed on Y/N even after stepping back.

The way Y/N suddenly lost focus during the next run-through.

After rehearsal, BLOOM returned to their waiting room.

Normally Y/N would be loud, joking, hyping everyone up.

Today she was quiet.

Scrolling her phone.

Smiling unconsciously.

Distracted.

Sieun sat across from her, removing her in-ears slowly.

Watching.

Analyzing.

Finally

"You're off today."

Y/N looked up. "Huh?"

"Your timing during the bridge was late," Sieun said calmly.

Leader tone.

Not accusing.

Just factual.

"Oh... yeah. I'll fix it next time."

Sieun nodded but didn't look convinced.

Silence filled the room.

Anna sensed the tension instantly and pretended to organize makeup products very intensely.

Manchae quietly ate snacks like background peacekeeper energy.

Sieun crossed her arms.

"Is something going on?"

Y/N blinked. "No?"

Another pause.

Sieun held her gaze longer than comfortable.

"Because distractions become problems fast."

The words weren't harsh.

But they landed heavily.

Y/N felt defensive immediately.

"I said I'm fine."

Sieun nodded once.

Conversation over.

But not resolved.

Later, while heading back toward the stage for live broadcast, Y/N slowed near the hallway intersection.

Footsteps approached behind her.

She already knew who it was.

Ohyul walked beside her casually.

"You scared me earlier," he said.

She scoffed lightly. "I didn't even fall."

"You almost did."

He hesitated.

"...I couldn't just watch."

Her chest tightened.

They walked in silence for a moment.

Idols passed by, bowing politely.

Professional distance returned automatically.

Then he said softly:

"You still don't look where you're going."

She smiled despite herself.

"And you still act like my bodyguard."

He looked at her.

Really looked.

"Some habits don't change."

Their manager called her name from down the hall.

Y/N stepped away first.

Before leaving, she glanced back.

Ohyul was still watching her walk away.

And across the hallway

Sieun noticed that too.

Because leaders notice patterns.

And Sieun was starting to realize something dangerous:

Y/N wasn't just distracted.

She was emotionally involved.

And in the idol industry,

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴!!!!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 3

The dorm was quiet when they came back.

Too quiet.

The kind of silence that only existed after long schedules , makeup half removed, heels kicked off at the entrance, exhaustion hanging in the air.

Anna collapsed onto the couch immediately.

Manchae disappeared into the kitchen, already searching for snacks.

Sieun went straight to her room, headphones on, probably replaying rap lines in her head.

Y/N stayed near the doorway.

Still.

Thinking.

Still stuck in that hallway.

Still hearing his voice.

I watched your survival show.

She exhaled slowly and dropped her bag.

Why did that matter so much?

Why did he matter so much?

"Okay," Anna said suddenly, sitting up. "You're acting weird."

Y/N blinked. "I'm not."

Anna stared.

Long.

Unimpressed.

"You saw Ohyul today."

Not a question.

A statement.

Y/N groaned and buried her face into a pillow.

"I hate you."

Anna laughed softly. "You literally stopped breathing when you saw him."

"I did not."

"You absolutely did."

Y/N sat up, defensive.

"It's just... weird seeing someone you used to know."

Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Used to know?"

Silence.

Y/N looked down at her hands.

"...We dated."

Anna froze.

"YOU WHAT?"

"Shhh!" Y/N hissed, panicking. "The walls are thin!"

Anna grabbed her shoulders dramatically.

"How did I not know this?!"

"It was before you transferred schools! And it wasn't serious"

Her voice softened.

"...at least for him."

Anna's expression changed instantly.

Best friend mode activated.

"Oh," she said gently.

Y/N leaned back against the couch.

"He broke up with me when he started training," she admitted. "Said he needed to focus."

Anna frowned. "That's such an idol move."

Y/N laughed weakly.

"I understood logically. But... it still hurt."

She paused.

"He watched my survival show."

Anna tilted her head. "And that bothers you?"

"...No," Y/N whispered. "It makes me happy."

And that scared her more.

Because she wasn't supposed to feel that way anymore.

Anna nudged her shoulder.

"Do you still like him?"

Y/N didn't answer immediately.

Outside, cars passed quietly.

The dorm lights felt warm.

Safe.

"...I don't know," she admitted. "I think part of me never stopped."

Anna sighed dramatically.

"Okay first of all, this is insane drama material."

Y/N threw a pillow at her.

"I'm serious!"

"I know," Anna smiled softly. "But listen... you're not that girl anymore. You're an idol now too."

Y/N nodded slowly.

That was the problem.

Now they lived in the same world again.

Same company.

Same schedules.

Same cameras.

Same memories.

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

Then again.

And again.

Anna glanced over.

"Why is your phone fighting for its life?"

Y/N unlocked it.

Notifications exploded across the screen.

Twitter. TikTok. Fan café posts.

She opened one clip.

It was from the company event.

A slow-motion edit.

Her reaching for a drink.

Ohyul's hand brushing hers.

Their eye contact replayed three times with romantic music layered over it.

Text overlay:

"THE WAY LNGSHOT OHYUL LOOKS AT BLOOM Y/N???"

Another post:

they definitely knew each other before debut idc

Another:

this isn't rookie interaction energy... this is HISTORY

Anna leaned closer.

"Oh my god."

Y/N scrolled faster.

Compilation edits already existed.

Fans zooming into tiny moments.

Glances.

Smiles.

One tweet had over 100k likes.

more vision really debuted ex-lovers in the same company and thought we wouldn't notice

Y/N dropped her phone onto the couch.

"...We're doomed."

Anna tried not to laugh.

"They're not wrong though."

Y/N covered her face.

"I hate fans. I love fans. I hate fans."

Anna hugged her from the side.

"Welcome to idol life."

Y/N sighed into her shoulder.

But secretly...

Her heart was racing.

Because somewhere out there

Ohyul was probably seeing the same posts.

And maybe...

just maybe...

𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦:𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤 , 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 , 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 ,𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦

𝘈/𝘕: 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱. 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 . 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘺𝘺𝘺 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 .

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chapter 2

The first joint company event was supposed to be simple.

Just a content shoot for More Vision's anniversary. Games. Interviews. A friendly "family" atmosphere.

That's what the managers said.

But nothing felt simple when BLOOM walked into the main studio and saw LNGSHOT already there.

The room was loud , cameras adjusting, staff moving around, members greeting each other.

Anna waved politely. Manchae bowed softly. Sieun's posture went straight into leader mode.

Y/N froze.

Because standing across the room, laughing at something one of his members said...

was Ohyul.

He looked older.

Not physically , just... heavier somehow.

Training had sharpened his features. His shoulders broader. His smile calmer than she remembered.

But she would've recognized him anywhere.

They had grown up in the same friend group.

High school days spent in convenience stores after class. Late night study sessions that turned into music debates. Shared playlists. Inside jokes.

Woonhak from BOYNEXTDOOR used to tease them constantly.

"Just date already. It's obvious."

And they did.

For a while.

It wasn't dramatic. Just soft teenage love. Shared hoodies. Walks home. Secret smiles.

Until Ohyul passed his trainee audition.

And suddenly, everything changed.

He broke it off two weeks before officially starting training.

Said he needed to focus.

Said relationships would complicate things.

Said it was better to end it before it hurt more.

Y/N remembered smiling when he told her.

Pretending she understood.

She didn't.

She still loved him back then.

Maybe she still did.

That was the part she refused to examine.

"Maknae?"

Anna's voice pulled her back.

"You good?"

"Yeah," Y/N nodded quickly. "Just tired."

But when she looked up again

Ohyul was already looking at her.

Not surprised.

Not shocked.

Just... aware.

Like he had known this day would come eventually.

The filming started.

Group introductions. Laughter. Fake competitiveness for the cameras.

BLOOM and LNGSHOT were split into mixed teams.

Of course.

Of course the producers thought that would be fun.

Y/N ended up on the same team as Ohyul.

The universe had a sense of humor.

They didn't speak at first.

Professional smiles. Casual distance. Years of unspoken history sitting quietly between them.

During a game break, one of the staff handed out drinks.

Y/N reached for one at the same time Ohyul did.

Their hands brushed.

It was nothing.

It was everything.

She pulled back first.

"Sorry."

He shook his head. "You're still clumsy."

Her eyebrows lifted. "You're still annoying."

The tension cracked just slightly.

For a second, it felt like high school again.

Then cameras zoomed in and the moment passed.

Later, while everyone else was distracted filming a group TikTok challenge, Y/N stepped outside for air.

She didn't expect him to follow.

But he did.

The hallway was quiet.

No cameras.

No staff.

Just them.

For the first time in years.

"You've changed," he said softly.

She crossed her arms. "So have you."

Silence stretched.

He looked like he wanted to say more.

Like he was holding something back.

"You're doing well," he added. "I watched your survival show."

She blinked. "You did?"

"Of course I did."

That hurt more than it should have.

"Why?" she asked.

He hesitated.

Because he didn't know how to say:

Because I never stopped caring.

Instead he said, "You were always meant to debut."

Professional.

Safe.

She hated it.

"You didn't have to break up with me like that," she said suddenly, before she could stop herself.

The words hung in the air.

Raw.

Ohyul inhaled slowly.

"I thought I was protecting us."

"From what?"

"From this."

From the industry. From scandals. From pressure. From watching her suffer if his training failed.

But he never asked what she wanted.

Y/N looked away first.

"I would've stayed."

He stepped closer.

Not touching.

Just close enough that she could feel his presence.

"I know."

That was the problem.

He knew.

And he left anyway.

Voices echoed down the hallway ,  staff calling them back.

Before she walked away, he said quietly:

"Y/N."

She turned.

He swallowed.

"Congratulations on debuting."

Her expression softened for half a second.

"Congratulations to you too."

Then she walked back toward the lights.

Back toward the cameras.

Back toward the version of themselves the world was allowed to see.

Behind her, Ohyul stayed still.

Because seeing her again made one thing painfully clear

Some feelings don't disappear.