I am ate.

A hand intertwined with yours and a mix of sweet scents wrapped around you. You looked to your right and saw Jeongyeon looking at you with a small smile, her body protecting your side from everyone. On your other side was Jihyo, her hand squeezing yours three times before tugging you closer.

“Are you feeling okay, baby?” she asked, looking at you with those big eyes, a hint of concern flashing in them. You nodded, squeezing her hand back.

“If you need something, please tell us. We don't want you to feel overwhelmed,” Jeongyeon said, passing her arm across your shoulders. Your heart melted, knowing they were paying attention to you and your needs all the time.

“We're going for drinks, okay? Go find the girls, we'll be right back.” The older alpha pulled you into a soft kiss before quickly pulling Jihyo to the bar.

You could see the leader whining about how she didn't get to kiss you and fighting to go back to you. Jeongyeon only grabbed her tighter and pulled her through all the people gathered there while teasing her. You laughed at their antics. Everyone in the group knew how those two loved to tease and bicker with each other.

Turning around in the direction the girls went, it was your turn to make your way through the sea of bodies. Every few steps, people bumped into you, but you tried not to mind. Until a very buff guy made you stumble back. Your feet tangled with each other and you felt yourself falling before a pair of arms caught you by the waist.

“Hey there, beautiful. Falling for me already?”

The owner of the arms emanated a strong, sour scent mixed with cheap cologne. You cringed on the inside but smiled politely at him anyway.

“I'm so sorry, thank you for catching me,” you said, trying to put some distance between you two. He didn’t let go right away. If anything, his grip tightened just slightly, enough for you to notice.

“Hey, where are you going? What's your name, baby girl?” You tried to take another step back, but he followed. The smell of his pheromones burned at your nostrils, making you flinch slightly.

“I’m okay now, I'm sorry. My partners are waiting for me.” You ignored his question, pushing away the hand wrapped loosely around your hip.

“Partners, huh?” he chuckled, stepping closer again. “Don’t see them around.”

His scent intensified. Stronger, thicker now. It hit you all at once, like something pressing down on your chest, suffocating you.

Your head felt dizzy, making your whole body feel heavy. You felt like your body couldn’t respond the way you wanted. The omega instinct inside you made you fight the uncomfortable sensation his scent was causing.

“Stop,” you said more firmly this time, trying to push past him, but it seemed he couldn’t take no for an answer.

“Relax,” he murmured, his voice low, making you feel physically sick, ignoring the clear boundaries. “You don't have to fight it, I know you want it…”

Across the room, both alphas went still at the same time. Jeongyeon looked at Jihyo with wide eyes, silently asking if she was the only one sensing it. The leader shook her head, turning to search for you in the crowd. When her eyes found you, she analyzed the situation you were in.

Te way the alpha was grabbing you, your body language, and, most importantly, your scent... It felt wrong.

Your usually soft and steady scent now felt weak, suppressed by the smell of the man pressing against you.

Both of them quickly made their way through the crowd, eyes burning with anger.

You, on the other hand, were still trying to push him away weakly, his scent too strong to let you function properly.

“C’mon, beautiful, I can show you a good time.” He leaned down, aiming for your lips. Your body didn’t move fast enough. Your limbs felt heavy, unresponsive, like they weren’t fully yours.

But before he could press his lips against yours a firm arm wrapped around you, pulling you back before you could even react properly.

“Step away,” Jeongyeon said, her voice low and sharp. Their scents cut through his instantly, sharp and grounding.

“She said no,” Jihyo added, stepping forward.

The moment their scents wrapped around you, yours steadied, like it finally had room to breathe again. You relaxed slightly against Jeongyeon’s body, your mind still dizzy, her arms wrapping around you to keep you calm.

“Woah, chill. I just wanted to get to know her better, no need to get like this,” he scoffed, his scent sharp with annoyance.

“She said no the first time,” Jihyo said.

“She was alone, and I could show her what a real alpha is.” He smirked, winking at you. You shivered with disgust. Jeongyeon’s arms squeezed you possessively.

“She already knows. She has two,” she smiled cockily.

“Now go away,” Jihyo growled.

The man huffed and walked away, muttering “crazy women.”

When he disappeared from sight, she turned back to you, stepping closer.

“Hey, look at me,” Jihyo said, her hand coming up to cup your cheek, gently guiding your gaze to hers, her voice completely different now. “He’s gone."

“I’m okay,” your breath stuttered, the words coming out a little too quickly. “I’m okay…”

“Yes, baby. You’re alright. We’ve got you,” Jeongyeon murmured against your hair, her grip firm but gentle.

Their scents wrapped around you, pushing everything else out, helping your mind push away the lingering dizziness, the pressure that still clung to your body.

“I didn’t like it…” you admitted, your voice small.

Jihyo’s expression softened instantly. “I know,” she whispered. “You don’t ever have to deal with that alone, okay?”

Jeongyeon pressed a soft kiss to the side of your head. “We shouldn’t have left you,” she muttered, more to herself than anything.

You shook your head quickly. “No, it’s not your fault—”

“It still doesn’t sit right with me,” she cut in gently, her hold on you tightening just a little. Not suffocating, just reassuring.

Jihyo let out a quiet breath before glancing around the crowded room, her nose scrunching slightly.

“This place suddenly got a lot less fun.” That earned the smallest huff of laughter from you.

“Do you want to leave, my love?” the older alpha asked.

You nodded, clinging to her for support. Jihyo lingered for a second longer, her thumb brushing softly against your cheek, before pulling away just enough to grab her phone, quickly texting the group chat about what happened and that they were heading back to the hotel.

“Let’s go,” Jeongyeon murmured softly, her hand tightening around yours.

They didn’t let go of you as they started moving, instinctively falling into place on either side of you, closer than before. The crowd parted slowly as they guided you through it.

The noise, the music, the overwhelming mix of scents were all still there, but it felt distant now. Muted. Like it couldn’t quite reach you through the steady warmth of theirs wrapped around you.

Jihyo’s hand brushed against yours every few steps, her fingers squeezing gently, like she was checking you were still there.

“I’m right here,” she murmured under her breath.

You nodded faintly, leaning a little more into Jeongyeon without thinking.

The moment you stepped outside, the air felt different.

Cooler. Cleaner.

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding, your shoulders dropping as some of the tension finally left your body. Jihyo noticed immediately.

“Better?” she asked softly.

“Yeah,” you nodded, your voice quieter now. “A lot better.”

Jeongyeon hummed, pressing a soft kiss to your temple. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”

Jihyo tries to joke as she takes a seat beside Mina, who is staring down at her phone, probably waiting for the screen to light up with a notification from you.

Mina scoffs, but the corner of her lips lifts into a weak smile.

“Damn, Jihyo… I miss her so much.”

She sighs, tightening her grip on her phone.

The concert has just ended, the air still filled with the faint noise of people leaving the venue. The dressing room feels too quiet compared to the chaos outside.

Mina glances at her phone again.

Nothing.

Her chest tightens.

Silence settles between them for a few minutes before the older woman exhales through her nose, catching Mina’s attention.

“Mina, you already hurt her once by not saying what you meant,” she says firmly, her hand resting on her shoulder. Making Mina look down, her eyes glassy.

“Don’t hurt her again by not saying anything at all.”

Mina bites her lip, swallowing harshly as Jihyo’s words echo in every corner of her mind. Silence settles between them again.

Mina stares down at her phone.

Still nothing.

Am I that much of a liability?

Her breath catches.

“...I can’t just sit here,” she whispers.

“Tell management I’m taking a few days off.” She looks at Jihyo, her eyes glazed. “Please...”

“Go. I’ll take care of everything,” the leader says, pushing Mina up to start moving.

***

The flight feels longer than it should. Mina doesn’t sleep, doesn’t eat—doesn’t do anything except replay your voice in her head.

Am I that much of a liability?

When Mina arrives at the airport, everything feels off. Quiet, even. There’s no crowd of fans to greet her and, most importantly, you’re not there waiting for her. The only person there is the driver who always picks her up when she travels.

The ride to your shared home is quieter than she can stand. When she asks the driver to turn on the radio, every song that plays only makes her think of you.

When she gets home, she stands in front of the door for nearly an hour, trying to decide whether to use her key or knock. When she finally lifts the key, it feels heavy in her hand.

She knows she doesn’t have the right to just walk in anymore.

Taking a deep breath, she knocks three times, waiting with clammy hands and a knot in her throat for you to open the door.

***

It’s been a few days since that night. Your mind keeps replaying everything that happened over and over again, but you have no tears left to cry anymore.

You just feel numb.

The suitcase still sits half-open at the foot of your bed. You haven’t touched it since the night you got back. You told yourself you’d finish unpacking later, but you never did.

You barely have the energy to take care of yourself.

After glancing at the mess on your bed, you let out a tired sigh and force yourself to get up and start unpacking. It feels like an eternity just organizing your shirts and trousers.

By the time you reach your underwear, you hear someone knocking on the door.

You weren’t expecting anyone.

So when you finally walk to the door and open it...

your heart stops.

“Minari...”

For a second, you can’t breathe. She stands there, her throat bobbing slightly.

Just… waiting.

“Hi...” she says, like she’s not sure she’s allowed to.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be on stage right now?” you ask, the worry in your voice slipping out before you can stop it.

No matter how much her words hurt you, you still know how important every performance is to her.

Mina shakes her head, taking a small step closer.

“I know,” she says softly, her voice breaking just a little.

“But you matter more right now.”

You blink, like you didn’t quite hear her right.

For a moment, neither of you moves.

Then you let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh.

“Don’t,” you murmur, shaking your head slightly. “Don’t say things like that like it fixes everything.”

Mina’s expression falters.

“I’m not—”

“You are,” you cut in, your voice sharper than you intended. “You can’t just show up here after days of nothing and suddenly decide I matter more.”

The words hang between you, heavy. Mina swallows, her hands clenching at her sides.

“I didn’t know what to say,” she admits, her voice small. “I didn’t want to make it worse.”

You scoff, looking away.

“You did it by not saying anything.”

That one lands.

You can see it in the way her shoulders drop, in the way she struggles to keep her composure.

Silence stretches again, but this time it’s suffocating.

“You think I don’t know that?” Mina says after a moment, her voice trembling. “I’ve been replaying it over and over in my head. Everything I said, the way you looked at me when you heard it—”

“Then why did you say it?” you snap, finally looking back at her. “Why would you even think something like that?”

Mina freezes. Her lips part, but no words come out at first.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she whispers.

You let out a bitter laugh.

“Then how did you mean it, Mina? Because it sounded pretty clear to me.”

She takes a step closer.

You don’t move, but you don’t step back either.

“I meant that I’m scared,” she says, her voice shaking now. “Of messing this up. Of hurting you. Of not being able to balance everything and losing you because of it.”

Your expression softens, just for a second, but you force it back.

“So instead, you decided to push me away first?”

“No,” she shakes her head quickly. “That’s not what I—”

“That’s exactly what it felt like,” you interrupt, your voice quieter now, but heavier. “Like I was something inconvenient. Something that didn’t fit into your life.”

“I never—goddammit.” Her voice breaks. “You’re not a liability.”

The word hangs in the air between you.

Sharp.

Painful.

Familiar.

Your chest tightens despite yourself.

“That’s not what I heard,” you whisper.

Mina’s eyes fill with tears.

“I know,” she says, barely audible. “And that’s my fault.”

Silence.

Real silence this time.

The kind that isn’t angry.

Just... tired.

“I love you,” Mina says suddenly, the words slipping out like she’s been holding them in for too long. “I love you, and I was terrified that I wasn’t enough for you, not the other way around.”

You blink, caught off guard.

“I thought... if I couldn’t give you everything you deserve, then maybe—”

“Maybe what?” you ask, your voice softer now.

She hesitates.

“...then maybe you’d be better off without me.”

That one hurts.

Badly.

You shake your head, stepping back this time.

“You don’t get to decide that for me,” you say, your voice breaking slightly. “You don’t get to decide what I can or can’t handle.”

Mina nods quickly, tears slipping down her cheeks now.

“I know. I know, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her voice cracks. “I should’ve talked to you. I should’ve trusted you instead of... assuming.”

You look at her for a long moment. Really look at her.

She looks exhausted. Like she hasn’t slept. Like she’s been carrying this just as much as you have.

“I waited,” you admit quietly. “For you to say something. Anything.”

Mina’s face crumples slightly.

“I know,” she whispers.

“And when you didn’t...” you swallow. “I thought maybe I really was too much.”

Her head snaps up immediately.

“You’re not,” she says firmly, stepping closer again. “You could never be too much for me.” 

Your eyes sting. God, you hate how much you still want to believe her.

“Then why did it feel like I was?” you ask, barely above a whisper.

Mina reaches out slowly, carefully, like she’s afraid you might pull away.

“I was overwhelmed,” she says. “Not by you. Never by you. Just... everything. And I handled it in the worst way possible.”

Her fingers hover near yours, not touching.

“I don’t want to lose you,” she adds softly. “But I will if I keep shutting you out.”

You stare at her hand for a second, then back at her.

“...You really left everything just to come here?” you ask.

She nods.

“Yeah.”

There’s a small pause before she speaks again.

“I would’ve come sooner if I knew where you were staying,” she admits weakly.

Despite everything, a small breath of laughter escapes you.

It fades quickly, but it’s there.

And Mina notices. Of course she does.

“I’m not saying everything’s okay,” you say after a moment. “Because it’s not.”

She nods immediately.

“I know.”

“But...” you hesitate.

God, this is hard.

“...I don’t want to lose you either.”

Mina exhales shakily, like she’s been holding her breath this entire time.

“Then let me fix it,” she says softly. “Let me do it right this time.”

You don’t answer right away.

Mina moves across the stage like she was born for it, the spotlight catching in her hair as she smiles at the audience. You smile too. Because even after all this time, it still amazes you that the girl performing in front of thousands of people is the same one who falls asleep on your shoulder during movie nights.

But you know that behind all that happiness and grace there is exhaustion.

That’s why you’re here. To try and help her relax a little.

You look down at the flower bouquet and the necklace box resting on your lap before looking up again.

She deserves this and more.

By the time the concert ends, you’re already making your way toward the backstage entrance. Security recognizes you immediately and lets you pass with a small smile. The familiar hallway leading to the dressing rooms feels strangely quiet compared to the roaring arena outside.

Excitement and dread twist together in your chest. You’ve walked this hallway a hundred times, but tonight it feels unfamiliar.

When you see the door from afar, you notice it’s open. You can faintly hear Mina’s voice talking to someone, but you can’t make out the words. As you reach the room, you stop by the doorway, waiting for her to finish the conversation.

“I know that, Jihyo. I love her.”

She’s talking about you. The thought makes you smile.

“But… dating someone like her with my idol life is just too complicated.”

Your breath hitches.

“I don’t know if I can keep having a relationship with my career…”

The words hit harder than you expect. For a moment, you think maybe you misunderstood, but Mina doesn’t say anything else. The silence feels louder than the concert that ended minutes ago.

“Am I that much of a liability?” you say from the doorway, your heart aching in your chest.

Mina 's eyes widen.

“Y/N… You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

“Wow.” You let out a humorless laugh. “That’s all you can say?”

Mina’s guilty expression, and the lack of answer, is enough for you to understand.

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you turn around and leave the dressing room. The flower bouquet and the small necklace box feel like carrying two pieces of concrete in your hands, so you abandon them on a nearby table, a few petals falling loose as you walk away.

The walk to the back door of the venue is quick. You silently thank whatever God might be watching over you for not crossing paths with the rest of the girls.

When you reach your car, you sit there for a moment, just breathing, trying to calm the storm building in your chest. But the second the engine roars to life, something inside you finally cracks. A sob escapes before you can stop it.

Your grip on the steering wheel slips as the sobs force their way out. You cover your face with your hands, trying to hide your tears from anyone passing by, even though there are barely three people in the distance.

After a few minutes, you manage to steady your breathing enough to drive back to the hotel. The whole ride is a blur.

~~~

Back in the dressing room, Mina hasn’t moved from her spot since you left. The words she said minutes ago echo in her head.

I don’t know if I can keep having a relationship with my career.

She hadn’t meant it. Not like that. Not ever like that.

Her eyes glisten with unshed tears as she turns desperately toward Jihyo.

“Jihyo,” she says weakly, “I fucked up.”

The older woman looks at the Japanese girl, speechless.

“Should I call her? Should I go after her?” Mina asks, her hands shaking slightly.

“What kind of question is that? Yes!” Jihyo snaps back to reality. “If you don’t want this to end like this, do something!”

Mina grabs her phone and rushes after you, not even knowing where you left. She tries calling and sending messages, but you’re not answering.

“The hotel…” she whispers to herself, quickly opening your chat to look for the name.

Then she remembers the conversation you had earlier that day.

She never asked which one.

Mina’s stomach drops.

Fighting back tears of frustration, she walks back to the dressing room where Jihyo is. But this time she isn’t alone.

Momo stands there holding the same bouquet you had earlier, while Jihyo delicately holds a small box.

“Mina, I think someone left this for you,” Momo says, walking toward her with the flowers.

When Mina opens the small note tucked between the stems, her hands begin to shake.

You were amazing tonight, my Piplup. I’m so proud of you. Love you always. —Y/n

What had she done?

~~~

Mina [22:55 PM]: Darling, please

Mina [22:56 PM]: Let me explain

4 missed calls from My Piplup.

Mina [23:00 PM]: I didn’t mean it like that, I swear

The phone buzzes again.

Mina [23:01 PM]: Please answer me

Your thumb hovers over the screen.

For a moment, you almost answer.

But you shake your head, turning the phone off and throwing it onto the bed before going back to packing your things. You know it’s immature to leave without telling anyone, but your mind is already made up.

All you can think about is going home and trying to forget everything until Mina returns.

“You smell so good, my love,” you murmur, softer this time, like it’s something only she’s meant to hear.

She turns around with a flustered expression, lightly hitting your shoulder.

“We’re in public,” she whispers, but she doesn’t step away.

You lean in slowly with a smile, giving her enough time to pull back if she wants to. She lets herself lean in for a second before suddenly pulling back.

“We really shouldn’t be doing this here,” she whispers.

You rest your forehead against hers, your hands still on her waist.

“Then where should we be doing it?”

The way her smile slowly appears tells you everything.

You lean in again. This time Momo melts into the kiss, her arms sliding around your neck. You wrap your arms around her waist and gently guide her against the wall, completely forgetting where you are or the girls walking ahead of you.

The kiss starts innocent at first, just a soft, loving peck before it slowly turns more passionate. Her tongue gently swipes across your lower lip, and you grant her access immediately as she explores your mouth slowly.

For a moment, the world shrinks down to just her breath mixing with yours.

And then—

Footsteps.

Too close.

Momo pulls back first, her breath warm against your lips as her eyes widen.

“Wait—” she whispers.

You both freeze when a familiar voice cuts through the moment.

“Why are you two so slow?”

You immediately step back while Momo tries (and fails) to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.

“We were just—”

“Talking,” she quickly adds.

“Uh huh. Sure.”

The smirk in Sana’s voice when she answers makes your cheeks burn.

“C’mon, stop making out and start walking faster.”

She turns around and leaves the two of you there, completely flustered after being caught.

“Thank God it wasn’t Jihyo,” you mutter, making Momo laugh.

~~~

The second you arrive at your apartment, you throw yourself face-down onto the couch.

“Ugh, finally home!”

Momo laughs before stretching with a tired groan and disappearing down the hallway.

“I’m taking a shower. You’re next,” she calls over her shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am."

~~~

By the time you finish yours and step back into the bedroom, she’s already there, buried under the blankets with her phone in her hands.

“You took forever,” she mumbles when you walk in.

“You’re still awake,” you tease.

She lifts the blanket in silent invitation.

Without thinking twice, you slide into bed beside her. One arm wraps around her, pulling her close and making her curl against your chest.

For a while you stay like that, the quiet in the room a welcome comfort after such an erratic day. You can’t help but stare at her face with a soft smile.

Eventually, she tilts her head up to look at you.

“What?” she murmurs shyly when she catches you staring.

“Nothing,” you say softly. “You’re just so beautiful.”

Before she can respond, you lean down and kiss her.

The kiss is slow and gentle at first, the kind that makes you feel like you’re floating. Momo hums quietly against your lips as her hand slides up to cup your face.

The position is a little awkward, but it works perfectly.

You pull back just enough to catch your breath, but she doesn’t let you get far.

“You started that,” she murmurs, barely an inch away from your lips.

“And you’re not stopping me,” you whisper back before kissing her again.

This time you shift your body to trap her under you.

The kiss is slow and steady, Momo’s fingers running along the back of your neck and making you shudder against her lips.

You pull back just slightly, only enough for your lips to drift from hers to the corner of her mouth. A quiet laugh escapes her when you press a soft kiss to her cheek before trailing lower, your lips brushing against the warm skin of her neck.

The laugh turns into a soft gasp when you gently nip the sensitive spot just below her ear. She tilts her head to the side, giving you more space to pepper with kisses.

Your hand slowly travels along the side of her body, caressing her gently. Momo’s body reacts to your touch with a quiet whine.

When your hand reaches the hem of her shorts, you clumsily tug them down slightly, earning a breathless laugh from her.

Your fingers finally make contact with her wetness, drawing a soft sigh from her as you begin moving your fingers slowly.

“Mgh… Y/N…”

“Shh… just relax, my love.”

She nods but grabs your wrist to guide your fingers where she needs them most.

“So impatient…” you tease.

You slide a finger inside her, and she welcomes you easily. After a few slow movements, she’s ready for another.

When you slide your second finger in, she moans softly against your ear, making you sigh as you bite lightly at her neck, leaving a small mark behind.

After a few minutes of the gentle stimulation, you feel Momo begin to clench around your fingers, her legs trembling slightly as she grows closer.

Your thumb finds her clit, rubbing it in the same slow rhythm as before.

It doesn’t take long before she comes undone with a gasp, tugging lightly at your hair.

You kiss your way back to her lips, coming face to face with a flushed, panting Momo. You place soft little pecks on her lips while waiting for her breathing to calm.

“Are you okay, baby?”

Momo hums in response, holding your head in place so she can kiss you properly.

You gently withdraw your fingers, making her whimper softly.

You mutter a quiet apology before pulling her into a warm hug, the two of you eventually drifting off to sleep together.