|| Clandestine Crush | Joshua Oneshot
You stepped into the cafe, the rich smell of coffee hitting you right away. Today was a big dealâyou were meeting Joshua. Your secret boyfriend. Everyone in SEVENTEEN knew, but outside that circle, it was still under wraps.
You settled into a corner table, scanning the room. A few minutes later, the door swung open, and in walked Joshua, dressed all in black with a black mask covering half his face. He looked effortlessly cool, like he just stepped out of a music video.
âHey!â he called out, his eyes lighting up when he spotted you.
âHey! Youâre late!â you shot back, pretending to be annoyed.
âHad to deal with the guys. They insisted I get you your favorite pastries,â he said, pulling down his mask just enough to flash that smile.
âLucky me!â you grinned, feeling butterflies.
He leaned in, resting his chin on his hand. âYou know I canât resist spoiling you.â
The vibe was easy as you talked, but deep down, you wished you could just be open about your relationship. Holding hands in public, showing the world you were togetherâit all felt so tempting.
âAre you okay?â Joshua asked, tilting his head. âYou look kinda⌠lost.â
You sighed, fiddling with your drink. âI just wish we could be more open about this. Hiding it is kinda exhausting.â
He reached across the table, his fingers brushing yours. âI get it. But the guys have our backs, and theyâre really good at keeping it low-key. We just need to hang in there.â
âYeah, but sometimes I want to scream that Iâm dating Joshua Hong,â you admitted, half-laughing.
âCan you imagine? Total chaos!â he chuckled, his eyes sparkling.
âRight? But still, it would be worth it,â you said, feeling a little lighter. âI want to celebrate us without feeling like weâre sneaking around.â
âSoon,â he promised, his expression serious. âWeâll figure this out.â
Just then, the door swung open, and in walked Dino, Woozi, and Mingyu, who immediately spotted you.
âThere you are! We thought weâd lost you to the coffee!â Dino joked, flashing a grin.
Your heart raced as Joshua leaned back, slipping into 'friend' mode. It felt like a switch had flipped, but you couldnât help but smile at the guys.
âYeah, we were just⌠talking about music,â Joshua said, sounding casual.
âSure, music,â Mingyu smirked, clearly in on the joke. âLetâs grab a table!â
The energy shifted as they settled in, filling the space with laughter and teasing. It felt good being surrounded by them, knowing they accepted your relationship, even if the world didnât.
As the group joked around, you caught Joshuaâs eye. He gave you that familiar soft smile, and for a moment, it felt like you were the only two people in the room.
Later, after the laughter died down, you leaned in closer to Joshua. âCan we meet again soon? Just us?â
âDefinitely,â he replied, his eyes lighting up. âMaybe that new dessert place?â
With every laugh and subtle touch, you felt the thrill of being together. Yet, the question lingered: when would you finally stop hiding?
âSounds awesome,â you said, your heart racing at the thought.
As the evening continued, a buzz of excitement filled the air. But a thought nagged at youâhow long could you keep this hidden? ...










