keonho grinned instantly. “oh, so this is what you’re doing.”

“no—” seonghyeon sat up immediately, nearly dropping his phone. “it was just— on my for you page, okay? i wasn’t searching for it.”

“uh huh,” keonho said, lips twitching. “just happened to be her fancam, huh?”

“seriously,” seonghyeon defended, brushing his fringe back. “i was watching choreography videos, it just appeared!”

“right… choreography,” keonho replied, dragging out the word as he leaned against the bed frame.

time passed without them noticing. what started as teasing turned into curiosity, and before long, they were sitting side by side on the same bed, watching your group’s youtube channel. they laughed quietly at your behind clips, your group’s chaotic energy, and the small moments where your laughter carried louder than the others. it was easy, unintentional, a slow realization that they were both paying a little too much attention whenever you appeared on screen.

“they’re actually funny,” seonghyeon said under his breath, smiling faintly. “yeah,” keonho murmured, eyes still glued to the screen. “but y/n she stands out.”

seonghyeon glanced sideways at him. “stands out, huh?”

“yeah,” keonho said casually, “you can tell she’s got something. maybe her stage presence?”

seonghyeon tried to look indifferent, but his grin betrayed him. “sure, sure. totally not because you’ve been watching her parts on loop.”

“like you weren’t,” keonho shot back.

their bickering picked up again, quick exchanges that sounded too close to playful arguing. the sound of muffled laughter echoed in the small room as the screen played your interview segment.

and then, the door opened.

martin stepped in, holding his phone. “guys, let’s go. we will go out for dinner. i’ve been calling—” he stopped.

his eyes landed on the ipad propped up in front of them, paused on a close-up shot of you mid-performance, your expression sharp and confident. keonho and seonghyeon both froze, glancing at each other like they’d been caught red-handed.

“…seriously?” martin said, blinking. “you guys are watching fancams now?”

“no— we were just— researching stage dynamics,” keonho said quickly, fumbling for the ipad. “yeah,” seonghyeon added too fast, “for camera movement. like uh how idols… position themselves.”

with that they quickly both grabbed their hoodies and practically bolted out of the room in synchronized panic. martin just stared after them, sighing deeply before shaking his head with a faint smirk. “yeah,” he muttered to himself. “totally just research.”

dinner that night was loud, the kind of noise that came naturally after long rehearsals and back-to-back schedules. chopsticks clicked against bowls, the low hum of laughter filled the private restaurant room, and the faint scent of grilled meat lingered in the air. everyone seemed to be in high spirits except for two.

seonghyeon and keonho sat across from each other, both unusually quiet. keonho kept tapping his chopsticks against the rim of his plate, lost in thought. seonghyeon kept glancing at his phone, pretending to scroll through messages when in truth, he was replaying the earlier fancam moment in his head.

martin, who noticed immediately, squinted. “what’s with you two? you look like you just got scolded.”

“nothing,” keonho said too quickly, forcing a small smile. “just tired.”

“yeah,” seonghyeon mumbled, though the way he kept stealing glances at keonho betrayed the lie.

the conversation rolled on without them until martin brought up, between bites, “since tomorrow’s the music expo live, manager hyung said we’ll be filming with some groups for our dance challenge.”

the clatter of chopsticks paused for a second. both seonghyeon and keonho looked up at the same time “which groups?” they asked in perfect unison.

the table went silent for a beat. juhoon blinked before smirking, leaning back against his chair. “why so eager all of a sudden?”

james, who was scrolling through a message from their manager, looked up casually. “hm… let’s see. one of them’s [group name]—”

both of their heads snapped toward him, eyes widening slightly.

“and,” james continued, dragging out his words as if for suspense, “they said they wanted to pair y/n with people around her age, so…” he looked up from his phone, lips curling into a knowing grin. “seonghyeon and keonho.”

there was a beat of silence before the two broke into small, stunned laughs. they tried to play it off, straightening in their seats, exchanging glances that said everything words didn’t. keonho bit back a grin; seonghyeon exhaled, pretending to stay calm, but the corners of his mouth betrayed him.

under the table, they fist-bumped. quick. discreet. like they’d just won a small victory neither could explain.

martin groaned loudly. “acting all cool now when you guys literally looked like you were gonna faint two minutes ago.”

“we weren’t.” seonghyeon said, too defensive.

“sure you weren’t,” juhoon muttered, amusement dripping from his tone. “let’s see how you two act tomorrow when she’s actually standing next to you.”

“we won’t be nervous,” keonho said, shrugging like it was nothing. “we’ll be fine.”

“uh huh,” martin said dryly. “you’re literally red right now.”

keonho glared at him, his ears betraying a faint tint of pink. seonghyeon just laughed quietly, shaking his head as if he wasn’t in the same boat.

because when the day finally came, both of them couldn’t help but glance at you every chance they got. the venue was alive with noise, cameras flashing, fans chanting, lightsticks painting the air in shifting colors.

and there you were, just a few steps away from them under the blinding lights. you stood between your members, waving to the crowd with that practiced but warm smile. keonho felt his throat tighten; seonghyeon tried to act casual, clapping in rhythm with the music but his eyes kept finding you.

every time the light hit your face, you looked ethereal, almost unreal. and when the stage director cued everyone to move closer, you ended up right beside them.

you noticed the two glancing your way, so you smiled softly and gave a polite bow, your hair falling slightly as you dipped your head. they both bowed back a bit too quickly, pretending to look toward the crowd after as if the simple act hadn’t completely thrown them off.

they didn’t know if it was just the rush of the night, the adrenaline, or something else entirely but both knew, without saying a word, that they were in trouble. because it wasn’t just admiration anymore. it wasn’t just stage charm or idol respect. no, they were cooked. both of them, falling at the same time.

after the show ended and the loud cheers faded backstage, keonho and seonghyeon found themselves wandering around their waiting room, half distracted. they were fixing their hair, checking their reflection in the mirror, making sure they still looked presentable, though neither could explain why they suddenly cared so much.

the air was filled with the muffled noise of staff rushing past, congratulating artists, the faint echo of laughter and footsteps down the hall. then came a soft knock at their door.

they exchanged a quick glance.

“come in,” their manager called from the side, not really looking up.

the door creaked open and there you were. still in your stage outfit, hair slightly tousled from performing, holding a bottled drink in your hand. “oh hi, i’m y/n from [group name],” you said, bowing politely, your tone light but careful, aware of the slight nervous energy radiating from both seonghyeon and keonho.

the curve of your smile was small but genuine, and it made them return the gesture, a little stiffly, their bows betraying how tense they actually felt.

“i’m ahn keonho from cortis,” he said quietly, his voice barely above the hum of the air conditioning. he fiddled with the hem of his sleeve, trying to seem composed.

“eom… seonghyeon from cortis,” seonghgeon added, clearing his throat, casting a quick glance at you before diverting his gaze to the floor.

you gestured toward to your manager as she handed you your phone, your voice bright but encouraging. “alright, let’s get started. i’ll show you the steps first, and then we’ll practice together.”

as you moved through the demonstration, you noticed subtle reactions, seonghyeon’s shoulders tensing every time you looked at him, keonho leaning in slightly to mimic the movements, his eyes occasionally flicking to yours. surprisingly, they picked up the moves quickly. faster than you expected.

“woah, you guys are really fast at learning,” you said, stepping back to watch them, your smile wide and encouraging. they exchanged a glance, both trying to downplay their eagerness, and laughed quietly, shaking their heads at each other.

it was like they hadn’t anticipated just how much they wanted to impress you. (and they actually learned the dance already last night)

it took a few retakes to get the timing perfect, but when you guys finally decided the last take was perfect, it was your turn to learn their tiktok challenge.

keonho gestured to his phone screen with their tiktok challenges. “you can pick which song.”

“fashion,” you decided, “it suits everyone here.”

keonho instinctively stepped closer to guide you through the movements, demonstrating hand placements with careful precision. seonghyeon stayed frozen for a moment, his fingers twitching as he watched, feeling a strange pang, part pride, part jealousy, as he saw keonho naturally taking the lead while he struggled to find the right moment to join in.

as the minutes passed and you practiced, you picked up the choreography quickly, laughing softly when a step didn’t land perfectly. it made seonghyeon’s chest tighten; his shyness battled with the growing admiration he felt for you. finally, after a short pause, he found the courage to speak.

“you… you’re a fast learner as well, y/n,” he said carefully, managing not to stutter, eyes on your hands as you adjusted a movement.

you waved a hand casually, smiling. “thank you, though it did take me a few minutes to get it right.”

“still,” seonghyeon said, tilting his head slightly, “you got the choreography fast.” there was a faint pride in his tone that even keonho couldn’t miss.

keonho glanced between the two of you, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips, nodding in agreement. he felt that strange mix of amusement and nervousness, watching seonghyeon step forward, trying to connect with you, while also realizing he wanted to be the one you looked at first.

the music played softly in the background, the rhythm syncing with your movements, but there was a quieter, more personal rhythm in the room, the tension of unspoken feelings, subtle admiration, and friendly rivalry that neither of them had expected. each glance, each small gesture, and every step in the choreography carried layers of thought and feeling.

once you finished filming, the room hummed softly with the faint echo of laughter and the shuffling of equipment. you bowed politely, murmuring your thanks, as seonghyeon and keonho returned your gestures with shy smiles before going back to your group. the tiktok challenge had been fun, but now the adrenaline was settling into a quiet warmth in your chest.

the hallway outside felt calmer and the muffled sounds of other idol groups and staffs. your manager had already started ahead, clipboard in hand, so you quickened your pace to catch up.

it was then that you heard hurried footsteps behind you. keonho appeared, jogging lightly to catch up, slightly out of breath, cheeks flushed from the sudden sprint. his hair fell messily over his forehead.

“wait—uh,” he said, catching his composure, voice just above a whisper, “is it okay if we… exchange numbers? for, you know, the next tiktok challenges?”

you turned, eyes softening as a gentle laugh escaped your lips, making the tension of the day dissolve just a little. “sure,” you said, tilting your head, trying to hide how amused you were at how nervous he looked.

the air between you felt oddly intimate as you each unlocked your phones, fingers brushing briefly as you typed in your numbers. keonho’s heart pounded in his chest, each beat louder than the muffled sounds that surrounded both of you. when your name appeared on his screen, his lips curved into a grin he couldn’t hide.

“thank you,” he said, bowing slightly in a gesture that was half polite, half shy, still holding onto that quiet, boyish excitement.

“you’re welcome,” you replied, matching his bow with a small one of your own. “and thank you, too,” you added, the warmth in your voice making him glance away, pretending to check his phone but clearly still staring at you.

with a final wave, you stepped backward, catching up with your manager, leaving keonho behind. he stayed a moment longer, smiling like an idiot, before turning back to the room.

when you came back to your room, you guys were busy packing up equipment and belongings, the air buzzing with the muted chatter of staff. your leader glanced at you and asked, “did you give our albums to the groups we filmed with?”

you froze mid step, tugging your jacket tighter around your shoulders. your fingers brushed the zipper absentmindedly as your mind scrambled and hummed in acknowledgment.

“yeah.. i think so,” you murmured, but something in her tone made you hesitate.

one of your members peeked over the pile of folded jackets, a teasing glint in their eye. “what about cortis? because there’s still one left here”

the realization hit you like a jolt of electricity. “shoot! you’re right!” you exclaimed, cheeks warming as you grabbed the remaining album from the table.

your steps quickened, weaving between staff and crew who were moving out already, your heartbeat picking up.

“knew it. she was too excited to meet them in person,” one of your members murmured with a laugh, earning quiet chuckles from the others.

while you were praying they were still around, you ran down the hallway, album clutched tightly to your chest. the sound of your own hurried footsteps echoed softly against the polished floors, and your breath came in small puffs as you rounded corners, your foot nearly collided with someone, and you stumbled slightly, heart skipping a beat. before you could recover, a familiar hand steadied you, warm and firm against your arm.

“woah, careful there,” a voice said softly. you looked up, slightly flustered, and saw seonghyeon, his expression calm but with that faint, easy smile that made your chest flutter.

“sorry! uh.. i forgot to give you guys this earlier,” you stammered, holding out your group’s album. the corners were slightly bent from being tucked under your arm.

seonghyeon tilted his head slightly, eyes softening. “oh, thanks. actually…” he reached into his bag and pulled out an album as well, his movements deliberate but casual. “we forgot to give you ours too.”

for a brief moment, the two of you stood there, the quiet hum of the empty hallway surrounding you. your hands brushed slightly as you exchanged albums, and a faint warmth spread through you, an unspoken connection lingering in the touch.

you laughed lightly, a little embarrassed at the coincidence, and seonghyeon chuckled in response, the sound low and comforting.

you felt your shoulders relax slightly, the nervous tension from running through the hall easing as the moment stretched, small and perfect in its simplicity.

once you’d bid each other farewell and began walking back, you carefully opened the album.

a small piece of paper slipped out, fluttering softly to the floor as if it had been waiting for the perfect moment. you bent down to pick it up, your fingers brushing against it, and your heart skipped a beat.

meanwhile, the van hummed quietly as it made its way back to the hotel. the faint buzz of the city outside, but inside, cortis had settled into their own little bubble of exhaustion and amusement.

martin scrolled through the tik tok footage on his phone, eyes lighting up. “woah… this actually came out really good,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “as if you guys didn’t completely freeze when she walked in there.”

james leaned back in his seat, smirking. “seriously. we literally had go out of the room just so you wouldn’t embarrass yourselves.”

juhoon chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “i swear, it looked like you two were about to turn into statues. we had no clue if you’d actually survive this.”

“hey, at least we survived,” seonghyeon muttered, a small smile tugging at his lips. keonho nodded in agreement, still grinning faintly. “yeah, it was easier than i thought, actually. no joke.”

the others hummed their agreement, letting the conversation fade into a comfortable silence. the van rocked slightly with each turn, a soft background for the quiet flutter of thoughts in both seonghyeon and keonho’s minds.

keonho’s thumb hovered over his phone screen, his smile lingering as he carefully changed your contact to display your name. “you know… i got her number,” he said softly, almost to himself, glancing at seonghyeon out of the corner of his eye.

seonghyeon gave him a casual glance, tilting his head. “well, she gave me their album while i was handing ours over,” he said, voice low, almost dismissive.

keonho froze mid-gesture, eyes widening. “actually?!” he asked, disbelief lacing his tone. he cleared his throat and leaned back, trying to mask the sudden flush creeping up his neck. “you know what, never mind. as long as i got her number, it’s fine,” he muttered, though his fingers fidgeted slightly on the screen.

seonghyeon hummed quietly in response, leaning back against the seat, eyes fixed on the ceiling of the van. little did keonho know, there had been a clever little twist, while handing the album to you earlier, seonghyeon had slipped a small piece of paper inside, a neatly written note with his number.

keonho had assumed he had the only line of contact, completely unaware that seonghyeon had quietly made sure you had his as well.

juhoon, who had been observing them with a quiet grin, tilted his head. “by the way, did you guys know we went to the same school?” both seonghyeon and keonho snapped their heads toward him, caught off guard, bombarded with half-formed questions.

juhoon laughed, amusement flickering in his eyes. “you two literally caught feelings for the same person at the same time, huh?” both of them immediately shook their heads, too fast, too simultaneously, their cheeks warming.

seonghyeon leaned back, voice barely above a whisper, “we just want to get to know her better.”

keonho’s gaze drifted out the window, watching the blurred city lights streak past. “yeah, she seems fun,” he added softly, voice heavy with a mix of awe and something else, something he wasn’t ready to name yet.

silence fell between them, thick but comfortable, weighted with unspoken thoughts. neither dared to articulate the small, fluttering crush that had suddenly consumed them both. it wasn’t serious, but the warmth in their chests, the way their hearts had started racing every time your name appeared, every time your laugh lingered in their memory, was undeniable.

and maybe that was the point. maybe it didn’t need to be declared, didn’t need to be anything more than stolen glances and quiet admiration from the side.

even if they both liked you at the same time, even if fate had thrown them into this delicate tangle, neither of them cared (not yet). the thrill of the crush, the quiet hope of knowing you, of seeing the smile that lingered in their minds, was enough for now.

in the end, seonghyeon and keonho knew one thing, whether anything came of it or not, the feeling was theirs, shared silently, like a secret that made even the van ride feel like a moment suspended in time.