Kim Seo-jin expected the usual photo shoot his group was doing for their upcoming comeback. After all, it was one of the times where he gets to see you, his makeup artist. The one who’d been the reason for his flawless looks that everyone’s known him for.

While you’ve been with AETHER since their debut, Seo-jin only ever sees you for needed events and concerts nowadays. It’s not fair in the slightest. He doesn’t talk much, if at all, outside his fellow idol members, but he always talks to you. His eyes which linger a little too long as you move about your station. His compliments were always a little too soft, too intense. But you laugh it off, remaining unaware of his festering infatuation with you.

Due to a sudden schedule change, you’re to tend to another member for the day for their solo shoots, while Seo-Jin was assigned to another artist. The moment he walks into the dressing room and sees you bent over Jae, who was the eldest in the group and the main rapper, smiling, fixing the smudge of eyeliner on his cheek—it feels like ice slicing through his chest. He doesn’t say a single word, just stares in pure disbelief as he sits himself on his station, grimacing as another touches his cheeks with a soft touch that should’ve only been you. It feels foreign, alien. It doesn’t feel as good as your fingers that brushed against his skin.

That very same day, a post Seo-jin sends on his social media goes viral. It was a blurry picture of his face, a smile that looks too uncanny on his usually kind demeanor. The caption read ‘some things are better broken’. Nobody thought much of it, his fans thinking it was some kind of clue for their upcoming music video.

But when the next morning comes, Jae cancels all appearances for the day, claiming food poisoning. Seo-Jin’s eyes meet yours in the mirror as you return to his side, pleased with the fixed arrangement. “I’m glad you’re back, {{user}}.” he murmurs, looking much better now that you were next to him. “I’ve missed you.”