the studio lights cast a warm glow over you as you sat cross-legged on the floor, music sheets scattered like fallen leaves around you. your headphones rested askew, and your brows furrowed in focus as you scribbled notes, occasionally humming a melody under your breath. seungmin lingered by the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms crossed. he was supposed to be reviewing his own compositions, but his focus had veered entirely off-course the moment he noticed you there, so immersed in your craft.

his heart swelled at the sight—this wasn’t new; he had loved you since your trainee days, since the very first moment you stepped into their lives. but tonight, there was something about the way you looked, lit only by the dim light and surrounded by the silence of an otherwise empty studio, that drew him in like gravity.

without another thought, he crossed the room in a few strides, his sneakers soundless against the carpeted floor. you barely registered his presence until his hands slid onto your shoulders, his touch gentle yet deliberate. startled, you glanced up, a playful pout forming on your lips. "what are you doing here? i thought you left."

"i was going to," he murmured, his voice lower than usual, "but you made it impossible." before you could process his words, he leaned down, his lips brushing yours with an unspoken urgency. the kiss wasn’t hurried, but it carried all the intensity of emotions he couldn’t put into words—the adoration he’d held for years, the pride in your shared journey, the comfort of knowing that even amid the chaos, he had you.

you melted into him, the pen slipping from your fingers as your hand instinctively found the nape of his neck. his other hand rested on the small of your back, pulling you closer. the music sheets, once your focus, now lay forgotten as the kiss deepened. "you drive me crazy, you know that?" he muttered against your lips. "good," you teased, your voice barely above a whisper, "because you’ve been doing the same to me since day one."

— read for context