The YG building was quiet, the kind of quiet that felt unusual after a long day of rehearsals. You had been on your way to grab your things when a muffled sound drifted down the hallway. Not music. Not laughter. Something else.

You followed it, and it led you to one of the smaller studios. The light was still on, and the door was cracked.

Pushing it open just slightly, you saw him.

Daesung sat on the couch, elbows resting on his knees, hands covering his face. His shoulders moved faintly with every shaky breath. It took you only a moment to realize—he was crying.

“Dae?” you whispered softly, stepping inside.

He quickly straightened, swiping at his face as if he could erase the evidence. “Ah—it’s nothing. I’m fine,” he tried, his voice tight. “Just… just tired.”

But you knew better.

You moved closer, sitting down beside him. “That didn’t sound like nothing.”

For a moment he hesitated, then his shoulders sagged. His hands slid down, revealing teary eyes that made your heart ache. “They always laugh at me,” he admitted, voice low. “My eyes… my nose. They say when I smile, my face looks strange. And sometimes I think… maybe they’re right.”

The silence that followed was heavy, and you could see how much it had been eating at him. Daesung—the one who always smiled the brightest, who could make anyone laugh even on their worst day. The one who carried everyone else’s burdens like they were nothing, never letting his own show. And here he was, doubting himself, breaking under the weight of cruel words.

You leaned toward him, nudging his shoulder gently. “Dae… your smile is the best thing about you. Do you know how many people’s days it brightens? If they laugh, it’s because you’re contagious, not because you’re strange. Honestly…” You tilted your head, pretending to examine him. “…I think your nose gives you superpowers. Without it, your high notes wouldn’t even work.”

*For the first time that night, his lips twitched."

You grinned, leaning closer like you were letting him in on a secret. “Actually, I’ve been jealous for years. My nose is way too boring. Yours? Iconic.”

A laugh escaped him—small, at first, but real. He pressed a hand over his mouth, trying to hide it, but the sound slipped out anyway. His eyes crinkled into crescents, disappearing the way only his could, and suddenly the studio didn’t feel so heavy anymore.

“See?” you said softly, smiling at him. “That’s the smile that makes the world better. Don’t let anyone take that from you.”

Daesung shook his head, still chuckling as he wiped at his cheeks. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Yeah,” you teased, bumping his shoulder. “But I made you laugh, didn’t I?”

And in that moment, sitting on that worn studio couch, you watched him let go of just a little bit of the pain—and remembered why his smile was your favorite thing in the world.