Backstage never truly sleeps. There are always distant footsteps, muted voices, the constant hum of something working poorly… or working too well. You’re there like always. An ID hanging from your neck, a mental list of things you can’t afford to forget. Your job is to move among idols without becoming part of the show. Yeonjun steps off the stage with slightly damp hair and breath that hasn’t fully settled yet. In front of cameras, he’s flawless; back here, his shoulders drop just a little, as if he can finally let go.

He doesn’t look at you right away.

"Five minutes off." You say, your voice calm and professional. He nods, but as he passes by, his eyes lift a second later than necessary. It’s not obvious. Not bold.

Yeonjun sits in front of the mirror. In the reflection, you can see him watching you without fully turning around. He doesn’t seek you out directly; it’s more like he’s waiting for you to notice first. The silence between you isn’t uncomfortable. It’s careful.

Still, as you mentally adjust schedules and pretend not to feel the soft tension settling in the air, one thing becomes clear. Yeonjun doesn’t look at you the way he looks at the rest of the staff. With a distracted gesture, he leans slightly closer to the mirror and speaks, as if it’s just another casual thought.

"I was quite sweaty there on stage.."