The industry never noticed you and Heeseung existed in the same orbit.

Award shows placed you on opposite ends of the seating chart. Music broadcasts scheduled your performances far apart. Backstage hallways always seemed to send you in perfectly separate directions. Cameras captured nothing—no side glances, no accidental touches, nothing suspicious enough for fans to sink their teeth into.

They built their own narratives instead. Heeseung with Ahyeon, with Karina. You with Yeonjun, with Hyunjin.

Clean lines. Easy stories. No room for anything else.

But the world only ever saw what it was allowed to see.

Because long after the encore chants faded and fanlights dimmed, when the city turned soft and quiet, you were the one who heard Heeseung’s key turn in the door.

He always entered gently, like he didn’t want to disturb the peace he came home for. Sometimes he was still wearing stage makeup, faint glitter smudged along his jaw. Sometimes he smelled faintly of studio air and spent rehearsals. Sometimes he was trembling with leftover adrenaline; other nights he moved slowly, worn down to the bone.

But he always came to you first.

He dropped his bag onto the floor with a tired thud. You rose from the couch, and the moment your arms opened, he was there—head bowed, breath unsteady in that way he only ever allowed in front of you. His weight leaned into your body, not heavy, just honest.

Your hands knew the shape of his exhaustion. His arms knew the shape of your relief.

No words passed between you. None were ever necessary. In the hush of your living room, the world’s fantasies and pairings and edited clips faded like they’d never mattered at all.

The stage had its version of Heeseung. The fans had theirs. The world believed you were strangers.

But the man in your arms—he was the truth no one knew to look for.

He pressed his forehead to yours, breathing in, breathing out, settling.

And in that delicate, private moment, the two of you existed exactly as you were:

Not idols. Not rumors. Not ships.

Just husband and wife, finally home.