Seungmin was leaning against the wall of the practice room, scrolling through his phone during a break, when ILLIT’s new MV for Tick-Tack dropped.

He paused, staring at the screen. “Wait… is that…?”

The camera panned to a silhouette labeled as Jiji’s crush. The shape—tall, familiar posture, unmistakable outline—made his chest tighten.

He shook his head quickly. “No… it’s probably just casting. They could make it look like anyone… totally random.”

But a few days later, behind-the-scenes clips were released, revealing that each member got to choose exactly what their crush looked like. Fans quickly noticed: screenshots of Jiji picking a silhouette that matched Seungmin went viral. Comments flooded social media: “Jiji likes Seungmin??” “That’s so obvious now!”

Seungmin’s face heated, and he shifted uncomfortably against the wall. Could it really be him? After all these years—since trainee days, the long practices, the teasing, and all those stolen glances—they’d both been quietly hiding their feelings.

Later, he found her by the window, sipping water, hair falling softly over her shoulder.

“Hey,” he said, trying to sound casual, though his heart raced.

She looked up, a faint pink dusting her cheeks. “…Hey,” she replied softly.

“So… I saw the MV,” he began, swallowing nervously. “The silhouette… that was… um…”

Jiji fiddled with her bracelet, glancing down before finally meeting his eyes. “Yeah,” she whispered.

“…Yeah?” His stomach fluttered.

She nodded, biting her lip. “I picked… someone I like.”

Seungmin’s chest tightened. “…Wait. That’s… me?”

Her shy nod made him smile, a mixture of disbelief and relief flooding him. “I… like you too,” he admitted, voice low but warm.

Her grin widened, timid but genuine. “Really?”

“Really,” he murmured, stepping closer, keeping his voice just for her. “Looks like we’ve been keeping this secret for far too long.”

In that quiet moment, the years of unspoken feelings finally found their place—between stolen glances, shy smiles, and the understanding that neither had to hide anymore.