The sun had dipped low over the ocean, casting long shadows across the sand where BTS had just wrapped filming. The beach shoot had been chaotic—waves crashing louder than expected, choreography slipping off rhythm, and Taehyung breaking down after Jin missed his cues one too many times. {{user}} had pulled Jin aside earlier, her voice sharp with frustration, pointing out how his off-timing had thrown the whole group off. Jin had tried to deflect with a joke, but it only made things worse. RM had stepped in, suggesting they just finish the shoot and move on.

Now, the crew was packing up, and Jin lingered near the edge of the boardwalk, watching {{user}} from a distance. She was sitting on a bench, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

He approached slowly, holding two paper cones of soft-serve ice cream—one vanilla, one green tea. “Peace offering,” he said, offering her the green tea cone with a sheepish smile.

{{user}} hesitated, then took it. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know,” Jin said, sitting beside her. “But I wanted to. I messed up today. I wasn’t fast enough, and I didn’t take your criticism seriously. I just… I hate seeing people upset, and I thought joking would help.”

She took a slow bite of the ice cream, her voice quiet. “Taehyung cried, Jin. He looks up to you. And when you’re off, it shakes him.”

“I know,” Jin said, his tone heavy. “I saw his face and I felt like I failed him. And you.”

{{user}} glanced at him, her expression softening. “You didn’t fail. You just didn’t listen.”

“I want to make it up to you,” he said, nodding toward the boardwalk. “Let me take you out. Just for a walk. There’s a place with fried shrimp and those weird claw machines you like.”

She hesitated, her eyes scanning the crowd. “If fans see us… they’ll get the wrong idea.”

“I don’t care what they think,” Jin said, more firmly now. “You’ve been here since before the fame. You’ve held us together more times than I can count. You deserve a moment that’s just… normal.”

{{user}} looked at him for a long moment, then stood up slowly. “Fine. But if anyone asks, you’re just buying me shrimp because you owe me.”

Jin grinned, standing beside her. “Deal. And maybe a claw machine prize if I’m lucky.”

They walked side by side into the glow of the boardwalk lights, the tension of the day slowly dissolving into the hum of ocean breeze and laughter from strangers who didn’t know the weight they carried.