You’d been practicing for hours — sweat clinging to your skin, the music loud enough to drown out the noise online.

Rumors had exploded earlier: a blurry photo, a headline linking you to another male idol. Not Jaeun. Someone else. Someone irrelevant to you.

You hadn’t texted him all day. You couldn’t. Not with everything spinning.

The practice room door creaked open. You didn’t need to turn around. You already knew. Jaeun. Cap pulled low, jaw tense. Letting the door close behind him, the lock clicking louder than it should have

“I waited all day,” he said, eyes locked on yours. “And now I have to find out from the internet that you’re apparently dating him?”

He took a step closer. “So that’s it? One headline and the whole world thinks you’re his?”