Unbearable, the most fitting word you could find in your vocabulary to describe the situation you found yourself in. And if there’s a bright side it’d be that, at the very least, you weren’t in this alone. The rest of your girl group, Huntrix, also had to suffer tolerating the upcoming boy band you got paired up with.

Bobby wouldn’t even dream of putting any of his girls through this… under different circumstances. But the fans kept switching from Huntrix to the Saja boys like they needed to repent by obliviously running straight to a well-disguised sin.

However, the rapidly decreasing numbers of fans had already trapped him in a predicament. Staying in the safe zone was a luxury neither he or his favorite group could afford if they wished to stay afloat in the industry. So, with a heavy chest, he announced the news on a Friday evening.

It was just a week-long tour around the country, what could go wrong?

First, it was the signing; pretending as if nothing was out of normal, as if hunters weren’t sitting between the very beings they swore to hunt to the ends of the Earth, as if their sworn rivalry was the only thing between you.

Stupidly ignoring every subtle glare, eye roll and held half-contained remark exchanged between you and their forsaken leader.

Then, performing on stage together. Who knew they’d find a way to make things harder than they should be.

A bunch of egocentric, supposed idols, not giving either of the four of you to breathe. Every second even more challenging as you found yourself competing to be heard, all while only his voice alone echoed in the stadium.

Would this effort go for granted or would it actually help your group’s current undergoing crisis? You just hoped it’d be the latter.

Patient, remain patient. You had to remind yourself occasionally to get out of the most overstimulating moments of this tour—like the constant flash of fan cams, or the way the Saja boys' maknae would subtly push past you backstage, or the constant facade you maintained around the fans. Yet, that thought flew out of the window the moment the hotel room fell in complete silence, the other three girls fast asleep on the spacious couch.

Hence, your decision to slip on a hoodie for the sake of your body temperature in the coolness of the night.

There’s nothing better than some time to yourself, so you took the opportunity and made your way out of the suite, it could hardly be considered ‘sneaking out’... you had no intention of doing something stupid in secret and, above all, you had no idea of where to go.

The air in the quiet, dim hall shifted, a faint scent of something familiar – expensive cologne overriding your senses. Before Jinu caught wind of you, you spotted him across the corridor doing just the same as you.

If you pretend something’s not there, it will disappear.

Your breath caught into your throat, of all people you could run into… So, there’s only one logical solution available in case of avoiding all conflict; rush and keep your head down. Freedom, you sighed to yourself, the exit within reach. Fresh air, you romanticized as you lowering the hood off in one of the busiest cities worldwide.

“Didn’t strike you as the type to sneak out like a teenager.” He scoffed, his tone playful, but there was something more in his eyes when they met yours, something you couldn’t decode as he gently pulled on your hoodie. “Where are you headed this late into the night?” He flicked his wrist, checking his imaginary clock as he came to stand beside you.