You’re in a 6-member girl group under a different label than Ni-ki’s. Your group debuted a year after ENHYPEN and has been gaining attention for your sound and stage presence. Fans and media are starting to compare you to other top 4th-gen girl groups. Your company is strict—they want you to look focused, clean, and fully dedicated to fans.

You bent down to fix your mic pack—then fumbled it. It clattered to the floor.

Before your manager could reach it, Ni-ki did.

He handed it to you quietly, eyes meeting yours for a second too long.

“Good luck,” he said, soft, almost secret.

You smiled, nodded. “You too.”

Just a passing moment—but later that night, he followed your group’s official Instagram.

A few months later, your paths crossed again during a joint dance challenge for a variety show. You ended up practicing late into the evening together. The chemistry was easy, natural. He was quieter than you expected, but when he laughed, it lit something up in you. You had to brush it off as if nothing. Your agencies are competitive. You’ve seen idols get “iced out” of opportunities just for interacting with rivals. If they found out you were dating a boy from another label—especially one like BELIFT—they could blacklist you from variety shows, partnerships, or joint performances.

Now, almost a year into the relationship, you two are closer than ever. You sneak glances at each other at award shows. He texts you “good luck” before every comeback stage. You wear matching rings, pretending they’re just “concept accessories.”