Haeun shares a moment with Minjae

Haeun stepped backstage, feeling the adrenaline still pumping through her body, the heat of the spotlights lingering on her skin like a lover’s touch. She felt exhilarated, drained, and slightly disoriented all at once, her thoughts racing faster than she could grasp.

She caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror backstage, her makeup still perfect, her hair styled just right. But it wasn’t the Haeun the perfectly manufactured idol that stared back at her, it was the girl beneath the glittering facade, the one who dreamed of a world where she could make a name for herself and share it with the person she loved.

And as she sat down at the dressing table, her eyes fell on her boyfriend's text, sent before the show started, promising to be there, cheering her on from the front row. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, the thrill of knowing he had seen her in her element mixing with a deeper longing.

“Haeun,” a staff member called, breaking through her reverie. “Good job on stage, but you’ve got an interview scheduled in ten minutes with the others.”

With a sigh, she pushed aside thoughts of her boyfriend for the moment and stood up to face the non-stop tasks that her job entails. She met with a beaming Mina, bouncing back into the room, clutching a bouquet of flowers from fans, and she couldn't help but laugh at the her exuberant energy.

“The fans got us a bunch of stuff! The staff are sorting through them, but they said I could have this first,” she said, waving the flowers in her face.

Haeun laughed. “Okay, Mina. You can stop waving it at me now, I am not blind.”

Mina smiled wider, a mischievous glint in her eye. “You know, we’re going to have more fanservice to do from now on if we wanna keep getting stuff. Maybe a accidental kiss? I’d be down!”

Haeun rolled her eyes, pushing aside Mina's teasing. “Yeah yeah, whatever you want. Let’s just go do the interview before they start calling us divas.”

The two made their way to the waiting area for the interview, where the rest of the group had fathered before a sea of cameras.

They settled in for the interview, the questions about the album, their performance and the upcoming promotions flowing with ease. It felt like a dance Haeun had done a hundred times before. As she watched the others answer the same lines that management had drilled into them over the past weeks, she wondered what it would be like if they knew about her boyfriend. If they could understand the feelings that seemed to fill every corner of her being, the ache for something more, for someone to love her as more than just an idol.

"This question is for Haeun. How do you feel about the fan reactions online to your possible romantic relationship?"

Haeun blinked, her mouth hanging open as she tried to process the sudden question. Did they manage to read her mind? Did she say something out loud inadvertently, giving her secret away?

Before she could formulate a reply, Jihoon stepped up, answering for her in his usual cool demeanor. "I think many of our fans have been carried away from what they saw on the show." He glanced back at her, and she snapped her mouth shut as she finally understood what the reporter was referring to. "We became very good friends, but I think the producers tried to imply more than there really was to it. We are both very focused on our careers right now, and remain committed to our only true love - our fans."

A murmur rippled through the crowd of reporters, and the interviewer pressed further. "So is it safe to say both of you are single, and that there is no romantic relationship between any of the members?"

Jihoon laughed, his voice as smooth and practiced as ever. "Of course. I think I speak for all of us when I say that the only thing important right now is our group's debut. We have a lot of plans for this album, and I want to give it my full attention. Perhaps we can take some more questions on that instead?"

With Jihoon putting out the situation, Haeun felt like she could breathe again, her heartbeat steadying. The interview wrapped up soon after, leaving her time to gather herself in the backstage dressing room once more.

She scrolled through her social media, looking for mentions of herself, only to find more speculation and gossip about her relationship with Jihoon, and whether they have broken up already. Her heart sank at the thought of her real boyfriend, who was probably on his way home and on his phone, reading such hurtful words about her.

As she refreshed her feed, a new message came in from Minjae. “Hey! I know you are probably too busy to reply right now, with the interview and all that. I just wanted to let you know that you were absolutely stunning tonight. I’m so proud of how hard you worked for this moment, and how well you performed on stage. You are my goddess, forever and ever. I’m always thinking about you. You’re always in my heart. I love you, Haeun.”

She smiled, a soft sigh escaping her lips. How could she not be in love with someone who understood her so well? Someone who has seen beyond the glitz and glamour of her idol life, and recognized the girl beneath it all?

With a quick glance around to make sure she was alone, she turned on her front camera and posed for a selfie, blowing a kiss at the lens, capturing the moment of happiness. She sent it to him with a simple message: “I love you too. Thank you for staying with me.” A promise of what’s to come, of what they shared, of the secret they kept together.

She was exhausted from everything, but her boyfriend’s words filled her with renewed energy, a warmth spreading through her that chased away any lingering doubts. With him behind her, she felt like she could take on the world.

Haeun closed her eyes, imagining their reunion once the promotions ended and she could find time to visit him. She pictured his arms around her, the way he would kiss her hair, the way they would make love with an intensity that only time and distance could kindle. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of his touch, how it always made her feel loved, cherished, and protected.

In the middle of the busy dressing room, she allowed herself to dream, to imagine a future where they could be together without secrets, without hiding. Where they could share a life together, not just stolen moments behind closed doors.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes, reality setting back in. For now, this was enough - the promise of love, the knowledge that he was out there, thinking of her.

She gathered herself, preparing to change and head back home for a well-deserved rest, the memories of the stage playing in her mind, her boyfriend's words echoing in her ears.

"You're always in my heart. I love you, Haeun."