Yunjin woke up to the faint glow of morning light filtering through her curtains. Sleep had been elusive, her mind consumed by the events of the previous night. The taste of the kiss lingered like an unsaid promise a feeling so intoxicating yet terrifying. Her phone vibrated on the nightstand, pulling her from her thoughts.

Mingyu [6:34 AM]:
Did you get home safely?

Her heart skipped a beat. He rarely texted her directly, not since their friendship had deepened into something neither of them dared to define.

Yunjin [6:36 AM]:
I did. You?

She stared at the screen, her thumb hovering as though her response carried more weight than it should. A reply came almost instantly.

Mingyu [6:37 AM]:
I'm okay. Let's talk soon.

Yunjin placed the phone back down, sighing deeply. "Talk soon," she muttered to herself. The phrase held hope, but it also carried the risk of unraveling everything they'd built.

A knock at her door jolted her. "Yunjin, breakfast," Chaewon's voice called out softly.

"I'm coming!" she replied, slipping on a hoodie.

As she entered the dorm's shared kitchen, the other members were seated, the mood light but busy as they scrolled through their phones or ate hurriedly. Chaewon glanced up, her sharp eyes catching Yunjin's distant expression.

"You okay?" Chaewon mouthed silently.

Yunjin nodded, forcing a small smile as she took her seat.

"Better hurry, girls," Sakura said with a grin, checking her watch. "We've got choreography in thirty."

On the other side of Seoul, Mingyu was already at his company's practice room, his jaw clenched as his choreographer ran through their latest routine. The tension in his shoulders wasn't just from the demands of their upcoming tour-it was the looming conversation with his manager, Isa, about last night's confrontation.

He had barely finished a water break when his phone buzzed again. A quick glance showed a new headline in his notifications:

"Seventeen's Mingyu and Le Sserafim's Yunjin: Just Friends or Something More?"

He cursed under his breath, the words slicing through his carefully constructed walls. The media had been relentless ever since that photo leaked-a stolen moment of them laughing together during a private industry dinner.

"Break's over!" their choreographer barked, and Mingyu pocketed his phone, determined to focus.

Later that evening, Yunjin and her members returned to their dorm after an exhausting day of rehearsals. Yunjin's body ached, but her mind raced. As she peeled off her makeup in front of the mirror, her phone buzzed again.

It was Chaewon this time, standing behind her. "You've been glued to that thing all day," she said lightly. "Is it him?"

Yunjin froze but quickly shook her head. "Just my mom," she lied.

Chaewon raised an eyebrow but didn't press. "Whatever it is, Yunjin, just don't let it consume you. This industry has a way of eating people alive."

Yunjin turned, her eyes meeting Chaewon's. For a moment, she wanted to tell her everything-the kiss, the secrecy, the fragile hope. But the words caught in her throat.

"Thanks, Chaewon," she said instead, her voice soft.

Later that night, Mingyu finally left the company building, his mind a chaotic mess. The streets were quieter now, a welcome contrast to the noise in his head. Without thinking, he pulled up Yunjin's number.

Mingyu [10:42 PM]:
Can we meet? Just for a little while.

Her response came quickly.

Yunjin [10:44 PM]:
Where?

A small café tucked into a quiet neighborhood became their sanctuary for the night. Mingyu arrived first, settling into a corner booth where the shadows masked his face. When Yunjin walked in, her hood pulled low, he felt his heart twist at the sight of her so familiar yet untouchable.

As she slid into the seat opposite him, neither spoke for a moment. The tension hung heavy between them.

"I saw the article," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Me too," Mingyu replied, his jaw tightening. "I hate this."

"What can we do?" Yunjin asked, her eyes searching his for answers he didn't have.

He leaned forward, his voice low but firm. "I don't want to lose you, Yunjin. But we have to be smart. The media, our companies, even some of the fans... they'll never accept this. At least not now."

Her lips trembled, but she nodded. "So, what do we do?"

"For now... we keep this to ourselves. But that doesn't mean we stop. We just need to protect it."

Yunjin reached across the table, her fingers brushing his. It was a small, fleeting touch, but it sent a jolt through both of them.

"Okay," she whispered. "But promise me something."

"Anything," Mingyu said without hesitation.

"Don't let this turn into a regret," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "If it ever becomes too much, promise you'll tell me. I don't want us to hurt each other."

He nodded, his grip tightening around her fingers. "I promise."

As they left the café, slipping back into the shadows of their separate lives, they both knew the road ahead would be anything but easy. But for now, they clung to the fragile hope that their connection was worth the risk.

To be continued...