Mingyu and Isa were about to kiss again when suddenly, the door to the practice room swung open. Yunjin stood in the doorway, her eyes wide in shock.

Isa snapped, “What the hell?”

Yunjin quickly stepped back. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice tinged with embarrassment. “I just came to grab my phone. I left it here.”

Isa, still annoyed, crossed her arms. “Don’t you have manners? You should have knocked.”

Yunjin, flustered, tried to explain. “I didn’t think anyone would be here at this hour, but I should have knocked. Here’s my phone,” she added, snatching it from the desk and turning to leave.

Isa wasn’t done. She reached for Mingyu’s hair, pulling him back toward her, but Mingyu pulled away. “Stop it, yaar,” he said, clearly irritated. “This is my office. Let’s not do our private stuff here.” He stormed off, his frustration palpable.

Isa, now equally frustrated, watched him leave.

Yunjin, feeling utterly embarrassed, hurriedly left the room.

As she made her way down the hall, Sakura caught up to her. “You found it? Let’s go now.”

Chaewon, noticing the tension, greeted them. “Oh, annyeonghaseyo, Mingyu sunbaenim.”

Yunjin, still feeling awkward, turned and bowed to Mingyu. He returned the bow but couldn’t bring himself to speak to her. They both turned away, each wrapped in their own thoughts.

Sakura, attempting to break the silence, commented, “Oh my, Isa Unnie is quite rich.”

Eunchae added, “Yes, she’s full of herself.”

Kazuha chimed in, “She’s also really attractive.”

Yunjin remained silent, choosing not to engage in the conversation.

---

Rehearsal Day 2

The next day, Yunjin and Mingyu reunited for their practice session. They practiced for an hour and a half, both professionals, focused on their routine. But as the practice continued, the tension between them remained palpable.

Later, they joined the other groups for the final performance practice. Despite working side by side, Yunjin and Mingyu barely spoke to one another. They kept a distance, both choosing not to address the unspoken tension that hung between them.

---

D-Day

The day of the performance arrived, and backstage was a whirlwind of activity. Groups rushed to prepare, costumes were checked, and final rehearsals took place.

Yunjin, standing backstage, couldn’t shake the worry gnawing at her. She was concerned that her and Mingyu’s performance would suffer because of the distance between them. They had been avoiding each other ever since the incident, and the unresolved tension might affect their performance.

It was almost time for them to take the stage. The nervous energy backstage was palpable as the groups prepared to perform. Yunjin and Mingyu’s moment had finally arrived.

Mingyu's outfit

Yunjin's outfit

Mingyu felt the nerves rising in his chest. He glanced at Yunjin, who simply gave him a quiet, calm look.

Mingyu: “Don’t be nervous.”

Yunjin: “Hmm.”

Mingyu, trying to calm himself, reached out his hand toward her. “Yunjin, hold my hand.”

Yunjin hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and took his hand. The moment they touched, time seemed to stop. The nerves, the tension, everything melted away as they stood there, connected.

It was their time to take the stage.

As they walked onto the stage together, holding hands and smiling, the audience greeted them with cheers. The opening notes of “Stay With Me” filled the air, and Mingyu and Yunjin began their performance.

They moved in sync, their bodies perfectly attuned to the rhythm of the music. As they danced, they only had eyes for each other, no distractions, no worries.

Mingyu, lost in the moment, pulled Yunjin closer, his hands wrapping around her waist with an intensity that spoke of emotions he hadn’t fully processed. In that brief moment, she felt angelic and vulnerable in his arms.

The applause from the audience suddenly interrupted their connection, but they shared a fleeting smile before the performance ended.

Afterward, the rest of the groups joined them on stage. Mingyu and Yunjin exchanged a warm glance, the unspoken feelings between them simmering but unspoken. The performance had been a massive success, and everyone’s admiration was evident.

Backstage, the air was filled with congratulatory hugs and laughter. Mingyu and Yunjin stood there for a moment, still basking in the afterglow of the performance.

Then, without thinking, they embraced tightly for the first time. It was a genuine, pure moment of celebration and relief, the weight of everything between them, both personal and professional, seeming to melt away in that one hug. They were both truly happy, and for a brief moment, the world outside didn’t matter.

To be continued....