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silver-hwaberry · 2 days ago

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⭑I Can See You⭑

TWO: cosmic rush

Warnings: angst, arguing, fighting (one physical push between 2 members), name calling, swearing Word count: 8.5k

⭑2016⭑

“Hello stranger!” Yunho greets her as Yeonghwa walks into the classroom

“Hey Yunho!” she laughs taking off her backpack

Yeonghwa hadn’t been at school for the past 3 days as she was in Japan working with Moonlight. They had a performance there plus were filming the MV for their new song ‘Cosmic Rush’.

“How was Japan?” he asks as she sits down

“Busy!” she simply answers. “How was school?”

“Boring! Mr Nams satellite ears weren’t as funny without you here!” he replies. He looks at her as she sets up her school stuff on the desk, “There is something different about you!” he says, not sure what it is

“Probably my hair!” she says not batting an eyelid

“Did you get a hair cut?” he asks looking at it more closely

“Not quite.” she laughs looking at him, “I am wearing a wig, Yunho!”

"A wig?" Yunho's eyes widen comically as he leans closer to inspect her hair. "No way! It looks so real!"

"Well yeah, that's kinda the point," Yeonghwa snorts, swatting his hand away as he reaches out to touch it. "And don't pull on it, I spent forever getting it to sit right this morning."

"But why are you wearing a wig?"

“New hair for the comeback, I have to hide. So wigs are a must when I am at school.” she sighs, “Personally I hate them as they are itchy and make my head sweat but it is strictly forbidden to reveal new hair styles and colours beforehand.”

“Am I allowed to know?” he grins playfully

“Absolutely not!” she laughs swatting his hand away again

“Oh come on, where are my best friend perks?!” he pouts

Yeonghwa freezes slightly at him saying ‘best friend’ and he notices her reaction. Since Yunho started at SOPA 3 weeks before they had gotten more friendly with one another, spending their time exchanging notes, talking during breaks and Yeonghwa was enjoying having a friend at school now but she hadn’t realised he saw her that way. She decides not to say anything about it but Yunho can see she is a little weirded out as she brushes it off.

"Well..." she drags out the word, pretending to think hard about it. "I guess since you did help me with that chemistry homework last week..."

"Yes? Yes?" Yunho leans forward in his chair, practically bouncing.

"It's white with these really pretty pastel pink and lilac streaks," she finally whispers into his ear covering her mouth so only he could hear. The sensation of her breath on his ear and the low tone of her voice makes his stomach flip a little. "But if you tell anyone, I swear-" she leans back

"My lips are sealed!" he mimes zipping his mouth shut. "But that sounds sick actually. Can't wait to see the big reveal."

“You will see it on comeback day if you watch the music video or our comeback stage.” she says, “I won’t be in school for a few days again.” she adds with a small sigh

“Of course I’ll be watching both and all performances afterwards! Just you try and stop me!!” he smiles, “When are the teasers dropping?” he asks

“First one is in 2 days so you’ll see my hair in its full glory then!” she answers, “And I can take this fucking wig off!”

“And don’t worry about schoolwork. I made you a copy of all our work this week and I will do the same next week too.” he says handing her a semi-thick folder

“Wow!” she gasps looking at it, “You really didn’t need to do all this! Thanks you Yunho!” she is grateful for his help in keeping up with her studies.

Previously, when she missed classes because of her schedule, no students gave her notes; she only received a small packet of assignments from the school to complete during her absence.

“It was nothing!” he shrugs nonchalantly

As Yeonghwa flips through the folder with a grateful smile, she notices a small piece of paper tucked inside. Curious, she pulls it out and unfolds it to reveal a simple doodle of a hamster which was her animal representative in the band with a phone number underneath it and faded heart at the end. It looks like he had drawn it and then erased it but the paper was still showing it faintly. It made her smile a little.

Yunho rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, "I know it's cheesy, but I wanted to give you my number so if you had any questions about school work you had a way of contacting me," he says with a shy grin.

Yeonghwa glances up from the drawing, her cheeks turning a bit pink at Yunho's gesture. "Are you sure this isn't just a trick to get my number?" she teases.

"What? No, definitely not! You don't have to give it to me if you don't want to!" he replies, flustered.

"Yun! I'm just kidding!" she laughs, "That's really thoughtful of you," she adds, placing the paper securely into her folder with a gentle smile.

“Oh!” he sighs in relief as he scratches his head awkwardly, a bashful grin on his face. "I just want to make sure you're all set for your comeback without falling behind in schoolwork," he says earnestly.

Yeonghwa nods appreciatively. "I really appreciate it, Yunho. It means a lot to me," she says softly. “But you may end up regretting it as I could end up blowing up your phone when I am on schedules!”

"Feel free to send me as many messages as you want!" he laughs. "Oh, and keep it a secret that I have a phone. We're not supposed to have them until after debut, but we all secretly do. Hongjoong would be so annoyed if he found out, but I'm pretty sure he has one too!"

"A secret phone? How scandalous!" Yeonghwa teases, lowering her voice dramatically. "And here I thought you were such a good boy."

"Hey, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do," Yunho says, puffing up his chest before breaking into a smile.

They sit in a comfortable silence for a moment before Yunho clears his throat. "So, um, are you up for a ninja picnic lunch today? My treat, I’ll buy you whatever you want!" he offers with a hopeful expression. “I’m not going to see Mingi today as he has a dental appointment.”

"I can't today," she explains. "My manager reserved one of the private halls for me to rehearse. We're filming the dance practice video for the song tonight, so I need to get ready."

"Oh, that's cool!" he responds with a nod, but she notices the disappointment in his expression.

"But I'll be alone, so i-if you'd like, you could join me," she stammers nervously, her fingers playing with the bottom of her skirt. "As long as you promise to keep the song a secret!"

"Really?" he responds, brightening.

“Of course!!” she breaks into a wide smile “Maybe I can finally see some of these awesome dance skills you say you have too!”

“My dancing is totally awesome!” he grins

"Oh yeah? Prove it then!" Yeonghwa challenges, raising an eyebrow. "Show me what you've got during practice!"

"Challenge accepted!" Yunho announces with a theatrical puff of his chest. "Just don't hold it against me if my awesome moves leave you feeling jealous."

"Pfft, please," she rolls her eyes, trying not to laugh. "I've been dancing since I was like, 4 years old."

"Well, I've been dancing since I was in the womb," he replies with a cheeky grin.

"That's not even possible, you goof," she laughs, giving him a playful shove. "If that were true, I really pity your mom for dealing with that while you were in her belly—and considering you're a giant too!"

"I'll have you know, I was just as small as you when I was born! I only shot up in height over the past two years!" he says with a grin.

“I find that hard believe!” she laughs, “Scary part is you are still growing too! I stopped when I was 13 years old!”

Yunho looks at her fondly. He had missed her presence in school the past 3 days. Although he did get more work done in class as he wasn’t messing around with Yeonghwa, it wasn’t as fun and he missed her.

As the rest of their fellow classmates begin to fill the classroom and the teacher walks in, they got themselves prepared for the day ahead. They spent break time together as usual, going over the folder of notes Yunho had made for her, telling her what assignments had been set etc and before they knew it lunch time had arrived.

“You get yourself something to eat and come to room 107 when you are ready.” Yeonghwa says as they make their way down the stairs

“Do you want me to get you anything?” he asks, hoping she’ll be eating something but she shakes her head.

“I’ve got a protein shake and a banana with me today.” she answers, “Misty handed it to me as I was leaving this morning. Said she’d hit me over the head with the banana if I don’t have them!” she giggles

“Good! I’m glad someone is taking care of you!” he smiles at hearing she is actually going to be consuming something for lunch. “Want a bottle of water?”

“Yeah I do actually!” she says pulling her purse from her pocket to give him money

“Oh hell no, put that away! This is my treat!” he smiles, “and after your promotions are over I will take you out for a lovely meal to celebrate!”

“I highly doubt my company would allow me to do that, they control every aspect of my life,” she responds. Yunho feels a pang in his chest at her words, not because she said she couldn't do it, but because her company has so much control over her. It doesn't seem fair. "But I wouldn't say no to having a ninja lunch with you after everything is done," she adds with a mischievous smile.

“Really?” he breaks into a smile

“Absolutely! If it is okay with Mingi, that is!” she replies

“I am positive he would. He is pretty cool. I think you two would really get along!” Yunho replies

“Its a deal then! Once my promotions are over, we do the great escape!” Yeonghwa nods with a happy grin on her face.

As they reach the bottom of the stairs, Yeonghwa make her way to the private dance hall, her footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. The familiar scent of polished wood and sweat greets her as she pushes open the heavy door. Sunlight streams through the high windows, casting long shadows across the gleaming floor causing her to smile. She loved being in practice rooms, it was her place of sanctuary, somewhere she can be free. She sets down her bag and pulls out her protein shake and banana, placing them carefully on a nearby bench.

Meanwhile, Yunho navigates the bustling cafeteria, the cacophony of voices and clattering trays filling the air. He quickly selects a sandwich and an apple, his mind already racing ahead to the dance hall. As he paid for his food, he grabs two bottles of ice cold water, one for himself and one for Yeonghwa.

Back in the dance hall, Yeonghwa has changed into her practice clothes - a loose tank top and form-fitting leggings with a pair of sneakers. The choreo she was about to perform would be impossible in her stiff and restrictive school uniform. She stands before the wall of mirrors, taking deep breaths as she centres herself. With practised movements, she begins to stretch, her lithe body bending and twisting to get rid of the stiffness from sitting at her desk for so long.

Yunho arrives just as Yeonghwa was finishing her warm-up routine. He slips inside quietly, not wanting to disturb her concentration. Knowing himself how important it is to get into the zone before dancing. He finds a spot against the far wall and he settles down to watch, his lunch momentarily forgotten.

He notices that her black wig has been tossed aside and her freshly dyed white hair, which is now shorter and falls a few inches below her shoulders, hangs in loose natural waves with pastel streaks that are barely noticeable from afar.

Yeonghwa pulls out her phone and set it on a small speaker. She sets up her ipad infront of the mirror, ready to play the group rehearsal video if she needed any reminders. A moment later, the opening notes of Moonlight's new song filled the room. The beat was infectious, a pulsing rhythm that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards. Yunho can’t help but nod to his head to beat as his eyes focus on her.

Yeonghwa begin to move. Her body becomes a living instrument, every gesture precise and purposeful. She flows across the floor, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground. Her arms carved graceful arcs through the air, fingers splayed in delicate formations.

As the song reaches its climax, Yeonghwa launches into a breathtaking series of spins, her body a blur of motion. She ends with a dramatic pose, chest heaving, one hand on her hip. For a moment, the room was silent save for her ragged breathing.

Then, catching sight of Yunho in the mirror's reflection, Yeonghwa's serious expression melted into a wide grin. She turned to face him, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

"So," she pants, eyes sparkling with mischief, "what did you think?"

Yunho sits there, mouth agape, still processing the incredible performance he'd just witnessed. He struggles to find words that could adequately express his admiration.

"That was... wow," he finally manages, shaking his head in disbelief. "I knew you were good, but that was... incredible. Seriously, Yeonghwa, you're amazing."

“I know it looks strange dancing solo to a group performance but trust me it looks a lot better when we do it together, I promise!” she laughs as he hands the bottle of water to her

“Not at all! I practice alone too so I get it. I can’t wait to see the comeback stage!” he smiles

"Time to show me those moves you were bragging about earlier," Yeonghwa says, taking a long drink from her water bottle. "Unless you were all talk?"

"Oh, I'll show you my moves alright," Yunho grins, shrugging off his blazer, rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt and untucking it from his trousers to give him more freedom. "Just don't get jealous when I outshine you."

"I'm shaking in my sneakers," she deadpans, but can't help smiling as she watches him do some exaggerated stretches while she sits infront of the mirror to look at him head on.

"Okay, play that track again. I've got this," he says confidently, moving to the centre of the room.

Yeonghwa hits play and watches with growing amusement as Yunho starts to dance. Her amused smile is soon replaced with wonderment as he hits the majority of the moves - his movements are sharp and he has picked up the steps from that one performance she did. But when it comes to one particularly complex sequence that Yeonghwa does in the dance break which includes a backwards handstand and a landing into the splits, he gets his legs tangled and nearly face-plants.

"Shit!" he yelps, stumbling sideways. "How the hell do you make that look so easy?"

"Years of practice and one very scary choreographer," she laughs, walking over to help him. "Here, it's more like this-" She demonstrates the move slowly.

"My legs don't bend that way!" he protests, trying to copy her. "I think you might actually be made of rubber."

"Says the guy who's basically a human giraffe," she teases, adjusting his arm position. "Less flailing, more control."

"I am graceful as fuck, I'll have you know," he declares, promptly tripping over his own feet again.

“It is a hard move so don’t over do it, I don’t want you to hurt yourself. I fear your leader may hunt me down if I get one of his fellow trainees injured!” she says

“I can do it!” he nods

They spend the next few minutes going through the steps very slowly, Yunho's determination to get it right making Yeonghwa smile. Despite his jokes, she can tell he's actually trying hard to learn the complex move properly.

“Okay, you are getting it!” she claps when he nails the backwards handstand and nearly does a full splits

"That's not a move guys are supposed to attempt!" he chuckles as he stands, trying to resist the urge to massage his sore groin in her presence.

"You did great," she says with a smile. "But can you do it in sync with the music?" she adds with a playful grin.

“Is that a challenge?” he quips as she nods, “From the top!” he adds as she begins the track from the beginning

They both stand side by side facing the mirror as the music begins over the speaker, the bass vibrating through the floor they begin to dance in complete sync with one another. Yunho nailing every single move. Yeonghwas eyes are on him in the mirror as she dances beside him and she is seriously impressed.

As the dance break begins, Yunho smashes the quick movements, the backwards handstand and even the splits before getting up quickly to finish the routine off. As the music ends they are both breathing heavily standing in the ending pose.

“Holy shit!” Yunho groans flopping to the floor exhausted as Yeonghwa holds onto her hips and squats down beside him laughing.

“Yunho, that was awesome!” she says as she looks at him sprawled on the floor

“They didn’t give me the main dancer position for nothing you know!” he replies opening some of the buttons of his shirt to get some air, maybe a bit too many as the top part of his chest is on show.

Yeonghwa awkwardly looks away as she sees the skin of his chest before standing up and going over to her bag to get the banana. As Yunho sits upright he sees in the mirror how much of his chest he just exposed accidentally, quickly covering himself again.

"So uh, that was fun!" Yeonghwa says a bit too quickly, focusing intently on peeling her banana.

"Yeah!" Yunho agrees, still slightly out of breath as he fumbles with his shirt buttons.

An awkward silence falls between them as Yeonghwa takes small bites of her banana, very deliberately staring at the wall. Yunho clears his throat. "I think I’ve pulled muscles I didn't even know I had."

"You'll definitely feel it tomorrow," she snorts, still not quite looking at him. "Maybe I should've warned you about that part."

"Nah, totally worth it," he groans, rolling his shoulders. "Even if I have to crawl to dance practice tonight."

“Oh shit, you should have said you had dance practice! I would have gone easier on you!!” she says with wide eyes

"Please, I could do this choreo in my sleep," Yunho scoffs, though the way he's wincing as he stretches tells a different story.

"Oh yeah? Is that why you're moving like my grandpa right now?" Yeonghwa takes another bite of her banana, finally able to fully look at him now that he's buttoned up.

"Your grandpa probably has better flexibility than me right now," he groans, attempting to stand. "Shit, I think my legs are actually broken."

"Drama queen," she rolls her eyes, but offers him a hand up anyway.

Yunho eagerly accepts, forgetting her small stature as he pulls a bit too forcefully, almost causing her to topple over. He quickly steadies her by placing his hands on her hips as she clutches his shoulders for support. Even though he was seated on the floor, his height and her petite 153cm frame meant their faces were closer now than when standing. It was the first time she truly observed his facial features, and her stomach fluttered at how handsome he was, especially with the gentle way he gazed at her while her fingers softly held onto his shirt.

The moment stretches between them, neither moving. Yeonghwa can feel the warmth of his hands through her practice clothes, and she's suddenly very aware of how sweaty she probably is from dancing.

A loud bang from somewhere in the hallway makes them both jump. Yeonghwa stumbles backward, nearly tripping over her own feet this time.

"Shit, sorry!" Yunho says, hands hovering awkwardly in the air where her waist had been. His ears are turning pink. "I didn't mean to, uh..."

"No, it's fine! I mean, You did save me from face-planting so… thanks!" Yeonghwa says quickly

They both move at the same time to gather their things, nearly bumping into each other again. Yunho takes an exaggerated step back, almost tripping over his own feet.

"So uh, when exactly is the comeback?" he asks, trying to break the weird tension. "You know, so I can mark my calendar and everything."

"Thursday," she answers, grateful for the change in subject.

“You must be really exhausted with the preparations and school on top.” he says

“I think my body's running purely on energy drinks and bananas at this point." she laughs

“I wonder what Misty would say if she knew!” he smirks

"What Misty doesn't know won't hurt her," Yeonghwa says with a guilty grin. "Though she has this weird sixth sense about these things. Last time she caught me with a Red Bull she literally appeared out of nowhere like some kind of health-conscious ninja with shoving one of her disgusting kale smoothies into my hand."

"That's terrifying," Yunho laughs as he stretches his legs. "Fuck, I think my legs are actually dead."

"Aww poor baby," Yeonghwa teases. "And here I thought you said you were graceful as fuck?"

"I am! I'm just... gracefully sore."

“Well get used to it with being your groups main dancer! You’ll be pushed past your limits a lot… but it gets easier.” she says as they sit on the wooden bench beside the wall, “Hows things with your group anyway?”

“The same. Late night practices for all of us after school. Monthly reviews.”

“Ah I don’t miss those!” she nods taking a sip of her water, “They scared me every time!”

"I heard you were the top trainee every month, though!" Yunho remarks.

“Oh I was because I worked my ass off but also feared for my life too.” Yeonghwa confesses, as Yunho listens intently. "The company constantly threatened to terminate our contracts and give us bus tickets home if we didn't meet certain targets. I didn't want to go back to Yeosu! Don't get me wrong, I love my little hometown on the south coast, but I wanted this opportunity too much.”

Yunho nods, absorbing everything she's sharing, catching a rare glimpse of the real young woman behind the image of 'Korea's princess' that most people see.

“So hows your companies trainee search going? Last I heard there was someone you’s were trying to steal from another company!” she says

"We're meeting him next week, so fingers crossed he chooses us! We do have a new person who started this week, and you'll never guess his name!" Yunho responds excitedly.

“What is it?!” she giggles

"His name, Yeonghwa, is..." he pauses for a dramatic effect, emphasising her name, "Seonghwa!"

"Yeonghwa and Seonghwa!" she exclaims, eyes wide. "You have no excuse for forgetting my name now, mister!"

"As if I ever could!" he replies. "He seems nice though, older than the rest of us, and he's also from the south coast. I think he and San will have a lot to talk about."

"Where is San from?" Yeonghwa asks as she tosses her banana peel into a small trash bag.

“Namhae.” he answers

"That's right next to Yeosu! My family and I went to Namhae for vacation a few times. It’s really beautiful! My aunt actually moved there because she loved it so much." she says, her eyes lighting up. “And Seonghwa?"

“Just below Jinju, I don’t know exactly where but I heard him say he lived by the ocean so must be at the coast.” he answers, “Good news is the company will be giving us a dorm soon! Living together will help us bond more I think.”

“That is so cool! Dorm life can interesting but mostly fun! Do you know how many members your company is looking to have in your group yet?” she asks pulling her legs up to sit crossed legged

“At the moment they’ve said 7.” he replies, “Though the CEO just can’t make up his mind. Last week he wanted 5 members, the week before we said 11! Next week he’ll probably want 25!”

"God, can you imagine?" Yeonghwa snorts. "Just an entire army of idols on stage. The poor stylists would have a mental breakdown."

"The choreographer would quit on the spot," Yunho grins. "Though at least the fanchants would be epic. Might take fans three hours just to get through all the names."

"Your lightstick would need its own battery pack," she giggles, then grimaces as she shifts position. "Ugh, I think my legs are starting to cramp up too."

"I swear that backwards handstand into splits thing is actually torture disguised as choreography." Yunho groans

They both laugh, and Yeonghwa checks the time on her phone. "Shit, we should probably head back soon. Mr. Nam will have an aneurysm if we're late."

"His satellite ears might actually explode," Yunho agrees, attempting to stand up and immediately regretting it. "Fuck, I think I'm stuck. You might have to wheel me to class in a desk chair."

"Some main dancer you are," Yeonghwa teases, getting up with a similar feeling to Yunho. "Need me to carry you?"

"On your back?" he asks hopefully.

"In your dreams, giraffe boy." she says

“It was worth a shot!” he shrugs, “I’ll take our rubbish to the bins and wait for you outside as you get changed.” he adds

Yunho heads to the bins outside, clutching a bag of trash. After tossing it in, he leans against the wall, savoring a quiet moment alone. A smile spreads across his face as he reflects on spending his lunch break with Yeonghwa, watching her dance and learning from her. He had admired her dancing for a long time.

Yeonghwa emerges from the dance room, her wig slightly askew and her uniform slightly rumpled from changing quickly. She fidgets with her blazer as she spots Yunho waiting, her mind unhelpfully flashing back to the accidental chest reveal and the feeling his hands on her waist, the way he looked at her.

"Ready?" Yunho asks, pushing off from the wall.

"Yeah," she mumbles, looking down at her feet as they start walking.

They walk in awkward silence for a few steps before Yunho trips going up the stairs.

"Need me to call you an ambulance?" she teases, walking backwards up the steps to face him. "Or maybe a crane to lift you?"

"You're evil," he declares, dragging himself up dramatically. "Pure evil disguised as a tiny person."

She's about to retort when she notices her wig slipping slightly. She quickly adjusts it, glancing around to make sure no one saw.

"Your disguise is slipping, Spiderman," Yunho whispers conspiratorially.

“I hate this thing!” she grumbles “The quicker this comeback happens so I can stop hiding my hair the better.”

“Well if it makes you feel any better, I think your new hair looks really good.” he smiles as they reach the top of the stairs. “And the new song is amazing too. You ladies are going to smash the comeback.”

“Thanks Yun!” she says feeling a bit flustered at his compliments

Yunho notices her flushed cheeks and shy smile, and in all honestly it makes him feel good seeing her react to him like that. However he knows the reality of their situation. They are friends only.

⭑2020⭑

Yunho sees that same flushed cheeks and shy smile on her face now all these years later. It still gives him butterflies. As much as he wished it wouldn’t. Seeing her again after so long during the award season had been difficult for him. A mixture of emotions he hadn’t realised he’d been keeping inside were coming out now.

Their last conversation had replayed in his head over and over again despite not thinking of it in over a year. The hurt in his heart resurfacing once more. The words she said. It had come out of nowhere as well and he couldn’t wrap his head around why. He had just came home from a month long training trip to LA with the other members, they had spoken every single day on the phone in secret when camera, managers and Hongjoong wasn’t around. Nothing had changed until they met up, Hongjoong allowing her to visit the dorm for a bit since Yunho hadn’t seen her in so long, and as far as he knew barely spoken to her while away. Yunho had been so excited to see her, he cleaned up the entire dorm himself, set up his shared room with San with blankets and pillows to watch a movie (the door was to be left wide open at all times Hongjoong demanded), bought her favourite flowers and had presents from LA for her. He had been so excited to see her again, hold her close in his arms once more.

But the moment she stepped into the dorm, he sensed that something was amiss. After some time, Yunho broke Hongjoong's rule about keeping the bedroom door open, closing it when Yeonghwa repeatedly pulled away from his attempts to hug her or hold her hand—something she hadn't done since they'd become more than friends. That's when she uttered the words he never imagined he'd hear: ‘I don’t love you.’

She walked out and disappeared from his life, until award season arrived two years later. By then, Ateez had debuted and, though still considered 'rookies,' they were gaining popularity, meaning Yunho and Yeonghwa were bound to cross paths again.

His band members had silently rallied around him during each award show that Moonlight was in attendance at, trying to be subtle about keeping an eye on him but he could see through them. He truly appreciated their care but he didn’t want a fuss.

He takes one more glance at her and feels his heart skip a beat as she smiles at the fans in the audience waving to her. Her new hair colour - cherry red catching the lights perfectly. As a member of staff approaches the band, her focus turns to them and they all stand up. Clearly it’s time for them to get ready for their performance and it would be a lie if he said he wasn’t looking forward to it.

As the five women hurriedly passed by the group, Yunho attempted to focus ahead, but his gaze lingered on Yeonghwa as her subtle perfume enveloped him. He caught Mingi's eyes on him, and Yunho understood exactly what Mingi was thinking. Yunho had been open about his feelings for Yeonghwa since she ended things with him two years ago. Mingi detested her and was never shy about expressing it.

"For fuck's sake, stop staring," Mingi mutters under his breath, barely moving his lips as he maintains his camera-ready smile.

"I wasn't," Yunho whispers back, though they both know it's a lie.

"Stop making moon eyes at the person who-" Mingi cuts himself off as a staff member approaches with fresh bottles of water for them all, his expression shifting seamlessly into his usual cheerful demeanour. "Thanks noona!" he says brightly, before immediately dropping his voice again. "Who literally broke your fucking heart."

"I know, okay?" Yunho mutters, grabbing a bottle. "Trust me I was there, I know."

“And so were all of us!” Mingi grumbles, “Don’t let her suck you back in! She’s like siren - pretty and luring but evil inside!”

"I'm not getting dragged back into this," Yunho says, rolling his eyes, though Mingi's words tug at his heart. "And she's not evil! You never truly understood her."

"I know enough!" Mingi retorts, turning sharply to face Yunho.

"We're on camera, so both of you need to stop!" Hongjoong warns with a tense smile. "You can talk about this later when we're in private!"

Yunho takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension that had built up between him and Mingi. He knew his friend meant well, but sometimes his protective nature could be a bit overwhelming.

As Moonlights opening VT plays on the screen in preparation of their performance, Mingi leans in close to Yunho, lowering his voice. "I just don't want to see you hurt again, man. You deserve so much better than what she put you through."

Yunho nods, grateful for Mingi's concern. "I appreciate it, really. But I've come to terms with everything. It's water under the bridge now."

Mingi gives him a sceptical look, but doesn't press further as they all focus on the stage.

The lights dim, and a hush falls over the audience as Moonlight appear on a raised platform in the middle of the stage. They had changed into colourful sequin outfits that suited each of their styles. An ominous song plays as the camera does close ups of each of the members faces on the screen with the crowd cheering loudly and as Yeonghwa appears the noise appears the double in volume.

The opening notes of their latest song fill the arena, and the group burst into flawless synchronisation, their dance moves sharp and crisp. Yeonghwa was a blur of silver sequins and flowing red hair, her body twisting and leaping with astonishing grace.

As the song shifts into ‘Cosmic Rush’, Yunho's heart skips a beat. Moonlight launch into the energetic choreography for it - the same one Yeonghwa taught him years ago, back when they were just two innocent kids in school. Happy memories flood back to him - Yeonghwa giggling as he stumbled through the routine for the first time, her patient encouragement as he slowly got it right. The way she clapped, cheered and encouraged him when he nailed the complex moves.

As the song reaches its climax, Yeonghwa delivers the fast paced dance break moves with ease, her body seeming to hang suspended in mid-air for a breathless moment before crashing back to earth in a perfect landing. The crowd erupts into cheers, but Yunho barely registers them. His eyes are still locked on Yeonghwa, his heart pounding in time with the driving beat of the music.

“Aria is amazing!” Yunho hears Wooyoung say to San

San nods in agreement. “She always delivers every time! That’s why she is one of the best dancers in the business!”

“Shame about her personality!” Mingi says causing Yunho to glare at him

Hongjoong swiftly rises and guides Yunho to move to his seat, asking San to switch seats with Mingi positioning himself and San between Yunho and Mingi. Sensing that the situation was escalating, Hongjoong realised he needed to take action now.

On stage, Yeonghwa dances with dizzying speed and precision. Yunho can't help but grin - she was always destined for greatness on that stage. Watching her continuing to soar fills him with joy, even as a twinge of wistfulness tugs at his heartstrings. If only things could have been different between them...

As the final notes fade away and Moonlight take their bows to thunderous applause, Yunho feels a strange sense of peace wash over him. No matter what had happened between them in the past, he knew that Yeonghwa would always be an important part of his life.

As Moonlight make their way back to their seats, all their fellow idols standing to bow at them including Ateez, Yunho becomes intensely fascinated with his water bottle label, picking at it with his thumbnail while trying desperately not to look in their direction.

The award show drags on for what feels like eternities, with Yunho's leg bouncing so much that Hongjoong eventually places a hand on his knee to stop it. As the final award is announced and the closing ceremony begins, Yunho feels an overwhelming urge to find Yeonghwa backstage. He needs to talk to her, even if he has no idea what he'll actually say.

"Don't even think about it," Mingi hisses as they file off stage, clearly reading Yunho's mind. "I swear to god, I will literally sit on you."

"You're not my mom," Yunho responds, scanning the crowded backstage area.

"No, but I am your voice of reason, and right now your reason is telling you to get your ass to our waiting room before you make a big mistake."

"Mingi, I swear-" Yunho starts, but freezes as he spots a familiar figure in a silver sequin dress with long red hair disappearing around a corner. Without thinking, he yanks his arm free and darts away, ignoring Mingi's colourful cursing behind him.

Yunho weaves through the crowded backstage area, dodging staff members and other idols with his long legs while trying not to knock anyone over. He spots Yeonghwa again, this time talking to one of her members near the vending machines.

He hesitates for a moment, suddenly realising he has absolutely no plan. What the fuck is he even going to say? 'Hey, remember that time you completely shattered my heart? Good times!'

Before he can chicken out, Yeonghwa turns and spots him. Her eyes widen slightly, and for a moment they just stare at each other like a pair of deer caught in headlights.

"Uh, hi," he manages eloquently, internally cringing at himself.

"Hi," she responds, equally awkward. Her member Areum glances between them before making some excuse about needing to get her make up touched up. Yeonghwa nods grateful at her for giving her and Yunho space to speak.

"So..." Yunho starts, then trails off. Fuck, he really should have planned this better.

"So..." Yeonghwa echoes, fiddling with the sequins on her dress. "Your performance was amazing. As always!"

"Thanks. Yours too. That, uh, that backwards handstand gave me war flashbacks!"

She lets out a surprised laugh. "You remember that?"

"Kind of hard to forget when my groin still twinges every time it rains," he says without thinking, then immediately wants to die of embarrassment.

Yeonghwa snorts, covering her mouth quickly. "Still as graceful as fuck, I see?"

"You know me," he grins, relaxing slightly.

Yeonghwa can feel her heart racing in her chest at Yunho standing infront of her, actually talking to her! She never thought this would ever happen after she hurt him so much.

"Anyway, you are one to talk! Your moves are pretty insane!" Yeonghwa says, tucking some of her cherry red hair behind her ear. "The one where you practically fold yourself in half backwards. That looked painful as shit."

"Oh god, don't even remind me," Yunho groans. "My spine basically files for divorce every time we perform it. Pretty sure our choreographer is secretly a contortionist who enjoys watching us suffer."

"At least you're tall enough that when you do it, it looks cool. When I try anything like that I look like a garden gnome having a tantrum!"

Yunho snorts at her garden gnome comment. "Hey, at least you can do aegyo without looking like a sleep paralysis demon. I try to be cute and fans think I'm having a stroke."

"Oh god, remember that time you tried aegyo in the hallway during break and scared that poor freshman?" Yeonghwa laughs loudly, the memory hitting her suddenly. "Pretty sure she transferred schools after that."

"Listen, I was trying my best back then!" Yunho protests, though he's grinning. "And she only screamed a little bit."

"A little bit? The entire hallway thought someone was being murdered! Mr Nam came flying out the teachers lounge with a bat ready to attack someone!"

"Yeah well, not all of us can be naturally tiny and adorable," he says, gesturing vaguely at her whole... everything. "Some of us are cursed with being basically a tree."

"Please, you love being tall," she rolls her eyes. "How many times did you make me get stuff from the top shelf in the library or at the store just so you could watch me struggle?"

"It was quality entertainment!" he defends. "Like watching a very determined hamster trying to climb Mount Everest."

Yeonghwa gasps in mock offence. "I will climb you like a tree and fight you right now!"

"What, and risk messing up your fancy dress?" Yunho grins, nodding at her sparkly outfit. "Also I'm pretty sure if you tried to climb me in those heels, we'd both die."

"Worth it though," she smirks.

They both laugh, and for a moment it feels just like old times. Her laughter causing a flutter of butterflies to erupt in his stomach at hearing it once more. He has missed her a lot more than he realised. Then they hear Mingi's voice calling for Yunho from somewhere nearby, and reality crashes back in. "Ah shit."

"Still getting into trouble?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Some things never change," he shrugs. "I should probably-"

"Go," Yeonghwa finishes for him, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Yeah," he says, but doesn't move. "It was... it was good to see you, Yeonghwa."

"You too, Yun," she says softly, and something in his chest tightens at the old nickname. He swallows hard, suddenly feeling like there's a whole fucking field of landmines between them.

"Are you... would you be interested in meeting up at some point? Maybe we could grab a coffee or something." The words come out in a rush before he can second guess himself. "Just as friends though! No pressure!"

Yeonghwa blinks at him in surprise, processing his sudden invitation. A part of her screams yes immediately, desperate to spend more time with him, but another part hesitates.

"That sounds nice," she says slowly, carefully weighing her words. "But I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Oh," Yunho nods quickly, trying not to let his disappointment show on his face. "Right, no worries! Totally understand."

"It's not that I don't want to-" Yeonghwa starts hurriedly, but stops herself. What is she doing? She can't do this to him again.

"It's fine," Yunho says again, forcing a small smile he doesn't feel. "We're both busy people with hectic schedules anyway. It was a dumb idea."

"No it wasn't-" Yeonghwa reaches for him instinctively grabbing his hand.

The sudden physical contact between causes both their hearts to leap. Without thinking Yunhos free hand cups her cheek as she nuzzles into it, finding comfort in his touch.

The moment stretches between them, charged with unspoken words and memories. Yunho's thumb brushes gently across her cheek as he leans down, drawn to her like a magnet. Their faces inches apart, he stops himself just before their lips meet, instead resting his forehead against hers. They stay like that for a heartbeat, sharing the same air.

"One coffee," Yeonghwa whispers, barely audible.

Yunho lets out a shaky breath of relief. "One coffee," he repeats softly.

"But if Mingi tries to murder me, I'm using you as a human shield," she adds with a weak attempt at humour.

"He'd have to catch you first," Yunho murmurs, still not moving away. "And you're basically pocket-sized, so you could probably just hide behind a plant pot."

"I will literally bite your kneecaps," she threatens without heat.

"See? Tiny but vicious. Like an angry chihuahua."

"Keep talking like that and that coffee's gonna end up in your lap," she warns, but her fingers tighten slightly in his hand as Yunho lets out a breathy laugh

"YUNHO!" Mingi's voice echoes closer, making them both jump apart like startled cats.

"Quick, go before he has an aneurysm," Yeonghwa says, taking a step back. "I'll text you about the coffee."

"You don't have my number anymore," he points out.

“I can easily get it,” She grins at him, tightening her fingers once more “I have my connections!”

Just then, Mingi rounds the corner looking annoyed, his long legs eating up the distance between them quickly. His eyes narrow when he spots Yeonghwa before he sees them holding hands. Yeonghwa immediately drops it and takes a step back, nervously fiddling with the ends of her long hair.

"There you are!" he exclaims, grabbing Yunho's arm. "We need to go. Now."

"Mingi-" Yunho starts, but Mingi's already dragging him away.

"Nice seeing you again, Aria!" Mingi calls over his shoulder, his voice dripping with fake sweetness with extra emphasis on her stage name, which Mingi also knew she hated being called. "Love what you've done with your hair. Really brings out the snake-"

"For fuck's sake," Yunho mutters, yanking his arm free. He shoots an apologetic look at Yeonghwa, who's watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. “I was just being polite!” he looks back at Mingi

"Just being polite? Are you fucking kidding me? You are standing there holding her hand like teenagers!!" Mingi's voice rises an octave. "What happened to 'I'm not getting dragged back into this' and ‘water under the bridge’?"

"We were literally just talking about dancing!" Yunho protests, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Oh sure, because that's how it starts! First it's 'oh hey, nice backwards handstand' and next thing you know you're sneaking out to hotels with her then crying into your pillow when she throws you to the side again."

Yunho catches Yeonghwa shifting uncomfortably in his peripheral vision, her eyes fixed on the floor. The awkwardness is practically radiating off her in waves.

"Can we not do this here?" Yunho hisses, although the corridor is practically empty now, anyone could hear Mingis loud voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is this inconvenient for you?" Mingi's voice drips with sarcasm. "You know what else was inconvenient? Having to watch you mope around like a kicked puppy for months!"

"For fuck's sake, that was two years ago-"

"Yeah, and I'm not watching you go through round two of the Great Depression because you can't keep your distance from that bitch!" he points towards a startled looking Yeonghwa as Yunho pushes him. Mingis entire body language changes as he straightens up, somehow looking taller than Yunho.

"Song Mingi!" Hongjoong's sharp voice cuts through their bickering like a knife. Their leader stands at the end of the hallway, arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Both of you, waiting room. Now."

"But hyung-" Mingi starts.

"Did I fucking stutter?" Hongjoong says making his way towards the three of them

Mingi throws his hands up in frustration. "Fine. Fucking fine." He shoots one last venomous look at Yeonghwa before storming off, muttering under his breath.

"I'm so sorry, Yeong!" Yunho says moving back to Yeonghwa, who's hugging herself and looking like she wants the ground to swallow her whole. "He had no right to-"

"Yunho," Hongjoong cuts in firmly. "Say goodbye."

Yunho's jaw clenches, clearly wanting to say more, but one look at Hongjoong's expression tells him it's not up for debate. He turns back to Yeonghwa, his eyes softening. "I'll see you soon."

She manages a small nod, still looking shaken. Yunho hesitates for a moment before following the path Mingi took, his shoulders tense with barely contained anger.

Once Yunho's out of earshot, Hongjoong turns to Yeonghwa. His expression isn't unkind, but there's steel in his voice, there was no denying his intentions with his words. "You need to stay away from him. You once told him to leave you alone - do the same!"

"I didn't- he came to talk to me," Yeonghwa protests

"Yeah, because he's Yunho and he can't help himself," Hongjoong sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Look, you know how he is. He sees the best in everyone, even when they've hurt him."

"I never meant to-"

"Doesn't matter what you meant to do," Hongjoong cuts her off. "What matters is what happened and what you did to him! And it nearly broke him." He takes a step closer, lowering his voice. "I know that you genuinely once cared for him… so I'm asking you, for his sake and mental wellbeing - keep your distance."

Yeonghwa swallows hard, nodding slightly. She opens her mouth to respond but is cut off by her manager calling her name from down the hall.

"Good," Hongjoong says simply, already turning away. "See you around, Aria sunbaenim." he adds with a respectful bow but his tone of his voice was anything but.

Hearing her stage name feels like a sharp blow. The message is unmistakable. She observes Hongjoong walking away, then turns to face her manager, who is watching from a distance. Taking a deep breath, she heads back to her dressing room.

"Are you alright?" she inquires, wrapping a comforting arm around Yeonghwa's waist as she joins her.

Yeonghwa can only nod as they walk back to Moonlights waiting room.

As Hongjoong returns to his own waiting room, the air is heavy and silent. Mingi and Yunho are sitting on opposite sides of the room, the space between them crackling with unspoken words. Mingi’s arms are crossed, his jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might shatter at any moment. Yunho, on the other hand, is slouched in a chair, his eyes fixed on the floor.

The rest of the group is scattered around the room, their usual chatter replaced by an uncomfortable silence. Seonghwa is leaning against the counter between Yunho and Mingi as if waiting to play referee, his brow furrowed in concern

“Hey,” Seonghwa says softly, pushing off from the counter and walking over to Hongjoong. “What happened? Mingi stormed in not saying a word and Yunho came in a few minutes afterwards and.. I’ve never seen him look this way before!”

Hongjoong sighs, running a hand through his hair as he shut the door behind him. “They were… ” he says quietly, tipping his head toward the two. “I don’t even know how to describe it. They looked like they were about to go at each other’s throats.”

Seonghwa’s eyes widen. “What? What happened?”

Hongjoong shook his head. “I don’t know the whole story, but I walked in on the tail end of it. Yunho was talking to Yeonghwa, and… I don’t know what they were discussing, but Mingi clearly didn’t like it. When I found them, they were standing in the hallway, it was like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.”

“Damn,” Seonghwa mutters, crossing his arms over his chest. “And then what?”

Hongjoong hesitates, replaying the scene in his mind. “Yunho… he pushed Mingi. Actually pushed him. I’ve never seen him like that before. He’s always the calm one, the peacemaker. But… he just snapped.”

“Yunho p-pushed him?!” Seonghwa asks shocked

“Mingi called Yeonghwa a bitch.”

Seonghwa’s expression turns grim. “Yeah well, that is like a red flag to a bull. We all know by now not to badmouth her infront of Yunho.”

“Yeah, well this was not only infront of Yunho but Yeonghwa too! And in a corridor!” Hongjoong sighs, “We are just lucky the corridor had cleared out by this point and no one saw or heard any of this!”

“Ah shit!” Seonghwa rubs his head, “This is bad. Really bad. We need to nip this in the bud, now!”

“I know,” Hongjoong sighs, his voice laced with worry.

"You know how Yunho becomes when it involves Yeonghwa. His judgment gets clouded, and Mingi... Mingi's just trying to look out for him, but he's handling it the wrong way!"

Mingi suddenly stands up causing everyone except Yunho who is still staring at the floor, to look at him. “Yunho… you are my oldest friend,” he says taking a step forward, “And I’m sorry that I upset you but… I can’t stand by and watch her hurt you again.”

Yunho lifts his gaze from the floor, his face reflecting both surprise and defiance. "Mingi, I get it," he starts, his voice unsteady, "and I know why you all have issues with her," he glances around at everyone else, "but you've only ever seen one side of my relationship with Yeonghwa, and unfortunately, it was the worst moment. None of you witnessed us when we were alone, those times when her guard down, and she wasn't Aria from Moonlight, but just Yeonghwa from Yeosu! You never saw her!"

"No one's saying those moments weren't real," Seonghwa cuts in gently. "But-"

"But what?" Yunho says. "She's evil? A snake? A heartless bitch? I’ve heard it all and worse, from each of you! You may not have said it to my face, but I could always hear you badmouthing her when you thought I couldn’t."

"Dude, she literally told you she never loved you while wearing your fucking hoodie," Yeosang points out. "Like, who does that?"

Yunho’s jaw tightens as he processes Yeosangs words. His fists clench at his sides, his eyes flickering with a mixture of hurt and anger. “I know what she said,” he grits out through clenched teeth. “But you don’t understand everything. You weren’t there for the whole story.”

Mingi steps closer, his expression softening. “Yunho, we just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

Seonghwa nods in agreement, his gaze sympathetic. “It’s not about doubting your feelings, Yunho. It’s about looking out for you because we care about you.”

“And we are sorry you heard us speaking badly about her.” Wooyoung says

Yunho appreciates the support from his friends, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He nods gratefully, the sincerity in his eyes reflecting his gratitude. "Thank you, guys. I know you all mean well, and I'm grateful to have you looking out for me." He takes a deep breath, “But if you really do care about me, I need you all to back off when it comes to her.”

“What do you mean ‘back off’?” Jongho asks

Yunho looks around at his friends, his expression firm yet pleading. "I mean back off from talking about her, from trying to intervene with Yeonghwa. I need to figure things out on my own without all the negativity and interference. She’s agreed to meet me for a coffee… just the one!" he adds quickly as San groans.

Hongjoong frowns, concern etched on his face. "But Yunho, we just want what's best for you. We don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I know," he starts, his voice filled with gratitude. "But I need to handle this in my own way. I don’t know what is going to happen, we might never speak again after the coffee or we could slowly become friends once more…"

Mingi lets out a silent sigh at this that Yunho thankfully does not hear.

“But I can’t bear to have any of you disparage her anymore, regardless of what happens.” Yunho finishes. “You all say you don’t want me to be hurt, but hearing you speak that way about the girl I lov… once loved - THAT hurts me too!”

Seonghwa places a comforting hand on Yunho's shoulder. "We hear you, Yunho. We'll respect your wishes and try our best to support you in the way you need," he reassures him, his gaze filled with understanding.

Mingi, who had been listening quietly, finally speaks up. "Yunho, we've got your back. Just remember that we care about you and want the best for you," he says with a reassuring smile, his eyes reflecting his sincerity.

“That is all I am asking for.” Yunho replies

Wooyoung chimes in, his tone serious. "Yeah, we'll respect your boundaries. Just know that we're here for you no matter what."

Jongho nods in agreement. "We just want you to be happy, Yunho. We'll trust that you know what's best for yourself."

San can’t help but hug Yunho. "Just remember, we're here for you through whatever comes next."

“Don’t shut us out either!” Yeosang says

Mingi smiles at Yunho. "And I promise to keep my opinions about her to myself from now on. I didn’t realise I was hurting you whenever I spoke of her. Your happiness is what matters most to me.. to us."

With a collective nod, the group stands in solidarity with Yunho as he prepares to face the uncertainties of his meeting with Yeonghwa, knowing that they will be there for him every step of the way.

#ateez #jeong yunho #idol!oc #idol!yunho x idol!femoc #ateez romance #ateez smut #ateez fluff #ateez angst #kim hongjoong #park seonghwa #kang yeosang #choi san #song mingi #jung wooyoung #choi jongho

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