Her fingers are shaking, making it difficult to unlock her phone. The door to her hotel room snaps shut with her favorite manager’s voice trailing out after him, discussing the next steps in handling the situation. Soojung’s heart is in the pit of her stomach and her phone keeps blowing up with endless text messages and phone calls, making it harder to get to the number she needs. She cancels the incoming call from her overseas cousin and that following second, his name pops up. For some reason it makes her nervous but at the same time, it feels safe so she picks up immediately.

“Jong—.”

“—I love you.”

She gulps with the rest of his name stuck in and he says it again, soothing her nerves with every soft spoken syllable. Her hand fists her boyfriend jeans and she exhales a short breath of relief and he chuckles that y chuckle that she’s come to love so much.

“Pabo-yah, you’re supposed to say it back.”

A smile grows on her lips despite the nerves tingly at the tips of her fingers. “Are you alright?”

“That’s the wrong answer,” Jongin teases and she chuckles.

“Yah, don’t pretend to be okay if you’re not,” Soojung glances outside at the view of Macau and the thought of going home and trying to slip through the airport unnoticed is suddenly a dread.

“Still not the correct answer.”

She can hear his smile from the other line and her heart races rapidly. “Yah...”

Soojung naturally grabs a handful of hair and uses it to shield her face as if he were really there to see her blush feverishly. Jongin chuckles then the line goes quiet but the silence is comforting, knowing there was just too much going on to put it into any proper words. They never thought they were going to be exposed but maybe they got a little too cocky and should’ve been more careful. Or maybe from the start, they could’ve been more confident like the way they use to be as friends. Maybe then, it would’ve been easier to deny it and keep them a secret, even if it’s just for a moment longer. Either way, they can’t do anything about it now, the whole world has been alerted.

Kai and Krystal have jumped out of, pictorials, elaborate stages, fanfics and into the real world as a couple.

“Almost ten years we’ve known each other,” Jongin suddenly says and Soojung looks up slightly from her feet with her phone still pressed against her ear. “Even now when I think of it, everyone else knew we’d happen except us.”

Soojung thinks back to the introverted little boy that would never tear his eyes away from the mirror. He’d dance until all the strength in his body was no more and sometimes he’d by enforcing the Oppa card but she’d never fall for it. That little boy slowly became her friend and for years he remained as a friend but always a friend who knew and cared a little too much to just be a friend. Sometime over the years and between blinks of an eye, he grew into his sun-kissed skin, sharp jawline and tall physique that would tuck her perfectly under his chin. He doesn’t hold her hand the way he awkwardly use to during weekly acting classes and scheduled photoshoots and instead holds it confidently, reminding her that she’s his world and he, is hers. Those same chestnut eyes with the deep eyelids that use to scutter her way absentmindedly now gazes at her with a purpose and that is to make sure she doesn’t forget he’s always there, protecting and loving her.

Soojung