Your deepened eyes
Make my heart red and burn, makes me dance
Ooh don’t forget this rose standing here
Ooh so I can always shine

------------

For the first time in 2.5 years, IZ*ONE's dorm became silent even if everyone's inside the room. Silence is defeaning but calming them at the same time. Letting them realize things that they needed to do.

Their silence was interrupted by a call from their security of the building.

“Miss Yabuki Nako, Kim Jinhwan is here again. Your CEO told us to let him come up and told us to let you know that you should talk to him inside the dorm. You are also not answering your phone. He'll be there in a minute or two. Thank you.”

They all look at Nako who suddenly became nervous.

“Girls, go back to your rooms. I'll stay here with Nako. Hitomi and Chaewon, bring Chaeyeon to your room.”

“I can't leave Sakura.” Chaeyeon was sitting at the door of the room she shared with Sakura.

“She will not go anywhere, I will assure of that. I'll guard her door as well. Do not worry.”

“No. Please. I'll stay here. Will not make any noise. Please.”

Eunbi just let her be. She feel so sorry for Chaeyeon and letting her stay is the only thing she can help her for now. The rest of the girls went inside their bedrooms.

Nako was waiting for that guy. That guy who made her fall deeply in love for the first time.

“Eunbi Unnie? What is Love?” Nako asked Eunbi before. She asked the same thing years ago to Sashihara Rino, a senpai she loves the most. Sasshi just laugh at her and told the young girl that love taste like cotton candy. Sweet and Fluffy. After a few years, she felt that when a young man named Kim Jinhwan courted her. She asked their leader Eunbi about Love again.

“Love is sacrifice. Love is something that is not just a feeling. It is a decision. It is sweet and fluffy like a cotton candy but it also has some bitterness into it. It's a choice. You choose to stay with the one you love. Or choose to leave him because you have to sacrifice that love to protect him.”

And she understood what she meant after a few months. When she's falling in love with Jinhwan, she tastes the sweetness and feel as if she's floating in the air. But love comes with a price. A relationship between two idols is already hard. But a relationship between two popular idols with different nationalities is much harder. Yabuki Nako felt everything all at once. And now infront of Kim Jinhwan, she have to feel what Love truly is once again.

“Nako...” Jinhwan ran into her and hugged her tight.

Eunbi and Chaeyeon silently watching them from afar. Nako is still their baby, but the Nako infront of that man was a different Yabuki Nako.

“What are you doing here?” her soft voice asked the young man who looked at her full of love.

“I...I just want to see you. Don't you miss me?”

“You know we can't see each other. It's too risky.”

“I know..I know. It's just that.. I miss you! I miss you so much! I love you! I...I can't stay away from you. I begged them to let us be. We will be careful. If I have to leave iKON and marry you in Japan I will!” Jinhwan was a mess. Eunbi can only shake her head from what she heard. It's as if it is that easy.

Nako laughed a bit. Her man is really the sweetest of all the men she met in her life.

“Silly, we are still too young and you know that. My dad will kill me for sure.” She caressed his face and kissed him on the cheek.

“Baby I love you. Let's get away from here. I told my mom about you already. We can just live in Jeju if you want. My mom is dying to meet you.”

Eunbi can see the excitement in Jinhwan's face. Chaeyeon can hear his promises and smile a bit knowing that the man Nako loves will fight for her. Unlike her who can't decide if she's willing to give up everything for Sakura. With that thought, tears fall into her eyes and texted Sakura once again. Begging her to open the door so they can talk.

“I told my mom about you too. She wants to meet you too baby. But not now. We are too young. I know you love me and I love you too. I want to build a family with you but not now babe. We can't sacrifice our groups and leave them all of a sudden. It's a selfish thing to do.” Nako hugged him. Feeling his body on her made her emotional. She decided to end things with him and let the fate decide if they will still be together in the future. But like what Eunbi said, Love is sacrifice. She can sacrifice this almost perfect love to save everyone from heartaches.

She lied to him when she said that her mom wants to meet him. Her mom was not ready for their relationship. She was against it because Nako is still young. Though her mother told her that she will accept it if he will wait for few more years.

Nako is saving their group as well. Everyone will suffer if she will reveal her relationship with him in public. Or get married as soon as possible. All of the hardwork, IZ*ONE and iKON will not recognize because of one dating scandal.

And she knows Jinhwan can't stay away from her. She needs to do it in order to save everyone. Even if it means breaking his heart and shutting down her feelings.

“I love you Jinhwan. I really do. You gave me happiness that I didn't know I needed in my life. You showed me what love really means. I never loved anyone the way I love you.” Tears falling down in her pretty face. “...but baby, I need to do this. And I need you to agree on me on this. I love you and I know you love me. But this love.. this love will ruin us both. Will ruin our families and groups.”

“What are you saying? Please don't break up with me Nako.” Jinhwan was crying a lot.

“We have to. You need to understand that it is not just about us. We need to do this. If in the future, we will meet again, and you still love me then we can be together. But not now.” the girl who loves to do aegyo and one of the joyful person in the group cried her heart out infront of the man she loves.

“Nako” Jinhwan hugged the little girl, kissed her and letting her know how much she is loved. But he understands her point. As much as he hates to admit it, this is not the right time. They had the right love at the wrong time. “I love you babe, I love you.”

“And I love you. I want you to be the amazing guy on stage. I will cheer for you wherever I am. I will be your number one fan. I will love you forever. Always remember that there is a Yabuki Nako who loves you in secret.” Crying and hugging him for the last time, Nako don't want to let him go.

“I will cheer you too. You will always be my favorite Japanese star. And I want you to stay amazing and happy okay? I will love you like forever. And no matter where I go, I will always remember you my korean genius Kim Nako.” Jinhwan laughed at his joke. He always calls her Kim Nako. Not because it was netizen's choice as Nako's korean surname, but it's because for him, she is his wife already. She is a Kim.

A couple minutes passed by when they decided to let go of each other. They kissed passionately one last time before staring at each other as they were saying their goodbyes.

“I'll see you around Mrs. Kim.”

“And I'll see you around Mr. Kim.”

Both had smiles on their faces. They don't know what future lies ahead, but they both know that they will find a way back to each other when the right time comes.

Eunbi interrupted them after a few minutes.

“Jinhwan, your manager is already downstairs. He is waiting for you at the ground floor carpark.”

“I love you Yabuki Nako.”

“I love you Kim Jinhwan.”

One last hug. One last kiss. When Jinhwan finally had a courage to turn around and leave the girl's dorm, that's when Nako broke down.

Eunbi was there to console the young girl. Of all the members, aside from Chaewon, Nako is her favorite. And it pains her to see Nako like this.

Nako's loud cries echoes the dorm. Suddenly, Sakura's bedroom door opened and she came out running to where Nako was. Sakura and Eunbi both hugged the little girl and whispering her that everything's gonna be okay.

Chaeyeon hugged Sakura. And the older girl just let her.

Every IZ*ONE member came out of their rooms and joined them. Consoling Nako and saying I love you's to each other.

At the end of the day, all they have is each other. And that is all that matters.

12 became one – IZ*ONE.