In the night where even, the trees would shiver in winter cold, the loud cheers and music which resounded through the entire stadium, received the fans’ chants like echoes.

The mellifluous music in the breezy expanse, the powerful performance in the expanse of time, passed like the golden moments, marvellously.

In all smiles and gladness, Sohyun emceed the Seoul Music awards with Kim Heechul and Shin Dongyeop.

Cautious of the unconscious stares towards his direction, Sohyun tried her best in avoiding him. But her peripheral vision which always had him, sent her the giggles and smiles at his every act.

In this moment, when the night has not fallen yet, and the morning have not risen yet… the time spent with you… You, the one that I cannot touch or be touched by… This moment I seemed to savour though I hate it! I know that our separation is inevitable, and in spite of it I will not limit my affection! In every nuances and curve and dip of your lips and smiles, I know it’s love you have for me… though you never spare a glance at me!

During the break, before the second half of the event starts, Taehyung soon got dressed up in his new outfit, sneaked out under the excuse of relieving his stomach and rushed to Sohyun’s dressing room. Standing in of the hallway in front of the locked door, he hung his head low and hid his face with his hand and knocked on the door whispering, “Sohyun-ah…”, which didn’t reach her. Whenever he hears the approaching footsteps in the hallway, Taehyung would walk away pretending to look around the backstage and again knock on the door when the footsteps silenced. The sound of footsteps never seemed to vanish, and it took him three trials until his voice and knock was heard by Sohyun.

When his voice reached Sohyun, she was with her manager and makeup artist who was working on her hairdo. At the struck of his voice, she immediately rose on her feet and rushed to open the door, leaving the other two puzzled who didn’t seem to hear his subtle knock.

Upon opening the door, Sohyun found that she was imagining things and stood baffled at his unexpected appearance, but he dashed in and embraced her in a tight hug, burying his face in the nape of her neck. Sohyun though was glad, froze for a second before she realized the door was open. Pointing towards the door, Sohyun said, “The door!” Her manager who was snapped out of the shock by her cry, immediately ran and shut the door. Taehyung who broke the hug at her utterance, sulked, “You are worried about the door instead of a handsome man like me?”

His question had its’s cringing effect more on her manager and makeup artist instead of Sohyun who got used to it. The other two took their seat in the corner of the room with their headphones on to escape from their love talks. “Sohyun-ah, you have 5 minutes!”, the manager warned who wasn’t so pleased with his arrival.  Sohyun sighed nodding and drew back from him. She walked towards the mirror, adjusting her hair and the wrinkles on her dress from his hug, saying, “You hardly have time to make calls and texts… there wasn’t even a word from yo-” He suddenly hugged her from behind by enveloping her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, “I’m not a man of words. I’m man of action! Say, what are you gonna do for the heart that is thinking and longing for you?”, he asked, looking at the reflection of them in the mirror in front of them.

The feeling of overwhelming gladness on seeing him after a long time somehow curtailed her joy and brought desolation. With despair eyes, she placed her palms over his hand that enveloped her waist. She looked at his reflection which showed his never-ending smile and giddiness, “It feels surreal… See, even now I can only look at your reflection!”, she said in a melancholic tone.

Guilt struck by her words, “Sohyun-ah…”, he said apologetically, and turned her around to face him. Her downcast eyes that never looked at him, pained him. Pressing his lips against her forehead, he said, “I love you…”

Sohyun looked at him in his eyes and her lips slowly curved into a smile. Soon, she blurted out laughing and said, “I was just kidding… Were you scared?”

“You devil!”, he sulked.

“I was just acting out a scene…”, she said hugging him to relieve the frown on his face.

“A scene from a horror movie?”, he said annoyed and moved away.

“Forgive me”, she said tugging his arm and hugging it.

“I thought something was off with you… and I kept on checking you, I thought you are just nervous and pondered over it… and here you are joking abou-”

She planted a peck on his cheek to seek forgiveness.

Pursing his lips to hide the smile, he wore a poker face, wiped his cheeks and even looked at the mirror checking for the trace.

“Don’t worry, it didn’t leave a stain…”, she said dispirited.

His eyes instantly lit up at her words. Lifting her chin up, she stared at her lips asking, “So… how smudge proof it is?” His question threw her off, but he steadily leaned in to test it himself. With just a think layer of air between them, he stopped on hearing Sohyun’s manager shout out, “It’s time!”

Not happy with his warning, Taehyung leaned towards Sohyun and whispered in her ears, “I…”, and continued in a loud cry, “… DON’T LIKE YOUR MANAGER!” When Sohyun gave him a puzzled look, he said, “And I wanted everyone in this award show to know that!”

Not batting an eye at his comment, her manager asked Sohyun, “What do I do with these yellow flowers that has no mention about the sender?” He turned towards Taehyung and asked, “Is it yo-”

“Is someone trying to hit on you?”, Taehyung asked Sohyun interrupting her manger’s question.

“It might be from a fan…”

“The bouquet looks too expensive…”, Taehyung said while thinking about the possibility of the sender being an idol. “That person dare to hit on you openly! Aren’t they worried about the cost (rumours)!”

“Your stares are sure to raise suspicions than this bouquet!”, Manager coughed out.

Taehyung cleared his throat wondering if it was that obvious.

“Yes, it was obvious!”, manager replied as if he read his mind and continued, “Look at the performance, not at the MC stage!”

As Sohyun chuckled, Taehyung was taken aback by his words, “I’ll see you la-ter!”

His ‘later’ was soon understood, when Taehyung visited MCs’ waiting room to greet them. While Sohyun bewildered at the happenings, Taehyung was warmly welcomed by other emcees and staffs. Heechul giggled while playing along with Taehyung’s drama ‘I don’t know her, but I’m actually her boyfriend’. As MC Dongyeop, left the room to confirm the schedule of events, Heechul teased Sohyun who was wearing a nervous smile, “I heard you’re a fan of BTS!”

“Dae (yes)”, she said nervously, unable to refute or fight against their teasing in front of the staffs.

“I’m her fan too!”, Taehyung said stretching out his hand for a shake while earning praises from the staffs for his quick response.

“Thank you…”, she said receiving his hand.

He gripped her hand before letting it go and smiled slyly, “I’ll visit you soon!’, he mouthed silently. Before the combo could go over the top with their tricks, Sohyun excused herself to practise the lines.

Heechul patted on Taehyung’s back saying, “Be thankful to her cautious behaviour!”

“Why?”

“With your behaviour, you’ll be easily exposed for being in a relationship!”

“Don’t start with me…”, Taehyung sighed.

“Wae… Wae? (why)”

After clearing my time, “If I ask for dating… she check both of our schedules and watches the time before uttering any response…”

“That’s good…”

“If I suggest going for a shopping… she sends me the links of online shopping sites!”

“If you take a girl for shopping, you’ll be the trolley to carry their shopping bags!”

“If I asked for a movie date… she suggests Netflix!”

“Lucky you… Or you’ll be the tissues in the emotional or sad scene!”

“Hyung…”, Taehyung uttered not pleased with Heechul taking her side.

“You’ve be careful… Because the reason which lifts you up can also bring you down! The media outlets are targeting popular idols…”

“Thanks, hyung!”

“So, don’t wear couple suits, or send secret codes in SNS! Especially watch your behaviour in front of the fans and in fan meeting, they are quick to catch up on things like these! Even in award shows while emceeing I caught many idols exchanging glance, and when I share my doubts with fellow staffs, they share it with others and that’s how media target or find clues…”

He was grateful but those things were hard to keep up or even digest.

“Don’t pull a long face… It’ll be hard but you’ll thank me later!”

As Taehyung nodded dejectedly, Heechul patted on his back comforting him.

With just 15 minutes ahead of the second half, Taehyung sneaked out to find Sohyun again after putting a word of his visit to Jimin. As he made his way towards her room, he saw her manager exiting out of her room which elated his mood at the good timing.

Through the door that was left unlocked for her manager’s re-entry, Taehyung sneaked in. His arrival almost freaked her out. “Tae!!”

“Shh…”, he hushed her.

“Why are you here?!” she whispered.

“Where is everyone? They left you alone?”, he asked whispering and took his steps towards her.

Not buying his words, she said, “I’m sure you waited till they took their leave!”

Wrapping his arms around her, he said cheekily, “I’m sure you made them leave for me!”

Not denying his words, she asked, “Leave… The show will start soo-”

He suddenly brushed her lips with his thumb and said, “It is smudge proof! I’ll leave after a kiss!”

Sohyun smiled cheekily while pouring out the contradictory words, “NO!”

“Did I call you for a date? Did I call you to my house during the weekend? Did I book a room for us?”, he threw the questions which was unasked for and continued, “I just asked for a kiss… now… don’t get disappointed, we shall do everything afterwards! Please don’t say no!”

Sohyun chuckled at his reasons and said, “But, only on the cheek!”

“On lips!”

She shook her head in denial.

“Just a peck on the lips!”. He pleaded.

“No way! Only on cheeks…”, she stood on her point since she knew it would never be just a peck.

“Fine…”, he whined and slightly bent his knees to make it easier for her to reach him.

As she closed in to plant a kiss on his cheek, he immediately turned his head to face her lips. Since she expected it from him, she immediately withdrew, not meeting his lips. Realizing that she caught on to his act, “Why don’t you give in?”

Sohyun shook her head saying, “My manager will be back… you better go!”

“Ok, ok… I won’t play tricks this time!” While Sohyun gave him a suspicious look, he rushed her saying, “Show will start soon!” and pointed his cheek for a kiss. When she closed in, he played his trick again, but Sohyun covered his mouth and turned his head, planting a kiss on his cheek firmly.

“You won, this time… “, he said receiving her kiss on the cheek. “I’ll congratulate you if I had a chance to be on stage with an award!”

“Aren’t you leaving?”, she raised her brow.

“I am!”, he said while walking backwards towards the door.

“Don’t trip-”, her sentence was interrupted when they heard the door knob being turned.

Taehyung immediately pressed himself against the wall beside the door. Some staff opened the door and stood at the doorstep saying, “Sohyun-sshi! The other MCs have already arrived!”

As the staff’s eyes wandered the room, Sohyun immediately hurried towards doorstep and held the door in position while blocking the entry, “I’ll be there in a minute!”

“Ok!”, he said before rushing to the backstage.

She immediately locked the door after shutting it and breathed out in relief. While he who was enjoying the thrill, pulled her towards him and enveloped her saying, “Don’t go!”

“I have to!”, she said releasing herself from his hold.

As she took a look at herself in the mirror before leaving, he said, “I don’t like that man!”

“That staff? Don’t judge people like that!”

“OK… But, don’t go just now!”, he said pulling her in a hug.

“Let go of me…”

“My hands aren’t listening to me!”

When she heard the knock on the door again, she shoved his arms away and rushed to attend the door while he whispered, “I don’t like that man…  And I don’t like the MC who is listening to his words!”

She threw a flying kiss at him before leaving which became the reason for his elated state when he returned to s. Though Sohyun joked about their growing distance, the truth in it worried him. He couldn’t help but check on her frequently while she emceed on stage and waiting beside the stage.

When Sohyun shared the stage with him, to be exact, when Taehyung delivered the speech, she was anxious about his mention on ‘Congratulating her’. While she waited for his turn nervously, Yeri poured the oil into the fire by shooting out the hearts at her. When it was his turn, she unconsciously clapped, as her mind was muddled in the fear and anxiety. Holding her breath, she listened to him anxiously while praying for the usual thank you speech. As soon as his speech ended, she clapped involuntarily again, to relieve her stress but when she realized she was exclusively and unconsciously clapping just for him, she gripped on to her MC cards to control her reflexes. Fleeing from the stage, she gladly watched his performance from the sides as one of their fans who could never scream out aloud.

That award show was the last time she saw him in 2 months. Their conversation began and ended with call. Their Vlive and facetime always competed for the duration, where the latter gave in many times. ‘Dating’ could never define their relationship, it was just that, they were in love, unable to let go of each other, unable to imagine a future without each other, so they stayed in their cage, enduring the hindrances.

His schedule got too packed; fame asked for his time with her as sacrifice.  

Doesn’t God wait for the festive gaiety? Doesn’t the poet wait for the right words? And there was Sohyun who wanted to relive the days that they spent TOGETHER.  His call indeed came but the few minutes that he spared burnt away the warmth in her. With just the taste of his name in her lips, she spent her days on trips while trying to distract herself by accepting the offers that came her way without thinking much.

With her new drama which unexpectedly gained popularity and his new album which hits the chart like predicted, they were busy with schedules. First it was the ‘good morning’ texts that lost its timing, then there were queries that got it’s reply late and then it became the questions that were left unanswered.

Her filming schedule was hectic, but the light-hearted theme of the drama gave her the energy to withstand two months of shooting and three months of his absence.

Half way through the filming, all the exhaustion fell upon her bring her down with fever. With all her energy being , she found herself in the hospital bed. Surrounded by bouquets and fruits from her co-stars, production staffs and agency staffs, she laid spiritless while plastering a smile. But her coward words never uttered anything about her condition to him. Since Sohyun asked, the agency did not disclose anything about her condition or sickness.

But somehow, the news leaked, and fortunately or unfortunately, it didn’t get much attention. Because Taehyung’s news became sensational with his dating rumour with another idol along with pictures of him and that celebrity entering the restaurant together which spread like wild fire.

When Yeri saw the news, ‘Sohyun’ was the only thing that echoed in her head. Despite her busy schedule, she rushed to meet Sohyun in the hospital. Upon entering the room, she found Sohyun sitting on the hospital bed, staring at the tablet carrying his dating news and holding her phone carrying his number.

Yeri’s face shrunk on seeing Sohyun who was struggling to maintain a straight face.

“I was worried about the news of my condition being leaked because it might affect the filming…”, Sohyun said as her eyes welled with tears. “I should thank him for drawing the attention away, right?” Heat raised in her head, her face flushed and as tears rolled down her cheeks, she said, “My burdens are disappearing into thin air-”, as tears choked, she covered her face to hide her tears. When the language of lips failed, eyes expressed her never ending emotions.