Thank you for the request, dear daegusrap ! I hope you liked it! It may be slightly different in a way but I hope you don't mind! And thank you for all the song suggestions! I did take some of the songs asa reference though~

Anyway, enjoy~!

It all started with just a simple admiration they had to one another. An admiration that has formed inside of them when they first saw the other behind the television glass.

Sakura has always admired how Wooseok remained confident on the stage. How he skillfully showcased his talents and made use of it to win the evaluations. How he kept on trying to improve himself despite the fact that he was already that much talented in the first place.

Wooseok has always admired how Sakura's presence would always pull his gaze back at her. No matter how much he tried to focus on another trainee during the show, whenever she was near, his eyes would immediately find its' way back to her figure. Her overwhelming aura was impossible to look away.

That's how both of them started looking up to each other. Secretly.

That's right, both of them harboured a secret admiration to one another and only their own group members knew this secret of theirs. 

And when a sudden, arranged meeting took place between IZ*ONE and X1 made by their own management, both of them weren't expecting to meet so soon. And somehow, they weren't ready on how to act properly in front of someone that they secretly admired.

Nevertheless, they maintained a professional relationship, all smiles and humble towards one another - all the while ignoring a rushing beat of their heart against their chest.

And who would have thought? From just a simple and small admiration, slowly but surely, it became more than what it was once before they met.

~~~~~

The relationship of both IZ*ONE and X1 was known by many for their closeness, friendly and family vibes. It was something that warmed both fans of both groups to see how they supported one another, be it directly or not. And seeing how comfortable all the members were between the two groups, it made everyone happy to see the bond that has been formed between them.

One of those bonds was between Sakura and Wooseok.

Ever since the meetup, both of them unconsciously had grown closer than they expected. Something that they didn't even realize how comfortable they felt with one another. They started to open up with one another. They started to show who they truly were in front of one another. They started to rely on one another for advice. They started to become happier than before. 

Truly, it was a big change within them. It was a big and scary change and yet, it felt right. As if having a close relationship like this was fine. As if being able to openly rely on one another was fine. As if being together like this was fine.

But they knew that was not possible.

Despite the close relationship they had, they were fully aware of their situation. How their status as Idols happened to be the biggest barrier between them - parting them apart like a glass wall that prevented them to be together yet, still able to see each other from the other side, simply allowing them to admire from the invisible distance.

It was a reality that reminded them of who they were and their status. 

'This is fine,' they both thought the same thing.

They were fully aware of what they were trying to do. These new feelings that have been born inside of them, although warm and comfortable as they thought so, they decided to keep it inside - knowing that it was fine to keep these feelings locked inside of them, knowing that by keeping that attachment feeling they had for one another would help prevent them from performing their role as Idols poorly later on.

It was only then, did they realized how painful and heavy those feelings were locked inside of them.

~~~~~

"What do you think of Idols falling in love with someone?"

The question that left Sakura's mouth made the air goes still and silent. A question that no one would ever think would slip past her own mouth and Wooseok wasn't sure of how this conversation would be heading towards.

He asked her why she brought up the question but Sakura kept quiet as she drank her drink. 

They were having a meetup in one of the cafes that they both discovered together awhile back, a secret place that only both of them knew of and where they would always meet up if they wanted to discuss or have a talk.

"Do you think it's wrong for Idols to fall in love?"

It was like a cold chill running behind his back. Something that made him cautious of what he was going to say in response to her question. But he kept quiet with a blank, straight face. 

He knew of the dating ban rule in her old group back in Japan. Something that he secretly pitied the girls for not having the chance to experience what it felt like to discover what love truly was and to be in a relationship with that person they love.

But who was he to show sympathy to them? HE has never been in a relationship ever since he became an Idol. It was a general rule made by most companies to ensure their Idols would always be there for their fans, to always make sure their fans would continue to support them and love them just as they did for those people.

"I take it that you have someone that you liked then?" he asked and Sakura looked at him with wide eyes. An action that caught his attention, especially when her face suddenly turned red from embarrassment.

"Is that a jackpot? Then let me take another guess, it's a GUY that you like, isn't it?" he said with a teasing smirk and Sakura's mouth was gaping open in embarrassment that Wooseok himself couldn't help but laughed.

"Geez! Forget it! Forget whatever I was saying back then!" she faced elsewhere and drank her drink furiously.

It was amusing if he had to be honest. To think that THE Miyawaki Sakura, known to object getting into a relationship with men, be it as friends (which was already amusing by the time they got close as one) or as lovers, would actually fall in love with someone.

However, despite the amusement that he was getting from this newly discovered secret of hers, Wooseok wasn't feeling elated nor happy to know of the news. Instead, questions began to pile up in his head. Who did she fell in love with? Is it from a new group or from an older group? Could it be from his own group? Or could it be...him?

He shook the thoughts away, not wanting to get it over in his head.

"Wooseok-sshi..." he heard her. When he looked up, he was met with a worried gaze from the young woman.

"Are you okay?"

Her words began to play around inside his head and the look she had on her face felt like it was glued in his brain. Somehow, he knew why he was feeling slightly down. 

Because he liked her.

Admitting that fact somehow shook his whole body and his heart beating aggressively. He was aware of what he was feeling. He was aware of what was rising up inside of him. It hurts but he decided to ignore it. To cast aside the throbbing pain beating against his chest as he looked at her with a smile.

"Of course I'm fine."

He noticed the look on her face. A face that was saying she didn't believe him but decided not to push it. The atmosphere had reverted back to its' earlier state - still and silent with only the background noise keeping the cafe alive. Minutes passed by and none of them spoke until-

"Go for it."

Sakura shot her head up as she stared at him with wide eyes. Her eyes were met with his gentle and warm gaze.

"I know it sounds like a crazy move to do," he said but the smile remained on his face. "But personally, I don't see a single fault in loving someone."

He wasn't sure why he was saying all of those. He shouldn't have encouraged her, both in a personal and professional way. As Idols, he knew the bad side of revealing of getting into a relationship and openly made it public. Not to mention she still upheld that dating ban rule with her even though she was promoting under a different group.

But his mouth continues to run on its' own like it had a different mind.

"Idols are humans too. They fall in love like other people too," he said and despite wanting to protest, wanting to stop, he couldn't help but agree to his own statement. They are humans. They are just people with feelings of their own. Just like how he had feelings for her.

Silence came back and he looked up only to be surprised by the sight of a teary-eyed young woman.

"K-Kkura? W-What's wrong?" 

He began to panic as he watched the young woman quickly wiped away her tears with a clean tissue nearby. 

"S-Sorry, I just felt...relieved. Knowing that, you didn't make fun of it nor opposed to it..." she said with a relieved smile on her face. He watched as she stood up to excuse herself to the toilet, leaving him behind at the table as he pondered on what he had said to her earlier.

"Stupid Wooseok..." Sakura quickly washed away the tears that had left its' stain on her cheeks, leaving a trail of invisible tear marks before she got rid of it completely with cold water. She stood on her spot in front of one of the empty sinks as she wiped her wet face.

"Now that you've put it out like that..." she said and stared at the mirror in front of her.

"...how can I stop liking you more?"

~~~~~

It was officially announced that both IZ*ONE and X1 will be collaborating in a reality show with only 5 episodes long as both groups live together while trying to cope with each others' presence. It was safe to say, the hype of the reveal was off the charts. 

With the shooting had started long ago, by the time the third episode was aired on television, they were in the progress of shooting for the final episode. 

It was a heartwarming shooting, with all members from both groups sharing their wishes and thoughts for the future of their groups. Of course, as warm and touching the moment was at that time, it wouldn't be fun without a chaotic moment as Seungyeon and Hangyul went and broke that peaceful moment, flipping it into a 180 degree.

The duo started off by exposing the secrets of their own members to the girls, creating a scene between the boys as they harshly denied the secret or getting into a playful argument. 

Some of the secrets talked about how Seungwoo had secretly wished to call out Eunbi on how to handle 10 kids way younger than them a.k.a. members of their own group. Another one talks about how Minhee had been going out a lot with Yujin and Wonyoung without telling others and many, many more.

Another secret that was exposed that night was Wooseok's. Hangyul's smart mouth went on about how Wooseok had always admired Sakura back in PD48.

And it felt as if time had stopped for Sakura.

Wooseok didn't say or deny Hangyul's statement. Instead, he admitted to it, rather in a proudful manner. While the boys argue back and forth about how the young man should have reacted, Sakura sat there with wide eyes, surprised by the sudden fact that was thrown to her.

And it didn't end there.

Next thing they knew, Yena went and exposed Sakura's secret to the boys about her admiration towards Wooseok during PDX101. Everyone went and lose their minds when the young woman went and exposed her secrets, followed by Sakura who exposed Yena about her sorry, sulking state by the fact she couldn't join the show of Prison Life of Fools with Yohan, Wooseok and Hyeongjun long ago. She even told everyone how Yena went as far as calling Seungkwan from SEVENTEEN just to vent out her unsatisfied position of unable to attend the show with him. That, followed by a series of shocking shrieks and Yena screaming out 'cut, cut, cut' to the production team.

And thus began the never-ending chaos of arguments and playful brawling. The staffs weren't even bothered to stop them as they laughed behind the camera at the two groups' antics. Clearly, it was a mess. But a fun mess - befitting of an aura for their last shooting as the camera stopped rolling with the members laughing at the end with each other.

~~~~~

It was already late by the time the production team had finished cleaning up their equipment. They have decided to let both IZ*ONE and X1 spend the night at the rented house where they choose to shoot for the show.

The younger members have already turned in the night as they slept peacefully after an exhausting day. Some of the older members were still awake, either just having small talk in the living room or taking a short nap somewhere around the house.

As for Sakura, she was just about to turn in the night but a certain thought was keeping her up from it.

It was Hangyul's statement earlier during the shoot. 

She could still remember how the words left his mouth as he spoke about how Wooseok have admired her during PD48. And he didn't deny it. He even proudly admitted it and that made the young woman's heart fluttered.

Her thought then went back to the moment Yena revealed to the others how she admired Wooseok as well. She instantly got up and punched her pillow furiously but silently as to not wake up some of her group's younger members. 

All of those thoughts made her anxious and uncomfortable. She got up to a window and opened it up just enough to let the cold breeze entered and cool her body. Just as she enjoyed watching the night sky and the cool wind, her eyes immediately found its' way to a lone figure leaning on the fence of the courtyard.

It was Wooseok.

She lets out a sigh, wondering why of all people that she had to find, it just had to be the young man himself?

However, despite thinking so, Sakura was quickly drawn back to his figure as he looked out at the view in front of him. Somehow, one way or another, she found herself making her way out of the bedroom and headed towards the young man.

"What are you doing out here?" she spoke up.

Wooseok immediately turned around and both of their eyes connected. They stood on their spot in silence before the young man gave her a small smile, turning back and faced the view he was watching earlier.

"Just enjoying the view," he said as he watched the city lights from afar.

Sakura made her way and stood beside him. Somehow, despite the situation they've been through earlier, it didn't feel awkward. They stood on their spot, enjoying the view in silence.

"So, you actually admired me back then?" he asked, breaking the silence. She was hoping he wouldn't bring it up. But she knew it was bound to happen and that one day, she had to come up honest with him.

"Yeah, I did," she said and she could hear him chuckling.

"Never thought the one I admired would actually felt the same way towards me."

"So, it's true?" she asked, looking at him. "That you admired me?"

"Didn't I say so earlier?" he said, quirking one eyebrow at her. It was weird how both of them were pretty nonchalant of the whole admitting admiration to each other. It didn't feel awkward, to say the least, and she was glad about that.

"I see."

Silence came back once more and Sakura knew she had to make a choice. It was either she confronted him about her feelings or not. 

She was fully aware of what she was about to do. She was ready to face the consequences if she were to confess her feelings to him this instant. She was scared. Truly, she was. The fact that she was about to break the rule that she had held strongly within her during her days in the 48 group in Japan. But she knew that she had to. Or else this unbearable feeling will soon be so heavy that she couldn't possibly carry it.

Regardless of his answers, she wished that feeling would soon disappear and that she could finally be up on her feet again.

"You know," she started the conversation. "...there's actually another secret behind my admiration to you..."

"What is it?"

She turned and faced the young man in front of him, eye fully determined. She could see how Wooseok now had his attention fully on her as he turned and faced her as well.

"Remember that day at the cafe, where we were talking about who I liked?" she started. She noticed something flickered in his eyes. Whatever it was, she couldn't tell. She was never good at reading him. At certain times, he was as plain as reading an open book, but there were also times when he was really difficult to read.

But regardless of what he was thinking, she was determined with her decision. She was ready to admit the heavy feeling that has been weighing down on her.

"Wooseok-sshi, I liked you."

She could see him staring at her with slightly wide eyes. It finally dawned on her of what she had done. She thought she was ready to face whatever was about to come but now that she had finally confessed, her mind suddenly went blank. 

"I-I know it's unlike me to suddenly confessed! A-A-And I know that it's REALLY unlike me to actually confessed to a guy like this b-but..." she stuttered as she tried to explain.

"Took you long enough."

Before she could even process what Wooseok was saying, she could feel herself being pulled into the young man's embrace. The sudden action from him finally kicked in and she could feel her face flushed red in embarrassment. 

"W-W-W-W-Wooseok-sshi!?" she shrieked in panic when she felt him tighten his hold on her. "W-W-Wooseok-sshi, everyone could see us...! P-Please let-"

"I like you too."

That statement alone was enough to shut her up. She could tell that it was his voice, she knew it very well. And the fact that he said what he had just said right beside her ear, it became more apparent that he was directing that confession to her.

She could feel his hold loosen, just enough for their face to have a slight distance from each other.

"What..."

"I like you, Sakura. Ever since we met on that day we had a surprise meetup, I knew something was changing inside of me. I knew that the moment we started getting closer, my admiration for you from before was changing into something else. And I knew, on that day at the cafe, after you told me that you had someone that you liked,  I knew that I had liked you ever since then, up to this very day."

It was as if everything else had stopped and the world was only focusing on them. She watched and heard every single word that came out of his mouth. She was caught off guard. 

"Do you...really mean it?" she asked cautiously. Wooseok scoffed - slightly offended that she didn't believe him but nevertheless, gave her a warm smile.

"I'd say it again a hundred times until it finally dawned on you that I mean every single word of it."

Sakura wasn't keen on that idea but somehow, the thought itself brought warmth in her - like a blanket covering up her heart. She wasn't sure why but the answer that she received from him was certainly an answer that she didn't expect to get but nevertheless, it felt right. 

She felt as if she could finally breathe. The heavy feeling that she had carried all those times was no longer residing in her. And instead, it was full of warmth and fluttering and jittering feelings. She smiled as she let herself melt into his embrace. She could feel his heart beating in the same rhythm as her own - a sign that made her believe that they both were really connected.

"You've been holding back as well, didn't you?" she asked as one tear silently escaped her eyes. Wooseok chuckled and she could feel him smiling on top of her head.

"Not anymore."

One request done!! Hope you liked it and I hope it wasn't bad!! 

I'll be honest with you guys here, that part where I wrote about IZ*ONE and X1 sitting down and talking about future and wishes and how they were laughing together at the end, I slightly teared up by the fact of what was happening to both of the groups due to that vote manipulation scandal that was never their fault.

I really wished how those two groups could meet up and support one another because let's be honest, they and all the participated trainees in PD48 and PDX101 are all victims, more so towards the debuted members.

Let's all support both IZ*ONE and X1! They deserve to be on the stage! They deserve to be able to perform to their fans!

Right then, I hope you guys liked this chapter and don't forget to give an upvote~! Make sure to subscribe to this book in case you want to keep up-to-date with the progress~!

Until then, see you!