“One more before I hit the road?” you asked, your smile uncontrollable. For the last two hours, Kihyun had sung with you, taught you how to use the various recording and digital software that laid upon the desk on a basic level, and laughed more than you had together yet.

He had no idea why he had been so nervous to invite you over. It was always so comfortable to be around you.

“One more?” Kihyun lamented and then looked at the time on the computer screen. “Oh shoot. It’s getting late.”

“I didn’t notice the time until just before,” you admitted with an easy smile, nudging him playfully. “I was having too much fun.”

“You mean, you were laughing at how distorted you made my voice sound after fiddling with the digital mixer.”

“Me?” you asked, attempting to swallow down your amusement, unable to hide the glint in your eyes. “Never.”

“Okay. One last song. But I want to hear only you.”

“Just me?” you repeated, and Kihyun nodded. “Why? I like it better when we sing together.”

“I’m going to go on a short tour next month, remember?”

“What has that got to do with anything?” you wondered and then made a face. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be a lost little hamster without our usual weekly get together.”

“A lost little hamster?!” he echoed as you giggled happily. Kihyun pretended to be insulted, throwing the cushion that was behind his back at you.

Catching it, you threatened to lobby it back whilst biting your bottom lip.

There, he thought suddenly, blinking several times.

It wasn’t always there, but right now, he felt the unusual tightening in his torso, his stomach clenching at your euphoric expression. The moment beat down on him until your smile faded, your eyes growing curious.

Kihyun wondered if you were aware of how breathtaking you were when you allowed yourself to be so carefree.

“Is there something on my face?” you asked cautiously, dropping the pillow into your lap to brush your fingers around your features gently.

“Just some eyes, nose and a mouth,” he quipped, and you rolled your eyes, picking up the cushion and throwing it at him. Kihyun inhaled a shaky breath, blinking back the starstruck feeling from before.

You could become a superstar that made all hearts beat as rapidly as his had.

“I’ll admit it. I want to have something to listen to when I’m away.”

“I’ll send you clips I record when I’m in the practice room. I know my setup is nowhere near as fancy as this, but really, all I need is a microphone to record myself.”

“Now who sounds full of herself?” he teased, and you smiled smugly.

“I feel like you’re rubbing off on me, Yoo Kihyun.”

“How about a trade. I’ll give you a file of me singing one of our upcoming songs in return for you allowing me to record you right now.”

“No funny business?” you questioned, eyeing the various equipment on the desk. “I know your hand is aching to autotune the crap out of me.”

He gasped noisily as you giggled yet again. “Autotuning your voice would be treason.”

“Good to know you think that highly of me.” Your eyes narrowed as your smile faded a little. “Of my voice.”

“Of you,” he corrected, noting the flush of colour to your cheeks. “Come on, Y/N. Just one song.”

“Alright. Just for you,” you announced, standing up and going over to the microphone setup in the booth. Kihyun prepared the recording, signalling when he was ready.

You nodded, and the music sounded around the room. You didn’t miss a beat, singing delicately to begin with. As you continued through White, the Jeong Sewoon song you had been gushing over all night, Kihyun stilled, watching the emotion and passion fill your entire being.

There was nothing more powerful than watching you sing with all of your heart.

He knew then that he couldn’t go a single day without listening to this recording, checking the equipment in front of him a multitude of times to ensure it was capturing every breath, every note, everything.

And when you finally finished the song, your eyes that had fluttered closed in the beginning of your performance slowly opened and took in the room nervously, and finally landed on his. “How… how was that?”

“Perfect,” he breathed.

“Sewoon!” Kihyun called out as he saw the fellow label mate walking down the hallway up ahead, the soloist spinning around at the sound of his name. He smiled as Kihyun jogged over to his side, growing giddy at the impromptu need to share something with the younger musician.

“What’s got you smiling like the Cheshire cat?”

“I have something you’re going to flip out over,” Kihyun announced, looking around them both before dragging his friend into a private room.

Sewoon was now highly intrigued, watching as Kihyun pulled out his phone. “Tell me this isn’t something we need to lock a door and be in private to view.”

“I’m not that erted to carry that around on my phone.”

“Good to know,” Sewoon chuckled good-humouredly, still peering intently as Kihyun went into his music files.

He didn’t even explain it as he pushed play, the opening to the younger man’s song playing. “What the hell, you covered White? Wait…”

Kihyun’s smile grew as Sewoon stilled, listening to the recording in earnest. Looking up at him and then back at the phone after the first chorus, Sewoon breathed out slowly. “Who is she?”

“My friend.”

“I need more details than that. Holy heck, that’s… I shouldn’t say it, but she makes my song sound, well—”

“Better?” Kihyun offered, and Sewoon scrunched his face up momentarily with annoyance.

“Luxurious. Where did you find such a singer?”

“I’m not telling because I know you’ll find her.”

“Of course I want to find her! Listen to the way she carries the notes, Kihyun!”

“I’ve listened about a hundred times already. I’m aware.”

Kihyun wasn’t usually this boastful. But he was proud to know you and even prouder to see the fellow musician so touched by your cover. It made Kihyun want to blast the song from the rooftops so everyone could hear how beautiful your voice was.

He was itching to share your song.

“How many people have heard this?” Sewoon asked, gripping Kihyun’s lower arm and shaking it lightly. “Tell me I’m the first.”

“After me,” he confirmed, and Sewoon grinned.

“Can you send it to me?”

“Absolutely not.”

Sewoon gaped at him. “That’s my song!”

“And that’s my gir—singer.”

“When do you plan to debut her?”

Kihyun frowned. “Well, that’s the thing. It’s not something we’ll be able to hear live, Sewoon.”

“You’re kidding me?! Don’t keep this voice entrapped someplace. I want more.”

“Right?” Kihyun agreed, grinning brightly. “I want more too.”

It was hard to keep the recording to himself. The longer Kihyun listened to it, the more he wanted to share it with everyone. So far, Sewoon and s had heard it just once.

He’d lost count of how many times he’d listened to it now.

“You sure this wasn’t all about pleasure the other week?” Jooheon announced as the song came to an end, shaking his head in awe. “Just work, huh?”

Hyungwon let out a low whistle. “Y/N’s talented.”

“We can’t do anything about it,” Kihyun stated, watching the creases and frowns form on their faces. He sighed. “I promised Y/N that I wouldn’t share it around.”

“You’ve already broken your promise,” Hyunwoo stated, gesturing to the phone in the middle of their gathering.

Minhyuk reached out and pressed play again. “I want to hear another time.”

“Guys. Y/N would be so chuffed knowing you’ve heard it. You should have heard Sewoon’s reaction.”

“You shared it with him first?!” Changkyun asked with a pout, shaking his head. “Unfair.”

“It’s all unfair,” Kihyun murmured, feeling the sudden weight of the recording. Snapping up his phone, he stopped the song from playing through, the whines of his friends matching the one inside his heart.

“Why are you protecting her so much?” Jooheon asked when the group fell silent, all eyes on Kihyun.

He shook his head. “I have to.”

“Have to?” Minhyuk repeated, then let out a hollow laugh. “What the hell, man. I never expected you to get exclusive with—”

“Y/N’s been hurt by this world,” Kihyun announced, sighing heavily. His anger spiked, much as it always did when he thought over how much you had suffered already.

“I don’t think you’re just friends with how worked up you are right now,” Changkyun murmured, and Kihyun looked to the youngest, his eyes softening into confusion.

He doesn’t know why I’m fiercely protective of her, Kihyun thought, brushing off the statement before laying flat on the dance studio’s floor.

“We have to keep the limelight away from her. I don’t want to. But for Y/N’s sake, we have to.”

Kihyun was bound to slip up. With the concert preparations taking every spare moment and then preparing to leave for the first event, he was all over the place, trying to keep up with everything and ensure he wasn’t ignoring you. In fact, he’d taken some time out just now in his private studio, his phone on speaker as he fiddled with the equipment before him.

“You did what?!” you shrieked, and Kihyun laughed heartily. “Kihyun, you told me you wanted to record it for yourself.”

“And it is for me.”

“You just said the members have heard me sing. Oh my God, no.”

“No? That’s definitely not what they said in response.”

You were silent for a beat and then took in a deep breath. “What did they say?”

“Minhyuk wanted to hear it a second time,” he started, hearing your sharp exhale. Kihyun grinned at the imagery of your surprised expression in his mind. “And Kyun was salty that I shared it with Sewoon—I mean—!”

“You didn’t,” you breathed slowly, and Kihyun couldn’t tell if that was more surprise or annoyance that made your voice go tight. “I’m going to kill you when I next see you.”

“Kill me? You’re killing me right now,” he announced, flicking on your recording and chuckling when you whined outlandishly. “I’ve listened to this probably two-hundred times.”

“Such an exaggeration.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because you’re busy with work.”

“I have free time now and then. And I have it on repeat when I go to sleep.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” you announced with a small laugh, and Kihyun joined you.

“So, I’m not going to be dead next time you see me?”

“It depends.”

“On?”

“If you share it with anyone else.”

“I’m keeping it safe, don’t worry.”

Just then, the door opened, and Kihyun scrambled to do several things at once. He hastily farewelled you first, hanging up the call and then reached for buttons in front of him, finally stopping the recording playing around the room several moments later.

“Kihyun?” Terry, an in-house producer, asked with an arched eyebrow, soaking in his flustered state with interest. “What were you playing?”

“Huh?”

“That vocalist. Who is she?”

“No one.”

“Well, she should be someone from what I heard,” he announced, and Kihyun smiled weakly, trying to avert his gaze.

He knew he shouldn’t. There were a thousand reasons not to share your voice with someone like Terry. All the warnings you and Boah had given him, and the fact you had entrusted your secrets with him, should have steered him in another direction completely.

And yet he was too addicted to hearing the praise coming from others about you now.

“Why am I here?” you whispered into his ear as Kihyun reached out for your hand, gently tugging you to his side and walking you down to the studio.

He was buzzing, a mixture of nerves and excitement swallowing him up that his usual fidgeting was more evident. You stopped walking and pulled Kihyun back around to face you. “Tell me now.”

“I think you’re going to love me, not hate me, in a moment,” he said, trying to force down the sudden guilt he was plagued with, seeing how nervous you were.

“Love you?” you repeated, your eyes flashing with something before your cheeks heated up. “Kihyun, your invitation made little sense to me, and I’m starting to think you’ve done something really dumb.”

“It’s not going to be a rejection. Not this time.”

“You…”

“Y/N!” Changkyun cried out suddenly, and you spun around jarringly, your gaze slipping over Changkyun’s casual approach all too quietly.

So, it’s him who she is a fan of, Kihyun realised, trying to squash the jealousy that flared.

“Uh, hi.”

“Are you ready?” Changkyun asked expectantly as he finally reached you both, shooting you one of his infamous half-smiles.

“Ready?”

“I’ll come with you. You look really nervous. That okay, hyung?”

Kihyun looked between both of them and sighed, nodding his head rapidly. Maybe with Changkyun there, you might follow along without dragging your feet. Which was exactly what happened, your simmering accusation now lost as you stole glances at the man next to you. Kihyun shut the door behind you all, smiling as warmly as he could muster.

Now that he had you in the room, he started to wonder if he was doing the right thing.