One step to you

I like it

And so the program ended to applause.

Behind the stage, where countless staff and artists were moving around frantically, Seoyeon bowed her head to the staff and thanked them for their hard work.

After saying hello, he quietly left the backstage hallway.

The corners of the script card she was holding were disheveled, a sign of her having crumpled it without thinking, and she was unaware that her fingertips were trembling.

At that moment―

At the end of the hallway in the distance, Jeonghan and Wonwoo were seen walking with the staff, still in their stage costumes, as if they were leaving work.

My heart pounded for a moment.

I dropped the script card without realizing it, and I had a strong instinct that I would never catch it again if I didn't do it now.

이서연

“I… Jeonghan, senior…!!”

A voice that came out of my mouth without me knowing.

Seoyeon was surprised by the louder-than-expected sound, and Jeonghan, who had stopped, and Wonwoo, who had turned their heads, simultaneously turned their gazes toward her.

For a moment, everything seemed to stop. Jeonghan stood frozen, looking at Seoyeon. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met.

The avoidance was so clear that it quietly cracked Seoyeon's heart. Still, Seoyeon slowly approached.

Not knowing what to do, I instinctively approached him and opened my mouth.

이서연

"Ah...hello..."

Just a simple greeting. But my heart thumped inexorably.

원우

“Oh, hello~~”

Wonwoo smiled naturally at her and greeted her, and Seoyeon also smiled and greeted her lightly.

But Jeonghan never once met her gaze. His eyes were averted, his mouth was shut, and his expression was utterly impassive.

Even though it was the same distance, Seoyeon seemed like someone who was completely out of reach.

Wonwoo, seeing that, suddenly spoke as if he wanted to somehow lighten the mood.

원우

“Oh, Seoyeon! Would you like to film our song challenge together?”

이서연

"yes…?"

Seoyeon, startled for a moment, opened her eyes wide and raised her head.

원우

"We're in the same company, and we haven't even filmed a single scene yet! Let's learn a little bit now and film together. How about that?"

Seoyeon hesitated, but she didn't want to miss this opportunity.

이서연

"Ah...yes, I like it..."

Jeonghan flinched slightly, then stood right next to her. He didn't say anything, but he stood beside her, his eyes downcast and expressionless.

Seoyeon's breath trembled as she felt his presence over her shoulder.

After a while, Wonwoo left first, saying, "I'll call the camera and manager~". The space left for just the two of them was momentarily left.

Tension and awkwardness hung in the corner of the waiting room hallway.

정한

“…So, in this part, do your hand like this…”

Jeonghan tried his best to avoid eye contact while formally teaching the movements.

Seoyeon watched him silently. With her eyes, with her breath, with her heart. She followed his gestures, but her eyes remained fixed on him.

At that moment, he opened his mouth quietly.

이서연

"...Senior..."

Jeonghan paused and turned his head slightly.

정한

"...Why, junior?"

That tone. Seoyeon burst into tears at the sound of those words, so calm and abrupt.

이서연

“Senior… Really… Really… This is too much.”

Her movements stopped, and she fixed her eyes on Jeonghan.

이서연

“After kissing me like that… After shaking me up like that, why are you avoiding me…?”

Jeonghan opened his eyes wide at Seoyeon's sudden words, and opened and closed his lips as if he was flustered.

이서연

“You hugged me so affectionately… You made my heart flutter so much… Why?

이서연

Why don't you want to see me anymore? Why? Why are you all so selfish?

이서연

Of course... it's true that I said in front of my senior from the beginning that I liked someone else, and I was afraid that if I said this, it would seem like I was just going back and forth... but..."

Seoyeon tried to hold back her tears and raised her head slightly, but her voice was already cracking.

이서연

"....good

이서연

I like you... Senior. I miss you when I don't see you... I keep thinking about you... You shake me up so much, how can I pretend not to notice?

이서연

I like you… I really do…”

Just as he was about to burst into tears over his overflowing emotions— Jeonghan's eyes wavered.

In an instant, he hugged her tightly. Completely unprepared, as if overcome by emotion, his impatient arms wrapped around her waist.

정한

“…Ah… I really… can’t live because of you…”

That one word was like a scream, releasing all the emotions I had been holding back.

Jeonghan's arms did not let go of Seoyeon, and Seoyeon quietly closed her eyes in his arms.

My shoulders trembled, and my heart pounded like a firecracker. For that moment, it was our own world.

The pinnacle of emotion, where nothing could be heard. This... was a feeling I couldn't turn back.