Chapter Text
They were finally back in Seoul.
The dorm was quiet in that comforting, end-of-schedule way, bags half-unpacked, lights dimmed, the city noise muffled by closed windows.
Yujin lay sprawled across her bed, hair still slightly damp from her shower, phone resting against her chest as she scrolled.
She switched accounts without thinking, tapping into her dummy account on X.
The first thing on her feed made her pause.
“…Huh?”
A familiar thumbnail stared back at her, Wonyoung, sitting at the online fan sign table, smiling softly. The clip already had hundreds of thousands of views.
Curious, Yujin tapped it.
“Does Yujin unnie have a girlfriend?”
“No. I’m the girlfriend.”
Yujin blinked.
Then she laughed quietly, rolling onto her side. “Wow,” she murmured to herself. “She’s really something.”
She scrolled.
Another clip.
Same moment, different angle.
Different captions.
WONYOUNG REALLY SAID THAT.
CLAIMED HER GIRLFRIEND WITH A STRAIGHT FACE.
YUJIN WON THIS LIFE.
Yujin smirked, dimples appearing as she shook her head fondly. “So brave,” she whispered, half amused, half soft. “That’s my girlfriend.”
She kept scrolling, curiosity turning into a warm sort of pride.
Most of the comments were sweet.
She said it so seriously omg.
Even if it’s a joke, the confidence???
Wonyoung really said ‘mine’.
Yujin’s chest felt light reading them.
Then one comment made her stop.
It was from a solo stan account, her own face as the profile picture.
“Wonyoung’s been pining and begging for Yujin’s love and affection since izone days. She’s really desperate, pulling a fan service move like this hahaha.”
Yujin’s smile faded instantly.
“…What?” she muttered.
Her jaw tightened as she reread it, annoyance bubbling up fast. “That’s not even…”
She sat up slightly, thumb hovering over the reply button.
For a second, she wanted to say something. Anything.
To shut it down. To defend Wonyoung properly, loudly, publicly.
She doesn’t beg. She never had to. I chased her.
Yujin exhaled slowly and locked her phone instead.
“No,” she said to herself. “Not worth it.”
One comment didn’t erase years of trust, laughter, and quiet love. It didn’t touch the truth of what they had. And it definitely didn’t deserve her reaction.
She leaned back against her pillows, gaze drifting toward the ceiling.
They’d been together for years, careful, private, intentional. Not because they were ashamed, but because the world could be cruel, and they didn’t need it pressing into something precious. Management agreements mattered, sure, but more than that, they mattered.
Only Yujin knew how Wonyoung laughed when she was half-asleep.
Only Wonyoung knew how Yujin got clingy when she was stressed.
And that was enough.
Yujin unlocked her phone again, switching apps. She opened Instagram and scrolled through her feed, pausing on her recent post. A casual photo, nothing obvious. Just her coffee cup, angled just right.
She smiled faintly.
Wonyoung had posted something similar earlier that day. Same café. Same lighting. Different angle.
Fans would notice.
They always did.
“Let’s see how long until the Annyeongz detectives will add this on their lovestagram theories,” Yujin murmured with a soft chuckle.
She set her phone down, the smirk returning to her lips.
The world didn’t need to know everything.
As long as she knew, as long as Wonyoung knew, that was all that mattered.
Yujin closed her eyes, still smiling.
A few minutes later, the door to Yujin’s room opened softly.
“Yujinnie?”
Yujin looked up instinctively.
Wonyoung stood there like she always did, comfortable, familiar, entirely hers. Fresh out of the shower, wearing a simple pink night slip that brushed her knees, hair already dry and loose around her shoulders. No makeup nor styling.
Just Wonyoung. Yujin’s favorite version.
Wonyoung noticed the smile immediately. “Why are you smiling like that?” she asked, walking in and closing the door behind her.
Yujin didn’t answer right away. She lifted the blanket with one hand and patted the empty space beside her. “Come here.”
Wonyoung raised a brow but followed anyway, climbing onto the bed and settling next to her. “What were you watching?”
Yujin smirked and tilted her phone toward her. “Just a video of you taking me back after our one-sided breakup during the fan sign a couple of weeks ago.”
The clip replayed.
‘No. I’m the girlfriend.’
Wonyoung glanced at it, then shrugged lightly. “Ah. That.”
“That?” Yujin repeated, amused.
Wonyoung smiled, calm and unapologetic. “I don’t want others thinking they had a chance with my girlfriend. That’s all.”
Yujin laughed softly and slipped her arm under Wonyoung’s head, inviting her closer. “Bold,” she said, pressing a kiss to the top of Wonyoung’s head. “I knew you couldn’t resist me.”
Wonyoung curled into her easily, cheek resting against Yujin’s shoulder. “Please. You’re were internally panicking when you heard me label you as an ex-girlfriend.”
“I was concerned,” Yujin defended. “For like… ten seconds.”
She sighed, fingers tracing slow, soothing patterns on Wonyoung’s back.
“Did management say anything to you? Did they call?”
“They didn’t,” Wonyoung replied. “Not even once.”
Yujin hummed. “Really?”
“Mm-hm. The response was good. Fans loved it, articles were nice about it too.” She tilted her head slightly to look up at Yujin. “It’s good publicity with the comeback coming up.”
Yujin smiled, relieved. “You always think things through.”
“I wasn’t being strategic, I was being truthful. And even if I did get in trouble,” Wonyoung added casually, wrapping an arm around Yujin’s waist, “I don’t care. I had to claim what’s mine.”
Yujin’s heart did that stupid, warm thing again. “You’re getting braver, I see.”
“You love it.”
“I love you.”
They lay there quietly for a while, talking in low voices, about schedules, upcoming shoots, practice times, flights that were already making them tired just thinking about them.
“The next few weeks are going to be rough,” Yujin murmured.
Wonyoung nodded sleepily. “But we’ll survive. Like always.”
Yujin continued rubbing her back, slow and absent-minded. Gradually, Wonyoung’s responses got quieter… slower.
“…Mm,” she murmured, barely audible.
Yujin glanced down and smiled when she noticed Wonyoung’s breathing had evened out, lashes resting softly against her cheeks.
“Wony?” Yujin whispered fondly.
No answer.
She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Wonyoung’s forehead.
“Good night, Baby.”
Wonyoung shifted slightly in her sleep, arm tightening around Yujin’s waist.
Yujin relaxed, the steady rhythm of Wonyoung’s breathing calming her too. She closed her eyes not long after, the last thing she felt being the quiet certainty that no matter how busy things got, right next to the woman she loved will always be her favorite place to rest.
— — —
The next morning came too quickly.
Yujin had already finished her short schedule by noon, just a quick meeting and a fitting, nothing too heavy. She stopped by the dorm briefly to change, slinging her bag over her shoulder while Wonyoung was getting ready for another long day.
“I’m heading out to see my family this afternoon,” Yujin said, tying her shoes.
Wonyoung paused, lipstick halfway to her lips. “Today?”
“Mm-hm. I’ll be back later,” Yujin replied, walking over. “I wanted to take you, but…”
Wonyoung smiled knowingly. “Full schedule,” she said with a small sigh. “It’s okay.”
“I’ll bring you next time,” Yujin promised immediately. “I’ll make sure our schedules match.”
“I’ll hold you to that, leader-nim.”
Yujin leaned in, hands settling at Wonyoung’s waist. They shared a quick kiss, soft, familiar, grounding.
“Don’t work too hard,” Yujin murmured.
“Drive safe,” Wonyoung replied.
They parted reluctantly, both already missing the other.
— — —
When Yujin arrived at her parents’ house, the familiar sight instantly made her shoulders relax.
“Eomma!” she called out as she stepped inside.
“In the kitchen!” her Mom answered.
Azzo came running toward his, tail wagging furiously.
“Hey, hey,” Yujin laughed, crouching down to scoop the puppy up. “Did you miss me?”
“Of course he did,” her Mom said, coming out with a fond smile. “He waits by the door every day.”
“I miss you too,” Yujin snuggled Azzo, earning an amused chuckle from her Mom.
“How’s the comeback preparation going?”
“Like usual, it’s a lot. It’s hectic too since we have an upcoming World Tour afterwards.”
“My daughter works too hard. You must be tired,” her mom said. “Sit down. I’ll cook something.”
Yujin shook her head quickly. “No, no. Let’s go out instead.”
Her mom raised a brow. “Out?”
“There’s this restaurant Wonyoung really likes,” Yujin said casually, already grabbing her jacket again. “I was craving it and wanted you to try it as well.”
Her Mom smiled knowingly. “Ah… that restaurant. I remember seeing the video with her in it. How’s our Wonyoungie doing?”
Yujin grinned. “Wony’s good. She wanted to come, but she has a full schedule today, she feels sorry.”
Her Mom waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t apologize. Just tell her not to work too hard. And to eat properly.”
She paused, then added warmly, “We miss her too.”
Yujin’s smile softened. “I’ll tell her.”
At the restaurant, they sat by the window. Yujin ordered all the dishes Wonyoung usually loved without even checking the menu.
“You remember everything she likes,” her Mom remarked.
“Of course I do,” Yujin replied easily.
When the food arrived, Yujin instinctively reached for her phone.
She snapped photos of the dishes, the table setup, the restaurant sign outside. Her mom laughed softly.
“Are those for her?”
“Yep,” Yujin said, smiling down at her screen. “She’ll complain if I don’t send pictures.”
Her Mom took a few photos too, of Yujin, of the food, even one of Azzo peeking out of Yujin’s bag.
As they ate, Yujin mentally sorted the photos, already planning her Instagram post for later. No captions that were too obvious and no tags.
Just enough.
A quiet way of saying I was thinking of you.
When they finished lunch, Yujin leaned back in her seat, content.
She sent Wonyoung a quick message under the table:
Yujin: Eomma says hi. And to eat properly.
A reply came almost instantly.
Wony: Tell her I miss her. And you.
Yujin smiled to herself.
Another subtle post.
Another quiet reassurance.
— — —
The following week blurred together in the way comeback weeks always did.
Meetings in the morning.
Recordings in the afternoon.
Shoots that stretched late into the night.
IVE members moved through it all like clockwork, tired, yes, but polished. Smiles on when cameras were around, jokes shared when they weren’t.
The viral clip of Wonyoung’s video call answer became an unspoken thing. No one brought it up outright in front of staff or outsiders. When it was mentioned among the members, it was light teasing, careful and coded.
“Wow, Wonyoung,” Rei joked once in the waiting room. “So bold.”
Wonyoung only smiled sweetly. “Was I?”
Yujin laughed a little too loudly and changed the subject.
They were good at this now, too good.
Around cameras, Yujin gravitated toward Rei, poking her cheeks.
“You’re losing them,” she teased. “What happened to my cute Rei?”
Liz chimed in, pointing at Yujin’s face. “You’re one to talk. Your dimples are illegal.”
“Like yours isn’t?” Yujin teased back.
Meanwhile, Wonyoung sat close to Gaeul, leaning her head lightly on the older girl’s shoulder, laughing softly at something Leeseo said.
To anyone watching, it looked normal.
Balanced. Harmless. Professional.
During one particularly busy shoot, the girls finished their individual takes one by one. The set lights dimmed slightly as staff prepared for a short break.
Yujin stood behind the monitor, arms crossed, watching Wonyoung’s shots play back on the screen.
She looked… stunning. Calm, confident, effortless.
Yujin smiled without realizing it.
Nearby, two staff members were setting up snacks and drinks on a table behind her. They weren’t whispering, just talking casually, unaware.
“Did you see Wonyoung-ssi’s viral video?” one of them said.
Yujin’s smile faltered.
“The one where she told a fan Yujin-ssi is her girlfriend?” the other replied.
“Yeah. It’s everywhere.”
Yujin stayed still.
“It’s definitely fan service,” the second staff member added with a small laugh. “Idols are really good at that.”
“True,” the first agreed. “She’s so pretty though. Kind of a shame Yujin-ssi doesn’t really pay attention to her much. Feels one-sided.”
Yujin’s chest tightened.
“If it were me,” the other continued, chuckling, “I’d be bragging. Wonyoung deserves better.”
They laughed lightly and walked away.
Yujin didn’t move.
For a moment, the noise of the set faded. No cameras, no voices, just the dull thump in her chest.
One-sided love.
She swallowed hard, jaw clenching.
“If only they knew,” she thought bitterly.
If it were up to her, she would have held Wonyoung’s hand in public. She would have stood beside her proudly, talked about her openly, smiled at her without thinking twice.
But they didn’t live in that world.
They lived in a world of rules and careful distance, where love had to be hidden and misunderstood.
Yujin let out a slow breath and straightened her shoulders.
“Yujin-ssi,” a staff member called. “We’re almost ready for the group shots.”
“Yeah,” she replied, voice steady. “Coming.”
As she walked back toward the set, her eyes found Wonyoung instinctively. Wonyoung caught her glance and smiled, small, private, just for her.
It grounded her.
Yujin exhaled quietly.
It’s not one-sided, she thought firmly. Not even close.
And as the cameras rolled again, Yujin’s mind was already working, thinking of small gestures, subtle moments, quiet ways to show the world what she couldn’t say out loud.
She wasn’t going to let anyone believe she didn’t care.
Not when she loved Wonyoung this much.
Yujin didn’t suddenly change who she was.
She didn’t cling.
Didn’t hover.
Didn’t force moments just to prove a point.
That had never been her style.
Instead, she did what she always did, quiet, natural, instinctive.
When Wonyoung stepped off set after her take, Yujin was already there, holding out a bottle of water.
“Drink,” Yujin said simply.
Wonyoung took it without question. “Thank you.”
Later, when the stylist was momentarily busy, Yujin reached up and gently fixed a strand of Wonyoung’s hair that had fallen out of place.
“Your pin moved,” she murmured.
Wonyoung stayed still, eyes soft. “Did it?”
“Mm-hm,” Yujin replied, hands careful, professional, but tender in a way only Wonyoung would notice.
When Wonyoung had to step down from a higher platform between takes, Yujin didn’t make a show of it. She just held out her hand naturally, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Careful,” she said.
Wonyoung placed her hand in Yujin’s without hesitation.
“Got it,” she replied, smiling.
Nothing about it screamed look at us.
But nothing about it felt distant either.
If anyone was paying close attention, they’d see it.
And Wonyoung definitely did.
She didn’t tease.
Didn’t ask questions.
She just gave Yujin that smile, the one she never used on anyone else.
Soft. Knowing. Grateful.
“Thank you,” Wonyoung said again, quieter this time.
Yujin nodded once, like she always did.
Later that night, while everyone was scrolling through their phones during a short break, Yujin opened Instagram.
She didn’t post a selfie.
Didn’t post the set.
Just a story.
A song, one that only she and Wonyoung had ever talked about, one they’d played late at night in the dorm when schedules felt overwhelming.
No caption.
No explanation.
She knew Wonyoung would understand.
And she did.
Behind closed doors, Yujin made up for everything she couldn’t do outside.
Gentle kisses pressed into Wonyoung’s hairline.
Hands held a little longer than necessary.
Quiet moments where Yujin pulled Wonyoung close and whispered, “I’m here,” like a promise.
Sometimes, lying awake at night, Yujin wondered if she was lacking, if she wasn’t doing enough, if being the leader meant she had to hold back parts of herself.
The responsibility was heavy. The expectations endless.
She didn’t always get to be selfish.
But watching Wonyoung, brave, steady, claiming her in a world that loved to speculate, something settled in Yujin’s chest.
I can try harder, she thought. In the ways that matter.
So she did.
Not loudly. Not recklessly.
Just honestly.
As the album release crept closer, everything started moving faster.
Teasers.
Concept photos.
Track lists.
Behind-the-scenes clips.
Fans were everywhere, speculating, celebrating, theorizing late into the night. The excitement was loud, infectious, impossible to miss.
Then the teaser dropped.
Thirty seconds.
Just Yujin and Wonyoung.
A pre-release track playing softly underneath visuals that felt intimate without trying too hard.
The internet exploded.
“Why is it only them?? STARSHIP WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?”
“The vibes are insane.”
“Annyeongz era is BACK.”
Yujin watched it for the first time with her phone held close, lips curving upward without her even realizing it.
Whether fans were freaking out because of the song or because it was just her and Wonyoung… she didn’t really care.
She liked it.
A lot.
Usually, when IVE’s official account posted something, Yujin would repost, clean, professional, leader-like. Most of the time, it was a solo teaser or a group one.
But this time, she paused.
Then reposted that teaser.
No caption needed and any declarations.
Just the video.
A few days later, while scrolling during a short break, she came across Wonyoung’s personal post, behind the scenes pictures of her girlfriend in one of their music video outfits, carefully chosen, elegant as always.
Yujin didn’t hesitate.
She tapped the heart.
That was it.
And somehow, that was everything.
Within minutes, the comments were chaos.
“YUJIN???”
“SHE LIKED IT.”
“ANNYEONGZ STANS ARE WE ALIVE??”
“This amount of content feels unreal.”
“WE’VE BEEN EATING GOOD FORREAL!”
Yujin leaned back in her chair, quietly chuckling as she scrolled.
“Wow,” she muttered. “As usual, they’re intense.”
She wasn’t doing anything outrageous.
She was promoting.
Doing her job.
But she was also doing it for herself.
And for Wonyoung.
A silent way of saying: It’s not one-sided. It never was.
That night, during dinner, the members didn’t let it slide.
Rei grinned first. “Unnie, you’re really enjoying this comeback, huh?”
Liz laughed. “You’re adding fuel to the fire, you know.”
Gaeul raised an eyebrow playfully. “The timing was… interesting.”
Leeseo finished chewing her food and clap once, “I don’t care, I just love my parents.”
Yujin just shrugged, unfazed. “What? I’m promoting.”
As she said it, she casually rested her arm along the back of Wonyoung’s chair, easy, natural, like it belonged there.
Wonyoung glanced up at her.
Yujin leaned in just enough, her voice low enough that only Wonyoung could hear.
“Mine.”
Wonyoung’s reaction was immediate.
A soft smile. Eyes warming. A barely-there nod that said I know.
And somehow, that quiet response, private, sincere, made everything else fade.
Yujin straightened, satisfied.
Let the fans speculate. Let the internet spiral.
She knew the truth.
And so did Wonyoung.