Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The alarm went off at five in the morning.

Vi slapped it quiet and stared at the ceiling for a second. The call room was dim and cold, and the thin blanket had slipped to the floor sometime in the night. She swung her legs over the edge of the cot and sat there while the tired in her bones caught up with the rest of her.

It had been months into residency, and her body still hadn’t learned what to do with the hours. Her badge read: Violet, PGY-1, Internal Medicine. Everyone called her Vi. And the badge still felt new.

She scrubbed her face in the tiny sink, tied her hair up, and pulled on clean scrubs from the vending machine. The fabric was stiff from whatever industrial wash they used, but at least it was clean.

She clipped her pager to her waistband and slid her phone into the top pocket.

Four texts from Caitlyn sat on the lock screen from two hours ago.

good morning, love. break a leg.

well, do not actually break a leg.

I also have rehearsal till noon.

call when you can. love you.

Vi smiled without meaning to and typed back with one thumb while she filled a paper cup with stale coffee from the lounge.

Hey, Cupcake. I’ll try to call after rounds. Knock them dead.

By 6 AM, Vi was walking the hallway with her team. Dr. Grayson was the attending this week, tall and calm with a voice that could settle a room.

The senior resident, Mel, had the speed and memory of someone who had not slept much since 2019 and made peace with it. Two other interns walked with Vi, shuffling work lists and vitals.

They moved as a small pack from room to room. The hospital was already awake. Machines hummed. A floor tech laughed at a joke that Vi did not catch.

A nurse rolled past with a cart and a grin and said, “PGY-ones, make sure to hydrate.”

Vi chuckled and lifted her own cup of coffee like a toast.

Their first patient was Mr. Reaves, sixty-eight, heart failure, salt on hold, smile still quick. He sat up when they came in. “Morning, doc. Any chance I can get real water today?”

Vi checked the chart and the swelling in his legs and the way his breaths came easier than yesterday. “Maybe this afternoon if you keep looking this good,” she said, and winked like they had a secret.

The second room held a college kid who drank more than his liver liked last night. He looked green and ashamed. Mel did the talk with a soft tone and clear steps. Fluids, anti-nausea, a short note on choices. Vi watched the way Mel spoke without judgment and copied it in her head.

By 8 AM, rounds were done. Orders went in. Vi stood at a computer and signed labs, put in diet changes, called radiology to check on a scan time, and answered a nurse’s question about a potassium recheck.

Then her phone buzzed with a message from Caitlyn.

It was a mirror shot taken in the sunlit studio. The wide floor stretched behind her, tape marks still visible, and the afternoon light spilled across the glass.

Caitlyn stood in the middle of it, alone, phone held low as if she had been waiting for her friends to arrive.

Vi smiled as soon as she saw it. She saved the photo and set it as her background. Not the lock screen. She didn’t want questions if a nurse or attending caught a glimpse when she handed her phone over.

Vi had about half an hour before her next task. Claggor and Mylo had timed it on purpose and were already waiting across the street at a small diner that served strong coffee and eggs at all hours. Vi crossed against the light and slid into the booth.

“Look at you,” Mylo said, waving a fork at her badge. “Doctor Vi. How many lives have you saved today?”

“Just three cups of coffee and a heart failure,” Vi said. “We are aiming for stable, not heroic.” she said, chuckling.

Claggor snorted. “Stable is heroic after five. You eating or drinking your breakfast?”

“Both,” Vi said, and they flagged the server. The cups hit the table and the steam smelled better than the lounge brew by a mile.

The three of them had known each other since they were kids. They had done homework on kitchen floors and borrowed each other’s shoes for school dances and cried on the same front steps when life hit hard. They had not grown out of it. They just learned to meet at better coffee shops.

“So,” Mylo said while he split his pancakes into perfect triangles. “How is the secret girlfriend.”

Vi rolled her eyes and stirred sugar into her cup. “She is not secret. Just... private.”

“Private to the point where your Instagram looks like you live in a monastery,” Mylo said. “I respect it. But I also think you're allergic to posting your face.”

Claggor smiled at his plate. “Cait posted a rehearsal story last night. She seemed busy. How are you guys?”

“Doing good. Content,” Vi said, and she meant it. “The group has a big show next month. They’ve been at the studio from morning to night. Cait’s been so tired lately.”

“Have you seen yourself?” Claggor said, pointing his fork at her. “You’re like a walking zombie. Maybe you should actually try sleeping on your free time instead of...you know, your shenanigans?”

Mylo leaned back in the booth, nodding. “Yeah. You’re missing work just to go to Cait’s shows and she doesn’t even know it.”

“It’s fine," Vi huffed and sipped at her coffee again. "Besides, she’d only nag me for skipping work.”

“Work and sleep,” Claggor corrected, raising his brows.

They weren’t wrong. Vi had been slipping into as many of Caitlyn’s shows as she could. Anything close enough that she could duck out, watch, and still make it back to the hospital in time.

Sometimes she faked being sick just to get the day off, squeezing herself into the crowd like any other fan. Other times, when she couldn’t justify missing a shift, she’d drive over anyway, park outside the stadium, and listen to the faint thundering of Caitlyn’s group performing inside before heading back.

Only Mylo and Claggor knew. She never told Caitlyn.

Cait would be furious if she found out Vi was slacking off at work just to watch her perform. But Vi loved seeing her in her element, even if it was only for a few stolen songs.

From the first time Caitlyn performed in middle school, standing tall in front of everyone like she had been born for it, Vi knew she was meant for bigger stages. The spotlight fit her, and Vi never wanted to take that away.

They had been together so long it sometimes felt like the world had shifted again and again, and yet somehow left the two of them standing in the same place. Childhood sweethearts, if you wanted to call it that.

Now Caitlyn had a career that took her across the world, cameras flashing, interviews waiting.

And Vi had her residency. Long nights in sterile halls, coffee that tasted like cardboard, and patients who needed her steady hands. Medicine hadn’t been a random choice for her, after all.

Back when her adoptive dad, Vander, was still alive, Vi remembered how he used to point out the way she always looked after people. Patch up a scraped knee, sit with someone when they were scared, step in without being asked. He once told her she had a knack for it, that helping people seemed to come easy to her.

So, after he passed, those words stayed with her. By the time she got to college, it wasn’t even a question anymore. She put her head down, studied harder than she thought she could, and made it happen.

And now, of course, she understood why Caitlyn’s life was filled with people and attention and constant motion. She wanted that for her, wanted her to shine.

Still, there were moments that Vi felt that... pinch.

“You should’ve seen yourself last time,” Mylo said with a grin. “You turned your head the second the crowd screamed for Cait and Maddie sitting together.”

“Or when they touched hands in choreography,” Claggor added, chuckling. “You looked like you were ready to throw your shoes at the stage.”

Vi rolled her eyes and muttered into her coffee, but her ears burned all the same. She remembered the time they had even gone with her to a fansigning.

Vi had hung back at the edge of the room, hood pulled low, while Mylo and Claggor grinned like idiots and got their posters signed. The two of them still teased her about how she wouldn’t even look up when Caitlyn was only a few feet away, laughing and talking to the fans.

And Vi was happy for her. She always had been.

When Cait smiled in photos with her group, when fans cheered her name, when Maddie leaned close in a rehearsal clip like they were sharing a secret.

Vi told herself it was silly. Caitlyn would always be hers, and nothing was stronger than what they had built. So she never said anything.

The last thing she wanted was to make Caitlyn feel guilty for chasing her dream, or to weigh her down with insecurities. Instead, Vi kept the jealousy tucked away, hidden behind smiles and late-night texts that always told Caitlyn how proud she was.

And it was true. Being proud of Cait always came first, even when the quiet sting of jealousy crept in uninvited.

Claggor broke the silence this time, sliding his cup aside. “But you know, if I had a popstar girlfriend, I’d be bragging every five minutes.”

“You're gonna be so annoying,” Mylo said with a grin. “The whole city would know it before the group members get announced.”

Vi huffed a laugh and leaned back in her seat, letting them have their fun. Her coffee had long gone cold, but she drank it anyway, gaze drifting to the window where the city stretched out, alive in a way she rarely had the time to notice.

Somewhere across town, Caitlyn was already hours into her day.

The rehearsal studio was loud with the thump of bass through the speakers, mirrored walls reflecting five different versions of the same routine.

Caitlyn stood in formation with Ahri, Seraphine, Kai’Sa, and Maddie, their bodies moving in sync, sneakers squeaking lightly against the polished floor.

“From the top,” the choreographer called out. “Sharper this time. No lag between transitions.”

Ahri sighed dramatically, flipping her hair as she adjusted her mic pack. “You’re asking us to be machines. We’re human. Beautiful, dazzling humans, but still human.” Her grin made the others laugh, even as she slid right back into position.

Seraphine twirled her mic in her hand, still catching her breath. “She’s right though. Machines don’t need water breaks.” But her tone was light, her energy infectious, the kind of brightness that kept the room from dragging.

Kai’Sa didn’t say a word but was smiling too. She adjusted her stance, eyes locked on the mirror, running the steps silently in her head until the beat kicked in again.

Maddie leaned against the wall for a moment before the music restarted, arms crossed loosely over her chest. “Don’t mess up this time,” she teased, shooting Caitlyn a smirk. “I don’t feel like running it again.”

Caitlyn arched a brow. “Funny. I was about to say the same to you.”

“Touché,” Maddie said with a half-grin, pushing off the wall just as the beat dropped.

The song thundered through the room again, all five of them snapping into motion. Caitlyn’s movements were sharp and deliberate, her voice steady when she came in on her lines.

Ahri’s charisma filled the mirror like she was already on stage, Seraphine’s high notes blended perfectly, and Kai’Sa’s timing gave the whole routine its backbone. Maddie added the edge, her stage presence heavy and cool, grounding the performance.

Together, they looked every bit the unit their fans expected them to be.

When the music cut, the choreographer finally gave a short nod. “Better. One hour break, then we go again.”

Ahri immediately dropped to the floor with a groan, fanning herself with both hands. “I’m filing for workplace abuse.”

Seraphine laughed and plopped down beside her, still humming the hook under her breath. “You say that every practice.”

Kai’Sa was already in the corner with her water bottle, towel around her neck. Maddie sat cross-legged against the mirror, scrolling through her phone like she wasn’t tired at all, though the sweat on her forehead told a different story.

Caitlyn lowered herself onto the floor slowly, stretching out her legs, the ache sharp in her calves.

She reached for her own water, unscrewing the cap with careful fingers. Her phone rested face down beside her, but she gave in after a moment, sliding it into her lap and unlocking the screen.

She typed quickly, keeping the words short, like if she lingered too long someone might notice.

Hope your rounds aren’t killing you today. Eat something, please. I miss you.

Her thumb hovered over send for a beat, then she pressed it, the tiny whoosh of the message disappearing making her chest feel both lighter and heavier at once.

“Who’re you texting?”

Ahri’s voice came from right behind her. Caitlyn startled, almost dropping the phone. She glanced over her shoulder to see Ahri leaning down, a grin tugging at her lips, eyes sharp with curiosity.

“No one,” Caitlyn quickly said, slipping the phone face down again and reaching for her water like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“No one, huh?” Ahri teased, settling cross-legged beside her. 

Caitlyn took a slow drink and shrugged, keeping her face neutral. “Just my dad, checking in. Nothing exciting.”

“Dad,” Ahri repeated, unconvinced, drawing out the word. She poked Caitlyn’s shoulder lightly before leaning back on her hands. “Fine, fine.”

Before Caitlyn had to answer, Seraphine perked up from across the room. “Break’s over already?” she asked the choreographer, saving Caitlyn from having to spin another excuse.

Around her, the group was alive with chatter.

But there were things Caitlyn couldn’t say.

Back when they were trainees, the rules had been drilled into them from day one. No dating, no relationships, no distractions.

The agency called it “protecting the image,” like they were pieces of glass that would crack if anyone saw the truth of who they were outside of the spotlight. They’d all been warned that fans wanted perfection, not real lives.

Caitlyn had nodded along at the time, kept her head down, and worked harder than anyone else.

But now, years later, the group had debuted, the world knew their names, and the rules hadn’t disappeared. The official line was still clear: no relationships.

Don’t risk the brand.

Don’t risk your names.

And Caitlyn had agreed. Mostly because Vi had asked her to. She could still hear Vi’s voice the night before their debut, steady but soft.

"Keep it for now, Cait. You don’t need the stress. Not when the spotlight is yours. Promise me."

And Caitlyn had promised, because she knew Vi was right. Because she loved her enough to protect her from the noise that came with her dream.

Even so, sometimes it killed her.

Sitting here on the floor with her closest friends, people she trusted more than anyone else in the industry, and she couldn’t say a word.

Couldn’t tell them about her girlfriend who texted her good morning every day, who always knew when she needed a joke, who made her feel grounded when the world was too loud.

She couldn’t tell them how much she missed Vi’s voice, her laugh, the way she fit so naturally into Caitlyn’s life no matter how chaotic it got.

In fact, they had already lived together once.

Back then, it felt like proof that they had carved out a space just for themselves. Vi had just graduated, and Caitlyn was preparing to debut with her group. They were both busy but still found time to plan for the future they wanted.

The rented apartment was small, but it was theirs. Late-night takeout, Vi’s textbooks stacked on the table, Caitlyn’s practice notes scattered across the couch. For a while, it worked.

But once Caitlyn’s tours began and Vi started her residency, the place sat empty more often than not. Days even passed without them crossing paths under the same roof.

Eventually, it stopped making sense to keep paying rent for a home neither of them had the time to live in. They gave up the apartment quietly. Caitlyn moved her things back to her dad’s house, and Vi poured what little free time she had into the hospital.

It wasn’t a breakup. But the distance was real.

Now, when Caitlyn finished rehearsals and dragged herself home late at night, it was often to a quiet house. And Vi wasn’t on call, she would stop by. Sometimes just for an hour, sometimes long enough to fall asleep beside Caitlyn before her pager went off again.

Caitlyn never complained. She knew Vi’s work mattered, just as Vi knew Caitlyn’s career demanded every part of her.

She and Vi had also promised each other they had no regrets about the paths they’d chosen. They knew the long nights and the distance were only temporary.

One day, when things finally steadied, when Caitlyn’s career allowed her to breathe and Vi’s residency gave way to something more manageable, they could return to the life they had once planned together.

All of this, every sacrifice, was still for that future.

Still, it left Caitlyn aching in moments like this, surrounded by friends but unable to say the one thing that sat on the tip of her tongue.

I miss her. I miss our life together.

She turned her water bottle in her hands, thumb brushing over the condensation.

Across the room, Seraphine and Ahri were laughing about something, their voices overlapping with playful bickering over who had botched the choreography first. Kai’Sa and Maddie stayed on the floor, stretching their calves while chuckling at the exchange.

The air was still heavy with the thump of bass and the sharp echo of sneakers on polished wood when the rehearsal coordinator finally clapped his hands.

“That’s it for today. Good work, girls. You’re tighter than yesterday. Keep that energy for the showcase.”

A ripple of relief moved through the room.

Ahri and Maddie stretched their arms overhead with matching grins, Seraphine clapped her hands together as she hummed the chorus under her breath, and even Kai’Sa gave a small, approving nod before reaching for her towel.

They grabbed their things, chatter spilling into the hallway as they debated where to head for food.

Caitlyn slipped her phone into her pocket and trailed behind them, head down. Just as they pushed open the exit doors, her screen lit up with a familiar name.

Vi calling...

Her heart jumped. She slowed her steps, letting the others move ahead, before quietly slipping out a different door.

The sunlight was sharp as she stepped onto the street, tucking her cap low and walking a little farther down the block, just enough to be out of earshot. She hit accept.

“Hey,” Caitlyn said, voice softening without her meaning to.

“Hey, Cupcake.” Vi’s voice came warm through the line, a little rushed, but it still carried that steady note Caitlyn always clung to. “You girls done with the rehearsal?”

“Yeah,” Caitlyn said, stepping further down the block to put some distance between herself and the others. “We wrapped a few minutes ago. It actually went well today. The choreographer didn’t tear us apart for once.”

Vi chuckled softly. “That’s a win. I wish I could’ve seen it.”

“I'll give you a recording of our practice later.” Caitlyn smiled faintly, though her chest ached at the thought of Vi only being able to watch from her phone. “How’s the hospital?”

“Busy,” Vi admitted. “But manageable. I just got back after rounds. Stopped for a quick coffee with Mylo and Claggor this morning before things got crazy. They won’t stop giving me shit about keeping you hidden from the world.” she continued, chuckling.

Caitlyn laughed under her breath, leaning her shoulder against the brick wall of the building. “Sounds like them. Tell them I said hi, and to mind their own business.”

“I did,” Vi said, warmth in her tone. “Didn’t work.”

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Caitlyn could hear faint footsteps and a muffled announcement over the hospital’s PA system on Vi’s end, the sounds of a life she rarely got to see up close anymore.

“I miss you,” Caitlyn said quietly. The words slipped out before she could weigh them.

“I miss you too.” Vi’s reply was soft, immediate. “More than I can put into words right now.”

Just then, a sharp buzz cut through the line on Vi’s end. Caitlyn heard her sigh, the sound heavy.

“Shit. Paged again.”

Cait's heart sank, though she forced herself to stay steady. “Go. I know you have to.”

“Sorry, Cupcake. I’ll call again when I can.” Vi’s voice softened, almost like a promise. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Caitlyn whispered back.

By the time she caught up to the others, Ahri was animatedly describing a new restaurant she wanted to try, Seraphine and Kai’Sa were nodding along eagerly, and Maddie glanced over at Caitlyn with a small smirk but said nothing.

As they walked, Seraphine suddenly laughed, shaking her head. “You know, it still kills me how seriously fans take those ship edits.”

“Oh, here we go,” Maddie muttered, but the corner of her mouth curved.

Ahri twirled her water bottle dramatically. “What? You mean me and Sera being the ultimate power couple online?”

“You do act like a married pair half the time,” Kai’Sa pointed out dryly, earning a playful nudge from Seraphine.

“Exactly!” Seraphine laughed, then turned to Caitlyn with a grin. “But nothing tops the classic. Cait and Maddie. The fandom’s favorite tall-short duo.”

Maddie smirked and slung her arm loosely around Caitlyn’s shoulders. “Our chemistry is undeniable.”

Caitlyn shook her off with a roll of her eyes, though the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. “I still think shipping is ridiculous.”

“Not as ridiculous as mine,” Kai’Sa cut in, her voice calm but tinged with amusement. “Apparently I’m in a poly relationship with all of you.”

Seraphine nearly doubled over laughing. “Oh my god, yes! I even saw one fanfic called the Kai’Sa harem arc.”

Ahri burst into giggles, clutching her side. “You’re too powerful. One woman carrying the whole group romance plotline.”

“The manager says it’s nonsense,” Seraphine added once she caught her breath. “But secretly I think he’s relieved. People keep talking about us, even if it’s for shipping wars.”

“Free publicity,” Ahri said with a sly grin. “Let them ship away.”

“Good thing none of us are actually dating anyone,” Seraphine added, laughing as she adjusted the strap of her bag. “Can you imagine? Our partners would probably lose their minds seeing all those ship stuff.”

Kai’Sa tilted her head, amused. “Or worse. Can you imagine the chaos if one of us went public with a relationship? The meltdown would be bigger than our debut.”

Maddie smirked. “Half the fandom would riot, I'm sure. The other half would make conspiracy threads about how it’s fake and just part of the concept.”

The group broke into laughter again, the kind that spilled out easily after long hours in the studio. Their voices bounced down the street, light and carefree.

Caitlyn laughed along with them, but her throat felt tight.

To everyone else, it was just a harmless joke, a silly what-if to laugh about. But for her, it was the truth she carried every day.

Chapter Text

The hospital was already buzzing when Vi started her shift. Monitors beeped steadily in the background, nurses moved briskly from room to room, and her pager had barely stayed quiet since she walked in. She adjusted her badge, tugged her hair back tighter, and pushed through the morning rounds.

“Vi,” one of the senior residents called as he passed by. “Can you check on the patient in 312?”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Vi replied, her tone brisk but respectful. She checked vitals, signed off charts, gave quick instructions to the interns shadowing her. 

By the time her five-minute break rolled around, her shoulders ached and her throat was dry. She ducked into the staff lounge, dropped into one of the stiff plastic chairs, and pulled out her phone.

Her gallery opened to the folder she never admitted existed—just her and Caitlyn. Shots of them tangled up in bed with messy hair, laughing over pancakes in the kitchen, that quiet photo by the lake where Caitlyn had leaned into her shoulder and the world had felt still.

It had been a week since she last saw her. Just an hour squeezed in between shifts before Vi was paged again and had to run.

She scrolled slowly, thumb brushing over the screen as if she could press herself back into those moments.

Then a notification lit up the top of her phone. 

Caitlyn posted a photo.

Of course she had notifications on. She wasn’t much for social media, but Caitlyn’s posts were the one thing she never wanted to miss.

She tapped it open. Caitlyn was in the studio with the group, sweat still clinging to her skin, all five smiling wide in front of the mirrors. 

The caption read: two weeks until the show. can’t wait to see you all there.

A smile tugged at Vi’s lips before she even realized it. She tapped the heart, the warmth in her chest settling deep.

“Wait, was that Caitlyn?” a voice asked beside her.

Vi startled, pulling her phone closer. Lux from pediatrics stood there with wide eyes, soda can in hand.

“She’s so pretty,” Lux said, grinning. “Didn’t know you were a fan too.”

Vi cleared her throat, slipping her phone halfway under the table. “Something like that.”

“No way,” Lux laughed. “You’ve been hiding this the whole time? I’m in like, three group chats that talk about them nonstop. Guess I’m dragging you into one of them.”

Vi managed a small smile, trying not to look too obvious. Her pager buzzed again before Lux could press further, and just like that, her break was over.

By the time Vi finished her shift, she felt like her legs were made of concrete. 21 hours on call left her head foggy, her scrubs damp with the smell of antiseptic and coffee that had burned hours ago.

She dragged herself to the cramped residents’ quarters, the one with two bunk beds shoved against the wall and a table littered with empty takeout boxes.

She sank onto the lower bunk, exhaled slowly, and let her body go slack against the thin mattress. Just five minutes to breathe.

Her phone dinged.

you won’t believe what kai’sa brought today. she called it pickled herring.

everyone swore it was delicious.

i think it tasted like socks.

Vi snorted, smiling despite the heaviness pressing down on her. She started typing a reply, teasing Caitlyn for being picky, when her screen lit up with an incoming FaceTime call.

JINX calling...

Vi groaned. She hit decline, thumb already moving back to finish her message. The call came again immediately.

She rolled her eyes and accepted. “What do you want?”

Her sister’s face filled the screen, wild grin and oil smudges on her cheek. “Relax, sis. Just calling to let you know, I think I saw your girlfriend earlier.”

Vi frowned. “She’s probably with the group. They’re always together after practice.”

Jinx squinted into the camera. “Nope. Just her and the- uh, short rapper one? I don’t know her name. I’m not a fan, remember?”

Vi didn’t need her to say more.

She knew immediately it was Maddie. A small knot tightened in her stomach, though she tried to reason with herself.

Maybe Cait was just grabbing food, or buying something on the way back to their practice. They were bandmates, after all.

It didn’t have to mean anything.

Before Vi could answer, Jinx leaned closer with a mock serious look. “Anyway, point is, I called to tell you you're being cheated on.” Then she cackled so loud the video shook.

“Yeah. Real funny,” Vi muttered, but the corner of her mouth twitched.

From somewhere off-screen, a familiar voice called, “Is that Vi? Hey, Vi.”

“Hey, Ekko,” Vi said, already shaking her head.

The screen jolted as Jinx dropped the phone on a workbench, muttering about finding a wrench. Ekko’s face appeared, steady where Jinx’s had been all chaos. “Don’t mind her. She’s been running on fumes all day. How are you?”

“I'm good. Just finished my shift.” Vi said, though the weight in her limbs told the truth.

“You look wrecked,” Ekko replied with an easy smile. “Anyway. Jinx and I are still at the shop, trying to finish a prototype before morning.” Sparks crackled faintly in the background, followed by Jinx shouting something about blowing a fuse.

Ekko chuckled, adjusting the phone. “Get some rest, Vi.”

The screen jolted again as Jinx yelled, “Hey, give me that back!” before the call cut off.

Vi let the silence settle, the corners of her mouth still curved faintly.

Jinx and Ekko had been together for years now, partners in just about everything. Work, life, troublemaking. The two of them spent most of their time holed up in a workshop-slash-lab, tinkering with machines and tearing down whatever scraps they could get their hands on.

It suited them, the chaos and the constant invention, and Vi was glad her sister had found someone who kept up with her.

She sighed again, laying the phone on her chest as she stared at the ceiling. The weight of the last 21 hours pressed down harder now that she had finally stopped moving. The hum of the fluorescent light above filled the room, steady and cold.

Her phone buzzed again.

Cupcake calling...

Vi answered right away, her tiredness softening as soon as she heard her voice. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Caitlyn said, gentle and low, like she was already smiling. “Are you busy?”

“Not for you,” Vi replied, shifting slightly on the thin mattress. “Sorry, I was about to text back, but Jinx called.”

“Oh,” Caitlyn chuckled lightly. “How is she?”

Vi shrugged, even though Caitlyn could not see it. “Still busy with whatever they’re tinkering on. Ekko said they’re working on another project again.”

“Busy as usual,” Caitlyn said softly, leaning into the pillow beside her.

“Mhm,” Vi hummed, her voice thick with sleep.

“You sound tired, love,” Caitlyn said, her tone full of quiet concern.

“I am,” Vi admitted, “but it’s okay.”

Caitlyn never pushed her when she said things like that. Vi was always honest with her, even when it meant showing cracks she kept hidden from everyone else.

“I wish I was there,” Caitlyn murmured. “I’d make you sit down and not move until you actually slept.”

Vi chuckled under her breath. “Sounds like a dream.”

They let the silence hang for a beat, not awkward, but comfortable. The kind of pause that always made Vi feel like Caitlyn was right there, even if she was miles away.

“What about you?” Vi asked softly, “How was practice?”

“Tiring,” Caitlyn admitted with a sigh. “We drilled choreography until my feet wanted to give out. And then Maddie and I had to run out to the drugstore. We ran out of those muscle pain strips we always use.”

Vi froze for a second before piecing it together. That must have been what Jinx had seen earlier. She swallowed the thought down, choosing not to mention it.

“You okay?” she asked instead.

“Yeah,” Caitlyn said, her voice soft. “Just sore. My back and legs feel like lead. The others are showering now. I went first so I could sneak a few minutes with you.”

Vi closed her eyes, a small smile curving her lips. “Good choice.”

On the other end, Caitlyn laughed quietly, the sound threading through Vi’s chest like something warm and familiar. “Best one I made all day.”

They fell into that easy rhythm again, trading little pieces of their days.

Caitlyn talked about Seraphine accidentally tripping over a water bottle mid-routine and how Ahri had scolded Maddie for eating too many snacks before practice.

Vi shared a small story about a patient who thanked her for holding their hand through a blood draw, the kind of moment that reminded her why she was doing this, even when she felt like collapsing out of tiredness most of the time.

Every word felt like a tether, pulling them closer across the distance.

“I miss you,” Caitlyn said finally, her voice dropping to almost a whisper.

Vi’s chest tightened. “I miss you too. It’s only been a week, but it feels longer.”

“I know.” Caitlyn glanced over her shoulder, checking if she was still alone. The muffled sound of the girls laughing in the bathroom carried through the door, Seraphine’s voice standing out above the rest. Caitlyn lowered her voice again. “I miss you too, love.”

Silence followed, not uncomfortable, but heavy with everything they could not say out loud. Then Vi spoke, her tone teasing but tender.

“I know you're having that look right now. I know you're pouting.”

That made Caitlyn smile, a real one that softened the tiredness in her face. “You always know what to say to make me smile, huh?”

“I try,” Vi murmured. Then, quieter, “Sorry.”

Caitlyn frowned gently. “Why are you apologizing?”

“For not being able to support you publicly,” Vi admitted. The words sat heavy, as if they had been waiting for the chance to slip out.

Caitlyn’s voice steadied, soft but certain. “Hey, we talked about this. It’s okay. Just please focus on your residency. That is what matters right now. Okay?”

Vi nodded, though Caitlyn could not see it. “It's just...I don't have that much time to talk to you lately. I don't like it.”

“Well, we're on the same boat” Caitlyn said, shaking her head slightly. “Half the time I can barely catch a break too. But this is just for now. Once the tour ends, we’ll finally have a break. I’ll be home, and whenever you get a spare moment, we’ll actually have time together again.”

Vi closed her eyes, her lips curving in a small, tired smile. “I can’t wait.”

Neither of them said anything after that, but the silence was filled with warmth. 

Then laughter and footsteps echoed through Caitlyn’s door. Seraphine’s voice rang out, playful and bright, Maddie added something teasing that made Kai’Sa laugh under her breath, and Ahri chimed in with her own sharp comment.

Caitlyn sat up quickly, glancing toward the door as shadows passed across the floor. “They’re back,” she whispered reluctantly. “I have to go.”

“Okay,” Vi said, her voice softer now.

“Talk soon, love.” Caitlyn’s tone lingered, warm and reluctant, before the line went quiet.

A minute later, Vi’s phone buzzed with a message.

they’re here. sorry.

Vi’s lips twitched in a smile as she typed back, It's okay. She hesitated for a moment, thumb hovering, then added, I love you, Cupcake.

Across town, Caitlyn’s phone lit up inside her hand. She glanced at it, her heart softening immediately.

The noise of her group filled the room. Maddie complaining about sore muscles, Seraphine humming, Ahri fussing with her hair, Kai’Sa already scrolling through her phone. But for Caitlyn, all of it blurred for a moment.

She typed back quickly, i love you too, her lips curving into a quiet smile. She wanted to say more, but the others were already looking her way.

The day of the show started early, hours before the first fan even entered the venue.

The girls sat in a circle backstage, their makeup half-done and bottles of water littering the floor, while their manager ran through the final reminders.

“Alright,” the manager said, flipping through a clipboard. “Sound check went well, so no issues there. Keep your energy steady. Remember, cameras are rolling the whole time. During the intermission, don’t forget to throw in some fan service. You know the drill. Interactions, playful teasing, whatever feels natural. It’s good for business.”

Seraphine pressed her palms together dramatically. “I live for this,” she said, earning a laugh from Ahri, who was already plotting which member she could cling to first.

Maddie grinned wide. “Guess we’ll have to wink at the crowd again. Worked last time.”

Even Kai’Sa, usually quiet, gave a small smirk. “We all know they’re just waiting for us to kiss.”

They found it funny, almost like a game.

Caitlyn, though, shifted in her seat and kept her expression even. She knew how much the fans loved it, how much the company encouraged it. But there was always that pinprick in her chest.

She hated the thought of being linked with anyone who was not Vi.

Still, she stayed quiet. This was her job, and she had learned to keep those feelings tucked away.

“Good,” the manager said, tapping the clipboard once. “Now let’s get changed. We’re on in twenty.”

The room bustled as stylists swooped in, adjusting hair, fastening outfits, dusting cheeks with shimmer. Caitlyn sat still while they finished her look, her phone buzzing once in her lap. A text from Vi.

Good luck today, Cupcake. You’ll be amazing. I'm so proud of you.

Caitlyn’s lips curved into the smallest smile, her heart pulling tight. She typed back quickly, fingers careful not to smudge the gloss on her nails.

thank you, love. i’ll do my best.

The message sat on the screen, glowing softly, before Caitlyn locked her phone and set it aside.

Across the room, Seraphine was still humming their chorus under her breath, Maddie practiced her expressions in the mirror, and Ahri tossed her hair dramatically just to make Kai’Sa roll her eyes.

The stage was waiting.

Vi stood in line outside the venue, hood pulled low over her head, ticket in hand. She had not told Caitlyn she was here. She never did. That was part of the routine now. It was safer, easier. Caitlyn would only scold her for not being at work.

The VIP ticket in her hand promised a seat far too close to the stage. Close enough that Caitlyn might catch her in the crowd if she happened to glance the wrong way. Vi’s chest tightened at the thought, and she hesitated before leaning over to the girl behind her in line.

“Hey,” Vi said, holding up her ticket. “Want to trade? Mine’s closer. Yours is five rows back, right?”

The girl’s eyes went wide, practically shining. “Are you serious? Yes! Oh my god, yes!” She almost bounced in place as they exchanged tickets. “Thank you! You just made my entire week.”

Vi gave a small smile. “No problem. Enjoy it.”

The excitement buzzing through the line carried her forward until she was inside the arena. This concert was three hours away from her hospital, and she had finally asked for a proper day off.

She told herself it was because she needed rest, but the truth was she missed Caitlyn so badly it hurt. A glimpse of her from outside a stadium would not be enough this time.

She wanted to watch the whole show.

Once Vi found her seat, she pulled out her phone and opened Caitlyn’s chat. Her thumbs tapped quickly, heart tightening as she read the words over before hitting send.

Good luck today, Cupcake. You’ll be amazing. I'm so proud of you.

She smiled faintly as she shoved her phone back into her pocket, the noise around her growing louder as the lights dimmed. The music swelled, and the stage came alive.

One by one, the members of the group appeared through the haze of spotlights and smoke.

Seraphine skipped out with a wide smile, waving both hands at the fans. Ahri sauntered confidently, hair flicking under the lights. Maddie jogged forward, grinning, already throwing hearts toward the audience. Kai’Sa followed with her cool, steady stride, lifting a hand in a subtle wave.

Finally, Caitlyn stepped onto the stage, calm and poised, the roar of the crowd nearly shaking the walls.

Vi’s heart pounded at the sight of her, so close and yet untouchable.

The energy of the concert swept her along. They opened with their hit songs, each one choreographed down to the sharpest detail.

The crowd screamed at every gesture, every wink, every playful glance exchanged between members. Lightsticks pulsed in unison, fans screamed the fanchants perfectly in time, and banners waved high above the sea of people

Song after song, the stage became brighter.

Outfits changed, sweat shone under the lights, and the voices of thousands carried each chorus. Vi’s eyes never left Caitlyn. Even when the others joked or soaked up the attention, Caitlyn always seemed steady, her expressions polished but never over the top.

To Vi, she looked perfect.

After nearly two hours, the setlist wound down, leading into the cooldown time. The music softened, and the girls gathered at the front of the stage, catching their breath and chatting with the fans. It was always a mix of thanks, playful teasing, and little surprises.

Seraphine pointed out into the crowd, shielding her eyes from the lights. “Look at that banner!” she laughed. “It says SeraKai forever.” She covered her face dramatically, making the crowd scream even louder.

Kai’Sa followed her gaze, smirking slightly. Then she pointed to another banner nearby. “That one says…we should kiss?” She lifted her brows in mock seriousness. “Oh, should we?”

The crowd roared in approval, stamping their feet and chanting.

“Oh no,” Ahri said, grinning as she stepped forward. “You heard them, Kai’Sa. No backing out now.”

Kai’Sa rolled her eyes but leaned over, kissing Seraphine on the cheek. The crowd screamed so loudly the floor shook. Not to be outdone, she leaned toward Ahri too, planting another quick kiss that made Ahri throw her arms up like she had just won a prize.

The fans went wild, waving banners and chanting even louder. Laughter spread through the stage as the girls played it up, basking in the noise.

Then it started.

“Maddilyn! Maddilyn! Maddilyn!”

The chant rolled through the stadium, a wave of voices demanding one thing.

The ship name for Maddie and Caitlyn echoed back at them, louder each time. The cameras zoomed in, putting the two of them on the massive screen above the stage.

Caitlyn felt her stomach twist. Her smile stayed in place, but her heart raced. A flicker of anything other than playfulness would be noticed instantly. She forced herself to laugh into the mic.

“Fine,” she said, voice steady even though her chest burned. She turned to Maddie, leaning in with the intention of a quick, safe kiss to the cheek.

Maddie, grinning wide, leaned her cheek out, egging on the crowd. But just as Caitlyn moved closer, Maddie turned her head at the last second. Their lips met in a brief kiss that sent the arena into chaos.

The crowd erupted, screams deafening.

Seraphine shrieked like she had just seen fireworks, Ahri clapped and howled, and even Kai’Sa cracked a rare, startled laugh into her mic. Maddie leaned back with a smug little wave, blowing kisses toward the fans too.

Caitlyn hid her shock with a laugh that came too quickly. She tilted her head, keeping her smile steady.

“Warn me next time, will you?” she said lightly into her mic, earning more cheers.

The fans ate it up, roaring even louder. The cameras lingered on her face, waiting for a reaction, and she gave them nothing but playfulness.

From the seats a few rows back, Vi stood frozen.

Her jaw clenched, her hands curling into fists against her knees. She had told herself so many times that this was just part of Caitlyn’s work, that the fan service meant nothing.

But seeing Maddie’s lips against Caitlyn’s, seeing the stadium erupt like they had just witnessed something real. And it hit her harder than she wanted to admit.

For the first time in a long while, Vi could not deny it.

She was jealous. Frustrated. Hurt.

The screams around her blurred together, her chest tight as the chant for Maddilyn rolled over the arena again and again. She could not breathe in here, not with all the lightsticks flashing and the crowd still riding the high of what had just happened.

She stood abruptly, slipping past the people in her row with a muttered “sorry,” ignoring the protests when she blocked their view.

By the time she reached the aisle, her pulse was hammering. She barely looked back as she pushed through the crowd, past the merch tables and security guards, until the roar of the concert dulled into a muffled thunder behind the doors.

Outside, the night air hit her sharp and cool.

Vi pulled out her phone, her hand still shaking. She opened Caitlyn’s chat, stared at the screen for a beat, then typed with quick, clipped movements.

That was NOT appropriate, Cait.

She didn’t even care if Caitlyn realized she had been at the concert. She didn’t care about being caught or scolded for showing up. Right now, all she could feel was the sting of what she had just seen, and how much it cut.

The last notes of the final song faded into the roar of the crowd.

The girls gathered at the front of the stage, bowing low, hands clasped as they shouted their thanks. Confetti rained down from the rafters, fans screamed their names, and lightsticks swayed in a sea of color.

“Thank you for coming!” Seraphine called, her voice hoarse but cheerful.

“See you next time!” Ahri added, throwing one last wave.

Maddie grinned wide, blowing a kiss into the cameras, while Kai’Sa gave a smile that sent another ripple of screams through the arena.

Caitlyn bowed, her expression steady, even as her stomach twisted. She kept her smile in place until the lights finally cut out, the stage plunging into darkness.

The second they stepped offstage, her grin slipped.

She was still seething.

She said nothing to Maddie, nothing to anyone.

Instead, she grabbed the towel a staff member held out, wiped the sweat from her neck, and took a long sip from her water bottle.

The noise backstage was chaotic. Crew packing up, stylists already calling for touch-ups, managers barking instructions.

But Caitlyn moved through it quietly, jaw tight, her focus narrowed to the bag waiting on her chair. She slung it over her shoulder, keeping her head down.

Maddie laughed about something to Ahri, Seraphine was already replaying clips on her phone, and Kai’Sa was untying her shoes in silence.

Caitlyn forced herself not to look at any of them.

When they were finally given a moment to breathe, she sat down heavily and reached into her bag for her phone. Her first thought was Vi. She wanted to text her, to rant, to let out the frustration she had been swallowing ever since Maddie pulled that stunt.

But as soon as the screen lit up, her breath caught.

A message from Vi, time-stamped an hour ago.

That was NOT appropriate, Cait.

Caitlyn froze, the words blurring in front of her. Her chest went tight, her fingers hovering uselessly above the screen. She was about to press the call button, ready to hear Vi’s voice and explain, when a sharp clap broke her focus.

“Great show, girls!” their manager called, striding into the room with a wide grin. “Energy was strong, crowd engagement was perfect. That kiss stunt nearly broke the roof off. Social media is already exploding. Exactly the kind of buzz we needed.”

The others cheered, Seraphine throwing both arms up, Maddie laughing as if she had planned it all along. Ahri gave a satisfied smirk, while Kai’Sa only nodded faintly, already halfway through her water bottle.

Caitlyn forced a smile, tucking her phone against her leg before anyone noticed. “Thanks,” she said, her voice even, though her insides twisted.

The manager clapped again. “Freshen up, then media photos before you head back to the hotel. We’ll debrief tomorrow. For now, enjoy the moment. You girls nailed it.”

As the staff swarmed again with towels and makeup kits, Caitlyn moved with the motions, nodding when spoken to, smiling when someone shoved a camera in her direction, laughing faintly at Maddie’s antics.

From the outside, she looked like every other member, basking in the afterglow of a successful show. But her thoughts were far away, locked on that single text still waiting on her phone.

She was eager to leave, eager to be alone, to have even a few minutes where she could finally call Vi and hear her voice. Every second that passed felt heavier, the need to explain clawing at her chest.

When the manager finally dismissed them from the dressing room, the group gathered their bags, buzzing with leftover adrenaline.

Seraphine clapped her hands. “Buffet time, right? You know the drill. Same place as always.”

Maddie perked up. “Yes! I’m starving. Last time they had those grilled skewers, I need like ten of them.”

Ahri smirked, already scrolling on her phone. “Don’t eat so much you can’t fit in your stage outfit next week.”

Even Kai’Sa cracked a small grin, shaking her head. “We’re supposed to celebrate, not shame each other.”

They were all laughing when Caitlyn stood, sliding her bag over her shoulder. “I can’t tonight,” she said quietly.

Four heads snapped toward her.

“What do you mean you can’t?” Seraphine asked, brows lifting. “It’s tradition. Post-show buffet, every single time.”

“You’ve never skipped once,” Maddie added, mock offended.

Caitlyn forced a faint smile, adjusting her grip on the strap of her bag. “I’m not feeling great. I think I need to rest. You guys go ahead without me.”

There was a beat of surprised silence, then Ahri gave her a look like she didn’t quite believe it. But no one pressed further. The manager poked his head back in, reminding them the vans were waiting, and the chatter resumed.

Caitlyn slipped past them with practiced ease, waving a brief goodbye. “Eat extra for me.”

She walked fast, down the hallway, out through the side exit where staff cars were lined up.

The night air hit her cool and sharp, and she exhaled for the first time since she had read Vi’s message. She had almost reached the car when footsteps echoed behind her.

“Hey, Cait.”

Cait froze. Maddie jogged up, still in her stage jacket, strands of hair sticking to her face. Her grin was gone, replaced with something closer to concern.

“Are you okay? You’ve been tense since the show ended.”

Caitlyn kept her eyes forward. “I’m fine.” She reached for the car door handle, but Maddie caught her forearm. Caitlyn flinched at the touch.

“Was it about the kiss?” Maddie asked quietly.

Caitlyn turned, her expression sharp, the anger she had been holding in finally slipping through. “Yes, Maddie. Why would you even do that?”

Maddie blinked, almost confused. “What do you mean? It’s not like you have someone out there who’s going to get mad over that.”

Caitlyn’s chest tightened. She pulled her arm back, her voice low but firm. “I do.”

She turned away before Maddie could answer, yanked the car door open, and slipped inside. The driver looked at her in the mirror, waiting for directions. Caitlyn only gave him a short nod, her hand tightening around her phone.

“Drive,” she said.

The door shut, leaving Maddie standing in the cool night air as the car pulled away.

Her heart was pounding as the driver glanced back in the mirror. “Hotel?”

“No,” Caitlyn said firmly. She unlocked her phone, Vi’s text still glowing on the screen. Her hand tightened around it. “Take me here, please.” She gave him the address she had memorized long ago.

She was going to Vi.

Chapter Text

The drive back felt heavier than the concert itself.

Vi kept both hands tight on the wheel, headlights cutting through the empty road. The stadium glow was far behind her now, but the image of Caitlyn and Maddie on that giant screen refused to leave her mind.

Her phone buzzed in the cup holder. She almost ignored it, but the caller ID made her sigh. Mylo.

With a quick swipe, she put it on speaker. “What?”

“Holy shit, Vi,” Mylo’s voice came loud through the car. “Have you seen the clips?!”

Before Vi could answer, Claggor’s voice chimed in from the background, just as breathless. “They’re everywhere already. Twitter, TikTok, even my co-worker's Facebook feed. Cait and Maddie-”

“Don’t,” Vi muttered, her grip tightening on the wheel.

There was a pause, then Mylo’s voice softened a little. “So…you were there, huh?”

Vi exhaled slowly through her nose, keeping her eyes on the road.

Claggor whistled low. “Looks like you left early.”

“I had enough,” Vi admitted. Her chest ached as she said it out loud. “I don’t want to see it again.”

The line went quiet for a moment, just the hum of the car filling the silence.

Then Mylo said gently, “You know...maybe it’s still a part of fan service, right? Doesn’t make it suck any less, but-”

“I know,” Vi cut in quickly, sharper than she meant. 

Her phone buzzed again with another notification, but she ignored it, eyes fixed on the road. The hospital was still thirty minutes away, and her chest felt tight with something she could not shake.

"Sorry," Vi let out a weak laugh, though it carried no humor. “I’ll be fine, guys. I just…need to cool off. That's all.”

“Yeah, well,” Claggor said, his voice steady, “call us if you feel like grabbing a drink instead.”

There was a pause. Vi exhaled slowly, the weight of it all pressing down, before she muttered, “Thanks.” She tapped the screen, ending the call.

The car fell silent, save for the faint buzz of another notification she still refused to check. Her hands tightened around the wheel as she pressed harder on the gas, the road ahead swallowing her whole.

At the next stoplight, red washed over the hood of her car. Vi let out a breath, reached for her phone, and finally unlocked the screen.

It wasn’t Caitlyn.

It was Lux.

Lux added you to group: starlight fandom gc ✨

Vi stared at it for a beat, then tapped without thinking.

The chat exploded across her screen, hundreds of messages flying. She scrolled once and froze.

Caitlyn. Maddie.

That stupid kiss.

Clips from every angle filled the thread. GIFs looping the moment over and over. Screenshots blown up with captions in all caps. Fans screaming in shaky phone videos, the noise rattling through her speakers before she muted it.

iconic.
they finally did it!!
maddilyn is real 😭

Her throat went tight.

Some of the members in the group were still posting live from the venue, screaming about how the show wasn’t even over when it happened. Others were already calling it the moment of the tour.

Vi’s stomach burned. Without thinking twice, she backed out of the thread, hit Leave Group, and shoved the phone back down into the phone holder.

The light turned green. She pressed her foot to the gas and drove, jaw clenched, every muscle in her body coiled tight.

Another notification buzzed across her screen. Out of habit, Vi’s eyes flicked down just long enough to see the name. It's just Lux.

She didn’t even check the preview before the phone lit up again, this time with an incoming call. Vi knew it wasn’t Caitlyn. She had set a special ringtone for her long ago. So she let it ring until it stopped. But then it buzzed again. 

Vi sighed, dragged one hand off the wheel, and tapped the answer button without checking the ID. “What is it?”

“Vi?” Lux’s voice came through, a little too chipper for how drained Vi felt. “Hey, um… did you just leave the group chat?”

“Yeah." Vi’s stomach knotted. "Sorry. Just wasn’t for me.”

“Oh, shame...” Lux said, a little deflated. Then, with a small laugh and an obvious hint of excitement, “You missed the best part. Did you see Maddie and Cait? The kiss? Everyone’s losing it!”

Vi gripped the wheel tighter. “I- no. I didn’t really look.” The lie felt heavy on her tongue.

Lux carried on, oblivious. “Crazy, right? That crowd must have gone insane. People are saying it’s gonna trend for days.”

Vi forced out a sound that could pass for agreement.

There was a pause, then Lux asked casually, “Wait, don’t tell me you actually took time off to watch the concert?”

Vi kept her eyes on the road, her silence stretching just a little too long. Lux filled it with a laugh.

“Ugh, I wish I had thought of that. Not that it mattered. I didn’t even get a ticket. They sold out in, like, three minutes.”

“I wasn’t at the concert,” Vi said finally, her voice clipped.

“You weren’t?” Lux sounded surprised. “But you didn’t have a shift today. I saw your name off the board.”

Vi tightened her grip on the wheel, forcing her tone into something steady. “Yeah. I uhhh...had to take my car into the shop. Spent the whole afternoon waiting for them to fix it. Not exactly exciting.”

“Ohhh,” Lux said, drawing it out. “That sucks. I thought you got lucky and scored a ticket yourself. Guess I’ll stop teasing you.”

“Yeah,” Vi muttered, the lie sitting heavy in her mouth.

Lux chuckled, easy and unaware. “So, are you still coming back to the quarters tonight?”

“Yeah,” Vi said after a pause. “On my way back.”

“I still don’t get why you wouldn’t just stay at my apartment,” Lux went on, her tone light and teasing. “I could really use a roommate, you know. Split the bill, split the chores. Total win-win.”

Vi let out a tired chuckle. “I know.”

“And I’ll keep mentioning it until you say yes,” Lux teased.

“Good luck with that,” Vi muttered, though the faintest smile touched her voice.

In the background, someone called Lux’s name. She sighed. “Duty calls. Bye, Vi!”

“Bye, Lux.” and the line went dead.

The car was quiet again, leaving Vi alone with the frustration she could not shake. The hospital lights glimmered faintly ahead, pale against the night sky.

She pulled into the staff lot and cut the engine, the weight of the day—or the night, she had lost track—settling into her shoulders.

Her badge let her back through the residents’ entrance, where the halls hummed with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the faint smell of coffee that had been sitting too long.

Even without a shift, the hospital never really slept.

Nurses passed with clipboards, monitors beeped in the distance, and a handful of interns were still hunched over their laptops in the lounge. Vi kept her hood up and her pace steady, hoping not to be drawn into small talk.

As she rounded the corner near the vending machines, she caught a group of younger residents huddled together, their phones out. One of them laughed.

“Did you see that kiss? Gosh, I feel like a teenager.”

“Right? It's everywhere,” another added. 

Vi’s jaw tightened. She scoffed under her breath, quickened her pace, and slipped past before anyone noticed her expression.

By the time she reached the residents’ quarters, Vi’s frustration had turned into something hard and restless.

She pushed the door open, kicked off her shoes, and dropped her bag on the chair. Her bunk bed waited, thin mattress and all.

She fell back against it, staring at the ceiling.

Her chest was still tight, and the feeling would not go away. Even here, in the one place that was supposed to give her a break, she could not escape it.

The car slowed to a stop at the side entrance of the hospital. Caitlyn stared out the tinted window, her pulse quickening.

Only then did it hit her...she had nothing on her.

No cap, no mask, no change of clothes. Her stage makeup was still sharp under the dim light, glitter clinging to her cheeks, eyeliner heavy from hours under the spotlights. The jacket draped over her sequined outfit did little to hide it.

Anyone who looked twice would know exactly who she was.

She hesitated, hand on the door handle, when her eyes met the driver’s in the mirror. He had been with her long enough to read her before she even spoke.

“Do you want us to clear a path for you?” he asked calmly.

Her stomach dropped. “There’s another car?”

“Yes, ma’am. Right behind us. Security detail.” He spoke like it was routine, because for her, it was. “Standard protocol.”

Caitlyn dragged a hand across her face, smearing a little of the makeup she had forgotten to wipe off. She hated this part of her life. The fact that walking into a building could turn into an event.

“I want to go alone,” she said, her voice low but firm.

“That’s a safety risk,” the driver replied without missing a beat. “We can’t let you walk in without cover.”

Her hand tightened on the door. “Then...just make sure no one notices,” she said finally. “I don’t want a scene. I just…need to do this.”

The driver nodded once, his tone steady. “Do your thing, ma’am. We’ll keep it quiet.”

Caitlyn exhaled, braced herself, and pushed the door open.

“You can take the cap,” her driver said quickly, nodding toward the far end of the seat. A black baseball cap lay there. She grabbed it, tugged it low over her head, and hoped it would be enough.

The cool night air hit her face, sharp against the remnants of stage lights still clinging to her skin.

She adjusted her jacket tighter and stepped out, security quietly falling in behind her, their movements subtle but close enough to block anyone who got too curious.

The hospital entrance was lit and busy even at this hour.

Nurses on break passed with coffee cups, residents hurried in and out, and a few visitors loitered near the doors. A handful of them glanced her way. One double-take turned into two.

Caitlyn heard a sharp intake of breath, then a muffled, “Wait, isn’t that-” before her security shifted, cutting the line of sight with casual precision.

Caitlyn kept moving, head down, sneakers scuffing against the polished floor as she slipped inside. The halls were quieter here, the buzz of fluorescent lights replacing the chatter outside. Her heart pounded harder than it had on stage.

She had never come here before.

Not once had she visited Vi in the hospital, not even when she swore she would. Vi always told her not to. Too messy, too public, too easy to draw attention.

Caitlyn had listened, and now, walking these halls, it made her feel like a bad girlfriend. She didn’t know where anything was, didn’t know the way to Vi’s quarters, and guilt gnawed at her chest.

And worse...she was here to explain.

To tell Vi that the kiss hadn’t been planned, that it meant nothing. But Caitlyn knew how it must have looked from the outside, and the thought of seeing the hurt in Vi’s eyes made her stomach twist.

She rounded a corner too fast and nearly collided with a woman in scrubs holding a clipboard. Caitlyn stumbled back a step.

“Sorry,” she mumbled quickly, keeping her head low.

The woman steadied herself, eyes narrowing slightly as she took Caitlyn in. Caitlyn’s throat tightened. “Do you know… uh, do you know where Vi— I mean, Doctor Vi is?”

She didn’t lift her head, didn’t want to meet the woman’s eyes. But she felt the pause, saw the recognition flicker in the way the woman stilled.

Mel knew exactly who she was. But she didn’t comment on it. She only adjusted the clipboard against her chest and said evenly, “Probably in the quarters.”

She started to move past, already turning down the hall.

Caitlyn’s hand shot out before she could think. Her fingers caught Mel's sleeve, a hesitant hold that made the senior resident glance back.

This time Caitlyn lifted her head. Her cap slipped back just enough for her eyes to show. Glassy, desperate.

“Please,” Caitlyn whispered. “Can you show me?”

Mel hesitated, her lips pressed tight, then let out a quiet sigh. “Alright. Come on.”

She set off down the hallway, her steps brisk. Caitlyn followed, heart hammering, every turn of the corridor feeling heavier than the last. Neither of them spoke.

The hospital at this hour was muted.

Pages over the intercom, the squeak of sneakers against tile, the faint hum of machines behind closed doors.

Finally, Mel stopped at a plain door tucked into the corner of the floor. She glanced at Caitlyn, expression unreadable, then pushed it open just a crack.

“She should be in there,” she said, keeping her voice low.

She didn’t step inside. Instead, she shifted to the side, tilting her head in a subtle gesture for Caitlyn to go ahead.

Caitlyn swallowed and slipped past her, pushing the door open enough to step through.

The quarters were small, almost claustrophobic. Two bunk beds shoved up against opposite walls took up most of the space.

A narrow table sat between them, littered with empty takeout boxes, half-empty water bottles, and a few scattered medical textbooks with pages marked by sticky notes. A single lamp glowed in the corner, its light throwing long shadows across the tired room.

Caitlyn froze in the doorway, taking it all in.

She had never really thought about where Vi stayed when she wasn’t home.

She pictured something simple but livable, not this. Just four walls that looked more like a holding pen than a place to rest. It was cramped, worn, filled with the smell of old coffee and disinfectant.

Her chest tightened as the guilt crept in. No wonder Vi was always so tired. No wonder she barely had time for herself. And Caitlyn hadn’t been here once, hadn’t seen any of it until now.

Her throat ached as she stepped further in, her eyes searching for the familiar figure she had come for.

Caitlyn’s eyes landed on the far corner.

Vi was there, stretched out on the bottom bunk. The one without an upper frame, more like a couch than a bed. She was on her stomach, one arm tucked under her pillow, her face turned toward the wall. Her hair was a little messy, her breathing steady in the quiet.

Caitlyn’s chest softened at the sight. She moved closer, careful not to make a sound.

On the small bedside table sat Vi’s phone. Caitlyn hesitated, then picked it up, the screen lighting under her touch. Her breath caught. Her own face smiled back at her.

She was Vi’s wallpaper.

A faint smile tugged at Caitlyn’s lips, guilt and love knotting together in her chest. She set the phone down gently, but before she could settle again, muffled voices rose outside the door. The knob turned.

Caitlyn straightened immediately, her pulse spiking.

The door swung open, and Lux stepped in. She froze mid-step, her eyes widening as recognition hit her.

“Oh my-” she slapped a hand over her mouth before the sound could carry.

Her gaze flicked toward Vi’s sleeping form, then back to Caitlyn, her jaw dropping a second time as the pieces fell into place. Caitlyn winced, pressing her lips together and looking down, caught.

Lux crept further inside, eyes shining with disbelief.

She sat carefully on the edge of the opposite bunk, leaning close and whispering, “Hi.” Her voice was hushed, but the excitement in it was impossible to miss.

Caitlyn forced a small smile, nodding faintly.

The door closed again, leaving only the soft hum of the lights, Vi’s steady breathing, and Lux staring like she had stumbled into a dream.

Lux leaned forward, eyes wide, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I can’t believe this. You’re actually here.” Her gaze flicked toward Vi’s bed again, then back at Caitlyn, her grin threatening to spill over.

Before Caitlyn could say anything, Lux suddenly gasped, spun around, and started digging through the cluttered desk by the wall. Empty coffee cups rattled as she pulled open drawers until she triumphantly held up a marker.

Caitlyn blinked in confusion as Lux hurried back, nearly tripping over herself. She shoved her phone forward, case first, eyes shining. “Will you- uh, sign it? Please?” she whispered, as if even asking was too much.

For a second, Caitlyn just stared at her, caught off guard.

Of all the things she expected, this wasn’t one of them. “Oh...you want an autograph?” she whispered back, her brows raised.

Lux nodded quickly, clutching the phone with both hands like it was sacred. “I’m a huge fan. Have been since your debut. I can’t believe I’m even saying this right now.”

Caitlyn let out a soft, surprised laugh, shaking her head as she took the phone and the marker. She bent over and carefully scrawled her signature across the case before handing it back.

Lux beamed, biting her lip to stop herself from squealing. She hugged the phone to her chest like it was treasure, then mouthed a very dramatic thank you.

Caitlyn pressed her lips together in a faint smile, shaking her head at Lux’s excitement, but her chest warmed all the same.

Lux could barely sit still, the grin never leaving her face. She whispered quickly, words tumbling out one after another.

“And oh my god, I was watching your concert live earlier, like right before I came in here. You guys were insane, the vocals, the choreo, the crowd, ugh, it gave me chills! I don’t even know how you keep up that kind of energy.”

Caitlyn gave a small nod, her smile faint but polite.

“And then, oh my god,” Lux whispered, her voice rising with excitement as she clasped her phone tight. “The kiss with Maddie! Everyone was freaking out online, like full-on losing it-”

She stopped mid-squeal.

Caitlyn’s expression had changed, her smile fading, her face tightening in a way Lux immediately noticed.

“Wait,” Lux whispered, blinking. “Wasn’t that…on purpose? Like, fan service?”

Caitlyn exhaled slowly, shoulders sinking. “No. Sorry. I didn’t know Maddie would do that.”

Lux’s excitement softened into something quieter. She followed Caitlyn’s gaze as it drifted to Vi, asleep on her stomach in the corner bed. Something clicked in her expression, her eyes widening again.

“Oh my god,” Lux breathed, covering her mouth. “Is that why you’re here? Is Vi- are you guys- is she…”

Caitlyn, assuming she knew what Lux meant, gave a small nod. Lux’s eyes went even wider. “You guys are sisters?!”

Caitlyn froze. “What? No.”

The confusion was clear on her face as she shook her head quickly, then looked back at Vi. Her voice dropped to something soft, “Vi’s my…girlfriend.”

Lux’s jaw dropped, then a squeal slipped out before she clapped both hands over her mouth. She bounced once on the bunk, eyes shining.

“Oh my god. Oh my god! That’s even better!” she whispered, almost shaking with the effort to keep quiet. “I knew it! I swear I won’t tell anyone. Not a word. I promise!”

Caitlyn managed a small smile, though her chest was still tight. “Thank you.”

Before Lux could gush any further, a sharp beep broke the moment. Her pager lit up against her hip, buzzing insistently. She groaned under her breath. “Ugh, of course.”

She stood, fumbling for her clipboard. “I’ve got to go. But-” she grinned, still whispering as if it were a sacred secret, “it’s so nice to finally meet you. Really.”

Caitlyn nodded, her voice low. “You too.”

Lux gave her a final, exaggerated zip-the-lips motion before slipping out the door, her shoes squeaking faintly down the hall until the sound disappeared.

The room was quiet again, just the low hum of the lamp and the faint noise of the hospital outside the door. Caitlyn sat on the edge of the chair beside the bunk, her eyes fixed on Vi’s sleeping form.

Vi shifted once, her arm twitching under the pillow.

A soft groan slipped from her throat as she buried her face deeper, then turned slowly onto her back. Her brows pinched before her eyes blinked open, heavy and unfocused.

For a moment, she stared at the ceiling like she wasn’t sure where she was. Then her gaze drifted sideways—and landed on Caitlyn.

Vi froze, eyes widening just slightly, the fog of sleep lifting at once. “Cait?” Her voice was rough, disbelief breaking through the exhaustion.

She pushed herself up, rubbing at her eyes before sitting forward. “What are you-” Her gaze flicked to the door, sharp and wary, checking if anyone else was inside.

“There’s a guard at the door,” Caitlyn said quickly, her voice low.

Vi’s eyes snapped back to her. “Why are you here?”

Caitlyn looked down, twisting her fingers in her lap, nerves written all over her posture. “I’m here to apologize,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.

Before she could say more, a muffled commotion came from the hall. Vi recognized her colleague's voices. They were confused, maybe even annoyed, at being blocked from entering their own quarters.

Vi’s instincts kicked in.

She stood at once, pulling her white coat from the hook by the door. She turned, grabbed Caitlyn’s hand, and tugged her up from the chair. “Come here.”

Caitlyn rose, startled, as Vi draped the white coat over her shoulders. “Wear this.”

Vi pulled open a box on the shelf, took out a standard hospital mask, and handed it over. Caitlyn slipped it on quickly, but when she reached for her baseball cap, Vi caught her wrist.

“Not that,” Vi whispered, shaking her head. She plucked the cap from Caitlyn’s hands and set it aside. “A coat and a cap together will just make you stand out more.”

Their hands lingered together, muscle memory pulling them into step with each other. Vi’s grip tightened for a moment, grounding them both, before she turned toward the door. She opened it carefully, still holding Caitlyn’s hand in her own.

The hall was crowded.

A few of her colleagues stood outside, trying to argue with the guard planted firmly in front of the quarters. 

As soon as the door opened, Caitlyn lowered her head, the brim of the borrowed mask hiding her face. She stayed close to Vi, her grip tightening slightly. From beneath the stiff white coat, she could still smell Vi’s cologne, faint but steady, and it grounded her as much as it threatened to break her.

“Hey,” Vi said, her tone casual, practiced. “Sorry about that. Just sorting something out.”

One of the residents laughed, shaking his head. “Nice prank, Vi. Had us going for a second.”

Another muttered something about Vi always getting away with things but still chuckling. The guard stepped aside then, satisfied now that the tension had eased.

Vi didn’t stop walking. She gently tugged Caitlyn with her, steady and calm, leading her down the hall and through the quieter back exit.

The night air hit them the moment they pushed through the door, the cool breeze sharp against their skin. They crossed the dimly lit lot, every step fast but measured until they reached the row of cars parked along the edge.

Vi led her straight to her car, the soles of her sneakers echoing softly against the pavement.

Caitlyn noticed her guard trailing behind at a respectful distance, arms crossed, eyes scanning the lot but careful not to intrude. He stopped a little ways back, giving them space.

Vi unlocked the car, slid into the driver’s seat, and dropped her keys into the cup holder.

Caitlyn climbed into the passenger side, tugging the mask down once the door shut. The inside of the car felt too quiet, the weight of everything pressing down between them.

“Vi, I’m sorry-” Caitlyn began, her voice low, trembling around the edges.

“I know,” Vi cut in. Caitlyn turned to her, startled, but Vi didn’t meet her eyes. “Just a fan service, right?” Vi’s voice was flat, tired.

She looked away, staring at the dark stretch of parking lot beyond the windshield. Her jaw worked as she muttered again, quieter this time, “Just some fucking fan service.”

Caitlyn’s chest clenched. She reached for her, but stopped halfway, unsure if Vi would pull away.

“Vi,” Caitlyn said quietly, words rushing out before the silence could grow any heavier. “I didn’t know Maddie would do that. I swear, I didn’t. It wasn’t planned.”

Her hands twisted in her lap, nails pressing into her palms. She hated this. Hated seeing Vi upset. Not that Vi was yelling or throwing things, but Caitlyn could feel the weight in her, heavy and quiet, like a storm sitting in her chest.

Caitlyn’s stomach turned.

Vi had always been the one to understand, the one to bend when things got hard. She had accepted the secrecy, the distance, the stolen hours. She had carried it all with barely a complaint.

And still, here Caitlyn was, sitting in the passenger seat of her car, making her heart heavy again.

The thought made Caitlyn mad at herself. Mad because she knew Vi deserved better than excuses, better than the endless short ends Caitlyn kept handing her. And yet, Caitlyn couldn’t undo what had already happened on that stage.

“I’m sorry,” Caitlyn whispered again, even quieter this time. “I’m sorry for being stupid-”

That made Vi turn her head. Her expression shifted, the sharpness easing as she looked at Cait.

“Hey,” she murmured, shaking her head. “Don’t say that. I know you didn’t intend for it to happen.”

Caitlyn’s eyes, glassy now, finally lifted to meet hers. The guilt was plain, sitting heavy in the way her voice caught as she muttered, “I'm really sorry.”

Vi tried to smile, but it was small and worn.

She reached across the console, taking Caitlyn’s hand and holding it gently, her thumb brushing over the back as her gaze dropped.

“I just…” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Everyone around me was cheering for you with someone else, and I...hated seeing it. I’m sorry. I was jealous.”

The words sat between them, fragile and raw, truer than anything else she could have said.

And the truth was, Vi hadn’t even wanted to admit it.

She had kept that part of herself tucked away, buried under long shifts and tired smiles, because saying it out loud felt selfish. She didn’t want Caitlyn to feel guilty for things she couldn’t control.

But that kiss with Maddie...Vi hated it.

She hated the thought of people assuming Caitlyn belonged to someone else. She hated watching strangers online link her girlfriend with somebody else like it was a game.

And what cut deeper was knowing she couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

Not without risking Caitlyn’s career, not without undoing everything Cait had worked for. That helplessness burned, sharp and unfair, and it made her chest ache more than she wanted to admit.

Vi exhaled shakily, squeezing Caitlyn’s hand once, grounding herself. “It’s okay,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry for being mad.”

Caitlyn’s throat tightened. Before she could answer, Vi leaned in, closing the space between them.

Their lips met in a slow, tired kiss.

Nothing fiery, nothing rushed. Just the kind of kiss that carried the weight of everything left unsaid, and the promise that even through all of it, they still belonged here, together.

When they pulled back, Caitlyn’s eyes shimmered. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For...being like this. For always forgiving me.”

Vi’s mouth curved into the faintest smile. “There’s nothing you could do that I wouldn’t forgive.” She brushed her thumb over Caitlyn’s hand, steady and sure.

The silence that followed wasn’t heavy anymore. It was warm, the kind that let them breathe side by side with nothing left to fight.

Then Caitlyn’s brow furrowed. She replayed Vi’s words in her head, her voice catching. “Wait… what do you mean, everyone around you was cheering?”

Vi blinked, then let out a small chuckle, low and tired.

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes. “Hey. Were you… at the concert?”

“Maybe,” Vi said, the corner of her mouth twitching.

“Vi…” Caitlyn’s voice softened, equal parts disbelief and something close to wonder.

Vi finally looked at her, a little sheepish but steady. “Yeah. I was. I took a day off… because I wanted to see you.”

Her words hung in the small space between them, quiet and certain.

Caitlyn’s shoulders softened, her chest aching with guilt and tenderness all at once. She reached across the console, her voice breaking low. “I’m sorry.”

Vi looked at her for a long moment, studying her face in the dim glow of the dashboard. Then she spoke, quiet but certain. “You know I love you, right?”

Caitlyn nodded right away. “I love you too.”

A pause stretched between them, soft but steady, before Caitlyn cleared her throat. “It’s still your day off, right? Let me make it up to you.”

Vi tilted her head, confused. “Make it up to me?”

Caitlyn’s lips curved, almost a smile. “Come out with me. Dinner. Tonight.”

Vi blinked, caught off guard, the idea almost foreign after the day they’d both had. Before she could answer, Caitlyn added, “I didn’t eat yet. We were supposed to have that buffet after the show, but…” She glanced down, then back at Vi. “I rushed here.”

For the first time that night, Vi’s lips pulled into a real smile. “Okay. As long as I get to pick the place.”

Caitlyn let out a soft chuckle, the sound easing some of the tightness between them. “Fine. Wherever you want.”

The morning light was thin when Caitlyn slipped back into the company building.

The halls were unusually quiet after weeks of constant noise, the tour finally over. Last night had been their last show, and she still felt the ache in her muscles and the fog of adrenaline that had not fully worn off.

She pushed open the door to the quarters.

The air was heavy with sleep, the soft sound of steady breathing filling the room. The other girls were still out cold, tangled in blankets, exhaustion pulling them deeper into their beds after the long run. Caitlyn moved carefully, not wanting to disturb them.

She crossed to her drawer and began packing the few things she had left there.

Folded shirts, practice clothes, a notebook, little pieces of herself she had kept tucked away during the months on the road. She stacked them neatly into her bag, zipping it closed as quietly as she could.

When she turned toward the door, she nearly walked straight into Maddie. Caitlyn froze, then tried to step past her without a word.

But Maddie’s voice cut through the stillness. “Cait.”

Caitlyn stopped, her back stiff. Slowly, she turned to face her. “What?”

"I'm sorry," Maddie’s expression was unreadable, her voice low. “About...you know.”

Caitlyn let out a breath through her nose, tired already. “Sure.” She shifted her bag higher on her shoulder, ready to leave.

But Maddie spoke again. “Was it true?”

The words lingered between them. Caitlyn’s jaw tightened. She did not answer. She did not need to. Maddie’s eyes flickered with recognition, as if silence alone was enough.

“You know it’s not allowed, right?” Maddie pressed.

Caitlyn’s gaze sharpened, her voice calm but firm. “It’s none of your concern.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away, her steps steady until the door shut behind her.

It had been a few days since the tour ended, but the building was far from quiet. Staff moved in and out with boxes of merch, stacks of albums, and lists of names clipped to their boards.

The last show was done, yet the schedule wasn’t finished.

One final event waited for them before they could truly rest: a fan sign to wrap everything up.

Caitlyn sat with the others in the practice room while makeup staff worked on them, the smell of hairspray hanging in the air.

Maddie cracked a joke about Seraphine’s habit of humming while getting her eyeliner done, and Seraphine retaliated by humming louder until even Ahri joined in with dramatic backup vocals. Kai’Sa rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched like she was fighting a smile.

Caitlyn chuckled quietly, brushing a strand of hair back as the stylist fixed her collar.

Things between her and Maddie had stayed casual since their talk in the hallway. Neither of them mentioned it again, not in front of the group. It was easier that way. No drama, no questions. Just the same playful banter they had always had when the others were watching.

“Don’t sign too fast this time,” Ahri teased, nudging Caitlyn lightly. “Last event you were ahead of all of us, and the fans were glaring at me like I was holding up the line.”

“That’s because you were,” Seraphine shot back, laughter in her voice.

Caitlyn smiled faintly, shaking her head. She kept her focus forward, calm on the outside even while her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

The fan sign was only a few minutes away from the hospital. She knew Vi was there, probably buried in another Saturday shift.

Saturdays for Vi were always full.

Rounds, patients, endless notes. Caitlyn knew she couldn’t come, and part of her was relieved. Vi didn’t belong in the middle of the noise and the cameras. But another part of her ached at the thought of being so close and still worlds apart.

Meanwhile, Vi wasn’t at the hospital at all.

She had been granted another rare day off. Something she almost never got. Being a first-year resident meant every request for leave was usually met with a shake of the head, but because she was always the one who showed up, always the one ready to cover when others couldn’t, the chief finally relented this time.

“Take it, Vi,” he had told her. “You’ve earned at least one Saturday.”

Vi hadn’t told Caitlyn, though. She was planning to sneak into the fansign that afternoon. And she wasn’t going alone. Lux was coming with her.

Vi hadn’t even realized Lux knew about her and Cait until a week ago, when Lux had squealed so loud in the quarters that two nurses down the hall came running, thinking someone had fallen. She had practically leapt onto Vi, waving her phone like a weapon.

“Excuse me?! You’re dating a goddess and you didn’t think to tell me?!” Lux had half-laughed, half-scandalized, her voice pitching so high Vi was sure the whole floor could hear. “I sit next to you every day, I share my snacks with you, and you’re out here keeping secrets like this?”

She had leaned closer then, whispering Caitlyn’s name like it was forbidden, only to squeal again and bounce in her seat. “It’s thee Caitlyn Kiramman! Oh my god, Vi!”

Vi had turned bright red, trying to shush her before the entire floor heard. Lux only grinned wider, already typing a celebratory text she promised (loudly) not to send.

Since then, she hadn’t stopped teasing. “We’re basically besties now,” she’d said more than once, only to laugh harder when Vi glared.

And now, she was dragging Vi to the fansign.

Lux had said it like it was law: “A girlfriend of thee popstar cannot just skip out on events like this. It’s criminal, Vi. Criminal.”

Vi rolled her eyes, but in the end, she agreed to come. Not because Lux demanded it, but because she was going either way. At least this way, she wouldn’t have to sneak in alone.

Her phone buzzed on the counter.

where are you?? we’re gonna be late!!!

Vi huffed a laugh through her nose, grabbed her keys, and headed down to the car. Ten minutes later, she pulled into the hospital parking lot where Lux was waiting, bouncing on the curb like she’d already had three coffees.

“Finally!” Lux said, hopping into the passenger seat with her bag slung across her chest. She barely buckled her seatbelt before she leaned over, eyes wide. “Oh my god, Vi. You look like you’re hiding from the police.”

Vi shot her a look from under the brim of her cap. The shades didn’t help. “Thanks.”

“I mean, cap, shades, and a hoodie? If anyone sees us, they’ll think you’re about to rob a gas station.” Lux snickered, pulling her phone out like she was about to take a photo.

“Don’t,” Vi warned. “And Cait doesn’t know I’m going, so keep it down.”

Lux blinked, lowering her phone. “Wait, she doesn’t?”

Vi sighed, eyes on the road. “She’d get mad. Think I’m not focusing on work.”

Lux studied her for a moment, then scoffed softly. “Pfft. You know she’d still be happy if she saw you there, right?”

Vi’s grip tightened on the wheel, her mouth twitching like she wanted to argue but couldn’t.

She had already told Lux the whole story earlier in the week. That she and Cait had been together for years now, long before Caitlyn debuted. That the company’s rules made relationships off-limits, so they had agreed to keep theirs private.

Lux had nodded, understanding, but she had also called it “sad” more than once, her voice carrying that mix of sympathy and disbelief. Vi’s answer had always been the same: we got used to it. And she meant it.

But still, Lux wasn’t wrong.

The rumors, the endless shipping, the way Caitlyn was constantly linked to someone else, it wore on her. And Lux, as if hearing her thoughts now, glanced sideways.

“But still,” she muttered. “And the fact she’s being linked to someone else? That’s brutal.” She hesitated, then looked at Vi more directly. “Actually…I think I owe you an apology too. I didn’t know you guys were together when I was freaking out about the…you know. The kiss.”

Vi chuckled under her breath, shaking her head. “It’s fine.”

Lux burst into laughter, sudden and bright.

Vi glanced at her, brow raised. “What?”

“Nothing,” Lux said quickly, grinning. “I just realized… you and Cait are the real tall-short couple. Not her and Maddie.”

Vi glared at her, “I’m not short. I’m literally taller than you.”

Lux scoffed, leaning back in her seat with a smirk. “Yeah, but Cait’s still taller than you. Which makes you the short one.”

Vi muttered something under her breath, earning another laugh from Lux that filled the car until Vi couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her own lips.

When they finally pulled into the venue, the place was already packed.

Lines snaked around the block, fans buzzing with energy, waving light sticks and clutching albums like treasure. Some had missed the last show and were making up for it here, their excitement spilling over in chants and chatter that echoed even outside the doors.

Lux whistled low as she stepped out of the car. “Wow. Look at this. We’ll be here forever. Or…” She grinned sideways at Vi. “We could just tell security you’re Cait’s girlfriend. I bet they’d let us skip the line.”

Vi chuckled, shaking her head. “Yeah, right. That’d go very well.”

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a message from Mylo and Claggor.

make sure to get an actual signature for our cds. all the girls. dont be just a creep in the corner!

Vi sighed, smiling faintly at the text. Typical.

She nudged Lux with her elbow. “Do me a favor? When you get up there, hand them this.” She pulled the CD case from her bag, the one Mylo had shoved into her hands that morning. “It’s for Mylo and Claggor. They’ll never let me live it down if I don’t get it signed for them.”

Lux eyed her curiously. “You’re not going up?”

Vi shook her head. “No. I’ll stay at the back. Cait can’t know I’m here, remember?”

Lux shrugged, slipping the CD into her tote. “Fine, but I’m telling Cait you’re not here because you chickened out.”

Vi rolled her eyes, but her lips curved again, small and helpless.

The line inside moved in steady waves.

Fans shuffled forward with albums and posters, excitement buzzing as staff directed them toward the long table where the girls sat. Ahri flashed her trademark smile at every person, Seraphine chatted and laughed with fans, Kai’Sa offered calm thank-yous, Maddie waved at the louder ones in the crowd.

By the time Lux got to the front, her hands were full. Her own album, plus the extra CD case Vi had given her. She placed them down in front of Caitlyn, who looked up with her usual polite smile, pen ready.

Then her expression shifted. Recognition flickered in her eyes.

“Lux?” Caitlyn said, keeping her voice low, careful not to make it obvious.

Lux grinned, trying not to look too pleased. “Yep. First time getting my merch signed. Kind of surreal, honestly.” She leaned closer as Caitlyn signed the cover. “I didn’t even know the way, I was about to take an Uber, but thank god Vi had a car—”

Caitlyn froze mid-stroke, her pen hovering. Her head lifted slightly. “Wait…Vi?”

Lux blinked, realizing too late what she’d said. “Oh, crap. Sorry.” She lowered her voice even more, glancing over her shoulder. “She’s… actually over there at the back—”

Caitlyn’s head started to turn, but Lux waved frantically.

“No, don’t look yet! Vi will kill me if she knew I told you she’s here. She said you’d get mad at her for missing work. But it’s her day off, I swear.”

Caitlyn’s heart thudded, her smile faltering for a beat before she forced it back for the next fan in line. She smoothed her expression, but her mind spun.

Vi was sneaking in again. Just like at the concert.

How many times had she done this without Cait ever knowing? The thought tugged at her chest, equal parts warmth and guilt. Vi had always been her biggest supporter, even in the shadows, but the secrecy left Cait uneasy.

She wondered how often Vi had stood hidden in the back, watching her perform, and how many times she hadn’t even noticed. A pang of guilt hit her harder than she expected. They had kept so many secrets to protect each other, but at what cost?

Cait forced herself to sign another album, sliding it back with a smile. Still, the thought wouldn’t leave her: she only hoped Vi wasn’t risking her work for this.

She knew how much Vi loved being a doctor, how hard she had fought to get here. Cait couldn’t bear the idea of Vi throwing any of it away, especially for her.

Cait leaned slightly toward Lux as she slid the signed album back. Her voice stayed soft, careful.

“Give this to her, will you? Tell Vi to meet me backstage after. I’ll make sure it’s clear.” She reached into the side drawer under the table and pulled out a slim laminated pass, tucking it discreetly under Lux’s CD.

Lux’s eyes lit up as she slipped it into her bag. “Oh my god, I feel like a secret agent.”

Cait chuckled despite herself, a quiet, real laugh that softened her expression for a moment. “Just don’t blow your cover.”

Lux grinned, gave her an exaggerated salute, and moved on to Seraphine, who greeted her with a cheerful wave and a question about her favorite track.

As Lux shuffled along, Cait couldn’t resist sneaking a glance past the crowd, toward the back where Lux had gestured earlier.

It didn’t take her long. She spotted the familiar jacket first, then the hood pulled up, the shades tugged low. Even disguised, she’d have known Vi anywhere.

Something in her chest eased.

Vi looked out of place among the bright banners and neon signs, but to Cait, she fit perfectly. Charismatic, even, in her own quiet way. Cait’s lips curved into a smile before she caught herself, pulling her eyes back down to the table just as the next fan sat in front of her with a nervous grin and a poster to sign.

The event rolled on, loud and busy.

When it finally ended, staff began clearing the stage, voices rising as they coordinated boxes of albums and packed-up microphones. Everyone was distracted, busy in the main hall. Backstage, the corridors emptied, quiet and dim.

And that was where Caitlyn saw her.

Vi was leaning against the wall, hood still up, arms folded like she’d been standing there a while. She looked up as Cait approached, and even in the low light, Cait caught the familiar flicker in her eyes. The one that always made the rest of the world fall away.

Vi pushed off the wall and met her halfway, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was around. Before she could say anything, Caitlyn slipped her arms around her, pulling her close in a tight hug.

Cait chuckled into Vi’s shoulder, the sound muffled but warm. “Did you really think I wouldn’t catch you sneaking around?”

When they pulled apart just enough to look at each other, Vi raised a brow. “Lux told you, didn’t she?”

Cait smirked, eyes soft. “Yeah. She slipped.”

Vi huffed a laugh, shaking her head. “Figures.”

Cait’s hand lingered against hers, thumb brushing gently. “She said it’s your day off. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Vi shrugged, her smile faint but steady. “I knew you had an event. Figured I might as well see you here. And…I knew you’d feel bad about not being able to spend the day with me because of your schedule, so.”

Cait’s chest tightened, guilt and love tangling together. “I’m sorry.”

Vi sighed, smiling as she squeezed Cait’s hand. “You keep on saying that. It’s nothing. Don’t worry.”

Caitlyn searched her face for a moment, then leaned in. Vi didn’t hesitate. Their lips met, soft at first, then deeper, the week of distance folding between them in one lingering kiss. Vi’s hand slid to Cait’s jaw, and Cait pressed closer, letting herself get lost in the warmth of it.

When they finally pulled back, breath uneven, Cait laughed quietly. “That felt like doing something illegal.”

Vi smirked, brushing her thumb along Cait’s cheek. “Well…we kinda really are.”

That made Cait laugh again, and this time, Vi kissed her once more, quick and sure, like punctuation on a secret only they got to share.

Caitlyn lingered for a second longer, her forehead resting lightly against Vi’s. Then she exhaled and pulled back, reluctant. “I should get back. They’ll be looking for me soon.”

Vi nodded, adjusting the hood of her jacket. “Yeah. Go. I’ll head out after, don’t worry.”

Cait squeezed her hand one last time before letting go. “I’ll text you later, after we wrap up.”

“Alright,” Vi said softly, her smile small but steady. "I love you."

"I love you too," Caitlyn said as she gave her one more look, half longing, half reassurance, before slipping away down the hallway, her footsteps light as she disappeared into the noise of staff and chatter on the other side.

The smell of fries and fried chicken clung to the air in Vi’s car, the paper bags crinkled open between her and Lux. They had parked in the corner of a fast-food lot, headlights dimmed, the buzz of the city dulled to a low hum outside the windows.

Lux was halfway through a burger, still talking a mile a minute. “And oh my god, did you see Kai’Sa’s hair up close? She’s even prettier in person, like…criminally pretty. No wonder half the fan chants were just her name. And Sera? Don’t even get me started, her skin is flawless, Vi, flawless.”

Vi only hummed, chewing on a fry, her hood still pulled up.

Lux was scrolling her phone when she suddenly froze, her eyes going wide. “Oh my god, Vi-”

Vi held up a finger, her own phone buzzing in the cupholder. “Hang on,” She picked it up without looking. “What?”

Jinx’s voice exploded through the speaker before the video even loaded. “VI, YOU DIDN’T TELL ME YOU’RE FAMOUS!”

The camera steadied just long enough to show Jinx grinning like a maniac, her hair a mess, goggles pushed up onto her forehead. She shoved the phone closer to her face.

“You’re all over the news! Well, not the news news, but your stupid face is everywhere online!”

Vi blinked, stunned. “What the hell are you talking about—”

“Don’t play dumb, look!” Jinx spun her iPad around, and though the video was shaky, Vi caught enough to see it: a grainy clip, but zoomed in so clear it twisted her stomach.

She and Caitlyn. Backstage. Kissing.

Her chest went tight.

Lux, still wide-eyed beside her, turned her own screen around to show Vi the same video now trending on Instagram and Twitter. The caption was plastered with hashtags:

#MaddilynWho

#CaitlynKirammanGirlfriend

#TallShortCouple

From the angle, it looked like it had been filmed from the restroom corridor or maybe a far balcony, but the zoom quality was brutal. It caught enough of Vi’s face to leave no doubt.

The reactions were already spiraling out of control.

Some fans were furious, accusing Caitlyn of being a liar for keeping a relationship secret.

Others flooded the hashtags with claims they felt “betrayed,” as if her career had been built on pretending to be available.

A few of the more delusional posts even called Caitlyn a cheater, twisting her ship with Maddie into something it had never been.

The notifications were endless.

Tweets, comments, threads dissecting every frame of the video, every old picture, every moment they could drag into the narrative.

Vi stared at the screen, her grip tightening around her phone. “Shit.”

Lux whispered beside her, almost too quiet. “Vi…they know.”

On the tablet, Jinx was still cackling, saying something about how Vi was “basically a celebrity now,” but the noise blurred into static in Vi’s head. She barely registered when Jinx’s face disappeared and the call ended.

Almost instantly, her phone buzzed again. Then again. And again.

Claggor.
Mylo.

She opened one out of instinct, and her stomach dropped. It was a screenshot from Twitter. Hundreds of replies stacked under a clip of the kiss. Fans arguing in all caps.

Others turned it crueler, dragging Vi into it by name now that people had already figured out who she was.

who even is this girl?? she looks boring af
she’s not even famous. caitlyn deserves better
bring back #maddilyn. maddie >>> random nobody
she ruined the group’s image

Another message buzzed in. This time from Mylo. It was just: holy shit, Vi. are you okay? followed by another screenshot of a trending tag already climbing the feed. #WhoIsThisNobody right under Caitlyn’s name.

Vi scrolled too fast, her chest burning as the words blurred together. Nobody. Nobody. Nobody. Like they all agreed she had no right to stand next to Cait at all.

The rehearsal room was quiet except for the low hum of the AC and the buzz of phones lighting up one after another.

Caitlyn sat stiff in her chair, her phone resting in her hands. The video. The hashtags. The comments. Her chest ached.

Across from her, Ahri finally broke the silence. “So it’s true?” Her voice was careful, not accusing, just searching. “The girl in the video… that’s really...”

“Vi,” Caitlyn said, cutting in before Ahri could finish. Her voice was steady, though her hands felt cold. “Yes...my girlfriend.”

Seraphine blinked at her, wide-eyed. “And you’ve been together… how long?”

Caitlyn hesitated, then exhaled. “Since high school.”

Kai’Sa straightened from where she leaned against the wall, her usual composure cracked by surprise. “Since high school?” she repeated, low.

“Holy shit,” Ahri muttered under her breath.

“That must have been awful,” Seraphine added softly, fiddling with her sleeve. “Hiding it this whole time.”

Caitlyn didn’t answer right away. Her throat tightened, but she forced a small nod.

Maddie stayed silent in the corner, her expression unreadable, though Caitlyn knew she didn’t look surprised. Maddie had known for a while, though it had never been spoken out loud in a room like this.

The weight of it pressed down on all of them, filling the silence until the door slammed open.

Then their manager stormed in, phone clutched so tightly the veins on his hand stood out. “Do you have any idea what kind of mess this is?!” His voice cut through the silence like glass shattering.

No one answered.

Ahri’s smile was gone, her lips pressed into a thin line. Seraphine kept fiddling with her sleeve, glancing at Caitlyn every few seconds. Kai’Sa leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her usual calm now edged with unease. Even Maddie was quiet, her jaw set tight.

None of them said a word. But their eyes gave them away. Worry for Cait. Not judgment. Just worry.

“Out. All of you,” the manager snapped, pointing at the door. “Now.”

The girls exchanged glances, but none of them argued. One by one, they slipped out, until the door closed and left Caitlyn alone with him.

The manager slammed his phone down on the table.

“You’ve completely ruined the image we’ve built. Do you know how many fans are furious over this? Do you know how many calls I’ve gotten in the last hour? This-” He jabbed a finger at the screen. “-is a disaster.”

Caitlyn sat forward, meeting his glare head-on. “So what?”

He blinked, caught off guard. “What did you just say?”

“So what?” Her voice was steady, sharper than she intended. “We’ve been together long before I even debuted. And you know I’ve never slacked off, not once. Every rehearsal, every tour, every fan sign, I show up, I give it everything. So tell me what difference it makes that I have someone I love waiting for me when it’s done.”

The manager’s mouth opened, but Caitlyn didn’t let him speak.

“And don’t tell me this is about fan service,” she pressed, her tone rising. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked. The smiles, the hand-holding, the ships you wanted us to play into. But this?” She gestured toward the phone. “This is my real life. This is mine. And I’m not apologizing for it.”

The room went still. Her chest heaved, but her eyes didn’t leave his.

Her manager stared at her for a long moment, his jaw tight. Then he dragged a hand over his face and let out a sharp sigh.

“Do you even understand what kind of storm you’ve started?” His voice had lost its edge but not its weight. “When idols get exposed like this, it’s not just about you. It’s about ticket sales, merch, contracts, sponsors. It’s about how the public sees the group.”

Caitlyn’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t back down.

“Fans don’t like being reminded their idols have lives outside of what they see. They want the fantasy, Cait. They want the ships. That’s why agencies-” He broke off, his frustration clear as he shook his head. “This is why relationships are not allowed, why we keep everything clean. Because the moment something like this leaks, it turns into chaos.”

He gestured at his phone, still buzzing with notifications.

“If you weren’t the leader of this group, do you know what would’ve happened already? You’d be pulled out. Maybe even cut loose entirely. No agency wants a scandal dragging their name through the dirt.”

The words hit sharp, even if Caitlyn didn’t flinch.

He leaned forward, his voice lower but no less firm. “You being the face of this group is the only reason I’m even here talking to you instead of drafting a termination notice.”

The words sat heavy in the air. Caitlyn’s jaw tightened, her fingers curling into fists in her lap, but she didn’t speak.

The manager exhaled through his nose, his tone clipped.

“For now, we’re going into damage control. Deactivate your socials. Have your girlfriend do the same. Tonight. If people can’t dig up either of your lives, they’ll move on faster. And don’t let her show up in public. Not even in grocery stores. Not anywhere.”

Caitlyn’s head snapped up, disbelief flashing in her eyes.

“Lay low? We’ve been laying low for years. That’s all we’ve done. And now you’re saying she can’t even step outside? She works, too, not just me. She has her own life, her own career. You can’t expect her to-”

“You know what you signed up for,” the manager cut in sharply. His gaze was steady, his tone final. “You’re the leader of this group. And that means every part of your life, every relationship, every mistake, bleeds onto them too.”

Caitlyn’s lips parted, but the weight of his words stuck in her throat.

The manager checked his watch and stood, sliding his phone into his pocket. “I’ll speak to the agency tonight. We’ll release a statement in the morning.” He reached the door, then paused, his hand resting on the knob. “And Caitlyn?”

Her eyes flicked up.

“Talk to her. I want her here next time I see you.”

Caitlyn blinked. “What?”

The manager’s expression was flat, businesslike. “If you want to continue this relationship, the company needs to set boundaries. Otherwise,” his hand tightened around the knob, “you’ll have to leave the group.”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Caitlyn frozen, the words echoing louder than the silence he left behind.

Vi pulled into the hospital parking lot, her stomach sinking the moment she saw them.

News vans. Cameramen. A cluster of reporters braced against the sidewalk railings, long lenses pointed toward the entrance like rifles. Some shouted questions the second they spotted her, flashes strobing through the night.

“Doctor Vi! Are you Caitlyn’s girlfriend?”
“Is it true you’re together?”
“Can you get me an autograph?”

Vi ducked her head, tightening her hood as she pushed forward. Lux was right at her side, trying to wedge herself between Vi and the chaos.

“Keep walking,” she muttered, looping her arm through Vi’s. “Don’t look at them. Just walk.”

Inside wasn’t much calmer.

The moment Vi stepped through the sliding doors, she felt the eyes. Nurses at the desk looked up mid-shift, interns whispering as they pretended to fill out charts. A couple of senior residents glanced her way, eyebrows raised, clearly waiting for an explanation.

“Vi,” one of them called carefully, “what’s going on? Is it true?”

Lux moved faster, brushing shoulders with people, cutting them off before they could crowd Vi.

“She’s got rounds to check. Not story time.” She shot a pointed look at one of the gossiping interns. “Don’t you all have charts to finish?”

That earned her a few chuckles, but the air didn’t ease. Even as they walked down the hall, Vi caught snatches of it. Her name in hushed voices, Caitlyn’s face on someone’s phone screen, a comment like “no way, Vi? That’s insane” followed by “lucky as hell, though.”

Vi said nothing. Her face was unreadable, jaw tight, while inside her stomach was twisting into knots.

She wasn’t scared for herself, not really.

She could handle whispers in the hall, she could take the pointed looks and the reporters shouting her name like they had any right to it. What ate at her, what made every step heavier, was Caitlyn.

Caitlyn, who had spent years working harder than anyone Vi had ever known. Caitlyn, who smiled even when her body ached, who carried the weight of an entire group on her shoulders because she believed in them.

And now, because of one kiss, the internet had turned her into a liar, a cheat, a scandal.

Vi’s chest ached at the thought.

She knew how much Caitlyn hated being linked to anyone else, how hard she worked to keep their relationship private so Vi wouldn’t have to deal with exactly this.

And now here it was, Caitlyn dragged under the spotlight, her name trending in all the worst ways, her bandmates caught in the crossfire.

And the fans, the so-called supporters, turning on Caitlyn so fast? That cut deep. To Vi, it was stupid, childish, the kind of obsession that had nothing to do with love.

Real love meant being proud, wanting happiness for the person you cared about most. What these people were doing, it wasn’t love at all. It was possession, and it made her sick.

Lux’s hand was still looped around her arm, steering her through the corridor as more nurses tried to peek, pretending not to.

Vi barely registered them.

Her mind was already on Caitlyn how she is, if she was alone in her room with her manager breathing down her neck, if she was blaming herself for all of this.

Vi hated that she couldn’t be there.

Hated that the one person she loved more than anything was out there being ripped apart while she was trapped here in the same halls she’d walked a hundred times.

She clenched her jaw tighter, her silence not indifference but restraint. Because if she opened her mouth now, she wasn’t sure what would come out. Anger, hurt, or the desperate need to just see Caitlyn and tell her that none of this mattered.

That no matter what the world screamed, Caitlyn was hers.

And if the world had a problem with it, then the world could burn for all she cared.

The night after the expose, when the chaos online had only gotten louder, Caitlyn slipped away from the dorms and met Vi in the quiet of her car parked a few blocks from the company building.

Caitlyn told her everything.

What her manager had said, the rules laid down like chains, the threat that hung if they crossed the line. Vi listened, her hand steady over Caitlyn’s, squeezing it gently.

“Look,” Vi said softly, eyes fixed on her. “I know this is hard, but maybe-”

“I don’t wanna choose,” Caitlyn cut in, her voice firm, leaving no room for doubt. “I’m not leaving the group. But I’m most certainly not leaving you either.”

Vi blinked, then let out a quiet laugh, her shoulders easing. She nodded once and leaned in, kissing her slow and certain, a promise pressed into the space between them.

When she pulled back, Caitlyn whispered, “We can make this work. As always.”

Vi smiled, her forehead resting against Caitlyn’s. “Yeah. As always.”

For a moment, the noise of the world faded, and it was just them. Still holding on, still choosing each other.

The days that followed blurred into something strange, a mix of quiet defiance and unspoken fear.

Caitlyn and Vi made a choice early on to not look. Not at the headlines, not at the hashtags, not at the endless comments dissecting them. They muted their phones, turned off notifications, and decided the world would scream whether they listened or not.

For Vi, that meant stepping away from the hospital.

Her seniors understood more than she expected. They had seen the cameras outside, the way whispers followed her down the hall.

With a reluctant sigh, her chief told her to take the week off. “Sort it out,” he said simply. “But when you come back, you’ll need to make up for it.”

Double shifts, back-to-back nights, whatever needed covering. Vi had nodded without hesitation.

It was worth it.

For once, she could give Caitlyn her full attention, no pagers, no white walls dragging her away.

The week itself was stolen time.

They hid in quiet places. A hotel, sometimes Caitlyn’s family home when it was safe, sometimes just the car parked under dim streetlights.

They ate takeout straight from the bag, slept tangled in sheets that smelled faintly of disinfectant and perfume, and let themselves forget, just for a while, that the world outside was waiting with teeth bared.

But they both knew it couldn’t last.

The company had been pressing Caitlyn for days, her manager’s voice harder each time they called.

Finally, a meeting was set.

And so, the following week, Vi found herself in a place she never thought she’d be. She was sitting in a glass-walled office at Caitlyn’s company headquarters, the hum of air conditioning loud in the silence.

Caitlyn sat beside her, posture straight, hair pulled back neatly, every bit the idol she had trained herself to be. But under the table, her hand found Vi’s, warm and steady, their fingers lacing together.

Across from them sat the manager, his phone face down on the desk, his expression unreadable.

Papers were stacked in neat piles, and a laptop glowed faintly with what looked like emails piling up by the minute. He leaned back in his chair and looked at them both like he was already exhausted.

“Let me be clear,” the manager began, his tone clipped. “What happened was not ideal. The kiss is out there. The internet has seen it. We cannot erase it. What we can do now is control what happens next.”

Vi stayed quiet, her jaw tight. Caitlyn gave her hand a squeeze under the table, grounding her, before speaking. “So…what happens next?”

The manager leaned forward, folding his hands.

“The agency has discussed it. We can’t pretend this didn’t happen. The fans are already dissecting everything. So here’s what we’ll do. You can continue this relationship, but it needs to be framed in a way that doesn’t hurt the group. That means, Vi…” His gaze shifted to her, measured and firm. “You need to play a role.”

Vi’s brows furrowed, but she didn’t interrupt.

“You don’t have to be on stage, you don’t have to give interviews,” he continued. “But when people look at you now, they’re going to see Caitlyn’s girlfriend. That’s the image. Which means if you’re going to post something, it needs to be neutral, clean, supportive. No opinions that can be twisted, no statements that can reflect badly on her or the group. You don’t need to love the spotlight, but you cannot risk becoming a liability.”

His tone sharpened. “If the fans are going to accept this, you need to be someone they can like. At the very least, someone they cannot hate. Your role is to support Caitlyn, and to make sure nothing you do feeds negativity.”

Caitlyn’s stomach twisted.

She knew Vi. She knew how much Vi hated attention, how the thought of being watched or dissected made her skin crawl. The idea of Vi being forced into this…it was almost unbearable.

Cait glanced at her, hoping to catch her eye, but Vi was already looking back at her. And then Vi squeezed her hand. Just once, firm and steady.

Vi turned back to the manager, her expression unreadable. “Okay,” she said quietly.

The word was simple, but Caitlyn felt the weight of it. Vi didn’t say it because she wanted to. She said it because it was for Caitlyn.

Inside, Vi thought only one thing.

If this is what it takes, I can handle it.

It’s for her. It’s always been.

The days after the meeting ended, the fandom exploded.

At first, it was pure chaos. Hashtags climbing trends, threads dissecting every detail of Vi’s life, fan edits of the leaked kiss looped to dramatic music.

Some fans stayed furious, others cried betrayal, but little by little, the conversation shifted. Curiosity grew louder.

Who was Vi?

What was she like?

Could she be trusted with their idol?

That was when the agency stepped in, releasing a statement. It was careful, vague enough not to corner anyone, but clear enough to steady the fire. The girls, it said, were adults capable of making their own choices. And that their commitment to their careers would not be affected.

Vi also reactivated her account.

This time not the empty shell it had always been, but something the public could actually see. Her first post was simple. A picture of herself, nothing fancy, just her face. In which she also used as her profile photo.

Getting that photo, however, had been a whole ordeal.

“You seriously don’t have any pictures of yourself?” Claggor groaned, phone dangling in his hand.

“I’m not exactly into selfies,” Vi muttered. She sat stiff in the chair while Mylo adjusted the light from the lamp like he was running a photo shoot.

“This is tragic,” Mylo said flatly. “If you ever go missing, the only photo the cops would have to use is that one from kindergarten. The one with your hair sticking out like a chicken.”

Claggor snorted. “Oh my god, that picture. Vi, they’d never find you. They’d be out there looking for a lost five-year-old.”

“Shut up,” Vi grumbled, but the corner of her mouth twitched despite herself.

After half an hour of different angles, awkward smiles, and Mylo complaining that she looked like she was posing for a mugshot, they finally got a decent shot.

Vi sat in a plain white polo, her hair brushed back just enough to look tidy. Her eyes were steady, calm, and there was the faintest smirk tugging at her mouth. As if she already knew how ridiculous this whole thing was.

“That’s the one,” Claggor said, triumphant, shoving the phone in her face.

Vi uploaded it with a caption that had taken her all morning to write. Something short.

I’m Vi.

Mylo stared at the screen, baffled. “That’s it? You spent hours just to type I’m Vi? You could’ve googled some cool quote or something.”

Vi shrugged, leaning back. “Who cares? They’ve already scrubbed my entire life online anyway.”

Claggor snorted, shaking his head. “She’s got a point.”

But when she finally hit post, it was like her phone exploded. Notifications stacked faster than she could clear them.

Follows, likes, comments. Her screen wouldn’t stop buzzing. By the end of that single day, Vi’s follower count had already jumped past eight hundred thousand.

The next morning, Lux nearly lost her mind when she checked the numbers. “This is crazy! Do you know how long it takes normal people to get these many followers? You’re breaking the internet, Vi!”

Vi only muttered something about not caring, but her ears turned red when Lux shoved her phone in her face.

The comments on the post were a flood. Some bitter, some defensive, but more and more fans were starting to flip.

“Lowkey… I get it now. This one's hot. kkkk

“I understand you, Caitlyn 🤤”

“She’s kinda mmmm daddy?? wtf.”

“I was mad but now I’m just…gay”

Lux cackled as she scrolled. “Oh my god. They’re simping for you already. The fans are insane.”

Vi only shook her head, too drained to do more than smirk. She tossed her phone back into her pocket, the buzz of notifications still going strong, and pushed herself toward the exit.

By the time she stepped through the sliding hospital doors, the noise of the ward was replaced by the cool night air. The weight of her shift clung heavy on her shoulders, every muscle aching for rest. That was when she saw it—the black van parked across the street, its tinted windows impossible to miss.

But before she could even cross, it happened.

Fans. Out of nowhere, like they had spawned from thin air, phones already raised. Caitlyn’s security stepped in fast, creating a line, guiding Vi toward the van.

“Is that her?!” someone shouted.
“Oh my god, it’s them!”
“Take a picture! Quick!”

The flashes hit Vi’s eyes as she ducked her head, following the guard’s direction.

By the time she climbed inside the van and the door slammed shut behind her, her phone was already buzzing. A picture, her and Caitlyn together in the van, windows dark but just clear enough for the outline of their faces, was already online.

Vi let out a stunned laugh, shaking her head. “That’s insane. I just stepped out of work.”

Across from her, Caitlyn gave a knowing smile, though her eyes were tired. “Welcome to my life. I can’t even get a snack at 7-Eleven without someone spotting me.” She leaned back, rolling her shoulders.

Cait then added, "The only reason we can eat out near the company building is because the entire block’s practically locked down. Other company buildings, security everywhere. It’s like our own little bubble.”

Vi stared, the reality of it sinking in deeper now.

She knew Caitlyn’s life was loud and public, but living it, even for a second, felt different. Suffocating, in a way. And yet Caitlyn just shrugged, almost casually, like she had already learned to live with it.

Cait's fingers brushed Vi’s hand before slipping between them, warm and certain. “Hey,” she murmured, her smile small but real. “Don’t look so serious.”

Vi huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head. “Easy for you to say.”

Cait leaned in and stole a quick kiss, light but grounding, pulling back just enough for her eyes to catch Vi’s. “Better?”

“Maybe,” Vi muttered, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.

“Good,” Caitlyn said, squeezing her hand once. “Because we’re going to dinner.”

Vi raised an eyebrow. “You even have time for that? I saw in our calendar that you girls have a meeting or something.”

“Well, yeah. But…” Cait’s grin widened, a hint of nerves tucked in it, “You're actually involved. It's a surprise.”

Vi tilted her head, skeptical. “Do I even want to know?”

“You’ll like it.” Caitlyn’s confidence was playful but steady.

A short drive later, they stepped into a 5-star Japanese restaurant, the kind designed for private guests. The soft lighting and sliding doors kept the world out, and for the first time all day, Vi felt like she could breathe.

But the surprise wasn’t the restaurant.

When Caitlyn led her to one of the private rooms, Vi froze in the doorway. Ahri, Seraphine, Kai’Sa, and Maddie were already seated around the table, casual in their hoodies and caps, chopsticks in hand. All of them looked up at once.

Vi blinked, caught off guard. “You didn’t.”

Caitlyn’s hand tightened around hers, steady. “I definitely did.”

For Caitlyn, this was a moment she had dreamt of for so long.

To sit here without glancing over her shoulder, to intertwine her fingers with Vi’s without the fear of someone snapping a photo, to finally be able to show the people closest to her how proud she was of the woman she loved.

Vi leaned in, murmuring low. “I just finished my shift. I didn’t even get to change out of this polo. You should've told me.”

Caitlyn chuckled softly, eyes warm. “You look amazing. Stop worrying.”

Before Vi could answer, Ahri let out a little laugh. “So this is her? Finally!” She reached across the table as if she had been waiting forever to say hello.

Seraphine chimed in right after, waving brightly. “We’ve heard so much about you!”

Kai’Sa gave a quiet nod paired with a small smile, but her eyes were sharp with interest.

Then there was Maddie. She shifted in her seat, her greeting slower, softer than the rest. “Hey,” she said, almost cautious.

Vi didn’t let the awkwardness linger. She gave Maddie a small smile and dipped her head politely. “Hi. Nice to meet you properly.”

The room hummed with warmth, a little laughter breaking the last edges of tension, and Caitlyn’s hand stayed firmly twined with Vi’s under the table. Plates were passed around, chopsticks clinking, and before long, small bottles of soju were set down by the staff.

Caitlyn poured a shot, her movements graceful even with a little flush from the heat of the room. She slid the glass toward Vi, her smile playful. “Come on, I know you don’t have a shift tomorrow.”

Vi blinked at her, surprised. “You checked?”

“I always do,” Cait replied, her voice teasing, but her eyes soft and steady.

Vi held her gaze for a moment, seeing the happiness shining there, unguarded in a way she so rarely got to see. It was written in every small curve of Caitlyn’s lips, in the way her eyes lit up while looking at her.

And Cait, in turn, thought Vi had never looked more perfect. Sitting here in her plain polo after a long shift, hair a little messy, yet more real than anyone else in the room.

This was what Caitlyn had wanted for so long. To be with her without worries, surrounded by the girls, laughter filling the air.

By the time the bottles were half-empty, Seraphine was giggling into her sleeve, cheeks flushed pink. She leaned across the table, pointing at Caitlyn with a playful grin.

“I still can’t believe your secret for years got exposed because you, Caitlyn...” she paused for dramatic effect, “can’t keep your mouth to yourself.”

The table erupted in laughter. Even Kai’Sa cracked a rare grin, and Ahri nearly spilled her drink.

Caitlyn, tipsy now, only chuckled and lifted her glass. “Well,” she said, her words slurring slightly but her voice strong, “I have no regrets.”

Everyone laughed again, Vi shaking her head, cheeks warm.

Cait set her glass down and leaned back, her gaze finding Vi’s across the table. Her smile softened into something more, tipsy yet full of love.

“It was hard,” she said quietly, but loud enough that the table hushed. “But it was worth it.”

The girls groaned and teased at how cheesy she sounded, but Cait never looked away from Vi, who felt her heart tug so hard it almost hurt.

Later, when the night was winding down and the table was cluttered with empty dishes and bottles, Caitlyn reached for her phone. She leaned in, pressing a quick, playful kiss to Vi’s cheek, and snapped the photo before Vi could even react.

The picture caught them perfectly.

Vi’s startled smile, Caitlyn’s lips against her cheek, the warmth between them impossible to miss.

Caitlyn looked at the photo for a moment, her chest swelling with something certain and proud. Then she hit post. This time she didn’t hesitate. Not to show Vi to the world, but to show Vi as her world. Her caption was short, playful, but clear.

With the love of my life tonight. Too bad, the secret’s out.