Work Text:
The screams were deafening as she finished the last of her moves. In unison, they struck a pose, each one with their own ending fairy. ILLIT. The magical girls of K-pop. The leading 5th gen girl group, dare she think, k-pop girl group. They were going toe to toe with 3rd and 4th groups. Five years into their career, they were the most streamed girl group yearly, a record they held for the past two years. Just short of BTS, they had the most monthly listeners and the highest peak of YouTube audience in the whole of K-pop, and dare she think again, globally.
Lee Wonhee was born for this. Yes, she hadn’t planned on becoming a kpop idol but alas, fate had other plans. She had been scouted on a train in her hometown Busan. She joined the survival program, runext, finishing as the number one contestant. It wasn’t easy, she only had two months of training before joining the show. The hate was intense, something she couldn’t handle easily at first. But as time went by, she got used to it. It eventually became a motto: “Haters gonna hate, bitches will stay mad.” She never voiced it out loud but she lived it.
And now, as they screamed ILLIT’s name, her name, yes, this was it. This was the life. After countless practices, pushing herself to the limits, this was the reward of everything she had done. The fan chants, the album sales, the streams, the awards, the 5th gen IT girl title and heck yeah, even the edits and fanfiction, it was all worth it. Call her iconic by mistake but she was really that girl.
The lights dimmed, signalling the end of their performance. The five girls headed to the stairs, getting off the stage. “Good job. You guys totally aced it,” the cameraman nodded his head at them. They headed back to their dressing room, discussing the performance. “Your footwork was too good unnie,” Iroha gushed as she walked beside her. “That’s only because I have the best teacher,” Wonhee grinned at her. Iroha returned the action, albeit more smugly. “How long until the last performance?” Yunah asked with a tired sigh. “I’d say about two hours. We can relax and then come back for the group photos and goodbyes,” Minju replied.
“Good coz I need to crash,” the oldest member spoke, stifling a yawn.
After eating and having power naps, the girls finally made their way back to the stages for the final group photos. There were a lot of groups, some of them new, others veterans like herself. After posing for the photos, they began walking towards the exits, waving at their fans. It was Wonhee’s favourite part of the music festivals, interacting with their fans. The GLLIT bong wasn’t hard to spot given its diverse colours and she made it her job to look for Gllits in the crowds. She waved and smiled until her face hurt. But it was all worth it. The fans made everything a lot better. She turned to Iroha, giving her a look that spoke volumes. It shouted ‘we did it!’. Iroha mirrored her expression, she looked so adorable. She turned to face forward, wanting to look for more fans-
-only to crash into a set of glossy lips.
She took a staggered step backwards, bumping into Iroha. She was feeling a whirlwind of emotions. Everything seemed to silence all at once. She could hear the shocked gasps of everyone but her mind was miles away. In front of her, Keonho stood, just as shocked. Something flashed in front of her eyes.
Wonhee saw her career flashing before her eyes.
Pannchoa
Posted 3hrs ago by Kim Seun
Disaster or Dream Come True???
Many groups delivered breath-taking performances at today’s SBS Gayo Daejeon, setting the mood for the music festivals. Meovv in particular, captured the fans attention with the choreography for their latest release, Whiskers, a perfect reflection of their concept as “felines.”
Following the end of the performances, as the idols were leaving, a spectacular moment was shared between Keonho of CORTIS and Wonhee of ILLIT, with fans calling it the highlight of the year. The two idols, seemingly distracted given by the videos posted by the fans, turned to face each other at the same time and colliding instantly resulting in a typical kdrama kiss. Their reactions were priceless and fans are going wild with conspiracy theories.
Since their rookies years, fans have praised the two groups for their natural chemistry, being the respective leaders of their generation. Was this simply an accident or can we expect more ‘mistakes’ from the two idols?
125 comments. 1048 likes.
corllitholiccc: oh my fucking gawd
keonmommy: eww get her away from him
cortisanna: it’s obviously that she intentionally bumped into him
midfikshon: i feel so bad for our guinea pig
its_me_kudzaijm: their reactions are too cute!
wonheehee: our little guinea
juhooneee: she’s such a bitch
its_cortis: she should kill herself
enha_is_6: okay I’m sat
meovvri: didn’t keonho used to have a crush on her??
cutie_ahnkeonho: #cancelwonheebitch #illitdisband #freekeonho
A week had passed since that day.
The internet was still ruthless. Wonhee didn’t need a phone to know that she was being called names. She saw it on everyone’s face, the guilty looks her members gave her. Her phone had been immediately confiscated upon return to the dorm. They wanted to protect her. But she knew. Cortis had a huge fanbase that consisted of a lot of females. She had stolen their oppa’s first kiss, though she doubted if it was really his first kiss. It had been hers and she didn’t like that it made been in public and a mistake at that. She wondered how Gllits were going to defend her from Coers. They were sibling fandoms. She doubted if it was still the same.
She had been called to a meeting with her manager. She had been given her phone back that day. She logged onto her secret fan account and began to scroll. They called her all sorts of names. There were numerous hit tweets saying all sorts of bad things about her. Her eyes misted over with unshed tears. It was so unfair. Why was she getting cancelled? It was an obvious mistake. She felt a bit better when she saw several Gllits coming to her defence. Still, it didn’t ease the pain in her heart. She blamed it on the gigantic heels she had been wearing. She would’ve bumped into his chest but she ended up smacking their lips together.
They went to the eighth floor where the meeting was taking place. The Executive Director was the one who had called for them. She was surprised to find Keonho and his manager there. She took a seat across him and pointedly avoided looking at him. It was his fault that she was getting dragged through the mud. She was not going to give him her attention.
“Good afternoon everyone. Sorry to call you on such notice. In light of recent events, a meeting was inevitable,” Mr Kim spoke. There was an interactive board on the wall which he turned on. There was a graph which was steadily climbing up. “Ever since that day, there have been over 100 million impressions and at least 5 million posts made with more to come. We value our image and will do whatever we can to protect their images. However, we also try to utilize every viral moment to market our groups even more. We also want to keep your respective fanbases,” he explained. “We have prepared a press event and written your apologies which you’ll put on Weverse. The press conference will be in two days and you’ll apologize to your fans for the mistake,” he said. “In the coming months, we’re going to put the two of you together on variety shows to keep up the virality.”
Wonhee did a double take.
“Wait, I have to apologize and then do something which will fuel more hate to me?” she asked, flabbergasted. “Yes. We have to appease the fanbase whilst using the moment to our advantage,” Mr Kim stated. “I can work with the apologizing part since obviously, we have to apologize for literally smacking into each other as if it was planned. What I don’t understand is doing things to fuel more hate to me. He’s going to be unaffected by it,” she spoke, pointing a finger at him. “Fuelling dating rumours between the two of you will market you even more,” he remarked casually. “Yeah right. I have to be called a slut for something that isn’t even happening,” she snorted with an eyeroll.
She drowned at the noise as the director began speaking to the two managers. Keonho hadn’t said anything, giving her a look instead. She had half a mind to flip him off. The least he could do was apologize for everything his fangirls had said about her. Nothing was going between them. Why should she suffer for it? Unless....
It was as if a lightbulb had been switched up in her mind. It was ridiculous, let alone even thinking about it. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The more it was fairer.
One thing was for sure, it was the most un-Wonhee thing to do.
But she was ready for it.
“What if we made them talk about it like it was actually there?” she proposed. Mr Kim stopped talking to her manager, giving her a confused look. “Hear me out. Instead of fuelling dating rumours, what if we fuelled actual dating?” she said. “Like a PR relationship?” the director asked. Wonhee nodded excitedly. “Exactly. A PR relationship,” she almost exclaimed. “I suppose we can work with that. It keep everyone entertained well enough if you were actually dating,” Mr Kim spoke thoughtfully. Wonhee smiled in victory. It was perfect. If they were going to hate on her, at least, they could hate on the truth.
She leaned back in her seat, feeling smug. Across her, Keonho still hadn’t spoken a word and he was giving her a look she couldn’t pin.
Hello. This is HYBE.
We want to notify you of the current status between two of our artists, WONHEE of ILLIT and KEONHO of CORTIS. In light of recent events, we found it important to notify their fans what was happening between the two.
Our artists are in a confirmed relationship. We kindly ask their fans to respect their privacy and continue to support them in their new journey.
Regards
50M views. 200k likes. 30k reposts. 10k comments.
cortillitholiccc: kill me now
its_me_kudzaijm: heck yeah
keon_hoe: im going to kill that bitch
midnightfikshon: the first HYBE family relationship?!? Ahshfjgkjn
llit_llit: there goes keonhos boymoms
cortis_that: get him away from that pedophile
igotyourgllit: aren’t they siblings in the hybe family agenda
enha_is_6: hybe is smoking weed rn I already feel bad for wonhee
illitbase: this calls for some alcohol
The official statement had been published two weeks later. She was surprised that the company had actually approved it. It was absurd. Wonhee was ecstatic. She had snatched Keonho for herself. It was her new mantra everyday, even as she scrolled on X, being insulted everyday. He was hers now. And they were going to pay for it. Today, they were going to attend the KWDA awards. There were to be no interactions between her and Keonho but Wonhee had other plans. She resisted from cackling like a maniac. They didn’t know she had planned for them.
Her members had asked her if she was okay. They could break off the PR relationship. But Wonhee was insistent. She was going through with it. She was no stranger to hate. She quoted their song, Iconic by Mistake in her recent post on Weverse a few days before the awards ceremony. As soon as she had posted, it had gone viral. Coers had struck back calling her all sorts of things. Gllits still stood by her and she felt a lot better. But even if her fandom neglected her, she wasn’t going down without a fight.
The awards ceremony went without a hitch. They performed and the screams were loud. They made her even bolder with what she was about to do. When awards were being given, she was almost buzzing with excitement. ILLIT was going to receive the Female Popularity Award. She had already bagged her Female Solo Popularity Award. Cortis was going to receive the Male Popularity Award. Unsurprisingly, Keonho had received the Male Solo Popularity Award. It was perfect.
When they went to the stage to collect the award, she passed it onto Iroha so that she could hold it. She was at the far end, away from the mic but closer to Cortis meaning that Moka had to give the speech. Wonhee was almost buzzing with excitement when Martin started to give their speech. After that, they bowed and began to head to the stairs.
Feeling bold, Wonhee skipped a little to catch up to Keonho. She went in between Juhoon and Seonghyeon, ignoring their shocked looks as she bounded up to her man. She reached him, wrapping an arm around his waist. He didn’t even flinch, instead putting his arm around her shoulders. She stood up on her tippy toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
The stadium was in stunned silence for a few moments before everyone started screaming.
PopBase
WONHEE of ILLIT shares a passionate kiss with KEONHO of CORTIS.
100M views. 1.5M likes. 150k reposts. 80k comments.
wonhee4me: this is ai
cortillitic: crumbs?!? this if real food anshudjgnlls
it’s_me_me: they’re about to cancel her
keon_hoe: i swear she has a death wish
martinhoe: somebody should report her for sexual assault
mokalatte: is it me or does it seem like keonho is genuinely enjoying that??
seonghyeonnnnm: she’s basically asking for it at this point
jun_hoon: he was forced, this is a pr relationship
enhallit: hybe is on crack
igotyunah: that does not look scripted
Yunah dragged her by the arm as soon as they were off the stage. “Are you out of your mind?! What the heck was that?!” she exclaimed. “We’re in a confirmed relationship. I was just congratulating my boyfriend,” Wonhee replied calmly. “In front of everyone? Do you know what they’ll do to you? They’re going to be brutal,” Moka spoke sagely. “Even if I didn’t do anything, they were always going to say something. At least, let them hate me for the truth,” she remarked. She turned to Keonho.
“We’ll sit together until the end of the awards ceremony,” she told him. “Okay,” he agreed, nodding his head at her. “Where’s your trophy?” she asked. “At the sitting area,” he replied. “We’ll take some pictures before the company takes them away,” she remarked as she walked over to him, slinging her arm into his. He didn’t protest and the two of them walked away. “What did I just see?” Yunah wondered out loud. “My thoughts exactly,” James spoke.
Koreaboo
The IT couple of century
Posted 5hrs ago by Ahn Norah
The K-pop community just took a wild turn with the new relationship between Wonhee and Keonho. Their relationship came to light a month ago with an official statement by their parent company, HYBE. Following their public display of affection at the awards ceremony during the KWDA awards, the couple sat together throughout the rest of the show. Several hours later, they posted selcas on their respective Weverse handles congratulating each other and thanking their fandoms for voting for them.
There have been mixed reactions from the fans. CORTIS fans are not pleased with the sudden turn of events. The ILLIT fanbase is rallying behind their idol but it’s only a matter of time before they turn against her.
2k likes. 500 comments.
mywonheenim: it looks too real, ain’t no way that’s a pr relationship
igotmoka: I’m going to die from cuteness aggression
enhamonster: I’m starting to like these two
bpinyourarea: finally, idols can date in public
keonhoass: im going to kill her
mycortiscoer: I bet she forced him
martinwahh: bet she groomed keonho
Surprisingly, she wasn’t in trouble with the company. As long as it marketed the groups. They told her to be careful. Her social media training kicked into action. She was going to be very careful. And brutal.
They went on dates organized by the company. Some of them were filmed and posted on their official YouTube channels, others were kept under wraps but fans still managed to film them. Keonho didn’t say much. He didn’t complain. He played his part perfectly. A dotting boyfriend. If she wasn’t aware that it was PR relationship, she might’ve believed that he was actually in love with her. He looked absolutely whipped. Her parents called her and she explained to them that it just happened. She didn’t tell that it was for drama. The less people who knew the better. At the company, she rarely spoke with people who weren’t her members. Though they didn’t say it out loud, they seemed to be keeping their distance.
It stung a little. They were the last people she had expected to shun her. But in the end, they were just coworkers. As they prepared for their comeback, Wonhee spent more time at training room. She often left late in the night. She had to be prefect. Their choreography was intense. There was no time to rest.
At eleven pm, she checked out of the building. She was wearing a mask and a cap. Anyone could be prowling these streets. She walked to the bus station, taking her time.
After a few minutes, she heard approaching footsteps behind her. They were almost in sync with hers. Her heart rate picked up a little. She didn’t know who was walking behind her. What if it was a sasaeng? Was this the end for her? Was she going to die? She had received several death threats. Funeral wreaths had been placed in front of the HYBE building soon after the statement.
In her unfocused state, she didn’t see the stone in front of her. She tripped over it, losing her balance. She was holding her bag in one hand and her phone in the other. Unable to use her hands to save her, she crashed onto the ground unceremoniously, scrapping her exposed knees in the process. Her face took brunt of the fall. “Shibal,” she muttered as she moved to sit on the ground. She looked at her knees. With their comeback only a few days away, there was no way the scars would be gone. She looked at her reflection on her phone screen. The skin on her left cheek has been scrapped raw and would also scar. ‘Great. Just what I needed,’ she thought dejectedly.
“Are you okay?”
She looked up. The guy was dressed in a black hoodie and black sweat pants. He wore a cap over his hoodie with a mask. He had black sports bag and white sneakers. She shuffled back involuntarily. “Are you here to kill me?” she asked, trying and failing to sound brave. “Gods, you’re so out of it,” he clicked his tongue as he removed his cap and pulled down his hoodie and mask. It was Keonho. “Oh, it’s you,” she stated lamely. Feeling the embarrassment from her rather clumsy fall, she looked at her bleeding knees instead.
“Are you okay?” he asked again as he crouched in front of her. “Why do you care?” she retorted. “You’re my girlfriend,” he remarked calmly. “It’s a PR relationship. It’s not real. You don’t have to concern yourself with me,” she stated but he was already shuffling in his bag. He took out wet wipes and a few band aids. He wiped at her knees and she hissed pain at the contact. He put the band aids on her knees. “Hold still,” he instructed, holding her face and tilting it to the side. Wonhee watched him in stunned silence as he wiped away the blood on her cheeks, putting on the band aids after he was done.
“I don’t have actual bandages but this will do for now,” he told her as he put the used wipes in a small plastic. “Are you able to walk?” he asked. “Err, I think so,” she said unsurely, confused at his behaviour. She made a move to stand up only to hiss in pain. This was more serious than she thought. He turned to face away from her and kneeled, exposing his back to her. “Get on,” Keonho said. Her brain stopped functioning at that. “What?” she asked incredulously. “Get on. I’ll carry you. I know where you live. It’s not that far,” he explained. Wonhee looked around. It was late and there was no one in sight. And he was right. Her apartment was near.
With reluctant acceptance, she climbed onto his back, putting her arms around his neck. He took her bag and adjusted her so that she was settled comfortably. She was dying to ask why exactly he was doing this but opted for a more neutral statement.
“Thank you.”
ILLIT Base
KEONHO spotted carrying our darling WONHEE after leaving HYBE. According to sources, she fell and scrapped her knees. He helped to take care of her.
50M views. 109k likes. 80k reports. 9k comments.
itsmeme: that isn’t something a pr relationship implies
corllitholiccc: I think I’m gonna cry
keonheeship: you guys.....
mokaroha: thank you for taking care of our little guinea pig keonho
yunjumoka: wonhee might be pretending but keonho definitely isn’t
skzeeee: they should listen to stray kids
The ride to the company was quiet. Wonhee woke up in a somber mood. Her members had obviously seen the posts and they didn’t ask much, only if she was okay. Her manager called, asking if she wanted to stay behind and rest. She insisted she was fine. She still hadn’t changed the bandages on her face and knees. If her members noticed, they didn’t say anything.
She passed some of the idols. For the first time, they greeted her and they actually talked. She didn’t bother to think about why they started being nice to her again. About three hours into practice, there was knock on the door. The dance instructor asked Iroha to get the door. Wonhee was taking a break, drinking water when she heard Keonho’s voice coming from the door. She spluttered and almost choked on the water. By the time she had regained her composure, Keonho was behind her.
“You’re not supposed to be by here,” he stated. “It was only a scrape. It’s not that serious,” she brushed him off. “It is serious because you have comeback in less than a week. You won’t have fully healed. You need to rest,” he pressed. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” she shot back. “I talked to your manager today. You weren’t supposed to be here,” he spoke. “You don’t control my schedule,” she almost snarled. “I don’t but I do care. You’re my girlfriend,” he said.
Wonhee wanted to groan in frustration. This was the first time he was actually doing something. He usually went along with whatever she said. Why was he suddenly acting like a real boyfriend? “It’s just a PR relationship,” she mumbled. She didn’t even sound sure of herself. “What time do you leave?” he asked with an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know. Anytime I feel like going home,” she retorted as she looked at the ground. “I’ll wait up for you. Don’t leave without me,” he said with finality. She dared to look up at his face. His face was pinched in a way that left room for no argument.
She suddenly wished that this conversation was something that her members hadn’t witnessed.
True to his word, he stayed for her. When she went to the lobby, he was waiting for her. “You know you could’ve just gone home, right?” she said as she reached him. “You’re my girlfriend and I have crazy fangirls. I have to do everything I can to protect you,” he told her simply as they headed out. “That’s like the third time you’ve said I’m your girlfriend in less than 24 hours,” she stated. “Aren’t you?” he asked, an infuriating smirk on his face. It wasn’t the first time that she had noticed that he was undeniably attractive but she hadn’t actually gotten to be this close to him and gawk as much as she wanted. His smirk reminded her of how he acted at fansign events.
“If I’m your girlfriend then start treating me like one. Wipe that stupid smirk off your face. I’m not your fangirl,” she spoke. He chuckled quietly and slung around her shoulder. Being one for cuddles, Wonhee pressed herself closer to him.
Hello. This is BELIFT LAB.
We want to advise on the current health status of one of our artists, WONHEE of ILLIT. On her way home, she tripped and fell, injuring herself in the process. As a result, she will be unable to take part in the first week of their recent comeback promotions.
Please wish her well and support the group.
Regards
24M views. 90k likes. 10k reposts. 7,8k comments.
cortisanna: wait so she did fall that day and Keonho actually helped her
mywonheenim: I can bet that she wanted to promote but a certain someone told her to sit it out
keonhowonhee4lyf: I hope she’s okay
keon_hoe: she should die
illitbase: stay safe our guinea
Wonhee joined her group during the second week of promotion. Their comeback was successful, they already had three music show trophies and counting. She threw herself into work. There was rarely any time to see Keonho or even think about him. Still, he always made sure to send her a good morning and good night text everyday. Sometimes she ignored him, sometimes she replied. He sent her a lot of funny videos and memes. She often replied to those. He was currently on tour in America. It would be awhile before she would see him again.
The hate was becoming normal to her. She eventually deactivated her fan account because it was getting too much. There was no need to look at it every day since she already knew what they were going to say to her. They finished the promotions for their title track then started their bside promotion the following month. Everything was perfect. Album sales and streams were still high. They had a fansign event in China and Japan in two months. Her members continued to pester her if she was okay and she wanted out of the relationship. She was fine.
Today, she had a day off. She wanted to shop and just enjoy life. With a sunhat and a mask over her face, she perused the shops. She bought a few keyrings and some dresses. At lunch, she visited a tiny and private restaurant. She knew the owner so there was guaranteed safety. Afterwards, she decided to walk home. She wanted to stretch her legs and enjoy Seoul.
She was typing in ILLIT’s group chat when her sunhat was roughly ripped off her head. Shocked, she turned to face her the person and her mask was removed, exposing her face to the whole world. It was a girl, slightly older than her. She was livid. “You think you can date Keonho and get away with it?” she snarled. The girl pushed her backwards. Wonhee stumbled. “You’re a fucking bitch and I’m going to kill you,” she said as she pounced on her. Wonhee regained her composure and dodged the girl. However, her hair was grabbed and pulled back roughly.
“Let me go!” Wonhee snapped as she grabbed her arm and twisted it. The girl cried out in pain but Wonhee wasn’t done. She twisted the arm until she was standing behind her and kicked her on her back. The girl stumbled then crashed onto the pavement. Immediately, she started crying. “I’m going to report you to the police, you lousy bitch,” she sobbed hysterically. Security guards from nearby shops jumped in at that moment and guided her away from the girl.
keon_hoe: this is the girl who’s dating Keonho?? who knows what else she does #cancelwonheebitch
(see video 0:55)
corllitholiccc: she was clearly defending herself
itsmeme: that girl attacked her first
martinwahh: she should’ve killed that bitch, I hope she sues her
juhooneee: #cancelwonheebitch #illitdisband #wonheeapologize
enhallit: hybe was really letting her walk around without security
Pannchoa
Posted 7hrs ago by Sim Nana
Wonhee of ILLIT is in hot water when a clip surfaced attacking a girl. The video has gone viral with almost 100 million views and 2 million likes after it was posted by a fan who caught the whole thing on camera. The victim has opened a docket against the idol for physical assault and emotional abuse, charging her 200 million won.
The idol hasn’t spoken about it yet however a press conference is expected to take place soon.
Fans are calling to cancel Wonhee or throw her in prison because idols shouldn’t get away with doing whatever they want. Hashtags are trending globally to disband ILLIT and for Wonhee to apologize for her actions.
205 likes. 9.2k comments.
Igotyunah: she didn’t assault you sick bastard
mokalatte: why should she be cancelled for this
keehoehoe: good, I hope she rots in jail
martinsbitch: #wonheeapologize #cancelwonheebitch #illitsdisband
jameshoon: I wonder if she also beats keonho when they’re alone
The press conference was in two hours. Wonhee sat in the car, staring blankly at the space in front of her. Protest trucks and funeral wreaths had been in front of the company building ever since that day. It was two weeks ago. She had to move her apartment because her address has been leaked. She had been sent death threats. Her members tried to support her, they really did. But it didn’t ease the pain in her heart. The unfairness of it all. An arrest warrant hadn’t been issued yet but it was definitely coming.
The company told her they had everything under control. They were going to court and defend her. But she had to apologize for her actions. It was the right thing to do. Wonhee had never cried but that night, she cried herself to sleep. What was it that she did for people to hate her that much? She had blocked Keonho. She didn’t want to talk to him. It was all his fault.
Or maybe it wasn’t it. It was the consequences of her own actions. She should’ve just done what the company suggested. She wouldn’t have had to deal with this if only she had listened. But she hadn’t. She was stubborn.
It was the most un-Wonhee thing to do.
“Wonhee? Come on, the press conference is about to start,” her manager spoke softly as she opened the door. How long had it been since she had been staring at nothing? She nodded mutely and got out of the car. The cameras flashed instantly, brighter than anything she had ever seen. She wanted to shrink into herself, to hide away. But she had to appear strong. She headed straight to the podium.
She waited for the journalists to take the pictures. After a few minutes, the flashes stopped. She looked at the microphone in front of her. She had the speech practised. She knew it like the back of her hand.
“Good evening everyone. This is Wonhee of ILLIT. I would like to apologize-“
She faltered. She stared at everyone, waiting for her to apologize for something that wasn’t her fault.
“I want to apologize for-“
Defending herself? Dating a person? Being a girl? Why should she be cancelled for something she had no control over? Why should be cancelled for simply existing? If they were going to hate on her, they could at least hate on the truth.
What she was about to do, it was the most un-Wonhee thing to do.
But she had already done it. And she was going to do it again.
“I want to apologize for defending myself against a girl who was physically assaulting me. I want to apologize for reacting just like any sane person would in the face of danger. I’m disappointed in myself for not having done much more when my safety and privacy was invaded. I also apologize for having a boyfriend and being public about it. I apologize for being an affectionate girlfriend and wanting to be happy like a normal person. I apologize for wanting to be respected like any other person and being sued for retaliating when attacked.”
“I’m sorry for being called derogatory names, being fat shamed and called a slut. I promise to reflect deeply on my actions. Please continue to support me and ILLIT.”
She bowed low and the cameras flashed even worse than before. She got down from the podium and stared at them, giving a smile that lacked any warmth. She walked back to her car and got inside. Her manager was waiting for her and began to drive as soon as she sat down. “That was crazy,” the older woman spoke, glancing at her from the view mirror. “Yeah,” Wonhee chuckled weakly. “That was also very brave. It’s time someone spoke up about the unfairness of everything,” she added. Wonhee let out a tired sigh and leaned against the window. She had turned her phone off. “I’ll drop you off at home. I’ll handle everything else,” the manger said. “Thank you,” Wonhee said thickly.
PopBase
WONHEE of ILLIT addresses the hate train in her recent press conference.
itsyunju: she’s brave
enhallit: first time seeing an idol speaking up, she has my respective
rohachan: she’s grown so much
btsariranganna: I already feel bad for what Coers are about to do
haerinludet: she’s such a performative bitch
seonghyeonnnnm: I feel kinda bad for her
coermore: I hate her so much, she should just die
mokalatte: we love you wonhee
They went back to the company and switched cars. Her manager dropped her off at her new apartment, located on the outskirts of Seoul and away from the public eye. She was dropped off and hurriedly made her way to the third floor when her new home was located. She entered the apartment and stripped out of her clothes before taking a hot shower. She laughed at her manager’s words. She definitely was crazy. She towelled off and changed into her pajamas. She was emotionally exhausted. It had been a long week and she wanted to disappear. She was walking to her bedroom when she heard a knock on her door. Her heart lurched into her throat. Had she been discovered? The knocking was insistent. She took her phone to call the police.
“Wonhee, it’s me. Keonho.”
He wasn’t supposed to be here. No one knew her address except the manager and the company. Even her members didn’t know. He was supposed to be still on tour. What was he doing here?
“I know you’re in the here. I talked to your manager.”
With a resigned sigh, she went to the door and unlocked. Keonho was really there, standing in front of her. “What do you want?” she asked. “Can’t I come in?” he said. She had half a mind to say no but she was too tired to argue. She moved to the side and let him in before locking the door. He had already moved to the lounge when she finished locking her door.
“What do you want?” she asked again as she stood in front of him. “Are you okay?” he said. “Yes. I’m fine,” she snapped. “You’re not fine,” he stated in a matter of fact tone. “I saw the press conference,” he said hesitantly. “Save the lecture for another time. Yes, I know. I was just supposed to apologize and be done with but I didn’t ,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I wanted to say that was very brave. I wouldn’t have had the guts to do that,” he confessed, shame lacing his tone. “And look where that got us. I have to get the short end of the stick every time. Yes, I know I suggested it but still,” she spat out, stung with bitterness.
“I know. It’s my fault. I should take responsibility too,” he said apologetically. “Thank you for finally noticing,” she spoke, sarcasm dripping from her tone. “Why are you here really?” she asked unimpressed. “I just didn’t want you to be alone,” he spoke quietly. The air between them suddenly became charged with something she couldn’t quite put a name to. She looked at the spot above his head.
She jumped a little when his fingers ghosted over hers, as if asking for permission to hold her hand. Wonhee thought it was rather comical. He didn’t need to ask to hold her hand. He had done so countless of times on the content they made. She finally dared to look at him. His expression was smouldering with something that made her stomach churn. His fingers eased against hers, clasping them firmly. He stepped a bit closer to her. Still hesitant but intentions very clear.
Her ears started ringing.
She’s such a slut.
She’s a whore.
I bet he only kisses her in public.
She reached up on her toes and pressed her lips against his. They were smooth.
Everything about their relationship is fake.
They don’t do anything apart from holding hands.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself closer to him. His hands immediately went to her waist as he responded eagerly. Wonhee kissed him deeply, her whole body feeling hot. His fingers teased with the end of her top before slipping underneath, caressing the firm muscles of her stomach.
A sliver of excitement and something she couldn’t name but delicious curled in her stomach. She wanted more. If she was going to be called a slut then fine. If she was a whore, no problem. But they only got to hate on her about the truth.
He’s being forced to touch her.
They don’t do anything in private.
Wonhee pushed him backwards until he reached her couch. He eased himself onto the couch as she wrapped her legs around his waist. They were still kissing, breaths mingling together with an intensity that rivalled the heat in their bodies. Keonho broke away only to begin kissing her neck. She gasped softly as his hands travelled further up, grazing her breasts softly. She took his hands and put them fully on her chest. His lips moved her neck and went back to her lips. She took that opportunity to explore the wide expanse of his torso. He had bulked up considerably over the years, no longer the scrawny teenager he was when he debuted.
They continued to kiss and explore each other for what felt like eternity. She didn’t want him to stop. It was consuming her. She wanted to be consumed. She wanted to feel the softness of her breasts pressing against the firmness of his chest. She retracted her arms only to remove her top with a flourish. She didn’t wait for him to remove his hoodie. She fingered the ends of his hoodie and t-shirt, pulling them over his head. They were already kissing by the time she threw the clothes away from her, bodies moulded together.
She didn’t want to stop. She wanted so much more.
She’s obviously cold down there.
“Finger me.”
He froze completely.
“What?” he spluttered. “I want your fingers inside me,” she muttered as she continued to kiss him. “Wait. Stop,” he said, leaning his head away from her. She stilled at that. “Isn’t that going too far? We’ve just started,” he reasoned. “I don’t care about that. I want to go as far as possible,” she told him as she attempted to kiss him again but he moved his head to the side. “Please be honest with me,” he spoke. “They’re always going to be calling me names, accusing me of things I didn’t do. If they hate me, they should hate on the truth,” she said.
Keonho looked to the side. “So that’s the only reason we’re doing this?” he stated. He sounded hurt. “Because somebody called your names and it’s retaliation?” he said. “Oh, I’m being dramatic because I’m being cancelled,” she scoffed. “Is that really what I am to you? A means to an end? A payback?” he asked. “It’s a PR relationship. None of it is real,” she reasoned with him. “A PR relationship does not imply what we’re doing,” he pointed out, his voice defeated.
That’s when it hit her.
For him, it wasn’t just a PR relationship.
“I thought-“ he faltered.
She had used him. Not once had he ever questioned her decisions. He didn’t protest when she came with the suggestion and went along with whatever she said. He wasn’t pretending.
“Since when?” she asked quietly.
“Since I met you. Since before we even debuted. Since when we were trainees.”
“Why didn’t you say anything then?”
“You were too focused on being an idol. I never stood a chance. When you proposed the fake relationship, I was ecstatic. I thought this was my chance. I thought we were finally going somewhere but-“
A sharp pain pierced her chest. She could feel her breaths coming in short gasps. Her body was vibrating.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
And she had just sexually assaulted him. She had used him to gain what she wanted.
The tears came quickly after that. She couldn’t help it.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I thought-“ she hiccuped. “I just used your body. I’m such a terrible person,” she cried. “It’s okay. It was wrong of me to assume. I thought you knew,” he said quietly as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “Still, I shouldn’t done that,” she sobbed. “I thought I was pretty obvious,” he said with light chuckle. “I mean, you were. I was just too dense. I didn’t think you’d like someone like me,” she said, ashamed to admit it.
“What’s there not to like about you?” he asked her. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. “I’m fat and a dozen. Even before this whole scandal, I was still one of the most hated idols. No one would want to be with me,” she confessed. “We both know that’s not true. You’re so much more than that. Besides, I don’t like Wonhee of ILLIT. I like Lee Wonhee, a girl I met when I was training to be an idol,” he spoke, hugging her tighter.
“You really mean that?” she hated how she sounded like a child. She was technically older than him but she suddenly felt small. “I’ve had six years to come to terms with my feelings. I mean it,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Does this mean we’re an actual couple now?” she asked, withdrawing a bit to look at him. “I don’t know. I’ll do whatever you want. I don’t want you to rush into anything especially with everything that’s going on,” he replied.
“You’re exactly what I need,” she admitted. She pecked his lips. “Do we have to tell the company?” he said. “Eventually. But right now, I want you all to myself,” she replied cheekily. “You can have me however you want,” he said softly. She blushed. He really did mean it.
“Does that mean we can continue where we left off?” she asked, putting on an adorable face. “You are really not going to let it go, are you?” he chuckled. “It’s not like you don’t want it too,” she pouted. “You’re right about that,” he said as he attacked her neck with fervent kisses. She giggled, bellowing out into full blown laughter when he started tickling her sides.
Hello. This is KEONHO.
Firstly, I would like to apologize to my girlfriend, WONHEE, for being a terrible boyfriend and not speaking up about everything that’s been happening. I would like to clear some misunderstandings. A lot of fans think I was forced into this or that it’s a marketing relationship. However, that’s not the case. I am and very much in love with WONHEE. I have been since our trainee days. I wasn’t forced into anything, rather I am honoured to have her as my girlfriend.
Despite there being the two of us, she’s the only being cancelled. I kindly ask you to stop hating on her. If you want someone to hate, do it to me and leave her alone. Any hate on her is a personal attack to me and I won’t hesitate to act accordingly. A gentle reminder that we are people just like you and we also want to live normal lives. We will both continue our duties as artists but please, respect our privacy.
The company has been supportive in our journey. We are both grateful for allowing us to go public. We hope that you can continue to support us in our future endeavours.
Yours
Keonho
90M views. 5M likes. 100k reposts. 1M comments.
Itsmeme: a handwritten letter by keonho??? Akakbdhfukrm
mokalatte: that I’d definitely Wonhee’s handwriting
wonhee4me: finally, he spoke up, he was getting too comfortable hiding
cortillitholiccc: middle fingers to haters ijbol
its_me_kudzai: clock it queen
illitbase: they’re too cute
cortisbase: we’re behind you guys
keon_hoe: im leaving the fandom, I’m really disappointed by keonho
juhooneee: we should cancel them both, wtf is this????
enhallit: hybe is definitely on some crack lmao