Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kaede was an idol – meaning she’d long since grown used to wearing plastered smiles.

It was a thought that occurred to her as the photographer stepped away for a moment, nodding, as if satisfied. She gave a soft exhale, feeling her shoulders relax as the staff once surrounding her finally moved on, and she had a moment to breathe before a stylist approached her.

The set buzzed with a particular kind of energy that only ever existed during any of ReDestiny’s photoshoots – carefully curated aesthetics and sets painted by the excitement of the group and staff members, followed by the quiet exhaustion that began to ache after hours of shooting. Bright lights washed the space in artificial daylight, bouncing off metallic props and pastel backdrops, assistants darting around with clipboards and water bottles, stylists crouched low to fix hems and smooth flyaway hairs.

Today’s concept leaned toward soft and dreamy, with pinks and warm colours splashed across the set. Gauzy curtains hung from rolling frames, catching the light in their translucent folds, and faux flowers spilled from carefully arranged baskets, petals dusted with glitter that sparkled when the cameras flashed. The floor was pristine white, already marked faintly with footprints and scuffs that told the story of retakes and repositioning, no doubt to be smoothed over in editing.

Kaede sat on a tall stool near the edge of the set, legs swinging slightly as a stylist reapplied lip tint. She watched the others with half-lidded eyes, letting the ambient noise wash over her – the shutter clicks, the murmured instructions, Yubin’s unmistakable laugh echoing from somewhere behind a backdrop, Mayu’s telltale squeak – no doubt from someone’s antics.

Their leader may have been the smallest amongst them (and often confused for their maknae on any variety shows they’d been on) but she could have them all under control with the snap of her fingers.

“Hayeon, could you not–” She watched the blue-haired woman sigh as one of their other members, Chaewon, squeaked when Hayeon threw an arm around her, and Kaede held back a chuckle, still aware of the stylist attempting to fix her makeup before her. If you’d told her the eight-member group she’d been a part of was this chaotic… perhaps she would’ve reconsidered auditioning for their company, HAUS Creative. Still, she felt a flicker of warmth as Kotone joined Mayu’s side, watching the two youngest members of the group play around.

Kaede’s eyes darted to the side, catching sight of Yubin – petals decorating her braided hair – and Chaeyeon, both dressed in soft flowing layers of fabric. Between them, a taller girl stood, her warm dark eyes crinkling as she brought a hand to her mouth, and her laughter rang through the air, reaching Kaede’s ears and bouncing around the canvas of her mind.

Lee Jiwoo. Kaede thought, a faint warmth now collecting on her face. She hadn’t even realised she was staring until she felt a slight nudge, and her attention was brought back to their stylist.

“Sorry unnie,” she muttered, and the stylist chuckled.

“It’s alright…” She mumbled. The stylist then glanced back toward the other members, giving a soft breath out with a smile. “We’re thinking about taking a break!” she called out, “Maybe around fifteen minutes? You girls have worked hard.” There was a shout of cheers, and the stylist chuckled, patting Kaede’s shoulder lightly, before walking off.

Naturally, the minute she disappeared and left them to their devices, Hayeon grinned. “Guys,” she stage-whispered far too loudly, crouching behind a lighting stand like she was on a covert mission. “Guys. Look what I found.”

Chaewon turned first, eyes lighting up immediately. “Is that – oh my god.” Hayeon beamed, a light turquoise polaroid camera in her grasp, and she giggled as she waved it around.

Yubin gasped, standing up from her place on the floor trotting over. “Who let you have that? Was it Sohyun-unnie?”

“Nope, no one knows I even found it,” Hayeon said proudly. “That’s why it’s exciting.”

“Ahem,” eyes snapped to the corner of the room, and their manager Sohyun stood there in all her glory, her all-black suit a fragment of darkness amid the colourful set. Their manager’s hair had been tied back, and Kaede hoped they had no fansites secretly waiting outside. The last thing Sohyun probably wanted was to go viral as the ‘handsome manager’. Again.

“Technically, she stole it from my car,” Hayeon giggled nervously, evading everyone’s eyes when they fell to her. Sohyun sighed, “and technically, you’ll need some of this…” She approached, “I have more film if you need it, so go nuts…” she mumbled, and Hayeon nodded, and soon enough, she beamed, turning around once again. Kaede suppressed an eye roll. For how scary Sohyun might seem at first, she really was a softie.

Hayeon brandished the camera like a trophy, already fiddling with the settings. Any remaining staff in the room were busy adjusting lights on the opposite side of the set, momentarily distracted, and anyone who wasn’t didn’t seem to pay them much mind. Hayeon took full advantage.

“I’m documenting behind-the-scenes history for our fans,” she declared. “Come on. Selca time.”

It wasn’t long before a familiar sense of chaos began to brew, one that no longer left Kaede with a lingering sense of anxiety, like it had on debut. The camera passed hands almost immediately – Hayeon snapping a blurry shot of Chaewon mid-protest, Chaewon stealing it back to take a dramatically elegant pose with Mayu, who somehow managed to look impossibly cute even when caught off guard. Mayu insisted on taking one with Kotone, who then handed the camera toward Yubin.

The younger girl insisted on a “best friend shot” with Jiwoo, throwing an arm around her neck and nearly knocking them both off balance as the shutter clicked, and Kaede stifled a laugh at the sight of Jiwoo’s sudden alarm. She’d heard of how Yubin, Chaeyeon and Jiwoo had known each other since high school, and it was evident from the way they all interacted.

“Wait, wait, let me see!” Chaeyeon laughed, waving the developing photo in the air. She then cackled, loud, “Yah – why does Jiwoo look like she’s about to cry?”

“I wasn’t ready!” Jiwoo protested, though she was laughing too, cheeks pink, lightly punching Yubin on the arm. Chaeyeon raised the camera, beckoning Yubin and Jiwoo to join her either side, and the bright flash followed.

Kaede watched from her stool, amused despite herself. She hadn’t been dragged into it yet – an unusual mercy, considering Hayeon’s track record – but she suspected it was only a matter of time. Even Sohyun-unnie seemed to get caught up in their shenanigans, but soon had to leave to take a call, handing over any remaining film in a bag to Mayu.

Soon enough, Hayeon’s gaze eventually landed on her.

“Kaede-unnie~” she sang. “Your turn.”

A retort lay on Kaede’s tongue, but she paused, taking in Hayeon’s bright eyes and hopeful smile. She softened, letting herself smile as she sighed, stepping off from her stool, “If you try to kiss me, I’ll get Sohyun-unnie to kick you out the dorm,” she warned, tone light and high as Hayeon paused, eyes widening with a smile.

“She would never…” She mumbled, and beamed as Kaede took the camera from Jiwoo, and turned, letting Hayeon stand beside her with a peace sign raised. The flash went off, and Kaede hummed.

“I don’t know… I am her favourite…” A round of laughter followed, and when she turned, she already saw Hayeon with her lips puckered. Kaede rolled her eyes, shoving the picture into Hayeon’s chest, and the maknae descended into a wild series of wheezes and laughs, before skipping over toward Chaewon. Kaede watched the pair, catching the soft smiles and pink ears, and hummed.

She then felt a tap on her shoulder, spotting Kotone and Mayu, and she smiled. What followed were more photos, and by the time Kaede had her own pictures with most of her members, she felt a slight nudge at her side, and the familiar warmth invading her chest told her all she needed to know.

She glanced up, and Jiwoo’s soft brown eyes met hers, and Kaede paused, swallowing. She’d avoided looking at Jiwoo directly throughout the entire day, and there was a reason for that. The taller girl’s hair had shifted – no longer a soft brown, but a lighter blonde, dark strands now seeming to glow a much brighter gold amid the light, as if glimmering threads now sat on her head. Amid the warm lighting, it almost gave her a halo, and it gave Kaede an oddly dizzying feeling.

Still, she couldn’t avoid her forever, she supposes. Before Jiwoo even asks, Kaede raises the camera, and the taller girl chuckles. “And here I thought you forgot about me…” She grins, and Kaede rolls her eyes. Her stomach swirls – the familiar butterflies she always seemed to get around Jiwoo. She found it happened often around the older girl – maybe it was that lingering feeling from when she first met Jiwoo was a trainee, finding the taller girl to be intimidating.

Perhaps it was a faint flicker of envy, from how tall she was, how easily the older girl could draw attention towards herself without having to try hard, having no concerns about falling into the background as the awkward foreigner. Or perhaps, it was much more simple. Jiwoo was pretty, and as Kotone often liked to remind her, Kaede had a weakness for pretty girls.

Still, it didn’t mean anything. The girl at their local convenience store was pretty, and it just meant Kaede usually didn’t bother with asking for change. Their head stylist, Xinyu, was pretty, and it just meant Kaede would get excited when the taller woman would compliment her. Their vocal coach Dahyun was pretty, it just meant Kaede usually sought out her advice–

Although, in fairness, Kaede did have a crush on her for a few weeks… still, her finding Jiwoo pretty meant very little beyond finding a warm feeling in her chest whenever Jiwoo looked at her.

“Stop being dramatic, unnie…” The older girl takes the camera, and hunches slightly, tilting herself down so the height gap between her and Kaede wasn’t as large as it usually was. Initially, Kaede only feels Jiwoo’s warmth pressed against her, smiling – unguarded and genuine – as the flash goes off, but soon, the two find themselves distracted, with various poses and Kaede laughing at Jiwoo’s comments and antics.

“See? The cat ears worked,” Jiwoo raises an earlier photo that was far clearer now, where Jiwoo had used her index and middle fingers around Kaede’s head to emulate cat-ears, and Kaede giggles, cheeks warm, nodding. Jiwoo seemed to watch Kaede cycle between the photos, eyes sparkling, and she chuckled. When Kaede glanced up, she wondered if it was the lighting that explained the red glow to the older girl’s face, “Those going on your wall?”

“Hm?” Kaede asked, tilting her head.

“I noticed it, in your room,” she smiled, “You have all these photos taped to it – most of your family, but some of us.”

Kaede’s eyes widened, “You noticed that?” Jiwoo shrugged, nodding, and Kaede once again felt that same heat return to her face. She cleared her throat, glancing at the polaroids again, “Probably… I like doing it, reminds me of the people I care about.” Jiwoo nods, and hums, extending her hand toward Kaede.

“Can I?” the smaller girl nods, handing the photos over, and their hands brush briefly, sending a jolt along Kaede’s skin. She cycles between the polaroids, and smiles, eyes crinkling in the way Kaede had long gotten used to, “Wow… maybe it’s worth getting a scrapbook at some point for all of them… saves you running out of space on your wall too.” She teases, and Kaede huffs, puffing her cheeks out as she lightly smacks the older girl, and Jiwoo laughs, the sound echoing in Kaede’s mind.

***

When they were finally released for the day, it was with the familiar chorus of thank-yous and polite bows. Bags were gathered, hair slowly loosened from carefully styled perfection, and the group trickled back toward the van, tired but buoyant, Sohyun leading the way like a mother hen. Kaede tucked the small stack of polaroids carefully into her tote, fingers brushing their edges, and hoped they wouldn’t fold or crease annoyingly during the ride back.

The journey to their dorm was loud in patches and quiet in others, the group oscillating between their usual volume and the quiet that followed a long day. Yubin narrated a story at top volume from the back row while Hayeon and Chaewon bickered over something Kaede only half-followed, an earbud in one ear playing whatever K-Pop song had charted that week. Mayu dozed against the window, head bobbing slightly with each stoplight. Kotone sat beside Kaede, scrolling through her phone, shoulder occasionally bumping into hers with the movement of the van.

Jiwoo was a few seats up, leaning forward to listen to Chaeyeon, laughing softly at something she said. Kaede found herself watching her reflection in the window instead – how the city lights caught in her lighter hair, how relaxed she looked now that the shoot was over, the familiar joy that lit up the older girl’s eyes whenever she spoke with one of her members. A quiet warmth settled in Kaede’s chest again, familiar and steady.

By the time they reached the dorm, night had fully settled in.

Shoes were kicked off in a messy line near the entrance, bags dropped wherever there was space. The dorm filled with the sounds of decompression – sighs, laughter, the clatter of dishes as someone rummaged for snacks, followed by a light scolding from Mayu. Kaede slipped away quietly, retreating to her room before she could be pulled into another round of chaos.

Her room greeted her like it always did: small, cozy, lived-in, and the faint scent of Kotone’s shampoo still lingered in the air from their morning showers. She set her bag down carefully and pulled the polaroids free, spreading them out on her desk. For a moment, she just looked at them. Her members, frozen in tiny squares of color and light. Smiles caught mid-laugh, with blurred motion between soft moments that existed only because someone had pressed a button at the right time.

Her chest tightened – not painfully, just enough to remind her that these things mattered. She crossed the room to the wall beside her bed, already crowded with photos. Family portraits from home, childhood snapshots, a few candid pictures of the group from earlier eras, taped carefully in uneven rows. There was less space now than there had been months ago.

Kaede frowned slightly, assessing the gaps. “I really am going to run out of room…” she muttered to herself. She crouched down and pulled open the bottom drawer of her desk, rifling through it for tape. Her fingers brushed past old notebooks, spare batteries and tangled cords. Soon, however, they felt the familiar feeling of glossy paper, and she froze.

Slowly, she lifted it out. A photograph.

Older than the ones in her hand and on her walls, with the edges slightly bent, colors faded just a little with time. Two girls sat side by side on a worn bench, shoulders pressed together. One of them was unmistakably Kaede – her hair shorter, a younger face still round, eyes bright despite the tension in her smile. Her chest squeezed – it was only a month or two after she first came to Korea.

The other girl had her arm draped around Kaede’s shoulders.

Kaede’s breath caught.

***

The practice room back then had been smaller, less polished. The mirrors were scratched, the floor scuffed and uneven, the air heavy with the smell of dust and old sweat that clung to their clothes long after practice ended. It wasn’t the cleaner rooms Kaede would have after debuting, but rather the dirtier rooms she had access too before then. Fluorescent lights buzzed faintly overhead, one of them flickering just enough to be annoying.

Kaede sat on the floor with her back against the wall, knees pulled tight to her chest, phone clutched loosely in her hands as if it might slip away if she loosened her grip. “They still haven’t called me back…” she said quietly, staring at the screen until the words blurred.

Across from her, her friend frowned, lips pressing into a sympathetic line. “Again?”

Kaede nodded, throat tight. “They said I did well. They always say that – that my dancing is flawless, that I’m one of the better singers they heard…” Her voice cracked despite her effort to keep it steady. “But then… nothing.”

Her friend shifted closer, legs crossing beneath her, sneakers squeaking softly against the floor. “That’s so unfair,” she said, voice gentle, practiced, slipping into their mother tongue. “You’re always good. Everyone knows that, even back home.”

Kaede let out a shaky laugh, rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand. “Then why does it keep happening? What am I doing wrong?” She asked in Japanese, and her friend sighed, jaw tight. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The room hummed with the distant sounds of other trainees practicing down the hall – counting beats, shoes hitting the floor in unison, someone laughing breathlessly.

Then her friend reached out, slipping an arm around Kaede’s shoulders and pulling her close. The contact startled her at first, a reflexive stiffness running through her, but she didn’t pull away. She leaned in instead, resting her forehead against her friend’s shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of fabric softener and sweat.

“It’s okay,” her friend murmured. “We’ll debut together someday. I promise.”

She smiled as she said it – a wide, reassuring smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Kaede clung to those words like a lifeline, unaware of how fragile they really were.

***

The memory faded as abruptly as it had come, leaving Kaede crouched on her bedroom floor, fingers trembling slightly around the photograph.

Her chest felt tight now, breath shallow. She hadn’t looked at this picture in a long time. She’d tucked it away, buried beneath newer memories, newer faces. She’d told herself it didn’t matter anymore. Yet even now, as those memories had resurfaced, a chill ran down her spine, unrelated to the room’s temperature. Her grip on the photo tightened, and she let out a series of rapid exhales, before her fingers moved fast. They gripped either end of the photo, and for a moment, she considered ripping it in two.

Her movements froze, however, and Kaede found herself unable to tear the image apart, vision blurring as her eyes focused on her former friend’s face, until their smile became distorted behind the water in Kaede’s eyes.

A knock sounded softly on her door. Kaede startled, standing and hastily sliding the photo back into the drawer and shoving it closed. She straightened, smoothing her hoodie as if that might also smooth the thoughts swirling in her head.

“Yeah?” she called.

The door creaked open, and Kotone peeked in. “Hey. You disappeared, Jiwoo said you were in here for quite a while… she got worried.”

Kaede managed a small smile. “Just… putting stuff away.”

Kotone stepped inside, eyes flicking briefly to the wall of photos, then back to Kaede’s face. Her expression softened, concern sharpening at the edges. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Kaede said immediately. Too quickly. “I’m fine.”

Kotone hummed, clearly unconvinced. She leaned back against the doorframe, arms crossing loosely. “You sure? I could hear you moving around in hear but then it all went… quiet.”

Kaede shrugged, avoiding her gaze as she reached for a roll of tape on her desk. “Just tired… Long day, unnie.” She muttered, voice going quieter, softer.

Kotone watched her for a moment longer, eyes thoughtful. She didn’t push – not yet. “You looked good today,” she said instead. “Happy.”

Kaede paused, fingers tightening around the tape. “I was.”

Kotone smiled faintly at that, relief flickering across her face. “Good… just let me know if you need anything,” Kaede nodded, hand still resting on the roll of tape. The older Japanese girl lingered another second, then straightened. “We’re ordering food. Come out when you’re ready.”

Kaede nodded. “I will.”

When the door closed behind Kotone, the room felt quiet again. Kaede exhaled slowly and turned back to her wall. She selected one of the new polaroids – her and Jiwoo, pressed close, both smiling without pretense. She taped it carefully into an open space, fingers lingering at the edges to make sure it stayed.

Her gaze drifted, unbidden, to the drawer.

She didn’t open it again.

=====

The HAUS Creative building felt far too big.

Kaede stood frozen in the middle of a narrow hallway, clutching her bag strap with both hands as if it were the only thing anchoring her to the ground. The fluorescent lights above her hummed softly, stretching endlessly down polished floors that all looked the same. Practice rooms, vocal studios, offices – each door bore neat Hangul lettering she could barely decipher, her eyes skimming over them again and again with growing panic.

She was late. Or maybe she wasn’t – truthfully, she had no idea. Her panicked mind could hardly comprehend time now, it all feeling too slippery, too stretched thin by her nerves and unfamiliarity. She wasn’t used to this, to navigating places alone. Normally, someone else would be with her, but that person… Kaede recalled the toothy smile, the venomous words, and the ghost of an arm around her.

Her hand clenched. No, she could do this… she was just a little lost. Her phone sat useless in her pocket, the map Sohyun had sent her earlier blurred in her memory, the arrows and instructions tangled in Korean she was still learning how to untangle.

“Practice room… A?” she murmured to herself, accent thick, the syllables clumsy on her tongue.

A pair of trainees passed her by, laughing quietly, their voices quick and confident. Kaede turned toward them instinctively, hope flaring. “Um, excuse me,” she tried, bowing a little too deeply. “Practice room… where… is?”

They slowed, glanced at her, and exchanged a look. One of them smiled politely, apologetic, and shook her head before continuing on. The other followed, their laughter fading down the hall.

Kaede’s shoulders slumped.

She swallowed, heat creeping up her neck. She ran a hand through her hair – cut shorter back then, falling just above her neck in a sharp bob. Her Korean wasn’t fluent yet, her Japanese accent stubbornly clinging to each syllable, refusing to be smoothed away. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her heart hammering in her chest as her palms grew clammy. She could hear her former friend’s voice echoing in her ears, and she bit her lip.

Don’t cry, she told herself fiercely. Not here. Not yet.

She took a breath and started walking again, choosing a direction at random. Every turn felt wrong. Every door looked unfamiliar. The building seemed to stretch and bend around her, corridors looping back into each other like a maze designed to test her resolve. She knew she was being irrational, that her own panic was clouding her sense of direction, and she was turning for the sake of it, but she couldn’t stop, not as her breathing grew faster, not as her heart rate spiked.

It was then that a voice cut through the hum of the lights.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Kaede turned so quickly she nearly stumbled.

The girl standing a few steps away was taller than her, with long dark brown hair pulled into a loose ponytail, wisps framing a face that was open and kind. She wore practice clothes – an oversized hoodie, worn-out sneakers – and held a water bottle loosely in one hand. Her expression was concerned, but not wary, head tilted curiously, examining the smaller girl before her.

For a moment, Kaede could only stare.

Then, flustered, she bowed again. “Ah– sorry– um, I’m… lost.” She gestured vaguely around them, cheeks burning. “Practice room… I can’t… find.”

The girl’s eyes softened immediately. “Oh,” she said, stepping closer. “You’re new, right?”

Kaede nodded quickly. “Yes. I’m Kaede. From… Japan.” She fumbled over the words, wincing at her own pronunciation, though the girl’s expression didn’t show a hint of mockery.

“I’m Jiwoo,” the girl said, smiling. “Don’t worry. This place is confusing even if you’ve been here a while.” She tilted her head, considering. “Which room are you looking for?”

“Practice… A? Or B?” Kaede admitted helplessly. “Sohyun-ssi told me but–” She trailed off, embarrassed.

Jiwoo laughed softly, not unkindly, but warm, like the sound itself was meant to sooth, and it did. “That sounds like Sohyun-ssi,” she said. “Come on. I’ll take you.”

Relief hit Kaede so suddenly her knees almost gave out. “Thank you,” she breathed, bowing again.

Jiwoo waved it off and started down the hall, slowing her steps so Kaede could follow easily. As they walked, Jiwoo chatted lightly – about the weather, about how long Kaede had been in Korea, about how hard Korean grammar was even for Koreans. Kaede answered as best she could, the knot in her chest loosening with every passing minute. Not once did Jiwoo laugh at her pronunciation, or her accent, only observing with encouraging eyes, and Kaede felt the tension in her chest loosen.

They stopped in front of a door marked Practice Room A. Kaede let out a small, incredulous laugh. “I passed this already,” she admitted.

Jiwoo grinned. “Yeah, this building does that to you. So many damn corridors and turns…” She pushed the door open.

Inside, Sohyun stood near the mirrors, tablet in hand. She looked up as the door swung open, her expression shifting instantly when she saw Kaede. “There you are,” she said, relief evident. “I was wondering when you’d find your way.”

Kaede bowed deeply. “I’m sorry. I got lost.”

Sohyun smiled. “It happens. I see you already made a new friend,” she joked, glancing toward the taller girl, “Thank you, Jiwoo.”

Jiwoo nodded, but her attention lingered on Kaede just a moment longer before she stepped aside.

Practice began shortly after.

If Jiwoo had any expectations for Kaede, they were blown out of the water. The shy girl who’d tripped over her own words had the best footwork in the group of trainees, her eyes lit with focus as she moved from one step to another, almost like water. Jiwoo tried to focus on herself, on improving like she was supposed to, but seeing the girl who’d been so unsure of herself transform into this… Jiwoo almost tripped up at one point.

When she took a break, she still kept her eyes on the smaller girl, finding something raw and unpolished in the girl’s gaze that made Jiwoo pause mid-stretch just to watch. Kaede counted under her breath in Japanese, brow furrowed in concentration, hair sticking to her neck with sweat.

Jiwoo felt it then – a strange, unexpected warmth blooming in her chest. It wasn’t attraction, not exactly. It was something gentler, like recognition. Watching Kaede push herself, eyes shining with determination, Jiwoo thought of her own early days - of feeling small, out of place, of wanting so badly to belong. Only difference was, in her eyes, Kaede didn’t need to prove anything to anyone.

When Kaede caught her watching, she startled, nearly missing a step. Jiwoo smiled quickly and gave her a thumbs-up. Kaede flushed, but smiled back, a little crooked, a little shy.

Jiwoo turned back to the mirror, heart still warm.

She didn’t know it then, but years later, she would remember this moment clearly – the lost girl in the hallway, the way helping her had felt like something settling into place.

Like the beginning of something she hadn’t yet learned how to name.

=====

Around now, Kaede wished she was a little firmer with their stylists. Curse her weakness to pretty girls once again.

The winter winds howled, the cold of January finally beginning to truly seep into her bones and muscles as she suppressed a shiver, tugging the jacket on her frame tighter around herself. She could see the steady flow of fans entering the venue, hiding behind the metal railing of the barrier, and the Japanese girl envied the thick black puffer coats all of them were wearing, and she wished she had such insulation. She caught sight of a banner, ‘Hwaiting ReDestiny!’, and she was reminded of her other members.

Kaede stood near the center of the group, shoulders drawn in despite herself. Her outfit was stylish in the way that mattered for photos and broadcasts: a cropped jacket, tailored shorts layered over tights, boots that looked sturdy but did very little against the cold seeping up from the ground. The stylists had promised the weather wouldn’t be that bad. Stylists always promised things like that.

She exhaled, breath fogging the air, and tried not to shiver.

Unsurprisingly, Yubin let out a loud gasp, her teeth clattering slightly, “Here they come…” She said, the ghost of a smile on her lips, and the switches began turning on in their mind – fans were coming, keep an eye on your appearances. Their manager, Sohyun, had drilled that into their heads enough. Beside Yubin, Kaede watched fellow member Chaeyeon throw her arms around the smaller girl, and Yubin gasped.

“Yubam… it’s so cold…” Her unnie whined, and Kaede suppressed an eyeroll, letting out a quiet chuckle as Yubin’s ears tinted red, and the smaller girl seemed pretty content with where she was. Both girls were toward Kaede’s left, and right beside Kaede was Jiwoo.

She laughed at something Yubin said, and she eyed the taller girl, and felt something in her heart squeeze. She frowned, looking away, cheeks faintly warm before the icy winds washed it away. She held back another shiver, missing how Jiwoo’s eyes briefly flickered to her, before glancing toward her right. Beside her, their leader Mayu gave a quiet shiver, and Kotone sighed, moving to adjust the scarf that Mayu had conveniently added to her outfit.

Times like this, Kaede wishes she wasn’t so hesitant to speak to the stylists. Her eyes lingered on how Kotone adjusted Mayu’s scarf with practiced calm, tongue sticking out in concentration, Mayu’s cheeks turning a rosy shade as she smiled. Despite being the oldest and the leader, she somehow looked the smallest bundled up like that, a contradiction Kaede had never quite resolved. Kotone’s own gaze seemed to linger in Mayu’s, before she glanced up, meeting Kaede’s eyes.

A quick glance told Kaede that the fans were a little busy with their cameras to notice what she was going to do, but just to make sure, she covered her mouth with her hand, and mouthed ‘Gay’. Kotone gave a scoff, leaning across Mayu to smack the smaller girl’s shoulder as Kaede giggled, and then half-winced, the cold whipping her skin once again.

Kotone raised a brow, and as she opened her mouth to speak, another voice cut through the air. A laugh, followed by a giggle, and the trio’s attention was drawn to their maknaes, standing further on the right, at the edge.

Hayeon, to her credit, looked completely unfazed by the wind and the cold, not shivering like the rest of them. Despite this, she evidently had gotten an idea for more dramatics, as was on brand for their resident troublemaker. The maknae leaned dramatically into Chaewon, looping an arm through the pink-haired girl’s. “Chaewonnie, you’re like a portable heater~” she teased, “Hug me!”

Chaewon spluttered, and Kaede could already hear the rapid clicking of cameras as more people filtered into the venue. “I am not – yah! Don’t say weird things!” She tried to shake Hayeon off, failed, and then pretended not to notice when Hayeon didn’t move away. Despite her red cheeks and looking away with a huff, no one missed the smile on her face.

“I don’t know why she keeps acting like she doesn’t like this,” Kaede heard Jiwoo murmur, “It’s pretty obvious she’s whipped.” When Kaede realised the words were directed at her, she hummed, glancing up toward the taller girl, meeting the warm brown eyes that stared back at her. Kaede nodded, glancing back toward the maknaes.

It was then Mayu gave a loud clap, and began the group’s introduction, and Kaede nodded toward herself. Now was the time to do what she loved, and a familiar excitement bubbled in her chest.

An excitement that had burrowed into the space behind her ribs ever since she set foot in Korea, ever since she left her home country to pursue her dream, to travel the world. Joining ReDestiny felt like her dreams had manifested themselves into reality, and now gone was the trepidation that had come with beginning to live with seven other girls she hardly knew.

Now, she smiled. Smiled at bright camera flashes, read out the words she’d practised, and enjoyed the mini-fanmeeting they had scheduled between performances. A small part of her still wished to be indoors, to get her blood pumping with performances, but instead settled on smiling or laughing at anything the others said. Still, the cold ran down her spine, though it faded ever-so-slightly whenever she caught someone screaming her name, and made eye contact with the fansite and her camera.

She gave another wave, and felt goosebumps crawl along her arm, and let her eyes scan the crowd again, suppressing any sign of her cold state. She felt a bump on her arm, and glanced over. She met her leader’s soft eyes, and also found Kotone sliding closer, both girls’ concern practically emanating off of them. “You okay?” Kotone asked, offering a questioning thumbs-up from her folded arms.

Kaede nodded, jaw tight. “I’m fine.”

Mayu’s gaze remained skeptical, “Kae… if you need anything, then–”

“It’s okay,” she rushed out, offering another smile, “Really, unnies, I’m fine.”

She wasn’t, but she wasn’t about to admit it. Being cold was one thing. Being fussed over was another. As her older members turned back toward the fans, she felt the lingering cold beginning to slip deeper, attempting to overpower the warmth in her chest. She doesn’t know why she was like this – why she was so hesitant to ask for or accept help, why being less of a burden meant so much to her.

She couldn’t fully rationalise why, but the idea of bothering one of the many staff members left her with a sickly feeling in her stomach, so she pushed down her own needs.

However, when the cold makes her give out a shiver she can’t suppress, of course, someone else notices. Someone who can’t ignore when her members are having a problem, a member who bakes everyone cookies whenever they’re going through a rough time, a member who laughs at everything so easily that you can’t help but smile too, even if the joke wasn’t even that great. Of course, Lee Jiwoo notices.

The taller girl’s gaze lingered on her a beat longer than necessary, and Kaede kept her eyes forward, posture straight, smile carefully measured for the cameras, but it took effort now. Her fingers were numb, the tips tingling unpleasantly, and the cold had found a way past fabric and resolve alike.

Jiwoo shifted closer. Just a half-step, barely noticeable unless you were looking for it. Kaede noticed anyway. “You’re cold,” Jiwoo said quietly, voice low enough that it blended into the ambient noise of fans and staff calling instructions.

Kaede didn’t look at her. “I’m fine,” she gritted out behind her smile.

Jiwoo huffed out a soft laugh. “You say that every time.”

Kaede finally glanced up, brows knitting together, a faint pout on her lips. “Because it’s true.”

Jiwoo’s eyes flicked down – to Kaede’s hands curled tightly into her sleeves, to the faint tremor she was failing to hide – then back to her face. There was no teasing in her expression, no smug I told you so like she’d seen on the taller girl’s face whenever Yubin did something silly. Just concerned, warm and steady, dark brown eyes like warm firewood.

“You’re shaking,” Jiwoo said, tilting her head, and Kaede opened her mouth to argue, to deflect with sarcasm or a joke, but another gust of wind cut her off, slicing through her thin cropped jacket like it was nothing. Her shoulders hitched despite her best efforts, a sharp shiver running through her. She cursed internally. Jiwoo didn’t say anything for a moment, only watching with those eyes, warm, leaving something crawling through Kaede’s stomach, the unease of being watched. The taller girl’s lips pressed together, as if choosing her next words carefully.

Then, gently, “Do you want a hug?”

The words landed like a dropped plate, and Kaede’s head snapped up.

She stiffened immediately, heart jumping into her throat. “No.”

It came out too fast, too loud – sharper than she intended. She could almost hear Kotone’s voice in her head, you’re weirdly defensive again.

Jiwoo didn’t flinch. If anything, she seemed to expect it. She lifted her hands slightly, palms out in surrender, the corners of her mouth twitching. “Okay,” she said easily. “Just asking.” Because, of course, very little seemed to immediately phase or bother Jiwoo, just another thing she could shrug off so easily.

Still, relief washed through Kaede, followed closely by something uncomfortable she didn’t want to name at how easily Jiwoo could turn back around, and she felt colder without those brown eyes staring into her soul. She felt her jaw tighten, as if about to say something herself, but turned her gaze back toward the fans, forcing her expression to settle.

Of course she said no. She always did.

Hugs were messy. Intimate. They invited assumptions, expectations. Cameras froze moments in time and let people dissect them endlessly, and Kaede had learned early on that the safest way to exist was to keep a careful distance. Be sharp. Be witty. Be untouchable. She thought back to when she first entered the country, when she first set out to be picked up by an entertainment company.

A smile on someone’s lips, all teeth, an arm looped around her shoulders, a laugh that seemed to drip with venom whenever Kaede remembered it now–

The wind howled again, stronger this time, and Kaede’s breath caught as the cold slammed into her chest, unrelenting. Yubin made a loud noise that made everyone in the audience laugh, Chaewon and Hayeon squeaked as they cuddled closer together, and Kotone shifted toward Mayu again. Kaede squeezed her arms tighter around herself, teeth clicking together before she could stop them, eyes closing briefly, before reopening.

Jiwoo exhaled, and Kaede could feel the warmth move closer towards her. Before the Japanese girl had a chance to react, Jiwoo stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her.

Kaede’s mind went blank. “Ji–!” she started, hands flying up automatically, pressing against Jiwoo’s sides in a half-hearted attempt to push her away, and she could hear a camera clicking in the background, but before she fully shoved her away, she felt it.

Warmth.

Immediate, overwhelming warmth, like stepping inside after being out in the snow too long, engulfing yourself into the thickest, softest blanket imaginable. Jiwoo’s coat, whilst not the thick puffer jackets of their fans, was thick enough to block the wind entirely, her arms firm and steady around Kaede’s shoulders, pulling her close without hesitation. Kaede’s face pressed into Jiwoo’s chest, fabric soft against her cheek, heat seeping into her skin, and her eyes widened.

Her protest fizzled out uselessly, and it took all her willpower to not just melt on the spot, in front of all the fans. Jiwoo adjusted her hold slightly, one arm settling securely around Kaede’s back, the other resting between her shoulder blades. She leaned her chin lightly against the top of Kaede’s head, shielding her from the wind, and Kaede let out a quiet breath against the older girl’s skin. Already, she could hear the fans' surprised murmurs – after all, everyone knew Kaede’s reluctance.

Fanservice had never come naturally to her. She knew the jokes about how she dodged hugs like a cat avoiding bathwater, how she stiffened at skinship during lives and would shove members away, how Hayeon and Mayu made a game out of trying to trap her in affectionate poses. Fans loved it, apparently. The reactions, the contrast between her sharp wit and her refusal to play along. Sure, the occasional tweet tried to allege how Kaede might hate her members, but Kaede showed her love in other ways.

Besides, she wasn’t completely averse to it. She just had a much stronger limit than most and once that limit was reached, she knew how uncomfortable she’d get. An internal war between the love for her members and the sickly feeling that always followed when someone tried putting their arm around her.

So when cameras started flashing, Jiwoo’s hold tightened, only slightly. “You don’t have to hug back,” Jiwoo murmured, voice barely audible. “Just stay like this for a bit, let yourself warm up,” her voice was low, in a way that seemed to echo in Kaede’s head.

Her first instinct screamed at her to pull away – to apologize, to laugh it off, to do something before this turned into a thing. She was acutely aware of the cameras now, of the sudden spike in noise from the crowd and her own members.

Fans gasped. Someone shrieked. Camera shutters erupted in a frenzy.

“Is that–”

“Kaede accepted a hug?!”

“Oh my god!”

Yubin made an exaggerated choking noise somewhere to her left. “HELLO? AM I HALLUCINATING?”

Hayeon’s voice rang out next. “Yah! Why does Jiwoo-unnie get to hug her?! She throws me away whenever I try!”

Kaede barely registered any of it.

The cold, relentless and biting just moments ago, had now retreated. Her muscles, tight with tension she hadn’t even realized she was carrying, began to loosen. Jiwoo was warm – very warm – and solid in a way that felt grounding rather than restrictive, as if Kaede was now anchored to her, and the wind wouldn’t drag her away. There was no pressure to perform here, no playful teasing or exaggerated fanservice pose. Just quiet, steady contact.

Her breathing slowed.

Without quite meaning to, Kaede leaned in. Just a fraction. Enough that her weight rested more fully against Jiwoo, enough that her hands, still pressed against Jiwoo’s sides, stopped pushing and simply stayed there, still a little too scared to fully embrace her. Jiwoo felt the shift in weight, Kaede could tell by the way her arms tightened just slightly, a subtle, reassuring squeeze.

“It’s okay,” Jiwoo murmured again, as if Kaede needed permission.

Kaede closed her eyes, letting out a content hum, and someone in the audience screamed about cuteness. For a few seconds, maybe longer, there was nothing else. No cameras, no cold and harsh winds, no expectations. Just warmth and the faint, comforting rhythm of Jiwoo’s breathing.

She hated how much she liked it, and when she glanced up, her eyes met Jiwoo’s, and she stiffened slightly.

The smaller girl tilted her head – was Jiwoo always this tall? She belatedly realised just how easily she slotted into the older girl’s arms, as if they were two puzzle pieces that had been reconnected, and Jiwoo’s body shielded her from the cold so thoroughly. She stared into the brown eyes, and she gave a soft hum. She’d seen them in so many colours, so many contacts for different comebacks, and yet this, the warm, dark richness they naturally held, was perhaps Kaede’s favourite.

She hears Jiwoo chuckle, “Cute…” the taller girl mumbles, so soft and warm that Kaede’s chest squeezes. She feels something warm across her face, and suddenly, Kaede thinks maybe it’s time to pull apart.

“Okay, okay,” she muttered, pushing lightly against Jiwoo’s chest this time. “That’s enough.”

Jiwoo released her immediately, stepping back with an easy smile, hands lifting as if to show she hadn’t been holding on too tightly. “Better?” She asked with a half-laugh, her smile seeming to make her eyes light up with amusement, and Kaede nodded before she could stop herself.

Then she realized what she’d just admitted and pouted, cheeks burning. “I mean – It was just – don’t get used to it.”

The words were grumbled out towards the end, and Kaede could hear Mayu’s soft giggles beside her, followed by Jiwoo’s own bright laughter. The sound was warm and unrestrained in the way only Jiwoo could manage, and Kaede felt that familiar squeeze in her chest again. “Don’t worry,” Jiwoo said. “I won’t.”

She paused, then added lightly, “Unless you ask.”

Kaede gave a quiet huff, glancing aside, though a smile still lingered on her lips. Jiwoo seems to catch it, and smiles in turn, eyes soft, as the fans continued buzzing with excitement around them.

From the corner of her eye, Kaede caught Mayu watching her with a knowing expression, Kotone’s brows raised in open amusement. The youngest of the Japanese girls turned back toward the crowd, forcing herself to wave again, to smile like nothing had happened. But the cold no longer felt quite so sharp, and even as the wind tugged at her jacket, warmth lingered where Jiwoo’s arms had been.

Annoyingly, unmistakably, Kaede found herself wishing it hadn’t ended so soon.

=====

The first thing Kaede sees when she opens her phone is herself.

“No. Nope. Absolutely not,” she groaned, voice muffled by fabric as she buried her face into her pillow. “Why is it everywhere?”

To be more specific, what Kaede found was a picture of herself pressed into Jiwoo’s chest, Jiwoo’s arms wrapped securely around her shoulders, the wind frozen mid-whip as if the cold itself had been stunned into stillness. The image and clips had been plastered all over her timeline on the burner account she used (all of them had one – they wanted some way to stalk what their fans were saying, after all), and the heat never seemed to leave her cheeks.

She found one clip edited with soft music playing in the background, and Kaede can see it – her own eyes almost seeming to indeed sparkle when she looked up at Jiwoo. God, is that what she looked like in the moment?

The younger girl made a strangled noise and buried her face into her pillow.

Kotone, perched cross-legged on her own bed across the room, laughed so hard she had to clutch her stomach. “It really is everywhere… I mean, look at this,” she chuckled, tilting her phone so Kaede could see – despite Kaede very pointedly not looking.

Still, the younger girl lifted her head just enough to glare, and caught sight of another picture from another angle, Kaede’s face hidden as Jiwoo rested her chin atop of it. “Stop showing me.”

“I’m not showing you,” Kotone said innocently. “The internet is,” Kaede half-heartedly threw a plushie at the older girl, and huffed, the side of her head hitting the pillow again.

The dorm room was warm, blessedly so after that day’s cold, the heater humming quietly beneath the window. It was one of the smaller rooms in the apartment, but it had long since become theirs – Kaede’s and Kotone’s – softened and personalized over months of shared living. Posters were taped to the walls unevenly, corners curling in some places and being placed at angles. Some were of old dance showcases from their youth, others were vintage J-Pop prints Kaede had brought from home. There was even a signed ReDestiny poster that Kotone insisted that they frame.

Kaede made an effort to maintain her half of the room – clothes folded precisely and not scattered haphazardly, her desk organised with various notebooks and language-learning textbooks stacked in neat piles, polaroids of herself with her members and family taped above, and a keychain dangling from the lamp sitting atop it.

Kotone, meanwhile, lived a little… differently. Her bed wasn’t as neatly made, her hoodies sitting on the back of her desk chair or on her bed itself, and her desk was scattered with lyric books and choreography notes she’d show Kaede.

Still, it was their space, and Kaede had more than gotten used to Kotone’s way of living. Though, right now, their home felt more like a prison as the younger girl was face-down on her bed, arms wrapped around a pillow like it might shield her from public (and her roommate’s) scrutiny.

Kotone scrolled with glee. “Oh wow, this one’s got like thirty thousand likes already.”

“Why,” Kaede whimpered, “why do fans have eyes?”

Kotone snorted. “Kae, we’re idols. Being in the public eye is kinda our thing.”

“I know, but usually they look at my dancing, not–” She gestured vaguely into the mattress. “–this.”

Kotone leaned over and poked her shoulder. “You mean you hugging Jiwoo like you were about to hibernate in her coat?”

Kaede groaned louder.

She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as if answers might be written there. Her phone buzzed again, relentless. Against her better judgment, she lifted it and scrolled. There were the pictures – high-resolution fansite shots, slowed-down clips, zoomed-in gifs. Jiwoo’s coat, Kaede’s hands hesitating, then settling. Her expression, soft and unguarded in a way she hadn’t realized she’d worn so openly, her eyes staring up at Jiwoo, wide and brighter than she’d meant them to be.

It was cold, she was just… extra grateful! Even so, the comments were relentless.

tovizu: wait this yuri omg…

KaeOppaIsReal: Kaede finally accepting skinship??? character development fr

sullwontopia: more kae yuri who else cheered

p1ecewrld: AWWWW LOOK AT THESE GAYS. okay now kiss.

iveintodive: my nugu ship finally getting crumbs!!

Kaede choked. “N-Nugu ship?!”

Kotone burst out laughing again. “See? You two have fans!”

The younger girl made a whining noise, and Kotone could only chuckle. The younger girl pouted, hair splayed against her pillow. “This is not what I meant when I said I wanted to have a viral moment this year…” Kaede muttered, and despite herself, she continued to scroll, her cheeks only growing warmer.

peachblast: oh this tweet is making numbers QUICK NAME 3 REDESTINY B SIDES RIGHT NOW

p1ecewlrd: The height difference is what gets me cause I would fold if i was kaede

Nikawaiiz: REDESTINY SUPPORT LGBT WHY WHY WHY

istzpilled: THESE MEGA MEGA LESBIANS GET THEM OFF MY TL

yerimbrit: edes new bear jacket is so cute

Kaede slammed her phone face-down onto her chest. “People are making things up! I– they–” Her face flamed, and Kotone only tilted her head as Kaede huffed, turning onto her other side, not wanting to see whatever shit-eating grin was on the older girl’s face.

Kotone only hummed, raising an eyebrow. “Are they?”

Kaede, turned, shooting her a look with a scowl. “Don’t start.”

“I’m just saying,” Kotone said, shrugging easily, “there are worse people you could be paired with in the group.

“Shut up…” Kaede grumbled, and Kotone chuckled.

“I’m being serious,” Kotone continued, tone still teasing but fond. “Jiwoo is nice. Like, actually nice, if her turning into your human blanket wasn’t enough for you,” Kaede makes another noise, and Kotone rolls her eyes, “I mean, everyone likes her. Staff, fans, us. She bakes cookies when people are sad and has the voice of an angel. You kinda lucked out.”

The younger girl huffed, “Why don’t you go viral for hugging her then?” For a few minutes, Kotone stared at Kaede with a blank look, and it takes the younger Japanese girl a moment before it dawns on her, and she chuckles. “Right… you have that weird thing with Mayu-unnie going on.”

Kotone’s face flashed red, “I– Don’t change the subject!”

Kaede hummed, “Don’t think I didn’t see that live where she talked about ‘giving a kiss to someone who won’t accept it’… acting like you didn’t want her to kiss you.”

“I… this isn’t about me!” She pointed a finger, accusingly, “This is about you and Jiwoo going viral! Besides, you’ve always been softer with her.”

Kaede froze, eyes narrowing as she sat straighter. “That’s not true.”

Kotone smiled, the kind that said she knew exactly what she was doing, and she raised a single finger. “You let her steal your snacks.”

The younger girl glanced away. “I… That was one time. She was hungry.”

A second finger. “You listen when she gives feedback on your vocals – with those same sparkly eyes from that video, by the way.”

“She’s a good singer, we should all appreciate her input.”

A third finger was raised. “You never shove her away when she stands too close,” Kaede opens her mouth to protest, and Kotone raises a brow, “You hip-bumped me away one time because I shuffled a little close and yelled at Mayu-unnie to ‘stay away’ when she walked in your direction one time at a fanmeet.”

Kaede closed her mouth, jaw tight, and Kotone hummed triumphantly. “See?”

Kaede sat up abruptly, grabbing her phone. “I’m leaving.”

Kotone blinked. “Where?”

“Anywhere that doesn’t involve you psychoanalyzing me,” Kaede said, swinging her legs off the bed. “Maybe I’ll run away.”

Kotone laughed. “Out of the dorm or just to the kitchen?”

Kaede froze for half a second, then grabbed her hoodie. “Shut up.”

She fled before Kotone could say anything else, before she could tell Kaede who’d be waiting for her in the kitchen.

***

The kitchen lights were on. The amber glow cutting through the shadows of the evening was the first thing Kaede noticed as she padded down the hallway, socks whispering against the wooden floor. The dorm was quieter now – most of the others had retreated to their rooms, the post-schedule exhaustion settling in. The layout was pretty simple – four shared one dorm with two bedrooms, and the other four living in the opposite dorm across in the hallway. Even so, they usually spent most of their time visiting each other and sleeping over when they could.

Still, Kaede couldn’t see Hayeon or Chaewon in the living room, and could only assume they were back at their dorm with Chaeyeon and Yubin. Mayu was likely still in her room, and if the soft Japanese words faintly echoing from her door told her anything, she was probably catching up with her family over a video call, and Kaede felt a small smile on her face. Still, as she slipped into the kitchen, she realised this likely meant only one other person could’ve been in there.

The smell all but confirmed it for her. The air was warm and sweet, with butter and sugar and something faintly nutty wafting through the air, and Kaede slowed.

Jiwoo stood at the counter, sleeves rolled up, hair loosely tied back, moving with an easy familiarity that made the space feel softer just by her presence. The warm lights of the kitchen made her hair seem almost softer, lighter, with a slight golden hue to the blonde strands. A mixing bowl sat beside her, flour dusting the counter like snow. The oven hummed gently, casting a warm orange glow across the floor.

Of course she was baking.

Jiwoo looked up when she sensed movement. “Oh – hey,” she smiled, and Kaede swore her breath hadn’t hitched.

The smaller girl coughed, suddenly hyper-aware of herself. “Hi.” There was a beat, a moment where Kaede felt the silence linger in the air. Something felt… different. Usually, if Jiwoo was baking, she’d waltz in, asking if she could have a cookie, before leaving. But now… she couldn’t help but hesitate, her feet feeling as though they were rooted in place. Her eyes darted toward Jiwoo’s arms, and she thought back to what Kotone had been saying, and her face heated up slightly.

Curse you for putting these thoughts in my head, Tone… She mentally sighed, meeting Jiwoo’s gaze.

The taller girl smiled, small and genuine, and something squeezed in Kaede’s chest. “You okay?”

Kaede nodded too fast. “Yeah. Fine,” what the hell is wrong with me? “Just… needed a snack.”

Jiwoo’s eyes flicked over her face, then she nodded, accepting it with a shrug. “I’m making cookies – you can have one when they’re done?”

Kaede hesitated. “Sure,” and Jiwoo nodded, turning around as she set aside a bowl of cookie dough, before then mixing together new ingredients in a new bowl. Kaede watched the older girl work, hearing the sounds of the whisk clacking against the bowl, as the Japanese girl leaned against the counter opposite Jiwoo, arms crossed loosely. The warmth from the oven seeped into her skin, a welcome contrast to the memory of the cold still clinging to her bones.

They stood in companionable silence for a moment, punctuated only by the soft scrape of a spatula against the bowl, before Kaede hummed. “You’re making… two batches?”

Jiwoo chuckled, “Yep,” she sighed, “Thought we all deserved a treat after today… though, those are mainly for Yubin,” she nodded toward the bowl of cookie dough – a light brown colour marked with several chocolate chips.

Kaede hummed, “Let me guess, she begged you for more cookies?”

At that, Jiwoo laughed, “Please, I’ve dealt with her begging for enough years that it doesn’t even affect me anymore,” she turned, letting Kaede see the mischievous sparkle in her eyes, though it softened. “Still, she seemed really cold today, thought it’d be nice to deliver a warm treat for her and the others.”

The Japanese girl nodded, folding her arms around herself, “It was cold… I remember Sohyun-unnie warning the stylists about making sure we were warmer for next time.”

Jiwoo chuckled, shaking her head, “Man, I would not like to be on the receiving end of an angry Sohyun-unnie…”

Kaede hummed, “Like that one time she caught you sneaking out with Chaeyeon to watch some movie?”

The taller girl froze for a half-second, before continuing, “She wanted to watch it so bad, and I didn’t want her to go alone. Besides,” she turned, still holding the bowl and mixing the ingredients, letting Kaede see that the taller girl had worn the yellow apron she’d bought her as a Secret Santa gift last Christmas. “If I hadn’t snuck out, Sohyun wouldn’t have given us our mandated monthly movie visits.”

The image of a stuffed teddy bear stared back at Kaede from Jiwoo’s apron, and she suppressed a chuckle. “Right, sorry, our glorious Jiwoo-nim rescued us all once again. We are so grateful for all your work,” she gave a slight bow, and Jiwoo laughed, the sound leaving Kaede a little dizzy.

“You should be grateful,” Jiwoo said, raising her chin as she turned around, “After all, this second batch is for you.”

Kaede froze. “Huh?”

Jiwoo, oblivious to Kaede’s sudden confusion, only hummed. “You also seemed cold – really cold if you let me hug you. Thought I’d also make you something – you can share it with Kotone if you like…”

But Kaede had stopped listening as Jiwoo went on. Her chest squeezed, the sounds around her fuzzy. All she could see was Jiwoo, washed in warm light, and felt her hand grip onto the counter tighter. It was small. So small – Jiwoo baked for everyone. So… why was Kaede acting this way?

Kaede stared at Jiwoo like she’d just spoken a different language. “For… me?” she echoed, voice quieter than she meant it to be.

Jiwoo glanced over her shoulder, blinking once as if surprised by the question. “Yeah,” she said simply, as though this were the most natural thing in the world. “You were cold.”

The words shouldn’t have meant anything. They were factual, an observation. Jiwoo said things like that all the time to everyone – you look tired, did you eat, drink some water. Care, casual and constant, folded into everyday moments, because between all her teasing and laughter, Lee Jiwoo cared about everyone.

And yet, the words echoed in Kaede’s head. For her… The younger girl felt her ears burn. “Oh,” she said, then realized how unhelpful that sounded. She cleared her throat. “You… didn’t have to.”

Jiwoo smiled, soft and unassuming, turning back to the bowl. “I wanted to.”

There it was again. That feeling. Like something gently but persistently tapping at her ribs from the inside, a feeling so unfamiliar that Kaede wasn’t sure what to name it.

She shifted her weight, suddenly unsure of what to do with her hands. She uncrossed her arms, then crossed them again, then let them fall to her sides. The kitchen felt smaller than it had a moment ago, the warm air thick with the scent of sugar and butter and something distinctly homely. It reminded her of winter evenings back in Japan, when her mother would bake simple sweets and the whole apartment would smell like comfort after Kaede came back from her dance academy.

She swallowed.

Jiwoo continued working, humming quietly under her breath, shoulders relaxed, the teddy bear on her apron still smiling. Kaede watched without meaning to, her gaze tracing the lines of Jiwoo’s arms, the way her hands moved with practiced ease. There was something grounding about Jiwoo being so effortlessly here, present and real. She thinks about how fans often see the idol, the charismatic and funny member who towered over the rest of them, but not this – the warm Jiwoo that greeted them after tough and long schedules. It was so… personal, in a way Kaede never thought about.

“So,” Jiwoo said suddenly, breaking the silence, “Kotone was laughing really loudly earlier. Did I miss something?”

Kaede stiffened, recalling the older girl’s teasing. “She’s always loud.”

Jiwoo laughed. “True. But this was… louder than usual.”

Kaede’s mouth twisted, and willed for Jiwoo to drop it. “She was… being annoying.”

“Uh-huh.” Jiwoo shot her a knowing look. “That usually means she was right about something.”

Kaede opened her mouth, then closed it again. She grabbed a nearby stool and perched on it, feet swinging slightly above the floor. “She was just…” the idea of admitting to reading tweets about fans shipping them felt almost mortifying to Kaede, so instead, “She was being really smug because it turned out her idea for choreography was more liked by our back-up dancers than mine.”

Jiwoo chuckled, soft, “You guys are always making a competition out of that…” She mumbled. The taller girl then wiped her hands on a towel and glanced up at the top shelf, brows knitting slightly. “Did I put the baking chocolate up there again…?”

Kaede followed her gaze instinctively. The shelf was high – higher than Kaede could comfortably reach without standing on something. “Probably,” she said. “You always do.”

Jiwoo laughed. “Rude,” she stepped closer to Kaede, reaching past her toward the shelf, “Not my fault you all keep trying to eat it…” The tone of her voice was soft, perhaps soft enough to disarm Kaede and make her forget to move in time. Jiwoo’s arm brushed past her shoulder, close enough that Kaede could feel the heat radiating off her. Jiwoo leaned in further, bracing one hand on the counter beside Kaede as she stretched.

Suddenly, Kaede was very aware of how little space there was between them.

Jiwoo’s body blocked the light slightly, casting Kaede in a warm shadow. She could see the skin of the older girl’s neck, her torso practically cornering Kaede against the counter. Her chest was close enough that Kaede could feel and hear the rise and fall of her breathing, and the scent of butter and vanilla, mingled in with something more distinctly Jiwoo – something cleaner, more fresh and citrus, yet also still so sweet.

Kaede’s mind betrayed her immediately, and as a warm sensation washed over her, she was brought right back to earlier.

Warmth… arms… Jiwoo…

The memory hit her full-force: arms around her shoulders, chin resting on her head, the wind gone quiet. The way she’d leaned in without meaning to, and the way Jiwoo had held her without question, tightening, as if afraid Kaede would disappear with the colder winds.

The Japanese girl’s face went hot.

Jiwoo shifted, fingers brushing Kaede’s wrist accidentally as she grasped the bars she needed. “Got it–”

Kaede squeaked. It was undignified. High-pitched. Mortifying. She jerked backward, nearly tipping off the stool, hands flailing as she scrambled to put distance between them. “S-Sorry!”

Jiwoo froze, chocolate still in hand. “Whoa,” Her gaze softened, “Are you okay?”

Kaede slid off the stool entirely, backpedaling like she’d just encountered a wild animal. Her heart was racing, her ears burning, her brain screaming abort mission. “I–I forgot something!” She blurted. “In – uh… my room!” She turned and bolted, face now scarlet.

“Kaede?” Jiwoo called after her, confusion lacing her voice.

Too late.

Kaede fled down the hallway, nearly colliding with the wall as she turned the corner. She didn’t stop until she was back in her room, slamming the door shut behind her and pressing her forehead against it.

“Oh my god…” she whispered. Her heart was pounding like she’d just run a marathon. She slid down the door, burying her face in her hands.

What was wrong with her?

“What’s wrong with you?” Kotone asked, and Kaede only shook her head.

On the other side of the dorm, Jiwoo stood alone in the kitchen, chocolate still clutched in her hand. She stared at the doorway Kaede had disappeared through, brows furrowed. “…Did I do something?” she murmured to herself.

The oven timer beeped softly, filling the silence.

Jiwoo sighed, turning back to the cookies, but her smile didn’t quite return.

=====

The waiting room was dim, lit mostly by the soft glow of a single standing lamp in the corner and the faint blue spill of light from the hallway beyond the door. The air buzzed with a low, constant hum – distant music from another stage, muffled cheers bleeding through thick walls, staff footsteps echoing somewhere far away. It smelled faintly of hairspray and makeup remover, of nerves and anticipation.

Kaede sat alone on a folding chair near the far wall, hands folded tightly in her lap.

Her reflection stared back at her from the darkened mirror across the room. The stage makeup felt heavier than she’d expected, lashes unfamiliar against her eyelids, her hair styled neatly away from her face. She looked like someone else, someone braver, someone who belonged here. The thought made her stomach twist, memories threatening to come back up to the surface.

In the opposite corner, the others huddled together, voices overlapping in excited whispers. Someone laughed – Hayeon, she thought – and another shushed her, giggling right after. Their energy was bright and buoyant, bouncing off the walls in sharp contrast to the quiet space Kaede occupied. She told herself it was fine, that she was used to being on the edges. Still, she usually had someone else at her side.

Her knee bounced uncontrollably, heel tapping against the floor in a steady, betraying rhythm. She pressed her hands together harder, fingers interlacing until her knuckles went pale.

First stage, she reminded herself. You’ve practiced this. Hundreds of times. Thousands.

But practice rooms didn’t have audiences. They didn’t have cameras. They didn’t have the weight of expectations pressing down on her chest, making it hard to draw a full breath. Her Korean wasn’t perfect. Her smile sometimes felt stiff. What if she missed a step? What if she froze? What if she ruined it for everyone else? Her Korean wasn’t as fluent as the two older Japanese girls in her group, what if she accidentally said something upsetting in her language confusion?

A sharp burst of laughter from the group made her flinch before she could stop herself. Heat crept up her neck, shame curling in her stomach.

Get it together, she scolded herself. You’re not a child.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the shift in the room until a shadow fell across her knees.

“Hey.”

Kaede looked up quickly, heart jumping.

Jiwoo stood there, dark brown hair pulled back, stage outfit neat and sharp. She smiled softly, eyes crinkling just a little at the corners, and Kaede felt something in her chest loosen despite herself. “Is this seat taken?” Jiwoo asked lightly, gesturing to the chair beside her.

Kaede shook her head, a bit too fast. “No – no, please.”

Jiwoo sat, close enough that their knees nearly touched, but not quite. Close enough for her warmth to radiate off her body and seep into Kaede’s. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs, posture relaxed as if they weren’t minutes away from stepping onto their first stage. For a moment, she said nothing. She just sat there, presence steady, like she’d chosen this spot deliberately.

The older girl glanced sideways at her. “You’re nervous.”

It wasn’t a question, and Kaede swallowed, fingers tightening in her lap. “Is it… obvious?”

Jiwoo smiled gently. “Only because I recognize it.” She tilted her head. “You’re doing that thing with your hands.”

Kaede looked down, startled, and forced herself to loosen her grip. Her shoulders slumped slightly. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Jiwoo said immediately. “It’s your first stage – anyone would be nervous.”

Kaede let out a small, humorless laugh. “The others don’t look like it… Neither do you,” she added.

Jiwoo followed her gaze to where the group still chatted animatedly, and hummed. “They’re nervous too,” she said. “They just… process it louder. As for me? You can be a trainee for as long as you want, but,” she sighed, “I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t sound like a crazy drum solo right now.”

That earned a faint smile from Kaede.

The clock ticked in the background, counting down the minutes until the group would depart from their dimly lit room and onto the dazzling stage. Jiwoo shifted a little closer, their sleeves brushing. Kaede didn’t pull away, even though a part of her still felt hyperaware of every movement, every breath.

Jiwoo noticed. She always did, Kaede was learning. “You don’t have to sit over there, you know,” she said gently, nodding toward the group. “They don’t bite.”

“I know,” Kaede replied quickly, then hesitated. “I just… I’m still getting used to everything.”

Jiwoo hummed in understanding. “New country. New language. New people.” She smiled again, softer this time. “That’s a lot.”

Kaede’s throat tightened. She stared at the floor. “Sometimes I worry they think I’m… strange. Or rude. Because I don’t talk much. Mayu-unnie and Kotone-unnie are foreigners too, but…” But they talk, she thought. They were all smiles, laughing about how cute the younger members all were, Korean almost perfect to Kaede’s own ears.

Jiwoo shook her head. “They don’t think that.”

“How do you know?” Kaede asked, a little too sharply.

“Because they ask me about you,” Jiwoo said simply. “They worry about you. They think you’re talented, that you sing well, that they could learn a lot from you. They just don’t know how to approach you yet.”

Kaede blinked, face warm, surprised. “They do?”

“Mm,” Jiwoo nodded. “They always ask me, saying I’m apparently the ‘Kaede-expert’ because we knew each other as trainees before we debuted,” she chuckled, shaking her head, “I tell them you’re just shy. That you’re kind, and still figuring yourself and your place here out, and that you’ll talk when you’re ready.”

Warmth spread through Kaede’s chest, unfamiliar and fragile. “You… didn’t have to do that…” Jiwoo shrugged, unphased, and Kaede swallowed, a small smile on her lips. “Thank you..”

Jiwoo shrugged, but her smile lingered. The pair fell quiet again, and the silence was broken soon after, “You remind me of me,” Jiwoo admitted a few beats later.

Kaede looked up. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Jiwoo said. “When I first started as a trainee, I used to sit exactly like you are now.” She mimicked Kaede’s posture exaggeratedly, hugging her arms to her sides. “Terrified. Convinced everyone else knew something I didn’t.”

Kaede huffed a quiet laugh, and Jiwoo grinned. The smaller girl sighed, glancing away, “Then… how… did you get over it?”

The taller girl hummed, “I just… remembered why I’m here,” Jiwoo straightened, gaze drifting toward the mirror. “My parents hated this idea, you know,” she said suddenly.

Kaede tilted her head. “Being an idol?”

“Mm.” Jiwoo nodded. “They said it was unstable – that I should focus on school and my duties as class president, graduate with flying colours, and get a ‘real’ job.” She smiled faintly. “They weren’t wrong, I guess, but I didn’t fully agree. I’d play my role as the academic daughter, but I’d sneak out to training every so often, practice singing in my room when they were out. They were never happy, but…”

“But you couldn’t give up?” Kaede wondered, and Jiwoo chuckled with a nod.

“Of course I couldn’t… When I was younger,” she began quietly, “I used to sing everywhere.” A small, self-conscious smile tugged at her lips. “In the kitchen, in the shower, walking home from school. I sang when I was happy, and I sang when I was sad. It annoyed my parents to no end, but… every time I sang for someone and saw their face change, just a little, like the day got easier for them…”

Jiwoo chuckled, leaning back, closing her eyes, “That feeling…” she opened her eyes with a sigh, “I knew I couldn’t give that up. Even when my parents said no. Even when I cried after auditions. I wanted to sing for people,” Jiwoo’s expression softened, eyes distant as if she were looking back through time. “Because I liked making people smile,” she said simply, glancing at Kaede. “I realized that if I could do something that made even one person feel lighter, even for a moment… that was worth it.”

The words settled between them, quiet and sincere.

Jiwoo leaned back slightly, meeting Kaede’s eyes. “Do you want to see people smile?”

Kaede didn’t answer right away. She thought of the long nights practicing alone, of crossing an ocean with nothing but a dream and a suitcase, and a friend no longer at her side. She thought of the fear twisting in her stomach now, and beneath it, the fragile hope that had brought her here.

“Yes,” she said, voice small but certain. “I do.”

Jiwoo smiled then, bright and genuine, like she’d been waiting for that answer. “Then let’s do that,” she said. “Together.”

A knock sounded at the door. A staff member poked her head in. “Two minutes.”

The room shifted instantly – voices quieted, bodies stood, energy tightening into focus. Jiwoo rose and held out a hand without thinking.

Kaede hesitated for only a second before taking it.

Jiwoo’s grip was warm and steady, grounding. Kaede stood, heart racing but no longer alone. They lined up by the door, the noise of the crowd growing louder with each step closer to the stage. Lights flared, the curtain waiting just beyond.

Jiwoo leaned down slightly, voice low. “You’ll be great.”

Kaede squeezed her hand once in response.

The doors opened.

=====

Kaede had been face-down on her bed for a full five minutes.

Her forehead was pressed into the pillow, arms wrapped tight around it like she was trying to strangle the embarrassment out of herself. Her face was still warm, ears still tinted pink, bringing great amusement toward her roommate. The air was quiet except for the faint hum of the heater and the occasional rustle as she shifted, groaning softly into the fabric, and Kotone watched on.

“I can’t believe I ran away,” the younger girl muttered, voice muffled. “I ran… Like some cartoon character.”

Kotone, sitting at her desk and scrolling through her phone, didn’t even look up. “You didn’t just run,” she corrected lazily. “From what I heard, you squeaked. Then you ran.”

Kaede groaned louder, before looking up, alarmed, “You heard that?!”

“You weren’t exactly being quiet,” Kaede gave a whine, face meeting her pillow again, her feet kicking her mattress. Kotone finally glanced over, unimpressed. “Kae. You’re being weird.”

“I am not being weird,” Kaede protested weakly, rolling onto her side so she could glare at her roommate. Her cheeks were still faintly pink, a tell Kotone knew all too well. “I just… panicked.”

“Over cookies,” Kotone said flatly, the corners of her lips threatening to curl into a smile.

Kaede huffed. “It wasn’t about the cookies!”

Kotone raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh.”

Kaede sat up abruptly, hugging the pillow to her chest like a shield. “She was really close, okay? And she smelled like– like vanilla, and then she said she made them for me, and then she leaned over me, and–” She cut herself off, realizing she was gesturing wildly, and her eyes had grown wide, a look of both bewilderment and amusement written across her face. Kaede sighed, “Anyway. It was too much.”

Kotone stared at her for a long second, then snorted. “So… do you hear yourself?”

Kaede scowled. “You’re not helping.”

“I’m helping by telling you to stop spiraling,” Kotone replied, tone fond despite the words. “Jiwoo didn’t do anything wrong, you didn’t do anything wrong. You know that.”

“I do,” Kaede said quickly. “That’s the problem. It’s not her fault, she hasn’t done anything, so why…” The question went unsaid, and Kotone only hummed. She took in Kaede – the younger girl’s cheeks still pink, her rambling about how close Jiwoo was. Something dawned on her, and it took all her restraint to not grin.

“Oh,” She smiled, and Kaede froze, alarmed at the expression on Kotone’s face, “You have a cr–” Before Kotone could finish, there was a knock at the door.

Both of them froze, and Kaede’s heart dropped straight into her stomach. “Kaede?” A familiar voice asked, soft and high, and Kaede felt something squeeze in her chest. The next knock was softer, gentler, and Kaede stared away from the door as if it had personally wronged her. The younger girl sighed, and then made the mistake of looking toward Kotone.

The older Japanese girl’s eyes slid toward the door, then back to Kaede, and a smile slowly lit up across her expression. “Oh.”

“No,” Kaede whispered immediately. “Absolutely not.”

Kotone stood up. “Yes.”

“I am not opening that door,” Kaede said, scrambling backward on the bed. “Tell her I’m dead.”

Kotone crossed her arms. “Kae.”

“Kotone.”

“You can’t hide from her,” Kotone helpfully supplied, her arms crossed, her expression caught between amused and stern in the way only the second oldest of the group could manage.

“I can hide tonight,” Kaede turned around, and Kotone huffed, picking up a nearby plushie and throwing it down onto the younger girl, hard. “Ow–” She sat upright, offended, only to then slap a hand over her mouth, glancing toward the door again.

The knock came again, hesitant now. “Uh… Kaede?” Jiwoo’s voice filtered through the door, warm and uncertain. “Are you… um… are you awake?”

Kaede slapped the pillow over her face, and Kotone shook her head. She walked closer, grabbed Kaede by the wrist, and yanked. “Get up,” she said, and Kaede gave a wide-eyed look in return, “I am not dealing with some crappy miscommunication plot where you don’t talk to each other for days like you’re angsty lesbians from whatever GL Mayu is reading this week. We have too many promotions coming up for that and I don’t want a scandal.”

“Kotone!” She whined, and the older girl’s eyes narrowed, and Kaede was pleasantly reminded of how her mother used to look at her if she tried skipping meals.

“You’re opening the door,” Kotone said firmly. “Like a normal human being. Not a startled deer.”

Kaede was dragged to her feet, heart pounding, giving little resistance. She pouted, “I hate you.”

“You love me,” Kotone replied cheerfully, now smiling, steering her toward the door. “And for the record, if you don’t open it, I will, and I’ll also make sure Hayeon and Chaewon find out about your squeaking and gay panicking.”

Kaede inhaled sharply, then exhaled. “You’re evil, and for the record,” she paused, turning to look at Kotone, her tone turning hushed, “I wasn’t gay panicking, just… panicking.”

Kotone smiled. “I’m invested, and for the record,” she parrotted, using the same hushed tone, “You were.”

With trembling fingers and a resigned exhale, Kaede reached out and opened the door.

She found Jiwoo standing in the hallway, a small box held carefully in both hands – a familiar tin Kaede had gifted her one time, black metal decorated with images of golden maple leaves. It was a gift from Kaede’s mother, but the Japanese girl had said Jiwoo would get more use out of it. Warm air wafted out of it, carrying the unmistakable scent of fresh cookies, alongside a hint of chocolate. Her hair was a little messier now, sleeves pushed up again, and there was a softness in her expression that made Kaede’s chest ache.

“Oh,” Jiwoo said quietly, relief flickering across her face when she saw her. “You’re here… You know, for a hot minute, I thought you escaped through the window.”

“A likely thing for her to do,” Kotone called out, and Jiwoo gave a soft chuckle as Kaede’s head whipped around, and Kotone raised her hands, as if in surrender, “Relax, Yamada-kun.”

Kaede closed her eyes, letting out another breath, before turning back to face Jiwoo. She swallowed. “Hi…” She gave a small smile, eyes glancing down toward the cookies. She wondered if her eyes lit up the way they had in that image, and she gave a slight giggle. “Wow, they smell amazing,” she said, glancing up. Her eyes met Jiwoo’s, and she could see the relief in them, probably from Kaede not shutting her out. There was another familiar squeeze in her chest, and Kaede sighed. “You should come in.”

Jiwoo blinked, then laughed softly. “Uh, sure, if that’s okay?” Kaede nodded mutely and stepped aside. Jiwoo entered, glancing around the room briefly before holding the box out toward Kaede.

“I brought the cookies,” she said. “They’re fresh. Still warm.”

Kaede hesitated for just a fraction of a second before taking the tin.

The metal was warm against her palms, heat seeping pleasantly into her skin, grounding her in a way she hadn’t realized she needed. She lifted the lid slightly, just enough for the scent to bloom properly – butter, chocolate, sugar, comfort. It felt dangerously domestic for something handed to her in the hallway by a girl who had hugged her into viral infamy barely hours ago.

“Thank you,” Kaede said softly, then winced at how small her voice sounded.

Jiwoo smiled, visibly easing. “I figured it’d be better to bring them than… you know. Let them sit there.”

Kotone, who had been hovering by Kaede’s desk like a stage mom waiting for her cue, clapped her hands together once. Loudly. “Okay! Cookies delivered, Kaede is alive and not permanently trapped in her bed, my work here is done.”

Kaede shot her a look. “What are you talking about?”

Kotone ignored her and turned to Jiwoo, smile bright but knowing. “I’m going to go… uh… get water. Or check on Mayu. Or exist literally anywhere else.” She leaned closer to Kaede and stage-whispered, “Try not to bolt again.”

“I will literally lock you out,” Kaede hissed back.

Kotone just laughed, snagged a cookie from the tin with zero shame, and slipped past Jiwoo. “Good luck, Jiwoo. Don’t traumatize her.”

Jiwoo blinked. “I–wait–”

The door shut.

Silence settled into the room, thick and immediate. Kaede stood there, tin clutched to her chest like a shield, acutely aware of the fact that it was now just the two of them. No fans. No cameras. No Kotone commentary buffering the tension, and that same warmth seemed to glow in her chest. Kaede swallowed, and Jiwoo shifted her weight, hands slipping into the pockets of her hoodie. “Sorry,” she said gently. “I didn’t mean to… ambush you. I just wanted to check in.”

Kaede nodded, swallowing. She moved back toward her bed, setting the cookie tin down on her desk with deliberate care, as if placing it too roughly might somehow crack the moment open further. She perched on the edge of the mattress, hands folding into her lap.

“It’s okay,” she said. Then, more firmly, “You didn’t make me uncomfortable.”

Jiwoo stilled, and her expression changed – not dramatically, but enough that Kaede noticed. The concern didn’t vanish but it softened, shifted into something more attentive. Her eyes that once seemed uncertain seemed steadier, her the slight tremble to her hands and shoulders now gone. “You’re sure?” Jiwoo asked. “Because earlier, in the kitchen, you looked like you wanted the floor to swallow you.”

Kaede huffed despite herself, cheeks pink. “That’s… not inaccurate.”

Jiwoo smiled faintly, crossing her arms. “I just wanted to ask. If I crossed a line, or made you feel weird, I wanted to know. I don’t want to be someone who does that to you,” the words settled deep, heavier than Kaede expected, and she looked toward the ground, unable to sustain eye contact. “I know you’re pretty hesitant with… stuff like that and the idea of making you uncomfortable…” She rubbed the back of her neck, “I guess it worried me.”

Kaede looked down at her hands, fingers fidgeting, tracing the seam of her sleeve. “You didn’t,” she said quietly. “Really. Jiwoo, you could… you could never make me feel that way.”

Jiwoo’s breath caught, not audibly, but Kaede saw it in the way her shoulders rose, then fell. Something flashed in her eyes, a flicker of emotion, as if she was caught off guard, but it was gone as soon as it came. “Okay,” she said softly. “I’m glad.”

A beat passed.

Jiwoo cleared her throat. “Then… I’ll stop. The hugging, I mean. I don’t want to assume anything after today or make you scared. I mean, I know I saw everyone talking about it and I figured–” Jiwoo continued on, her words always remaining casual, warm, considerate of Kaede’s feelings. Yet, they still felt like glass breaking.

The younger girl looked up too quickly. “You don’t have to.”

Jiwoo blinked. “I– huh?” She paused, tilting her head.

Kaede froze. Oh. That had come out without permission from her brain.

She pressed her lips together, then sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. “I mean–” She hesitated, then let herself continue before she could retreat behind sarcasm or some sort of joke from Kotone. “I know I’m… weird about skinship. Fanservice. All of that.” She gestured vaguely between them. “I don’t like being touched like that, it’s… a personal thing. Sometimes I can’t help but think people expect something from me when it happens, I don’t know.” She sighed, voice teetering on something rougher.

Jiwoo nodded slowly, listening. “But,” Kaede continued, cheeks warming, “that day wasn’t like that. You didn’t make it into a big thing, you didn’t tease me, or pose, or look at the cameras. You just… helped.” She let out a small laugh. “I don’t mind that… And honestly, seeing everyone freak out was kind of funny.”

Jiwoo raised an eyebrow, amused. “Really?” She asked, the corner of her mouth curling up slightly.

“I mean it!” Kaede insisted, a mischievous spark sneaking into her voice now that she was past the hardest part. “Hayeon looked like she was about to file a formal complaint after being denied so many times and I don’t think I’ve seen our fans this active on SNS. It was chaos.” Jiwoo laughed, the sound warm and familiar, and Kaede felt herself relax a little more. “And, well,” Kaede added, quieter now, “you’re warm.”

That earned her a grin. “I’ve been told.”

Kaede rolled her eyes. “Don’t get smug… I just…” Her face felt impossibly hot, and she coughed, “You’re… easy to feel comfortable around, I guess. So don’t overthink anything that happened.”

Jiwoo tilted her head, studying her with that gentle curiosity that always made Kaede feel seen without being exposed. “So,” she said lightly, finally, after minutes of silence. “You wouldn’t mind if it happened again?”

Kaede shrugged, deliberately casual. “I wouldn’t mind…” she echoed Jiwoo’s earlier words back to her. “Sometimes, I guess.”

Jiwoo’s smile turned teasing. “You sure you’re not just looking for an excuse to get held?”

Kaede sputtered, and her heart skipped a beat. “I–What?! N-No! I mean–”

Jiwoo laughed openly now, eyes crinkling. “Relax. I’m joking.” She held up her hands in surrender, but her gaze was fond. “I’ll… keep it in mind, though.” Something fluttered in Kaede’s chest at that, at the bright eyes now staring down at her.

They stood there for another moment, the air comfortable now, the earlier tension smoothed into something gentler. Jiwoo glanced toward the door. “I should probably head back,” she said. “I still need to give Yubin and the others their cookies.”

“You better go before she complains so loud we have a new noise complaint.” Kaede muttered.

Jiwoo smiled, “You’re telling me. I’d rather not have Mayu and Sohyun-unnie on our cases again…” The two shared a laugh, and Jiwoo watched Kaede with amused eyes, before she then hesitated. “Hey, Kaede?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks,” Jiwoo said. “For telling me.”

Kaede nodded, offering a small smile in return. “Thank you. For the cookies.”

Jiwoo stepped back toward the door, pausing just long enough to add, “Don’t eat them all at once. Or do. I’m not your mom.”

“That’s Sohyun-unnie,” Kaede shot back automatically. Jiwoo laughed and slipped out, closing the door gently behind her.

The room felt quieter after she left. Kotone reappeared almost immediately in the doorway, as if she’d been waiting with her ear pressed to the door. “So,” she said, snagging another cookie, “how was your Very Normal and Not Gay Conversation?”

Kaede flopped back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. “Shut up.”

Kotone chewed thoughtfully. She gave a low hum, recalling her earlier train of thought, and shrugged as she sat down onto her bed. “You like her.”

The younger girl’s head snapped up. “I do not.”

The older girl sighed, as though mildly exasperated, and crossed her arms, raising a brow. “Let’s see… You ran because she leaned too close, you nearly had a panic attack because she made cookies for you, you let her hug you when you usually shove everyone else away–”

“That doesn’t mean anything!”

Kotone swallowed, then smiled serenely. “You also told her she didn’t have to stop hugging you.”

Kaede sat up, horrified. “You heard that?!”

“I hear everything,” the older girl beamed.

Kaede buried her face in her hands. “I hate you.”

Kotone laughed. “You love me,” She leaned back against the desk. “Look. I’m not saying you have to know what you feel right now. But maybe you should… test it.”

Kaede peeked at her. “Test it how?”

Kotone’s grin turned mischievous. “Hug her.”

“What?!”

“On purpose,” Kotone clarified. “You’re clearly in denial over liking her, so hug her more often. That way, after enough times, you might either be more sure of your feelings towards her, or get to prove me wrong and it turns out you definitely do not have a crush on Jiwoo.”

Kaede groaned. “You’re insane,” she sat straighter, “Even if she did like me, who’s to say she likes me back?”

“She literally baked cookies for you and protected you from the wind.”

“You can do that for a friend!” Kaede huffed, crossing her arms, and Kotone chuckled.

“Right, so when I readjust Mayu’s scarf I’m gay, but when you’re getting wrapped up in Jiwoo’s arms that’s perfectly heterosexual?” Kaede didn’t respond, face now scarlet as she refused to meet the older girl’s eyes, and she sighed. “Look, you’re obviously still curious, so here’s the deal,” She held up a finger. “You try being a little less allergic to Jiwoo. Hug her more, lean in. Figure out if this is just platonic warmth… or something else.”

Kaede hesitated, then muttered, “And if I decide it’s nothing?”

Kotone shrugged. “Then congrats. You hugged a tall, nice girl and lived.”

Kaede stared at the cookie tin on her desk, still faintly warm.

“…Fine,” she said at last.

Kotone beamed. “Excellent.”

Kaede sighed, already regretting everything.

=====

“Ede look!” Kaede turns, and only sighs at the sight. Kotone stares back at her, Spider-Man mask covering the older girl’s face, and she strikes a pose, “Spider-Tone!”

“Aren’t you normally the one calling everyone else immature for this kind of stuff?” The younger girl asked, tilting her head, and Kotone huffed, pulling the mask up to reveal her puffed up cheeks and furrowed brow. She moves forward, lightly flicking Kaede on the forehead, and the younger girl laughs as she yelps, and Kotone rolls her eyes.

“God forbid I try to have some fun…” She mumbles, though it isn’t long before Mayu ambushes Kotone from behind, already crying about how Tone should ‘save’ her from the evil Hayeon, who was currently waving around some sort of wand whilst wearing a cape, giggling maniacally.

Suffice to say, the chaos of the fansigning had already begun. Kaede gives a slow exhale, smiling when a camera flashes in her direction, and she raises a peace-sign, only to hear fans cry out, and she giggles. With the actual signing of the albums and the greeting of fans all done, now was the time where the members actually got to mess around with whatever toys they’d been given and let loose.

A more cynical part of Kaede’s head reminded her this was mostly to farm clips for social media, but if it meant she got to watch Chaewon ‘Hadoken’ Yubin, the older girl flying back dramatically as Chaewon – now donning a red cloth tied around her forehead – thrust her palms forth, then who was she to complain? She watched the pair laugh, Chaeyeon shaking her head at them from the side.

Kotone had already begun playfighting with a foam sword against Hayeon’s wand, and Mayu had began distracting herself with a small mobile car someone had bought, slowly driving around the stage in a figure-eight like pattern. Kaede giggled as Mayu passed by and blew a kiss, watching as Hayeon turned, attention now on the older girl, and gave chase as Mayu yelped and sped faster, much to everyone’s amusement.

Jiwoo herself watched on, fiddling around with a toy gun someone had given them, and when Chaeyeon flung herself toward the taller girl, she helped steady her. Kaede watched Chaeyeon try to pepper Jiwoo’s face with kisses, and the taller girl shook her head, pointing the gun at the older girl’s head, and Kaede suppressed a giggle. Not wanting to miss out on the fun herself, she quickly found herself a toy to play with herself.

Unboxing it, she could make out a small figure of some animal cartoon character trapped inside a cylinder, evidently supposed to pop out as a cute surprise. However, her brow furrowed, and she found herself examining the toy, attempting to find some sort of way to free it. A mechanism, a hidden switch. She could hear the laughter of fans already documenting her confusion, and it only served to stoke the flames of her determination more as she gave a quiet huff, cheeks puffed out.

“You okay?” Mayu asks, and Kaede glances down. The older girl ‘parks’ her car, before stepping out, and examining it herself, giving a soft hum.

“Unnie, I think it’s broken…” Kaede mumbled, wringing her hands in front of her, pouting as Mayu chuckled. She ruffles Kaede’s hair, much to the younger’s chagrin, and goes back to attempting to figure it out. After a few more minutes, she sighs, folding her arms over her chest, “You don’t know how to do it, do you unnie?”

Mayu frowns, handing it back to Kaede, “Maybe it is–”

“Can I have a look?” A voice, all too familiar, catches Kaede off guard, and she spins around, glancing up to see Jiwoo staring down at her. On top of her head was a headband decorated with brown fur and fake bear-ears, and Kaede gives a soft giggle upon seeing it. She hands the toy to Jiwoo, and watches the older girl hum as she takes it in, moving it to examine at different angles. The fans shout conflicting ideas, and Kaede has half a mind to scream ‘WHO ARE YOU?!’ into the audience to find out who gave it to them.

Jiwoo’s soft chuckles snap Kaede out of her daze, and the toy lowers. Jiwoo takes Kaede’s hand and guides it to a switch hidden on the bottom. Their fingers brush against each other, and a jolt of electricity shoots along Kaede’s skin and down her spine, and her heart hammers in her chest when she stares up at Jiwoo. Under the bright lights of the venue, she once again sees the golden hue to Jiwoo’s hair, the softness to her eyes and features, and swallows.

“Just there,” Jiwoo adds, deep, and Kaede nods, glancing down. With a slight flick, the toy pops out with a quiet jingle, and it’s enough to make Kaede and Jiwoo laugh, along with Mayu from the side.

“Cute,” Kaede says, and Jiwoo hums.

“Like you,” it’s so quick, almost too casual, and Kaede almost misses the words entirely. She freezes, slightly, and before she can look up toward Jiwoo to see whatever look hid in her eyes, Mayu cheers.

“And me!” She celebrates, “This calls for a treat!” She disappears, and Kaede tilts her head as the girl disappears offstage. Jiwoo shakes her head, a hand on her hip, and Kaede can only begin to wonder what the older girl was about to retrieve.

“I don’t like the way she said that…” Kaede mumbles, glancing up at Jiwoo, “Makes it sound…”

“Suspicious? Questionable?” The taller girl offered, and Kaede sighed, shaking her head.

“I was going to go with nefarious, but those work too.”

Eventually, Mayu sauntered back onto stage, and in her grasp, was a box, and between her lips, was something that made Kaede’s eyes widen. A stick, a pocky stick. Mayu placed her hands behind her back, eyes sparkling mischievously as the crowd immediately erupted into screams. Kaede felt the shift in the air before she even fully processed what she was seeing, like a sixth sense honed by years of narrowly avoiding situations exactly like this.

“Oh no,” Kaede muttered.

Too late.

Mayu leaned forward just slightly, tilting her head, clearly inviting chaos, and Kaede reacted on pure instinct. She took a huge step back, nearly tripping over a stray plushie, one hand flying up in defense as she yelled, “I don’t want to!”

The words echoed far louder than she intended, sharp and immediate, and for half a second there was silence, and Mayu seemed slightly stunned. Then, the entire venue burst into laughter. Fans shrieked, cameras zoomed in, and Yubin doubled over, clutching her stomach as she cackled. Chaeyeon slapped the table, howling, while Kotone pointed at Kaede like she’d just witnessed the funniest thing in the world.

“Poor Mayu-unnie,” Kotone wheezed. “Kaede didn’t even hesitate.”

Mayu froze mid-pose, pocky still in her mouth, eyes widening before she pulled it out dramatically. “Ede!” she whined, genuinely wounded. “You didn’t even let me ask!”

“I know what you were going to ask!” Kaede shot back, mortified, cheeks blazing. She pointed accusingly. “And the answer was no before you even thought of it!”

The crowd loved it. Phones were everywhere now, the sound of shutters and recording notifications blending into a dull roar. Kaede could practically feel the clips being born in real time. “Yamada-kun strikes again,” Jiwoo chuckles, and it earns a soft giggle from Kaede, now rubbing the back of her neck.

Mayu pressed a hand to her chest, staggering back. “Cold,” she lamented loudly. “So cold to your leader. Is this how you treat your elders?”

Kaede stuck her tongue out at her reflexively, which only made the fans scream louder.

It was then that Hayeon’s eyes lit up.

“Oh,” the maknae said slowly, a grin spreading across her face as she watched the exchange. “Oh, this is interesting.”

Chaewon, seated beside her, stiffened. “Don’t,” she warned, already knowing where this was going.

Hayeon ignored her completely.

She turned toward Kaede with exaggerated slowness, “Kae-chan doesn’t like older girls!” she practically sang, arms spreading wide. “She likes hugging her dongsaengs, don’t you unnie?” She took a step forward, and Kaede’s eyes widened as she took one back. The others chuckled in the background, and Kaede narrowed her eyes. Hayeon crooned. “Come here.”

“No,” Kaede said immediately, backing up again.

Hayeon froze for a half-second, before then grinning. She lunged.

Kaede yelped and bolted, darting sideways around the table as Hayeon chased her, both girls laughing wildly. The crowd went insane, cheers rising as fans scrambled to keep both of them in frame, cameras fluttering and flashing as noise spilled into the venue’s atmosphere. Kaede weaved past Kotone, who did absolutely nothing to help, and narrowly avoided Chaeyeon, who reached out like she might grab her just to be evil.

“Hayeon, don’t you dare!” Kaede shouted, half-laughing, half-panicking. Despite it all, moments like these made her grateful for the members she’d ended up with – even when they were actively trying to torment her.

“I just want a hug!” Hayeon protested, arms wide as she advanced dramatically. “Why do you hate love?!”

“She hates you,” Yubin supplied helpfully, nearly choking on her laughter, and Jiwoo snorted from where she was stood.

Kaede circled back toward the center, heart racing, only to realize she’d miscalculated – Hayeon was already there, blocking her escape, hands reaching out in exaggerated slow motion. Kaede lifted her arms instinctively, bracing to shove the maknae away, when she caught sight of Jiwoo just behind her. Something clicked – quick, impulsive and very on purpose.

“Nope,” Kaede said firmly, and instead of retreating, she spun around and stepped straight into Jiwoo’s space. Before anyone could react, Kaede wrapped both arms around Jiwoo’s middle and pressed herself against her, face turned slightly inward. The move was so sudden it stole the breath from the room. Jiwoo blinked in surprise, then laughed softly, arms coming up without hesitation to circle Kaede’s shoulders, holding her easily.

“Only Jiwoo’s allowed,” Kaede declared, voice muffled against Jiwoo’s chest but loud enough to carry. She could faintly see Kotone watching with crossed arms, before giving a nod of approval, eyes twinkling with mirth.

For half a second, there was stunned silence. Then, the venue erupted.

Fans screamed, cameras flashing wildly as if they might miss the moment if they blinked. Yubin doubled over laughing whilst Chaeyeon shrieked something unintelligible, and Mayu clasped her hands to her chest like she’d just witnessed a miracle. Even Hayeon froze mid-lunge, jaw dropping.

“Hey,” Jiwoo said warmly, amusement clear in her voice as she hugged Kaede back a little tighter. “You heard her, back off.”

Kaede didn’t pull away. If anything, she leaned in more, fingers curling lightly into the fabric of Jiwoo’s sweater. The familiar warmth seeped through her, steady and grounding, and the last of her adrenaline melted away. Jiwoo adjusted instinctively, turning just enough to put herself between Kaede and Hayeon, one arm secure around Kaede’s back. The smaller girl tucked her face against the blonde’s neck, giving a content hum as she closed her eyes.

Hayeon gasped, clutching her chest. “Favoritism!”

Kaede’s heart was racing, but not from panic. The sweater Jiwoo had worn to the event was soft against her cheek when she leaned back just slightly. The warmth poured into any of her aching muscles, familiar now, grounding. She could feel Jiwoo’s steady breathing, the way her arms didn’t tighten or loosen, just stayed – present, unassuming, not touching her with any ulterior motives.

Kaede relaxed, letting Jiwoo hold her as the members began busying themselves with annoying each other like usual, although the fans were certainly excited. The screams took on a different pitch, sharper, excited, and Kaede was acutely aware of how many phones were trained on them. She knew what this looked like. She knew what it would become online.

Still, she didn’t find herself minding all too much.

At some point, Hayeon squinted at the sight, lips pursed. “Wow,” she said. “So when I do it, it’s a problem, but when Jiwoo does it, it’s suddenly fine?”

Kaede tilted her head back just enough to look up at Jiwoo. “Correct.”

Jiwoo laughed, the sound vibrating faintly through her chest. “Sorry,” she said, unapologetic. “Maybe Ede just likes tall girls?”

Mayu, still holding the pocky, let out an exaggerated gasp. “Betrayal,” she whispered. “Ede has chosen her.”

Kaede stuck her tongue out again, but this time she didn’t move away from Jiwoo’s arms. If anything, she leaned back just a fraction more, the smallest, most telling shift. Jiwoo noticed, and her grip tightened – not squeezing the smaller girl, just holding her more certainly, as if accepting the trust Kaede had given her.

“Wow,” Kotone called out. “I think you’re finally going to have to give up on getting a hug from Kaede, Hayeon,” she turned, glancing toward the younger girl.

Hayeon groaned dramatically, turning on her heel. “I’m done! I’m going to bother Chaewon instead.”

Chaewon’s eyes widened. “Why is that always the solution?!”

Too late. Hayeon was already draping herself over Chaewon’s shoulder, whispering something that made the older girl flush violently and shove her away amid shrieks from the crowd, and of course, the chaos moved on as fans began obsessing over ‘Mochiz’ and their classic antics. But Kaede stayed exactly where she was, watching with an amused smile, and Jiwoo didn’t let go.

The taller girl leaned down slightly, voice low enough that only Kaede could hear. “You okay?”

Kaede nodded, then paused, realizing Jiwoo couldn’t see it. “Yeah,” she said softly. “I’m okay.”

=====

The bakery sat tucked between a stationery shop and a narrow café, its wooden sign painted in soft pastels and its front window fogged faintly with warmth as a golden amber glow from the lights inside drifted out from the glass. Even from the sidewalk, the scent of butter, chocolate and sugar drifted outward, rich and inviting, curling around Kaede’s senses and making her stomach ache pleasantly.

“This is it,” Jiwoo said, slowing to a stop and glancing back over her shoulder. “I told you it was small.”

Kaede stared through the glass, eyes wide. Inside, shelves were stacked high with breads of every shape and color – round loaves dusted with powdered sugar, glossy buns drizzled with chocolate, neat rows of pastries nestled together like they were keeping warm. Staff members walked between tables and around the place in their black shirts, and Kaede found tiny handwritten tags labeled on each item at the front in looping Korean script.

“It’s… cute,” Kaede said honestly.

Jiwoo grinned. “Right? That’s why I like it.”

The camera crew lingered a few steps behind them, unobtrusive but present, lenses already lifting as the two girls pushed open the door, Jiwoo making sure to greet them and ‘walk their fans’ inside. A bell chimed overhead, clear and cheerful, and warm air rushed over Kaede’s face. The inside of the bakery was cozy, wood-paneled and softly lit, with a narrow counter and a glass display case that stretched nearly the length of the room.

Kaede paused just inside the doorway, instinctively stepping a little closer to Jiwoo. She hadn’t fully understood why Jiwoo had selected her out of everyone to film this ‘bakery date’ content with. She half-expected Yubin, but Jiwoo had gone up to her personal and asked, and Kaede couldn’t say no, not when Jiwoo looked at her so expectantly. The place was busy – customers murmuring softly, a barista calling out orders, a pair of children pressing their noses to the glass. It was nothing overwhelming, but still unfamiliar, and Kaede felt that subtle pull of uncertainty tug at her chest.

Jiwoo noticed immediately. She didn’t comment on it, didn’t draw attention to it. She simply slowed her pace, walking just a fraction closer so their shoulders brushed.

“You okay?” She asked quietly, soft.

Kaede nodded. “Mm. It just smells really good.”

Jiwoo laughed softly. “It does.”

They moved toward the display case together, the camera following at a respectful distance. Kaede leaned forward, eyes darting from one tray to the next, awe written plainly across her face.

“There are so many,” she murmured. “How do you even choose?”

Jiwoo rested her chin on her hand, pretending to think. “Experience.”

Kaede glanced at her. “Experience?”

“I’ve been here… a lot,” Jiwoo admitted, lips twitching. “After practice, before practice. Sometimes instead of dinner, though that annoyed my mom.”

Kaede smiled, small and fond. It was easy to imagine – Jiwoo slipping in here alone, hoodie pulled up, buying bread like it was a ritual, hoping no one would recognise her.

“What do you usually get?” Kaede asked.

Jiwoo pointed without hesitation. “That one,” Her finger tapped the glass lightly. “Oreo cream bun.”

Kaede leaned closer, peering at it. The bun was round and pale, split slightly at the top to reveal a generous swirl of cookies-and-cream filling. Her mouth practically salivated from just staring at it, and she swallowed. “It looks sweet.”

“It is,” Jiwoo agreed. “But not too sweet.”

Kaede nodded thoughtfully, then scanned the rest of the display. Her gaze stopped on a darker bun near the corner, glossy and rich, with a small sign beside it. “Chocolate ganache,” she read slowly, and Jiwoo smiled.

“Your Korean’s improved a lot, Ede,” Kaede almost giggled at the nickname, and Jiwoo followed her gaze. “That one’s new, I think.”

Kaede’s eyes sparkled. “I want to try it.”

Jiwoo smiled, eyes watching the look in Kaede’s eyes, before facing forward. “Good choice.”

They ordered, and Jiwoo chatted comfortably with the baker while Kaede listened, picking up fragments of conversation and smiling when the woman behind the counter beamed at them. From what she could gather, the place was family-owned, and the girl behind the counter (‘Shion’, from her nametag) was the daughter of the woman that ran the establishment. Her and Jiwoo were evidently friends, and Kaede supposed it was sweet Jiwoo still found time to make new friends with their current schedule.

Their breads were soon placed carefully onto a tray, still warm, the smell of chocolate intensifying as the ganache bun was cut slightly to show its filling, though not enough to spill everywhere and make a big mess.

As they stepped aside to wait, Jiwoo pulled out her phone. “We should take pictures,” she said casually. “For the content.”

Kaede blinked. “Oh, right.”

Jiwoo tilted her head, studying Kaede with a thoughtful expression. “Stand over there,” she said, pointing toward a small table by the window. “The light’s better.”

Kaede obeyed, a little awkwardly, setting her bag down and sitting where Jiwoo directed. Sunlight streamed in through the glass, illuminating her hair and softening the edges of her features. She clasped her hands in front of her on the table, unsure what to do with them.

Jiwoo raised her phone. “Just relax,” she said. “Pretend I’m not here.”

Kaede laughed nervously. “That’s impossible.”

Jiwoo smiled, and snapped the picture anyway.

“Hey,” Jiwoo said, stepping closer. “Try holding the bread like this.” She demonstrated, cradling an imaginary bun near her cheek. Kaede mimicked the pose, cheeks warming as she lifted the ganache bun and smiled tentatively. “Yeah. Like you’re really happy about it.”

The shutter clicked once, then twice, and Jiwoo would shower her with small praises. At one point, Kaede had winked, and Jiwoo’s smile widened. “Cute.”

Kaede froze. “Eh?”

Jiwoo didn’t seem to notice the effect her word had. She circled Kaede slightly, snapping another picture. “No, really. That one’s perfect.” Kaede swallowed, heart thumping. She tried to focus on the warm bread in her hands, on the camera, on anything but the way Jiwoo’s gaze lingered on her like she was something precious.

They switched places after that, Jiwoo handing Kaede her own bun and leaning back against the table. “Your turn,” she said.

Kaede lifted the phone, suddenly hyperaware of how close Jiwoo was, how relaxed she looked in this space. Jiwoo posed easily, one hip cocked, bun held up proudly. She smiled wide for the camera, eyes bright.

The Japanese girl snapped a picture, then another. “You’re… very good at this,” she said.

Jiwoo laughed. “I’ve had practice.”

Kaede hesitated, then said softly, “You look… nice.”

Jiwoo glanced up, surprised, and their eyes met for just a second too long. Something unspoken passed between them – a fleeting warm sensation that ran throughout their bodies, and they broke it with laughter, moving back toward the counter to pay. Jiwoo insisted on buying extra breads, gesturing animatedly as she listed off members’ names.

“Hayeon likes anything sweet,” she said. “Yubin pretends she doesn’t, but she does. Chaewon likes strawberries, and Mayu–”

“–will eat any of these,” Kaede finished, smiling.

Jiwoo laughed. “Exactly.”

They stepped back out into the sunlight with a paper bag full of bread and the soft hum of the street around them. The camera crew lingered behind again, filming wide shots, giving them space. Kaede walked beside Jiwoo, clutching her ganache bun carefully. She took a bite, eyes widening immediately as the chocolate filling flooded her mouth, the perfect mix of sweet with a faint saltiness to it.

“Oh,” she breathed. “It’s really good.”

Jiwoo watched her reaction with clear satisfaction. “Told you.”

They sat on a low stone wall nearby, legs swinging slightly as they ate. Chocolate smudged faintly at the corner of Kaede’s mouth, unnoticed.

Jiwoo noticed.

She reached out without thinking, thumb brushing lightly against Kaede’s lip. “You’ve got–”

Kaede stiffened instantly, breath catching and face heating up. Her ears glowed pink, and Jiwoo froze too, realization hitting her a beat later. She pulled her hand back immediately. “Sorry,” she smiled, a little bashful, “I should’ve asked.”

Kaede blinked, then slowly relaxed. Her cheeks burned, but she shook her head. “It’s okay. I just… wasn’t expecting it.” She gave a slight giggle and nod of her head, glancing to the side.

Jiwoo nodded, expression earnest. “I’ll be more careful.”

Kaede smiled faintly. The moment passed, but something lingered in the air between them, something delicate. They ate quietly for a bit, the city moving around them. Kaede watched Jiwoo out of the corner of her eye – the way she took small, content bites of her bun, the way she hummed softly under her breath.

“Jiwoo-” Kaede said suddenly.

“Mm?”

Kaede hesitated, fingers tightening around the paper wrapper. “Earlier… you said I was cute.”

Jiwoo glanced at her, brows lifting slightly. “Yeah.”

Kaede’s heart beat faster. “Did you really… mean it?”

Jiwoo blinked, then smiled, soft and fond. “Of course I did.”

Kaede ducked her head. “Why?”

“Yah,” she chuckled, shaking her head, “Are you really ask–” She turned, and Jiwoo stared at the younger girl. Her gaze shifted, softening as she considered her for a moment, really looked at the younger girl – at the way Kaede held herself, careful and sincere, at the quiet warmth in her eyes, the uncertainty in how she played with the paper wrapper. She hummed.

“You’re earnest,” Jiwoo said simply. “You try so hard, even when you’re scared. You’re kind without trying to be.” She chuckled softly. “And you make these faces when you’re concentrating that you don’t even realize you’re making.”

Kaede glanced up, startled. “I do?”

“Yes,” Jiwoo said firmly. “And it’s adorable.”

Kaede laughed, flustered, heat blooming across her cheeks. She hid her face behind her bun, muffled voice protesting, “You’re teasing me.”

“I’m not,” Jiwoo replied gently. “I just… notice things.”

Kaede peeked over the edge of the bread, meeting Jiwoo’s gaze. Something in Jiwoo’s expression made her chest feel warm and light at the same time. “Oh,” Kaede said softly, understanding dawning slowly.

Jiwoo smiled, small and sincere, and took another bite of her bun. They sat there a while longer, sharing bread and sunlight and quiet laughter, and the warmth of the day seemed to always return to Kaede whenever she was around Jiwoo.

=====

The practice room’s white lights glared down on the group beneath them, the mirrors lining the walls reflecting them too brightly. They caught on every movement, every shift of posture, every bead of sweat collected on their skin, and Kaede could still feel the warm buzz beneath the skin and in her muscles. The air was cooling now after someone began blasting the AC, and it smelled faintly of citrus cleaner and sweat, a kind of smell between sterile and familiar that Kaede had grown used to and associated with long days and longer nights.

Music had stopped a few minutes ago, leaving behind the quiet aftermath of rehearsal – members sprawled on the floor, stretching, chatting, groaning dramatically as they came down from the adrenaline of choreography run-throughs. Hayeon and Chaewon were leaning on each other, taking sips of water as they spoke amongst the rest of the Korean members. Jiwoo stood, arms crossed as she lightly kicked Yubin for an odd remark that left her cheeks pink, and Kaede watched on with a soft hum.

The Japanese girl sat near the wall, legs folded beneath her, water bottle abandoned at her side. Her hair was damp at the nape of her neck, a few loose strands clinging stubbornly to her cheeks. She glanced toward the mirrors, at her reflection without really seeing it, thoughts looping in a way that made her chest feel oddly light and heavy all at once.

She’d made two discoveries.

The first had snuck up on her, subtle and undeniable: regardless of why, she liked Jiwoo’s hugs. The warmth, the steadiness, the way Jiwoo never grabbed or squeezed or made it into a spectacle. The way it felt like being anchored instead of cornered, and the way her arms would wrap around her and tuck her close.

The second discovery was more alarming – she wanted more of them.

Not in the abstract, not as some vague “it’d be nice if–” thought. No. She’d caught herself thinking about it while stretching and eyeing Jiwoo across the room. While brushing her teeth and bumping into Jiwoo outside. While spacing out during vocal warmups, eyes falling to Jiwoo usually hugging one of their other members – Mayu, Chaeyeon, Yubin – and wishing it was her. The thought arrived uninvited and settled in her chest like it belonged there.

Perhaps it’s why she started lingering closer to Jiwoo throughout their different events or whenever the girls were simply existing, walking around for errands or relaxing in the dorms. Perhaps it’s why she started brushing closer, getting bolder, and a warm feeling would pour out through her chest and into the rest of her body whenever Jiwoo did hug her. There was a small shift in their relationship, and another shift in Kaede’s behaviour.

The younger exhaled slowly, then flopped backward onto the floor with a soft thud, arms spread out dramatically.

“I’ve realized something,” she announced to the ceiling in Japanese, and it caught the attention of the two Japanese girls nearby.

Mayu had been sitting behind her, and had been absentmindedly braiding and unbraiding Kaede’s ponytail like it was her personal stress toy until Kaede had flopped over. She hummed, tilting her head, answering in their native tongue too. “That you’re tired? Because same.”

Kotone, seated cross-legged nearby and scrolling through her phone, didn’t look up. “If this is another existential crisis, please schedule it after dinner.”

Kaede groaned. “You’re both terrible.”

She sat up again, scooting back slightly and Mayu followed instinctively. She shifted, now sitting behind Kaede, arms looping around the younger girl’s shoulders from behind in an easy, practiced motion, chin resting atop her shoulder. The youngest Japanese girl only stiffened for half a second before letting herself relax into the contact.

Mayu smiled smugly, tightening her hold just a little. Perhaps if it were anyone else, Kaede would’ve protested such close contact. Perhaps if it were much longer ago, she would’ve shoved them away. Maybe it was their shared country of origin, but Kaede would be lying if she said she didn’t feel some sort of kinship with the two older girls, and she supposed that came with feeling more comfortable around the two girls.

Kaede sighed, scrubbing a hand down her face. “Okay, listen. This is going to sound stupid.”

“Excellent,” Kotone said. “My favorite genre of Kaede.”

The younger girl ignored her. “I don’t… hate hugs anymore.”

Mayu paused for a moment, before a smile graced her face, and she laughed, the sound bright and fond. She squeezed Kaede tight, the younger girl giggling slightly. “Progress!”

Kaede shifted slightly, then added, quieter, “I mean… It’s not like I ever hated it that much, it’s just… whenever someone would hug me I’d just think of…” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. She thought of it again – the smile, the voice dripping with poison, the arm draped over her shoulder. She gave a slight shudder, and Mayu frowned, resting her head against Kaede as Kotone sighed, a look of recognition in the older girl’s eyes.

The younger girl cleared her throat, “I think I just needed a reminder that I was… safe, around all of you,” she shrugged, “It’s not the same as Jiwoo, but–” She paused, catching herself, and when she looked up, she saw the shit-eating grin on Kotone’s face.

The older raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Not the same how?”

Kaede grimaced. “Don’t make me say it like that.”

Mayu tilted her head, curiosity sharpening. “Like what? Am I missing something? How are our hugs different from Jiwoo’s?”

Looking between them, the younger girl realised neither was likely to drop it. Mayu’s eyes may have seemed earnestly confused, but Kaede could see the slight mischievous glint behind them. The younger girl sighed, then squeezed her eyes shut. “Look– It’s just– It doesn’t make my brain short-circuit, okay?” She answered, letting out a slight squeak, and for a moment, there was a beat of silence.

Then Kotone let out a slow, knowing hum. “Oh.”

Mayu’s arms tightened reflexively. “Oh…”

Kaede felt heat rush to her face. “Don’t ‘oh’ me!”

Mayu leaned forward slightly, peering down at her with bright eyes. “So…” She giggled slightly, “Jiwoo’s hugs make your brain short-circuit?”

Kaede opened her mouth, then closed it. She stared stubbornly at the floor. “That’s not the point.”

Kotone finally set her phone aside, pocketing it as she shuffled closer toward the other two. “That’s absolutely the point.”

Kaede groaned, tilting her head back against Mayu’s shoulder, eyes closing. “I just… When Jiwoo hugs me, it feels different, okay? She’s warm, and she doesn’t crowd me, and I don’t feel like I have to brace myself or remind myself of anything…” Her voice softened despite herself. “It feels… nice… safe without even thinking about it.”

Mayu pouts, “Are you saying my hugs aren’t nice?”

The younger girl sighs, opening her eyes and glancing toward their leader, “Of course not, unnie,” The answer satisfies Mayu, who holds Kaede tighter, and Kotone chuckles.

“I’m sure it’s nothing to do with you, unnie,” Kotone hummed, “She just has a crush on Jiwoo.”

Kaede froze, and could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks and ears. The youngest of the Japanese girls made a strangled noise somewhere between a gasp and a groan, and Mayu’s eyes went impossible wide as her expression lit up.

Kaede frowned, “I do not!” She said immediately, far too quickly, words tumbling out in Japanese as she twisted in Mayu’s arms to glare at Kotone. “Absolutely not.”

Kotone’s smile only widened, slow and infuriating. “You absolutely do.”

Mayu blinked, then laughed, delighted. “Ohhh,” she sang softly, tightening her arms again like she’d just been handed the world’s juiciest secret. “Is that it? Our Ede has a crush?”

“I don’t!” Kaede protested, mortified. She tried to wriggle free, but Mayu was deceptively strong when she wanted to be, and she only ended up half-turned, cheeks blazing. “You’re both exaggerating. It’s not a crush, it’s just…”

“Just what?” Kotone prompted sweetly, although if her smile was anything to go by, she might’ve been honestly curious.

Kaede opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her brain, the traitorous thing that it was, supplied images unhelpfully – Jiwoo’s arms around her in the cold, Jiwoo’s steady warmth in the chaotic air of the fansign, the way her chest had felt lighter when Jiwoo asked if she was okay, always looking down at her with such tenderness that Kaede couldn’t help but melt in her arms and want more. The younger girl scowled. “Just… appreciation.”

Mayu gasped theatrically. “Appreciation,” she repeated, a teasing smile on her face that left Kaede groaning. “That’s how it starts. Trust my wisdom – I am your leader after all~” She giggled, and Kaede huffed.

“You’re also the shortest!” She shot back, earning a laugh from Kotone as the oldest girl’s face went scarlet.

“That’s unrelated! Stop bringing up my height to win arguments!” She whined, headbutting Kaede’s shoulder as Kotone put a hand to her mouth, attempting to stifle her laughter.

In the end, Kaede buried her face in her hands. “You’re both the worst.”

“Mm,” Kotone hummed, shrugging. “But we’re observant.”

Kaede peeked through her fingers.“You’re reading too much into it…” Her hands fell into her lap, and she shook her head, “Look, I just… She makes me feel comfortable. That doesn’t mean I have a crush.”

Mayu tilted her head, still hugging her from behind, voice softening just a little. “Ede, that’s kind of what a crush is. Someone you feel comfortable around…” Her eyes drifted toward Kotone, who only nodded, “Someone who’s like… your safe space – someone you can’t help but thinking about. Isn’t that basically you and Jiwoo?”

Kaede’s protest died on her tongue, and she glared down toward the floor. Kotone chuckled, “She was in such denial, you know,” Kotone started, “I told her to keep hugging Jiwoo and seeing how she feels… have you been doing that?” When Kaede’s face warms, Kotone sighs, “I mean, look, you don’t have to, it was just–”

Before Kotone could go on, a familiar voice cut in from behind them, accented and uncertain. “Uh… Kaede?” Jiwoo asked, in careful Japanese. “I heard… my name… and something about denying?”

All three of them froze. Kaede turned slowly, dread blooming as she looked up at Jiwoo, who stood a few steps away, wiping sweat from the back of her neck with a towel. Her brow was faintly furrowed, mouth pulled into a sheepish half-smile that suggested she knew she’d walked into something, even if she didn’t quite know what.

Kotone reacted instantly.

“Oh,” she said brightly, switching to Korean without missing a beat. “She was denying that she’s tired. You know Kaede – she hates admitting it. I said if she wasn’t tired, she’d have to look like you,” the older girl chuckles, “You look like you’re ready to go for more practice.”

Kaede snapped her head toward Kotone, eyes wide, before giving a thankful smile. Mayu, bless her, caught on just as quickly. “Yes!” She added, nodding enthusiastically in Korean. “She said she’s not tired at all. Very stubborn.”

Jiwoo blinked, then laughed softly. “Ah. That makes sense,” She glanced at Kaede, eyes warm. “You do look tired, though.”

Kaede swallowed, then nodded mutely, offering what she hoped was a convincing smile. “A little… not too bad though.”

Jiwoo nodded, crossing her arms. “Speaking of tired, you’re all in for a treat. The choreographers just told us that we’re done for today.”

A collective cheer rippled through the room at the news as Yubin whooped, flopping dramatically onto the floor to everyone’s amusement. Hayeon cheered, immediately latching onto Chaewon’s arm, while Chaeyeon stretched with a satisfied sigh. The energy shifted palpably, the tension of practice bleeding away into relief and chatter, and everyone let out a breath, feeling their muscles already beginning to uncoil and relax.

Mayu smiled, “They did say we did well,” she giggled, “I guess that means no more run-throughs for my precious members~” She hopped to her feet, and Kaede’s eyes followed the older girl up, still sitting on the floor as her shoulders began to loosen. In fairness, Kotone hadn’t lied completely – Kaede was tired, muscles already protesting slightly from the constant practice.

When her eyes wandered up, they found soft brown, and she realised Jiwoo was staring at her. A familiar warmth crawled along her skin as she watched Jiwoo hesitate, then sigh, rubbing the back of her neck. “Actually… Kaede, can I ask you something?”

Kaede’s heart skipped. “Yeah?”

Jiwoo stepped a little closer, lowering her voice. “There’s this part in the bridge… I’m still struggling with it. The footwork into the turn. The choreographers said it was fine, but…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “I was wondering if you could help me? Just one-on-one, if you’re not too tired.”

Kotone’s eyes flicked between the two of them, sharp and amused, and Mayu’s lips curled into a knowing smile. Kaede made the decision to ignore them both, hoping the harsh lights of the practice room didn’t expose the warm tint to her skin, and she nodded. “Sure. I can help.”

Jiwoo’s face brightened. “Really? Thank you.”

Kotone stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Well,” she said loudly, addressing the room, “since the rest of us are done, who wants dessert?”

That got everyone’s attention.

“Dessert?” Yubin echoed, already scrambling to her feet.

“Ooh! There’s that new place down the street,” Chaeyeon added. “The one with the shaved ice.”

Hayeon gasped. “We have to go!”, and Chaewon nodded, her arm linked with the younger girl.

Mayu lowered down slightly, patting Kaede’s head fondly with a smile. “We’ll go ahead,” she said, switching back to Japanese just for Kaede. “Take your time, okay? Don’t feel any pressure or force yourself to do anything that’ll make you uncomfortable.”

Kaede sighed, giving the older girl a grateful nod, “Of course, unnie.”

Mayu only winked. Kotone lingered for a beat, leaning close to Kaede as she passed. “Don’t overthink,” she murmured, also switching to Japanese, speaking faster so Jiwoo had a harder time attempting to translate. “I know we made that stupid deal, but Mayu’s right. Don’t push yourself or do anything dumb, okay?” Kaede rolled her eyes, but nodded, lightly slapping Kotone’s arm. The older girl scoffed, ruffling Kaede’s hair, before letting herself get swept up in the tide of members filing out of the practice room.

Soon, the space felt cavernous and quiet, the mirrors reflecting only two figures now – Kaede and Jiwoo, and the younger made a mental prayer to any higher powers that might be that she’d survive.