The soft click of the suite door echoed like a final note in a long day's song. Mirae stood frozen for half a second, watching the brass handle settle back into place. Kang Soo-yeon's presence had been like a buffer, a wall of professionalism that kept Mirae's impulses in check. But now, with her manager gone, the walls crumbled in an instant.
She didn't walk—she launched forward.
"Oppa!" Her voice cracked, sharp with relief and longing as she slammed into Joon-ho's chest. Arms wound tight around his torso, nails digging into the back of his shirt. Her face burrowed against him, nose and lips pressed to the warmth of his neck, drinking in the familiar scent she'd been starving for.
"I missed you. I missed you so much…" The words tumbled out in a whisper, trembling and raw. Gone was the polished idol smile, the chirpy tone she wore like armor for cameras and fans. This was Mirae unmasked, vulnerable, clinging like she'd drown if she let go.
