The atmosphere in the practice room was heavy, though no one had said a word yet. Phones rested in their hands, screens glowing with the same notifications. Tweets, fan edits, screenshots from last night's performance were everywhere. The hashtag with their names together had climbed to the top trends in less than an hour.
The performance had been intense, full of emotion, every move sharp with chemistry. The fans had caught it, magnified it, and turned it into something bigger.
Jimin leaned back against the wall, exhaling loudly. "It's everywhere," he said, breaking the silence. "I knew they were going to notice, but this fast?"
Namjoon rubbed his forehead, scrolling. "They always notice. But this… it's different. Look." He tilted his phone so the others could see. Edits of Jungkook's gaze lingering on Taehyung. Slow-motion captures of Taehyung's hand brushing against Jungkook's arm. The captions were loaded with theories, each one dissecting their expressions like puzzles to solve.
Yoongi, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "The fans aren't blind. They see more than management gives them credit for. This isn't something we can laugh off anymore."
Taehyung shifted uncomfortably. He sat cross-legged, his cap pulled low, but his shoulders betrayed his tension. Jungkook sat beside him, eyes glued to the floor. Neither had spoken yet, though every member's gaze kept flickering in their direction.
The silence stretched, only filled by the faint hum of the air conditioner. Then Seokjin cleared his throat, his voice calm but firm. "We need to talk about how we're going to handle this. The company will not ignore it. They'll call us in, and they'll demand explanations. You both know that."
Jungkook finally lifted his head, his jaw tight. "It's not like we did anything wrong." His voice was steady, but beneath it there was heat, a stubborn edge that made the others exchange glances.
Taehyung pressed his lips together, then added, "They're going to twist it anyway. Even if we say nothing, they'll make their own stories."
Namjoon closed his phone and set it aside. His tone was careful, the leader in him rising. "It's not about guilt or innocence. It's about how much we're willing to let them see. About what we're protecting."
The words settled over the room. Protection. It was the unspoken truth, the reason none of them had slept well after the performance. They weren't protecting only the group's image, but each other.
Hoseok, always the one to lighten tension, tried a softer approach. "You know the fans love you both. They're… invested. They want to believe in something. Maybe that's not such a bad thing."
Yoongi gave him a sharp look. "Until it gets out of control. Until it affects everything else we do."
The debate hung in the air. Taehyung leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and for the first time, he looked at the members directly. His voice was low, but it carried weight. "I don't want to hide who I am when I'm on stage. I don't want to pretend every look or every touch is meaningless. That's not who I am."
The words hit hard. Jungkook turned toward him, eyes softening, but before he could speak, Namjoon cut in gently. "You don't have to explain it to us, Taehyung. We already know. But the world doesn't understand the same way we do."
Another silence. This one wasn't heavy, but reflective, as if each member weighed their own battles with the public eye. They all had moments when they were dissected, theories born about them, about friendships, about feelings.
Jimin broke it with a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Whatever happens, we'll handle it together. That's what matters."
The others nodded. Even Yoongi, though he still looked tense, gave a quiet agreement. Slowly, the atmosphere began to shift. Not lighter, but united, the kind of unity forged under pressure.
Taehyung's shoulders relaxed a little. Jungkook reached for his water bottle, fingers brushing Taehyung's hand in the process. The contact was quick, almost nothing, but every member noticed. None said a word.
Outside, the fans kept refreshing, posting, analyzing. Inside, the group was bracing themselves, ready for whatever storm would come next.