The ST4R rehearsal studio had never been this chaotic. Lighting rigs buzzed above, producers paced back and forth, and backup dancers moved like currents of energy across the polished floor. Cameras on dollies tracked their motion, setting up for the behind-the-scenes special that would air ahead of the highly anticipated joint performance between ST4R and ECL!PSE—two of the biggest K-pop groups in the world.
Yuna, ST4R's main vocalist and center, adjusted the tight band on her in-ear monitor. Her heart raced, not just from anticipation but from the thick, charged atmosphere around her. She could hear Jisoo's voice joking with makeup staff and Tami humming scales. Everything seemed normal. But nothing about today felt normal.
"Yuna, relax," Jisoo said as she passed by, nudging her lightly with her shoulder. "They're just boys."
"They're ECL!PSE," Yuna replied without missing a beat. "Not just any boys."
Jisoo grinned. "Okay, yeah. But still boys."
Before Yuna could say anything else, the main doors swung open with a gust of cold air. A production assistant's headset nearly fell off as she rushed to hold the door.
ECL!PSE had arrived.
The five members of the male group strode in like they belonged on a magazine cover—every step perfectly timed, every movement subtly choreographed by years in the spotlight. Kai, the group's lead dancer and lyricist, was near the back, hoodie up, headphones around his neck, expression unreadable. He moved with quiet intensity, a sharp contrast to Jay, the moodmaker of the group, who greeted everyone with a playful salute.
The moment Yuna's eyes met Kai's, she felt something hitch in her chest. It wasn't fireworks. It wasn't love at first sight. It was a beat skipped—a moment of gravity. He didn't smile. Didn't nod. He just looked at her, like he was trying to read her without flipping the page.
"Let's not make this weird," Jay joked, loud enough for everyone to hear. "It's just ST4R. No big deal."
The ST4R girls rolled their eyes, some giggling. Even their choreographer smirked.
"Take ten minutes to warm up, then we're doing joint formation practice," called out the assistant director. "We need the choreo clean by tonight."
Yuna took a deep breath and turned her attention to the mirrors. No distractions, she told herself. This was just another stage. Another job. But she couldn't shake the feeling of Kai's gaze lingering just a second longer than necessary.
The warm-up passed in a blur of stretches and vocal drills. When the full group assembled on the dance floor, the air was practically vibrating with adrenaline. The choreography was a complex blend of both groups' signature styles, with members weaving in and out of each other's formations.
"Positions, everyone!" barked the choreographer.
Yuna moved into her starting place, third from the front, while Kai stood directly across from her. Their section involved a turn-in where they would pass close enough to feel each other's breath.
"Cue the track!"
Music boomed through the speakers. The bass thumped in time with Yuna's heartbeat. She hit her marks, spun, and just as she turned to rotate past Kai—
Bam.
Their shoulders collided. Not hard, but enough that the music cut, and the choreographer yelled, "Hold it, hold it!"
Gasps and chuckles rose around the studio.
"Sorry," Kai said quickly, not meeting her eyes.
"It's fine," Yuna muttered, brushing imaginary dust off her arm.
"Y'all okay?" Jay teased. "You two gonna start a wrestling match or what?"
"Back to one!" called the choreographer.
They reset. This time, when their paths crossed, both of them were careful—too careful. Their movements lost the natural flow. The choreographer stopped them again.
"Look," he said, rubbing his forehead. "You're not strangers. You're two professional idols. Try not to look like you're calculating nuclear codes when you pass each other."
That earned a round of laughter from the others.
They tried again. And again. By the fifth time, their movements softened, grew instinctive. And then, without warning, it clicked. Yuna twirled past Kai with fluidity. His hand brushed her waist just slightly as part of the move—just choreography—and for one second, their eyes met again.
This time, something passed between them. Something unsaid.
---
Later that afternoon, after the groups broke for lunch, Yuna found herself in the hallway between studios, sipping from her water bottle and staring at her reflection in a darkened glass panel.
"Hey."
She turned. Kai stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, still wearing his hoodie, his damp hair curling slightly at his temples.
"Hey," she replied, cautiously.
"You okay?" he asked. "From earlier?"
"Yeah. I've been bumped harder by Tami during warm-ups."
That made him laugh—a short, low sound that somehow made her stomach flutter.
"Cool," he said. "Just didn't want to start off with a bruised shoulder and bruised ego."
She smiled. "Too late for the ego."
His grin widened, and something in her chest loosened. She was supposed to be professional. Unshakable. But around him, she felt... transparent.
An awkward silence settled.
"Well," Kai said, taking a small step back. "See you at run-through."
"Yeah. See you."
He walked away, but not before glancing back once—just once. And Yuna knew. She didn't know what it meant. But she knew it meant something.
She touched her necklace absently and whispered to herself, "Don't start anything you can't finish."
But deep down, she knew she already had.