Chapter Text
Seoul
Mi-Sun was great. Her name meant kindhearted, and she made it a great honour. She was usually calm and observant, her mind sharp and adaptable. She was perfect for Chan, really. They have been together for a little over two years, and she has been his anchor this whole time. Ever since he met her, he's been more stable. Mi-Sun is his escape when the pressure at work gets too much, she pulls him out of his spirals and makes sure he doesn't overwork himself. She takes care of him, and even of us, too. She may not be a part of Stray Kids per se, but she's our family.
Mi-Sun is also a secret.
It was a choice her and Chan made in the very beginning of their relationship, for their own safety. Because no matter how reasonable and supportive Stay was, there were always exceptions — some fans who to say, would react horribly, would be an understatement. So they're hiding it.
It infuriates me, of course. I understand their decision, but that doesn't keep me from thinking it's wrong. They shouldn't have to hide their love, just as Minho and Jisung shouldn't have to, either. It's cruel and unfair, but the world doesn't seem to care about that.
Mostly, I try not to think about it, make the best out of our time together. Today, as so often, we're all at Minho and Jisung's dorm, gathered around the dining table, enjoying Minho's cooking. Multiple conversations are happening at once, Minho is talking to Chan over the table, Jisung next to him is bickering with Changbin again. Seungmin and Jeongin, sitting at the edge of the table, are talking with Felix in hushed voices, and Mi-Sun is sitting between Chan and Changbin, listening to the different conversations, chiming in or laughing here and there.
I'm sat next to Jisung, and while he's tried to pull me inside Changbin and his play-fight, I've managed to remain neutral and observant, rather than joining in. My head is full with our upcoming plans, a full schedule, new choreos, new shoots, new inspirations.
Once I've finished my share of grilled meat and Kimchi Jjigae, I start to clear the empty plates and trash from the table. Mi-Sun gets up to join me, quickly pressing a kiss to Chan's cheek, causing him to blush slightly. I smile to myself, looking away as Chan whispers something in her ear. It's a warming sight, the two of them being so openly comfortable with each other in front of us.
When Mi-Sun has broken away from Chan, she slides into the kitchen next to me and we fall into a rhythm, her loading the dishwasher, me cleaning the leftover mess from the cooking.
"How are you doing, Hyunjin?" she asked without looking up, the question not heavy, but sincere. "Good," I answer, "really good actually." She smiles and hums, satisfied with my reply.
Chan had told her I was having a really hard time with the comeback last year, and she's been keeping an eye on me ever since. She never pressured me or overstepped, instead, she made sure I got rest and had a clear head every now and then. As we continued cleaning, I cracked a few jokes and she made some comments about the members, asked how Jisung has been doing with his new pet lizard Richard, and so on. The small talk was easy.
When she was finished, she turned to me. "I'm glad you're doing good." She smiled at me, but her brows creased slightly. "Just, make sure you're sleeping well and taking breaks, yeah? Chan's told me you've been spending a lot of extra time practicing the new choreos... Well, just, take care of yourself, please. Go paint something, today. Let yourself breathe."
I let out a laugh and nodded. "Thank you, Mi-Sun, really." She simply hummed again and winked as she left me in the kitchen, sliding back next to Chan again. I finished cleaning and went back to my seat, finally joining in into Jisung and Changbin's bickering.
The next half hour passed quickly, everyone still talking, conversations drifting from topic to topic, until Felix suddenly cleared his throat.
"Uhm, guys." His tone was serious, contrasting the rest of our easygoing voices. All heads snapped to him, everyone aware of the change of the atmosphere. "What's up?" Chan asked, his shoulders slightly tensed, as Felix hesitated to speak, phone in his hand with his knuckles clutched around it.
"There's a photo." He passed the phone to Chan, concern lining his words. Chan took it without saying anything, staring at the screen. The color drained out of his face as he held the phone angled, only showing it to Mi-Sun. They looked at each other, before turning the screen around, letting the rest of us see.
The photo showed Chan from the side, holding Mi-Sun's hand on the street. It was dark, somewhere in a quiet alley, barely any people around. Mi-Sun wasn't easily recognizable, wearing a cap and sunglasses that were hiding her face, but Chan, despite the beanie and mask he was wearing, was undeniably himself. People could recognize him on the photo from a mile away. This was bad, and we all knew it.
Slowly, the members started reacting. "I mean, you can't really tell, right?" Said Jeongin, but even as he tried to contain his nervousness through his words, his voice betrayed him. "It could be anyone, really." Seungmin murmured, Felix and Changbin nodding despite wearing frowns on their faces. Jisung and Minho remained quiet, their hands intertwined under the table. They knew what it meant to live in fear of being discovered, of having to hide their love in front of almost everyone, of keeping secrets that have the power to ruin lives.
Chan slowly looked up and met my eyes. "What do we do?" he asks, while I'm trying to keep calm, trying to ground him. He looks fine on the outside, you wouldn't pick up his signals of distress if you didn't know where to look. His shoulders are tense, his face straight but the terror in his eyes and the shake of his hands are betraying him. Mi-Sun takes the phone from his hands and puts it on the table, facing down.
I understand Chan's question immediately, everyone does. "It could blow over." Minho says eventually. "It's nothing concrete, it doesn't have to be romantic. Plus, Mi-Sun isn't really visible, she could be anyone — no offense." Mi-Sun only nodded, still too in shock to properly react. "We've had rumors before, all of us." The table remained silent for a bit, everyone keeping to themselves, thinking back to their own stupid rumours, stories spun out of thin air. We've been walking on eggshells, barely able to meet anyone, romantic or not, without having to fear for a picture being snapped while we aren't looking, a comment being posted while we're just introducing ourselves, trying not to be rude.
The problem with this photo in specific wasn't a possible rumor or scandal. That would happen either way. The issue was that this was real. Chan had come to the same conclusion, but the words spoken came from Mi-Sun. "This could ruin us."
Chan met her gaze, utterly aware that she meant not us, not Stray Kids and his career, but them. One single picture held the power to uproot what they'd been building for over two years.
"This is bullshit." Eight surprised pairs of eyes snapped to me, but even I hadn't seen the intensity of my anger coming. "They know nothing. They won't find out anything. Nobody is ruining you." My voice kept steady as I looked towards the couple. "Honestly, Mi-Sun, you're a part of us. Nobody gets to take that away. I won't let them." She smiled sadly.
"How exactly are you planning to do that, Hyun?" Chan asked, his voice strained. The fear in his eyes almost broke me. Almost.
"They want something to talk about?" I huffed. "I'll find a distraction." Chan started to say something, but I interrupted him. He was worried, yes, but I was onto something, and he knew it. "They think they get to have an opinion on your private life? That's bullshit. This is yours, your life to live, your story to tell, whenever you feel like it. But this-" I gestured to the phone. "I won't let you be pressured like this. What you two have is real and it's precious, it's up to nobody but you. If they really want gossip worth telling, I'll give it to them."