chapter 17
It had been a full week of intense shooting, and **Taehyung** and **Kook** had begun to fall into a rhythm on set. They had grown comfortable around each other, with their professional roles intertwining smoothly. Taehyung was focused on bringing her character to life, and Kook, though still juggling the pressures of managing the set, was impressed with how seriously Taehyung took her craft.
On set, they joked around, shared stories between takes, and had become friends of sorts. But despite their growing friendship, something felt a bit different lately.
Taehyung couldn’t help but notice that Kook had been a little more distant these days. She hadn’t been replying to her messages as quickly on Instagram, and the casual, lighthearted chats that had once been frequent between **Winter Bear** and **Bunny the Butterfly** had significantly slowed down.
It wasn’t like **Kook** had completely ignored her, but the replies were fewer and far between. Taehyung tried not to overthink it. After all, they were both working hard, and it made sense that their online chats would lessen with the demands of shooting. But part of her couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Meanwhile, Kook was feeling a similar tension.
She had noticed the drop in messages from **Winter Bear** as well. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to Taehyung, but the weight of the shoot and everything she had to manage on set was starting to take its toll. She had already made her decision about the online messages—she cared for **Winter Bear**, but she couldn’t let her emotions get tangled in something that wasn’t real.
When she did finally check her phone after a long day, she saw the message from **Winter Bear** still sitting there unread. She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. There was a part of her that missed their late-night chats, but another part that reminded her of the boundaries she needed to maintain.
@winter_bear ( tae)
Hey, haven’t heard from you in a while. Everything okay? I know we’re both busy, but I miss our chats.
Kook read the message. She sat there for a moment, her thumb hovering over the reply button, but then she put the phone down with a sigh. She couldn’t afford to let the online connection slip into something more. It had to stay where it was: something separate from her reality.
The next morning on set, Taehyung noticed Kook walking toward her. Kook had a clipboard in her hands, her eyes scanning over some notes.
Taehyung couldn’t help but bring it up, her voice light but tinged with curiosity.
Kim taehyung
Hey, I was just wondering… everything okay? You’ve been kind of quiet lately.
Kook looked up, offering a small, apologetic smile.
jeon jung-kook
Yeah, just work, you know? It’s been crazy these last few days. I haven’t had much time to check my phone or call my family.
Kim taehyung
No worries. Just thought I might have done something wrong.
jeon jung-kook
No, not at all. It’s just… you know how it is on set. So much to do, and I’ve been juggling a lot. But we’re good. I’m glad you’re doing well with your scenes.
Kim taehyung
Good to hear. Same here. I’ve been loving the role so far. It’s just… kind of tiring, you know?
Kook smiled, understanding the sentiment.
jeon jung-kook
I can imagine. You’re doing great, though.
As their conversation wrapped up, **Kook** walked away, leaving Taehyung staring after her, still feeling a bit confused about the shift between them. But for now, they both pushed their personal feelings aside, focusing instead on their work and the scenes that lay ahead.
Even though they were growing closer as friends on set, their online communication was starting to feel like a distant memory. They were still strangers, each hiding behind the personas of **Winter Bear** and **Bunny the Butterfly**, without realizing how much their real-life friendship had started to bleed into those digital conversations.
Neither knew that their connection had become something more than just casual chats—there were feelings on both sides, but neither was brave enough to address them just yet.
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