The Question

The next morning, the schedule was packed—photoshoot, dance rehearsal, and, to Jae-min’s dread, a live radio interview.

It was supposed to be harmless: a promotional stop for Eclipse’s new single. The kind of thing where the host asked about favorite foods, funny behind-the-scenes stories, and maybe a teaser for the next music video.

But Jae-min had a bad feeling from the moment they stepped into the studio.

The host, a sharp-eyed woman in her thirties, greeted them warmly. The first few questions were easy—how they’d prepared for the music festival, which member was the messiest, who could cook.

Then it came.

“So,” the host began, flipping through her cue cards with a smirk, “I think the fans would be upset if I didn’t ask… HyunMin.”

Jae-min froze.

Hyun-woo didn’t blink. “HyunMin?” he echoed casually.

The host leaned forward, clearly enjoying the tension. “You know… the nickname for you two. After that very emotional duet stage and the hair-touch moment. Some are saying it was the most romantic performance of the night.”

The other members laughed awkwardly, trying to deflect, but the host pressed on. “So, what’s the real story? Are the rumors true?”

The room seemed to shrink. Every camera was pointed at them.

Jae-min’s mind raced. The manager’s warning rang in his ears: ‘Keep your distance.’ He opened his mouth, ready to give the safe answer—just acting, nothing personal.

But Hyun-woo spoke first.

“We’re close,” he said smoothly, his gaze flicking to Jae-min for the briefest moment. “We work well together. The rest is for the fans to decide.”

The host’s smile widened. “So… you’re not denying it?”

Hyun-woo leaned back in his chair, the picture of calm confidence. “I’m saying music is about connection. If people see something in our performance, then we’ve done our job.”

Jae-min forced a laugh, adding, “We just wanted to tell the story of the song.” It was the safest thing he could manage without completely contradicting Hyun-woo.

The rest of the interview passed in a blur.

When they were finally outside, Jae-min rounded on him. “Why would you say that? Now everyone’s going to—”

“They were already going to,” Hyun-woo interrupted, slipping on his sunglasses. “At least this way, we control the story.”

Jae-min stared at him, speechless. “You don’t get it. This isn’t just about fans. The company—”

“The company can deal with it,” Hyun-woo said, stepping closer so only Jae-min could hear. “You keep worrying about the rules, but I’m starting to think you don’t actually want this to stop.”

The words hit harder than Jae-min expected.

Before he could respond, the manager called them toward the van, shouting about their next schedule. But Jae-min couldn’t shake the echo of Hyun-woo’s voice in his head.

You don’t actually want this to stop.

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