Whispers in the Dark

The days following their private live stream were a welcome respite from the chaos that had engulfed them for so long. Ryujin and Yeji fell back into their usual routine, attending events, and performing with the group, but with a newfound sense of freedom and closeness. They were still careful with their public appearances, but the tension between them had dissipated, replaced by a sense of quiet understanding. As they sat down for dinner one evening, Chaeryeong suddenly spoke up, her voice laced with curiosity. "Guys, I saw something online that made me laugh. Someone said Yeji called Ryujin her 'worst distraction.' That's kinda poetic… but weird, right?" Ryujin and Yeji exchanged a subtle glance, their eyes locking for a brief moment before Yeji quickly laughed it off. "Sounds like fanfic," she said, trying to brush it off. But Ryujin's heart skipped a beat. The quote was word-for-word from their private live stream. How did it get out? She pushed the thought aside, attributing it to a coincidence. However, as the days went by, small things started to pop up. A fan referenced Ryujin calling Yeji her "bad habit" on social media. Another fan tweeted about "how cute they looked all wrapped up in blankets." There were no videos, no screenshots – just whispers and vague references. Ryujin and Yeji started to feel uneasy. It was as if someone had been listening in on their private moment, selectively sharing bits and pieces with the public. They began to wonder if one of the 500 trusted fans was anonymously spreading the word, but doing it in a way that kept the mystery alive, almost like protecting them by keeping it "rumored." The rest of the group seemed to sense that something was off, too. There was an air of curiosity and quiet suspicion, but no one confronted Ryujin and Yeji directly. The two girls tried to brush it off, but the feeling of being watched lingered. One night, they snuck into the company's practice room after hours, the dimly lit space echoing with the sound of their footsteps. They started to dance, their bodies swaying close together, and before long, they shared a soft kiss. The moment was fleeting, but it was enough to make their hearts skip a beat. Unknown to them, a staff member had passed by the practice room and caught a snippet of the sound. They didn't see anything, but they reported it to Jinwon, who listened intently. Jinwon didn't confront Ryujin and Yeji – yet. Instead, he arranged a "group performance training" for the next day, clearly to keep a closer eye on them. The pressure was building, and Ryujin and Yeji could feel it. As they returned to the dorm that night, the tension between them was palpable. They knew they had to be more careful, but they also knew they couldn't go back to pretending that everything was fine. The whispers in the dark were getting louder, and they were starting to wonder who was behind them, and what their ultimate goal was.