Show Me Your Smile (I really like you) // KyuChae

5

The 5th of March 2025.

As Eunchae walked through the company building, she took a few moments to admire everything around her.

She had spent almost three years with LE SSERAFIM and over two years being an MC for Music Bank.

When she first started, she never imagined that she would be at this point.

Being at HYBE felt like a fever dream in the beginning, it was far beyond anything she had expected. However, now, it was her reality. She was in the same company as her extremely talented seniors BTS and SEVENTEEN. That was a feat she would cherish for the rest of her life.

“Hong Eunchae!” someone called out to her.

She turned to see a labelmate and another friend of the same age, Kim Woonhak from BOYNEXTDOOR. They had met before a few times in the company and had gotten lunch together once. He was nice and she was happy to finally have a guy friend who was the same age as her.

She knew the group had a comeback recently, so maybe he was here to ask her to film a TikTok challenge with him. She would be happy to do that. Boy group choreography was always fun.

“Good morning, Woonhak-ah,” Eunchae greeted. “Can I help you with something?”

“I’ve been wanting to say this for a while,” Woonhak said.

“What is it?”

“I really like you, Eunchae-ah.”

“Huh? What are you saying?”

“I want to go out with you!”

“Oh. I’m sorry, I like someone else.”

“Ah, it’s okay. I’m sure whoever that person is would be lucky to have someone like you. You have a great heart.”

Eunchae thanked Woonhak and he walked past her. She sure didn’t feel like she had a great heart. She hated herself for having these feelings, even though she knew that it was okay to have them, because turning people down made her feel like the worst person in existence.

Tears started falling down her face as she walked to LE SSERAFIM’s practice room. It was uncharacteristic for her usually happy and cheerful self to cry, but she couldn’t help it.

The other members were having a conversation, but stopped and turned to her when she entered the room. They saw her tears and immediately came up to her, concern painting their faces.

“Hey, what happened? Are you okay?” Chaewon asked.

“Who did this to you? I just want to talk to them,” Sakura said.

“I’m not afraid to throw hands,” Yunjin backed up Sakura’s sentiment.

“Let’s maybe not do that?” Kazuha told Yunjin and Sakura. “Are you okay?” she asked Eunchae.

“I’m sorry!” Eunchae cried. “I’m sorry! I like someone! I’m sorry!”

The other members hugged her.

“Why are you apologizing for that?” Yunjin asked. “Liking someone isn’t a crime.”

“But, then why does it feel like it is? I feel so bad for the people I’ve had to reject. Turning them down made me feel terrible,” Eunchae said.

“It’s okay. If they don’t understand that you like someone else, that’s on them. I’ve had my fair share of rejecting people too.”

Eunchae wiped her tears. “Really?”

“Yeah. I know. I’m very popular.” Yunjin flipped her hair.

Eunchae chuckled. “Thank you. You guys are really like my second family.”

“Aww!” the other members cooed and hugged Eunchae once again.

Eunchae smiled. At least she knew, if all else failed, she had her members to count on.