Idol-ized Lovers || Choi Soobin [Rewritten]

01

How interesting can a commoner's life be? How interesting is it supposed to be? Is it even meant to be interesting?

These questions don't have definitive answers. They hinge entirely on the individual's perspective. In the end, it all comes down to one thing: self-satisfaction. Whether someone perceives their life as interesting or not is a matter of how deeply they find meaning in their own routine.

As for you? The answer teeters somewhere between neutrality and a soft maybe. At 23, you're a single, working aunt to a six-year-old girl. Your life is far from glamorous or thrilling. It's a steady cycle of stress, inevitability, and the delicate balancing act of relationships, responsibilities, and love.

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"Imoya!"

Your dream—or whatever strange sleep-thought-reverie hybrid you were lost in—is rudely interrupted by the tiniest (but loudest) disruption in your life: Ho Yeon, your late sister and brother-in-law's only daughter.

"Ho Yeon-ah, shut it," you mumble, turning over and draping your arm over your ear in a futile attempt to shield yourself from her high-pitched call. "Imoya, it's already 8!" she announces, louder this time, successfully piercing through your sleepy resistance. "Already...?" you groan into the pillow. "You're going to be late for work," she says with exaggerated urgency, like a tiny drill sergeant.

It's not too late yet, though. Skipping breakfast can buy you some precious extra minutes. Ho Yeon, for her part, eats like a bird anyway. Honestly, even a glass of milk seems to fill her up for hours. "Imoyaaaa!" she wails again, more dramatically this time. This niece of yours is truly a walking, talking headache—but she's your headache.

"Alright, I'm up," you mutter in surrender, throwing off the blanket and dragging yourself out of bed to face the morning chaos.

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By 8:45, you're in the kitchen, chewing on a stale piece of toast from yesterday. Across from you, Ho Yeon battles her eternal nemesis: a single glass of milk. Part of the struggle is that she barely eats. The other part? She's glued to the TV, eyes sparkling as she watches TxT on screen.

"Stop ogling those guys and put your shoes on—we're running late," you scold, swallowing your last bite and rinsing your mouth with water. "What's ogling, Imoya?" she asks, blinking up at you with innocent curiosity. You curse yourself for using vocabulary that exceeds a six-year-old's pay grade.

"Just hurry up," you grumble, sidestepping her question as you march over to switch off the television. "Noooo!" she shrieks, heartbroken. Her precious screen time has been unjustly cut short. In your head, you mutter that her beloved oppa should be labeled ahjussi for someone her age—but you keep that observation to yourself.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

After a mini soap-opera of squeals and pouting, you finally manage to get her out the door and en route to school.

"Imoya, did you know they're doing fan-dates for lucky fans? I really hope I get to go with Soobin oppa!" she exclaims, practically bouncing with excitement. "You're too young to be going on dates," you say, shaking your head. "But I'm so excited, Imoya! The results come out tomorrow morning!" she chirps, clutching her backpack like it's holding all her dreams.

You, meanwhile, are just trying to beat the clock. The only thing on your mind is dropping her off and catching the next bus to make it to work before 10. "Bye, Yeon-ah! See you at six!" you call, waving as her homeroom teacher ushers her inside. Without missing a beat, you take off for the bus stop, heart racing with relief when you finally claim a seat. You're going to make it. Barely—but still.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

"How's the parenting life treating you?" Yoo Jin asks the moment you slide into your office chair, his voice laced with playful sarcasm. "Take a good look. The answer's staring you in the face," you reply, deadpan. He bursts out laughing, clearly delighted. But the moment he spots your manager approaching, he scurries back to his desk—conveniently right next to yours.

"Excellent! I see my team is assembled on time," your manager announces, scanning the room with smug approval. You exhale a small sigh of relief. Crisis one: averted. "That was a close one," Yoo Jin whispers, leaning over. You shoot him a look that says, Meh. Happens every day.

Checkpoint cleared. The next big hurdle? 6 p.m. Until then, you hold steady. Or... at least steady enough.