SWEETENER | LHS

22

Joohyun accompanies Yeonjun to the set the next morning, her presence is a quiet but steady source of support. As she watches him perform, she couldn't help but marvel at how effortlessly he balanced precision with fluidity. He executed each step with perfect timing, his movements sharp yet graceful. His expressions were just right—neither too intense nor too relaxed. His occasional jaw clenching, the way his cute nose would scrunch, and the intense focus in his eyes when the camera zoomed in on him made it impossible for her to tear her gaze away.

Her eyes remains locked on her boyfriend, brows slightly furrowed as she studies his every move, her hand resting under her chin. She subconsciously whispers the lyrics along with him, a quiet hum of admiration in her voice. That morning, she had woken up earlier than usual, eager to dress up for him. She had found the perfect outfit from his closet—a cozy turtleneck paired with a skirt. To complete the look, she had tied her hair with a teal scrunchie she discovered under his pillow. It didn’t match anything she wore, but she couldn’t resist after also finding a strawberry-scented condom tucked away under the same pillow. He always carried one in his pocket, but finding it there was a bit concerning—unless he was curious about how it tasted.

Yeonjun wasn’t just a talented dancer, he was also an attentive mentor. She often looked forward to his feedback, even though he had a habit of sweet talking her with praise before diving into the specifics of her dance moves. What could have felt like a daunting evaluation was softened by his bright eyes and the anticipation of his smile whenever he saw her.

As he finished, he sprinted off the stage, his face lighting up with the same smile she adored. Joohyun raised her hand for a high five, their palms meeting with a satisfying clap. She barely had time to move before he pulled her into a hug, his excitement bubbling over. “Babe!” she giggles, but Yeonjun is quicker, stealing a kiss on her cheek before she could react. Her playful scream in response is silenced as he pressed his lips to hers, cutting off her mischievous antics.

Joohyun feels a rush of freedom in that moment, perhaps from the faint trace of her lip gloss left on his lips or the flash of teal from her scrunchie. Everything about the moment felt light, as if nothing could hold her back from experiencing elation. For a moment, she wanted to rewind back  time and go back to moment he first kissed for the first time so she could do it all over again. She would have never fought him that much, loved him more and taken him on more dates, talked to him about interesting things like mermaids or flown him to Hong Kong to show him all the places she roamed as a little girl.
She loved falling in love with him again. It all aligned right in her head. Losing Heeseung made her get back to Yeonjun. It was the moment she was waiting for all her life, carving out all of the suffering, pain and guilt from her beautiful journey to stand in front of him as his enthralled lover. She wipes the lip gloss with her thumb with a soft smile , whispering to the God he believed and relied on to protect him even if she weren't there for him in the future.

“You’re my hero,” she says with a smile. “My starboy, you’re so perfect.”

Yeonjun’s expression softened as he slides his hand to her cheek, wiping away a single tear that had escaped. He knew why she teared up so easily—it was her mother. Her mother had shattered her, leaving her to pick up the pieces on her own at a time when she should have been surrounded by love and support. He still couldn’t fathom how cruel a woman her mother must have been, and he probably he would have hated her too if he had met her in person.

“I have another shoot after this and practice in the evening. I’ll be home late, so don’t wait up for me tonight. Make sure you eat before bed” he told her gently, leaning in to kiss her cheek. Joohyun blushes at the warmth of his touch.

“Don’t forget to eat,” he added, slipping his hand to her hip with a playful grin. His mischief didn’t stop there, and as he turned to leave, he gave her a light smack on the bum, walking away with a cool, confident stride.