s.jy || falling for the starboy.

chapter 12: melodies from the heart

third person pov.

three months had passed since enhypen left south korea for their world tour. from the moment they boarded that first flight out of incheon, the days had blurred together—a whirlwind of airports, concert venues, and packed stadiums. the tour had taken them across continents, but now, they were in fort worth, texas, and for the first time in weeks, they had a few hours of peace.

news of their world tour had spread like wildfire, and their recent comeback had sent shockwaves through the industry. their latest music video had surpassed hundreds of millions of views in a matter of weeks. the global media was buzzing, and with each concert stop, it felt like their popularity was reaching new heights.

the boys had always dreamed of this kind of fame, but the reality of it was starting to sink in, especially for jake. he had always enjoyed the attention, the fanfare, but lately, something had shifted.

as enhypen became more famous, more recognized around the globe, jake found himself thinking less about the next performance and more about someone back home. someone who wasn’t there in the screaming crowds, someone who wasn’t posting about him online.

jang harin.

fort worth had brought a brief reprieve from the chaos, and jake had decided to take advantage of the few hours he had to himself. slipping out of the hotel, he wandered through the streets of the city, his hoodie pulled low over his head, sunglasses hiding his face. the anonymity was nice for once. no cameras, no pressure—just a boy in a foreign city, far from home.

his feet led him to a quaint little shop, the kind that looked like it had been around forever. the windows were filled with delicate trinkets and handcrafted items. drawn in by the soft glow of the lights, jake pushed open the door, the little bell above it chiming as he entered.

inside, the shop was quiet, peaceful. shelves were lined with all sorts of small, intricately made objects. but what caught his eye was a music box sitting on a wooden shelf near the counter. it was simple but beautiful—a small, hand-painted box with a soft melody playing when the lid was lifted. the delicate tune reminded him of harin. without even thinking twice, jake knew he had to get it for her.

the shopkeeper, an older woman with kind eyes, greeted him warmly. jake made his way to the counter, pointing to the music box in the window.

“this one, please,” he said quietly, careful not to draw attention to himself.

the woman smiled as she wrapped it carefully in soft tissue paper. but as she handed it back to jake, she hesitated for a moment, squinting at him closely.

“wait a second,” she said, her tone curious. “are you... that korean idol from enhypen? i think my daughter went to your concert last week.”

jake blinked, momentarily caught off guard. he wasn’t expecting to be recognized here, especially in such a small, quiet shop.

“uh, yeah,” jake nodded, offering a polite smile. “that’s me.”

the woman’s eyes lit up, clearly excited by the revelation. “oh, my daughter loves you! she kept talking about how amazing the concert was. i’ve never seen her so excited.”

jake chuckled softly, warmth filling his chest. moments like this always reminded him how much their music reached people, even halfway across the world. “i’m glad she enjoyed it.”

the woman paused, glancing down at the register before speaking again. “if it’s not too much trouble... would you mind signing something for her? she’d be over the moon.”