My Idol Romance

CHAPTER 2

"What the—" she blurted out breathlessly, yanking her body free, her eyes snapping up to meet his. He smirked down at her, an almost lazy, predatory grin on his lips, the sweat from the performance still glistening on his forehead.

"Well, look at that," he murmured, voice low and smooth, sending a shiver down her spine that she tried to shake off. "Didn't think makeup artists came with such a bite."

Hana narrowed her eyes, fighting the heat creeping up her neck. "I didn't think idols came with such a lack of manners." She shot back, chin lifting defiantly, even as the pull between them felt almost magnetic.

Jae's grin widened. He took a step closer, ignoring the murmur of the crew bustling around them. "Is that so? Then maybe I should apologize..." His gaze dipped to her lips, lingering shamelessly before flicking back to her eyes. "But you'll have to tell me exactly what I did to deserve such a sharp tongue."

Hana's breath caught, but she refused to be intimidated. She stood her ground, lifting the brush still in her hand and pointing it at him. "Well, for starters, you're standing in my way," she said, her voice firm despite the fluttering in her chest. "And second, you're dripping sweat all over my freshly cleaned brushes."

He blinked, then, to her shock, burst out laughing. It was rich and deep, making several heads turn in their direction. "Seriously? You're upset about that?" he asked incredulously, stepping even closer until the brush's bristles nearly grazed his chest.

Hana didn't back down, though. "Yes. Do you know how hard it is to get highlighter off these things?" she shot back, mock-pouting before giving him a fierce glare that only made his amusement grow.

"Should I... strip, then?" he suggested, eyes twinkling with mischief. "You know, to avoid offending your precious brushes?"

Hana's mouth fell open. "Wha—No! What the hell is wrong with you?" she sputtered, scandalized, while heat crept up her cheeks. "Who says something like that?!"

Jae leaned in, bringing his face so close she could see every drop of sweat rolling down his sculpted jawline. "Apparently... a guy who's intrigued by the fiery girl who almost ran into him," he whispered, and for a split second, his gaze softened. Something real flashed in his eyes before he straightened up, the smirk sliding back into place.

Hana blinked, heart pounding as she stared up at him, tongue-tied for once. Then she gave a sharp shake of her head, pulling herself together.

"Yeah, well, 'intrigued' or not, you're still blocking the way," she grumbled, sidestepping him and jabbing his side lightly with her brush handle.

To her surprise, Jae yelped, jumping back with an almost childlike pout. "Ow! Was that necessary?"

Hana bit back a grin. "Maybe," she said sweetly, spinning around and walking away with a sassy sway in her step. "Consider it a lesson in stage manners."

As she moved past him, she caught a glimpse of his stunned expression and, despite herself, felt a small thrill of victory. But then, just before she disappeared around the corner, she heard his voice again, low and teasing.

"I'll remember this, Makeup Girl," he called after her. "Next time, I'll be the one with the brush."

Hana's steps faltered, a shiver of excitement running down her spine. She didn't turn back, but she could feel his eyes on her, burning into her like a promise.

"Bring it on, Idol Boy," she muttered under her breath, smiling to herself as she disappeared into the bustle of the backstage.

"What makes fate so beautiful is its unpredictability — the way it introduces us to people or situations we never sought, yet needed deeply. It interrupts our plans and shatters our preconceived notions, only to offer us something infinitely more meaningful than what we imagined. Often, it's in the strangest situations — a random encounter, a conversation sparked by chance, or an unexpected setback — that fate takes hold, guiding us to redefine what we thought we wanted, or even who we thought we were."

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