between the spolight - purinz ✧

exposed.

chaewon's pov —

the article hit like a thunderclap. it was early morning, and my phone buzzed endlessly as notifications rolled in. at first, i thought it was just another promotion or fan message, but then i saw the words plastered across my screen: "yunjin and chaewon reportedly dating: inside sources speak out."

i sat up in bed, my heart racing as i quickly opened the link. the article was everywhere. photos, speculation, rumors. each sentence felt like an invasion, slicing through the privacy yunjin and i had guarded so carefully.

the headline itself was bad enough, but what followed felt even worse. there were descriptions of us together at certain events, recounts of "off-the-record" conversations, even rumors about our cabin getaway. someone had pieced together every moment we thought had gone unnoticed, creating a narrative that was equal parts intrusive and unsettlingly accurate.

barely seconds later, i got a text from yunjin.

📱 yunjin: "have you seen it?"

📱 chaewon: "Yeah. How could they know this?"

📱 yunjin: "i have no idea. i thought we were careful. we were careful."

the sense of disbelief made my stomach twist. we had been discreet, cautious about our interactions in public, avoiding any overly intimate gestures in front of anyone who could talk. i wanted to think it was just a rumor blown out of proportion, but the article's level of detail was unnervingly accurate.

we both had a meeting scheduled at the company later that morning, and the minutes dragged by as i prepared myself for the inevitable fallout. by the time i reached the building, the company was already in damage-control mode, with executives and pr staff bustling around, voices hushed as they worked out a response.

the second i saw yunjin in the hallway, a mix of relief and worry washed over me. she was tense, eyes guarded as she offered me a small, reassuring smile. i could tell she was holding herself together, but there was an edge of anger in her expression—an intensity that made her seem like she was ready to take on anyone responsible for leaking our private moments.

inside the meeting room, we were greeted by stern-faced executives and pr personnel. their expressions ranging from frustrated to downright disapproving. we barely had a chance to sit down before the questions began.

"how could a rumor like this start without us catching wind of it?" she asked, her voice tense. "you're both professionals. we expect you to avoid anything that could risk your reputations and the company's image."

yunjin stayed composed, her tone steady. "we don't know how it started. we've kept our interactions strictly professional in public. this... it's just speculation."

another executive crossed his arms, eyeing us sharply. "so there's no truth to this? nothing to explain?"

i kept my face impassive, giving a firm shake of my head. "no. there's nothing here."

the pr manager sighed, clearly frustrated, as she scanned us both with an evaluating gaze. "then i trust you both will be careful. even the smallest actions can be misinterpreted. it there's any truth to these rumors..." she let the implication hang in the air, clearly reminding us of the consequences if we weren't being fully transparent. "if this gains any more traction, you'll need to distance yourselves. stay low on social media, keep interactions minimal. we can't afford even the shadow of a scandal, not with the careers you both have worked so hard to build."

we nodded in unison, our voices professional and calm, but as we left the room, the weight of everything hit hard. the tight secrecy, the careful steps we'd taken—it had all unraveled in a single article. the privacy we'd fought to protect now felt fragile, cracked open by rumors we couldn't control.

as we walked outside, i looked over at yunjin, her face still a careful mask, though i could sense her frustration.

"we can do this," i whispered, needing her reassurance as much as she needed mine.

yunjin's expression softened, a fierce determination flashing in her eyes. "they don't own us, chaewon. we'll play their game. but what we have? that's ours."

as as we walked away from the building, i realized that, no matter how carefully we'd have to tread from now on, i wasn't ready to give any of it up. not for anyone.