stray kids imagines

hyunjin | caught in the spotlight

ʳᵉᵠᵘᵉˢᵗᵉᵈ ᵇʸ DreamOfMoonL
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angst. fluff / 962
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ᵖᵃʳᵗ ᵗʷᵒ ᵒᶠ "ˢᵒᶠᵗ ˢᵖᵒᵗ"

the first thing you noticed when you woke up was the chill in the air. the morning sun crept through the curtains of your small apartment, painting soft, golden lines across the bed where you lay tangled up in sheets.

the remnants of last night’s laughter still hovered in the air, lingering like the scent of his cologne on your pillow. hyunjin had left early, something about a dance practice running longer than usual.

you stretched out your limbs, your phone buzzing quietly on the nightstand. you reached for it lazily, your eyes squinting against the brightness of the screen.

but your heart dropped the moment you saw the endless stream of notifications. dozens of messages. hundreds of mentions.

your fingers shook slightly as you unlocked your phone. headlines splashed across every news site and social media platform.

your name and hyunjin’s name were trending together, tied by scandalous words like dating rumors and dispatch exclusive.

dispatch had done it again.

your mind scrambled to piece together what happened. you clicked on one of the articles, eyes racing over the words. photos.

there were photos of you and hyunjin walking together, late at night after he’d finished practice. his arm slung loosely around your shoulders, both of you wrapped up in scarves and coats against the bitter cold. another shot of him laughing at something you said, the crinkles by his eyes giving away his genuine amusement.

it was impossible to deny.

your hands trembled as you called him. the phone rang longer than usual, your chest tightening with every second that passed. finally, his voice came through, low and tired.

“hey, babe.” he greeted you with his usual soft tone when he spoke to you.

“hyunjin, it happened.” your voice cracked, tears already building behind your eyes. “they know. dispatch... they posted pictures.”

there was silence on the other end. for a moment, you wondered if the call had dropped.

“fuck.” his voice was strained, like he was trying to keep his emotions in check. “I... I just saw it. it’s everywhere.”

“what do we do?” you whispered, the panic evident in your tone. “your career... I’m so sorry, hyunjin. I’m so, so sorry.”

“no, don’t do that. it’s not your fault. it’s... it’s them.” his frustration was palpable, but his concern for you broke through. “are you okay? have people been harassing you?”

“some,” you admitted, eyes stinging as you scrolled through the hateful comments and speculations flooding your social media. “but I’m more worried about you. this could ruin everything for you.”

“screw that. right now, i’m worried about you.” he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “I’m coming over.”

“but-”

“no. you’re my priority, y/n. I’ll figure everything else out later.”

the call ended before you could protest further.

twenty minutes later, he was at your door, hoodie pulled low over his face, sunglasses even though the sky was still more gray than blue. he slipped inside quickly, shutting the door with a sense of urgency.

the moment he saw you, his arms wrapped around you tightly, his hold so firm it almost hurt. but it was comforting, grounding you in the chaos that had taken over your morning.

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled into his chest. “I should have been more careful. we should have been more careful.”

“hey.” he pulled back just enough to tilt your chin up, his dark eyes searching yours. “we did nothing wrong. we were just... living. and if people can’t accept that, then that’s their problem, not ours.”

“but your career... the company...”

he swallowed, his fingers threading through your hair. “yeah. it’s gonna be hell dealing with them. but I’m not going to let them tell me I can’t be with you. not after everything.”

“what if they force you to break up with me?” the words slipped out before you could stop them, your worst fear voiced aloud.

“then I’ll leave.” the answer was immediate, his eyes burning with conviction. “I’d rather walk away from it all than pretend you don’t matter to me. you do. more than anything.”

your heart clenched painfully. “don’t say that.”

“I mean it.” his voice softened, his thumb brushing against your cheek. “we’ll figure this out. together.”

the day dragged on in a blur of phone calls, emails, and desperate attempts to manage the damage. his company was furious, as expected. his bandmates were worried, trying to support him the best they could while also following the company’s orders to stay quiet.

but hyunjin was steadfast. no matter how many times his manager called, no matter how many times they insisted he release a statement denying the relationship, he refused.

the backlash was harsh. the internet tore you apart, fans accusing you of ruining his life, his future. and yet, through all the venom and vitriol, he stood by you.

days turned into weeks, the storm refusing to die down. your relationship became a forbidden topic within the industry, whispers following hyunjin wherever he went.

but every night, when he finally found his way back to you, the world’s anger felt distant, like nothing more than static.

one night, as you lay curled up on the couch, your head resting on his chest, he whispered softly, “I don’t regret anything, you know. not even for a second.”

“hyunjin...”

“I’m serious.” his hand found yours, fingers intertwining. “you’re worth all of it. every headache, every sleepless night. you’re worth it.”

tears welled up in your eyes, your throat tightening as you tried to respond. but all that came out was a choked sob as you buried your face against him, his warmth the only thing anchoring you to reality.

whatever happened next, you knew one thing for certain. you’d face it together.