Guilty As Sin ► Y.JH

02

The studio was filled with the familiar hum of activity, the walls vibrating with the sounds of guitars, drums, and the low chatter of the band. Soleil sat in the corner, as always, the lens of her camera pressed to her eye as she observed the band through its viewfinder. But today, even the act of capturing moments through her lens felt distant, almost detached. Her mind wandered, constantly drifting back to the events of the past few days—her brother, Minho’s, increasing distance and the unspoken tension that had started to creep into her and Jeonghan’s interactions.

Soleil had always been close to her brother. They were a team—partners in crime, as Minho would often call them. He had always been her protector, her safe place in the chaotic world of fame that came with being the younger sibling of a rising rock star. But lately, things felt different. There was an unspoken shift, a subtle growing distance between them that Soleil couldn’t quite put her finger on.

She glanced over at Minho as he laughed with the rest of the band, his carefree demeanor unchanged. He was sitting on the edge of the studio couch, a guitar casually slung across his shoulders. His bright smile had always been contagious, and in moments like these, Soleil could almost forget the strain building between them. Almost.

But as much as she wanted to pretend things were the same, they weren’t. Minho was busy, more so than ever before. His schedule was packed with interviews, songwriting, and recording sessions. The band’s latest album was getting traction, and their popularity was growing. Soleil was proud of him, of course, but with every passing day, it became harder to find time to just be together, to talk like they used to. Minho’s attention was being pulled in a thousand different directions, and Soleil—who had once been at the center of his world—felt like an afterthought.

The emotional distance between them had started to feel palpable. Soleil wasn’t sure if it was the pressure of the band’s rising fame, or if it was something deeper, but she felt like an outsider in her own life. There was no one to talk to, no one to confide in. She had become a silent observer of her brother’s life, capturing the moments with her camera, but unable to share in them the way she once had.

As the band worked through their latest track, Soleil’s eyes shifted toward Jeonghan, who was standing quietly near the soundboard, talking with their producer, Sanghoon. Jeonghan had always been more subdued, more careful around her, especially after their tense conversation in the early morning hours just a few days ago. They hadn’t spoken of it since, but Soleil could feel the weight of it hanging between them, like an unspoken truth they both refused to acknowledge.

Jeonghan had returned to his role as Minho’s best friend, always there to offer a hand or a kind word, but Soleil noticed the subtle ways he had started to look out for her. It wasn’t obvious, not to anyone else, but Soleil could see it. The small gestures—a quick check on how she was feeling, offering to help carry her camera bag, a quiet word of encouragement when he caught her looking a little lost in her thoughts. These were the moments that kept replaying in her mind. She was aware of them, but she couldn’t make sense of how they made her feel.

It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate his kindness. She did. But it was beginning to feel like something more. And every time she caught him watching her with that soft, contemplative look in his eyes, it sent a wave of guilt crashing over her. Guilt because she couldn’t help but feel something in return, something she wasn’t ready to admit to herself, let alone to anyone else.

She snapped another picture of the band, but her mind wasn’t on the composition or lighting. It was on Jeonghan, standing there, just a few feet away, looking out at her through the studio window. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and her heart skipped. The connection was fleeting, just a shared glance, but it was enough to send her pulse racing. Jeonghan quickly turned away, as if he hadn’t meant to be caught staring. Soleil exhaled sharply, trying to shake off the sensation that had taken hold of her.