Hana's POV
The message came in just after midnight.
> I'll fix this. I promise. Just don't pull away yet.
Hana read it twice. Three times. Her chest tightened.
She wanted to believe him. God, she did. Every part of her wanted to keep what they had those quiet moments, the soft touches, the stolen peace. But the shadows outside her window told another story. The way her heart raced when she walked past people holding their phones up. The strangers lingering too long near the café.
She'd grown up invisible. And now, her face might be a thumbnail under some clickbait headline.
She typed a reply.
Then deleted it.
Typed again.
Deleted again.
Finally, she whispered to herself, "Just be kind… but clear."
And slowly, she wrote:
> Minji… I don't regret meeting you. You gave me something I didn't know I needed. But your world… it's too loud for someone like me. I'm not brave enough to live in it, and I'm scared of what it's already doing to us.
You're sunlight to too many people. And me? I just want a quiet morning with my paintbrush.
I hope one day you find someone who can stand in your spotlight. But I… I can't.
I'm sorry.
She pressed send.
Her chest burned, but her hands were steady.
The next morning, she didn't go to the café. Or the bookstore. She skipped her painting class and stayed in bed, wrapped in silence.
Outside, spring was blooming. But Hana stayed hidden.
And somewhere across the city, a boy read her message again and again until his tears blurred the screen.
Pacing up and down he took the decision to text her back
I get it. you never signed up for this part of my life. The cameras, the attention, the noise, it's not easy, and I know how much it goes against the peace and privacy you value.
But please don't walk away because of the life I live. I'm not asking you to embrace the spotlight. I'm asking you to hold my hand while I protect what we have from it.
I don't care what the world sees. I care about you. Please give me a chance to find a way where we can be us quietly, safely, and fully. I'm begging you… don't let go just because of the world outside. Let's fight for the world we've made together.
Hana sat at the edge of her bed, her phone glowing in the dark like a quiet ghost in her palm.
Minji's message echoed in her chest.
She thought back to earlier that day being followed, the feeling of eyes watching her, the guilt blooming like a bruise. She wasn't used to this world. She never wanted to be.
But he had looked at her like she was peace. Like she was the one thing in his life that made sense.
Her fingers trembled as she typed:
> Minji... I don't know if I'm strong enough to handle this, but I want to try. I just need a little space to breathe. Just a little.
She hesitated, then added:
> I don't want to run from you. But I'm scared. Not of you but of everything else.
And then she pressed send.
She didn't know what would come next. But it didn't feel like goodbye.
---
Minji read the message in the green room of a music broadcast station. The other idols laughed and joked around him, but his world had narrowed to the few lines on his screen.
His heart exhaled. Not goodbye.
Just space.
He could give her that. He had to.
He leaned back, letting out a quiet breath. He would fight for her but gently. No more rushing.
Just like spring itself… soft, but certain.