POV: Ryu Minho
The city was alive, even at night, neon signs reflecting in puddles left from an earlier rain. My legs ached from rehearsal, my voice raw from singing, but I couldn't stop thinking about the recording studio. Ara had called me earlier that day with a proposal: a secret duet. Not for the fans, not for FLUX Entertainment, not for anyone else—just for us to record and see what we could create together.
My heart raced. The stakes were high. CEO Park had already shown his manipulative side. Hyunwoo was watching my every move like a hawk. And Jihoon? That smug little APEX idol would pounce on any hint of scandal. But the pull… the pull to sing with Ara, to harmonize, to create something raw and real… it was irresistible.
When I arrived at the studio, it was empty—dark, quiet, except for the faint hum of the city outside. Ara was already there, her long hair pulled into a loose ponytail, a hoodie draped casually over her designer outfit. Somehow, she looked effortless and tense at the same time.
"You're late," she said, teasing, but there was an edge of worry in her eyes.
"I'm… fashionably late," I said, forcing a grin. Inside, my chest was pounding. This was it. Alone with her, no one to judge, no one to control us, just music.
Ara sighed and pushed a pair of headphones toward me. "We'll start slow. No one can know about this. Not Hyunwoo, not Park, not anyone. If this leaks… it could ruin everything."
I nodded, swallowing. No pressure.
---
POV: Han Ara
I hated that my heart was racing. Every time Minho was near, I felt it—a strange warmth, like music vibrating through my chest. And tonight, alone in the studio with him, it was even worse. Dangerous. But thrilling.
I watched him fumble slightly with the headphones, his expression earnest, raw, not polished like the idols I was used to. There was something… real about him. Something that wasn't rehearsed or calculated. I'd spend so long being perfect, being untouchable, that I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to just exist with someone without an audience.
"Are you ready?" I asked softly, more to myself than to him.
Minho nodded. "Yeah."
And then we sang.
---
The first few lines were tentative, testing the melody, testing each other. And then it clicked.
Our voices wove together effortlessly, raw power meeting refined grace. Notes that weren't meant to harmonize somehow did, creating a resonance that made my chest ache. I glanced at him mid-verse. His eyes were closed, brows furrowed in concentration, lips slightly parted. He was completely lost in the music, unaware of the way my heart was reacting to him.
Focus, Ara. Focus. I whispered in my head, trying to push away the thrum of feeling building in my chest.
When the song ended, silence stretched between us, heavy, vibrating with unsaid words.
"That… was…" I began, searching for words. "Incredible."
Minho smiled shyly, almost sheepishly. "Yeah… it felt… right."
It was more than right. It was dangerous. Dangerous because the feeling wasn't just in the music—it was in us. Every glance, every subtle movement, every harmony carried a weight that neither of us was supposed to acknowledge.
---
POV: Ryu Minho
After the initial recording, we took a break. Jisoo and Taeyang, somehow, were already lurking outside the studio. How they found out, I had no idea, but their faces split into wide grins when they saw me.
"Ah! The secret project!" Jisoo whispered, like we were spies in a drama. "We won't tell a soul, promise!"
Taeyang held up a finger dramatically. "Your secret bodyguards! Fear not! We shall protect you from all evil and nosy Hyunwoos!"
I groaned. "Bodyguards or not, you guys need to leave before we get caught."
They shrugged and backed off, still peeking around the corner. Despite their antics, I felt a small relief. Somehow, having them outside made this risky project feel… safe.
I turned back to Ara. She was scribbling in her notebook again, eyes flicking toward me, lips curved faintly.
"Are you writing lyrics?" I asked cautiously.
She didn't answer immediately. Then, softly, almost shyly: "Something inspired by… today."
My chest constricted. Inspired by me? This is insane.
---
POV: Han Ara
I couldn't believe I had just written that. Inspired by Minho… It was forbidden. Dangerous. And yet, the truth didn't care about rules or consequences. He had a voice that resonated with mine in ways I'd never experienced, and I couldn't help but admit it.
I glanced at him, catching him looking at me. Our eyes met, and I quickly looked away, heart hammering. Focus. The music. The duet.
Minho's rawness contrasted sharply with my perfection. He wasn't polished, wasn't trained to behave like an idol in public, but somehow… that made him magnetic. Dangerous. A fire I wanted to approach, but knew I couldn't touch too closely.
"I… I think this could really be something," I said, forcing myself to sound professional. "But it's risky. If it leaks…"
"I know," he said. His voice was calm but earnest, piercing. "But… I want to do it anyway."
The courage in his eyes made my chest tighten. Why does he make it so easy to feel this way?
---
POV: Ryu Minho
We spent the next few hours recording, harmonizing, experimenting with melodies. The energy between us grew, a quiet electricity that made even the simplest line feel intimate. Every time Ara hit a note, I felt it in my chest, as if my body was vibrating with the sound. Every glance she gave me—even fleeting—sent warmth straight to my core.
And yet, the tension remained. One wrong move, one leak, one careless glance, and the entire world could crumble.
When we finished the final take, the studio was silent again, save for the faint hum of equipment.
"That… was perfect," Ara whispered, almost in awe, looking at me with an intensity I couldn't read.
I nodded, swallowing. "Yeah… perfect."
Then, almost instinctively, our hands brushed as we reached for the same cable. The touch was brief, electric. My heart leapt. Ara's cheeks colored faintly, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she held my gaze, and for a moment, the world outside—the CEO, Hyunwoo, Jihoon, everyone—ceased to exist.
---
POV: Han Ara
I wanted to pull away. I had to pull away. But I couldn't. That brief touch, that shared smile, the unspoken understanding between us—it was intoxicating. Dangerous. And yet… I wanted more.
Minho wasn't like the idols I knew. He wasn't polished, he wasn't perfect, but he was real. And for the first time in a long time, I didn't want perfection. I wanted… this. Him.
I tore my gaze away, forcing myself to focus on the technical notes scribbled in my notebook. Don't fall for him. Don't get caught. Just… sing.
But even as I wrote, a tiny, forbidden thought whispered in my mind: Maybe we don't need permission to create our own melody.
---
Ending Scene:
Later, outside the studio, Minho lingered near the entrance, looking up at the city skyline. I followed, keeping my distance, just enough to be close without being seen.
"Minho," I called softly.
He turned, surprised. "Ara… you came back?"
"I couldn't let this night end without saying…" I trailed off, suddenly self-conscious.
He tilted his head, waiting.
"…thank you. For believing in the music… for believing in me," I whispered, heart racing.
Our eyes met again, and for a heartbeat, nothing else existed. No CEO, no Hyunwoo, no Jihoon, no paparazzi—just the music, the night, and us.
Somewhere, deep in my chest, I knew that this secret duet wasn't just about music. It was about something more. Dangerous, thrilling, and terrifying. Something neither of us could ignore.
And as the city lights flickered around us, I realized: our melody had begun. And nothing would be the same.