2. The First strings

Felix told himself not to think about it. Not about Jimin's voice. Not about the way his fingers brushed his wrist. Not about the warning hidden inside those words.

But every time he closed his eyes, it was there.

Back at the dorm, the others were loud as usual, Changbin rapping under his breath, Hyunjin scrolling endlessly on his phone, Han playing gane as usual. Yet Felix lay awake, headphones untouched, his heart restless.

~You shouldn't look at people the way you looked at me earlier~

Why had Jimin said that? It wasn't like Felix had meant to stare. But the way Jimin spoke it felt as though he'd seen something in Felix, something Felix hadn't even realized he was showing.

The next week passed in a blur of schedules rehearsals, recordings, variety shows. Felix tried to bury himself in work, but then came the message.

Late at night, after practice, his phone lit up.

An unknown number.

"You still look at me the same way in your head, don't you?"

Felix froze. His throat went dry. Nobody else could've written that. Nobody but him.

Jimin.

He stared at the message for minutes, unsure whether to reply. His fingers hovered above the screen, but before he could type anything, another text came.

"Don't worry. I don't mind".

Felix's chest tightened. His heart raced. He wanted to ask how Jimin had gotten his number, what he meant, why he was doing this but instead, he locked his phone, pressing it to his chest like it was burning.

The next evening, their groups filmed at the same music show. Felix tried to focus, but he couldn't shake the weight of knowing Jimin was there. And when they crossed paths in the dressing room corridor, it happened again.

That gaze.

Jimin didn't speak this time. He only looked at Felix, a small, almost invisible smile curving his lips, as though he already knew the storm he was causing inside him.

Felix swallowed hard, bowing politely before slipping past, but he could feel Jimin's eyes following him even after he turned the corner.

By the time he sat down, his pulse was uncontrollable. He wasn't sure if he was terrified... or drawn in.

Because the truth was, part of him wanted Jimin to keep looking.

Part of him wanted to fall deeper. And that part was growing stronger every day.

Felix told himself he would ignore it. Ignore the message. Ignore the way his stomach tightened whenever Jimin's name came up. Ignore the shadows Jimin's eyes had left in his mind.

But some things couldn't be ignored.

It happened during rehearsal for a joint stage. Both groups were preparing for the big collaboration stage at year end awards, rehearsing the final bow and formation. The room was filled with idols laughter, chatter, managers giving strict instructions.

Felix stayed near his members, head down, avoiding unnecessary attention. But then, as they lined up, he felt it. A presence. He lifted his gaze slightly.

Jimin was standing just across the stage, his expression calm, but his eyes... locked on Felix.

Felix's throat went dry. He quickly looked away, focusing on the choreographer's words. But his body betrayed him the hairs on his arms stood, his heartbeat drumming too loud.

When rehearsal ended, the staff rushed to organize things. Felix faced the mirror to adjust his shirt when a voice brushed his ear.

"Trying hard not to see me, aren't you?"

Felix startled, nearly losing his balance. He looked up and Jimin was right there, crouched slightly, his smile faint but his eyes sharp. "Sunbaenim, h..hi sir…" Felix's voice cracked.

"Jimin," he interrupted softly. "Call me Jimin."

Felix blinked. His chest tightened. "J-Jimin...hyung..."

(Hyung means, calling someone older than you.)

The way Jimin's smile deepened at that Felix wished he hadn't said it, yet at the same time, he wanted to say it again. Jimin leaned closer, speaking low enough that no one else could hear.

"You keep pretending you don't feel it. But I see it every time you look at me."

Felix's breath hitched. He wanted to deny it, but the words stuck in his throat. Jimin's eyes seemed to catch every flicker of his fear and curiosity, every secret he thought he'd hidden.

Then, Jimin did something that made Felix's pulse stop. He slipped a folded note into Felix's hand. Smooth, quick, hidden. "Open it when you're alone," Jimin whispered, before standing casually, blending back into the chaos as if nothing had happened.

Felix's fingers trembled around the paper. He didn't open it right away. He couldn't, not with his members around. But the weight of it in his palm felt heavier than anything he'd ever held.

That night, back at the dorm, when everyone was asleep, Felix finally unfolded the note. Just a single sentence, written in clean, sharp handwriting.👇

“I'll wait for you on the rooftop after the show tomorrow. Don't make me wait too long.”

Felix's hands shook. His chest tightened painfully. He should throw it away. He should forget it. He should pretend it never happened. But instead, he tucked the note carefully into his drawer. And he knew Tomorrow, he would go.

The show ended with thunderous applause, fireworks spilling across the night sky above the stadium. Felix bowed, smiled, waved for the cameras his body moving on autopilot, but his mind far away.

In his pocket, the note felt like it was burning. "Rooftop. After the show."

When the chaos died down, managers gathered the groups to leave. Felix slipped behind his members, his voice low and said to his members...

"I'll catch up... restroom."

No one questioned him. Too many idols, too much noise. He moved quickly, his heart pounding harder with each step toward the back stairs.

The rooftop door creaked open, the cold night air biting his skin. And there he was.

Jimin.

He Standing by the edge, the city lights painting his figure in silver. His hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed but his presence suffocating.

Felix hesitated at the doorway, his voice almost a whisper. "Hyung..."

Jimin turned slowly, his lips curling faintly at the sight of him and said. "You came."

Felix swallowed, stepping closer, though every instinct screamed at him to run. "You asked ne to come here hyung"

Jimin walked closer, each step deliberate, until Felix could feel the warmth of his breath.

Jimin said.... "You don't see it, do you?" Jimin's voice was low, almost tender. "The way you stare... like you want something you don't dare to ask for. I've seen it before. In fans. In idols. But from you..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "It feels different."

Felix's cheeks burned and said. "I -I didn't-🥺.”

"You did." Jimin cut him off, his tone soft but sharp. His hand lifted, brushing against Felix's jaw, the touch light but enough to make Felix shiver. "And you're still doing it right now."

Felix's heart pounded violently. His breath stuttered, his entire body caught between fear and fascination. Felix said, "Hyung...we shouldn't be here alone, what if-people….”

"No one will come here ." Jimin said, and he moved close to him

Felix's chest heaved with every shaky breath. He wanted to step back, to run, to escape but his body wouldn't move.

Instead, his lips parted, a whisper slipping out without his control. "...why?"

Jimin leaned closer, his lips barely an inch from his ear. "Because the moment you looked at me that way, you've gave yourself away."

Felix shivered, goosebumps spreading across his skin. Jimin's words sank deep, leaving him trembling because somewhere inside, he knew they were true. And he knew...he can't escape.

The rooftop air was freezing, but Felix felt like his skin was burning where Jimin's hand had touched him. His heart pounded so violently he was sure Jimin could hear it.

"Hyung..." Felix whispered, his voice trembling. "We... we have to go"

Jimin tilted his head, his gaze never leaving Felix. "You sure you really want to go?"

Felix's lips parted, but no words came out. He didn't know. All he knew was the pull the magnetic force that kept him rooted to the spot, unable to walk away.

Jimin smiled faintly, stepping back just enough to let the cold night air slip between them again. And he said, "You're scared. Good."

Felix blinked, confused. And said "Scared?"

Jimin's voice was calm, but laced with something darker. "Fear means you understand what this is. It's not a game. It's not fanservice. It's real... and real things are dangerous."

Felix's throat went dry. He asked "why me ?" but the answer was already in Jimin's eyes an answer he wasn't sure he was ready to hear.

"Go back to your dorm," Jimin said softly, almost like a command. "Don't let them see your face like this."

Felix hesitated, his body unwilling to move. But eventually, he nodded, bowing slightly before turning toward the door. His hands shook as he gripped the handle.

Just before he stepped inside, Jimin's voice stopped him.

"Felix."

He turned slowly.

Jimin's expression was unreadable in the shadows, but his words cut through the silence. "We would see again, because you will come bvck"

Felix's chest tightened painfully. He didn't reply he couldn't. He just slipped inside, shutting the door between them.

But even hours later, lying awake in his dorm bed, Jimin's words echoed in his mind.

You'll come back.

And the terrifying part was... Felix knew he was right.