Pink had insisted on getting ice cream and then taking a walk. When I asked where we should go, she gave me a sly smile and shrugged, as if the destination didn’t matter. Shaking my head with a small laugh, I let her lead the way.

The conversation never stopped. Pink carried it effortlessly, her words flowing as if her thoughts had no end. I couldn’t help but marvel at how someone could have so much to say, filling every moment with her boundless energy. Before long, I found myself forgetting about work, the boys, and all the responsibilities waiting for me. All that mattered was her, smiling and carefree.

Her joy was contagious. The way she laughed, the light in her eyes—it was addictive. Time slipped by unnoticed as we strolled, eating ice cream and talking about everything and nothing. By the time the date wound down, we hadn’t done anything extravagant, but it didn’t matter. I felt completely at ease, leaning against a railing and taking in the view.

“I know we haven’t known each other very long,” Pink said, breaking the silence. Her voice was soft, but I could feel her eyes on me. “But I really like you. I want to be your girlfriend.”

She was so direct, so fearless. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had confessed to me in a way that mattered. Her words left me speechless, and I hesitated, unsure of what to say. My instinct was to turn her down—relationships weren’t practical for me right now, too messy, too unpredictable. She saw it in my face before I could say a word.

“Don’t decide yet!” she said quickly, stepping closer and taking my hands in hers. Her grip was firm, grounding me. “Right now, you’re only thinking about the negatives. I want you to consider the positives, too. Just promise me you’ll think about it, and if you still decide you don’t want to be with me, I’ll accept that.”

Her sincerity disarmed me. She wasn’t pushing, wasn’t demanding—just asking for a fair chance. I nodded. “Okay,” I said finally. She was right; I had only been focusing on the reasons it wouldn’t work. I owed her, and maybe myself, the chance to see the other side.

Satisfied, she released my hands and smiled brightly. We stood shoulder to shoulder, looking out at the view in comfortable silence.

After a while, she broke it again. “What’s the deal with Idol and Coco?” she asked, her tone casual but curious. “Song told me their relationship is fake, but it doesn’t seem like Coco knows that...”

I hesitated, weighing how much I should tell her. Song and Idol’s situation wasn’t exactly a secret, but it wasn’t common knowledge either. Most of the guys assumed Idol was just dating Coco, but I knew better. Idol wasn’t the type to date or fool around without reason.

“They’re faking it to avoid complications in their careers,” I explained. “Very few people know the truth—just me, some higher-ups at Aurelia, and obviously Song. Idol and Coco are private whenever they’re together, so no one really knows what’s going on behind closed doors. Personally, I think it’s strictly business, but if Coco believes otherwise, she’s on a different page than Idol.”

Pink absorbed the information, her gaze distant as she mulled it over. “And Cherry?” she asked after a pause.

Cherry? That was unexpected. Most people didn’t pay much attention to Coco’s partner. “I don’t know much about her,” I admitted. “There were rumors when Cherry and Coco debuted about Cherry and King, but they got overshadowed once Idol and Coco started showing fan service. From what I’ve seen, Cherry’s... simple. Harmless. Why are you curious?”

Pink shrugged, brushing it off with a smile. “No reason,” she said lightly. “I just want to know about the people Song has to work with!”

“Dutiful friend,” I noted.

“Best friend,” she corrected with a grin.

_____________________________

"...Pink is waiting for me, so I’m heading out," Song announced casually.

I immediately perked up at the mention of her name. It had been five days since our date, and she’d made me promise to take my time with my decision. True to her word, Pink had given me space, cutting off all communication entirely. The abrupt shift from daily messages to total silence had left me restless, constantly checking my phone for something—anything—from her.

I missed her.

So when Song mentioned going to see her, I acted on impulse. “Song, mind if I tag along?”

He gave me a curious look, a faint knowing glint in his eyes. Pink must’ve told him about our date—they seemed to tell each other everything. Still, he just shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

Glancing at the others, who were practicing choreography, I kept my expression neutral. “Call me if you need me,” I said before following Song. They probably wondered why I was leaving, but they wouldn’t pry—especially not with God there to keep them in line.

I offered to drive, but Song waved me off, insisting we take his car. “You’re not my manager or chauffeur,” he teased.

Before long, we arrived at a studio bustling with activity. Song greeted everyone we passed with ease, clearly familiar with the environment. Meanwhile, I felt the weight of curious stares—the unfamiliar face among the regulars. How did the boys thrive under so much attention? I couldn’t stand it.

As we approached a room, Song turned to me. “We’ll stay in the back quietly until Pink is free. Don’t want to disrupt their work,” he said firmly.

I nodded, following him through the door. Quiet and out of sight? That, I could handle.

The room was alive with activity—cameras, crew, and actors moving with purpose. Then I saw her.

Pink didn’t stand out because of her usual playfulness or loud energy. She stood out because she was focused, commanding, and in complete control. It was like watching a different person—a professional through and through.

“She’s something, isn’t she?” Song whispered beside me, amusement lacing his tone.

I couldn’t respond. My shock must have been written all over my face because he chuckled.

“You’ve never seen her work before, have you?” he asked. I shook my head silently, unable to tear my eyes away from her.

“She’s always been disciplined,” Song continued in a low voice. “She separates her work and personal life completely. Producing is her way of bringing joy to the world, and she takes it seriously. Her personal life is for her to live on her terms.” He glanced at me. “That’s why she gave you space. She didn’t want to influence your decision or make you question it later.”

I barely registered his words as I watched her. When someone yelled “Cut!” and the room relaxed, Song nudged me forward.

Pink spotted us immediately. Her smile for Song was warm, but when her eyes landed on me, it widened into something radiant.

“Milk! You’re here!” she exclaimed, her voice full of delight.

“I hope you don’t mind,” I said, feeling unexpectedly shy under her gaze.

“Of course not!” she said with a laugh. Turning to the room, she clapped her hands. “Break time—thirty minutes, everyone!”

As the crew dispersed, she led us to her office. The small space was cluttered with equipment, monitors, and stacks of papers—scripts and documents piled high. She cleared space on the couch, motioning for me to sit while Song set the food on the table.

“I’ll just listen to that soundtrack while I’m here,” Song said, slipping into his own world with a headset.

Pink sat beside me, unpacking the food. For the first time, I really took her in—her beauty, her confidence, the complexity beneath her playful exterior.

“You’re going to make me blush,” she teased, snapping me out of my thoughts. My face warmed as I realized I’d been staring.

“Did you come to give me an answer?” she asked, her tone careful but steady.

Glancing at Song, who was completely absorbed in his task, I turned back to her. “I did,” I said. Honestly, I hadn’t been sure when I asked to join Song. I just knew I wanted to see her—and now that I had, I didn’t want to leave. “But I have one condition.”

Her eyes lit up with anticipation. “What is it?”

“You train with me to learn self-defense,” I said, unable to hold back a smile when her brow furrowed adorably. I tapped the wrinkle with my finger. “I need to know you can protect yourself when I’m not around. It’ll help me focus when I’m with the boys.”

She rubbed the spot I’d poked, thinking it over. “Fine,” she said at last, though her sly smile made me wary.

“I’m a strict teacher,” I warned, but her gaze turned mischievous, and I felt like she was already imagining scenarios far from practical sparring.

Before I could react, she threw herself at me, grinning. “Let’s seal it with a kiss!”

Her boldness left me stunned, but when she leaned in, I couldn’t resist. As our lips met, every defense I’d carefully built crumbled.

A throat-clearing sound made us pull apart. Song stood at her desk, one brow raised. “I’ll fix the soundtrack and send it to myself later,” he said casually, pretending not to notice the compromising position we’d been caught in.

Pink pouted. “Coward!” she called after him as he hurried out, leaving us alone.

Before I could scold her, she cupped my face and kissed me again. This time, I didn’t resist. When we finally broke apart, I smiled. “You’re distracting me.”

“Did it work?” she asked playfully.

“Too well.”

She grinned, then motioned to the food. “Since your ride left, you can wait here for me to finish shooting in two hours.”

“I’ll wait,” I said, patting her head affectionately.

__________________________________

After that day, my life became a careful balancing act between managing Boys X and spending time with Pink. Whenever our schedules allowed, we’d meet up. I taught her self-defense, and occasionally Day joined us to help with sparring sessions.

Despite our busy lives, we found ways to make it work. Pink was deeply immersed in producing her TV show, while I was focused on preparing the boys for their upcoming tour and finishing the new album. Even if it was just for a short while, we visited each other whenever we had a free moment.

The day of our tour departure, Idol was in a foul mood. I figured it was because he’d be away for a month—it wasn’t unusual for him to sulk before a long trip. It wasn’t until a few days later, when Pink texted me a warning about Song, that I began to piece things together.

I preferred to stay out of their personal affairs. What they did in their private lives was none of my business. But when Idol cornered me, asking me to get Pink to tell Song to answer his calls, I had no choice but to step in. Even then, Idol refused to explain what was going on, claiming he didn’t know. I wasn’t entirely convinced.

Not long after, Pink confided in me about Song’s new girlfriend. The timing was unfortunate, but after thinking it through, I decided it wasn’t my place to tell Idol. If Song ignoring his calls was enough to unsettle him, I didn’t want to imagine his reaction if he discovered the truth. The thought of his volatility was enough to make me uneasy.

When the tour finally ended, I dropped Ice, God, and Idol off at the company building and made a quick escape. I was eager to see my girlfriend after a month apart. At that point, Idol finding out about Song’s relationship was inevitable, and I wasn’t about to play babysitter. I could only hope he’d manage to keep himself in check and not cause too much damage.