THANK YOU // DEX ✔️

29.

"Siyoung, please open the door," Jinyoung knocked on the bathroom door. As soon as Siyoung noticed that a photo of her and Jinyoung had started circulating on the internet, she locked herself in the bathroom and didn't come out. At first, Jinyoung let her be because he knew it would affect her more as an idol, and he wanted her to clear her head. But when she didn't come out even after two hours, he started to worry.

"I need to be alone," came from behind the door. Jinyoung could tell from her voice that she was crying. He wanted to leave her alone, but this was the moment when she shouldn't be alone. And since it didn't seem like she would unlock the door anytime soon, he opted for a more drastic solution.

He reared back and kicked the door with all his might. He was surprised when it opened on the first try. He immediately rushed inside and tightly embraced Siyoung, who was huddled in front of the bathtub with her knees up to her chin. Her face was red and swollen from hours of crying. A crumpled tissue lay around her from wiping her tears. But Jinyoung didn't care about any of that. He just wanted Siyoung to know that he was there with her. That she wasn't alone.

"Why did this have to happen now?" Siyoung murmured into Jinyoung's shoulder, sniffling. The soldier stroked her back, trying to comfort her.

"We'll get through this, Young," he kissed her forehead, "we'll get through it together."

"How can we get through this? Every single fan of mine will hate me now just because I have a boyfriend," Siyoung argued. Jinyoung understood her. He knew how cruel the world of idols could be. Fans could ruin an idol's life in a very short time over something trivial. Being together could ruin her career, but it could also alienate some fans.

"We'll call StarShip and talk to them. They'll know what to do. But trust me, no matter what happens, I'll stand by your side," Jinyoung hugged Siyoung even tighter.

"Why are you so kind? We've only been dating for a few days," Siyoung asked. She asked very quietly, and Jinyoung could barely hear her.

"Because I like you, Young," Jinyoung smiled.

She hugged him tightly. "I like you too," she told him. She was scared to say it. She likes him but she is afraid to said it out loud. She didn't want to say it, but just his presence gave her courage. With him, she wasn't afraid of anything

"What if you called StarShip, sorted things out with them, and then we went somewhere?" he whispered into her hair, giving her another kiss. Siyoung loved kisses on the hair most of all.

"Somewhere where we'd be alone?" she asked. Jinyoung nodded.

~•~

"Are you dating?" Jaehyun, the head of her team, asked. Everyone on the Zoom call turned their attention to Siyoung, who nodded slightly. Jinyoung wasn't in the room because he wanted her to handle this on her own, but he wasn't far away. Siyoung sat on the bed while Jinyoung prepared lunch, just in case they were needed.

"Do you want us to issue an official statement?" he asked as a follow-up question.

"Could we wait?" Siyoung asked.

"As you wish," Jaehyun smiled, "we won't pressure you into anything."

"I'd like to announce it in person during KCon in LA," Siyoung said.

"Whatever you prefer," he nodded, "but it's probably best if you return to Seoul and announce the end of your hiatus as soon as possible."

"Thank you," Siyoung smiled, "I'll try to come back as soon as possible."

~•~

"We'll enjoy today, and then we'll head back tomorrow," Jinyoung nodded when Siyoung informed him of the call's outcome.

"That sounds good," Siyoung smiled.

"Will you announce our relationship officially?"

"I'd like to do it at KCon. But only if you're okay with it. If it bothers you, I'll just issue an official statement, and that's it," Siyoung laid her head on Jinyoung's shoulder.

"No, it doesn't," Jinyoung smiled from ear to ear. "I'm excited that you want to announce our relationship in front of a large audience. It makes me feel like you're not ashamed of me."

"Ashamed? Of you? Never," Siyoung tightly hugged him.

"Please stop or I'll lose my badass side because of you," Jinyoung started laughing and Siyoung had to laugh too when she heard him say that.

"Have you ever had one before?"

"Wow, you're terrible," Jinyoung laughed, but eventually, he gave Siyoung a quick kiss.

"Maybe we should get ready for our trip to the shooting range. I'll show you, soldier, that I'm better at shooting than you."

"Like you showed me at karaoke? Sorry, but I beat you there, and I even got a bigger round of applause. Let me remind you that you're the singer in this duo," Jinyoung teased her. Siyoung felt like smacking him. He didn't need to bring up karaoke. Siyoung stuck her tongue out at him and then got up to change.

Fortunately, the shooting range was empty, and the two of them were the only visitors. Siyoung needed Jinyoung's help because she didn't know how to load a pistol and had no personal experience with guns. Fortunately, Jinyoung patiently explained everything and tried to show her everything clearly. After a long hour of learning, they decided to have a small competition to see who would buy dinner. Unexpectedly, the singer lost, and she lost by a lot. But she didn't mind because that smile on Jinyoung's face was worth it.

"So, did I win both karaoke and the shooting range?" Jinyoung mocked Siyoung with this question. She gave him a withering look, left him in the living room, and headed to the beach. They'd been here for over a week, and she'd mostly just sunbathed, but now she wanted to play in the sand - and she wanted to play now.

"Can you pass me the shovel?" Siyoung yelled to Jinyoung when she noticed him standing on the terrace, watching her. He nodded, grabbed a shovel, and handed it to her.

"How old are you, building sandcastles?" he asked her, but despite that, he kneeled down to help her.

"You can dig a hole, but I can't build a sandcastle?"

"Fair point."

Building the best sandcastle took them a long time. It was even dark outside when they finally finished it. And they couldn't just leave it like that, so they took a picture of it. Such a creation must be celebrated in a photo. They'd probably forget about it within a few days.

"Do you know that moonlight suits you very well?" Jinyoung observed Siyoung as she gazed at the stars. It was their last evening, so she wanted to enjoy every star, as who knew when she would see them again. You definitely wouldn't see them in Seoul.

"Is that your smooth pick-up line?" Siyoung laughed.

"Can't you say thank you for once? Or just giggle like every other girl?" Jinyoung also laughed and hugged Siyoung around the shoulders.

"But I'm not like every other girl," Siyoung pouted, "I am your girl."

"Keep up with that attitude, and it won't end well."

"In what? This?" Siyoung squatted down so that her face was right in front of Jinyoung's and pouted her lips. She enjoyed provoking Jinyoung because he always had the best reactions.

"You asked for it," Jinyoung grabbed Siyoung by the neck and kissed her.

That night, clothes were flying in the bedroom.