In the band, there were five of them.

But somehow, the world always noticed only two.

nut the calm and focused one who never missed a step, always controlled his emotions like they were part of choreography.

And hong the one who smiled too easily on stage—but stayed quiet when it really mattered..........

The other members—William, Lego, and Tui—knew about Nut’s feelings for Hong. It wasn’t a secret inside the group anymore. William often tried to help Nut confess, pushing him in small ways, teasing him, creating situations. But Nut always backed out at the last moment.

Tui, however, knew something different. Something the others didn’t. A truth only he and Hong were aware of… something unspoken that tied them in a different way.

From the outside, they looked like just another successful band. But inside, every glance carried meaning, every silence had weight, and every smile was hiding something no one dared to say out loud. Especially between Nut and Hong—where even distance felt intentional...

That morning, they were practicing for their upcoming concert. The studio was filled with music, footsteps, and constant repetition of their choreography. Hours had passed, and exhaustion slowly settled into their bodies.

Hong leaned back first, stretching his arms with a tired sigh.

“I’m sleepy… can I take a break?” he asked casually.

Nut immediately looked at him. “Yeah, yeah, sure,” he replied quickly, then added, “But don’t take too long break, the concert is near.”

Hong made a playful funny face at him in response, making Nut freeze for a second before he looked away.

Without saying much, Hong walked to the other side of the room and collapsed onto the sofa, closing his eyes almost instantly.

A few seconds later, Nut quietly moved and sat on the opposite side, not too far, just enough to see him. His eyes stayed on Hong longer than he intended.

William noticed it immediately.

“Oye, you are staring too hard,” he said, hitting Nut lightly on the head. “He might wake up because of you.”

Lego laughed at William’s words, shaking his head. “Seriously…”

Tui, standing a little away, murmured under his breath, almost too low for anyone to hear, “Let him know then...”

William glanced at Tui. “Huh?”

But Tui had already turned away. He stepped back into his own space and started practicing beatboxing again like nothing had happened.

And the room slowly returned to noise and practice—but Nut’s eyes never fully left Hong.

But silence doesn’t always mean peace. Sometimes it’s just emotions sitting still, waiting for the smallest trigger to fall apart.

After a short while, Hong slowly woke up. He rubbed his eyes, still looking a little tired, and stood up from the sofa.

“Okay… I should get back to practice,” he said, stretching his shoulders.

Just as he was about to join the others, his phone rang. Hong glanced at it and picked up the call, switching it to speaker without thinking.

On the other side, a voice came through clearly.

“Hey, kitty… our project submission date is tomorrow. Come home tonight so we can finish it together.”

The room went quiet for a fraction of a second.

Nut froze in place.

The word “kitty” echoed in his mind more than anything else. His grip tightened slightly, fists clenching without him realizing it. His eyes slowly shifted toward William, as if trying to hide what he felt but failing completely.

“He doesn’t like me…” Nut thought silently. “He already has someone.”

William noticed the change in his expression immediately. But before he could react, Lego leaned slightly toward Nut and whispered,

“You dumbass… he’s just a college friend.”

Tui, standing a little away, let out a quiet chuckle to himself, like he already understood everything happening without needing words.

William leaned closer to Tui and whispered under his breath, “You know something, right?”

Tui didn’t answer. He just kept looking away, a small knowing smile on his face, like he was holding back a truth no one else in the room was ready to hear.

And Nut?

He wasn’t listening anymore.

His eyes were still fixed on Hong......

Jealousy doesn’t always explode. Sometimes it just sits quietly in the chest, heavy and confusing, making even breathing feel different.

Hong sighed into the phone. “Ahh… I’m tired. I can’t come tonight. I’ll complete it at home and send you the photos, okay? Don’t take tension.”

He paused for a second, then added casually, “Now I have to practice. Bye, you idiot.”

Before the other person could respond, Hong ended the call.

He turned back toward the group, slightly confused by the silence. His eyes moved from William to Lego… then to Nut, who was unusually quiet.

Hong frowned a little and walked closer to Tui.

“What happened?” he asked softly. “Why are you all staring at me like this? And… what happened to Nut?”

Tui looked at him for a moment, expression unreadable. Then he leaned slightly closer and whispered, “Nothing.”

His voice was calm, but there was something heavy behind it. “I hope Nut will tell it himself.”

Tui shook his head slightly, as if trying to push away his thoughts.

Because he knew the truth.

Nut liked Hong.

And Hong… also felt something, even if he didn’t fully understand it yet.

But Tui couldn’t say anything.

Not because he didn’t want to—

but because he had made a promise.

And some promises… were heavier than truth itself

And in that silence, truth didn’t disappear—it only waited.

Tui stood a little away from the group, watching everything quietly. On the surface, he always looked calm—almost like he didn’t care much. But inside, he carried the heaviest knowledge in the entire band.

He wasn’t just observing Nut’s feelings for Hong.

He knew something deeper.

Tui slowly exhaled, eyes lowering for a moment as memories came back.

He and Hong had known each other before the band became famous. Not in a dramatic way—nothing loud or obvious—but through a past connection that none of the others ever discovered. Late-night talks during training days, small shared moments, and a quiet understanding that never turned into anything official, but also never fully disappeared.

Before the band, before fame, Hong had once trusted Tui with something personal:

“If I ever start liking someone again… don’t let anyone interfere before I understand it myself.”

Tui had agreed.

And that was the promise he carried.

So when Nut started developing feelings for Hong, Tui noticed it first. And when Hong began showing subtle signs—longer glances, softer reactions around Nut—Tui noticed that too.

But he stayed silent.

Because his promise wasn’t just about keeping secrets.

It was about not influencing what Hong might feel on his own.

Now, standing in the practice room, watching Nut struggle silently and Hong remain unaware of the emotional storm around him, Tui understood the irony of it all.

Both of them were already connected in ways they hadn’t realized yet.

And Tui… was the only one who knew how close they were to crossing a line they could never go back from.

He looked away quietly, tightening his jaw.

“This is something they have to figure out themselves,” he thought.

Even if it hurt to watch.

Some truths don’t free people. They trap the ones who know them.

Hong stood a little apart from the group, his voice low as he leaned slightly toward Tui.

“I can’t… like him, right?” he whispered, almost like he was trying to convince himself more than ask a question.

Tui didn’t answer immediately.

Hong’s fingers tightened around the edge of his sleeve. His eyes flicked briefly toward Nut, who was still standing quietly on the other side of the room.

Then Hong added in a softer voice, almost breaking it, “I promised myself not to…”

He stopped there.

Tui finally looked at him, expression calm but serious. He understood exactly what Hong wasn’t finishing.

But instead of giving an answer, Tui simply said nothing.

Because some truths weren’t meant to be spoken out loud—not yet.

Tui stayed silent for a moment longer, but something in his expression changed—like a weight he had been holding finally started to crack.

He exhaled slowly and looked away from Hong.

“You already broke that promise a long time ago,” Tui said quietly.

Hong froze.

Tui continued, voice lower now, careful but honest. “Not because of Nut… but because you never actually stopped noticing him.”

Hong’s eyes widened slightly. “Tui…”

Tui finally turned to face him fully. The calm was still there, but now it felt heavier.

“That’s my secret,” he admitted. “I knew before anyone else did.”

Hong didn’t speak. He couldn’t.

Tui’s gaze softened a little, but his words stayed firm. “I see everything in this room, Hong. Nut’s feelings… William trying too hard… Lego pretending it’s funny… and you…”

He paused for a second.

“…you pretending you don’t feel anything at all.”

Hong looked down, his grip on his sleeve loosening slowly.

Tui lowered his voice even more. “I made a promise a long time ago—to let you figure it out yourself. Not to interfere. Not to push you. Not to tell anyone what I see.”

He gave a small, tired smile.

“But you should know… nothing in this story is one-sided.”

And once that truth is spoken—even softly—nothing inside them stays the same again.

Hong didn’t move at first. His mind replayed Tui’s words again and again, each sentence hitting deeper than the last. “Nothing is one-sided.”

He swallowed hard, finally forcing himself to look up. “Then… what am I supposed to do?” he asked quietly.

Tui didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he glanced across the room where William and Lego were still trying to lighten the mood, joking around and telling Nut to relax, as if nothing in the room had shifted at all.

Their laughter echoed softly, trying to pull everything back into normal.

But it wasn’t normal anymore.

Tui noticed it again—the way Nut kept pretending to focus on anything except Hong, even while his attention always drifted back to him. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, it was always the same.

Tui spoke at last, voice calm but serious.

“Nothing… until you stop running from what you already know.”

Hong frowned slightly. “And what do I know?”

Tui gave a small, almost helpless smile.

“That’s the part only you can admit.”

A few seconds passed.

Then Tui added softly, “Just don’t hurt him while you’re figuring it out.”

Hong’s gaze shifted again toward Nut. This time, it stayed longer than before.

Nut felt it.

He looked up—and for a brief moment, their eyes met.

But Hong quickly looked away first.

Not because he didn’t care…

But because for the first time, he wasn’t sure what he was allowed to feel.

Tui exhaled quietly and stepped back, letting William and Lego’s voices fill the space again like nothing had happened.

But underneath the noise, something had already changed.

And none of them could go back to how it was before...

Hong lowered his voice even more, making sure no one else could hear.

“You know my past, right?” he whispered to Tui.

Tui didn’t react, but his eyes softened slightly.

Hong continued, his voice shaking a little.

“How long it took me to move on from that boy… you know, right?”

A pause.

Hong swallowed hard. “And now… how can I just forget all that and… feel something again?”

Tui looked at him quietly, understanding what he wasn’t fully saying out loud.

Hong’s fingers tightened at his side.

“It’s not that simple for me.”

For a moment, Tui didn’t speak. He just watched Hong struggle with words he had carried alone for so long.

Finally, Tui replied softly, “I know.”

Another pause.

Then, more carefully, he added, “But not every feeling that comes into your life is meant to replace the past.”

Hong looked down, silent.

Flashback – Hong’s Past

When Hong was in 10th grade, things were much simpler—or at least, they felt that way.

He had a close friend whose house he used to visit often. At first, it was just for homework, hanging out, normal school life.

But slowly… that wasn’t the real reason anymore.

His friend had an older brother.

And somewhere between small conversations, passing glances, and quiet moments in the hallway, Hong started developing feelings he didn’t fully understand.

He didn’t tell anyone.

He just found excuses to visit more often… just to see him.

At first, it felt harmless.

Until one day, everything changed.

That evening, when Hong came over like always, something felt different.

His friend wasn’t around.

Instead, his friend’s brother called him into the room.

Hong hesitated for a second but still followed.

The door closed behind him.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, in a low voice, the boy said,

“I know you like me.”

Hong froze.

His heart started racing, his thoughts completely blank.

Before he could even react properly, the boy stepped closer and added softly,

“I… like you too.”

It was everything Hong had wanted to hear.

And maybe that’s why he didn’t question it.

He believed him.

The next day changed everything.

At school, whispers started.

Students were staring. Some were laughing. Others were just watching silently.

Hong didn’t understand at first… until he saw it.

Photos.

Private moments—shared without his knowledge.

His chest tightened.

Before he could even process it, the boy stood in front of others and said loudly,

“He forced me.”

Those words echoed louder than anything else.

Hong felt like the ground disappeared under his feet.

He tried to speak, to explain—but no one listened.

No one asked.

They had already decided.

After that day, everything changed.

The looks. The judgment. The silence from people who once called him a friend.

Trust became something distant.

Something dangerous.

And that was the moment Hong learned—

Sometimes, love doesn’t break you slowly.

Sometimes, it shatters you all at once

present

Hong finally looked at Tui, frustration and confusion mixing in his eyes.

“Try to understand me… it’s not that easy, you know,” he said quietly.

Tui nodded, not arguing, just listening.

“I know,” he replied calmly. Then after a pause, he added,

“But Nut is not him. Don’t forget that.”

Hong didn’t respond.

Tui continued, his voice softer now but steady,

“He’s… different. You know that. All of us do.”

For a moment, Hong’s expression shifted—like he wanted to believe it, but something inside him was still holding back.

Tui took a small step back, giving him space.

“But in the end,” he said, “it’s your choice. What you want to do… or what you’re too afraid to do.”

Hong looked away again, his thoughts louder than anything around him

Tui watched him for a moment… then stepped a little closer, lowering his voice.

“What if Nut also likes you…?” he whispered.

Hong froze.

For a second, he didn’t even breathe.

His eyes slowly lifted, almost as if he was afraid of the answer forming in his own mind.

“That’s not…” he started, but the words didn’t come out right.

“That’s not possible.”

But even as he said it, his gaze drifted—instinctively—toward Nut...

Hong’s chest tightened.

Tui didn’t look away from him. “You really believe that?” he asked quietly.

Hong swallowed, forcing himself to look back at Tui.

“If he did…” he said slowly, almost unsure of his own voice,

“…then it would be even harder.”

Tui’s expression softened.

“Or maybe,” he replied, “it would finally be honest.”

Hong didn’t answer.

Because for the first time, the fear wasn’t just about his past anymore—

It was about what could be real… right in front of him.....

There is also some reason okay...you don’t forget what happened back in the past. He is a straight guy, okay? Do you remember Phi’Flim, who collaborated with us for the MV?” Hong said, his voice tense.

“Nut was hugging her like he loved her. William also knows it, so stop thinking that he can like me—he can’t,” Hong continued.

“And at that time, I used to think I liked him… I was sure then,” he added quietly.

“You even scolded me because I hurt him back then,” Hong said, looking down.

“So I was about to go and fix it… but when I saw them hugging, I already lost it. I didn’t know what to do… so I just turned away,” he admitted.

He still liked him, but he buried those feelings deep inside, hiding them as if they had never existed. Yet no matter how much Hong tried to act normal, Tui could still see through him—because Tui knew the truth.

Tui stayed silent for a moment, then said softly, “You keep saying he can’t… but your heart never agreed with your words.”

Hong’s breath hitched.

And for the first time, he had no answer....

Tui sighed and said, “I already knew this was your real reason right now, not the past. Back then, it was your school-time fear, but that was before. Now it’s different—it’s about Nut. Don’t mix your past reason with what’s happening now.”

Hong looked away and said, “Some things are better left unsaid.”

Tui frowned slightly. “Not when it’s hurting you like this.”

Silence fell between them again. Hong didn’t respond this time. He simply stood there, eyes distant, as if carrying a weight he still wasn’t ready to put into words.

Tui watched him for a moment longer, then let out a quiet breath—realizing pushing further wouldn’t make him speak.

Sometimes, the truth didn’t come when asked… it came when the heart was finally ready.

And for Hong, that moment still hadn’t arrived...

Before the fame, before the stage, before anyone knew their names—

There were just trainees.

Long hours, tired bodies, repeated mistakes, and the same practice room that never seemed to change.

That’s where Nut first noticed him.

Not in a dramatic way.

Not in a moment anyone else would remember.

Just… quietly.

Hong was standing in front of the mirror, practicing the same move again and again, completely focused. Even when the music stopped, he didn’t.

Nut had been there too—but somehow, his attention wasn’t on the choreography anymore.

It was on him.

There was something different about Hong. Not just the way he danced, but the way he stayed silent, like he was carrying something no one else could see.

At first, Nut didn’t understand what he was feeling.

He just knew… something about Hong kept pulling his attention again and again.

And it started to bother him.

Back then, the only person he was really close to was William.

Late one night after practice, when everyone else had already left, Nut finally said it out loud.

“I think… I like someone,” he admitted quietly.

William looked at him, surprised. “Who?”

Nut hesitated for a second, then glanced toward the mirror—toward the spot where Hong usually stood.

William followed his gaze.

And that was enough.

A small smile appeared on his face. “Ahh… so it’s him.”

Nut quickly looked away, embarrassed. “Don’t make it obvious.”

William laughed softly. “Relax, I won’t. But… you’re in trouble.”

“Why?” Nut frowned.

William shrugged. “Because you’re already looking at him like that.”

From that day, William knew.

And he never really let Nut forget it.

Time passed.

Training days turned into months… and months turned into something bigger.

And somehow—

When the final lineup was announced…

Nut and Hong ended up in the same group.

Not just them.

William, Lego, and Tui too.

Five of them.

One team.

One stage.

But for Nut…

It wasn’t just a group anymore.

Because the person he had quietly liked all this time—

Was now standing right next to him.

Every single day......

During trainee days, Nut and Hong didn’t talk much.

Not because they didn’t notice each other—

But because they existed in different spaces.

Hong was always focused, quiet, and distant. He came to practice, did his work perfectly, and left without getting involved much with others.

Nut, on the other hand, stayed more with William, laughing, talking, trying to survive the pressure in his own way.

They were in the same room…

Sometimes just a few steps away…

But still, far.

The only connection between them was unspoken—

A glance in the mirror.

A moment of noticing.

A feeling that only one of them understood at that time.

And maybe that’s why it stayed longer.

Because it never had a proper beginning.

After debut, everything started to feel real.

No more just trainees.

Now—they were a group.

For their first song, all five of them were called into the studio together. The room felt different from the practice hall—quieter, more serious, like this was where everything would actually begin.

Tui was already there, sitting with a notebook in his hand.

“I started writing something,” he said, tapping the pages lightly. “We can build our first song from this.”

William leaned over his shoulder, curious. Lego stretched nearby, already moving to an imaginary beat. Nut stood a little back… and Hong stayed near the other side, as usual.

Still close.

Still distant.

Their roles had been decided:

William – Main Vocalist

Lego – Main Dancer / Sub Vocalist

Nut – Lead Dancer / Sub Vocalist

Hong – Main Rapper / Lead Dancer / Sub Vocalist

Tui – Lead Vocalist / Lead Rapper / Dancer

Tui wasn’t just performing—he was creating too. Writing lyrics, building rhythm, even adding beatboxing to shape the sound.

That’s why everyone in the team called him the all-rounder.

“Listen to this,” Tui said, then started beatboxing softly, setting a raw rhythm in the room.

The sound filled the space.

Lego immediately caught the beat, moving along. William hummed a melody over it. Nut followed the steps naturally—

And Hong…

He listened.

Then slowly, he stepped forward and added a rap line, his voice low but steady.

For the first time, all five of them were creating something together.

Not as individuals.

But as one group.

Nut glanced at Hong for a second—

And this time, Hong didn’t look away immediately.

The beat was still echoing in the room.

Lego was practicing the choreography, sharp and energetic. Tui adjusted the rhythm, adding small changes to match their flow. Hong stood near the mirror, repeating his rap lines under his breath.

And Nut…

Nut was trying very hard to focus.

Trying.

“Left… right… turn—”

"Go on—turn, look at Hong, and forget everything you’ve practiced.” William said teasingly

Nut froze mid-step.

“What?” he snapped, a little too quickly.

William grinned, clearly enjoying this. “Nothing, nothing. Just saying… you missed the step. Again.”

Lego laughed from the side. “Yeah, ‘Lead Dancer,’ what happened?”

Nut glared at them. “Shut up, both of you.”

But William wasn’t done.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough to annoy him more. “You’ve been looking at him since morning. At least be subtle.”

“I am subtle,” Nut muttered.

William raised an eyebrow. “You’re about as subtle as a spotlight.”

Lego burst out laughing again.

Across the room, Hong glanced over.

Just for a second.

But that was enough.

Nut immediately looked away, pretending to fix his position.

William noticed everything.

Of course he did.

“Relax,” William said more softly this time, nudging Nut’s shoulder. “You’re going to expose yourself before you even confess.”

Nut exhaled sharply. “I’m not confessing.”

“Yeah?” William smirked. “Keep telling yourself that.”

Tui, still adjusting the beat, spoke without looking up,

“Focus, both of you. We have a song to finish.”

But there was a small smile on his face.

“From the top!” Lego called.

Music started again.

They all moved into position.

Nut forced himself to focus on the choreography—

But even then…

His timing still matched Hong’s perfectly.

Like it always did.

Lego slowed down mid-practice, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched Nut… then Hong… then Nut again.

Something clicked.

He leaned closer to William and whispered, barely holding it in,

“Wait… I think Nut likes Hong—”

Then he paused dramatically, eyes widening.

“Oh—oops. Sorry.”

Nut froze.

William closed his eyes for a second like, here we go…

But Lego wasn’t done.

He turned to William again, curiosity taking over.

“Wait… you already know this, don’t you?”

William didn’t answer.

Lego blinked.

Then his expression changed slowly, realization hitting him harder this time.

“…Don’t tell me—” he started, looking between them,

“He has been liking Hong since trainee days?”

He let out a small laugh, like it was a joke.

“Hehe… right?”

Silence.

No one laughed.

Nut looked away.

William stayed quiet.

And that’s when it hit him.

Lego’s smile faded.

“Oh.”

The word came out softer this time.

“Wait… you’re serious?”

Nut didn’t say anything.

But he didn’t deny it either.

And that was enough.

From the other side of the room, Tui glanced over for a moment—

He had already known.

Lego slowly straightened up, still processing everything.

“Damn…” he muttered under his breath.

Then, after a second, he looked at Nut again—this time not teasing.

“…That’s tough.”

And for the first time, it didn’t feel like a joke anymore....