The gentle hum of the airplane filled the air as Y/N leaned against the window, gazing down at the blue stretch of ocean below. Jeju Island looked magical from above — calm, endless, and peaceful. It was the perfect place for her next music video shoot.
Taehyung sat beside her, quietly scrolling through his phone. He wasn't supposed to come — this was her professional trip — but he insisted.
"You're shooting near my resort," he'd said casually. "Might as well supervise things… professionally."
Of course, Y/N knew what that meant — he just wanted to be near her.
When they landed, the salty wind brushed through her hair, and she laughed softly, stretching her arms. "This feels like freedom."
Taehyung smiled at her from behind his sunglasses. "You say that every time you step out of Seoul."
She turned to him, teasing, "Maybe because in Seoul I'm your wife, and here I'm me."
He tilted his head. "So, which one do you like being more?"
She looked thoughtful. "Both… maybe. But right now, I want to be me."
The shoot began the next day — a dreamy seaside concept. Y/N wore a flowing white dress, the wind catching every corner of the fabric as the cameras rolled. Jin had flown in to sing a duet for the video, and Jungkook was managing the creative direction.
"Y/N, that expression — perfect! Hold it!" Jungkook called out, camera flashing.
Taehyung watched from a distance, arms folded, pretending to be calm. But deep inside, every time Jin smiled at her or brushed a strand of hair from her face for the shot, something tightened in his chest.
When the shoot wrapped, Jin patted Y/N's shoulder. "You're incredible. The emotion you bring… no one else could do that."
Y/N smiled, "Coming from you, that means a lot."
Jin: Why are you being so formal with me Y/naaa.
Y/n: 'cause we are now singers here not dudes.
Jin patted her back and both laughed.
Taehyung turned away before anyone saw his expression.
Later that evening, they gathered for dinner at a cozy seaside restaurant — Y/N, Jungkook, Jin, the production team… and Taehyung, who'd been silent most of the evening.
Halfway through, Jungkook nudged her, whispering, "He's jealous again."
She glanced at Taehyung, who was quietly sipping his wine, pretending to scroll his phone.
After dinner, Y/N and Taehyung took a walk along the beach, the night breeze brushing past them. The moonlight glimmered on the water, and their shadows walked side by side.
"Why were you so quiet tonight?" she asked softly.
He didn't look at her. "No reason."
She stopped walking. "Tae, I know you better than that."
He sighed, finally meeting her eyes. "You looked happy. With them. With your world."
She frowned. "That's not fair. You're part of my world too."
"Sometimes it doesn't feel like it," he admitted quietly. "When I see you like that — shining, free — I realize maybe you were never meant to be beside me. I… trapped you in this marriage because of my mother's guilt."
Y/N's heart softened. She took a deep breath. "You didn't trap me, Tae. We were both trapped by the same people, the same expectations. But we stayed. We didn't walk away — that says something, doesn't it?"
He looked at her with quiet intensity. "Then tell me, Y/N… do you ever think we could start over? Without the pressure, without the name — just us?"
She hesitated. The waves crashed between their silence.
"Maybe," she whispered finally. "If you can learn to stop getting jealous over every man who smiles at me."
Taehyung's lips curved into a small smirk. "No promises."
Y/N laughed softly, shaking her head. "Still impossible."
He stepped closer, brushing a speck of sand from her cheek. "And you still care enough to notice."
Their eyes locked — the air between them calm yet electric. No words were needed. The unspoken truth lingered — maybe love wasn't something you found once; maybe it was something you built, moment by moment, fight by fight, until it quietly became home.
The next morning, photos of their beach walk trended online — "CEO Kim Taehyung spotted with singer Y/N at Jeju resort."
Comments flooded social media:
"Are they back together for real?"
"That chemistry… impossible to fake."
"Power couple energy."
Y/N sighed as Jungkook showed her the screen. "Great. Another scandal."
But this time, she didn't panic.
Because for the first time — she didn't want to hide
✨ The Echo of Rumours✨
Morning sunlight poured into the hotel suite through gauzy curtains. Y/N sat on the couch, her coffee untouched, eyes fixed on the flashing headlines across the television.
"Kim Taehyung & Singer Y/N Spotted in Jeju: Rekindled Romance or PR Stunt?"
"Y/N Seen Holding Hands with Husband During Late-Night Beach Walk."
"Netizens React to Their Chemistry — The Songstress and the CEO."
She sighed, sinking deeper into the cushions. "Here we go again," she muttered.
Across the room, Jungkook entered, laptop in one hand, phone in the other. "Y/N, the media is all over it. We can either ignore it or turn it into something useful."
She looked up curiously. "Useful? How does this help my music career?"
Jungkook grinned. "Simple. If they want to talk, let them talk about your new album instead. We'll make them shift the focus."
Y/N raised a brow. "You're planning something again, aren't you?"
"Always," he said, sitting beside her. "We'll use this noise to announce your upcoming album — but in a way no one expects."
Before she could ask more, her phone buzzed. Taehyung.
She answered with a sigh. "You saw it, didn't you?"
Taehyung's calm voice came through the speaker. "Of course I did. Half my board members texted me before breakfast."
Y/N rubbed her temple. "I didn't mean for this to—"
"I know you didn't," he interrupted softly. "But maybe this isn't bad."
She blinked. "What?"
"You look happy in those pictures," he said. "For once, people are talking about you and not judging. Maybe… it's okay."
His tone was warm, different from his usual CEO sharpness. Y/N smiled faintly. "You've changed, Kim Taehyung."
"I had to," he replied quietly. "Otherwise, I'd lose you again."
Later that afternoon, Y/N and Jungkook sat in a small recording studio, the glass wall overlooking the sea. Jin joined them with a gentle smile.
"So," Jin said, adjusting his mic, "Jungkook tells me you're planning something big?"
Y/N nodded. "We're doing a live album reveal concert in Seoul next month. No teasers, no promotions — just an announcement out of nowhere. Pure surprise."
Jungkook grinned. "And guess who'll be producing the visuals?"
"Taehyung," Jin guessed.
Y/N laughed. "No — you."
They all burst into laughter.
But laughter didn't last long.
That evening, Y/N received a call from Taehyung's assistant.
"Ma'am… Mrs. Kim asked to speak with you urgently."
Her stomach twisted. "Put her through."
The sharp, cold voice of Taehyung's mother came next.
"Y/N, I thought you were done embarrassing our family."
Y/N froze. "Excuse me?"
"Photos all over the internet — rumours, gossip. You're turning my son's name into a media circus again. You think you can hide behind fame?"
Y/N's hands shook. "With all due respect, I'm not doing this for fame. I'm working — something I've always done."
"You were better off as his assistant," the older woman snapped. "At least then you knew your place."
That cut deep. But Y/N didn't let her voice break. "Maybe you should stop worrying about my place, and look at the son you never understood."
There was silence on the other end before the line disconnected.
That night, she called Jimin — her brother, her comfort.
He answered immediately, his playful tone lifting her mood. "Y/naaa! The world's most talked-about singer!"
Y/N laughed softly. "Ya, don't start. I'm tired."
"Don't be," he said gently. "You're finally shining. I'm proud of you."
She sighed, lying on the bed. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like shining, Jimin. It feels like burning."
He was quiet for a moment. Then softly said, "Even stars burn before they shine brightest."
Her heart swelled. "You always know what to say."
"Of course," he teased. "I'm your brother."
Meanwhile, in Seoul, Taehyung sat in his office, staring at his phone screen — a picture of him and Y/N walking on that Jeju beach. He couldn't help but smile faintly.
"She's changed," he murmured. "But maybe I can still be part of her world."
Just then, Jungkook texted him:
"Need you for a secret project. Don't tell Y/N. It's for her album launch."
Taehyung smirked. So it begins.