That night, long after the lights in the studio went out, Rian stayed behind.
Everyone else had gone home hours ago, but he sat at the console, the glow of the monitor soft against his face.
The song played on repeat.
Lian's voice filled the room — gentle, trembling, real.
It shouldn't have gotten under his skin.
He'd worked with hundreds of singers before. Brilliant ones. Beautiful ones.
But there was something about *that* voice.
The way it cracked, healed, and cracked again — like it wasn't trying to be perfect. It just *was.*
Rian leaned back, closing his eyes.
He could almost see him again — Lian in the booth, eyes closed, shoulders trembling, giving everything he had.
"You really are dangerous," he muttered under his breath.
He didn't mean it in a bad way.
Just that Lian's presence made him feel things he'd buried a long time ago — the warmth, the ache, the quiet yearning he didn't have time for.
---
The next morning, the building buzzed.
The producer had leaked a small snippet of the song to the internal network, and somehow it had spread.
By noon, the clip was everywhere — on fan forums, on trainee pages, even trending on social media under *#TheVoiceInTheDark*.
And though Rian's name wasn't officially attached to it yet, fans recognized his tone immediately — the layered harmony in the background, the subtle production choices that only he used.
But what really caught everyone's attention wasn't Rian.
It was the *unknown voice* in the middle — the one full of emotion, raw and trembling.
> "Who is the new guy singing with Rian Vale?"
> "He sounds *amazing* — you can feel everything in his voice."
> "If this is the same trainee from the rumor, I understand now."
The internet didn't sleep that day.
---
Lian, of course, had no idea until Jinwoo burst into the practice room mid-rehearsal, holding his phone like a torch.
"Bro! You're going viral!"
Lian blinked, sweaty and out of breath. "What?"
"Your voice! The one from the collab recording — people are freaking out!" Jinwoo shoved the phone toward him, scrolling through the comments.
Lian stared at the screen, eyes wide.
His voice. His voice was everywhere.
"Oh no," he muttered, covering his face.
"Oh *yes*," Jinwoo corrected. "You're trending number three nationwide, genius! Even Rian's fans are defending you. That's like… a miracle."
Lian's heart did a strange flip.
Rian's fans — the same ones who had hated him weeks ago — were now saying things like *'they sound perfect together'* and *'Lian's voice brings out another side of Rian.'*
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
---
Later that afternoon, he found Rian in the cafeteria — alone as usual, a cap pulled low over his eyes, scrolling through his phone.
"Rian," Lian said, approaching hesitantly.
Rian looked up, his face unreadable. "You've seen it?"
"The clip?" Lian nodded quickly. "It's… everywhere."
Rian hummed. "So I heard."
"Did you—did you release it?"
Rian arched a brow. "No. The producer probably wanted to test the waters. It just spread faster than expected."
"Oh." Lian fidgeted, unsure what to say next.
"You did well," Rian said simply, returning to his food.
Lian blinked. "That's it? I thought you'd be mad or something."
"Why?"
"Because people are talking."
Rian's lips twitched, just slightly. "People always talk. The trick is to give them something worth talking about."
Lian smiled faintly. "You sound like a pro."
"I am a pro."
They both laughed — quietly, careful not to draw attention.
For a few minutes, it felt almost normal.
---
By the end of the week, the company made it official.
The collaboration track — titled *The Sound of You* — would be released digitally as part of Rian's upcoming anniversary album.
The announcement alone sent fans into chaos.
> "Rian Vale's new song features a trainee vocalist!"
> "Who is Lian from Project One?"
> "Their voices blend too well. Is this real life?"
The pressure hit Lian like a wave.
Rehearsals doubled. Interviews were scheduled. He wasn't even debut-ready, and now his name was printed on a press release next to Rian's.
He tried to focus, to breathe, but every camera flash reminded him he wasn't supposed to be here yet.
And then there was Rian — calm, confident, collected — standing beside him at every briefing, his presence grounding and intimidating all at once.
Whenever someone asked how they met, Rian simply said, "Talent finds its own way."
Lian almost tripped the first time he heard it.
---
The release day came faster than he expected.
Midnight.
The song dropped.
Within an hour, it hit the Top 20.
By morning, it was number five.
And by evening, #RianAndLian was trending in twelve countries.
The fandom was divided — some ecstatic, some suspicious, some already shipping them like it was a drama unfolding in real time.
Lian's phone didn't stop buzzing.
Every notification, every mention, every DM made his heart race.
At one point, he hid his face in his hands. "I can't read any more of this."
Jinwoo snatched the phone away. "Then don't! Just enjoy the ride!"
But Lian couldn't relax.
It was overwhelming — the attention, the pressure, the fear that he didn't deserve it.
And yet… beneath all that noise, one thing stayed constant.
Every time the song played, he thought of Rian's words.
*Don't be afraid of being seen.*
---
Three days later, the company held a small listening event for staff and press.
Rian and Lian were seated side by side on the stage, answering polite questions from reporters.
"How did the collaboration happen?"
"What inspired the emotion in the song?"
"What was it like working together?"
Lian tried to keep his answers safe.
"It was an honor. I learned a lot. Rian-sunbaenim guided me patiently."
When it was Rian's turn, his response made everyone pause.
"He didn't need much guidance," Rian said, voice low but firm. "All I did was remind him that his voice mattered."
Lian looked at him, startled.
For a split second, their eyes met — a quiet smile between them, invisible to everyone else.
The reporters missed it, but the cameras didn't.
And by the next morning, there were a hundred articles dissecting that one glance.
> *'Rian Vale's soft gaze — new trainee melts the ice king?'*
> *'A connection beyond the stage?'*
Lian groaned when Jinwoo showed him. "I can't live like this."
"Sure you can," Jinwoo teased. "Just don't deny it too convincingly."
---
That evening, as the crowd left the event hall, Rian found Lian standing alone near the back door.
"You did well today," he said quietly.
Lian sighed. "I thought I was going to pass out."
"You didn't."
"That's only because you were there."
Rian's lips curved faintly. "You're giving me too much credit."
"I'm serious," Lian said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You make it easier to breathe."
Rian froze — just for a heartbeat — before turning his gaze away. "Careful saying things like that. People might start believing them."
Lian smiled softly. "Maybe I want them to."
Rian's eyes flicked back to him, startled — but before he could reply, the manager called from down the hall.
"Rian! We're leaving!"
He exhaled slowly. "See you tomorrow."
As he walked away, Lian watched him go, heart thudding in his chest.
The world might see them as singer and trainee.
But somewhere between all the songs and silence — something real had started to bloom.
And neither of them knew just how far it would go.
---
**End of Chapter 7 — The Weight of a Song**
To be continued…