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Keonho was secretly Martin’s biggest fan, no matter how much they bickered for the cameras. Fans only saw what the company wanted them to see through the highly edited variety shows and carefully timed vlogs.
In reality, the whole group knew what was actually going on—everyone except Martin, who was hopelessly oblivious when it came to their youngest member.
Keonho was completely crushing on his hyung. The only way his brain knew how to handle the butterflies was by constantly teasing Martin and being as annoying as humanly possible just to get his attention.
It was around eight in the evening, and the boys were lounging around their LA studio, putting the finishing touches on their upcoming album. Martin and Seongyeon were huddled near the main desk, tossing lyric ideas back and forth, when Keonho peeked his head through the doorway, a mischievous grin already forming on his face.
“What are you guys plotting in here?” Keonho asked, bouncing into the room.
Martin glanced up from his laptop. A tiny, fleeting smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but he quickly turned his attention back to the screen, trying to act like a serious, professional leader. He totally ignored the question.
FL Studio was open, and the colorful audio tracks on the screen showed they had just finished testing some vocals. Seongyeon, knowing Martin was stubborn when he wanted to be, decided to answer for him. “Just throwing some ideas around for a new track, Geonie. Come sit.”
Keonho hummed, dragging his feet as he walked over to a rolling chair in the far corner. He sat down, spinning left and right while keeping his eyes locked on Martin. The older boy still wouldn't look back, entirely focused on his screen.
Honestly, the hardest part for Keonho wasn't just that Martin missed all his hints; it was the agonizing suspicion that this whole attraction was completely one-sided.
He was convinced a cool leader like Martin would never see him that way. So, instead of being romantic, Keonho vowed to get his attention the only other way he knew how: by making Martin’s blood boil.
He slid his rolling chair across the floor, stopping right behind Martin, who was currently hunched over with his hoodie pulled over his head.
With a quick, playful swipe, Keonho reached up and snatched the heavy studio headphones right off Martin’s head.
“Gotcha!” Keonho laughed.
Seongyeon’s eyes widened, but before he could even yell a warning, Martin reacted purely on defensive instinct. Startled, his arm swung out to grab his headphones back, and his hand accidentally swiped right across Keonho’s cheek. It wasn't a hard blow, but the sudden crack shocked everyone in the room.
Martin gasped, his rolling chair flying backward as he stood up. Panic and adrenaline made his voice sound way harsher than he intended. “What the hell, Keonho! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that! Be more mindful!”
Keonho froze, his hand flying to his stinging cheek. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes from the pure shock of it, but a goofy, self-deprecating thought crossed his mind: Well, at least he's finally looking at me.
Seongyeon jumped up, immediately shoving himself between them and checking Keonho’s face. He turned an annoyed glare onto the leader. “Martin, you didn’t have to swat at him like that, dude. Relax.”
“Well, he shouldn’t do things like that! He startled me!” Martin snapped back, though his own hands were secretly trembling under his hoodie sleeves.
Keonho patted Seongyeon’s shoulder, giving him a small, reassuring smile. “I’m okay, really. Martin Hyung is right, I shouldn't have done that.” He quickly wiped at a stray tear, grabbed his tote bag, and darted out of the studio before they could see him turn even redder.
After the studio door clicked shut, the playful atmosphere completely vanished. Seongyeon didn't say a word; he just gave Martin a disappointed look, grabbed his phone, and walked out to get some space, leaving the leader entirely alone.
Martin sank back into his chair, burying his face in his hands. He looked at his palm, feeling incredibly guilty. I can't believe I actually swiped at him like that.
The truth was, Martin didn't hate Keonho at all. He was just absolutely terrified of how much he actually liked him. Every time Keonho got too close, or looked at him with those bright, soft brown eyes, Martin’s chest tightened up.
He put up walls and acted like Keonho was an annoyance because he was terrified that acknowledging his feelings would mess up the group's dynamic.
Needing to clear his head, Martin wandered down the hall to the older members' studio lounge, James loved his peace and quiet so he had a room all to himself. Martin knocked lightly and slipped inside, letting out a breath when he saw James sorting through some vintage equipment.
“Martin? What’s up? You look like you just dropped your phone in the toilet,” James joked, looking up.
Martin groaned, dropping onto the leather sofa and pulling his hood over his face. “I messed up, James. I got startled and accidentally smacked Keonho’s cheek away. I’ve been acting like such a jerk to him lately.”
James sighed, leaning against the desk. “We all know you like the kid, Martin. Why are you pushing him away so hard that you’re causing accidents?”
Martin pulled his hood down, his eyes wide and anxious. “Because I see what people say online, James. A few weeks ago, I stumbled on a hateful thread calling me awful gay slurs just because I hugged Keonho on a live stream. They said people like us ruin idol groups. And you know my parents—they are so traditional. If they ever found out I loved a guy, they’d probably disown me. I’m just trying to protect our career and my family, but I’m making him miserable in the process.”
James’s expression softened, a warm, older-brother smile taking over. He walked over and clapped a reassuring hand on Martin’s shoulder. “Hey, look at me,” James said softly.
“The internet is full of faceless trolls, Martin. They don't run your life. And your parents love you, even if it takes time for them to understand. But look at us—the members. Me, Sean, Juhoon... we have your back no matter what. You aren't alone in this. Go find him and fix it before he thinks you actually hate him.”
Martin wiped his eyes, James’s words finally giving him a burst of courage. “You're right. I need to find him.”
By the time Keonho finally snuck back into the dorms, it was 3:15 AM. He had spent hours sitting on a swing at a quiet local park, staring up at the stars. The initial sting on his cheek was long gone, but a heavy, sad cloud hung over him. He felt so emotionally drained from holding in his feelings, wishing he could just magically switch off his crush on Martin so they could go back to being normal friends.
The dorm was pitch black, except for the rhythmic, loud ticking of a vintage clock James had insisted on buying. Keonho slipped his sneakers off as quietly as possible, trying to glide toward his room.
“Finally back, huh?”
Keonho jumped, turning around to see Seonghyeon sitting on the couch, wide awake and looking relieved but exhausted.
“Just took a walk,” Keonho whispered.
Before Sean could reply, a tall figure stepped out from the kitchen shadows, his arms crossed. Martin.
“Where were you?” Martin asked, trying to sound firm, though his heart had been throat-in-mouth for the last seven hours.
Keonho sighed, his emotional defenses totally depleted. “I went for a walk, Hyung.” He tossed his tote bag onto the counter, flinching slightly when Martin scoffed.
“It’s 3:15 AM, Keonho. You’ve been on a 'walk' for seven hours? Don't bullshit me, I was worried sick!”
That did it. The exhaustion, the pent-up sadness, and the frustration of loving someone who constantly pushed him away finally boiled over.
“Then stop yelling at me!” Keonho cried out, his voice cracking in the quiet apartment. Big, hot tears immediately started spilling down his face. “Just leave me alone! Why do you even care?! You obviously can't stand me anyway!”
Martin’s heart shattered right then and there. He dropped his crossed arms, looking over at Seonghyeon with pleading eyes.
“Sean… please. Give us a minute.”
Seonghyeon looked at Keonho’s tears, nodded seriously, and headed down the hall, closing his bedroom door behind him.
Martin stepped forward, but Keonho covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed. Gently but firmly, Martin took Keonho by the wrists and guided him out through the glass doors onto the dorm’s private balcony, away from the stuffy room and into the cool night air.
“Let go of me, Hyung,” Keonho sobbed, trying to pull his hands back. “Please, just let me go to bed. It hurts too much to be around you.”
“Keonho, look at me. Please, Geonie, look at me,” Martin begged, his own voice cracking.
He reached up, his warm fingers gently wiping the tears right below Keonho’s eyes, his thumb softly brushing the cheek he’d accidentally swiped earlier. “I am so, so sorry. I’m sorry for how I snapped. I’m sorry for ignoring you, and for being such a jerk.”
Keonho sniffled, looking up through blurry eyes. “Why do you do it then? If I annoy you so much, just tell the managers to change our roommates. Don't treat me like I'm a problem.”
“You aren't the problem, I am!” Martin confessed, a tear finally escaping his own eye.
He leaned his forehead against Keonho’s, his hands cupping the younger boy's face. “I was terrified, Keonho. I saw hateful comments online calling me names, and I got scared. I was scared of ruining the group, scared of my parents... I used my fear as an excuse to push you away because being near you makes me realize how completely, hopelessly in love with you I am. You cloud my mind so much it drives me crazy. I didn't hate you—I was just trying to hide how badly I want to be yours.”
Keonho froze, a sharp, watery gasp escaping his lips. The heavy sadness in his chest instantly melted away, replaced by a sudden, electric warmth. Martin wasn't straight. And Martin loved him back.
Without waiting another second, Keonho reached up, grabbed the strings of Martin’s hoodie, and pulled the leader down into a sweet, desperate, and incredibly relieved kiss.
Martin let out a soft sigh into the kiss, his arms wrapping tightly around Keonho’s waist, pulling him so close there was no space left between them. It was a deep, reassuring kiss that whispered all the apologies they didn't have words for anymore.
When they finally pulled back for air, Martin kept his hands resting on Keonho's hips, a soft, goofy smile on his face.
“Be my boyfriend, Geonie,” Martin whispered, bumping his nose against Keonho's. “No more hiding, okay?”
Keonho let out a wet, happy laugh, his eyes crinkling into beautiful crescents. “Yes. Yes, Hyung. Absolutely.”
The next morning, the atmosphere in the company headquarters was buzzing. Martin walked into the main meeting room with his shoulders back, holding Keonho’s hand tightly right up until they sat across from their head managers and executives.
James’s advice from the night before was loud in his mind: no more hiding.
“Thanks for meeting with us,” Martin started, his voice completely steady and confident. He didn't hesitate to reach across the table and openly interlock his fingers with Keonho’s right in front of the staff. “Keonho and I are dating. We’re in a relationship, and we wanted to let you know directly.”
The room went completely quiet. A couple of managers blinked in surprise, and the main executive leaned forward.
“Martin, do you realize what the public reaction could be? The risk to the group's image—”
“With all respect, I don't care,” Martin interrupted smoothly, giving Keonho’s hand a supportive squeeze.
“Whether the company supports us or not, I’m not hiding the person I love anymore. We’re moving forward together, and we’ll handle whatever comes.”
Keonho looked at Martin, his heart practically bursting with pride. The lingering doubts from the day before were completely gone, replaced by a massive sense of security.
To their utter shock, the executive didn't start shouting. Instead, he just let out a long sigh, shaking his head with a faint smile as he turned a tablet around to face them. “Well, it seems your fans might actually be one step ahead of you.”
An international fan forum was open on the screen, trending with thousands of likes.
[TRENDING] Okay, but can we talk about how Martin looks at Keonho in the LA dance vlogs?
↳ User1: Oh, they are 100% dating. The way Martin gave him his hoodie? That’s boyfriend behavior.
↳ User2: Honestly, if they’re together, I’m celebrating. They have the cutest chemistry.
↳ User3: The bickering was so obviously a cover-up lol. Our Tom and Jerry couple is real! Protect them at all costs!
Martin and Keonho stared at the screen, totally stunned. Behind closed doors, away from the loud trolls, the vast majority of their fandom had already figured it out and were quietly rooting for them all along.
Martin let out a breathless, happy laugh, turning to look at his boyfriend. Keonho beamed back, his smile brighter than ever. They still had a busy music industry to conquer, but as Martin wrapped a protective arm around Keonho’s shoulders, they knew they could handle absolutely anything together.