Act Like You Mean It | YEONGYU

📘 Chapter 1: Scripted Smiles

"Okay, okay, next scene!" the PD called out, waving the cue card like it was a magic wand. "Yeonjun and Beomgyu, you're up we need the classic 'cute couple moment.'"

Beomgyu groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. "Again?"

Yeonjun snorted. "Hyung, we've been doing cute couple moments since 2019."

The staff laughed. "Exactly! You're pros. Now give us the magic."

They were filming a behind the scenes segment for a variety show one of those light, fanservice-heavy shoots that focused more on chemistry than choreography. The theme? "TXT Love Line Special." And of course, the fan-favorite Yeongyu was center stage.

Beomgyu walked over to Yeonjun, exaggerated his pout, and whined loudly, "Yeonjunah, feed me a strawberry~"

Yeonjun rolled his eyes, but a grin tugged at his lips anyway. "You're unbelievable," he muttered then picked up the strawberry from the plate between them, held it out to Beomgyu, and very gently pressed it to his lips.

Cameras flashed.

Beomgyu blinked, then still playing along opened his mouth slowly and took a bite, locking eyes with Yeonjun like it was a drama scene. Chewing exaggeratedly, he leaned back and whispered, "Tastes sweeter when it's from you."

Laughter erupted on set. Soobin fake gagged off-camera. Taehyun smacked his own forehead.

Yeonjun just laughed loud, confident, professional.

But inside?

His heart was racing. And it wasn't the fanservice.

It was the way Beomgyu looked at him that split-second before the camera flashed. That little pause. That tiny flicker in his eyes that didn't quite look like acting.

It was dangerous.

Because Yeonjun was starting to forget what wasn't an act.

⸻

Later that night, in the dorm, the air was quieter.

Yeonjun sat on the couch, a bowl of cereal balanced on his knee, scrolling through the early fan reactions on his phone. #YeongyuCouple was already trending. Some fans were calling it "unreal," some "soulmate coded," and one account had written: "they're not even acting anymore 😭😭😭"

Yeonjun paused.

He stared at the screen longer than he should have.

Behind him, Beomgyu padded out from his room, hair messy, hoodie too big, yawning like a sleepy cat.

"You're reading comments again?" he asked.

Yeonjun didn't answer right away.

Beomgyu flopped beside him, pulling the blanket over both their legs like it was normal. "Hyung."

"Hm?"

"Do you ever feel like..." He trailed off. "Never mind."

Yeonjun glanced at him. "What?"

Beomgyu didn't look at him. "Forget it. I'm probably just tired."

Yeonjun nodded slowly, heart thudding for reasons he couldn't name.

He didn't ask again.

But both of them sat there too close, too familiar and neither moved away.

And somewhere, under the blankets and late night silence, something unsaid lingered between them.

Not quite scripted.

Not quite real.

But getting harder to ignore.