THE LIE BETWEEN US || yeonbin||

BLAME ME

The morning after Hyunlix left was strangely quiet.

Too quiet.

The dorm, once full of half-eaten snacks and sleepover chaos, had returned to its usual rhythm-but there was a difference now. A pressure in the air. Like the entire group was bracing for something.

Soobin stood at the kitchen counter, pouring cereal with more force than necessary. The spoon clattered in the bowl as Yeonjun slipped beside him, barefoot, hoodie half-zipped, hair still messy from sleep.

Yeonjun reached for the milk.

"You didn't sleep," he said, not as a question.

Soobin didn't answer.

"I heard you pacing," Yeonjun added.

Soobin finally looked at him. "I was thinking."

"Dangerous."

"I'm serious."

Yeonjun leaned against the counter. "About?"

Soobin hesitated. Then: "The company. Our comeback. The next stages. They're going to expect answers. A cover story. Some kind of apology."

Yeonjun blinked. "An apology? For what?"

"For being real," Soobin said bitterly.

They ate in silence for a moment.

Then Yeonjun said, "If they try to spin this like it's your fault-"

"I'll take it."

Yeonjun froze. "What?"

"I'll take the fall."

"No, you won't."

"I'm the leader, Yeonjun."

"And I'm not letting you become a shield just so they can keep pretending we're robots."

Soobin looked at him, tired but firm. "I'm used to being the one blamed. It's fine."

"No," Yeonjun snapped, slamming the milk down. "It's not."

He took a step back, eyes burning now. "You're not a machine, Soobin. You're not a sacrifice. You're not... disposable."

Soobin exhaled, voice low. "They'll listen to me. If I frame it right, if I soften it-"

"Stop." Yeonjun's voice broke. "Stop softening everything for them. Stop carrying this alone."

The tension exploded in the room like a glass cracking from pressure. For a second, neither of them spoke. The others weren't even awake yet, and already the air felt tight, sharp-edged.

Soobin's voice dropped. "If I don't carry it, then who will?"

"I will," Yeonjun whispered. "We do this together, or not at all."

Their eyes locked.

Soobin looked away first.

"I don't know how to do that," he admitted.

Yeonjun stepped closer. "Then let me teach you."

⸻

The emergency company meeting was brutal.

They were told to sit quietly. To listen. To nod.

The room was packed-executives, stylists, PR staff. No one said "dating" outright, but the words "unprofessional," "reckless," and "miscalculated" were thrown around like darts.

Soobin sat tall, face neutral, hands clasped.

Yeonjun sat beside him, vibrating with restrained fury.

Then one of the higher-ups leaned forward and said it:

"We're concerned about Soobin's leadership."

The silence that followed was thick.

Soobin opened his mouth.

But Yeonjun beat him to it.

"Blame me."

The room snapped to him.

"If you're so desperate to assign fault, then fine. I kissed him. I started it. I'm the one who didn't care how it looked. So take your punishment and put it on me."

Soobin turned slowly, eyes wide.

The execs didn't speak. A few glanced at each other, shocked by the boldness.

One cleared his throat. "That's not the point."

"No?" Yeonjun's voice shook. "Then what is the point? That we're not allowed to be human? That we can sell emotions, perform closeness, feed off each other's chemistry-but never actually feel something real?"

Another exec started to speak, but Yeonjun cut them off.

"You don't get to build a fantasy around us and then punish us when we make it real."

"Soobin didn't fail as a leader," he said, turning to look at Soobin now. "He protected someone under attack. That's his job. That's his strength."

No one said anything.

Soobin stared at him, stunned.

Then, slowly, the head of PR leaned back in her chair. "If we were to proceed without pushing a formal apology... we'd need another approach. Something that shifts the narrative."

"Then let's shift it," Yeonjun said. "But not at Soobin's expense."

Soobin found his voice again. "We'll take the scandal. But not the shame."

⸻

Later that night, the dorm was quiet again.

Soobin sat alone on the balcony, the cold wind brushing his face. The city lights sparkled like static. Behind him, the door opened and shut.

Yeonjun joined him, two mugs of tea in hand.

"You were going to take the blame," Soobin said quietly.

"So were you."

"You shouldn't have done that."

"You shouldn't have either."

They sat together, knees touching.

"I meant what I said," Yeonjun whispered. "You're not a shield."

"I'm still learning how to not be," Soobin admitted.

"You don't have to be anything for me except Soobin."

Soobin turned to look at him. "And what if Soobin is a mess?"

Yeonjun smiled faintly. "Then I'll love the mess."

Silence. Warm. Real.

Soobin leaned in slowly.

Yeonjun met him halfway.

It wasn't a kiss meant for cameras or edits. Just quiet. Just soft. Just them.

When they pulled back, Soobin whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not letting me disappear into the role they wrote for me."