Falling, Slowly

Jackson's POV It all started with a random message. At first, none of us thought much of it. We had created a private group chat on this new app, just a way for the seven of us to stay connected outside of schedules and the chaos of the industry. A place where we could be ourselves. Then one day, a stranger showed up. Danbi. Somehow-whether it was a glitch or fate-she got added to our group chat by accident. At first, we thought she was just another fan who found a way in, but it didn't take long to realize she had no idea who we were. And that? That made her different . She wasn't freaking out, wasn't treating us like idols. She was just... Danbi. Honest. Funny. Real. We could've removed her. Should've, probably. But instead, we let her stay. And just like that, she became part of us. It didn't take long for Jaebeom to notice her in a different way. The late-night conversations, the inside jokes, the way they just clicked. It was easy, natural-like they had known each other forever. And me? I was happy for them. Or at least, that's what I told myself. Because somewhere along the way, between all the shared laughter and stolen moments, I started noticing things too. Like the way Danbi's eyes lit up when she talked about something she loved. Or how she always knew when I needed someone, even when I didn't say a word. Or how, when she looked at me, it felt like something I couldn't name. I wasn't supposed to feel this way. But the thing about feelings? They don't always listen.