Mah-e-Tanha 

Between Two Hearts

Sherri was never meant to be part of the story.

At 31, she leaves behind a life of routines and expectations, boarding a one-way flight to Seoul with nothing but a suitcase and a dream — not of stardom, but of proximity. To the stages, the music, the voices that once lifted her through the darkest seasons of her life. Seoul, she believes, will be her sanctuary. A quiet chapter where she can finally breathe, finally feel, finally live.

But fate, as always, has other plans.

It begins with a chance internship at SKY Entertainment, the powerhouse behind global sensation Slay Kids — eight young idols lighting up the world with synchronized perfection and smiles that hide more than they reveal. Sherri keeps her head down, grateful just to be close to the music. Until a late night in the practice room changes everything.

There, beneath flickering fluorescent lights and trembling breaths, she meets Hyunjin — the group’s most magnetic performer. Beautiful, intense, unknowable. He sees her, really sees her, in a way that startles them both. And behind Hyunjin stands YoungBok, steady and observant. A soft-spoken soul who watches every move Hyunjin makes like it could be their last.

As days turn to weeks, the truth begins to shimmer at the edges of her reality. There’s something between Hyunjin and YoungBok — something old, something sacred, something the world isn’t meant to see. A touch too lingering. A gaze too charged. Sherri feels the weight of it long before she understands it. And when Hyunjin starts looking at her the same way… she knows she's stepped into something dangerous.

She never meant to be the reason Hyunjin hesitates.

She never meant to stir the still waters between two people bound by more than just music.



Between the hearts

The new apartment still smelled like fresh paint and unopened boxes. It was spacious—finally theirs. 


Two large bedrooms, a separate study room, a home studio, a wide kitchen, and a bright living room filled the space. Sunlight poured in through the balcony windows, casting warm patterns on the floor. 


It wasn’t just a place to stay. It was home. 


The walls were bare, the curtains half-hung, and the floors scattered with soft laughter, empty water bottles, and tangled charging cords. 


Hyunjin stood by the wide balcony doors, letting the sun pour onto his skin. “Feels unreal,” he murmured. 


YoungBok walked in from the kitchen, holding two cans of sparkling water. “Because it is unreal,” he said, tossing one over. 


Hyunjin caught it mid-air and cracked it open. “We’re really out of the dorm.” 


YoungBok plopped down onto the couch, stretching his legs across the cushions. “We finally have space that’s ours. Not borrowed. Not temporary. Just… us.” 


Chapter 18: New Walls, Old Promises