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 apartment was filled with the soft clatter of dishes being cleared and the low hum of laughter still lingering from dinner. 


The table was a mess of empty bowls and chopsticks, leftovers tucked into containers for tomorrow. But none of them cared. They were too full, too tired, too happy. 


Sherri had changed into an oversized tee and leggings, settling onto the couch with a deep sigh. Hyunjin soon followed, dropping down beside her and resting his head gently in her lap without a word. Her hand immediately went to his hair, stroking through the soft strands with calming familiarity. 


“You’re so spoiled,” she murmured with a smile, looking down at him. 


“I’m tired,” Hyunjin mumbled, eyes closed, lips curving into a satisfied grin. “Your lap is heaven. I earned this.” 


Chapter 21: Quiet Nights, Open Hearts