Backstage of Music Bank was nothing like the quiet comfort of Y/N's Weverse live the night before. After her casual confession about admiring Lara had gone viral, Y/N's groupmates had been teasing her relentlessly throughout the day.
"I can't believe you said that on live," Winter said with a laugh, nudging Y/N as they walked toward the waiting area. "You do realize the internet is never going to let it go, right?"
"I was joking!" Y/N protested, pulling the fuzzy hood of her hoodie around her head. "People are taking it way too seriously."
"Sure, sure," Â Karina teased, smirking. "Just don't faint if you see her."
Y/N groaned, wishing she could disappear into the floor. The last thing she needed was for Lara or anyone from Katseye to overhear her group's teasing.
The backstage lounge was lively, with idols chatting, laughing, and relaxing in between rehearsals. A pair of vintage style photobooths stood out in the corner, tucked against the wall and inviting idols to "Make a Memory!" Desperate to get away from the teasing comments, Y/N slipped away from her group and headed for the booths. The idea of taking a few pictures by herself sounded like a good way to escape for a bit. Siting in the photobooth she adjusted her hoodie,grabbed a hat which had bunny ears on top from the hat bin and hit the button that read "Start". The flash went off as she posed, showing a heart and a few other random poses. For a moment, it felt nice being alone even for a few minutes.
Lara, meanwhile, was scrolling through her phone, half-listening to her groupmates as they talked about the upcoming performance. She needed a distraction from the noises in her head the endless rehearsals, the pressure of being perfect, and now the newfound attention her name was getting because of Y/N's Weverse live. Her eyes landed on the photobooths, and a small smile crept onto her face. Without saying a word, she headed over, sliding into the booth opposite Y/N's. Adjusting her hair in the camera's frame, she gave a soft smile. The flash went off. For the next shots, she added a peace sign and wore the same bunny hat Y/N had on. The quiet hum of the booth was an escape from the constant chaos of the day.
Neither of them knew, Y/N and Lara were taking photos at almost the same time with the thin back wall of the booths separating them.The machines beeped printing out photo strips. Y/N stepped out first, glancing around the room. She grabbed the photo strip from the slot, slipping it into her pocket before hurrying back to her group. Moments later, Lara came out, her focus elsewhere as she reached for the photos. Without a second thought, she tucked them into her bag and returned to her groupmates.
Hours later, Y/N was back in her dorm, scrolling through her phone as she flopped onto her bed. She remembered the photobooth pictures and pulled them out of her bag. A laugh was already bubbling in her throat until she froze. These weren't her photos. The strip in her hands showed Lara, effortlessly stunning even in the dumbest poses. Y/N stared at it, her heart racing. "Oh no..."
Across the city, Lara was unwinding on her couch. She reached into her bag, curious to see how her pictures had turned out. Her brow furrowed as she stared at the strip. Instead of her own photos, she was holding a strip of Y/N making the cutest faces imaginable wearing that same bunny hat. For a moment, she blinked at them in confusion. Then, a small laugh escaped her lips. Digging into her pencil case, she pulled out a light pink marker with which she drew a small heart on the top left corner of the strip.She carefully tucked the strip into her notebook, leaving a slight smile on her lips.
Back in her dorm, Y/N stared at Lara's photos. The more she looked, the more her embarrassment faded into something softer. She slipped the strip into her journal, closing it with a sigh. Lara, lying on her couch, found herself glancing at her bag, where Y/N's strip now rested. She couldn't quite explain why, but the mix-up left her in a strangely good mood. Though neither of them knew it yet, this small, accidental moment was the first of many that would bring them closer.