Seo-yeon smiled and reached for her glass of water before returning to the cooking.
They were still preparing dinner when Yoongi's phone began ringing on the kitchen counter.
He glanced at the screen and noticed his manager's name.
"Hello, Manager."
"Yoongi, where are you right now?"
"At home. Why?"
"Have you checked the internet?"
Yoongi frowned slightly. "No. Is something wrong?"
"Pictures of you and a woman are everywhere. They're trending."
He paused, looking briefly at Seo-yeon, who was busy arranging the ingredients on the counter.
"What pictures?"
"Pictures from your shopping trip. Someone must have followed you both. They've been shared across several platforms, and people are already talking about them."
Yoongi's expression changed.
"When were they taken?"
"Most likely during your visit to the shopping centre. There are about three or four pictures from different angles. Some show you both walking together, and others show you smiling at each other."
"How many people have seen them?"
"Quite a lot. Your name has been trending for a while now. The company is aware, and we're discussing how to handle the situation."
Yoongi rubbed his forehead.
"Have you seen the comments?" his manager asked.
"Not yet. I'm checking now."
"Listen, don't respond to anything. Don't make any statements or contact reporters. Let the company handle it for now. The pictures have spread beyond Korea, and the chairman has already been informed."
"Has he said anything?"
"Not yet. We're waiting for the company to assess the situation before deciding on the next step."
Yoongi exhaled quietly.
"We knew something like this could happen eventually."
"I know, but we still need to be careful. Call me after you've seen the pictures."
"Alright. I'll check."
The call ended.
Yoongi picked up his phone and unlocked it. He opened Instagram first and immediately noticed his name among the trending discussions. Several entertainment accounts had already uploaded the photographs from the shopping centre.
He stared at the pictures for a moment.
There was no mistaking him. He had not worn a mask that day, and his face was clearly visible in every photograph.
He opened X.
His name appeared repeatedly, accompanied by the photographs and countless questions about the woman beside him.
Some posts had thousands of comments and reposts. Others had been shared so many times that the original accounts were almost impossible to find.
He scrolled through the first few posts.
@purpleheart:
"WAIT. IS THAT MIN YOONGI? PLEASE TELL ME I'M SEEING THINGS."
@sugabear:
"That's definitely Yoongi. I know that face anywhere. But who is the woman with him?"
@bangtanupdates:
"Min Yoongi spotted at a shopping centre with an unidentified woman. The photographs have sparked discussions among fans."
@moonlightarmy:
"Unidentified woman? Is she his girlfriend? Or are they just friends? Because why does this look like a date?"
Yoongi continued scrolling.
The questions were multiplying. Some people were convinced he was dating the woman, while others believed the two might have been secretly married. A few even wondered whether the company had been hiding a relationship from the public.
@yoongiswife:
"He's thirty-two years old. What exactly are people expecting? If he has found someone he loves and wants to build a family with, why shouldn't he? Let that man live."
@mincloud:
"Some of you need to remember that Yoongi is a human being before he's your favourite idol. He's allowed to fall in love, get married and have children. I support him."
@seesaw:
"Imagine being angry because a grown man is happy with someone. Please, let him enjoy his life."
@lilacmoon:
"I honestly don't care who she is. If Yoongi is happy, I'm happy. I hope they have a beautiful future together."
Another post caught his attention.
@sugamylove:
"WAIT, DOES THIS MEAN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE YOONGI BABY SOMEDAY? I'M ALREADY EXCITED AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY'RE DATING!"
Yoongi's lips moved slightly, almost forming a smile.
He kept scrolling.
@armyforever:
"He's thirty-two, not twelve. If he wants a relationship, that's his business. We've watched him grow for years. I just want him to be happy."
@sevenstars:
"Can we please stop acting as if idols are not allowed to have personal lives? Whether she's his girlfriend or something more, it's his decision."
But the supportive comments were only one side of the discussion.
Further down, he came across posts that made his expression harden.
@onlymyoppa:
"Who is this woman? Why is she walking around with my Yoongi like that? I don't like this at all."
@sugaforever:
"I refuse to believe this. My Yoongi cannot be dating someone. Someone please tell me these pictures are fake."
@purpleblood:
"Who gave this woman the right to come between us and our oppa? I have supported him for years. I can't believe this is happening."
He stopped scrolling for a second.
Another comment appeared beneath the post.
@realarmy:
"Come between you and your oppa? Are you hearing yourself? You don't know him personally. He's not your boyfriend."
The argument beneath it had already grown into hundreds of replies.
Some fans were defending Yoongi, while others were directing their anger towards the woman in the photographs.
@sweet_suga:
"Who is this woman? I don't want to see her beside my oppa. I don't care if they're dating or planning to get married. I'm not ready for this."
@yoongisangel:
"Imagine being a woman and having thousands of strangers insult you because of a man you're dating. Some of you should be ashamed."
@armyvoice:
"Leave the woman alone. She hasn't done anything to you. She's not responsible for your expectations."
@sugakitten:
"I don't care if she's his girlfriend or wife. I don't want to see him with another woman. This is heartbreaking."
@purpleworld:
"Heartbreaking for who? You? He's a grown man. He can choose who he wants to be with."
Yoongi's thumb moved slowly across the screen.
He had expected different reactions. He knew not everyone would be pleased, and he certainly wasn't surprised that some fans would struggle to accept the news.
But seeing strangers insult Seo-yeon was something else.
He opened another post.
@kpopwatcher:
"So, Min Yoongi has apparently been keeping a relationship secret. Is this a girlfriend, a fiancée or a wife? We need answers!"
@curiousarmy:
"Can someone explain what is happening? Is he dating? Are they married? Why is everyone arguing? I just came online."
@dailykpop:
"Fans are divided after photographs of Min Yoongi with an unidentified woman began circulating online. While some have expressed support, others have criticised the relationship."
Yoongi stared at the screen.
Relationship.
That was what everyone wanted to know about.
And none of them had the slightest idea how complicated the truth was.