summary: Niki secretly has a crush on Y/N, the sweet and confident leader of ILLIT. He can’t help but admire her from afar. He knows he can’t say anything, but just watching her shine from a distance is enough to make his world a little brighter .ᐟ.ᐟ
w/c: 1,3k
c/w: ILLIT sixth member, use of Y/N, from Y/N her pov, Y/N is part of the 04z line and fluff ˎˊ˗
You can find the first part here .ᐟ.ᐟ
Because sometimes, in between the flashing lights and the roar of the crowd, you’d find your eyes wandering—to a face that wasn’t supposed to hold your attention.
Riki.
You didn’t know when it started. Maybe it was during that joint rehearsal, when ENHYPEN had been practicing for a collab stage and you and the girls were in the next studio. You’d seen him through the glass wall—focused, serious, the way he moved sharper than anyone else. Then he’d noticed you watching, and for a heartbeat, he’d smiled—small and soft, like a quiet secret.
You’d pretended to look away, but your reflection in the mirror gave you away.
Since then, it had been hard not to notice him.
Every time the two groups crossed paths at music shows, you caught glimpses of him—hair tucked under a cap, headphones slung around his neck, sometimes laughing with Jungwon or lost in his phone. You always bowed first. He always bowed back, a polite, gentle smile that lasted just a second too long.
And that second was enough to make your heart do strange things.
You told yourself it was just admiration.
You’d grown up watching idols—people who danced like they were born for the stage, who smiled like the world didn’t weigh them down. You wanted to be like that too: confident, fearless, steady.
But Riki… he carried something different. A quiet kind of light. He wasn’t always loud or center-stage, but he shone anyway—through small things. The way he treated staff kindly, how he encouraged his members with a pat on the back, the way he laughed when he thought no one was watching.
He was one year younger, but sometimes he felt older. Wiser, even.
You’d never told anyone, not even your members. They probably thought you were just friendly. When they’d tease—“You keep glancing at ENHYPEN’s side again, unnie!”—you’d laugh and deny it, your cheeks heating up.
Maybe you were too good at pretending.
A few months later, your group was scheduled to perform at an award show. You were nervous—your first big event of the year, the kind of stage where every second mattered.
Backstage was chaos: stylists rushing, cameras flashing, idols moving in and out of rooms. You were adjusting your mic when you heard someone say your name.
“Y/N.”
You turned and there he was. Riki, in his black performance outfit, hair styled perfectly, that same soft smile tugging at his lips.
“Oh—Riki sunbaenim,” you said quickly, bowing.
He chuckled. “You don’t have to call me that.”
You bit back a laugh. “It feels weird not to.”
“Then I’ll call you” he teased lightly. “Fair?”
You nodded, trying to ignore how warm your face felt.
There was a beat of silence, filled by the hum of distant music and the rustle of stage curtains. He shifted a little, eyes darting to your hand where you were nervously fiddling with your mic.
“You’re going to do great,” he said suddenly. “I saw your rehearsal earlier.”
You blinked. “You did?”
He nodded, grin softening. “You looked really happy up there.”
And just like that, your heart betrayed you again.
You wanted to say something clever, something that didn’t make it obvious how his words lingered like sunlight. But all that came out was a quiet, “Thank you, Riki.”
He nodded, and before you could say anything else, his manager called him away. You watched him disappear down the hallway, feeling that strange mix of flutter and ache again.
Admiration, you told yourself. Just admiration.
Weeks passed. Promotions ended, new ones began, and life moved in fast cycles of rehearsals, practice rooms, and interviews. But sometimes, during quiet moments—waiting for your vocal turn, sipping coffee in the HYBE lounge—you’d see him again.
Always from afar.
Once, you caught him sitting alone in the cafeteria, earphones in, sketching something in a notebook. You didn’t know he liked to draw. Another time, you found one of his dance practice videos trending online, and you couldn’t stop watching. The comments called him a “stage monster.” You smiled at that.
They weren’t wrong.
You saved the video—not on your main account, of course. On your private one. The one no one knew existed. Not even your members.
It wasn’t that you wanted to hide your admiration. It was just easier this way—to keep the line clear between Y/N the idol and Y/N the girl who smiled a little too wide whenever Riki passed by.
The next time you saw him was during a variety shoot. ENHYPEN and your group were filming for a holiday special. You weren’t supposed to be nervous—it was a lighthearted episode—but your heart wouldn’t listen.
During breaks, your members sat in a cluster, chatting and giggling, while you tried not to glance at the other side of the room where Riki was. Of course, that failed miserably.
He was goofing off with Sunoo, laughing over something on a tablet. His laughter was so unrestrained, so genuine, that you couldn’t help smiling too.
Then—he looked up.
Your eyes met across the room.
For a heartbeat, everything around you blurred—the lights, the chatter, even the cameras. He smiled, small and warm, like a quiet hello meant only for you.
You smiled back before you could stop yourself.
“Y/N, what are you looking at?” Yunah asked, following your gaze.
“N-Nothing,” you stammered, grabbing your water bottle way too quickly. “Just zoning out.”
She smirked. “Uh-huh. Sure.”
You elbowed her gently, but the heat on your face gave you away.
When the show wrapped, you were walking down the hallway with your members when you heard someone call out.
“Y/N!”
You turned again—Riki, jogging toward you, hair messy now from filming. He stopped a few feet away, slightly breathless. “You dropped this earlier.”
It was your mic charm—the one shaped like a little star. You blinked, surprised. “Oh! Thank you, I didn’t even notice.”
He handed it to you, smiling shyly. “Would’ve been a shame to lose it. It suits you.”
“Thanks,” you said softly, fingers brushing his for a second.
He stepped back, nodding. “See you around, Y/N.”
You watched him leave, the faint scent of his cologne lingering. When your members turned to look at you, grinning like they’d just witnessed a K-drama scene, you could only laugh and cover your face.
You didn’t know what to call this feeling. It wasn’t a crush—at least, not the kind you could admit out loud. It was more like admiration laced with warmth, curiosity tangled with something gentle and secret.
You both lived in a world built on spotlights and distance, where emotions were meant to be subtle, quiet, hidden between smiles.
But every now and then, when you stood on opposite sides of a stage, you’d catch his eyes across the lights—and for that brief, stolen second, it felt like the world stopped pretending.
Months later, during an award show rehearsal, your groups were assigned near each other. The hall was loud—music blasting, staff shouting directions—but somehow, amid all the noise, you felt calm.
Because when you turned, he was there again—just a few rows away. He waved when he noticed you.
You smiled and waved back.
That was all.
No conversation, no moment caught on camera. Just a smile shared across a crowded room.
But it was enough.
Because in that single exchange, you realized something quietly beautiful—
Even if neither of you said it, even if your paths only brushed in passing, there was something real in the unspoken understanding between you.
Something that didn’t need to be named.
Something that, maybe, someday, when the world was softer and the lights a little dimmer, could become more than just a glance from afar.
He will do anything to spend all day with you cuddling but bro has places to be yk
But he still tries to cuddle as much as possible even in public. If he’s on break and your there he will cuddle up to you in front of everyone, he don’t care! Unless your the one cuddling up to him then he will start blushinggg
But mostly y’all cuddle at one of your houses. He’s so awake and hyper that he can’t stay still but two minutes into the cuddle sesh he’s gone. He drools all over you but you don’t care, and you’ll gladly kiss him awake when it’s time to go
He mainly clings onto your side, like he just clamps himself onto your waist or arm and will just stay there! He also likes being held by you but that’s only for special occasions
Kageyama✿
He doesn’t beg and whine for cuddles but he will be pissed if he doesn’t get cuddles when he wants. He expects you to read his mind; “how was I supposed to know you wanted to cuddle you didn’t say anything?” “I DONT KNOW!”
But once he does get them he is very pleased with himself, he feel like he wins since he didn’t have to ask even though he was pouting the whole day which is basically the same-
He normally big spoons you while his face is like (¬◡¬). If you catch a glimpse of his dumb smirk you tease him which makes him hide in your hair instead~
He’s scared of cuddling anywhere public in any way- he wants cuddles to be private and special! He like just being with you and no one else ok!
Tsukishima✿
He thinks he’s so smart trying to make cuddling ‘your idea’ even though you didn’t even say anything at all. Like random he just walks up to you; “fineee since you wanna whine so much I guess we could cuddle.” You didn’t even say anything before he spoke up he was just to shy to admit he wanted to cuddle
He big spoons you but what he really loves is resting his head on your chest and wrapping his arms around you, You play with his hair and call him ‘your baby’ and at that point he doesn’t even try to stop it. He will deny it later tho👍
The only cuddling he really does PDA wise is letting you rest on him. He doesn’t care abt all the teasing his gunna get if your tired he doesn’t care he will be a pillow. Again he will deny it later even though there were witnesses
Yamaguchi✿
Never will he ever ask to cuddle, it’s way too embarrassing to ask you he’d rather just curl into a ball on top of you and wait for you to acknowledge him, he always lays on top of you even if he’s bigger or smaller than you he doesn’t care. He draws shapes on your arms while he waits for attention, he also likes when you pat his head-
Once you finally engage with him he was just start TALKINGG, about anything! When he’s comfortable he talks! About his day n such and sometimes he goes “oh do you wanna say something? No? Ok…blah blah blahhh” you don’t mind his yapping at all though
If you try hugging him in public or pulling him in he will just look away timidly and softly push off, hopeing no one sees his red face~
Nishinoya✿
He tries cuddling you literally everywhere. He can’t go one second without a cuddle- he could be in the middle of shopping or something and he will just stop, turn around and cling onto you, then after a minute he will get off and act like nothing happened
If you guys r just hanging out at your house and y’all decide to cuddle uhm, your going to have to pick the position cuz he can not make up his mind- honestly he just sprawls out and let’s you do whatever, normally you just hold him which he’s chill with
Also if you don’t give him nose kisses or play with his hair while cuddling he’s gunna be madddd!
Daichi✿
He gives you hugs n love but cuddling is rare but when it does happen it lasts HOURS. Like 4 full hours I’m being Fr. He holds you close to his chest and just stays there, he doesn’t even fall asleep he’s fully awake and he remembers every moment!
He waits all day for you both to have free time so you could just talk and cuddle and he will get impatient in you take too long, he’s been waiting all day ofc he’s gunna get impatient; “y/n hurry up!!!” “Be PATIENT!” “UGHHH”
When y’all cuddle he always hides his face in your hair or neck and he gets cold like really easily so when he starts getting a little cold he tightens his arms around you hoping for you to bring warmth to him
Sugawara✿
He is obsessed with cuddles but if he asked for them all the time he would feel like he’s bothering you, WHICH HES NOT!
He tries to figure out if your busy in any way ; “sooo y/n, you doing anything?” “Uhm no?” “Cool…cool…” “…do you wanna cuddle~!” “Yeah” you can tell what he wants without him having to ask which he loves
He cuddles by tucking under your chin and basically hiding in the neck, when you cuddle it’s nap time for him so you have a sleeping boy hiding in your neck while softly snoring, you comment about his snoring later and he got embarrassed 😔
Tanaka✿
He normally only cuddles late at night when he’s still hype asf and needs to calm down, so he just throws himself onto you-
He obviously uses your chest as a pillow so he wraps his hands round your waist as well, you could feel him nuzzling into your chest while he whispers something about you being so hot (as usual)
On a serious note he finds is so cute when you drag your thumb over his cheeks in an attempt to calm him down, he always grabs your hand and kisses it before actually calming down.
This should NOT have taken this long but I had shit to do forgive me😋
Commission complete for my friend, Isaac the Media Hunter!
Isaac has been hiring me to draw assets for his fan game, Tales of Naturia, for a couple years now. Most recently, I completed the skit animations for Nishi, and redrew his portrait. I'm happy with his glow-up from 8 years ago!
Finished the manga for You and I Are Polar Opposites and I am now going to affect the trout population
Why was Nishi not in the last photo?? I refuse to believe she and Yamada didn’t work out. What about tairazuma????? They def kept in touch at the very least but did they ever become established???????? They had just all but confirmed their feelings were mutual!!!!!!!!!! I asked for slow burn but I was Still Expecting It To Burn Eventually. I know not every high school relationship is gonna last and hoping for 3 of them to is a lot, but fuck you this is fiction make my ships stay together ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡
At least we know Gapacho is real and that Suzuki and Tani were still together after uni(?), and that the squad at least stayed somewhat in contact…
usually less than an hour. Used to draw pretty much daily but I only have energy for every few days now, lol. so when I do have the energy I try to get it all colored and shaded quickly.
I spend longer on my personal works, though. It's relaxing to paint when I have the time! Both of these took me several hours each.
