The ten minutes before a stage entrance happened on a Thursday.
A backstage corridor, narrow, warm from all the equipment, the sound of the broadcast coming through the walls.
Seven minutes left on the countdown board.
Haejin had pulled her sideways into the small space between two equipment trolleys.
"We have seven minutes," she said.
"I know."
"That is not enough time for anything."
"It is enough time for this."
He kissed her.
She kissed him back and told herself this was fine and professional and completely appropriate and then his hand came up to her chest, warm through the fabric, and she stopped arguing with herself about it.
His thumb moved.
She made a sound she immediately suppressed.
He was looking at her with that focused attention he brought to things he considered worth his time and she had to hold his forearm just to have something to hold.
Five minutes.
Four.
"Haejin," she said.
"Mm."
"You have to go on stage."
"I know."
"In four minutes."
