The screen flickered, displaying "IDOL." again. And again. A looping, insistent notification. It felt like a brand seared into my retina.
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡???? ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
The thought surfaced, unbidden, and I gripped my phone tighter. I'd give up everything – the years of training, the endless auditions, the pressure, the expectation – all of it, for *you*. Just…you.
My name is Yang Jungwon, by the way. Born in '04. I'm supposed to be living the dream, a shining idol under the spotlight. But the light feels cold, and the dream…it's starting to feel like a cage.
And then there’s Kang Hyerin, also born in '04. She’s… complicated. She’s the reason I stare at my reflection and don’t recognize the person staring back. She’s the reason my heart thumps a frantic rhythm against my ribs. She’s the reason I’m starting to unravel.
A warning flashed on my feed: *Death Threat Received - User ID: ShadowK.* My stomach twisted. These were becoming…routine. The management team assured me it was just a disgruntled fan, a keyboard warrior seeking attention. But the messages weren't just angry words. They were detailed, specific, *knowing*. They felt like someone was watching me, breathing down my neck.
I scrolled past the threat, forcing myself to focus on Hyerin’s latest post. A blurry selfie, taken from a dimly lit karaoke bar. She was laughing, her eyes crinkled at the corners, a half-eaten plate of kimchi fries in her hand. She looked…free. Untouchable.
“You’re staring at her again,” my manager, Jinwoo, said, leaning over my shoulder. He smelled of coffee and desperation. “Jungwon, you need to focus. The comeback is next week. We need to be perfect.”
“Perfect for who?” I mumbled, barely audible.
Jinwoo sighed. “For the fans, for the company, for *you*. Look, I know you’re stressed about these threats, but we’ve increased security. We’re monitoring everything.”
“Monitoring isn’t enough,” I said, my voice flat. “They know what I eat for breakfast, Jinwoo. They know my dog’s name.”
He squeezed my shoulder. “It’s just a coincidence. They’re just trying to scare you.”
But it wasn’t just a coincidence. It was a creeping dread, a suffocating pressure. It was Hyerin’s voice whispering in my ear, “Don’t tell anyone. It’s our secret.”
I didn’t tell Jinwoo about Hyerin. I didn’t tell anyone. The thought of anyone knowing how deeply I was falling for her, how recklessly I was willing to risk everything, felt like a betrayal. It was a forbidden, dangerous pull.
“I need to see her,” I said, finally. “I need to see Hyerin.”
Jinwoo frowned. “Tonight? You have vocal training in an hour.”
“I’ll reschedule.”
“Jungwon, don’t be impulsive. You need to think about your image.”
I didn’t care about my image. I didn’t care about my career. I didn’t care about anything except the burning need to see Hyerin, to feel her hand in mine, to lose myself in her orbit.
“I’m going,” I said, turning away from Jinwoo. “I’m going to find her.”
I’m going to find her, even if it costs me everything. Even if it destroys me. Because right now, I'd give up my entire world just to be with Hyerin. And the thought, terrifying and exhilarating, felt like a truth I couldn’t ignore.